Self-sacrifice.
This castle seemed to be located in a deep corner of the palace. From what she remembers, it is currently empty and unused.
'I didn't know Mion lived in a place like this.'
Julia tilted her head. It was such a lonely and isolated place that she wondered if she had mistaken someone else for Endymion.
'But since it's Mion's memory, it must be right... Ah!'
As Julia walked up the stairs, she found the place she was looking for. The room at the far end of the hallway seemed to be where the hair had been seen.
Tadah.
Julia ran across the dark carpet and stopped in front of the door. But, unexpectedly, the door was slightly open.
Not knowing what was going on, Julia peeked through the open door. Then, this is what she saw.
"Does he usually take a nap at this time every day?"
"Yes, it's regular. Maybe it's because of his constitution, but once you fall asleep, he doesn't wake up easily."
"No, didn't you say that it could be a side effect of having his memories erased? There's no need to try to comfort him."
"I am sorry, Your Majesty."
He was the former King. He was the father of Endymion, who passed away early.
'His Majesty the King, erase Mion's memories...?'
Julia, who had heard the conversation, was startled and covered her mouth.
"Why did the curse have to befall my son? If only I had been the one who got it, I wouldn't have raised him like this or forced him into a political marriage."
"It was an inevitable choice, so don't be too upset. Now, if he just gets married according to the trust, everything will be resolved."
An older man standing next to him comforted the late King.
"Didn't the god himself secretly tell you that this is a sacred union, and that only an oracle stating that the Princess is the god's favorite should be known to the outside world? Since he spoke so solemnly, the curse will definitely be lifted."
"I wish that were true. To somehow survive this marriage, I lied to his mother, Milady, and even erased her memories in a hurry."
The King's voice was gloomy.
"Even if you erase his memories... the wounds from up until now will remain in his subconscious."
"So that's why you came here to plant memories that will become memories. How hard did you have to work to secretly persuade the magician of the magic tower to make the potion?"
The man handed him a small vial.
"I have included the memory of His Majesty and the Crown Prince making a wine bet for Princess Iris. It will be a warm memory shared among family members."
"...Please, may this be a comfort to your heart."
After finishing speaking, the King carefully poured the liquid from the bottle. Julia felt a faint purple magic flow into the air and seep somewhere.
"Your Majesty, the twenty-minute time limit is almost up. If you stay too long, your life will be in danger, so you must leave immediately."
The man pushed the King away, who was not moving. They came over wearing transparent devices to prevent contact with their faces and hands, and opened the door.
"Ah."
Julia, who had been absent-mindedly watching the conversation and the situation, was startled. However, despite facing each other head-on, the old King and the man passed by in the hallway without seeing anything.
'I guess you can't see me because it's in your memory.'
Julia felt relieved. Then, after making sure that the two men had completely left the room, she cautiously entered the room.
"You should leave quickly, as your life is in danger if you stay too long."
The words the man had said earlier still rang in her ears. Julia clutched her chest tightly.
'Could that be the curse? No one can stay by Mion's side.'
The conversation she overheard earlier and what the knight had reported were intertwined. The meaning of the 'cursed one' that Killian had poured out before he died.
So that's why he grew up locked up alone in a place like this. Until he married her, and the curse was cured.
'Was he always alone?'
The former King came secretly and even made up memories like a wine bet.
Julia looked at the boy lying in bed, sleeping.
What she saw through the window outside seemed to be the black hair of the former King. And the boy had exactly the same hair as the former King. Even the jawline, nose bridge, and eyebrow bones were similar...
"..."
"Mion."
Julia, who was feeling sad, called out to Endymion. At that moment, he, who had been breathing evenly with a blank expression, slowly opened his eyes.
"Mion?"
Julia took a step back, slightly surprised.
Endymion, the boy who woke up slowly, seemed to not see her. His cold eyes, unusual for a child, passed her by and turned to the dead fireplace.
"...Cold."
Endymion blurted out nonchalantly and turned on the fireplace himself. A small spark started to burn, and soon the heat grew even on the warm day.
"Why isn't it getting warmer?"
"..."
Even Julia, who was standing far from the fireplace, could feel the heat, and the boy muttered as he brought his hand close to the fire as if it were burning him.
Julia watched the scene quietly, then took a step forward.
"No."
Julia whispered softly, even though she knew he couldn't hear her.
"At times like that... You say you're lonely."
Julia felt like crying, so she said it in a voice so affectionate that it almost made her cry.
Julia crouched down next to the expressionless boy. The boy Endymion still had a face that did not understand anything, and was just staring blankly at her.
"You don't have to light a fire anymore."
Julia whispered and reached out her hand. Her thin, white hand, young but firm, caressed the boy's cheek.
"Because I will be by your side."
She knew he couldn't hear it, but she hoped he could. The lukewarmness of this moment, of this time.
