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“P.. Perhaps the Grand Duke also has divine powers?”
Hilda asked, stuttering.
“…Divine power?”
No, it didn’t feel that way.
After thinking about it, I shook my head.
“No. I don’t think that’s it. And it would actually be easier if your Highness had divine powers, and I wouldn’t have collapsed… Wait.”
Is there something other than divine power?
For example, magic.
If so, then his body would naturally reject divine power. Rather than my lack of ability, my difficulties have been caused by magic shielding me out.
So then it wasn’t my fault, but because of Devan’s constitution.
“Does His Excellency know magic?”
“I don’t think so?”
Right, as far as I know, he doesn’t.
I’ve never heard of him using magic in the original.
Then what’s going on?
If it’s not divine or magical, what is it?
I don’t believe Cordelia ever collapsed while treating him in the original.
Is it because I’m not the true protagonist for the prophecy?
Thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach.
I thought I could heal him even though I’m not the heroine because I still have a vast amount of divine power.
But if my power is not enough compared to Cordelia, then…
No matter how hard I try, when I remember that I’m just an extra, I feel depression sink in.
“What about money?”
“What?”
Hilda looked like she didn’t understand.
I had to get money from Devan. I jumped up from my seat.
“My Lady!”
Hilda followed me with a worried look.
“Are — are you sure you don’t want to rest more? You collapsed…”
I ignored her words and headed out of the room.
If I am not the heroine of prophecy and there is no cure, then I need more money.
Money, enough money to leave this empire.
That was the only thing I longed for right now.
***
It wasn’t that I never thought about leaving the Count and forgetting about the original story.
Shouldn’t I just run away from the Count’s abuse?
If I use Killian to get some money to last for a few days, I might be able to just run away.
That was my thought process back then.
Especially since 18-year-old Killian joined the Guard.
I’ve never been out of the Count’s cage, but Killian traveled back and forth between the Isles and the Counties.
Unlike in the past, he must have the money I earned in the Imperial Palace, and he’ll likely just give it to me without issue.
Right?
I used to have such stupid thoughts.
But Killian was a Diego. Killian Diego.
When I briefly talked about money with him, I could see the reflection of the count coming through his gaze.
I felt anger at this show of rebellion against me — after all, I thought I had him in the palm of my hand.
The imbalance of power I vaguely sensed became tangible, and I realized I no longer had the upper hand in the relationship with Killian.
He seemed to obey me, but only as long as I continued at his pace.
I realized that this man would never let me out of this place.
If I ran without thinking, I’d be caught without fail. And not by the count, but by Killian.
So my only option left was Devan Lanthimos, the Grand Duke of this empire with wealth to spare.
I had to cure his curse and get paid, because that was the only way I could survive.
I opened the door to Devan’s office without knocking.
“Can I help you?” I gave him no warning of my visit, but he sat there calmly as if he had known I was coming. Perhaps he heard my footsteps down the hallway.
“Money. Give me money.”
“…Are you feeling alright?”
“I’m fine. Now I will take my pay.”
Devan got up slowly from his chair, walked over to me, and leaned against the desk.
He looked uncertain.
“I’m not worried about you. But if you keep on collapsing, how can I trust that you can really cure my curse?”
“I…!”
“You said you infused my whole body with divine power, but all I felt was a momentary pain. Is there really no way to know the progress of my treatment?”
I bit my lip tightly.
The reason I could stand confident in front of him was because I was the only one who could cure his curse.
If I lose his trust like this, it’s all over.
Perhaps he was already suspicious that I was not the heroine of the prophecy.
“…Do you know how to use magic?”
“What?”
Devan’s face wrinkled at my sudden question.
“Do you know how?”
“Yes. But why are you asking that?”
“Something… something is rejecting the divine power from entering your body.”
“So it’s not your fault?”
“…… Okay. This is an unexpected variable.”
Devon folded his arms.
He seemed to be interested in the story.
“But why magic? Does magic block divine power?”
“I’ve considered it. But if you can’t use magic, it’s probably not the issue.”
“I heard that there are people who can’t use magic, but still have magical powers.”
Of course, there are people like that.
I can’t be sure that Devan isn’t one of them.
But is the issue really magical? It’s still strange, no matter how I think about it.
I hurriedly approached Devon’s face.
“Let me see your hand for a second.”
Without waiting for his answer, I grabbed his hand.
“What are you going to do?”
“Wait.”
He closed his eyes and concentrated.
I didn’t mean to drain my power like last time.
