CH 26

Author: rolypoly

“Ten days later?”

When I asked, Kendrick answered with a quiet nod.

“Yes, ten days later.”

He picked up a butter cookie from the table and put it in my mouth.

I chewed my butter cookie while listening to Kendrick. 

The soft buttery flavor quickly spreads in my mouth, making me feel better. 

“You don’t have to prepare anything, you just have to go and say that you want to marry Arsene.” 

Kendrick wiped the crumbs from his fingertips with his handkerchief.

I quietly listened to Kendrick, and then I tilted my head and asked.

“Then do I have to go and talk by myself?” 

“No, Arsene should go with you.”

Kendrick said firmly.

“Even if it is a marriage between families, the temple respects the wishes of the parties the most.” 

So to sum up, I had to go to the temple and hold Arsene’s hand tightly and shout ‘I want to get married!’

‘It’s fine for me.’

The problem is Arsene.

Arsene followed me well, but it was all because I was Arsene’s first friend.

Does Arsene know what marriage is?

Arsene was only seven years old. He doesn’t even know the meaning of ‘friend’, let alone marriage.

Kendrick said, making me feel better as if he could see right into my heart.

“I’ll tell Arsene in advance, so you don’t have to worry.”

I put on a serious expression.

Arsene obviously followed me well, but that was because of his desire to win.

I asked, lowering my voice.

“But— what if Arsene tells the temple he doesn’t want to marry me?”

“I’ll have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Kendrick said firmly.

Hearing Kendrick’s story made me even more concerned.

So, if Arsene cries because he doesn’t want to marry me in the temple, it’s all over.

‘What should I do? Should I hold onto his hand from today?’

I seriously thought of that.

As I frowned and pondered with a serious expression, Kendrick put another cookie in my mouth.

“Why do you look so serious? Even though you have nothing to worry about.”

“But…”

“Arsene is a smart kid, so you won’t have to worry about anything.”

Kendrick said. 

On his face, I could tell he was sure he wouldn’t send me back to Raniero. 

I nodded quietly as I listened to Kendrick.

Kendrick laughed slowly. He gently stroked my hair with his large hand.

“When you get married, you will officially become a member of the wolf clan. When this is done well, I will hold a banquet.”

“A banquet?”

I opened my eyes wide.

“Yeah, I’m going to introduce you to everyone that you’re part of a wolf family. Arsene too.”

“…Arsene?” 

An unexpected name came out of Kendrick’s mouth.

I looked at Kendrick with a puzzled expression.

Why are you holding a banquet introducing Arsene now?

Raniero held a banquet to introduce the children of Raniero the year they were born.

It was an important place to introduce the child to the vassal and noble families of the clan. 

Not only Raniero, but most of the head families held a banquet in the year the child was born.

‘But Arsene hasn’t been officially introduced yet?’

“He is sick and has a lot of work to do, so he hasn’t been officially introduced yet.”

Hearing Kendrick’s words, a memory flashed through my mind. 

‘When I was nine years old… Arsene officially became the successor.’

Arsene was Yeckhart’s only direct descendant, so it was natural for Arsene to be the successor, but—.

There was a big difference between being destined to be a successor and being officially announced as a successor.

That’s how important the banquet is.

‘That’s why they said Arsene couldn’t attend the banquet.’

I knew it because my father was bragging about it at mealtime.

Arsene was unable to attend the banquet to introduce himself for the first time.

Because Schville took Arsene’s life force and made him sick again.

The image of an innocent child who said he didn’t mind if he was sick flashed through my mind. 

I clenched my fists.

‘This time, I have to let Arsene hold the banquet safely.’

Until then, I will learn how to use this skill again and treat Arsene well.

‘Then— the banquet will be held two years earlier than in my previous life.’

Maybe the past changed when I came to Yeckhart.

Arsene is quite healthy now, and Yeckhart’s atmosphere is peaceful. 

But the weird thing is.

‘Arsene is… too healthy.’

I thought of a boy who could now do push-ups with me.

It was good that Arsene was healthy and I came to Yeckhart to make Arsene healthy.

But. 

‘There is no way that an incurable disease can be cured so easily…’

Of course, I did heal Arsene, but that was only once.

