Chapter 13
13
Simone, recalling the original story, fell into contemplation.
As time passed, Jace, the forgotten son of Archduke Illestone and his wife, was now eighteen years old.
Even with age, his condition showed no signs of improvement, only worsening. Countess Florie, as well as Archduke Illestone, though he didn't express it, must be quite anxious.
'It would be best to take action before the situation deteriorates further. But...'
The problem was that to break this curse, an extremely strong healing power, akin to that of a saint, was required.
Unfortunately, the power of a Necromancer was immensely strong but possessed only pure destructive attributes. Healing power was nowhere to be found.
'That's why Simone in the original story couldn't break Jace's curse.'
Because she lacked healing power and didn't know how.
And the current Simone was on the verge of facing death once again for the same reasons.
'There are no saints in the Luan Empire right now.'
Even if there were, if a child was born chosen by the gods, the empire would take them away and protect them from around the time they learned to speak, so Simone or the Archduke, who was neglected by the empire, wouldn't be able to meet them easily.
There were no healers of saint-level either, so in reality, there was virtually no way to break this curse within the empire.
"...Hmm."
'Then there's only that method left.'
It would be quite a troublesome task, but no matter how much she thought about it, there was no other solution.
"Ugh..."
It already felt daunting.
She frowned as she ate the cake Anna had brought.
'It's dangerous, and frankly, I'm not even sure-'
Just then, a servant rushed over and asked worriedly.
"Lady Simone, is the cake not to your liking?"
"No. The cake is very delicious."
I'm just worried this cake might be my last dessert.
"Haa."
Simone looked at the fork smeared with whipped cream. The transparent diamond adorning the end of the fork sparkled.
Simone recalled a passage from the original story.
『"I heard an old woman in a remote seaside village had it. I don't know if it will be of any help to Abel, but at least our Luan Empire doesn't need such impure magic stones."
Abel smiled faintly.
"Louisby, thank you. It's exactly what I needed."
Abel and Louisby. The eyes of the two facing each other were filled with mutual trust.』
It was a passage that appeared when Louisby willingly handed over the legendary gem that had shaken the foundations of the Luan Empire to Abel.
Simone intended to acquire this magic stone faster than Louisby and Abel.
The magic stone's name was 'Saintess's Desire'.
It was a gem famous for arousing desire even in a saint who devoted her life to serving God without greed.
Three hundred years ago, one day, a red gem sent by an anonymous person made the saint forget her status and become intoxicated by its radiance.
As the saint fell into desire and used her power solely to make the gem shine even brighter, God took away her abilities, and she was eventually expelled from the castle, living only to gaze at the gem until she died.
After the saint disappeared, Anasis, the Necromancer, a traitor of the Luan Empire, ran rampant, and because of that, rumors spread that Anasis was the one who sent the red gem to the saint.
It was said that the gem was thrown somewhere into the sea after the saint died, but it ended up in the hands of Louisby, who became emperor in the later part of the story, and was handed over to Abel.
'Saintess's Desire' was the only gem in the Luan Empire without a saint that contained the saint's power.
'Even if it was the power of a saint with twisted desires.'
In any case, a saint was a saint.
The one with the purest healing power, so unique it could be called the only one.
She didn't know how much healing power remained in the saint's power within the gem, but if she added Simone's power to even a small trace of it, she might be able to heal Jace.
Of course, this was just Simone's idea of what might work.
Anyway, if she didn't want to be kicked out of the mansion, she had to cling to even this small possibility.
If Simone's prediction was wrong, she would be chased out by an enraged Archduke Illestone, similar to the original story.
'But it's too much trouble for me to find it myself.'
In the original story, it was only said that 'an old woman in a remote seaside village' had it, with no other clues.
It seemed like it would be quite difficult to find.
Simone, who had been worrying, shook off her thoughts and headed to the terrace.
No, there was no need to go to the trouble of finding it herself.
There was someone more qualified than Simone to find it. Someone who knew the geography and history of this place better than Simone, who didn't know this world well. Archduke Illestone, that is.
If she said it was necessary to break the curse, he would find it without complaint, whether he found it himself or commissioned the Adventurer's Guild.
For now, she could get Saintess's Desire that way...
'It would be good to save people, even if it's not because of the gem.'
To fully break the curse, Simone needed someone to assist her.
Someone trustworthy and capable.
If she called in different technicians every time she needed them, it would be difficult to hide Simone's identity, and above all, she couldn't trust their skills, so she thought it might be better to find someone and keep them by her side.
