Chapter 31 - The Armored Girl’s Personal Curse

“The Lady of the Lake…….a witch?”

“Yes. When you saw this Lady of the Lake of yours, I was nearby, so she was probably there for the same reason I was. The Lady of the Lake went there to soak in the embedded magic power.”

“I see……That’s……… No, usually you…….. but witches aren’t like that.”

“A word that should not be heard, falls apart.”

“My head hurts.”

Percival let out a deep, long, defeated sigh.

His expression was still a little wistful for his Lady of the Lake’s beautiful appearance, but it was quite obvious how low his heart had sunk. A little annoyed, I couldn’t help but mutter, “I am a witch too,” underneath my helmet.

As I told him before, even a witch would die if they are beat upside the head with a brick. We are still people, so it is not like she could never be a person’s lover, but for Percival, witches are people who can curse you. Powerful magic that can ruin a person’s life in addition to their overall quirky and flighty attitude, even if you did get one to fall in love with you, there is no telling how long that love would last. So it’s probably better for him to cool his head and take the next few moves with a light step.

But completely ignoring my intentions, Percival picked his head back up and asked me with his big blue eyes, “What does that mean?”

“Well because she is a witch, what would you do if she were an evil witch who enjoyed cursing people?”

“But there are good witches who enjoy helping people.”

“………Well, sure I guess.”

I am not too sure what to say about that.

I figured that the girl Percival saw was a witch, so I was wondering how vigilant Percival would be and if he would lament the fact. Even so, he accepted it rather quickly.

“……she is a foreign princess traveling the countryside while hiding her identity as a witch water fairy…….”

No, he has already reworked his setting to fit the information. Fast. This rebound came way too fast!

There was absolutely no hesitation in his expression. Rather, he seems to actually be a little glad to have found out more about the girl in question. I ended up laughing about the whole silly thing and told him, “Well, it’s good to see you so excited.”

Percival gave me a bitter smile and nodded. His bashful expression gave him away, and he looked just like a small kid. Looking like that, all I could really do was shrug my shoulders inside my armor.

“Would you like to go looking for her?”

“……….There is no point in finding the girl for you.”

“Witches are witches. If it means that I could pick up something new, then I will do everything I can to cooperate.”

I’ve been dragged in this far, so it’s not so bad to go on until the end, I tell myself.

Of course, after that I will firmly curse both Percival and Alexis. I may be cooperating now, but I have not forgotten the resentment from dragging me out of the old castle.

“Ah, but please fix the chair that Alexis broke before that. Even if I move to this town, fix the floor.”

I remembered my broken table and chairs left behind, scattered on the floor. Even if there is no need for Percival and Alexis to fix them, they should still mend the large hold in the floor for any future residents.

Finding Percival’s Lady of the Lake and the witch who cursed Alexis…….it will be some time before I get my turn to curse them both.

While I was calculating the time, Percival interrupted my thoughts with a small laugh and said, “We don’t need to look for her.” His words took me a little off guard, and when I looked back up to him, I saw that his blue eyes were pointed squarely on me.

“Your Lady of the Lake, you don’t need to find her?”

“Mm. After all this, I will be sure to fix the chair, fix the table, fix the floor, and you can curse me then.”

“…Percival.”

I quietly called out his name underneath my helmet. His eyes were still fixed squarely on me. It looked almost like he was excited to be cursed.

His gaze looked somewhat hot and excited. I tried to move away just a little bit…….,

“Please quickly go to bed.”

and I tried to close the door.

Percival got in the way though saying, “I’m not sleepy.” His eyes which were burning hot before were now boring into me with an increasing sharpness. In other words he was staring at me. It was his usual eyes.

On the other hand, I was holding on to my suspicions and kept my eyes on him while slightly inching away from the door. If he is sleepy, then he will surely move to grab me. Let’s slam it shut the instant he moves his hand off the door, slamming it into him if we must.

“Coming around with this timing, when did you get sleepy?”

“I said I’m not sleepy! I am……. serious, I think……….”

“……..Serious?”

Percival’s restless expression caused me to tilt my head inside my helmet once again.

He is really serious about me cursing him. I mean, as you wish I suppose.

Staring me down, looking directly at me through my helmet’s visor, was he trying to tell me something? Whatever it was, he gave up soon enough, letting his hand off the door and stupidly scratching the back of his head. He ruffled up his own golden hair, and I ended up forgetting to shut the door on him and just kept watching him.

“…….I didn’t expect Miss Monette to just offer your help like that…..To tell the truth, there was no one on my side anymore, I said some rude things to my family, and I have been cautious of everyone around me for quite awhile now.”

I remembered the arrogant attitude that Percival took when we first met and then the small breakdown he had afterwards.

