episode_0148

“It doesn’t quite feel real.” In the carriage heading to the imperial palace, Rose, who was looking out the window, suddenly murmured. Her calm eyes resembled the verdant green of summer. I questioned the girl’s voice. “What do you mean?” “Nothing.” Elize responded as if it was nothing important. Still, the atmosphere remained quiet. Ever since they finished talking yesterday, she had been in this state. She seemed to waver as if lost in deep thought. Rose replied softly. “The curse I’ve been carrying, you know.” “More precisely, it’s a disease.” “Yes, a disease. Now that it’s actually going to be cured, I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel real.”

Cure. Perhaps such a concept was unfamiliar to the girl. Her expression was particularly confused. “I understand.” I nodded. Having lived her entire life struggling with pain, a few words wouldn’t be enough for it to sink in. For now, the feeling of unreality would likely precede any joy. Elize said with an awkward smile. “It just needlessly complicates my mind.” “It’s alright. Time will soon take care of it.”

The short conversation continued. As we exchanged words, passing the time, the two people listening from the opposite side also joined in. It was none other than Charlotte, and Rose’s personal maid, Tanya. “I never thought a day like this would come…” “Really? Has Princess Elize finally…?” Charlotte’s usually blank eyes sparkled, and Tanya, perhaps overwhelmed with emotion, began to tear up. A painful and lonely life. These two had been the only family to stay by Elize’s side. Having lived through the most difficult times together, they couldn’t help but well up with emotion at the hope that had finally arrived. I smiled as if in response to them. “Of course.”

The delight grew even clearer. Elize shook her head as if exasperated by their reactions. “Everyone’s making too much of a fuss.” “You’re happy, but just feigning indifference.” “……I am not!” “Your Highness has no talent for lying.” “And you must be pleased, unlike me, with your outstanding talent for lying.” “Thank you.” “That wasn’t a compliment.” The conversation continued, despite her grumbling. Rose was leaning against my shoulder as usual. As I brushed her long red hair, a question casually dropped.

“But… is there a reason we absolutely have to go to the imperial palace?” “Unfortunately, yes. Are you perhaps reluctant?” “It would be a lie to say no. It’s where I’ve been confined my entire life. And I’ll have to see the face of that man who is my biological father.” “By biological father… you mean His Majesty?” “There’s no one else, is there?”

Her voice returned, subdued. The choice to use the term “biological father” must have been an expression of resentment towards the Emperor. After all, he was the one who had imprisoned her in such a lonely cage. I carefully asked. “Do you resent him?” “Well… actually, his face is even blurry. It’s a memory from when I was very young.” “You said you haven’t seen His Majesty since being confined to the detached palace.” “He probably didn’t want to see the cursed child. Before that, he seemed like a reasonably good person, but as soon as I fell ill, he changed completely.” “Changed completely, you say…” I softly repeated her last words. Elize muttered with a bitter smile. “If it was going to be like this, he shouldn’t have had me.”

“Your Highness.” “It’s something I often thought when I was young. Back then, living was just too difficult.” “Those are heartbreaking words for a physician to hear.” “It’s not like that anymore, so don’t make that face.” “When I understand your pain, how could I smile?” “I’m fine. Now, I don’t just think negatively about life; I even think it’s a good thing I’m alive.” And that was because. “Thanks to that, I met you.”

Elize tilted her head. Our gazes briefly met. Not a trace of wavering lingered in her clear green eyes. Our hands, placed one over the other, were intertwined as if melting into each other’s warmth. The girl softly curved the corners of her eyes. “So, I’m fine.”

Words that affirmed life itself. Her voice, clear and unwavering. Only after a moment did I nod. With a faint smile on my lips. “I will live up to that expectation.”

Truly. It was simply troubling how enchanting she became with each passing day. I then uttered a single prayer. “For you, a truly happy ending.” “Heh. I’ll be looking forward to it.” The carriage continued onward. Until it reached the tomb where all truths awaited.

***

The imperial palace, after nearly four months. Even after so much time had passed, the scenery of the cage remained unchanged. It was as it had always been, as if untouched by human hands. We briefly stayed at Rose’s former residence, waiting for permission for an audience. If the hypothesis I had constructed was correct… there would be no reason for the Emperor to refuse an audience. I was reasonably confident, so I wasn’t worried.

“Hehe… it feels like it’s been ages!” “It certainly has. More than a whole season has passed.” “Your Highness, do you believe that you’ve truly escaped this place?” “It still feels like a dream. I practically rotted away in this room my whole life.” “Me too!” “…Aren’t you a little too excited?” “Am I? It just feels like I’m steeped in memories…” “Memories, you little squirt?” “I-I’m not a squirt!” Tanya puffed out her cheeks. Elize, with an indifferent look, nevertheless stroked the small girl in front of her. Charlotte, behind them, held onto the wheelchair with a soft smile. The scene that unfolded for a brief moment was so leisurely.

Meanwhile. Silence fell over me. I was organizing my thoughts alone.

[Report on Mana Stone Disease] [Authored by: Medro Andreas] My attention was entirely on the report from a few days ago. Perhaps because the contents were so shocking, every single sentence shimmered in my vision. I quietly pondered it. ‘A curse, huh.’

This research had been conducted based on ancient texts. Modern medicine could not find a cure for the disease. As such, it was an uncertain world… We had sought new possibilities from the unknown. Because I thought that by searching through various records, I would find clues. Byproducts collected from hunting cultists, research materials, and even forbidden texts were also helpful. In particular, priests from Lysit, including Medro, greatly assisted with the translation of the forbidden texts. As expected of veterans who had seen much action, they were reliable.

‘Anyway.’ The work continued for nearly three months. Through continuous cultist hunting and the assistance of the priests, records related to the disease were found. The relevant text was discovered in a frontier branch where war spoils were kept. It barely filled two pages, and only two cases were recorded, but the mere fact of its existence was a miracle. Because Mana Stone Disease was that rare. The organized record was as follows.

[Mana Stone Disease] – Mana Stone Disease takes a form closer to a curse than a disease. – Ancient records exist of the disease’s influence being transferred to others by utilizing the inherent characteristics of curses. – This process of ‘Curse Sharing’ drastically reduces the patient’s mortality rate. – However, the curse can only be exchanged within blood relations of up to two degrees of kinship. – This concept will be described separately.

One might consider this normal so far. However, the following content was the core of my hypothesis. [‘Curse Sharing’] – Curse Sharing refers to the state of transferring or sharing a curse. – For this spell to be activated, two people must satisfy the condition of being ‘blood relatives’. – This condition is due to the nature of curses, which react sensitively to blood, and the closer the blood connection, the stronger the effect.

Of course. As it was a spell that defied natural law, there were also accompanying side effects. According to the records, severe mental deterioration occurred, or a loss of emotions was a common side effect. Furthermore. ‘The side effects only appeared on the recipient’s side…’ In short. It meant that the recipient would also bear the side effects of the curse. At this point, I understood why the related records had been so tightly concealed. ‘It was sealed knowledge.’

Sealed knowledge. Some of the academic fields and knowledge known to have been suppressed by the first emperor. It must have been among the concepts swept away in ancient times. Because it was an excessively inhumane spell. ‘But.’ Isn’t it strange? Sealed knowledge. In other words, it wasn’t annihilated. It had maintained its existence for hundreds of years, stored in the imperial archives. Why would the first emperor deliberately leave such a possibility open? The answer was simple. ‘There may be many stars, but there is only one sun [a proverb about the singular nature of supreme power].’