episode_0149

It was as they said.

If, by chance, the Emperor were to suffer from a curse, it meant surviving by sacrificing his children.

It was cruel. Yet, it was also an extremely rational way of thinking.

For if a star falls, it is merely sad.

But if the sun extinguishes, it becomes a disaster.

Thus, it was knowledge permitted only to the sun.

I was facing that dirty truth.

‘First off.’

It was confirmed that the Emperor knew about ‘Curse sharing’ and used it.

All circumstances fit smoothly.

‘There’s clear evidence to back it up, too.’

It was none other than Elize’s lifespan.

The life expectancy of a patient with Mana Stone Disease was at most three years.

In a typical case, she should have died long ago.

But Rose had continued battling the illness for nearly ten years.

She was living for approximately three times her expected lifespan.

That wasn’t all.

[EP???. For Elize]

-Lonely Sanctuary, Rose Wilting in Winter-

An extra episode.

Even in the original story, Rose did not die from illness.

Driven to the brink mentally, she had ended her life through suicide.

In other words, it meant she still had lifespan remaining at that point.

It was a part I never understood.

Now, I finally understood.

It was because one person’s curse had been split into two.

I murmured in a somewhat subdued atmosphere.

‘The Imperial Family’s relationship chart isn’t that complicated.’

Moreover, there were only two blood relatives within the second degree.

Valkaros.

And.

“Yuda? What’s wrong?”

Did she feel my obvious gaze?

Charlotte tilted her head.

I shook my head, indicating she shouldn’t worry.

To change the subject, I casually said:

“Permission for an audience will be granted soon.”

“Well… I wonder if that person will want to see our faces.”

“Yes. I believe it. Because it’s Yuda’s word.”

“We’re going to have a rather serious conversation today.”

Before that.

I should tell the children about these things too.

“There’s something I’d like you to hear.”

I calmly began my explanation.

As if meticulously organizing the contents of my mind, I laid out the information I had just pieced together.

Following my voice, the girls’ eyes grew increasingly serious.

They asked.

“Curse sharing, you say…”

“Why are you telling us this? Did someone try to put a curse on me?”

“There are only two family members within the second degree of Elize.”

“……Surely not.”

Their gazes converged.

Shaking eyes.

Eyes filled with blue and green trembled.

I didn’t rush to answer.

I simply rose slowly from the sofa I had been sitting on.

Because I felt a faint presence approaching from outside.

Knock, knock.

“Well.”

Following that.

The sound of knocking broke the quiet space.

A voice emerged from beyond the door.

-His Majesty has granted an audience.

I tidied my clothes.

I spoke with a slightly bitter smile.

“Shall we go and hear the rest of the story?”

No matter how painful the truth they would face.

If they were to hear it, it would be best to hear it from the person concerned.

We left the room.

***

We soon arrived at the audience chamber.

We knelt before the towering imperial throne.

In my fleeting upward glance, a middle-aged man appeared.

He was none other than the Empire’s supreme sun.

“……”

His expression was still tired.

As I had seen him before.

No.

Rather, he seemed to have grown weaker.

Dark circles, which hadn’t been there before, now rested under his eyes.

The Emperor opened his mouth with his characteristic impassive expression.

“Indeed. You said you had a reason for seeking Us.”

“That is correct.”

“Is it important enough to barge into the Imperial Palace without prior notice?”

“As one entrusted with the duty of the princess’s physician, it was something I absolutely had to convey.”

“You pique Our interest.”

There weren’t many people in the audience chamber.

It would be accurate to say there was no one else besides us.

Even his closest retainers had been sent outside.

He seemed to have roughly guessed that it was about Elize.

“Have you finally managed to cure the Second Princess’s illness?”

“Perhaps it’s a more important matter.”

“A matter more important than a cure.”

“Before I speak… there are a few things I wish to ask His Majesty. Please forgive me if I commit an impertinence.”

“We don’t know what impertinence it will be, but do as you please. What’s there to forbid? You, a scoundrel who treats the princesses as his own.”

