“...Do you really have to kill the baby first, my lord? Things could go wrong.”
Byron, who was very offended by his words, scrunched his face and answered in a sharp voice.
“Are you spitting on my words right now?”
“I’m sorry, my lord. But...”
“If you know you’re sorry, just shut up and tell that woman.”
Byron cut Cloud off as he was about to protest.
It was unpleasant. He recently let Cloud loose a little, and he lost his mind and started talking back to him, which really bothered him.
Despite this blatant display of displeasure, Cloud remained silent, staring at Byron without a word of apology. His gaze seemed almost defiant.
But it was only for a moment. Cloud, his face now submissive, spoke in a loyal voice.
“Yes, my lord. I will do so.”
Byron waved his hand, still looking displeased. He signaled for Cloud to leave quickly, as he didn't want to see him.
Cloud came out of Byron's room without any expression on his face.
There was no need to be disappointed. Arguing would only tire him out, and he wouldn't be able to persuade Byron.
‘...But I still wanted to do something for that child.’
Cloud sighed as he recalled the last image of Aila, returning to her parents' embrace. The image of her expression, shaken by the order to kill Noah Weishaffen, lingered in his mind.
With the curse still on Aila's body, he was worried about how they would overcome this predicament.
'I... I'm a bastard who has no right to worry about that child like this.'
He smiled self-deprecatingly and wiped his face.
“Have a nice trip, Miss.”
"Yeah, Lisa. You should get some rest at home, too. And be sure to say hello to your parents."
Aila exchanged a friendly greeting with Lisa. Today was the day she was leaving for the Weishaffen estate.
It was a bit much to take two maids on such a long and arduous journey, so Lisa decided to take a short vacation and visit her hometown, Herjik, while Aila returned from her trip north.
Laura was glaring at Lisa, her expression smug. She was arrogant, believing that her selection as Aila's maid on her journey was proof of her superiority over Lisa.
Of course, that wasn't the case. It was obvious that trying to force Laura away would arouse Byron's suspicions, so Aila decided to take her with him.
Aila stared at Laura quietly. It wasn't a pleasant sight to see her so self-important over such trivial matters, but perhaps this trip would be the last.
Because soon she would be able to break the damn curse that had been placed on her body.
“Come here, Aila.”
Ophelia, who had come out to see Aila off, opened her arms wide and called out to her daughter.
She couldn't join Aila on this trip. The Weishaffen estate was too cold for her young son, who hadn't even turned one yet, and she felt uneasy about leaving Noah behind. There was no other way.
Aila fell into her mother's arms. It hadn't been long since they'd finally reunited, and now they were having to part ways again. Even though it was only a brief separation, the heartache was unwavering.
“My daughter, I’ve missed you so much. What should I do?”
“I’ll be back soon, Mother.”
By then, when she returned home... the curse that had been shackling her would be gone, and she would be free.
“Yes, take care of your health. Got it?”
Ophelia said, rubbing her face against her daughter's delicate cheek. Aila breathed in her mother's sweet scent once more and nodded.
“Yes, Mother.”
Looking around, she saw Isidore also saying goodbye to his daughters. This journey was meant to lift Aila's curse, so naturally, he had agreed to join them.
Of course, he told his two daughters, who were unaware of the situation, that he was going to find the magical relics of the ancients in the Weishaffen territory.
“Have a nice trip, Father.”
“Yes, I’ll be back.”
Although it wasn't as heartbreaking as Aila and Ophelia's, it was still a pretty affectionate greeting between father and daughter, and now it was really time to depart.
Aila climbed into the saddle. This time, she had decided to travel by horse, not carriage.
Some people looked at her with concern because she had only just started riding, but in fact, she liked horses much better than carriages.
Because in the past, they had traveled all over the empire by carriage, long-distance travel by carriage was now boring.
And there was an unexpected advantage to traveling on horseback: Laura, who couldn't ride, would come behind them in a carriage.
Thanks to this, they were able to converse comfortably without worrying about her reaction while moving. Fortunately, they were surrounded by only a few trustworthy knights, whom Roderick could trust with her life.
“The ritual to lift your curse will take quite some time, and I’m wondering what to do with that child in the meantime.”
Roderick spoke in a small voice, keeping pace with Aila.
Wouldn't it be strange if she went somewhere other than home and tried to separate Laura?
Even though the curse was supposed to be lifted soon, it was dangerous to arouse Laura's suspicions when they didn't even know how she was contacting Byron.
“Hmm... how about this?”
Aila, lost in thought for a moment, spoke. It was the method she had used on the journey to meet Winfred.
"I'm putting Laura to sleep with sleeping pills. I've used that method to get her off track before."
“Sleeping pills... That’s a good idea. She must be tired from the trip, so I don’t think it’s strange if she falls into a deep sleep.”
Roderick nodded and praised her opinion. It was a simple compliment, without a pat on the head or any exaggerated flattery.
