TWFLLYM Ch 58

Outside of Destiny

The Water of Life sprite, which had been dancing enthusiastically, vanished without a trace. Not a single stain remained on the page where she had poured the liquid.

[Roserikta] "Just one more word. You could have left just one more word. Something so important."

If the sprite had danced less violently, the effect might have lasted another minute.

[Roserikta] "Unbelievable. To think a potion would get so carried away by dancing."

As she muttered in frustration, the clump of hair whimpered and rubbed against her hand. She stared at the hairball blankly.

[Roserikta] "You are soft-hearted. Or maybe you are just affectionate."

The hairball moved up and down.

[Roserikta] "Strange...... Why does it look cute now?"

At those words, its eyes sparkled.

[Roserikta] "Ah, now that I look at you, you have eyes. That is fascinating."

The tiny eyes were soft brown.

[Roserikta] "Your eye color matches Sir Eaton's exactly. Do you share his traits?"

The hairball rolled its eyes.

[Roserikta] "Ah, wait...... really? Then could it be......"

The pieces of information the sprite had sung clicked into place in her mind.

[Roserikta] "It said we can find out the results in advance. Does that mean we can test it beforehand using a part of his body, like this?"

[Sprite] "That thing is cute, just like me."

If those repeated words weren't just the sprite being full of itself...

[Roserikta] "This thing's eyes look like the knight's. But the Water of Life said it was cute. That might be because Sir Eaton is a good and kind person. If so, using the Water of Life might not produce a negative result. What do you think?"

When she asked abruptly, the hairball shook its body up and down vigorously.

[Roserikta] "Great, let's find out. I will make the Water of Life and use it on the knight."

To do that, she first needed to make the potion. And she needed to separate Eaton from the Black Witch.

[Roserikta] "......That is where I get stuck."

Eaton was the Crown Prince's most trusted aide, and he always stayed by his side. Unless Kalart canceled his order for her to stay here, approaching Eaton would require illegal methods.

Feelings she had briefly forgotten upon discovering the hairball came rushing back. She slumped against the wall, feeling down.

[Roserikta] "Maybe I shouldn't break the curse. Let him live, hearing only my voice forever. No, then the Black Witch will just win."

If it was only because of her voice, it could end at any moment. There would be plenty of beautiful voices in the world.

[Roserikta] "Even the Black Witch has a pleasant voice. People didn't notice it only because her face was so beautiful. It won't take long for the Prince to fall for her. I am such a fool. Why did I believe he wouldn't change? How stupid."

To make excuses, Kalart had acted that way. He had paid her more attention while ignoring the Black Witch standing by his side.

Maybe...... it was just the process of his heart shifting. No, let's stop thinking about it. It wasn't real anyway, so why dwell on it?

I am the one who shouldn't change. The more I dwell on it, the more I realize why I liked him.

I liked him because he was beautiful. He was handsome, gentle, and cared for me so much.

When the curse breaks, another woman will like him for those same reasons. I hope it becomes real then. I hope he finds lasting happiness.

[Roserikta] "Ah, my stomach hurts. I must stop thinking about it. I should find out when Clobell will return."

She opened the Axaca powder bottle and sprinkled it in the air. As she breathed on it, the powder gathered in one spot and sparkled instead of scattering.

[Roserikta] "Show me Clobell."

The Axaca powder began to dance. She waited for the cat's current state to appear in the magical dimension that the powder created in the air. When Clobellina appeared in the image, her mouth fell open.

[Roserikta] "Good heavens...... Clobell!"

She unsheathed her claws and scratched the back of a guard's hand.

[Clobell] "Meow! Get a grip! What do you plan to do by catching me? I look chubby, but it's all fur! There is no meat on me!"

The guard, whose hand was bleeding from the scratch, lost his grip on Clobellina. Seizing the moment, she bolted away.

[Clobell] "Rosie, come quickly! This place is terrifying! Everyone here looks sick! Why is everyone trying to catch me? The Black Witch must have ordered a group hunt!"

Roserikta couldn't help but leap to her feet.

