Chapter 30

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Let's Curse Them All
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Kirie asked me.

“Will that truly be sufficient?”

“Yes, I like it. This one.”

I opened the velvet pouch to check that the item I had chosen was safely inside.

It was a rope. At first glance, it didn’t look like a magical tool at all, just an ordinary, unremarkable rope.

“I never imagined you would choose a hunting tool.”

As he said, this rope’s primary use was for hunting—specifically, for making snares.

Being a proper magical tool, it was far sturdier than a normal rope, and it could tie something securely even if the user lacked strength or skill.

A question mark seemed to appear over Kirie’s head.

“Do you perhaps enjoy hunting wild beasts?”

A wild beast… yes, there was one. A little darling who was docile during the day but turned ferocious at night.

This rope would be very useful for that darling.

“Well, the details are a secret. It can’t hurt to have a sturdy rope on hand, can it?”

When I gave a vague response, Kirie didn’t press further.

It was partly out of consideration for me, but in truth, he probably wasn’t all that interested in me anyway.

I had to remember. We were just two people connected by a curse of the bed. I absolutely must not get ahead of myself.

“My lady.”

As I engraved those words into my heart for the umpteenth time, Kirie spoke to me in a suggestive tone.

His cheeks were slightly flushed, perhaps from nervousness.

“Would you grant me the honor of visiting your bedchamber tonight?”

…Right, let’s not get the wrong idea, ever!

That evening, after returning to the Lindsi estate, the Marchioness cleared her throat at the dinner table as if she had something to say.

“Charlotte, I heard from Sir Kalikseu. You went out today and ran into Grand Duke Hiklrid?”

It seemed Sir Kalikseu had faithfully reported everything he had seen and heard to the Marchioness.

“Is that true?”

“Sister.”

Marquis Lindsi asked me with a surprised look, and Jayden called my name as well.

I swallowed the food in my mouth before answering.

“…Yes, I did.”

“When I first heard, I thought you had gone out to chase after Grand Duke Hiklrid again. But after hearing the rest, I changed my mind.”

Yes! I clenched my fist under the table.

Thankfully, it seemed I had avoided the worst-case scenario.

“I heard you apologized to the Grand Duke, even kneeling before him in front of everyone?”

“What?!”

“Is that really true, sister?”

I slowly nodded my head.

“Yes, I did.”

“You were always a proud child, even from a young age. You wouldn't bend your will even if the sky were falling.”

The Marchioness set down her fork.

“And after you grew up, you hated being looked down upon more than death itself.”

Having become Charlotte, I could understand why. She was surrounded by people who looked down on her.

‘Both inside this house, and out.’

In such an environment, Charlotte had protected herself by holding her head high and refusing to bow, even when she was in the wrong.

“I cannot believe that a girl like you would endure such shame simply to curry favor with the Grand Duke.”

The Marchioness looked at me with eyes that greatly resembled Charlotte’s.

“I’m sorry. You’ve told me countless times that you’ve repented, but only now do I truly believe you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“I’ve told Sir Kalikseu that he no longer needs to report your movements to me.”

“Thank you for believing in me.”

Seeing me express my gratitude so meekly, the corners of the Marchioness’s mouth softened.

“My daughter is all grown up. Oh, by the way. Were you perhaps disheartened by how coldly the Grand Duke treated you today?”

“Not at all.”

“Good. It’s not like Grand Duke Hiklrid is the only man in the world. Now that you’ve apologized, you can just brush it all off.”

“I brushed off a lot during my period of self-reflection.”

“Is that so? Then it shouldn’t be a problem if you happen to run into the Grand Duke from now on.”

“I suppose not.”

It was the first time the atmosphere with the Marchioness had ever been this warm.

“I’m proud of you, Charlotte. Very few people know how to truly repent.”

“So, did the Grand Duke accept your apology, sister? Surely he didn’t just ignore it.”

Marquis Lindsi and Jayden each chimed in.

I gave them appropriate answers, judging that the situation was turning out very well. That is, until the Marchioness spoke again.

“Alright, then it’s about time you returned to society.”

“…Excuse me?”

I stared at her blankly.

“Why are you so surprised? Your period of reflection is over, you’ve formally apologized to the Grand Duke, and it’s no longer a problem if you see him. Is there any reason to stay out of society?”

“Do I… really have to go…?”

“What are you talking about? What is a noble young lady supposed to do if she doesn’t participate in society?”

