Chapter 55
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would be like this.”
Cassis sighed deeply. Evelia muttered.
“If it’s something you can’t talk about, you don’t have to, and I won’t tell anyone.”
“……”
“Really. If you don’t believe me, you can take a magic oath.”
Magic oath. It was a contract made of magic, which prevented the secrets between the pledgers from being revealed to others.
Cassis sighed again and ran his fingers through his hair.
“I suppose I should have told you at some point.”
He locked the door behind him and approached me again.
“What I’m about to tell you is Ruth’s secret.”
Wait a minute, are you telling me easily? Rather, Evelia waved her hand in confusion.
“No, wait a minute.”
“……?”
“I can’t just listen to that. I will take a magic oath.”
I could have said I wouldn’t listen at all. But if I was going to learn about Ruth’s curse in the future, it would be better to hear about it.
It would be troublesome if Cassis caught me talking about the Kingdom of Cesia alone.
“There is no need for that. Didn’t the Lady say that she would become Ruth’s mother? Then you need to know.”
“No.”
Evelia cut him off firmly.
“I am someone who will leave someday. It’s better if we make magic oaths for each other.”
“I have no intention of asking Lady to do something like that.”
“I want to do it.”
Cassis thought for a moment and nodded as if he understood.
While following him to meet the wizard, Evelia felt her heart pounding.
‘You’re telling me Ruth’s secret.’
Is it okay to think that Cassis trusts me?
I felt strange. It really felt like I was Cassis’ fiancée.
The wizard happened to be on his way to Ruth’s room, so they met in the middle.
The three returned to Ruth’s room and made a magic oath.
Unlike its name, ‘Magic Oath’ was simple.
It was similar to marriage vows. The wizard asked, holding Evelia’s hand.
“Is it true that Lady Venion entered into this contract voluntarily?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
As soon as Evelia answered, green light enveloped her body. The wizard confirmed it and nodded.
“You may speak now.”
Then he left the room.
“Please sit down first.”
Cassis sat Evelia next to the bed. In fact, he stood and continued talking.
“Ruth has a curse.”
Although it was a story she knew, Evelia’s eyes widened as if she was surprised.
“A curse?”
“Yes. On the night of a full moon, the pattern you saw appears intermittently on his left chest. Then he suffers from a high fever for no reason.”
The next story was one Evelia was familiar with.
“The wizards and I concluded that this was a curse passed down from Ruth’s paternal line.”
“You have found his biological father.”
“That’s right. I thought I should tell you because this is something you will experience several times while you are staying at the mansion.”
“Then is there a curse that comes down to the Cesia royal family?”
Cassis shook his head.
“Nothing has been revealed yet. But it’s very likely.”
“Then what should we do to cure his curse?”
Evelia stroked Ruth’s wet hair, who was still groaning.
“We haven’t found a cure yet, which is why I wanted to find Ruth’s biological father.”
“Then his fever…”
“It will go down on its own after a few days.”
“Until then….”
As Evelia blurted out her words, Cassis nodded.
“Yes. Until then, we have no choice but to watch.”
It was a story I knew, but it was heartbreaking to hear the confirmation from Cassis.
At that time, a person came into Evelia’s mind.
‘Wait, there’s Aria?’
Aria was the one who stabilized Ruth with her natural strength.
She had arranged for young Aria and Ruth to meet in case Ruth got sick.
‘But how do I get her here?’
Cassis and Evelia knew that Ruth’s fever was not contagious. But Samuel might think differently.
There was no way he would send his already unwell sister to Ruth, who was suffering from a fever.
Would Samuel believe her if she told him that Ruth’s fever wasn’t contagious?
“What are you thinking?”
“Ah, I thought it would be nice if Lady Aria came to visit.”
Evelia held Ruth’s hand tightly. The child’s soft hands were so hot that I wondered if this was okay.
“I’m sure he would be happy if Lady Aria comes. But she won’t be able to come because he has a fever.”
Evelia had given up on calling on Aria, it was for Ruth.
No matter how much I thought about it, I didn’t think I could convince Samuel unless I told him about Ruth’s curse.
But things started to work out in an unexpected way.
*****
Not long after I sent the letter, ‘Ruth is sick and can’t play with Aria for the time being,‘ Aria and Samuel came to visit.
Evelia, who was taking care of Ruth, greeted the two with a surprised face.
“What are you doing here?”
I asked Samuel, and Aria answered.
“I heard Ruth is sick!”
Tears welled up in the corners of the child’s eyes.
Samuel gave a little more explanation.
“As soon as she heard that Prince Adelhard was sick, Aria insisted on going to visit… Even though I told her she might catch a cold, she insisted on going, so I had no choice but to bring her.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
He nodded with a stern face.
“I think it’ll be okay for a little while.”
“Then I will guide you.”
Samuel asked cautiously as they headed to Ruth’s room.
“Is he okay?”
He’d been watching Aria, who was always in pain, and he considered Ruth’s business as his own.
“The situation is not good.”
Aria interrupt.
“I can’t wait to see Ruth!”
“Yes, let’s go quickly.”
Aria, who followed Evelia into Ruth’s room, saw Ruth suffering in bed and hurried over.
“Ruth!”
“Ah… Aria?”
Ruth, who was half asleep, opened his eyes with difficulty. Aria held Ruth’s hand tightly.
Tears quickly formed at the corners of the child’s eyes.
“Where does it hurt so much?”
Ruth pursed his white lips.
“I’m fine.”
“Hic… Don’t be sick. I don’t want you to be sick.”
Ruth was surprised and waved his arms in the air. It seemed like he was saying no, but it looked like he was struggling due to lack of strength.
“I’m really, really not sick.”
“You’re lying. You’re sick.”
“Really, I’m okay.”
Seeing Aria’s tears, Ruth also became sad.
Drop, drop. Aria’s tears fell on the back of Ruth’s hand.
At that moment, bright light leaked from the place where it touched.
Ruth and Aria, as well as Evelia, Samuel, and Cassis, who were in the room, saw it.
The light that started from the hand enveloped Ruth’s body.
After a while, when the light disappeared completely, Ruth’s breathing became much lighter.
Evelia placed her hand on Ruth’s forehead, just in case.
‘He doesn’t have a fever.’
Not only that, but his pale face had returned to his original color.
‘Did Aria really cure Ruth’s curse?’
“Uh, huh?”
Aria frowned and rubbed her eyes.
Aria looked down at his hands, which were still glowing.
“Huh?”
*****
The high priest who had been brought in to treat Ruth looked at Aria.
“I hate it!”
At first, Aria was frightened by the long white beard of the High Priestess.
However, when Evelia said that she would give her dessert if she held the Priest hand for a moment, she pursed her lips and held out her hand to the high priest.
“Hmm.”
The kindly-looking High Priestess closed his eyes and looked at Aria, a white glow extending from his hand and enveloping her body.
Even after the light disappeared, the High Priest remained silent. Samuel, who was watching the scene most anxiously, eventually couldn’t bear the silence and asked.
“Is there a problem?”
Despite urging, the high priest did not open his mouth.
“High Priest.”
Aria, unaware of the adults’ complicated situation, rolled her eyes and hid behind Samuel.
“Sister Eve, I want to eat dessert!”
“I’ll give you later.”
The child pursed her lips at Samuel’s words.
“Too bad. Sister Eve said she would give it to me.”
Evelia carefully stroked Aria’s head. At that time, the high priest stared at Aria.
Evelia quickly realized what he meant and lightly pushed the child’s back.
