CH 93

It was only a few days later that a letter arrived saying that Leighton’s back bone had cracked and that he had to stay in bed for quite some time.

As it was Nelia who actually made him like that, Leighton seemed to say that he had fallen to his parents, he might be ashamed to be caused that way because of a woman who was much smaller than him.

The letters from her parents only told concerns regarding Leighton.

‘Good for him.’

The situation would be quiet for a while.

Nelia put aside her thoughts about Leighton, and stood in front of the calendar and stared at the circled date.

Then, Zenuit walked over and stood by her side.

“What are you looking at like that?”

“There are only two weeks left until the day of the total lunar eclipse.”

“Hm…… There’s only a few days left until the door opens.”

When Nelia sighed softly, Zenuit tilted his head.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m just…… nervous. I’m worried. You said you had a test.”

“Well, it is.”

Nelia leaned her upper body and made eye contact with Zenuit.

“Can’t you give any hint about the test?”

“As I said, I can’t say anything yet.”

Zenuit answered with his arms crossed arrogantly.

Nelia understood his answer, but she dared to ask.

Zenuit only opened the way to look for Sigrit’s heart, so he couldn’t afford any hints.

“When can you tell Duke Hart about the existence of Zenuit?”

“On that day.”

“What? The day when the door to the dimension opens? At least, you should give the duke time to sort his thoughts.”

“That’s not something I should be concerned about.”

Nelia hesitated at Zenuit’s firm attitude. As there’s something she hasn’t told him yet.

“You should know something, Zenuit.”

“What is it?”

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet.”

Hm? Zenuit blinked nonchalantly.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have told you that the duke was cursed to turn into a snake.”

“You have.”

“But he can turn into something other than a snake only on the day of the total lunar eclipse.”

Actually, she has been thinking smugly that she would somehow turn the duke who became a monster back to his human form just like last year, but as the day approached, she became even more anxious.

Therefore, on the day she told the existence of Zenuit to the duke, she tried to tell Zenuit about this to ask if there was something he could do about it.

However, Zenuit said that he would reveal himself on the day of the total lunar eclipse, so it would have been too late to say at that moment.

Nelia took a huge air of breath, exhaled, and slowly spoke out.

“Actually…… His Grace turns into a big monster on the day of the total lunar eclipse.”

“Monster……”

“A monster in the form of a snake. Moreover, he loses his reason and attacks people.”

Zenuit slightly squinted his eyes. He seemed to take this fact quite seriously.

Nelia continued to say what she was intending to say.

“So I’m worried if…… he can safely cross the door of the dimension and take the test that day.”

“If that’s the matter, it’s definitely difficult.”

As Zenuit spoke helplessly, Nelia engulfed both his hands with hers. His small hands were covered in Nelia’s and vanished in her hold.

“Zenuit…… You’re gonna help me, right? To not let His Grace turn into a snake like last time.”

“Do you really think I can make anything possible?”

“You can’t……”

“I don’t know if the snake is like a small and powerless one, it’s even difficult for the country to take care of such a monster. It takes a vast amount of energy to transform from a human to a monster, and I don’t have the power to stop such a vast amount of energy.”

Nelia quickly suggested another way, there’s no way she would give up just like that.

“Then what about taming His Grace’s monster form?”

“I’m not some kind of animal trainer, how can I tame a monster who loses his mind and goes crazy?”

He can’t do that either……?

Nelia dropped her hands that wrapped around Zenuit’s in a hopeless manner.

Zenuit wondered as she asked.

“How can you control His Grace when it’s a total lunar eclipse?”

“I can’t.”

“So……”

“You saw the building that looks like a warehouse beside the main building in the mansion area, right? The magicians will equip restraints there and lock him up with it……”

Nelia looked gloomy.

“Last year, His Grace, who turned into a monster, went crazy and some buildings in the mansion collapsed because of him, people almost got hurt.”

“So what did you do?”

Nellia recalled that time.

She had patted the head of a monster when it was trying to attack him. Then, Duke Hart was able to return to his human form.

“About that, His Grace explained that if I’m with him within a certain distance, he doesn’t turn into a snake.”

“Yeah. That’s why we’re close enough to each other.” “Yes. That’s apparently the reason you’re sticking closely to each other.”

Disgusting fellow……

“I don’t know if it’s because of that, but I caressed His Grace’s cheek when he’s in his monster form and went wild, and then he returned to his human form.”

Zenuit had a nuance of expression.

‘Yeah, I know it’s hard to believe.’

“It sounds much like a lie, but why would I lie to you, Zenuit?”

Zenuit shook his head.

“It’s not that. I was just thinking about something else for a moment.”

She was being serious, but he was having another thought……

As she pouted, Zenuit spoke out.

“But what’s the real matter? If he turned into a monster like last year, you can do it again this year so that he turns back into a human.”

Nelia squeezed her hand and fiddled with her fingers.

“I’m not sure…… Will it be possible this time too?”

“Why don’t you be confident?”

“It would have been like that in a normal situation, but it’s a very important day. If he turns into a monster and loses his mind again, he won’t even be able to take the test that you told me about. That’s why I’m asking you, Zenuit.”

Zenuit shrugged.

“I understand where you’re coming from, but as I explained earlier, it’s impossible to do that in this form.”

In this form……?

“Do you mean your original form? You can do it when you’re in your original form? 

Nelia’s sunken eyes quickly twinkled.

“……It’s not that, but it’s impossible for me now, as I’ve just been released from the seal.”