“Thank you for your mercy.”

Again.

The Emperor did not call his daughters by name.

He merely referred to them with stiff titles.

Before, he had even called Charlotte ‘she’.

He was not a person with whom common sense applied.

His eyes were like withered leaves.

The light in them was particularly cold.

They were not the eyes of someone looking at family, but of someone looking at an object.

The Emperor’s heart was cold, devoid of even a trace of warmth.

I maintained my composure and asked.

“First… what was the reason for confining the Second Princess to the detached palace?”

“That is an obvious question. If it became known that a member of the Imperial Family was cursed, would it not undermine Our authority in many ways? Sometimes, shameful parts must be cut off.”

“You are extremely cold.”

“We merely act for the Empire.”

A lie.

I muttered inwardly.

“……”

Was it because of my overly direct words?

Rose’s brow furrowed slightly.

Her hand clenched into a tight fist.

I calmed her with a brief glance.

Now was the time to maintain reason.

“I will continue my questions.”

I had to know.

I had pieced together all the things you had done, but I wanted to know your exact motives.

Because you were a character whose background was barely revealed in the original story.

I knew nothing about you.

So, I had to find out.

Why.

Why you had done such things.

“There’s something I learned while investigating.”

“You boldly claim to have investigated the Imperial Family.”

“There was no other choice.”

“Proceed.”

“It is said that His Majesty was… an exceptionally devoted husband in his youth.”

“Indeed. I don’t recall clearly. It’s been nearly twenty years, you see.”

“Then, what about the story from eighteen years ago? When the Empress returned to the side of the stars early, due to complications after giving birth to the Second Princess?”

“……”

Return to the side of the stars.

In the Empire, this phrase was used to mean ‘passed away’.

The Emperor, who had been silent for a moment, soon nodded.

“Yes. I remember that.”

As expected.

It seemed his memory wasn’t a problem.

Now, all situations made sense.

“I don’t know what you were curious about, but has this resolved it?”

“It was sufficient. Thank you.”

The Emperor’s eyes remained frigid.

I met that gaze directly.

Because now was the time to reveal the truth.

As I slowly articulated my words, various explanations ran through my mind.

It was a kind of contemplation.

‘Curse sharing.’

This much was certain.

The Emperor shared a disease.

The curse could only be shared with blood relatives within the second degree.

Under these conditions, we considered two possibilities.

Either the Emperor’s illness was transferred to Elize, or Charlotte’s illness was transferred to Elize.

I also thought this was the basic premise.

‘But.’

All of it was wrong.

Everyone was missing one detail.

None other than a few lines about the side effects.

-There are side effects to this process.

-Extreme mental erosion, or the loss of emotions, are prime examples.

-Side effects only occur in the recipient of the shared curse.

Isn’t it strange?

According to the previous hypothesis, Rose was the recipient of the shared curse.

However, Elize’s emotions were not shattered at all.

She clearly knew how to rejoice and how to grieve.

This was also true for Charlotte.

‘Then.’

Who could it be?

If it’s neither Elize nor Charlotte.

Who in this room is the only person without emotions?

Who could be the one bearing such profound sin?

“It was you.”

Yes.

Perhaps our perspective had been too narrow.

Because the preceding deduction had opened my eyes anew.

Misunderstandings often arise from confirmed biases.

I had been blind for too long.

‘Why.’

Why.

Why did we only think Elize had received the curse?

Why did we not consider that someone might have taken her curse?

How could I not have known of that foolish sacrifice?

“Your Majesty.”

I looked up at the man seated on the imperial throne.

His hazy pupils showed no vitality, no interest, no emotion.

As if he had lost his heart.

I gazed at him with sad eyes.

“Your Majesty… you took your daughter’s curse.”

The frail Rose.

The one who had borne her cursed fate with her.

Was the father, who was called her birth father.

Valkaros Rantana von Staufen.

-We merely act for the Empire.

Not once.

Had he acted for the Empire.