“I don’t know. Just… things around the house…”

“What things?”

I couldn’t very well say I’d be lazing around all day, occasionally offering my bed to men in pitiful situations, so I kept my mouth shut.

“I’m not telling you to find a husband right away. But a proper person should go out and interact with others.”

“…”

“You can’t just stay cooped up in the house forever, wasting your days away. It’s not like you’re unemployed.”

A pang of guilt pricked my conscience.

“I know you’ve repented, but why are you so timid? It’s not like you. Ah, is it because you have no friends?”

“…”

“Come to think of it, you said you grew distant from all the young ladies you used to be close with. Are you worried you’ll be alone if you attend a banquet?”

“…”

“It’s fine. That’s not a big deal. If you look carefully, there’s bound to be a young lady or two in society who will befriend you. Making friends isn’t that hard, is it?”

“…”

What was this? She seemed to be encouraging me, but the more I listened, the more dazed I became.

Even before I was isekai’d, I had almost no one I could call a friend, so the talk about friends was particularly uncomfortable.

In the end, after being thoroughly encouraged by the Marchioness, I dragged my tattered heart back to my room.

“Ugh! I hate society! I just want to stay home!”

Lying on my bed, I hugged a pillow and thrashed about.

I’d had no choice but to tell the Marchioness I would return to society, but I felt like a lamb being led to the slaughter.

“My reputation is still garbage.”

The fact that I knelt and apologized to Cedric might improve it slightly once the news spread, but I couldn’t expect any drastic effects.

Then there was the problem of the young ladies who had once proclaimed themselves Charlotte’s followers for the Lindsi family’s prestige, only to turn their backs on her after the incident six months ago.

It was just a short while ago that they had poured champagne over my head at the Emperor’s birthday banquet.

‘If I start my social activities again, I’ll inevitably have to face those people again…’

Just imagining it made my stomach churn.

It was plain to see. The moment we met, my former followers would try to torment me. Third parties would watch the spectacle, gossiping excitedly.

A few people might approach me, just as they did at the Emperor’s birthday banquet.

But that wouldn’t stem from pure goodwill, but from a base curiosity. A desire to laugh at my misfortune from a closer vantage point.

Lost in the vivid imaginings, I stomped my feet and screamed.

“Aaargh! I don’t want to! I don’t want to! Get lost, all of you! I hate it so much! Don’t even come near me!”

Just as I finished my outburst and was catching my breath.

Knock, knock, knock…

A hesitant-sounding knock echoed, with a considerable pause between each rap.

I scrambled off the bed, rushed to the terrace where the sound had come from, and opened the door.

“Welcome, Kirie.”

Oops, the time I had arranged to meet Kirie had arrived without me noticing.

Kirie, who was standing blankly outside, asked with a face that looked like he was about to cry.

“Should I just… go back…?”

“What? Why would you go back when you just got here?”

“But just now, you said you hated it, for me not to even come near…”

“Ah, you heard that.”

“I was being thoughtless. I never imagined you disliked me that much. I suppose it’s only natural for a man who appears out of nowhere and asks to sleep in a lady’s bed. You have every right to hate me.”

“No, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“I will just go. Even if I die from lack of sleep, I will never appear before you again…”

“I said it’s a misunderstanding! I wasn’t talking to you, I was talking to myself.”

This magician, why was he so negative?!

I instinctively grabbed the arm of Kirie, who was actually posturing to leave.

“Ugh!”

Kirie flinched and swatted my hand away, then looked even more surprised than I was.

“I-I’m sorry. It was a reflex…”

“It’s okay. I forgot and touched you. Anyway, it was a misunderstanding, so don’t worry about it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Now, please come in. Before someone sees.”

We entered the room and sat on the sofa.

Kirie kept glancing at me, still seeming bothered by what had happened.

Well, for someone who was already afraid of women, hearing me shout “get lost” must have made him overreact.

“My lady.”

Just then, he spoke first.

“You said you were talking to yourself, but may I ask why you were saying such things? If perhaps my coming here was secretly unpleasant for you…”

“I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you. The thing is.”

I gave Kirie a rough summary of my troubles.

“So, in short, the problem is that there’s a group of people who torment you in high society, is that right?”

“You could say that.”

“There is a simple solution.”

“What is it?”

“Let’s curse them all.”

“A curse, that sounds good… wait, what?”

Kirie said it so cheerfully that my reaction was delayed.