Oh, that’s what he meant. She was looking forward to it quite a bit.

“Yes…… Alright.”

She was disappointed, but she couldn’t do anything since he said it was impossible.

Nelia thought she should discuss with the duke about the matter of his transformation into a monster during the total lunar eclipse this year.

Then, someone knocked on the door.

“Nelia, are you there?”

It was Duke Hart.

She was thinking of having a discussion about the total lunar eclipse right away, and his arrival was a good thing for her.

“Yes, come on in.”

The door was immediately opened at Nelia’s permission.

“Your Grace, is something the matter?”

“I received a letter from my mother.”

“Letter……”

The duke and Duchess Hart didn’t normally keep in touch with each other, surprisingly.

‘I don’t have any way to bring it up……’

In the past, they didn’t seem to be on bad terms with each other even though they sometimes bickered.

Then, why did she send a letter?

Nella asked cautiously.

“Did something happen to Her Grace the Duchess?”

“No, my mother sent me a letter telling me to come to the duchy.”

So that’s what it’s all about. She was glad if the duchess sent a letter about that.

It wasn’t a serious matter for a mother to ask her son to come to the duchy as she must have wanted to see her only son.

Moreover, the duchess was managing the duchy on behalf of the head of the house, Duke Hart, so it was just right to come and check it by himself.

Nelia’s nodding head suddenly stopped.

‘It’s not it.’

There would be a total lunar eclipse in two weeks, so the timing wasn’t good. She didn’t know where exactly the duchy is located, but it would possibly take a few days.

The duke sighed as if he had read Nelia’s thoughts through her worried expression.

“The reason why my mother told me to come to the duchy at such a time is to prepare for the total lunar eclipse.”

Nelia opened her eyes widely.

“Is there any relation to it?”

“Yes. My mother recently found a spare basement, where she found a book that seemed to be related to the curse upon our family. I may collect some helpful information there. But……”

But…….?

“It wasn’t written in the alphabet of the empire’s language, there’s no way she could read it. Therefore, my mother said I’d better come and read it myself. I have learned various languages since I was young.”

She found valuable data, but she couldn’t read it.

It would be better for Duke Hart to go and check it for himself without delaying any further.

“Of course you have to go!”

“The only problem is that I can’t go on my own.”

Oh……

Now that she thinks about it, he would have to go with her for such a long-distance trip. After all, she can’t be separated from the duke.

“We can go together. I have no problem with that.”

Actually, the founding of the book related to the curse was very good news for Nelia, so she merrily accepted his offer.

“Thank you, Nelia.”

Only then did the duke smile as he used to. Smiling while looking at each other, Nelia realized she didn’t have time to do this.

“How long does it take to get to the duchy from here?”

“It will take about two days to get there with a carriage.”

So it takes a while……

She knew that compared to the size of the empire, Hart Dukedom is close to the capital, but it wouldn’t be easy to travel for two days in a carriage.

She would have to sleep in the carriage, and stop by the village to eat.

‘It’s gonna be quite tough for me.’

She was quite worried because she had never traveled such a long distance.

At that time, she realized that the duke’s eyes were on Zenuit, who was listening to the conversation.

‘Wouldn’t it be hard for His Grace to take him to the duchy……?’

It’s a hassle to take a child for such a long-distance trip.

But I knew I wouldn’t talk about it first because of the Duke’s personality. 

“Duke, while I’m back from the duke castle, I’ll ask Ton to take care of me.”

I could feel Janewitt’s eyes, but Nellia pretended not to know.

If he doesn’t want to be here as a child, he can follow along in the form of a little dragon that is invisible to others.

However, Duke Hart made an unexpected suggestion.

“If you don’t mind, you can also take Zenuit, Nelia.”

Nellia asked with a somber face.

“Is it okay if I bring Zenuit to the duchy……?”

“Of course. The road will be a bit rough, but if you leave Zenuit alone in the mansion, you will feel bad for him, Nelia.”

Not at all……

It was pretty exhausting to take Zenuit in the form of a children.

Nelia expressed that she didn’t want to take him somewhere along with her.

“I’m worried that taking Zenuit there would be a nuisance to the duchess.”

“My mother is fond of children. She will definitely like children as cute as Zenuit.”

This is hard.

“I think it’ll be a little difficult to take Zenuit for such a long distance trip……”

“The travel carriages are decent. We can stop by the village from time to time.”

The duke countered right away.

‘Why do I feel like he wants me to take Zenuit there……’

When Zenuit noticed that her mood had shaken up about the thought of taking him along, he stuck his head between Nelia and Duke Hart.

“Noona, am I going to the duchy with you?”

“……I think so.”

“Wow, I’m excited for that!”

Zenuit jumped in his place like an excited child.

Nelia frowned.

She was already concerned at the thought that Zenuit would make a mistake in front of the duchess.

Zenuit has helped her a lot so far, but he has also embarrassed her sometimes.

Especially in front of someone important like the duchess……

Nelia suddenly stopped thinking.

‘No, why did the duchess remain in my head as an important person?’

Nelia couldn’t figure out why she was so conscious of the duchess. The duchess was very kind and friendly to her.

“Nelia. First of all, let’s take care of the urgent work in the imperial palace and prepare to go to the duchy.”

“How long will you stay in the duchy, Your Grace?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I don’t plan on staying long. I think we will leave the mansion for about a week.”

Nelia nodded.

She wishes to find out something about the curse after going such a long way.