Chapter 37

The laughter should be inaudible outside with the music played by the stuffed animals. Noah seems unable to complain, enduring something as he braids Claudia's hair.

"Hehe, ah, it's funny! ...Is it that unpleasant for you?"

When asked, a clearly dissatisfied voice, not trying to hide it, replies.

"...I don't like it. I already told you yesterday."

Then, a regretful statement follows.

"...Damn... I intended to convey it more logically and clearly with words..."

(Such stubbornness is what I find cute...)

I don't tell him this because it would be pitiful, so I remain silent. Instead, Claudia tries to reason with Noah.

"Your future will be broader if you stay with your brothers and father, you know?"

"I don't intend to call a life without you by my side my 'future.'"

"!"

At these words, Claudia stops laughing.

Noah, who has finished braiding Claudia's hair, releases the hair tie.

Turning around, their gazes meet.

Noah's eyes, looking at Claudia, are more mature and sincere than she has ever seen in the past month.

Claudia smiles softly, as if exhaling a breath.

(I was trying to break your spirit. But with such a look, I realize it's difficult.)

Indeed, even a brief moment away can see such rapid growth.

"Still, Noah—"

Just as she was about to persuade her adorable servant,

"El!"

Her eldest brother, Wilhelm, calls out to her second brother.

"Are you reading another difficult book? What's so interesting about it?"

"It's interesting. Perhaps you should occasionally learn from history, brother?"

"History, huh? How can something from such a long time ago be useful?"

"Of course it is!"

As they talk, the two brothers pass by the table. Her second brother, Erenfried, says,

"After all, this book contains the truth about the 'legendary witch Ardelheit.'"

"..."

Claudia slowly turns her gaze toward the source of the voice.

"...Ardelheit is said to have stopped the world's destruction at the cost of her own life, a well-documented historical fact!"

"..."

The children of this era talk about such nostalgic times.

As she thinks this, Noah's gaze is fixed straight on her. Claudia smiles softly and then emerges from under the table.

"Princess."

As she starts walking, Noah follows closely behind.

They chose a moment when no one was nearby, so no one noticed Claudia and Noah under the table.

"...What about what your brother just said?"

While accepting a balloon from a stuffed animal, Claudia speaks almost to herself.

"...Really, I wonder which disciple it is. They've elevated my self-indulgent actions into a poor myth."

Sighing, she accepts the other balloons.

Pink, yellow, purple, and blue. Walking with four floating balloons, Claudia would have stood out in the hall.

Still, no other children followed Noah, as Claudia had descended into the dark courtyard.

The darkness of night is probably frightening to children. Only Noah, without hesitation, follows Claudia.

"Did your past self sacrifice your life to save something?"

"Hehe. Not at all."

Being thought of as a savior is not her intention. So, Claudia reluctantly decides to tell Noah.

"Do you know the true nature of the slave contract magic that was cast on you?"

"...?"

When Claudia met Noah, a black, snake-like magic was entangled around his left chest, where his heart is.

"That's a curse."

She plays with the strings of the balloons in her hands, pulling them down. The four floating balloons would probably be noticeable from the hall.

"Is it different from magic?"

"Essentially, they are the same. However, due to its malevolence, a curse is distinguished as a curse."

There's more to it.

"The familiar contract magic I overwrote on you is also a type of curse."

"..."

The contract magic cast on Noah by his uncle was difficult to break.

So, at that time, Claudia overwrote it with a more powerful magic, changing the binding from his uncle to herself.

Only a curse can overwrite another curse.

"There should be almost no magic called curses left in this era. The disciples probably eliminated them."

"...Did they do so according to your will?"

"Five hundred years ago, curses were rare magic. But more people could use them than now."

Claudia traces her memories.

"The power to control others, to manipulate life as one wishes."

That's why it can exert such a powerful effect, even taking away the will of slaves and familiars.

"A country once used it in war."

"!"

It was a terrible scene.

"Spreading curses in enemy countries to control the people. Not just soldiers, but those who couldn't fight—siblings, parents, lovers—making them believe each other were enemies and kill each other."

"...But"

Noah, looking pained, clenches his fists.

"Uncle could make me a slave because he had immense magical power. Can such a powerful curse be used on so many people?"

"Geniuses do exist. ...A man created magical tools for curses and had magicians infuse them with power."

"Magical power? Then, with such a tool..."

"Even without a capable magician, if someone activated the tool in the enemy country, they could curse the surroundings."

Magicians, including the royal family, continued to infuse the magical tools with power from the safety of the country's core.

These magical tools were 'exported' and activated by soldiers in enemy countries. This way, sacrificing a few of their own soldiers, they could involve many enemy civilians.