Chapter 153
"The magic is almost complete. In about two weeks, I'll take all of the Second Imperial Princess's curse. I'll finish my life within 1 year."
The set fate remained the same.
It was too late to cut off the connected magic after coming such a long way.
The emperor already knew he was consumed by the curse.
"It's too late to live."
The reality of facing death.
However,
My lies were not bound by mere reality.
Lies are valuable because they can overturn truth.
If someone speaks of damn fate.
"Do you truly believe that?"
"What use is belief in a set fate?"
"From now on, you'll have to believe in me."
"Hmm?"
I will make this moment worthwhile.
"Because I will break both of your curses."
"Break the curse...?"
The emperor showing a doubtful reaction.
I spoke while holding a leisurely smile.
"Didn't I tell you before?"
That I could solve it.
I wanted to restore your places to you.
Silence flowed for a while in the audience chamber.
***
After the conversation in the audience chamber.
We headed to the prepared infirmary without delay.
Having uncovered the questionable parts so far, there was no reason to delay treatment any longer.
At this very moment, the curse was eating away at both their hearts.
Now was the time when a miracle was needed.
"......"
The rose and emperor each lying on hospital beds.
No particular words were exchanged.
Valkaros only quietly asked a question.
It was still a voice without any wavering.
"Is it really possible?"
"Of course."
"Honestly, I can't believe it. To say you'll solve a task the continent's history couldn't solve."
"We can't stay in the past forever."
"Your words are right."
I calmly prepared for treatment.
As I gathered lies at my fingertips, soon someone grasped my sleeve.
Where my gaze gently turned, a red-haired girl was lying.
None other than the rose.
"Your Highness."
"......"
Elise who hadn't opened her mouth all along.
She must have been confused.
The truth faced belatedly denied 10 years of resentment, and now suddenly came to treating the disease.
The world that made her up was about to be overturned in just 2 hours.
The sudden change was enough to cause fear.
Eyes resembling leaves gradually wavered.
Swish-.
I slowly stroked the girl's hair.
Meaning everything would be alright.
"You don't need to be afraid."
"But..."
A gaze that seemed about to break at any moment.
I held the rose's hand.
"Do you remember? The promise I made you."
"......"
"You don't need to worry. I'll always be by Your Highness's side."
"...I'm sorry for being weak. I just feel scared for no reason."
"Your Highness is plenty strong."
It wasn't empty words.
Elise was at least a much stronger person than someone like me.
The scars remaining on her arms and wrists proved that.
"Yuda... I'll believe in you."
Yuda.
Being called by name was a rare occurrence.
She was certainly psychologically shaken.
Nevertheless, since she said she believed in me, it would be right to return a response to that.
I smiled while gradually deploying shadows around.
"Then."
Clap!
I lightly clapped my hands.
"I'll begin."
The next moment.
Pitch black darkness covered the entire infirmary.
It was blocking mana from outside.
Inside, only a background covered in black and two hospital beds placed side by side existed.
I extended my hands towards the emperor and rose lying on top of them.
My palms touched their lower abdomens.
"......"
Gazes focused.
Behind, Charlotte and Tanya were watching this side with anxious expressions.
Tension circling like pitch darkness. I calmly moved my hands.
The wavering shadows soon thinly coated my palms.
Stealthily-.
The originating shadows seeped into the patients.
I raised my eyelids.
'Mana stone disease.'
A disease known to be incurable.
It wasn't particularly wrong.
Even Astro couldn't find an answer despite repeated research.
It was an unreasonable disease where death was confirmed from the moment of onset.
It was like unavoidable fate or the natural order.
'Then...'
There was only one way.
To smash such an unreasonable fate.
This time too, I had to transcend the natural order.
'Organize the tangled mana lines, and re-establish them in the correct arrangement.'
According to the setting.
Mana lines generally pass right next to blood vessels.
In other words, it means the branches of mana lines are as tremendous as blood vessels spread throughout the body.
Especially in the case of the abdomen where mana lines converge, the complexity of the structure surpasses the heart.
From now on, I intended to handle such structures one by one.
Literally one by one.
'Purify the seeped curse.'
This wasn't simple treatment.
A form closer to decomposition and reconstruction than recovery.
If I had to say, it was no different from returning a creature that had become a chimera to its original form.
But this time the conditions were even narrower. Because I had to treat two people simultaneously.
The curse divided on both sides made treatment even more difficult.
The magic mixed in the middle was the same.
'It won't be easy indeed.'
I clicked my tongue but raised my output.
Divinity and stars fabricated with lies.
The power of the two mixed in an appropriate form, and erased the curse touched at my fingertips one by one.
The night that was full of only pitch darkness soon overflowed with pure white light.
I widened my eyes even in the flashing vision.
-Ding!
[Current remaining output: 86.4%]
-Ding!
[Current remaining output: 62.1%]
-Ding!
[Current remaining output: 49.7%]
Output being shaved off in chunks.
Indeed, transcending providence consecutively wasn't an easy task.
I thought if I consumed some of the life force I had recovered so far, I might barely succeed.
I was worried about my body being weak for a while, but there was no other way.
Moreover, there were many ways to recover life force again, so the burden was less.
'It's fortunate I'm not using lifespan.'
It was fortunate I had enough output and life force.
I didn't have to break my vow to never use lifespan again.
I silently continued treatment.
Light drove out darkness.
Erasing the curse, undoing the magic, correcting everything that had gone wrong.
As I shaved off my own life force, a few thoughts brushed by.
Questions I had heard countless times walking this path.
-Why do you.
The world always asked for reasons.
The reason I set up in front.
The reason I perform meager hypocrisy saying I'll save others.
The reason I'm devoted to those no different from strangers.
I always answered.
'I'm not like that.'
I wasn't a good person.
At the same time, I was even less a righteous person.
'Usurpation War.'
The sinful time of 1 year.
Even during the time of fighting war at the bottom, I took on countless blood and evil.
Judging myself, I was closer to a villain than a good person.
But.
'I... just wanted to see.'
Even if it meant drowning in piercing original sin.
There was a story I absolutely had to see.
None other than the happy ending of a world that only repeated destruction.
I finally wanted to see happy protagonists.
'So.'
Misunderstanding, sadness, despair.
I believed those weren't the only words defining the whole world.
I believed salvation for them existed somewhere too.
'If.'
If the damn world wouldn't allow salvation.
If it would push you into unhappiness no matter what.
I wanted to become your salvation myself.
For that reason, I remained here and continued the struggle for an ending.
Perhaps it was lingering attachment or a sense of debt left in the past.
I moved my hands.
'Is it almost finished?'
My clear vision despite the dazzling light looked down at the rose.
And then gazed at the emperor.
Valkaros with eyes quietly closed.
The magic entangled in his heart was no ordinary poison.
To the extent of wondering how he lived the past 10 years.
I contained faint monologue in starlight.
'Valkaros Lantana von Staufen.'
Love.
Your devotion that completely burned your life.
I remember your desperate struggle.
You fulfilled a father's duty, so this time I'll take over the role.
I'll make sure she no longer sinks into a cursed fate.
"Lowly curse."
Before I knew it, my lips were reciting the final incantation.
The shining star soon caused cracks.
Crack, crack-!
The infirmary was full of holy light.
A background of stars surging like waves.
I flicked my finger along with the wavering pure white.
Blood flowed back and spurted out of my mouth.
Nevertheless, I continued the incantation.
"The star's agent commands..."
Everything for my pitiful imperial princess.
"Break."
Yes.
For Elise's sake.