Chapter 20
The Curse That Didn't Disappear
The end of the letter was even more absurd.
"Also, I deeply regret not being able to personally welcome Giselle Marlehein High Priest, who even visited the Leicester territory.
I have instructed them to ensure you have no inconvenience during your stay, so please inform the Leicester family immediately if you encounter any difficulties.
Wishing you God's grace on your journey in the Leicester territory..."
"Hmm, what a romantic and considerate letter."
Giselle's eyes sharpened at Dietrich's words.
Romantic my ass.
Calling his fiancée 'Giselle Marlehein High Priest,' and not even a single word about missing or loving her.
Even though the recipient of the letter was his fiancée.
The purpose of the letter Shed sent was clear.
He was preemptively trying to prevent things from escalating.
"H, High Priest Giselle. Y, You're not thinking of breaking off the engagement, are you...?"
Dietrich asked as he returned the letter, and Giselle glared at him again.
"I intend to get a proper explanation about this."
That meant she wasn't thinking of breaking off the engagement.
"E, Even after something like this happened, your patience is, uh, amazing. You truly are a benevolent and tolerant High Priest..."
Dietrich awkwardly raised his shoulders.
The only reason she wasn't breaking off the engagement with such a rude fiancé was simple.
Since she had chosen the engagement herself, breaking it off would be like admitting her choice was wrong.
She had chosen him despite everyone's opposition, and she didn't want to see the smug faces of the socialites gossiping, saying, 'I knew it.'
Besides, her engagement with Shed wasn't about finding a sweet husband in the first place.
'Considering the name, reputation, and wealth of Duke Leicester, anyone would be tempted.'
Although he came from Lupus and had all sorts of labels attached to him, Shed was the perfect groom in the Empire when considering practical benefits.
That was what Giselle wanted.
Of course, she probably never imagined being treated with such coldness.
Just then, a white bird flew into the sky above the Münher Temple.
Dietrich looked up.
The bird circled the blue sky once before gently descending and landing on Dietrich's shoulder.
"Oh, it's a day for all sorts of news to arrive."
It was a carrier pigeon from the Grand Temple.
"That over there is Paradell."
The end of a long journey.
Paradell, the heart of Ideana and the former main castle where the old Ideana Margrave lived.
When they arrived before the city that had once achieved dazzling prosperity, everyone was speechless.
"So this is the cursed land..."
The massive, collapsed walls surrounding the city looked pathetic, like a crown of thorns placed on a dead city.
The tower that had once soared high into the sky seemed to have sunk into the ground, and the once-blue hills were now blackened as if shadowed.
'The rumors weren't unfounded.'
Eclaus thought as he looked at the ruined Ideana.
On the way to Paradell Castle.
He had been quickly calculating in his head, hoping for Ideana to be in good condition.
Because he thought there would be many interests to gain.
Although there were few people, the farmlands were abandoned, and the roads were covered in weeds, he thought that a new foundation could be built with a little effort.
However, Paradell Castle was not.
"Um, is it okay to go in there?"
The Leicester family members following behind began to stir.
No matter how they looked at it, the land seemed ominous.
Even though the Clerics had purified it for nearly a year, it was still unsettling.
"I heard there are man-eating monsters living in Ideana."
"That's just Demon Beasts."
"No, it's different from Demon Beasts! I'm talking about real scary monsters made with Black Magic! Monsters that don't die no matter how many times you stab them!"
"Ugh, don't say such creepy things!"
The Leicester family's servants shuddered and got angry.
Liana's steps gradually became heavier as she listened to the story.
The monsters of Ideana.
They talked about that terrible rumor for a long time.
"Don't worry. Even if there are such things, the Temple must have already taken care of them."
"That's right. Dietrich High Priest also said that he took care of all the important issues while he was there for almost a year."
Liana wanted to block her ears from the story.
The closer they got to Paradell, the dizzier she felt and the more her body trembled.
"Luise. I told you. You have become the strongest human in the world."
Old memories became an overwhelming tsunami, engulfing her.
"You will live an immortal life."
As if someone was whispering in her ear, all the memories became clear. At the same time, her mind went blank.
"Hey, can't you walk faster?"
Suddenly, someone pushed her, and her body staggered.
Only then did Liana realize that she hadn't taken a single step.
She had clearly been walking diligently until just now, but she was still in the same place.
Her feet wouldn't come off the ground as if they had taken root.
She felt nauseous and had difficulty breathing.