It was only to find something lingering in Devan’s body.
Unlike before, he concentrated on every single blood cell flowing through his body.
“This…”
I could feel my face crumble into a grimace.
There was something on Devan’s right side. Something strange was flowing.
It wasn’t divine. Then, is it magic? But for that…
The closer I got to that strange aura, the more disgusting I felt.
It felt similar to when I poured out my divine power in him.
I feel like my body is refluxing. Something must be…
Hahahaha
With a jump I suddenly dropped Devan’s hand. A horrid chill enveloped my body.
What was that?
I heard laughter, but I couldn’t tell where it was from.
It couldn’t be.
It was just me and Devan here, and it wasn’t my voice or his voice.
My legs lost strength and my body staggered.
“What’s going on?”
I needed something to hold on to. I stretched out my arm.
Startled, Devan grabbed my arm, and at that moment I felt disgusted again.
“Let go!”
I pushed him hard without realizing it. My staggering body eventually lost its balance and fell to the floor.
My vision flickered and blurred. Then everything went white and I couldn’t see.
It was definitely a laugh; a strange laugh.
“…Evelyn?”
My body trembling, I could barely raise my head and look at Devan.
A black figure was floating around him.
A mist-like figure that was obscuring Devan’s face.
“……. Curse?”
“What? Here, let’s stand you up.”
“Don’t come near me!”
Devan tried to reach for me again.
I took a deep breath.
“…Call Hilda.”
“……who?”
Whoops – I couldn’t answer because I was breathing heavily. Because I thought he would soon find out that Hilda was my maid without saying anything.
But Devan looked down at me with a bewildered expression and only waved the bell to call the butler.
“Yes, your Excellency?”
The butler arrived swiftly and bowed on entrance.
At Devan’s command, he lifted me up and laid me down on the sofa.
Fortunately, nothing happened when the butler’s hand touched me.
“Shall I call a doctor?”
The old butler asked with a worried tone.
I hurriedly waved my hand.
It was not a problem the doctor could solve. Besides, I didn’t want more people to know that I was here.
“What the hell is going on?”
Devan looked uncomfortable.
My chest was still heaving from hyperventilation.
Taking a deep breath, I glanced at Devan again.
The eerie black energy that had encircled him before was gone.
“……Let me… see your hand again.”
Devan hesitated. He seemed worried that I might faint again.
“I really think it will be fine this time.”
He hesitated, but gave me his hand.
I was also nervous, but I didn’t feel anything this time.
What was it?
“It’s my curse, isn’t it?”
Devan asked, holding my hand.
He had a face asking for an explanation.
“Ah…”
The next instant, a black figure floated around him again.
It looked like it was going to swallow Devan and eat everything in existence.
For a moment I thought it was a curse. But was it really a curse?
He bit his lip and slowly released the hand he was holding.
Devan went and sat across from me. As he blinked, the wise old butler left the room without a word.
He spoke after we were alone again.
“You must know about the curse.”
His curse.
No one in the Empire knew about the curse.
The curse that blinded Devan was a godly act. It was like an order from God himself.
The day after the absurd qualification test where they were gathered in the temple and put to sleep overnight to find the sacred mark, a curse came down upon the failed successors.
It was a tradition that has been passed down since the establishment of the empire and the temple’s successor ceremony.
The curse could be a physical disability such as deafness or blindness, like Devan.
Or it could be a more dramatic kind, such as being incapable of talking to someone for the rest of your life, or completely changing your appearance.
God also gave prophecies with curses. These prophecies gave clues that could break the curse.
[The young goddess of the sun, who embraces the fragrance of daisies, will break your curse.]
Except for me, who had read it beforehand in the original, only Devan could have known the contents of the prophecy.
The shrine nailed this act to the perfect imperial power.
The cursed were destined to investigate their prophecies for their entire lives while in search for the cure.
Their minds obsessed with the prophecies, they cannot even open their thoughts to revenge on the God who had cursed them or even breaking the will of God and taking the throne by force.
Stress engulfed them like a water balloon about to burst, or a long stick bent to breaking.
Thus they toiled for the only hope of salvation the temple provided them.
And above all, the prophecies were absolute.
Some of the imperial families who found the clue really were freed from the curse and lived their lives content.
This is why the cursed thirsted for the prophecy.
So it was obvious why Devan suddenly cursed me.
“If you are truly the goddess of the prophecy, you cannot fear the curse.”
And why he was suspicious of me.
Am I the true heroine of the prophecy?