It sounded sarcastic, but in reality, she was genuinely puzzled.
This was because she vaguely remembered that the person who had asked her to place a curse on the child had said that he would only place it in advance, just in case, and would not use it, and that he would come back later to lift the curse.
"...You tend to pile up sins with your mouth. You should fix that habit of carelessly saying things like, 'My mouth is swollen.' My daughter is alive. The reason I'm taking you is to lift that curse."
Roderick spoke in a low, growling voice. It took superhuman patience to resist the urge to wring her neck and kill her at any moment.
"Oh, so that's what it was. In that situation, I'd be more than happy to help."
Casting that complex curse was so much fun, so breaking it will undoubtedly be fun. She'll also get to see how much she's grown compared to her past self.
Suki grinned as if she found it quite interesting.
“Is this situation... interesting?”
Roderick asked in an angry voice.
The parents of the child she had cursed came to her, armed. No matter how much she thought about it, it wasn't a laughing matter, but Suki scoffed and replied, "Whatever."
"Yes. There's no reason it wouldn't be fun. Fools like you wouldn't understand, though."
In response, Roderick unconsciously clenched his fist. He looked ready to give her a serious punch if Isidore didn't stop him.
Isidore grabbed his brother-in-law's arm and quickly stopped him. He was equally angry at Suki's attitude, but now was the time to endure.
For no one else but Aila.
The only person who could break Aila's curse was Suki.
She was saying she'd cooperate now, but she was a person who could change her mind at any moment. It felt a bit unfair to have to cater to her, someone who was like an enemy to them, but in any case, it was them who would be in trouble if they went against Suki's wishes.
As if Isidore's intentions had been conveyed, Roderick relaxed his fist.
“...What are we going to do now? I can’t just take her home, can I?”
Isidore asked quietly. Given Suki's unique appearance, taking her to a house where at least two spies were lurking would undoubtedly raise suspicion.
Of course, if you stop by somewhere to change clothes and cover up your tattoos with magic, you can make yourself look normal, but even so, wouldn't people be suspicious if they suddenly brought someone home after going hunting?
Roderick, who had been lost in thought for a moment at his question, answered in a small voice as expected.
"On the way to the estate, there's a small villa with no permanent employees. There's a dungeon there, so let's go there for now."
"Yes, that would be fine. Now that we've started training the successor, it wouldn't be strange if you were to inspect the territory."
If they hid Suki in the villa for a while and then took Aila out of the mansion and went there, they would be able to avoid Byron's eyes.
There was the problem that Laura, Aila's maid, would naturally follow, but that was something that could be considered later.
And Suki stared blankly at the two men whispering among themselves in front of her for a moment before turning her head out the window.
Although she was curious about what they were talking about, she couldn't show any interest in the criminals' stories. As a genius wizard, it would be a blow to her pride.
“You seem to be getting used to circling the track on your own now, so I think it’s okay to try a little faster today, miss.”
At Alexia Dexen's words, Aila, dressed in riding attire, nodded. Today was already her third riding lesson.
Aila, her long hair tied up in a high ponytail, climbed atop a horse her father had given her for her birthday. It was a two-year-old white mare named Windstay.
“Hyah.”
Aila gave the horse a gentle kick with her foot, and the horse sped off into a gallop. The cool, sweet winter breeze caressed her face.
She thought she knew why Roderick had named his horse after the wind.
She urged her horse, picking up the pace a little. The faster she spoke, the more intensely Aila's heart seemed to beat.
The track, which usually felt short, felt even shorter today. Before she knew it, the end was in sight.
“Whoa, whoa.”
Aila pulled the reins and brought the horse to a halt. Despite being at a very fast pace, she was able to stop it with stability.
She leaped lightly from her horse and stroked its neck. The handsome white horse closed its eyes, docile to its master's touch, enjoying the touch.
"You're a really fast learner, Miss. I can't believe you've only been learning for a month."
When Alexia, who had come up to her without her knowing, smiled brightly and praised her, Aila responded with an awkward smile.
