Volume 1 Chapter 8 Ciel's Request
I'm trying to escape from Sir Ciel, who is holding my hand tightly, so I wave my hand around.
But his grip doesn't loosen; instead, he tightens his hold, intertwining our fingers.
If my hands were clean, it would be one thing, but I was just cooking.
They're greasy from the meat, and it's really embarrassing.
"Ugh..."
"...Why are you crying this time?"
"Well, it's just that I haven't really held hands with a guy before... I mean, it's such a rare experience for me, and my hands are all sticky, so it's embarrassing... I don't always have sticky hands; it's just because of the sausage I was making..."
As I make excuses while sniffling, Sir Ciel looks down, as if he's thinking about something.
I wish he wouldn't think about anything and just let go of my hand...!
Mr. Lucian and Sir Ciel, both of them seem to have this habit of touching people when they talk. Is it some kind of training to make it easier to persuade others...?
"...Purification."
With those words, sparkling particles like tiny stars swirl around my hand, and the stickiness disappears.
It's impressive how he can use magic without much chanting; he really is the top court mage.
I can't use magic myself, but people living in this country have some level of magical power.
It's normal for nobles to have a lot of magic, and there are even classes on magic at the academy.
Starting from basic magic training, some people can even learn to use and control advanced magic. However, chanting spells is essential for focusing the mind to activate magical power.
I don't have any magic power, so I just felt awkward watching the class from the corner.
It looked so cool, the incantations, and I thought it was nice.
Anyway, using magic usually requires a pretty long chant, and no one else could activate magic with just a few short words like Sir Ciel does.
I probably don't know much about it, but it must be really amazing.
"Is this okay?"
"Y-yes, thank you...! I mean, please let go of my hand! It's not okay to hold hands with a man I just met...!"
Even though I got my hand free, he held it gently with a kindness that made me flustered.
Sir Ciel's fingers were long and graceful, not rough like Mr. Lucian's.
Maybe that's why I almost got swept away, and I panicked.
It was almost lunchtime, but holding hands with a stranger in a shop during the day is just not right.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I got a bit carried away wanting your help."
Is it normal to just hold hands like that?
I suddenly remembered Mr. Lucian, who kissed my hair just this morning.
Good-looking guys probably think they can get away with anything.
I hope he gets cursed.
No, I don't really have any grudge against Sir Ciel right now.
But Sir Ciel seems to be popular with women, just like Mr. Lucian. After all, he's good-looking.
Sir Ciel smoothly let go of my hand and then wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes with his fingertip.
"Eek..."
The distance, the distance feels off...!
Hey, just because you have a nice face, if you think I'll be fooled by you holding my hand or wiping my tears, you're totally wrong...!
I've had enough of men, especially with my father, Sir Stefan, and Mr. Lucian.
Not that anything really started, though.
"What is a worry, what does it mean...? I can't do anything, really, except for cooking. I can't do anything else..."
"Will you listen to me?"
"Y-yes, I'll listen... just listening. You're in trouble, right, Sir Ciel...?"
The top court mage, who is really skilled, came all the way to ask for my help. That means he must be really in trouble.
I don't like men, but I'm not so cold-hearted that I'd turn away someone in need.
I guess I can at least listen to him.
I don't think I can be of any help, though.
"Actually... the other day, I went to defeat a 4-headed Medusa that appeared in the Circe Mountains of the kingdom."
"I thought monster hunting was the job of the Leonsroar people."
"Basically, yes. Saintwise mainly manages the barriers of the holy city and towns, rescues people from disasters, and studies magic stones, magic, and the nature of monsters. However, as a personal hobby, if a monster appears that is designated as a disaster, I sometimes go to hunt it down."
"U-um, does that mean you went alone...?"
"Yes. Alone. It's a hobby of mine."
"I-I see..."
"Yes. So, I brought Medusa's head back to the palace and was researching the curse. Ms. Lydia, Medusa has a powerful ability to bestow curses, which include death curses, petrification curses, and decay curses, among others."
"I know, um, I learned about it in class..."
I nodded.
I didn't dislike studying. I think I took my classes pretty seriously during my school days.
Part of it was because I was going to become a queen.
But, since I was mostly left alone in the priest's family, I was happy when the teachers taught me at the academy.
"I was thinking that if we could extract the curse and embed it into weapons, it might be possible to create a new kind of weapon. Of course, I'm not thinking about making it practical yet, but just as a possibility. Also, if we could break down the curse and weaken it, I thought it might be useful for something. Oh, this is a secret, though. It's quite a dangerous research, so it has to be kept secret."
"W-why are you telling me this...! It's a secret...!"
"Ms. Lydia, you seem kind."
"I'm not kind or anything. I live every day thinking that men should perish..."
"That's understandable. I recently learned about the situation with your broken engagement, and it's terrible."
"Forget about me...! So, what about Sir Ciel...?"
"To be honest, it seems that without realizing it, Medusa's curse has been invading my body. It's like a slow-acting poison spreading through me... first, I lost my sense of taste."
"Oh, you can't taste anything?"
"Yes. It's probably a weakened death curse, but after taste, my vision is next. So, right now, I can't see your face well unless you come really close."
"Th-that's why you came closer...! B-but does that mean... Sir Ciel is going to die...?"
"I can't say for sure if it's a terminal illness, but it seems like I'm slowly losing myr senses."
"If it's someone as powerful as you, Sir Ciel, can't you break the curse...?"
"I tried, but it didn't work. Maybe the curse changed during my research, and neither the antidote nor the dispelling magic works at all. Just thinking about living like this, without being able to taste food, is really painful."
"Food is important, after all...!"
For a healthy life, food is the most important thing.
I know that very well.
Sir Ciel, how sad.
I felt tears welling up in my eyes again. So sad.
It's his own fault, but still, so sad.
"So... Ms. Lydia, I want you to lift the curse that's been placed on me."
"B-but I can't...!"
I shook my head vigorously.
I know I've said it many times, but I don't have that kind of power.
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