“Uncle, I’m here!”

With a knock, Leciel entered the room and announced in a loud voice.

Kael, who had been deeply engrossed in his work, turned his gaze towards her.

“What a pleasant surprise.”

He had been feeling a bit irritated from the monotonous tasks he’d been stuck with.

Moreover, he had been so busy these past few days that he hadn’t had the chance to see Leciel. That made her visit even more welcome.

“Well, I am something of a gift, aren’t I?”

Leciel responded with a confident smile, filled with pride.

And for good reason—she had been working hard for Kael’s sake.

Over the past few days, she had read every book she could find about curses and had also acted as a calming presence whenever Kael’s curse-driven madness flared up.

But that wasn’t all. She had also saved his life.

Of course, she had received a lot from him in return, but to Kael, she was not just a gift but a treasure.

“Too much modesty isn’t a good look. In that sense, our little one is perfect in every way.”

Kael declared proudly, almost like a doting father boasting about his child.

“Not perfect, but… speaking of gifts, I got the one you sent, Uncle. I came by to thank you.”

“So polite, too.”

“It’s just common courtesy.”

Though someone had once accused her of lacking manners but she didn’t need to dwell on the words of a maid she would never see again.

“If you need more, just let me know. I’ve practically bought out an entire store.”

“… is this what they call excessive spending?”

The amount delivered to her room already seemed overwhelming by her standards, but to hear that he had actually purchased an entire store…

She was amazed at how much money it must take to do such a thing.

‘Is this what it means to be in a grand ducal family?’

It made her previous wish to just once say, “Give me everything in this store,” seem utterly modest.

“It’s not excessive spending; it’s money fulfilling its purpose. After all, money exists to be spent.”

And purchasing a single doll store didn’t even scratch the surface of the grand ducal family’s wealth.

“What a remarkable mindset.”

“So, is there anything else you need?”

“No, not at all.”

“Our little one is without greed.”

To think she was content with just that much.

Kael looked a bit disappointed. He had been prepared to buy several more stores and give her all the dolls if she had wanted.

“It’s not that I’m not greedy, it’s just that I don’t need that much.”

She was already wondering what to do with the things she’d received; more would just be a burden.

“Don’t you like the gift?”

Kael asked, noticing the slight unease in her expression.

“It’s not that. It’s just that I’m a bit too old to play with dolls.”

Even if she was still a child, she was already ten years old. By her standards, ten was too old to play with dolls.

“Hmm, you still seem quite young to me.”

Although she had gained a little weight while staying at the grand duke’s residence, her small frame remained the same.

She still looked more like an eight-year-old than a ten-year-old.

‘They say kids grow fast when they’re young.’

He remembered how Carren seemed taller every time he saw him as a child.

‘I wonder when this little one will grow.’

Would she ever grow up?

It was hard to imagine Leciel being any taller than she was now.

‘Well, it wouldn’t be bad if she stayed like this.’

It would be nice to keep seeing her small and adorable figure for a long time.

But it wouldn’t be good if a child in their growth phase didn’t grow.

Kael hoped she would grow quickly. She was so small now that he was worried, she might break with a light touch.

‘I’m curious.’

What would Leciel look like as an adult?

Even if she became an adult, she would probably still look like a small, young child to him.

“That’s just because you’re old, Uncle.”

“You’re just too small…”

“I am not!”

She had hoped he wouldn’t say it today, but here he was, about to call her small again!

Leciel glared at him, clearly annoyed.

“How cute. Anyway, is there something else you want?”

Ignoring her sharp look as if it were just a harmless tantrum, Kael asked.

“… work. Please, give me something to do.”

It was boring just lazing around every day.

Especially when Kael was busy with work and Carren was occupied with lessons and training, Leciel felt a bit self-conscious being the only one with nothing to do.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”

“Why not? I was hired as a healer, wasn’t I?”

“Yes, but the agreement was that until you become an adult, your role as a healer is limited to the monthly regular monster subjugations.”

“… isn’t it about time for the next one?”

It had been quite a while since she started staying at the grand duke’s residence.

Although it hadn’t been a full month yet, enough time had passed that the regular subjugation should be soon.

“That’s true.”

“And… regular subjugations aren’t just quick trips, are they?”

“They usually take about a week.”

