At that time, they were thinking about ten thousand complicated thoughts.
The blunt man's mouth opened, and a deep, trustworthy voice was heard.
“...What if you still haven’t left and are still here? You should have run away quickly.”
Although it was a voice rebuking the couple who remained at home, it did not seem like it would harm them immediately.
“That, that is...”
“I, I need to pack my bags... and I need travel expenses too...”
The couple, for some reason, were desperately making excuses in front of a man they didn't even know. It seemed like the only way they could survive.
“Travel expenses...”
The man muttered along with Debbie's words, then put his hands in his pockets.
Scott unconsciously hid Debbie behind him, wondering if he'd draw his weapon. Of course, once Scott was dead, she would naturally be next, but he still wanted to protect her, even if only for a moment.
But what came out of the man's pocket was not a weapon, but a pouch full of money.
He casually tossed the money bag to Scott, who, bewildered, caught it with both hands.
"That should be enough. Go quickly before I change my mind. If you don't, I don't know what I'll do."
The words were clearly a vicious threat, but strangely enough, they didn't sound that way to the couple.
They don't know who he is, but they thought that, despite his scary appearance, he might be surprisingly kind and gentle on the inside.
“Oh, thank you.”
The couple walked past the man, keeping an eye on him, and went out of the cabin.
Cloud, who had been waiting for them to leave with his eyes tightly shut, added without even looking in their direction.
"If possible, you should go to places with few people. Since you've been living in such secluded places, you'll know how to handle it... But there's a carriage parked down the road, so be careful not to get caught."
It was a gentle farewell, pretending not to notice until the very end.
The couple followed Cloud's instructions and descended the mountain, silencing any signs of life. Sure enough, a carriage was parked on the main road, and they had to avoid it.
And a little later.
Flames were seen rising from the direction of the cabin where they had made their home. It appeared that the man had set it on fire after they had left.
Scott stared in a daze as the foundation of his life, the one he'd worked so hard to build, was reduced to ashes. It felt unreal. For the past twenty years, this place had been his whole life...
“You should go quickly. Why are you staring blankly like that?”
And then Debbie grabbed him.
"Yes, let's go. We have to survive first. Isn't life more important than a house?"
Although his physical strength wasn't what it once was, his woodworking skills were still intact. As long as he lived, he could easily reclaim his land.
They quickened their pace and soon disappeared into the dark forest.
Cloud, who had gone to the couple's cabin, returned to the carriage shortly thereafter.
From the direction he was walking, there was a burning smell of smoke, and the intense flames of a burning wooden building were billowing out.
“I hope you handled it neatly?”
“...Of course.”
Cloud nodded in response to Capella's question.
And Aila grabbed his arm impatiently.
“W-what does that mean? Dealing with them... What did you do to them? Did you really kill them? No?”
Half of it was an act to show off to Capella, but the other half was not an act; it was sincere.
Because she still doesn't know what choice Cloud will make.
And he nodded, blinking slowly, as if to reassure her that he had done as she commanded.
Strangely enough, the moment she saw his clear eyes... all of Aila’s doubts about Cloud seemed to disappear in an instant.
"It was inevitable for the Master's plan. You're not trying to sound so weak-willed as to say you've truly become attached to them, are you?"
Capella asked sharply, arms crossed, and Aila shook her head, face downcast, with a deadpan expression.
Of course, she only looked gloomy on the outside, but she was overflowing with joy.
Because she was able to save Scott and Debbie, and soon the curse on her body would be lifted, and she could finally return to her birth parents.
But the joy that had been blooming in her heart soon dissipated like a mirage when she met Byron.
"My daughter. Run to the lower village and ask for help. If you wear this necklace, they'll mistake you for a Princess and take you to their house. The lord who owns this area is known for his unnecessarily generous spirit and righteousness, so he'll probably be more meddlesome than necessary."
He was waiting for Aila to come from a nearby mountain, and as soon as they met, he said this without even having time to recover from his emotions.
“Right now?”
No, that couldn't be right. They hadn't even performed the ritual to lift the curse yet, so there was no way she'd be allowed into the Duke's house.
“Yeah, now. Why is that?”
Byron looked at Aila with a puzzled wink, but she was the one who should have been confused.
'The curse...? Why won't you lift it?'
If she were to enter the Duke's household like this, her mother, Ophelia, would notice and think it was strange. Why is he suddenly trying to send her away without even lifting the curse?
And it seemed she wasn't the only one flustered by Byron's order. Cloud's face was also clearly bewildered.
“My lord...!”
When Cloud called out to Byron in an urgent voice, he put his index finger to his lips.
"Shh, we'll talk later. I need to talk to my precious daughter first. Is there any reason you can't go now, daughter?"
“...No, that’s not it... I feel sad because if I part ways with my father like this, I won’t be able to see you for a long time.”
Aila tried to hide her surprise and come up with a plausible excuse.
"...Oh, oh, oh. My daughter seems very sad. But even if you miss your father, please bear with it for a little longer. We will soon... meet again at the most glorious moment."
Indeed, her excuse worked, and Byron smiled and replied.