Since then, I haven’t done it to Arsene.

Is this possible?

Even I couldn’t help heal because, in the middle, I changed to my bird form.

I looked into Kendrick’s eyes for a moment, then opened my mouth carefully.

“But Kendrick-nim, I have a question for you.”

“Just ask.” 

“Arsene…how often did symptoms originally appear in the first place?”

I was afraid that Kendrick might get a strange misunderstanding, so I added hastily, ‘Because I have to treat him!’

Kendrick frowned slightly and opened his mouth.

“Well, he usually get sick about once a week.”

Once a week.

Arsene has been fine for almost a month now.

‘Is the cycle delayed because I treated him?’

Then it was a relief.

And since I’ve learned how to use this skill again—I didn’t want Arsene to be sick.

If he gets sick before that, I won’t be able to treat him.

Kendrick spoke kindly, knowing I was worried.

“You don’t have to worry too much, Linsy. Arsene is healthy now. Thanks to you. And—no. I’ll tell you when this is certain.”

Kendrick opened the door of the office himself, telling me to go up now.

In my hand, I held the butter cookie I had eaten a while ago.

I nodded to Kendrick and left the office.

******

“What happened to the one I asked you to investigate the other day?”

Hern nodded his head and looked at his medical chart.

“The spots have faded a little, and the curse on the Young Master has been greatly lifted.”

“Even without treatment.”

“Yes.” 

Hern handed the chart to Kendrick.

“Even when he wasn’t getting treatment, the Young Master’s curse was still at ease. Perhaps the treatment at that time…”

Hern and Kendrick recalled the incident at the same time.

This is the case in which Linsy was forced to use her powers to heal Arsene, and then became a bird.

“I think the Lady may have suppressed the curse of the Young Master with the treatment at that time.”

“But Hern, if you say so…”

It means that Linsy’s powers can unleash the ancient curse.

In other words, it also meant that Raniero’s powers had the power to break the curse of Tamar, the cursed land.

Hern and Kendrick were silent for a moment.

It was Kendrick who spoke first.

“Keep your mouth closed.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“Don’t let it leak, Raniero might be thinking about something.”

The reason Kendrick proposed to marry Raniero was because of a glimmer of hope.

Because there’s no way to break the curse.

The hope that the ability, called God’s blessing, will be able to lift this curse.

But really, the curse was weakening little by little.

It was both good news and bad news for Kendrick.

‘Did Raniero know about this for a long time?’

Tamar, the ancient land.

It was now part of the wolf clan territory, but the temple announced that the Curse-releasing Clan would take ownership of the territory.

It was ambiguous to say that it was the territory of the wolf clan because it had long been deserted by the curse. 

If Raniero had recognized that their powers could lift the ancient curse.

‘It makes sense that there were so many candidates for succession.’

Raniero had about ten or more direct-line family members, including Linsy. 

Even though their mothers were different, the blood of Raniero gave them powers when they were born.

Rumor has it that he’s obsessed with developing his children’s talents.

If it was to break Tamar’s curse, it made sense to some extent.

But if he knew.

‘Why did he accept the arranged marriage in a positive way?’

Had he known that Raniero’s ability could break curses, Raniero wouldn’t have given up his direct-line family to the wolf clan. 

However, Raniero took political marriage positively.

‘There’s nothing I can understand.’

As if a large piece of the puzzle was missing, only a series of inconsistent events were being listed.

Kendrick decided not to mention it for now.

“Take Tamar’s cursed soil. I’ll have to investigate further.” 

The soil that contains the same curse as Arsene.

He couldn’t figure anything out when he looked into it a long time ago.

Perhaps that’s all, those who came into contact with the spilled soil suffered a curse known as an ‘incurable disease’ and lost their lives. 

Since then, Kendrick has stopped investigating Tamar’s curse. 

‘The situation is different this time, so I need to look into it.’

If Raniero was moving, the wolf clan had to prepare.

Hern replied, nodding his head.

“I’ll try my best to find it.”

“It’s a dangerous item, so be careful with it. If there’s anything you need, I will give you the support.”

Kendrick said calmly.

But then.

“—What are you talking about?”

There was a noise coming from outside.