Chapter 62: The Young Lady (Part 2)
I couldn’t believe my ears.
I mean, for a seemingly innocent girl who exuded such a noble aura to actually let out such a sweet voice?!
“Ahn…, haah, haah, nn…”
“Y-You! Wh-What are you doing to the Young Lady!?”
“…Treating her, but?”
You can see for yourself, I’m just holding the Young Lady’s hand, you know?
Even I didn’t expect that treating the Curse of the Evil God would make the Young Lady seem like she was drowning in some inner pleasure! Or rather, isn’t your Young Lady the strange one here?!
“N-No, that’s not it. My whole body… it’s like it’s being revived… my body is rejoicing… this tingling…!”
The Young Lady, her blue eyes glistening and her face bright red, said while gazing at me. Her dazed expression made it seem as if she was in love with me. It made my heart pound.
Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve dispelled the Curse of the Evil God on someone who’s fully awake. I wonder if Cornelia-san and the others were like this when they were conscious?
“Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngh!”
The Young Lady arched her body back with a jolt and let out an especially loud cry. At her alluring figure, my own heart unknowingly began to pound like an alarm bell.
“Haah, haah, haah, haah, haah…”
The Young Lady collapsed onto the bed with a thud. The tension drained from her face, leaving it serene, as if a possessing spirit had been exorcised.
“The treatment is complete.”
“Ah…”
When I let go of the Young Lady’s hand, her hand grasped the hem of my clothes.
“Just a little longer, like this… Please.”
“…Understood.”
The Young Lady said so shyly. When I took her hand again, she squeezed mine tightly. It felt like a love story was about to begin.
“Baron Baumgarten, when you say the treatment is complete, does that mean the Young Lady’s Curse of the Evil God has been broken?”
“Yes. There is nothing left eroding the Young Lady’s body.”
“Young Lady, how are you feeling?”
“I feel as if I could ascend to the heavens. This is the first time my heart and body have felt so fulfilled.”
“Young Lady… I’m so glad, so very glad…”
“I’ve caused you so much trouble.”
“You honor me with your words…”
“Dora, I am truly grateful to you. Isolated even from my family, you were my emotional support.”
“Young Lady… Y-Young… Lady…”
“Don’t cry, Dora.”
The Young Lady gently patted the head of the maid called Edelgard.
A master afflicted by a death curse and her maid. There was surely a drama between them that only the two of them knew.
It’s quite a moving scene, but is it okay for me to be here?
But the Young Lady won’t let go of my hand… Oh well, I guess it’s fine.
After a while, the girl called Dora stopped crying and looked at me shyly.
“I’ve shown you something embarrassing…”
“Not at all. It’s natural when a loved one’s life is saved. I also cried without caring about who was watching when my sister’s life was saved.”
“Was your sister also under the Curse of the Evil God?”
“……”
What should I do? The fact that Cornelia was afflicted by the Curse of the Evil God hasn’t been made public. Should I admit it?
“…It seems I’ve asked something I shouldn’t have. I apologize.”
The Young Lady lowered her head with a small nod. Seeing that, I decided to speak. This lady is someone who can empathize with others’ pain.
“No, as you said, my sister was also afflicted by the Curse of the Evil God. I trained my Gift with the sole intention of saving my sister. Thanks to that, I was fortunate enough to be of service to you, Young Lady.”
“Is that so… You must have gone through great hardships. Thank you for saving me this time.”
“You honor me with your words.”
The Young Lady’s slender, pale fingers stroked my hand as if to show her appreciation. It was terribly ticklish and embarrassing, yet I had a strange feeling of wanting her to stroke it forever.
◇
After that, I was blindfolded again and boarded the carriage.
“Let us meet again.”
I never found out the Young Lady’s true identity, but for some reason, she seemed confident that we would meet again.
“This is your reward for this time. Naturally, you understand there’s a confidentiality agreement, right? If you want to live peacefully, forget what happened today.”
“Yessir.”
Nodding at the still-ominous man’s words, I was released in front of the academy.
◇
After that, I reunited with a teary-eyed Cornelia-san who had been worried about me, and was enjoying what the man called a peaceful daily life, but…
“There’s a new student today.”
At the words of our homeroom teacher, Bonifatz, the classroom buzzed. That was understandable. There wasn’t any event like this in the game, either.
“Come in.”
“Yes.”
I had a vague premonition, but the one who entered the classroom was indeed the Young Lady from that day.
A beautiful girl who had gained a healthy amount of weight, had a good complexion, and was overflowing with charm. Everyone was speechless at her beauty.
Behind the Young Lady, I could also see the maid from that day.
“I am Claudia Kesting. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
At that moment, I felt a dull pain in my side.
“Onii-sama, you’re staring too much.”
“Ah, ah… sorry. But, Kesting, you know?”
“Kesting?”
“Only royalty, and specifically, only direct royalty with rights to succeed the throne, can bear that name.”
“Huh, so she’s El-san’s sister?”
“Probably…”
As Cornelia-san and I were talking about that, I heard the loud clatter of a chair falling over.
It was Reinhardt. He staggered towards Claudia as if delirious with fever. Claudia looked bewildered, while the maid girl watched Reinhardt with a menacing expression.
“Um! I fell in love at first sight! What’s your name?”
Seriously, Reinhardt…? Are you just okay with anyone now?
“I’m sorry. There is already someone who holds my heart…”
At Claudia’s words, the girls’ high-pitched squeals and the boys’ disappointed sighs echoed through the classroom.
At that moment, Claudia glanced sideways at me… No way, right…?