Chapter 23

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Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea

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Chapter 23

They arrived at the Imperial Capital two days later.

“Lord!”

As before, the fussy hotel manager didn’t recognize Celine, who was dressed from head to toe.

“Hey, aren’t you the new Lute of the North? You were so great that the rumors spread all this way.”

Celine shook hands with the manager and smiled awkwardly, then hurried upstairs.

“Did it hurt your feelings?”

Leonhard asked cautiously.

“No?”

“The manager’s words. If you were hurt in any way…….”

Celine frowned slightly.

“Why would I be hurt by that? It’s only natural that he doesn’t recognize me.”

“…….”

Leonhard still looked a bit uncomfortable, but Celine didn’t care.

“Come on, let’s go. I heard you should see the Crown Prince tomorrow afternoon.”

“I know.”

They soon arrived at the cursed mansion. The exterior walls covered with ivy and mold were still there, and the barren yard was not much different from when she left.

“Whoo…….”

Celine let out a bitter sigh. She really didn’t want to come here. Especially when she thought about what to do here.

But, shouldn’t the curse be lifted in order to live like a human being?

They entered the entrance into the barren yard.

“What?”

Leonhard let out a questioning grunt.

The old-fashioned door of the mansion was bound with nailed planks and chains.

He slashed the planks and chains with Rashir before Celine could move and pushed the door.

The door opened with a creepy sound.

Leonhard looked inside carefully and groaned.

“What?”

“…….”

Leonhard stiffened and said nothing. Celine followed him and stepped into the mansion.

“…… !”

Her mouth began to dry out. Not far from the entrance, there were bloodstains on the floor. It was brown and dry but still was clearly a child-shaped bloodstain.

Celine’s blood cooled.

Since there was no one to kick them out, the children must have decided to test their courage and came here naturally.

and…… one child died.

The villagers who found the body while looking for the child must have blocked the door of the mansion with a plank.

Leonhard muttered, but Celine couldn’t move at all from her spot.

A child died horribly here.

‘Who is it?’

She couldn’t remember a single name.

Several innocent faces who tried to enter this place remained in her memory, but she didn’t even try to get close to them.

Suddenly, a serious voice was heard.

“It’s not your fault.”

“What?”

Celine groaned.

“It’s not your fault.”

Leonhard continued speaking slowly.

“Yes, of course you feel like you had to stay here and chase the kids away. It’s a natural idea for a human being.”

Celine’s body shook. A tidal wave of guilt continued to rage.

“I was the one who urged you to leave immediately. Not even giving you time to think properly.”

“…… It was thoughtless.”

“Yes, I hadn’t thought of that.”

Celine thought Leonhard was talking nonsense now. It was she who should have thought of the dangers of the mansion at the time.

She should at least have tried to block the entrance with a plank like this to keep the children out.

But unaware of Leonhard’s efforts to alleviate her guilt, Celine sighed an answer.

‘Today, I have to finish my work and shut this place down completely. No one can come in.’

Celine swallowed and looked at Leonhard. Leonhard seemed more relieved that he thought Celine had regained her composure.

‘I have to tell you.’

A little guilt gripped Celine’s ankles.

In the meantime, whenever Leonhard asked Celine what she was doing in the mansion, she deliberately avoided answering.

Celine closed her eyes tightly and opened them.

“Can you do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

Leonhard placed his hand on Celine’s shoulder. His trust seemed to be transmitted along with the heavy weight.

“Please chase me like that day.”

“What…… ?”

Leonhard asked blankly, as if he did not understand what he had just heard.

“Just…… like when you thought I was a black witch. You don’t have to kill me. Just chase me with all your might. Don’t catch up.”

“I don’t know what you are thinking.”

Leonhard’s voice trembled slightly.

“Aren’t you here to find a way to break the curse?”

Celine nodded her head.

“I know it sounds weird. I know it’s hard work for Leonhard. But this is the only way to break the curse.”

“What if I say no?”

“I have to do it alone. Pretending to be chased. Please don’t laugh at me.”

Celine tried to laugh lightly, as if it was a joke, but her face hardened.

“…….”

Leonhard could neither affirm nor deny.

He had no reason to accept Celine’s request, and conversely, he had plenty of reasons to decline. Celine didn’t even give an explanation.

However, he couldn’t refuse either.

Celine saved Leonhard’s life. She threw her life away.

By comparison, what had he done for her?

No matter how vain Celine’s words sounded to him, it was a human thing to accept her request.

“…… I understand.”

Celine’s eyes widened, and a small smile appeared on her face.

“Thank you.”

Leonhard decided to be satisfied with that smile.

After a while.

“Let’s start.”

As soon as he heard Celine, Leonhard’s feet slammed into the ground.