[Roserikta] "Right, orders don't matter."

No matter what he said. No matter how he changed. My duty remains the same. I will protect him.

[Roserikta] "How much Water of Life do I have left?"

Now was not the time to be stingy with the potion her grandmother had left.

She took out all the Water of Life remaining in the cabinet. She packed three bottles of the Water of Life and a book on black magic tightly into her magic pouch, tying the pouch over her shoulder and putting on her invisibility cloak.

[Roserikta] "Since I left Grandmother's broom at the Imperial Palace, I must ride my own broom this time. My backside will hurt."

Most witches used a broom they made themselves. Roserikta had made her broom long ago, but it wasn't as well-broken-in as her grandmother's. To make a comparison, it was somewhere between a wild horse and a racehorse. It was fast but extremely rough.

[Roserikta] "Phew...... I should consider this an opportunity to tame it."

She stroked the broom, which was still stiff and new.

[Roserikta] "I'm counting on you. Feel free to fly as fast as you want, but don't break the Water of Life."

The clump of hair whimpered, climbed up her skirt, and hung onto her shoulder.

[Roserikta] "Why? Do you want to go too?"

She asked as it whimpered.

[Roserikta] "A terrifying Black Witch lives there. Do you still want to go?"

The hairball whimpered in response. Its eyes blinked as if scared, but it didn't intend to climb down.

[Roserikta] "If you go, you might have to fight the Black Witch too. Can you do it?"

The hairball whimpered bravely. If it didn't speak, it looked soft and cute enough that no one would know it was hair. It was newborn and clearly had no idea how terrifying the Black Witch was.

[Roserikta] "Well, I can't leave you here alone anyway. I will take you with me. Clobell will find you fascinating."

She put the hairball safely in her pouch.

[Roserikta] "If you ride on my shoulder, you might fall off. My broom is quite fast. Just stay in there."

The hairball whimpered again.

[Roserikta] "Then let's go."

She mounted the broom. She gripped the handle tightly and kicked off with her right foot. The broom shot up into the sky.

---

[Elona] "Over here, Sir."

[Arad] "Yes, my lady. Did you bring what I asked for?"

[Elona] "Here it is. And let me whisper the rest.'"

[Arad] "Gladly. I will give you anything you need, not just my ear."

It was the corridor where Elona and Roserikta once had a secret meeting. The narrow corridor, used only by servants, was dark and modest, hard to believe it was part of the Imperial Palace.

Even in such a place, the knight and the maid whispered in low voices, afraid of eavesdroppers, acting as stealthy and cautious as spies exchanging state secrets.

[Elona] "Then let me have your lips first."

At her firm words, Arad gulped and nodded. Elona motioned, and Arad bent his knees to match her height.

[Elona] "Close your eyes."

[Arad] "Yes, Lady Elona."

He closed his eyes. Elona revealed a look of absolute delight, which she had hidden behind a serious face.

Good heavens, he's handsome. To think this face belongs to my lover.

Every time she saw him, delight filled her, making it hard to control her expression. She often worried she would smile foolishly like a senseless person.

It wasn't just his face. He had a great body and was tall. Moreover, he was two years younger. At that age, he was already the chief knight of the Imperial Guard, so his path forward was set. Such a man cared only about her.

She had no choice but to believe that the burn cream had played its part perfectly. Every time she saw Arad, Elona felt grateful to the cat-maid.

[Elona] "You closed your eyes completely, right?"

[Arad] "Yes...... But do I still have to whisper?"

[Elona] "Yes. Actually, people rarely come through here."

[Arad] "Then why did you whisper?"

[Elona] "Because your voice sounds wonderful when you whisper."

[Arad] "Ah......"

She admired his shyly smiling face and, unable to hold back any longer, pressed a kiss to his lips.

[Arad] "Ha......"

Arad suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and returned a deep, intense kiss, pulling her body flush against his.

As their lips parted, a surge of hot breath rushed in, and she felt like she would die of happiness.

Arad seemed uncomfortable bending down, so he pushed his lips forward and lifted Elona into the air.