Julia leaned in gently and kissed Endymion's forehead.
"So, just wait a moment."
A tender and delicate voice melted into the air. Then Endymion looked intently at Julia.
"...Who are you?"
Even though he clearly couldn't see anything, their gazes were intertwined.
"Am I still half asleep?"
He slowly rubbed his forehead, his eyes slightly furrowed. Julia asked in surprise and reflex.
"Can you see me?"
"I can hear it too."
Endymion answered suspiciously. But strangely enough, his cold face had a faint warmth that had not been there before.
"How?"
Woohoo-!
At that moment, the magic circle rose up and enveloped Julia. Unlike when it had entered, it was more stable and much larger.
'That's it!'
It meant that the problem was solved.
Julia realized naturally that Endymion was not unable to wake up because his recovered memories were confused.
'Because of Killian's attack, he was haunted by his childhood memories.'
The dark and lonely past had awakened and colored the present Endymion. However, with Julia's voice and kiss, the past had lost its power.
"Where are you going?"
Julia, surrounded by a magic circle, faded away. Then Endymion frowned and reached out his hand.
As if trying to hold on to the warmth he felt for the first time in his life.
"Hello, Mion."
It was time to go back to reality. Julia whispered with a pretty smile, looking a little regretful.
"We will meet soon."
"For a moment...!"
Hwaaaaak!
The moment the boy Endymion grabbed Julia with an urgent look on his face, a dazzling light burst out, and his vision became completely white.
***
"...Ah."
Julia opened her eyes, letting out a short, groan-like breath.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
Julia realized she had come out of his memories. She quickly got up, but he leaned over and hugged her.
"Uh, Mion?"
"..."
It was a familiar embrace. Julia, who had been surprised, looked at the eyes looking down at her and hugged him in relief.
"Thank goodness you're both okay!"
Boris and Adele, who had been waiting, called the attending doctor. The attending doctor quickly came in and examined the two.
And even when he told her that everything was fine, he didn't let Julia go.
"Both of you, get some rest until morning."
The attending doctor led the people out, urging them to remain absolutely still. Everyone, including the Knight Commander, who came in mid-air to announce that the situation had been successfully suppressed, left their seats.
Bam.
The room became quiet.
"Mion, are you okay?"
A relieved Julia asked cautiously. Endymion had not let go so far, so she was holding him tightly to the point of feeling a little awkward.
"..."
"Hey, can you leave me alone for a moment? I want to see if you're okay, but I can't see you very well like this..."
It was when Julia tried to get up and get away from Endymion.
"Don't leave."
A low, muffled voice caught her. Julia looked up at him, still holding her in confusion.
"What are you talking about? Where am I..."
A large hand embraced the round female body with longing.
"Please."
Julia understood the situation as she heard the voice that even felt pain.
Endymion, who had regained his past, knew that she had just interfered with his memories.
"Mion, wait a minute. If it's because of the curse, it's all gone now..."
Julia tried to calm him down.
But Endymion seemed certain that she would leave. His voice, always languid and haughty, began to speak in a pleading tone.
"No. It stopped. Instead of taking someone else's life, it sucked your magic power."
"What?"
"I don't know why, but it's thanks to that that I've survived until now. When you temporarily lost your magic power to the black magic earlier, the curse woke up again."
Now that she thinks about it, she remembers Endymion being fine when they confronted Killian earlier. She was a high-ranking magician, but her magic powers had been stripped away.
Julia listened in surprise.
"And my curse absorbed his magic power instead of yours."
She remembered how Killian's powerful black magic disappeared in front of Endymion.
'Wait a minute. Could it be that it's magic extracted from life?'
Then it makes sense that Endymion's curse absorbed black magic as life.
The silver magic was pure power, but it had already been mixed with the black magic and tainted, so it would have been completely consumed.
"Now, I feel your magic holding back my curse, just like before."
Endymion murmured quietly. His voice, which had never wavered in the face of enemy intrusion, was now filled with fear.
"If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have gotten married."
"...What?"
Julia flinched and asked back. Then Endymion clung to her slender shoulders with his dry, rough lips.
"I can't get my mind off the thought that if I failed and my curse would kill you."
"..."
"If I had known you would become more precious than my life, I wouldn't have married you. At least if my memories hadn't been erased, I wouldn't have used you as collateral to get married just to survive."
Endymion was afraid that Julia wouId reject him. There was a desperation in the man's voice, which was always cool and unhesitating.
"But it's too late now. I know you'll feel betrayed, and that I'm being selfish."
Endymion lowered his head. Unable to meet Julia's gaze, he pitifully pressed his lips to her white hand.
"I can't let you go."
"..."
"You can call me shameless and shameless. You don't have to see my face anymore."
Endymion pressed his lips to various parts of Julia's hand as if performing a sacred ritual.
"...Just stay by my side."
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