A year ago, everyone turned their backs on Alexis even though he had been regarded as a good man just before. The rumors spread from an unknown source and were easily accepted. Percival was the only one to not turn his back on Alexis.

He was scared, and he ended up clinging to my armor while crying about how he felt like he had been dropped off in a different world.

I know that fear.

In an instant, everyone turns on you, and you begin to think that they might be a completely different person from who you knew your whole life. It’s like the ground suddenly gave out from under you. Like waking into a dream.

At that moment, it was like all the vigilance I had towards Percival disappeared.

Is it possible that we are the same? Two people just scared of what the outside world is capable of.

…..Well, it not just that.

We might be similar, but we aren’t the same.

“…….Miss Monette?”

I was called back to attention by Percival calling my name and raised my face back up to him.

He has no way of seeing what happened or knowing what I was thinking, so I shook my helmet from side to side. Still, my unease was impossible to hid, and Percival’s expression was mixed with anxiety.

In response, I told him clearly that, “I’m okay,” patting his shoulder with a *pon*. Iron helmets are really convenient. Even if it is hot inside them, they can easily cover up your temperament and muffle your voice.

“Please be prepared. I will have an amazing curse ready for you.”

“Y-yeah. Please do.”

“I will make sure Gina assists me to make it extra horrible.”

“With two witches, I’m sure the effect will be considerable.”

“I feel like you will be beaten upside the head with a brick in the next three days.”

“….that’s…..I’ll be prepared.”

Percival’s back shook slightly and his body started to tremble when the atmosphere went dark after my disturbing prediction.

I smiled at such a figure and tried to end the story by starting to close the door.

When the door was halfway closed though, he suddenly apologized saying, “I’m sorry to just barge in,” for which I replied, “You should be.” There was no obligation for me to listen to him, and it was already late in the night. It could be said that arriving so late and banging on one’s door without a prior appointment was quite impolite.

When he said, “I shouldn’t have barged in to a young lady’s room like that,” I responded to him, “Are you sure you don’t mean an armor cabinet?” Is this a win or a loss?

“Good night Miss Monette. Tell the lady inside the armor good night for me as well.”

“Yeah, yeah good night. Please don’t come back and get plenty of sleep.”

To Percival’s sarcastic goodbye, I responded with an equal dose of sarcasm while shooing him away.

I watched him go through the visor of my helmet and shut the door after he had disappeared.

With my armor lying down on the floor, I was thinking atop my bed in my quiet room.

Of course it was about the curse plaguing Alexis.

His public perception was overturned a year ago, and it has only gotten worse since then. As a matter of fact, there is also the issue of him not being in the country at the moment. It’s possible that people might be going around right now saying, “The unfaithful prince fled the country!” while treating him like a fugitive.

It is natural that Percival would be wary of his surroundings. Although he is not directly cursed, he is still suffering from the fallout and can be considered a victic.

…..Nevertheless.

And thinking up to this point, my thoughts were suddenly interrupted by another knock on my door.

When I gazed at it wondering who could possibly be knocking this time, a “Miss Monette,” from the same voice as earlier came in.

“Percival, visiting a lady’s room this late at night is rude, and doing it twice isn’t any better.”

I shrugged my shoulders, slipped on my armor, and headed to the door.

Did he forget some important detail to his story and felt bothered to come back? I ended up giving myself a small smile at the idiocy of it and opened up the door…..

And I was immediately hugged by two extended arms.

“I was careless……”

“Miss Monette, I have misunderstood you. You are a good witch, and I have never before known such a gentle and kind woman.”

“Yeah, this is frustrating. I hate my own inexperience……”

“Please curse me with everything you have when all this is over. I can be your experimental subject for all your magic.”

His arms were wrapped tightly around me, and all I could do was groan loudly. But there was no way for my feelings to reach Percival’s ears when he is sleepy like this, and he just kept petting my helmet with his hand.

Do I have to wait 15 minutes for him to start acting like a proper adult again?

Yes. I raised the white flag in my mind. His arms were no longer singularly embracing my chest plate, so I did my best to struggle, but the second I showed my resistance he tightened his grip. Everything I did was futile.

This was the difference between our strength. A witch is still human, and my grip is slightly below average from any other girl my age. I cannot escape from a full body embrace from Percival who is training his body every day.

A stream of sighs escape from my lips, and a wave of exhaustion hits me all at once. Fifteen minutes passed by like watching paint dry ending in Percival silently returning to his room. I didn’t watch him go this time; instead choosing to slam the door behind him and release a deep sigh inside my helmet.

Is he the only one not affected by the curse?

Bah.

The question I asked myself before was quickly thrown to the back of my mind.