episode_0060

Of course.

It wasn’t because Elin was suffering from chuunibyou that she was able to control the black energy.

If that were the case, I would have handled this power a long time ago.

“… What the heck did you just do?”

So even if Clavel asks like that.

Ellin didn’t really have anything to say in response.

Well, I didn’t really have any plans on what to do.

I reached out to stop my sister, and this is what happened.

“… … ”

Elin kept her mouth shut because explaining it like that seemed somehow ugly.

“… … Are you saying you won’t tell me?”

Because of that, Clavel ended up misunderstanding on his own.

Instead of answering, Ellen crossed her arms and continued to glare at Clavel.

It was a method of threatening that I had learned by observing Anne over the years.

“Magic that is no different from black magic… … .”

It doesn’t seem to be having much effect, though, seeing as he’s mumbling to himself nonchalantly.

“It’s not black magic.”

Luke, who was in shock, barely opened his mouth.

It was a field I was very familiar with when it came to black magic.

Luke doesn’t use it himself.

Because there was a time when Elin dabbled in black magic during the branch that led to the bad ending.

“The curse inside the princess’s body.”

Besides, that black aura had a very familiar shape.

“Curse? If it’s a curse… … No way.”

Clavel’s eyes widened.

She knows because she heard it from her father.

No, maybe I know even more intimately than Luke.

The type of curse within Elin’s body.

And what role does it play?

“Is it true that you are taking the curse out of your body and devouring the mana, Your Highness?”

Elin blinked her eyes.

Again, this wasn’t a technique I had really intended to use.

But now that I feel it.

“… Yeah.”

This was a curse.

Because of the black energy scattered in the atmosphere, Elindo’s mana disappeared as soon as she took it out.

Luke let out a faint sigh.

“Princess Clavel. You should know that you are lucky.”

“… … Yes?”

“Do you not know how dangerous the curse placed on Princess Elin is?”

Exactly.

Luke snapped his fingers.

I tried to open a subspace.

Crispy-

The mana that had been gathering shattered with a feeble sound.

“A curse that consumes mana. If Princess Elin hadn’t controlled it, Princess Clavel would have died.”

Hesitating, hesitating.

At those words, Clavel took a step back.

Looking at the pale expression on his face, I think he knows something.

I don’t think they’ll tell you even if you ask, so let’s skip it.

“Be thankful that the curse didn’t touch your mana heart.”

No mana can exert its power in the space where Elin’s curse spreads.

It would be different if there was a potion from Dien active in the North.

Without such tricks, wizards would be just ordinary people who can’t do anything.

So if the mutant creatures in the North used this curse.

I could imagine why the wizards had suffered so much during that time.

“… … monster.”

Have you finally figured out the situation?

Clavel stayed as far away from Elin as possible, covering the area around her forehead.

“Eating mana… You’re a monster, Elin.”

“Clavel.”

“So you are being treated like that―”

“Clavel!”

Clavel, who was trembling at Natia’s shouting, turned his head.

“… Go out for a moment.”

Natia gives the order to banish the guests.

Even as he kicked her out, his expression looked complicated.

“… … ”

Bow.

Clavel bowed her head briefly and ran away without looking back.

“Can we also step aside now?”

I asked because it seemed like there was no reason to stay here.

“Wait a minute… Wait a minute.”

Natia caught Luke.

“Just promise me one thing… No, I beg you.”

And a snake-like smile.

There were no fox-like eyes.

A very rare face stripped of pretense.

“Would you please try to avoid bringing that curse out as much as possible?”

It was a one-sided demand with no promise of compensation.

“I will try my best.”

Luke couldn’t ignore this either.

It wasn’t that I was suddenly dazzled by Natia’s sincerity.

Literally, the curse that Elin has is too dangerous.

Especially since it also erases Luke’s mana right next to him.

It was a technique that did much more harm than good.

“Then.”

Luke took Ellen’s hand and left the room.

“… … ”

I walked down the hallway for a while without saying anything.

Step by step.

Knock knock knock.

Only the sound of two people’s footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway.

“… … Sorry.”

Ellen spoke first.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry, teacher. I didn’t know it was that dangerous… … .”

Elin’s foolish hair withered like the last leaf about to fall.

He was hunched over and had his head bowed.

There was a choke in his voice.

“… Are you angry?”

Only then did Luke realize his mistake.

“No. Why would you be angry?”

“You brought out a dangerous curse without saying a word…?”

“I was just surprised for a moment. I’m not angry.”

“… I thought you were angry because you didn’t say anything.”

“I’m sorry. I did it without realizing it because I was thinking too much.”

Luke immediately got down on one knee.

I gently wipe Elin’s eyes, which are starting to get moist.

Rather, it seems like that was a signal flare.