She had learned that in situations like this, she should show the virtue of humility and not overpraise, but perhaps because she wasn't on a comfortable level with her yet, she couldn't speak well.
And in fact, it was an undeniable truth that she learned quickly.
Aila always thought that her skills improved more slowly than others, but with horseback riding, her skills seemed to improve quickly without much effort.
She could use it comfortably as if the horse had become a part of her body.
"His Excellency, the Duke, was like that, too. He started riding a horse the moment he could walk, and before he was even ten, he was performing all sorts of tricks on horseback. It seems you, young lady, have taken after your father."
As Alexia recounted Roderick's tales of bravery, some of which were true and some were just anecdotes, Aila perked up and listened intently.
A story about her father's childhood. Isn't it really interesting?
“Really? My father was so good at riding horses from a young age...”
"If you had started early, you would have learned just as quickly as His Excellency. In fact, you might have mastered it even faster. Judging by the speed at which your skills are improving."
Aila, unable to overcome her embarrassment at Alexia's continued praise, buried her face in her palms.
“That, that can’t be true! My father is such a great man.”
Alexia thought it was cute to see Ayla blushing all the way to her ears and lowering her head, but at the same time, she felt a bit sorry for her.
Alexia can't believe she's so immune to praise. She could tell without even hearing the whole story how much persecution she's endured.
Even though it was only for a little while until Roderick returned, she felt compelled to do her best to coddle this young lady with low self-esteem while she taught her.
"There's still time to spare. Would you like to race the city one more time? I think it might be a good idea to race me this time."
When Alexia suggested, looking at her watch, Aila nodded happily.
"Great."
Riding lessons always felt too short, so she would be delighted to have another ride.
Of course, it was thought impossible for Aila, who had only just started learning horseback riding, to beat Alexia, who had been riding horses her entire life.
But once she got on the horse, Aila felt a competitive spirit burning within her that she hadn't even known existed.
If she could win, she wanted to win. How thrilling it would be to cross the finish line faster than anyone else. She urged her horse forward, her mind drifting into sweet thoughts.
And the result was... of course, Aila’s defeat.
Despite her defeat, she wasn't angry. Even though her face was red from the cold wind, Aila smiled with a genuinely relieved and refreshed expression.
She did what she loved, so that was enough.
“See you later, Wind.”
Aila stroked the horse's mane, which had become one with her and cut through the wind, and greeted it affectionately. The white horse, seemingly understanding her words, blinked its clear eyes as if in response to her greeting.
After saying goodbye to Alexia and returning to her room, Aila soaked in the warm bath Lisa had prepared in advance.
There was no paradise other than the drowsy sleep that came over her.
But that good mood was shattered when Laura entered the bathroom, letting out a lot of irritating noises.
"Praising someone for something so trivial. Miss, don't be fooled by such sweet talk. I'm telling you, it's all done for a purpose. The only person who truly cares for you is your 'father.' You know that, don't you?"
It was natural to doubt Alexia's intentions in praising her and to belittle her skills.
"What use are you going to be learning horseback riding so diligently? It won't help you in your quest for vengeance, Miss."
She even said that her favorite sport, horseback riding, was useless and that there was no need to work hard at it.
“...The Duke is teaching me personally, so I should at least pretend to be diligent. That’s how I’ll win over his favor.”
Aila sighed and made up an excuse. Thankfully, Laura seemed to accept it naturally.
After enduring the harrowing time with Laura, she was given an unexpected reward. At dinner, Ophelia brought her news that Roderick and Isidore were returning.
Rachel and Michelle were also delighted to hear that their father was returning, but not as much as Aila.
Those who had gone to capture the wizard who had placed the curse on her were returning. Perhaps now, that damned curse could be lifted.
Aila fidgeted, watching her mother closely. She had so many questions to ask, like what had happened and whether she'd caught that sorcerer named Suki Insidio. But with so many eyes watching her, she couldn't bring herself to ask.
And when Ophelia met her daughter's eyes, she winked and smiled. It was a silent expression telling her not to worry, that everything was going well.
'...Thank god.'
Aila swept her chest and put the steak in her mouth. The meat seemed to melt in her mouth.