"Lady Simone, is there anything I can help you with?"
"Huh?"
"Ah, you didn't look well..."
Simone shook her head. For now, she could ask Anna to do non-combat, non-dangerous tasks.
"I need magical dye."
"Magical dye?"
Anna rolled her eyes and said brightly.
"Yes! I'll get it. I can even get it in the color you want now!"
Archduke Illestone had told her to give Simone whatever she wanted.
"Fortunately, a lot of budget has been allocated for Lady Simone's share, so I think I can buy plenty!"
"Then, while you're buying it, please get something long-lasting. I don't care about the color."
"Yes, then that..."
Anna stopped talking and exclaimed.
"Lady Simone! Would you like to go with me if you're okay with it?"
"Together?"
"Yes! You can choose the color you want yourself!"
Anna seemed excited for some reason.
"Lady Simone doesn't know much about this village yet, so wouldn't going out to look around the village help break the Mansion's Curse?"
Simone couldn't understand what the relationship was between looking around the village and the Mansion's Curse, but she nodded.
"Sounds good?"
It was perfect because there was something she wanted to find out anyway.
Anna's face lit up.
"Then please tell me whenever you want! I'll prepare for the outing."
"Thank you as always."
Simone answered Anna and put down her fork.
"But before that, I need to meet Archduke Illestone first."
"You look well."
Simone visited Archduke Illestone a week after destroying the first Tree Monster.
It seemed she had adapted to the mansion so well after a long time.
The emaciated appearance was gone, and she had gained just the right amount of weight.
The gaunt face, rough skin, hair, terrible stench, and traces of past hardships had all disappeared.
Who could recall her past appearance from that figure? Who would think that girl was a Necromancer?
If it weren't for her black hair and red eyes, she would have been thought of as an ordinary girl who didn't possess such disgusting power.
"It's all thanks to you, Archduke. Thanks to your good care, I'm eating and sleeping well."
"...I see."
The Archduke himself had taken care of Simone, providing her with this and that so that she could eat well, sleep well, and live well, but he didn't know why he felt so bitter.
"More than that, it's already been a week. You've thought about the next curse to break, haven't you?"
"I came to talk about that. There's something I'd like to ask of you."
"Speak."
Archduke Illestone closed the book he was reading. Compared to before, he was definitely more actively cooperative.
"Please find a gem for me."
"A gem?"
"To be precise, a magic stone."
Magic stone.
Archduke Illestone's expression turned serious at Simone's words.
Magic stones looked like beautiful gems on the outside, but some were so dangerous that just touching them could be affected by the energy contained within the gem.
Some were burned to ashes as soon as they touched a magic stone imbued with the energy of fire, others had no symptoms when they first touched it but fell ill and died, and still others went mad, experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations before committing suicide.
Simone needed something so dangerous.
"What magic stone are you talking about?"
Archduke Illestone decided to listen for now. He knew now that he had to listen to Simone's words to the end, no matter what.
Simone said.
"Saintess's Desire. I need it to break the next curse."
Archduke Illestone tilted his head.
"Does that magic stone actually exist?"
He couldn't help but be doubtful. Saintess's Desire was a gem that existed only in legends, known to not actually exist.
But that thing, which may or may not exist, was absolutely necessary to break the curse?
"I know that as a legendary story. Even if it exists, it would be difficult to find if we don't know where it is."
Even if it was within the Luan Empire, the Luan Empire was the country with the largest land area in the entire continent.
Who would do the absurd act of finding that small gem without any clues?
If it could be found, someone would have found it long ago.
Saintess's Desire was a magic stone known to heal any disease or wound cleanly if obtained, thanks to its strong healing power.
Countless people must have desperately sought it for hundreds of years.
But Simone said firmly.
"The God of Death told me."
"...What?"
"Saintess's Desire exists. It is sleeping deep in the sea."
God of Death my ass. She was just spouting words from a book as they came to her mind.
But Archduke Illestone's expression changed when she talked about the God of Death.
Necromancer. One who made a contract with the God of Death and wielded Death Mana.
He had no choice but to believe that the only Necromancer in the world had received a revelation from the God of Death.
"I know the approximate location. That gem with healing power is absolutely necessary to break the curse."
Simone spoke seriously, as if she had heard the words of God.
"The curse written at the very end of the guidebook."
Archduke Illestone stiffened.
"To break the curse on Her Highness the Countess and Jace Karl Illestone, the eldest son of the Illestone family."
The name of the forgotten one flowed from her lips.