But Aila was overjoyed by that alone. Before, she had never been able to express her opinions, and the thought of them being accepted and praised was unimaginable.
“Then, shall we speed things up a bit now?”
As Roderick urged his horse on, the handsome horse with its glossy black fur began to gallop quickly.
In response, Aila also quickened her horse's pace. A surprisingly cool breeze rushed past her and blew against her face.
Claude Edenberg, a young knight of the proud Knights of Weishaffen, was going through the hardest time of his life.
The entrance exam for the Knights of Weishaffen was as difficult as reaching for the stars, and the competition was fierce. Even for vassals loyal to the Duke's family for generations, like the Edenberg family, the difficulty remained the same, as there were no special privileges.
So, from a young age, he underwent hellish training, determined to become a proud and impressive knight and join the Knights of Weishaffen.
Joining the Knights didn't mean the end of his hardships. He had to train consistently within the Order, and he even fought in the war against the Sekim tribe, following His Excellency the Duke, whom he deeply respected.
But even through those difficult years, Claude never once doubted or doubted his own path.
Because he believed that the Knights of Weishaffen were his only path, and that serving His Excellency the Duke was his destiny.
But now...
“Hey, my lovely pumpkin says she’s hungry. Is there anything to eat yet?”
“...I’m taking it now!”
Claude grumbled and shoved the minced raw meat through the iron bars. Inside, a woman's long-fingernailed, wrinkled hands took the bowl of meat and examined it with a stern expression.
“I would say our cat prefers meat that is a little leaner and more tender.”
"No...!"
He was crazy about black magic and sorcery, broke the law, cursed a living human child, and was caught by the child's father and imprisoned. Is this the time to be picky about food?
And it's not even the food she eats, it's the food her cat eats...!
He was about to explode with anger, telling her to just shut up and eat, but then he remembered Roderick's request and came to his senses. He had asked him to be considerate and not upset Suki until he returned, if possible.
“Alright, next time get me a cut that's leaner and more tender. By the way, the child you cursed should be arriving soon. Is there anything you need? I was told to prepare it in advance.”
Byron, who was very offended by his words, scrunched his face and answered in a sharp voice.
“Are you spitting on my words right now?”
“I’m sorry, my lord. But...”
“If you know you’re sorry, just shut up and tell that woman.”
Byron cut Cloud off as he was about to protest.
It was unpleasant. He recently let Cloud loose a little, and he lost his mind and started talking back to him, which really bothered him.
Despite this blatant display of displeasure, Cloud remained silent, staring at Byron without a word of apology. His gaze seemed almost defiant.
But it was only for a moment. Cloud, his face now submissive, spoke in a loyal voice.
“Yes, my lord. I will do so.”
Byron waved his hand, still looking displeased. He signaled for Cloud to leave quickly, as he didn't want to see him.
Cloud came out of Byron's room without any expression on his face.
There was no need to be disappointed. Arguing would only tire him out, and he wouldn't be able to persuade Byron.
‘...But I still wanted to do something for that child.’
Cloud sighed as he recalled the last image of Aila, returning to her parents' embrace. The image of her expression, shaken by the order to kill Noah Weishaffen, lingered in his mind.
With the curse still on Aila's body, he was worried about how they would overcome this predicament.
'I... I'm a bastard who has no right to worry about that child like this.'
He smiled self-deprecatingly and wiped his face.
***
“Have a nice trip, Miss.”
"Yeah, Lisa. You should get some rest at home, too. And be sure to say hello to your parents."
Aila exchanged a friendly greeting with Lisa. Today was the day she was leaving for the Weishaffen estate.
It was a bit much to take two maids on such a long and arduous journey, so Lisa decided to take a short vacation and visit her hometown, Herjik, while Aila returned from her trip north.
Laura was glaring at Lisa, her expression smug. She was arrogant, believing that her selection as Aila's maid on her journey was proof of her superiority over Lisa.
Of course, that wasn't the case. It was obvious that trying to force Laura away would arouse Byron's suspicions, so Aila decided to take her with him.
Aila stared at Laura quietly. It wasn't a pleasant sight to see her so self-important over such trivial matters, but perhaps this trip would be the last.
Because soon she would be able to break the damn curse that had been placed on her body.
“Come here, Aila.”
Ophelia, who had come out to see Aila off, opened her arms wide and called out to her daughter.
She couldn't join Aila on this trip. The Weishaffen estate was too cold for her young son, who hadn't even turned one yet, and she felt uneasy about leaving Noah behind. There was no other way.
Aila fell into her mother's arms. It hadn't been long since they'd finally reunited, and now they were having to part ways again. Even though it was only a brief separation, the heartache was unwavering.
“My daughter, I’ve missed you so much. What should I do?”
“I’ll be back soon, Mother.”
By then, when she returned home... the curse that had been shackling her would be gone, and she would be free.
“Yes, take care of your health. Got it?”