This was because she vaguely remembered that the person who had asked her to place a curse on the child had said that he would only place it in advance, just in case, and would not use it, and that he would come back later to lift the curse.
"...You tend to pile up sins with your mouth. You should fix that habit of carelessly saying things like, 'My mouth is swollen.' My daughter is alive. The reason I'm taking you is to lift that curse."
Roderick spoke in a low, growling voice. It took superhuman patience to resist the urge to wring her neck and kill her at any moment.
"Oh, so that's what it was. In that situation, I'd be more than happy to help."
Casting that complex curse was so much fun, so breaking it will undoubtedly be fun. She'll also get to see how much she's grown compared to her past self.
Suki grinned as if she found it quite interesting.
“Is this situation... interesting?”
Roderick asked in an angry voice.
The parents of the child she had cursed came to her, armed. No matter how much she thought about it, it wasn't a laughing matter, but Suki scoffed and replied, "Whatever."
"Yes. There's no reason it wouldn't be fun. Fools like you wouldn't understand, though."
In response, Roderick unconsciously clenched his fist. He looked ready to give her a serious punch if Isidore didn't stop him.
Isidore grabbed his brother-in-law's arm and quickly stopped him. He was equally angry at Suki's attitude, but now was the time to endure.
For no one else but Aila.
The only person who could break Aila's curse was Suki.
She was saying she'd cooperate now, but she was a person who could change her mind at any moment. It felt a bit unfair to have to cater to her, someone who was like an enemy to them, but in any case, it was them who would be in trouble if they went against Suki's wishes.
As if Isidore's intentions had been conveyed, Roderick relaxed his fist.
“...What are we going to do now? I can’t just take her home, can I?”
Isidore asked quietly. Given Suki's unique appearance, taking her to a house where at least two spies were lurking would undoubtedly raise suspicion.
Of course, if you stop by somewhere to change clothes and cover up your tattoos with magic, you can make yourself look normal, but even so, wouldn't people be suspicious if they suddenly brought someone home after going hunting?
Roderick, who had been lost in thought for a moment at his question, answered in a small voice as expected.
"On the way to the estate, there's a small villa with no permanent employees. There's a dungeon there, so let's go there for now."
"Yes, that would be fine. Now that we've started training the successor, it wouldn't be strange if you were to inspect the territory."
If they hid Suki in the villa for a while and then took Aila out of the mansion and went there, they would be able to avoid Byron's eyes.
There was the problem that Laura, Aila's maid, would naturally follow, but that was something that could be considered later.
And Suki stared blankly at the two men whispering among themselves in front of her for a moment before turning her head out the window.
Although she was curious about what they were talking about, she couldn't show any interest in the criminals' stories. As a genius wizard, it would be a blow to her pride.
***
“You seem to be getting used to circling the track on your own now, so I think it’s okay to try a little faster today, miss.”
At Alexia Dexen's words, Aila, dressed in riding attire, nodded. Today was already her third riding lesson.
Aila, her long hair tied up in a high ponytail, climbed atop a horse her father had given her for her birthday. It was a two-year-old white mare named Windstay.
“Hyah.”
Aila gave the horse a gentle kick with her foot, and the horse sped off into a gallop. The cool, sweet winter breeze caressed her face.
She thought she knew why Roderick had named his horse after the wind.
She urged her horse, picking up the pace a little. The faster she spoke, the more intensely Aila's heart seemed to beat.
The track, which usually felt short, felt even shorter today. Before she knew it, the end was in sight.
“Whoa, whoa.”
Aila pulled the reins and brought the horse to a halt. Despite being at a very fast pace, she was able to stop it with stability.
She leaped lightly from her horse and stroked its neck. The handsome white horse closed its eyes, docile to its master's touch, enjoying the touch.
"You're a really fast learner, Miss. I can't believe you've only been learning for a month."
When Alexia, who had come up to her without her knowing, smiled brightly and praised her, Aila responded with an awkward smile.
She had learned that in situations like this, she should show the virtue of humility and not overpraise, but perhaps because she wasn't on a comfortable level with her yet, she couldn't speak well.
