Chapter 44

Daruu looked at my face and wagged his tail happily.

He stood up and thrust his nose towards me.

"Ki—"

I covered Sara's mouth as she was about to scream.

It was understandable.

Daruu is as big as a horse. If you didn't know him, he would look like a fierce beast.

"Kyukyukyukyu!"

At the same time, a small warning sound came from Caro, who had come to peek into the room.

As a first-rate guard, she didn't miss even a momentary scream.

"Mo, Sara-tarara, kya kya"

I acted as if I was playing happily.

Sara looked bewildered.

Daruu quickly hid outside the window, probably thinking that the scream was part of the play.

The servant returned to her original position, believing the scream was just part of the game.

I think it was thanks to my acting skills.

"…saved"

"—!"

"Sara. The big dog you just saw is my friend, Daruu."

"Daruu?"

Hearing his name, Daruu, who was hiding outside the window, showed his face again.

"Yes, this is Daruu. He's not scary, so it's okay."

"Daruu… …I heard about him from Mama."

"Yep. Daruu is also Marion's friend."

"Really?"

By then, Daruu had already thrust his nose into the gap in the window again.

"He's cute, isn't he?"

"Um. Daruu is cute."

I was relieved that Sara seemed to be getting along with Daruu.

"Daruu… why are you here?"

"Fufu"

He was proudly snorting.

He must have chased after me.

Daruu will surely be scolded later.

When that happens, I'll be scolded too.

"Daruu, thank you. Help me."

"Fufu"

"Luria-sama?"

"Luria needs to see Marion. Please help me."

"No way! It's not allowed."

"It's okay. Luria is special, so she won't get infected."

It was a lie. I would get infected normally.

But I thought Sara wouldn't agree if I didn't say that.

"That's amazing."

Sara was genuinely impressed.

If I say I need to get close to heal Marion, she'll cooperate smoothly.

But if I fail.

The shock to Sara will be overwhelmingly large, proportional to her expectations.

She might not be able to recover.

I want to tell Sara "I healed her" rather than "I might be able to heal her."

"Sara, for now, pretend to be taking a nap with Luria."

"Okay."

Sara wriggled into the musty futon.

"Sara, wait a moment, okay?"

I climbed out of the window and onto Daruu's back.

"Daruu, run."

"…"

Daruu started running silently. He was indeed fast.

I gripped his fur tightly to hold on.

Daruu ran almost fifty meters in an instant.

We quickly reached the hut where Marion was quarantined.

At the same time, the guardian birds descended onto the roof of the hut.

"Daruu, the window."

With a small whisper, I asked,

"…"

Daruu silently approached the window and stopped. He put his front paws on the window frame and peered inside.

"Daruu, thank you."

I climbed onto Daruu's back and peeked into the hut from his shoulders.

I saw Marion lying on the bed, her eyes closed, looking emaciated.

She seemed to be struggling to breathe.

Her face was red, and there were swellings on her face and arms. There were probably more swellings hidden under her clothes.

And most importantly, her entire body was covered in black mist.

"…as expected, it's a curse."

But the guardian birds and Daruu were there, and they weren't doing anything.

This means the curse caster must not be nearby.

Only the curse remains.

Kuro said I have the power to dispel curses.

I recalled the time when I was a newborn.

"Surely… …"

The memory is vague. After all, it was right after I was born.

Normally, you wouldn't remember such a thing.

But perhaps because of my past life, I remember a little.

"…I think it felt like I was concentrating and pushing it away."

"Fufu"

"If it doesn't work, I'll break the window and touch Marion directly to dispel the curse and cast a healing spell."

"Fufu fufu"

If it fails, I'll have to break the window, touch Marion directly to dispel the curse, and cast a healing spell.

I'll be scolded severely, but Marion's life is more important.

"I'm going."

From outside the hut, I focused on the black mist surrounding Marion and thought, "Disappear!"

I concentrated strongly, as if praying.

I felt something being pulled out of my body.

It was a new sensation, even considering my past life. Or did I feel something similar when I dispelled my mother's curse as a newborn?

I'm not sure.

"…did it work?"

"Fufu fufu fufu"

Daruu was also excited and peering at Marion through the window.

When I looked inside, the mist covering Marion had disappeared.

"Did it work?"

The mist was gone, but her face was still red, and the swellings hadn't healed.

Her fever hadn't gone down, and she was still struggling to breathe.

"Um, last time… …"

In my past life, I used to cast healing spells on dozens of people from a distance.

I can't use that much power now, but if I can do something similar, it would be good.

"Spirits, please lend me your power."