[Elona] "......Mm, mm."

Her feet dangled, but as expected of a knight, his strength was incredible, and his arms supporting her backside felt entirely secure. Thanks to that, Elona also wrapped her arms around his neck with peace of mind and focused on the kiss.

What does this man brush his teeth with? Why does he smell so fresh? Did Roserikta make his toothpaste, too? I should ask her to make some for me.

Elona sucked his lips vigorously and marveled repeatedly.

How could a kiss feel this good? Hah, it's a pity. To think we can't do this every day.

Why on earth is the Crown Prince staying in that rural corner?

[Elona] "Sir, haah......"

[Arad] "Yes, Lady Elona."

[Elona] "If we keep going like this......"

[Arad] "......Pardon?"

He asked, rubbing her earlobe softly, as if not wanting to give their lips a moment to rest.

Depending on the person, Elona liked that he was skilled. Among the maids, Arad was quite popular as a handsome chief knight, so everyone knew he had a fair share of dating experience. It was an annoying point, but when she thought about how it made him this sweet, it became acceptable.

She playfully pulled his ear, locked eyes with him, and spoke.

[Elona] "Won't it become dangerous? For both of us."

[Arad] "Ah......"

He let out a soft sigh, kissed the tip of her nose, and set her down. Still appearing reluctant, he took her hand and gently stroked the back of it with his thumb.

Hah, really. You are mine. Mine for life.

That meant she would also be grateful to the cat-maid for life.

[Elona] "Then now, give me your ear for real."

Since the urgent business was finished, it was time to do their duties as a knight and a maid.

[Arad] "Yes."

He approached obediently and put his ear to her lips.

How can his ears also look this cute?

Elona played with his ear for a moment, and feeling that another fire might ignite, she put her hands under her apron and began speaking.

[Elona] "As I told you, they say the Gibero estate is cursed. The whole family died, and only the Count survived."

She whispered the story she had heard from a relative who worked as a jeweler in the capital. To pick the person most well-informed about rumors in the capital, a jeweler would certainly be in the top three. Jewelry shops, frequented by all kinds of nobles, were the gateway to all rumors and simultaneously their birthplace.

[Arad] "Yes, I know that. I visited the Imperial Archive and looked up the death records from that time; the whole family died one after another."

[Elona] "Yes. But if it were just that, people would just know it as a tragedy. There would be no reason to label it a curse."

[Arad] "Then?"

[Elona] "I should say it's because of the new Countess. The Count declared his remarriage as soon as his original wife died. That period was extremely short, so among the gossip, rumors circulated that they were already in an affair."

[Arad] "Oh dear."

[Arad] "Certainly...... with such an appearance......"

[Elona] "The more serious part starts now. After the new Countess arrived, the Count's children began to die one by one. They all died in accidents, but there is one more rumor here."

Arad swallowed hard, his muscles tightening. Originally, spreading rumors without facing the truth was easy. But he was someone who had seen the Countess and the estate firsthand. Bizarre and interesting rumors felt entirely like a terrifying truth to him.

[Elona] "They say no one saw the bodies. Not even the undertaker."

[Arad] "Pardon? You mean they didn't hold funerals?"

[Elona] "They probably held funerals. It's the Count's family. But they say the coffins were extremely light. So rumors spread that they were empty, and when people suggested checking inside the coffin, the Count objected, and they buried them just like that."

[Arad] "Ugh......"

He shuddered involuntarily. The many wooden boxes stacked neatly with bones in the strange room behind the fireplace, while following Roserikta, flashed in his mind. Some of those must be the Count's sons and daughters.

[Elona] "Sir. Why are you shivering so much?"

As Arad looked so terrified, Elona asked, grabbing his arm.

[Arad] "Ah, that...... I apologize. I can't tell you right now."

[Elona] "Pardon? No, do you have secrets from me?"

[Arad] "That is...... I am going out of my mind, too, but this is a matter where I can't open my mouth to anyone yet."

She raised her chin.

[Elona] "That is quite a strange thing. Am I included in that 'anyone'?"