Since it was a regular subjugation, all the monsters in the surrounding area had to be cleared out.

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“It’s something I’ve been doing for years.”

He would have to be more careful than usual since it was a regular subjugation, but Kael wasn’t too concerned. It was a routine task for him now.

As long as he didn’t fall into another trap like last time, there wouldn’t be any major injuries or dangers.

And since he had already fallen into one trap, he would be even more cautious.

“But it’s different from last time.”

Leciel said, looking frustrated as if trying to convey that her concern wasn’t just about the monster subjugation itself.

Kael frowned as he recalled something.

She was right; this time was different. Recently, he had been experiencing strange symptoms.

If those symptoms occurred while he was out on a monster subjugation… it wouldn’t be the monsters that injured his knights but his own hands.

It could even affect the subjugation itself.

“… I must have been out of my mind.”

He had momentarily forgotten something so important.

No matter how busy he was with other things, this wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

“Uncle, honestly. People say that forgetfulness comes with age, but there’s a limit.”

“… I’m not that old yet.”

He was only in his mid-thirties, and here he was being treated like an old man.

“You look pretty old to me.”

Leciel responded, as if paying him back for his earlier comment, making Kael chuckle.

‘She’s determined not to lose.’

That was part of her charm, though. It made teasing her all the more fun.

“In any case, there’s no need for you to worry.”

“Why not?”

Leciel’s eyes sparkled as if wondering if he had found a solution.

“As long as I don’t sleep, it won’t happen.”

Both times, the strange symptoms had occurred while he was asleep. So as long as he didn’t sleep, he should be fine.

“… so, you plan to stay awake for an entire week?”

“I’ve never stayed awake that long, but I’ve gone without sleep for three days before, so I’ll manage.”

After all, he couldn’t let his strange symptoms interfere with the subjugation.

“Listen, Uncle. Even though you might not seem human, you are human. And humans die if they don’t sleep.”

Maybe he wouldn’t actually die, but it seemed possible.

Leciel spoke with a serious expression, genuinely worried.

She truly didn’t want Kael to die. She was trying to prevent the original story’s tragic ending not just for her own sake but also for his.

But if he were to die from lack of sleep because of the curse, it would be such an unjust fate.

And they still hadn’t even figured out who had placed the curse on him.

There was someone suspicious, but that was only speculation, not certainty.

“… would it really kill me?”

“It might! Even if it doesn’t, that’s a terrible idea.”

There was a reason why people said sleep was the best medicine. It was that important.

Trying to go without sleep for a week was extreme. Even if he didn’t die, it could cause serious harm to his body.

“But what other choice do I have?”

Kael didn’t want to resort to such a reckless method, but it was the only sure way to prevent the strange symptoms from occurring without Leciel there.

He would rather endure some hardship than risk injuring his knights with his own hands.

“Why do you think there’s no other way? I’m right here, aren’t I?”

She might not be able to lift the curse itself, but she could at least prevent the symptoms from manifesting.

That was why she had moved her room close to his in the first place.

So that she could intervene immediately if he started to show signs of the curse again.

There were plenty of ways to prevent his symptoms without resorting to the inhuman method of staying awake for a week.

“… I can’t take you to the subjugation.”

It might be different if she were an adult, but Leciel was still just a ten-year-old child.

No matter how used to monster she was, Kael couldn’t bear to bring her into a potentially dangerous situation.

Especially during a regular subjugation, where they often didn’t have proper shelter and had to sleep on the hard ground. They had to keep moving to clear out the monsters.

How could he subject Leciel to such a harsh journey?

“I feel the same way. I can’t just let you resort to such a reckless plan.”

Leciel didn’t particularly want to go along on the subjugation, either.

But this was a special situation.

Hopefully, the symptoms wouldn’t occur during the subjugation, but she couldn’t be sure.

Relying on such a slim hope seemed too risky.

That was probably why Kael had come up with the idea of staying awake the entire time.

“But it will be a very arduous journey for a child.”

They would have to sleep on the cold, hard ground instead of a warm bed, and meals would often be simple emergency rations.

And since they would be on a mission, there wouldn’t be much time to care for Leciel.

“Uncle, don’t you trust me?”

Leciel asked with a look like a big brother promising to just hold hands while they sleep.