Ophelia said, rubbing her face against her daughter's delicate cheek. Aila breathed in her mother's sweet scent once more and nodded.
“Yes, Mother.”
Looking around, she saw Isidore also saying goodbye to his daughters. This journey was meant to lift Aila's curse, so naturally, he had agreed to join them.
Of course, he told his two daughters, who were unaware of the situation, that he was going to find the magical relics of the ancients in the Weishaffen territory.
“Have a nice trip, Father.”
“Yes, I’ll be back.”
Although it wasn't as heartbreaking as Aila and Ophelia's, it was still a pretty affectionate greeting between father and daughter, and now it was really time to depart.
Aila climbed into the saddle. This time, she had decided to travel by horse, not carriage.
Some people looked at her with concern because she had only just started riding, but in fact, she liked horses much better than carriages.
Because in the past, they had traveled all over the empire by carriage, long-distance travel by carriage was now boring.
And there was an unexpected advantage to traveling on horseback: Laura, who couldn't ride, would come behind them in a carriage.
Thanks to this, they were able to converse comfortably without worrying about her reaction while moving. Fortunately, they were surrounded by only a few trustworthy knights, whom Roderick could trust with her life.
“The ritual to lift your curse will take quite some time, and I’m wondering what to do with that child in the meantime.”
Roderick spoke in a small voice, keeping pace with Aila.
Wouldn't it be strange if she went somewhere other than home and tried to separate Laura?
Even though the curse was supposed to be lifted soon, it was dangerous to arouse Laura's suspicions when they didn't even know how she was contacting Byron.
“Hmm... how about this?”
Aila, lost in thought for a moment, spoke. It was the method she had used on the journey to meet Winfred.
"I'm putting Laura to sleep with sleeping pills. I've used that method to get her off track before."
“Sleeping pills... That’s a good idea. She must be tired from the trip, so I don’t think it’s strange if she falls into a deep sleep.”
Roderick nodded and praised her opinion. It was a simple compliment, without a pat on the head or any exaggerated flattery.
But Aila was overjoyed by that alone. Before, she had never been able to express her opinions, and the thought of them being accepted and praised was unimaginable.
“Then, shall we speed things up a bit now?”
As Roderick urged his horse on, the handsome horse with its glossy black fur began to gallop quickly.
In response, Aila also quickened her horse's pace. A surprisingly cool breeze rushed past her and blew against her face.
***
Claude Edenberg, a young knight of the proud Knights of Weishaffen, was going through the hardest time of his life.
The entrance exam for the Knights of Weishaffen was as difficult as reaching for the stars, and the competition was fierce. Even for vassals loyal to the Duke's family for generations, like the Edenberg family, the difficulty remained the same, as there were no special privileges.
So, from a young age, he underwent hellish training, determined to become a proud and impressive knight and join the Knights of Weishaffen.
Joining the Knights didn't mean the end of his hardships. He had to train consistently within the Order, and he even fought in the war against the Sekim tribe, following His Excellency the Duke, whom he deeply respected.
But even through those difficult years, Claude never once doubted or doubted his own path.
Because he believed that the Knights of Weishaffen were his only path, and that serving His Excellency the Duke was his destiny.
But now...
“Hey, my lovely pumpkin says she’s hungry. Is there anything to eat yet?”
“...I’m taking it now!”
Claude grumbled and shoved the minced raw meat through the iron bars. Inside, a woman's long-fingernailed, wrinkled hands took the bowl of meat and examined it with a stern expression.
“I would say our cat prefers meat that is a little leaner and more tender.”
"No...!"
He was crazy about black magic and sorcery, broke the law, cursed a living human child, and was caught by the child's father and imprisoned. Is this the time to be picky about food?
And it's not even the food she eats, it's the food her cat eats...!
He was about to explode with anger, telling her to just shut up and eat, but then he remembered Roderick's request and came to his senses. He had asked him to be considerate and not upset Suki until he returned, if possible.
“Alright, next time get me a cut that's leaner and more tender. By the way, the child you cursed should be arriving soon. Is there anything you need? I was told to prepare it in advance.”
At Claude's question, Sookie opened her mouth with a smirk.
“Preparation... Well, maybe the blood of a child under ten years old?”
“What? This witch...!”
"Don't you know how to joke? As expected, the criminal doesn't understand this genius's humor."
When Claude finally got angry at the mention of child blood, she just shrugged and sighed.
“...”
He looked at Suki with a feeling that he wanted to cry.
It was fortunate that she had come here, taken a bath, and had her hair done, so she looked cleaner than before, but she was still difficult to deal with.
He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something strange about her speech, which was steeped in pretense, and her sense of humor and mentality were full of things he couldn't understand.
'I really want to get out of work.'
It was the first time he missed home this much.
"Don't be so absent-minded. Could you bring me some writing utensils? I'll write down what I need to prepare."
Suki shrugged as if nothing had happened, not knowing whether she knew how he felt or not.
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