Congratulations, Congratulations

"Ah... Everyone's caught up in the New Year's cheer, and I'm the only one who sticks out... They're all thinking, 'Why did a curse mage even come to such a joyous occasion?' I know they are... I want to die..."

Ray Albright, one of the Seven Sages of the Kingdom of Ridill and the 〈Abyssal Curse Mage〉, passed through the castle gates while spreading a gloomy atmosphere around him.

It had been more than six months since he had last come to the castle. Ray skipped most of the Seven Sages' meetings and only came to the castle for important ceremonies, such as the New Year's ceremony.

In fact, Ray hardly ever returned to the Albright family's main residence in the royal capital, so it had been a long time since he had even visited the capital.

The lively atmosphere of the royal capital did not sit well with Ray's curse-mage sensibilities. The cheerful voices of the people and the music drifting from somewhere all sounded to him like curses rejecting him.

The more happily everyone around him behaved, the more he felt as though they were telling him that he did not belong there.

"...Ah, I want to die. I want to die. I want to be loved. Someone, please love me. I want to be fawned over unconditionally. I want people to say, 'Ray-sama is amazing! Eek, he's wonderful!'"

On his way to the 〈Jade Room〉, where the Seven Sages gathered, Ray wanted to cling to the young maids he passed and say, "Tell me you love me," but the young maids turned around and walked away the moment they saw him.

After all, Ray's purple hair was incredibly flashy and conspicuous.

Apparently, the castle maids had an unspoken rule: Whenever they saw a purple-haired man, the young women were to take an immediate detour...