"You should go out, daughter. You should go out and prepare, right? Your parents were killed by bandits, and your house was burned down. You wouldn't show up looking so fine."
He nodded, signaling her to leave. It was time to send her away and speak with Cloud.
Aila had no choice but to nod and go outside.
Capella approached her, scorched her face and clothes with charcoal, and tore her clothes. He also left scratches here and there.
While she was outside applying realistic makeup, Cloud was asking Byron in a panicked voice why he wouldn't lift the curse.
“My lord, why don’t you lift the curse?”
"Well, that's right. While you were watching that child, I heard some interesting news. My Ophelia... can no longer use magic."
Byron chuckled as if he was enjoying himself.
He somehow felt strange about having a child. They say that because of the strong magical power, it's hard for a child to be born. He never thought something like that would happen.
"If there's no fear of being caught, then there's no need to break the chains, right? That kid... might change her mind once she breaks free from my brainwashing."
Byron rested his chin on his arm, which was leaning against the armrest of his chair, and smiled broadly. It was a genuinely happy smile, and that made it all the more eerie.
“That... wasn’t Laura supposed to take good care of it?”
"Yes, that's right. But wouldn't it be better to get insurance rather than relying solely on your nephew?"
At Byron's answer, Cloud bit his lip nervously. It was unbelievable that Ophelia had lost her magic.
"There's also Candice Eposher, my lord. You must not forget that she was staying at the Duke's house until recently."
Cloud somehow managed to persuade Byron by bringing up Candice. Aside from the threat of Ophelia, the Duke's family had many variables.
"Oh, you mean that skinny, absent-minded woman. She's not like she's just idle, so do you think she comes here that often?"
Byron hadn't forgotten about it either. As Ophelia hailed from a land of wizards, there were many wizards around her.
Because it started with her best friend, Candice Eposher.
But Candice held a fairly high position in the Republic of Tamora. Even if she managed to find the time to visit the Duke's residence this time, there was no telling when she'd find the time again.
Besides that, he investigated mainly the people that Ophelia was close with, but other than Candice, there was no wizard good enough to notice the hidden curse.
Even Isidore, Ophelia's biological brother, was said to be a vagabond who, unlike his sister, had little innate magical power and spent his days confined to his study.
As Byron was explaining this story, he suddenly frowned, wondering why he was telling his subordinate all these things.
“If that’s what I’m going to do, then so be it. Are you dissatisfied?”
“...No, my lord.”
Cloud lowered his head, hiding his feelings.
If Byron had already decided to send her back without lifting the curse, there was no way he could help Aila.
He tried to wash away his guilt by returning her safely to her parents, but it seemed that even that would not go as he wished.
The blunt man's mouth opened, and a deep, trustworthy voice was heard.
“...What if you still haven’t left and are still here? You should have run away quickly.”
Although it was a voice rebuking the couple who remained at home, it did not seem like it would harm them immediately.
“That, that is...”
“I, I need to pack my bags... and I need travel expenses too...”
The couple, for some reason, were desperately making excuses in front of a man they didn't even know. It seemed like the only way they could survive.
“Travel expenses...”
The man muttered along with Debbie's words, then put his hands in his pockets.
Scott unconsciously hid Debbie behind him, wondering if he'd draw his weapon. Of course, once Scott was dead, she would naturally be next, but he still wanted to protect her, even if only for a moment.
But what came out of the man's pocket was not a weapon, but a pouch full of money.
He casually tossed the money bag to Scott, who, bewildered, caught it with both hands.
"That should be enough. Go quickly before I change my mind. If you don't, I don't know what I'll do."
The words were clearly a vicious threat, but strangely enough, they didn't sound that way to the couple.
They don't know who he is, but they thought that, despite his scary appearance, he might be surprisingly kind and gentle on the inside.
“Oh, thank you.”
The couple walked past the man, keeping an eye on him, and went out of the cabin.
Cloud, who had been waiting for them to leave with his eyes tightly shut, added without even looking in their direction.
"If possible, you should go to places with few people. Since you've been living in such secluded places, you'll know how to handle it... But there's a carriage parked down the road, so be careful not to get caught."
It was a gentle farewell, pretending not to notice until the very end.
The couple followed Cloud's instructions and descended the mountain, silencing any signs of life. Sure enough, a carriage was parked on the main road, and they had to avoid it.
And a little later.
Flames were seen rising from the direction of the cabin where they had made their home. It appeared that the man had set it on fire after they had left.
Scott stared in a daze as the foundation of his life, the one he'd worked so hard to build, was reduced to ashes. It felt unreal. For the past twenty years, this place had been his whole life...
“You should go quickly. Why are you staring blankly like that?”
And then Debbie grabbed him.
"Yes, let's go. We have to survive first. Isn't life more important than a house?"
Although his physical strength wasn't what it once was, his woodworking skills were still intact. As long as he lived, he could easily reclaim his land.
They quickened their pace and soon disappeared into the dark forest.
***
Cloud, who had gone to the couple's cabin, returned to the carriage shortly thereafter.
From the direction he was walking, there was a burning smell of smoke, and the intense flames of a burning wooden building were billowing out.
“I hope you handled it neatly?”
“...Of course.”
