/
Even after knowing the type of the curse, I was still questioning it.
“No matter how I think about it, there was simply no reason for him to attack me.”
There were a lot of people with higher scores than me.
I remembered the day when I bumped into Trevor after submitting my application to the professor.
At that time, he dubiously showed interest in my research topic.
The priestess asked me.
“What is the topic of your research?”
“The living beings in the land of death and method to purify them.”
“What a unique topic.”
She laughed.
There were a lot of occasions where the research topic of senior students related to their work after graduation.
That’s why, the land of death was a topic that was rarely chosen by the students.
“It would be better if the curse was for his exam score.”
If the reason he attacked me was only for my material or answer not other goals, it would be an easy matter.
Because the person who caused this had somewhat been punished and I was okay.
The problem was if he had another intention, and if there was another helper in the academy, then, I didn’t think this problem would end so easily.
“I think it’s best to wait a bit more. There is not much that we know for us to move.”
When Bertin turned to the priestess, she nodded as if she agreed with me.
“After all, the priest who will investigate it will only do a formal inspection. If it was nothing, I’m sure they would let it off.”
“Wouldn’t there be a professor who suspected it was a curse? If someone voiced his suspicion . . .”
“That means they have to investigate all academy students, but in order to do so, they need to invite the higher priest to inspect the power of the curse. Will they be able to persuade the academy? Or should we inspect each suspected student separately?”
“. . .”
“Do you think those arrogant nobles would accept such a humiliation? The academy won’t even try to think about it.”
Hearing her very realistic words made my worry grow bigger.
“If I have to add, bringing the holy water outside and using it for personal account is a felony.”
“. . .”
I, who unexpectedly became a criminal, stared intently at Bertin. Raynia, who was on the same team as him, avoided my eyes.
When she left the room as if she had said everything, Bertin politely lowered his head.
I didn’t really know about it, but I was sure she must be someone in a high position in this temple.
Didn’t she say it herself?
That a lower level priest couldn’t even find a trace of curse.
“We have to discuss this with Zen as well. I don’t know about the others, but this is dangerous if Trevor has accomplices.”
“That’s right. I think I have to prepare a new protection device.”
When Raynia replied, I finally came back to my senses.
What she meant by a new protection device was she would put another luxury item on me.
Receiving my protesting gaze, Raynia pouted as if she felt it was unfair.
“You would be in danger if you don’t have one.”
“Well, that’s true, but . . .”
“It saved you, how can you say you don’t need it?”
When I became quiet because I had nothing to say, Raynia began to think about it in earnest.
“If one isn’t enough, then we can use two or even three. There are a lot of accessories that could be placed in the body.”
When I thought of myself with my whole body covered with colorful ornaments, I got goosebumps.
“Let’s leave for now.”
Looking at Raynia, who was checking a lot of things in the temple, I was afraid that she would finally aim for sacred items.
And Bertin, who was smiling calmly next to her, was someone who could and would guide her to steal sacred items, as well as completely erase any traces of the theft.
“Wouldn’t it be better if this problem got bigger so the temple could investigate it on a larger scale?”
“We can’t let this problem get bigger.”
Linking her arms with me, Raynia asked the reason for my firm words.
“Why?”
“Because they will call our guardians.”
I was more worried about that than the curse.
I was worried about Orion coming with that suspicious carriage while leading the knights, and I was also worried about my mother coming with a fancy dress while clinging to the Duke.
If the fact about me becoming a part of the Duchy was revealed, not only the academy, but the whole empire would mostly get excited.
Then surely it would be a big stain on my future career and life plans.
“Yeah, that’s a bit concerning.”
Rany nodded as if convinced.
While we were talking as we walked to leave the temple, a figure of someone from the end of the hallway hurriedly bowed his head when he saw me.
“Good morning, My Lady!”
Although he was wearing a simple outfit, he was wearing a sword on his waist and a chain mail, indicating that he was a knight.
“Do you know him?”
I shook my head at Rany’s curious question, then I felt deja vu when I saw the knight that froze up when he saw me.
I felt like I had seen that kind of greeting.
Where did I see it?
As soon as our eyes met, he bent his back and bumped his head to the floor. Such a peculiar greeting . . .
“Ah.”
Sometimes I saw it when I walked around the Duke’s mansion.
I, who was trying to pass by casually, stopped for a moment at the sound of the clinking steps he made as he disappeared.
That footstep was definitely the same as what I heard in the confession booth earlier.
My mind that thought nothing about it began to shift.
The knight who came to confess.
The knight whose master had a new sister.
And that master’s way of thinking was very unusual . . .
“What’s wrong, Marianne?”
Without reacting to Rany shaking my arms, I ruminate over the suggestion I gave earlier.
I said the problem could be resolved by making the relationship between the siblings better, right?
And the knight’s answer to my suggestion was, ‘I’ll try it’.
I felt dizzy out of the blue.
“Are you feeling unwell again?”
Listening to my friends’ worried voices, I closed my eyes for a moment with resentment for myself who dug my own grave.
“Orion . . .”
For now, I had to make him unable to read the novels in the library.
* * *