When I asked, the many young spirits around me lent me their magic power.

"Leave it to me."

Kuro suddenly appeared, as if growing out of the ground, and lent me a large amount of magic power.

"Thank you."

Using that power, I cast a healing spell on Marion through the wall.

"Success, she'll be fine now."

"Kuro, why—"

Why are you here? Why didn't you tell me it was a curse?

I had many questions, but

"Let's talk later. There are people around."

He cut me off and disappeared.

I looked around. I don't think anyone saw me.

But someone might come at any moment.

And Kuro said it was successful, so Marion should be fine.

Believing that, I prayed.

"Please let Marion get better. Sara is waiting for her."

After using the healing spell, I felt a little tired.

Unlike in my past life, I felt something being pulled out.

In my past life, I felt tired after using magic, but I didn't feel something being pulled out.

"Indeed, I can't do it like in my past life?"

"Au?"

Just to be safe, I peeked inside the window again. Marion's complexion had returned to normal, and the swellings had healed.

Her fever had gone down, and she seemed to be breathing more easily.

The swellings in her throat had probably healed too.

"This should be fine. Thank you, Kuro and the spirits."

As long as she eats properly, she should recover.

I don't trust the baron, so I'll ask my mother to bring Marion nutritious food.

"Marion, see you later. Please take care of her, birds."

Then, I asked Daruu to take me back to Sara's room.

Two birds stayed on the roof of the hut.

This way, if the curse caster attacks again, it will be safe.

Feeling relieved, I got sleepy. I was also hungry.

I climbed back into Sara's room through the window.

"Luria-sama… where's Mama?"

"Marion will be fine. She'll get better soon."

"…hehe"

Sara smiled without doubting my words.

"So, it's okay."

"Yay, that's good."

"Later, can you write a letter? Then I can give it to Marion."

"…Sara… I can't write."

At five years old, it's understandable that she can't write.

"In that case, I'll teach you. As an older sister."

I'm like Sara's older sister.

As an older sister, it's natural to teach her reading and writing.

"Pii—"

While Sara and I were talking, Daruu, feeling lonely, snorted through the window gap.

"Thank you, Daruu. You saved me."

I thanked Daruu and petted him.

"Haha"

Daruu wagged his tail happily.

"Sara wants to pet him too."

"Sure."

"He's so big."

Sara petted Daruu's nose.

She petted Daruu's flat, black nose.

Petting the nose is probably not something Daruu likes, but he endured it.

"…Daruu, maybe it's better to go home now?"

"Fufu?"

"If it's found out that you came here, you'll be scolded."

"U!"

Hearing about being scolded, Daruu seemed to realize the possibility for the first time and shuddered.

"Didn't you notice?"

"Pii"

"Daruu, did you run away during a walk? If so, the servant who was walking you must be worried."

"Kyuun"

"Later, let's go apologize together?"

"Pii~"

Daruu snorted and acted affectionate.

At that moment, "Kyuukyukyu!" Caro made a warning sound.

Almost simultaneously,

"Oh? Daruu came here."

My mother entered the room.

"Kyu~"

Caro looked dejected, probably regretting the delay in her warning sound.

"Caught…"

"U"

Sara quickly hid behind me, still shy around strangers.

"Wau"

Daruu, seeing my mother, quickly hid outside the window.

But it was too late.

"Oh dear. Daruu."

My mother walked straight to the window and looked down.

When I looked down with her,

"Au"

Daruu was lying on his back in a submissive pose.

"Daruu, you know you did something wrong."

"Mama! It's Luria's fault. Daruu was worried about Luria and came here."

"I know, Luria."

My mother petted me and then spoke to Daruu outside the window.

"Daruu, let's go home together when we return. Wait there for a while."

"Wafu?"

Daruu got up and wagged his tail, thinking he was forgiven.

"Daruu, you'll be scolded when we get home."

"Kyuun"

"Dogs need to be scolded immediately, but since Daruu is smart, it's okay later, right?"

"…Kyu"

Daruu had his tail between his legs.

"Since you're worried, I'll let the mansion know that Daruu is here. I'll take him back."

"Understood."

After giving instructions to the servant, my mother crouched down and spoke to Sara, who was hiding behind me.

"Sara, would you like to come to our mansion?"

"…to the mansion?"

"Yes, to Luria's and our mansion."

"…but"

Sara gripped her animal ears tightly.

"Don't worry. The baron has kindly given his permission."

Saying that, my mother gently petted Sara's head and smiled.

It was a kind smile, completely different from the one she had given the baron and the maids earlier.