Moisture formed at the corners of Elin’s eyes.

“I didn’t know. I didn’t know that I could take out the curse. I just thought I had to protect my teacher… .”

But my voice was trembling.

In the end, I didn’t burst into tears.

Elin is also very good at enduring things.

Pat pat.

It was because Luke was patting me on the back.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah… … .”

“But I didn’t even say thank you. Thank you so much.”

After hearing the story, it seems that Elin did not intend to harm Clavel.

“Can you promise me just one thing, Your Majesty?”

“… What promise?”

“Please promise me that you will not take the curse out of your body unless absolutely necessary. That curse could put me in danger rather than protect me.”

Especially Luke, who is not a combat type, is worse than a normal person when his mana runs out.

“… Is this a bad power?”

“There is no good or bad in power. It is just dangerous.”

Curses can be dangerous, though.

In fact, the Duke’s reaction is more problematic.

If today’s news reaches the Duke’s ears… .

I guess I’ll have to be prepared to leave the mansion for a while.

Kwak.

Luke hugged Elin.

The delicate and soft Elin still fit snugly in his arms.

“And forget what Princess Clavel said earlier. She is absolutely not a monster.”

Actually, this is what I was worried about.

I was hurt by Clavel’s useless ramblings.

Worrying unnecessarily and lowering your self-esteem.

“I’m just an ordinary student.”

Raising them normally.

That was Luke’s goal.

I thought it was a condition for Elin’s happiness.

however.

“Teacher. I… … .”

Elin shook her head and moved away slightly.

He wipes his eyes with his sleeve and holds Luke’s hand tightly.

“I don’t care if I’m a monster, as long as I can protect my teacher.”

It seems like it would be difficult to put it in a vessel called ordinariness.

It seemed like Elin was a very special person.

* * * * *

Eventually, she promised not to use the curse and broke up with Luke.

After Anne gave me a bath, I returned to my room.

“It’s already time… You must be tired.”

Before I knew it, the clock was already showing quite a late time.

“I have to wake up early again tomorrow. Go to bed, my lady.”

Anne quickly dried Ellen’s hair.

He turned off the lights in the room and waved his hand.

“See you tomorrow, Princess. Good night.”

“… Ando.”

Click.

The door closes.

Silence comes.

Your body must be tired.

Elin’s eyes were brighter than ever.

The reason I can’t sleep is none other than… .

-I saw it clearly, senior. Falling asleep with Elin, coming out of the same room. And holding hands, feeding her. How did that happen…?

It’s because I just remembered what Clavel said.

At that time, I was just filled with anger and passed out.

If you think about it, isn’t it true that my relationship with my teacher isn’t really an ordinary one?

Ellin has also come to know a little about the ways of the world.

When I’m with Anne, I hear a lot of stories about outside things.

Because I regularly interacted with groups that included Nia and Bena, and I also read books.

So I know.

An ordinary teacher and student do not feed each other, comb each other’s hair, or walk hand in hand.

That we don’t sleep in the same bed together.

Of course there are circumstances.

Luke was there to calm down Elin, who was feeling anxious.

It doesn’t happen every now and then… … it just happens often.

But if you look at just the actions.

It is true that these are acts that are no different from those of lovers.

“… … !”

As soon as I thought that, my hair stood on end.

I’m sure I’ll be alone in the room.

I looked around for no reason.

Like a little child caught doing something bad.

Elin, who was tossing and turning in her seat, held onto the blanket tightly and flapped her feathers.

The more I thought about it, the more my head became filled with thoughts of Luke.

-Then can you promise me just one thing, Your Majesty?

Even though it is extremely dangerous to bring out a curse, he calmly gives a pinky signal.

-Forget what Princess Clavel said earlier. She is absolutely not a monster.

I was worried that my sister might have hurt me with her words, even though she didn’t care.

-I’m just an ordinary student.

Or giving a firm and warm hug.

The feeling of gratitude had long since passed.

These days, it’s sometimes difficult to make eye contact.

Every time I hold your hand, my heart races.

Even though I feel embarrassed when you’re with me, I feel sad when you’re not around…

Bam!

Elin, who was continuing her thoughts, sat up.

After checking, I found out that it looked exactly like the main character in Bena’s novel.

“… Do I like you, teacher?”

Ellen was shocked even after she said it herself.

I feel like my face is getting hot.

I flipped the blanket over me and covered myself with it.

Thump, thump.

Is it because the room is quiet?

Or is there another reason?

A confused feeling filled my head.

Originally, a teenage girl’s mind is something she doesn’t even know herself.

Tomorrow is the day I get to meet Nia and Bena.

Let’s ask what kind of feeling this is.

With that determination, Elin forced herself to close her eyes.