“Dangerous!”

It was when Leonhard had barely walked a few steps.

A huge stuffed beast fell towards Celine with its horns down.

The body reacted before his head.

Rashir shone and was pulled out of his scabbard. Leonhard flew towards the stuffed beast.

-Chaeng!

Rashir bumped into a huge wall of ice that Celine had built. The ice wall melted in an instant, and the stuffed monster fell on the bare floor with a roaring sound.

Leonhard looked at the hideous stuffed beast lying on the floor with a puzzled expression. The withered horns fell from the body and rolled over the floor.

When he lifted his head, Celine was already gone. Fortunately, the floor was full of dirt and dust, so it was not difficult to see her footprints.

Leonhard followed Celine at a brisk pace.

In the empty hallway, only the footsteps of those being chased and pursued resounded.

‘It’s worth doing more than I thought.’

Celine thought of the fifth trap and raised the wind and skipped it.

During the couple of months she spent at Bernoulli Castle, her horrific memories faded, and unexpected traps popped up everywhere.

If she had come back here without any help, she would have died over and over again.

But now she was a wizard.

“Gasp.”

A huge iron trap popped out from under her feet. Celine pushed an ice block into the trap just before the trap crushed her own leg.

-Crunch!

The trap clenched the ice in half and closed tight.

As she avoided the traps one by one, her hope that the stage might be cleared soared from the depths of her heart.

At the same time, fear.

She went through every floor of the mansion. All that was left was the roof. As soon as she took a step there, she fell and died, the only space in this place she had never been through.

Celine carefully lifted the attic door. The creaking of the hinges and the familiar smell of dust caught her.

It had not changed at all from that day.

The day she met Leonhard.

Celine patted the dust and opened the window. A cold winter wind blew.

‘It’s okay.’

Celine can now control the wind. When she falls she can make icicles and climb up holding them.

Celine slowly placed her feet on the roof.

‘Celine…… !’

Leonhard let out a silent scream to himself.

Celine’s back, trembling slightly as she set her foot on the roof, was exactly the same as that day.

The day he killed Celine.

Leonhard watched Celine’s every move, frozen.

The shiny blonde hair fluttered in the wind. The white cape draped over her shoulders and careful steps reminded him of a snow rabbit.

He wanted to run and grab her right away. But shouldn’t he believe in Celine?

Don’t grab her.

A few minutes passed that felt like an eternity to both of them.

Celine stood on the edge of the roof and looked down. She could only see the dark ground.

She seemed to have nowhere else to go, but she knew all too well what to do after this.

The next moment, Celine fell off the roof.

“Celine!”

A scream that sounded like an animal’s roar erupted from Leonhard’s mouth.

He stepped right through the narrow width of the roof and, in a few steps, reached where Celine was standing.

There was no sound of falling. She may be hanging from the edge of the roof.

Leonhard looked down under the roof, prepared for the worst.

‘…… !’

Neither was Celine hanging from the edge of the roof, nor was Celine bleeding on the ground.

No, he couldn’t see the scenery around the mansion that he should have seen clearly. Only clouds as black as a stormy sky entered Leonhard’s sight.

“Leonhard!”

Celine’s voice came from below.

“Jump!”

Leonhard jumped without thinking. Darkness enveloped him.

Moments later, a hard floor greeted him.

Leonhard pulled out Rashir and lit the fire. A long passage opened in front of him. The whole place was covered in moisture.

‘…… Underground?’

Leonhard was not surprised even though he fell from the roof and entered the underground passage. He knew enough that there was a questionable corner in this mansion.

Fortunately, the passage only ran in one direction. Leonhard started running.

-Chaeng!

Rashir cut the iron bars that sprung from the floor.

-Chaeng!

Suddenly, dozens of fireballs shot from the ceiling toward Leonhard. The fireballs were all extinguished by Rashir’s circular trajectory.

-Chaen!

The ground cracked open. Leonhard fell into the abyss and climbed up, nailing Rashir to the wall.

“Gasp, gasp…….”

Leonhard exhaled heavily. This mansion did not just have questionable corners.

‘I’ll have to report it when I get back.’

Strangely, he didn’t feel the power of black magic at all, but that remained to be seen.

In the distance, shiny blonde hair caught his eye.

Leonhard’s steps slowed.

‘It’s over…… !’

Celine let out a silent cheer. She finally reached the end of the first stage. She glanced behind her and saw that it would take some time for Leonhard to catch up with her.

At the end of the passage was a small jewelry box.

Celine grabbed the jewelry box with her trembling hands. The box vibrated slightly and emitted light.

The jewelry box opened with a click.

‘…… !’

Her blue-gray eyes widened.

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