She had a bad feeling.
Her heart was pounding, and she felt like something bad was about to happen.
Just like back then.
Back then.
"What's going on?"
Shed stopped and turned his head at the commotion behind him.
"This maid suddenly stopped, sir."
Shed's gaze turned to Liana.
A pale face, pale lips, and a trembling body.
"Liana."
Shed called her name, but she was frozen in place, unable to move as if she was caught somewhere.
"Liana Serpens."
Only after he called her name once more did Liana's head lift.
Liana's eyes were greatly shaken.
Like a soldier in a panic.
Shed dismounted and examined Liana himself.
"Liana."
"...I don't think we should go any further."
Liana shook her head with a trembling voice.
At her pitiful gesture, Shed bit down on his lip.
"I can't delay the journey because of you."
Shed lifted Liana, who was frozen in place, into his arms.
"My Lord!"
Shed placed Liana on the horse he had been riding and then mounted behind her.
Liana, as if she didn't even have the strength to resist, gasped for breath in his arms.
"Run away. You have to run away, Shed..."
Liana, held in his arms, clutched at his collar.
Her green eyes looked up at him as if she was about to cry.
"Even after going through something like that, you're still only thinking about running away?"
Liana shook her head at Shed's cold words.
"No, it's dangerous there. Surely that place is..."
"Cursed. Thanks to you."
Her body shuddered for a moment at his casually spoken words.
Shed pulled the trembling body in his arms closer to him.
A feverish heat spread from the small body in his arms.
The trembling of her, like a wounded lamb, gave his heart a subtle thrill.
It was like being a thoughtless child.
A child playing by throwing stones into a calm lake.
When distorted ripples appeared on the mirror-like surface, he felt a thrill at the thought that this beautiful and wondrous nature could be controlled by his small stone throw...
Her ragged breath spread to his chest.
The fingertips clutching his collar desperately grabbed him.
The small sensations urged him on even more strongly.
He wanted to throw himself naked into this fragile lake.
He wanted to soak his whole body in the clear water.
He wanted the lake to shake, undulate, and the water droplets that made up the lake to become white fragments and scatter at his gestures.
He wanted to dive deep down and check and stir up everything hidden beneath the mirror-like surface.
Even if the clear lake became muddy like muddy water because of his mess.
Even if he drowned in the deep lake while diving.
Therefore, Shed thought it would be nice if tears welled up in her eyes.
If she grabbed him more desperately and clung to him more desperately, then he might be able to show a piece of hypocrisy.
He might be able to float like a leaf on a calm lake and watch quietly while becoming one with the lake.
But Liana was not the kind of person to do that.
Because she was a lady with too much pride to cling on while selling tears.
As he expected, Liana bit her lip and remained stubbornly silent.
However, she was afraid of the cold sensation surrounding her.
Was she really this anxious because of the memories of the past?
Could the memories of eight years ago constrict her breath so vividly?
Just as she was thinking that, a chilling sensation enveloped her.
"Shed!"
The moment she pulled on Shed's sleeve, Shed also felt something and raised his head.
"Everyone, form ranks!"
Shed instinctively drew his sword.
And the moment his command rang out, the surroundings instantly darkened.
"Kyaa!"
Screams of terror were heard from all directions.
The sounds of startled horses running wild were heard.
The darkness that enveloped them was so dark that they couldn't see an inch ahead.
"Ugh!"
The horse that Liana and Shed were riding on also ran wildly in the darkness, terrified.
"Hold on tight!"
Shed held Liana tightly with one arm to prevent her from falling while calming the wildly running horse.
As he tightly gripped the reins and soothed it, the horse slowly stopped running and looked around in the darkness.
"My Lord, are you alright?"
"My Lord!"
Voices calling for Shed were heard from the darkness.
They sounded further away than before.
Moreover, the voices were scattered in various places.
It seemed that the formation had been disrupted along with the startled horses.
Shed bit his lip.
It was a trap.
The formation was disrupted, and in this pitch-black darkness, it was difficult to grasp the situation.
A situation where anything could happen if they moved carelessly.
Liana's heart began to pound.
'It's Black Magic...'
She knew exactly because she had experienced it so many times.
But why? Who? How?
A long time ago, except for Luise Ideana, everything related to Black Magic on this land had disappeared and been disposed of.
It definitely had...!
In that chaotic moment, a firm arm pulled her even closer.
"Liana."
A voice, calm to the point of being cold, was heard in her ear.