And in fact, it was an undeniable truth that she learned quickly.
Aila always thought that her skills improved more slowly than others, but with horseback riding, her skills seemed to improve quickly without much effort.
She could use it comfortably as if the horse had become a part of her body.
"His Excellency, the Duke, was like that, too. He started riding a horse the moment he could walk, and before he was even ten, he was performing all sorts of tricks on horseback. It seems you, young lady, have taken after your father."
As Alexia recounted Roderick's tales of bravery, some of which were true and some were just anecdotes, Aila perked up and listened intently.
A story about her father's childhood. Isn't it really interesting?
“Really? My father was so good at riding horses from a young age...”
"If you had started early, you would have learned just as quickly as His Excellency. In fact, you might have mastered it even faster. Judging by the speed at which your skills are improving."
Aila, unable to overcome her embarrassment at Alexia's continued praise, buried her face in her palms.
“That, that can’t be true! My father is such a great man.”
Alexia thought it was cute to see Ayla blushing all the way to her ears and lowering her head, but at the same time, she felt a bit sorry for her.
Alexia can't believe she's so immune to praise. She could tell without even hearing the whole story how much persecution she's endured.
Even though it was only for a little while until Roderick returned, she felt compelled to do her best to coddle this young lady with low self-esteem while she taught her.
"There's still time to spare. Would you like to race the city one more time? I think it might be a good idea to race me this time."
When Alexia suggested, looking at her watch, Aila nodded happily.
"Great."
Riding lessons always felt too short, so she would be delighted to have another ride.
Of course, it was thought impossible for Aila, who had only just started learning horseback riding, to beat Alexia, who had been riding horses her entire life.
But once she got on the horse, Aila felt a competitive spirit burning within her that she hadn't even known existed.
If she could win, she wanted to win. How thrilling it would be to cross the finish line faster than anyone else. She urged her horse forward, her mind drifting into sweet thoughts.
And the result was... of course, Aila’s defeat.
Despite her defeat, she wasn't angry. Even though her face was red from the cold wind, Aila smiled with a genuinely relieved and refreshed expression.
She did what she loved, so that was enough.
“See you later, Wind.”
Aila stroked the horse's mane, which had become one with her and cut through the wind, and greeted it affectionately. The white horse, seemingly understanding her words, blinked its clear eyes as if in response to her greeting.
After saying goodbye to Alexia and returning to her room, Aila soaked in the warm bath Lisa had prepared in advance.
There was no paradise other than the drowsy sleep that came over her.
But that good mood was shattered when Laura entered the bathroom, letting out a lot of irritating noises.
"Praising someone for something so trivial. Miss, don't be fooled by such sweet talk. I'm telling you, it's all done for a purpose. The only person who truly cares for you is your 'father.' You know that, don't you?"
It was natural to doubt Alexia's intentions in praising her and to belittle her skills.
"What use are you going to be learning horseback riding so diligently? It won't help you in your quest for vengeance, Miss."
She even said that her favorite sport, horseback riding, was useless and that there was no need to work hard at it.
“...The Duke is teaching me personally, so I should at least pretend to be diligent. That’s how I’ll win over his favor.”
Aila sighed and made up an excuse. Thankfully, Laura seemed to accept it naturally.
After enduring the harrowing time with Laura, she was given an unexpected reward. At dinner, Ophelia brought her news that Roderick and Isidore were returning.
Rachel and Michelle were also delighted to hear that their father was returning, but not as much as Aila.
Those who had gone to capture the wizard who had placed the curse on her were returning. Perhaps now, that damned curse could be lifted.
Aila fidgeted, watching her mother closely. She had so many questions to ask, like what had happened and whether she'd caught that sorcerer named Suki Insidio. But with so many eyes watching her, she couldn't bring herself to ask.
And when Ophelia met her daughter's eyes, she winked and smiled. It was a silent expression telling her not to worry, that everything was going well.
'...Thank god.'
Aila swept her chest and put the steak in her mouth. The meat seemed to melt in her mouth.
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