Cloud nodded in response to Capella's question.
And Aila grabbed his arm impatiently.
“W-what does that mean? Dealing with them... What did you do to them? Did you really kill them? No?”
Half of it was an act to show off to Capella, but the other half was not an act; it was sincere.
Because she still doesn't know what choice Cloud will make.
And he nodded, blinking slowly, as if to reassure her that he had done as she commanded.
Strangely enough, the moment she saw his clear eyes... all of Aila’s doubts about Cloud seemed to disappear in an instant.
"It was inevitable for the Master's plan. You're not trying to sound so weak-willed as to say you've truly become attached to them, are you?"
Capella asked sharply, arms crossed, and Aila shook her head, face downcast, with a deadpan expression.
Of course, she only looked gloomy on the outside, but she was overflowing with joy.
Because she was able to save Scott and Debbie, and soon the curse on her body would be lifted, and she could finally return to her birth parents.
But the joy that had been blooming in her heart soon dissipated like a mirage when she met Byron.
"My daughter. Run to the lower village and ask for help. If you wear this necklace, they'll mistake you for a Princess and take you to their house. The lord who owns this area is known for his unnecessarily generous spirit and righteousness, so he'll probably be more meddlesome than necessary."
He was waiting for Aila to come from a nearby mountain, and as soon as they met, he said this without even having time to recover from his emotions.
“Right now?”
No, that couldn't be right. They hadn't even performed the ritual to lift the curse yet, so there was no way she'd be allowed into the Duke's house.
“Yeah, now. Why is that?”
Byron looked at Aila with a puzzled wink, but she was the one who should have been confused.
'The curse...? Why won't you lift it?'
If she were to enter the Duke's household like this, her mother, Ophelia, would notice and think it was strange. Why is he suddenly trying to send her away without even lifting the curse?
And it seemed she wasn't the only one flustered by Byron's order. Cloud's face was also clearly bewildered.
“My lord...!”
When Cloud called out to Byron in an urgent voice, he put his index finger to his lips.
"Shh, we'll talk later. I need to talk to my precious daughter first. Is there any reason you can't go now, daughter?"
“...No, that’s not it... I feel sad because if I part ways with my father like this, I won’t be able to see you for a long time.”
Aila tried to hide her surprise and come up with a plausible excuse.
"...Oh, oh, oh. My daughter seems very sad. But even if you miss your father, please bear with it for a little longer. We will soon... meet again at the most glorious moment."
Indeed, her excuse worked, and Byron smiled and replied.
"You should go out, daughter. You should go out and prepare, right? Your parents were killed by bandits, and your house was burned down. You wouldn't show up looking so fine."
He nodded, signaling her to leave. It was time to send her away and speak with Cloud.
Aila had no choice but to nod and go outside.
Capella approached her, scorched her face and clothes with charcoal, and tore her clothes. He also left scratches here and there.
While she was outside applying realistic makeup, Cloud was asking Byron in a panicked voice why he wouldn't lift the curse.
“My lord, why don’t you lift the curse?”
"Well, that's right. While you were watching that child, I heard some interesting news. My Ophelia... can no longer use magic."
Byron chuckled as if he was enjoying himself.
He somehow felt strange about having a child. They say that because of the strong magical power, it's hard for a child to be born. He never thought something like that would happen.
"If there's no fear of being caught, then there's no need to break the chains, right? That kid... might change her mind once she breaks free from my brainwashing."
Byron rested his chin on his arm, which was leaning against the armrest of his chair, and smiled broadly. It was a genuinely happy smile, and that made it all the more eerie.
“That... wasn’t Laura supposed to take good care of it?”
"Yes, that's right. But wouldn't it be better to get insurance rather than relying solely on your nephew?"
At Byron's answer, Cloud bit his lip nervously. It was unbelievable that Ophelia had lost her magic.
"There's also Candice Eposher, my lord. You must not forget that she was staying at the Duke's house until recently."
Cloud somehow managed to persuade Byron by bringing up Candice. Aside from the threat of Ophelia, the Duke's family had many variables.
"Oh, you mean that skinny, absent-minded woman. She's not like she's just idle, so do you think she comes here that often?"
Byron hadn't forgotten about it either. As Ophelia hailed from a land of wizards, there were many wizards around her.
Because it started with her best friend, Candice Eposher.
But Candice held a fairly high position in the Republic of Tamora. Even if she managed to find the time to visit the Duke's residence this time, there was no telling when she'd find the time again.
Besides that, he investigated mainly the people that Ophelia was close with, but other than Candice, there was no wizard good enough to notice the hidden curse.
Even Isidore, Ophelia's biological brother, was said to be a vagabond who, unlike his sister, had little innate magical power and spent his days confined to his study.
As Byron was explaining this story, he suddenly frowned, wondering why he was telling his subordinate all these things.
“If that’s what I’m going to do, then so be it. Are you dissatisfied?”
“...No, my lord.”
Cloud lowered his head, hiding his feelings.
If Byron had already decided to send her back without lifting the curse, there was no way he could help Aila.
He tried to wash away his guilt by returning her safely to her parents, but it seemed that even that would not go as he wished.
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