In the middle of the day, several hours had passed since Nea had gone to Amako and the others.

The sun has already set, and the castle is dotted with torches from the windows of the houses in the enclosure.

Eva, who had not yet woken up, was lying on the bed in front of me, and I sat in a chair next to the bed to see if the spell on her could be broken.

 

「...... I think Nea is doing well......

 

I think it's okay because she had a pretty bad face, but I'm also worried about her because she's going to do a lot of at the crucial point.

 

"Well, it's times like these that you have to trust them."

 

I'm going to be myself and follow her plan.

First of all, rest your body as Nea originally instructed.

Next, keep an eye on Eva to see if the magic of resistance disappears by some accident.

And if the light of the resistance magic fades, carry her out of the barrier and wait for Nea to return.

After giving these three instructions, Nea said, "Even you with a brain can remember this much, right?" He showed unnecessary care, so when I gave him a healing decoupin as a thank you, he cried and was happy.

 

「...... It's getting a lot weaker."

 

The light of the Resistance Spell that protects Eva as she sleeps on her bed is weaker than when she saw it in the daytime.

 

"It's about time."

 

Let's carry her outside as planned.

However, I have to destroy the curse, so it's Eiri, the butler, who carries her.

I actually thought that Lucas should get help from the other knights, but Nea refused, so me, Nea, and Eiri were the only ones to destroy the curse.

Eiri has already offered to help, so all you have to do is call him.

 

"Excuse me, Usato-sama."

 

There is a knock on the door.

Hmm? Is it Mr. Eiri?

 

"It was just right, because I thought it was time to call him...... What's going on? Eiri-san."

 

Eiri, who had opened the door, had a somewhat bitter expression on her face.

He wonders, but he finds out why when Eiri takes a step back in front of the door and shifts to the side.

 

"Hey, I'm here."

「...... Huh? Mr. Lucas?"

 

Lucas suddenly appeared from behind Eiri.

What? Why? In order to proceed quietly as Nea told him, he should not have told him about ...... operation.

 

"Why are you here!?"

"I've heard from Eiri, are you going to break the curse tonight?"

 

When I looked at Eiri in a daze, he also had a grim look on his face. From the looks of it, it seems that Lucas himself did not expect to come here, although he had reported it.

Eiri bowed apologetically to me and closed the door.

 

"Le, Lucas......

"Don't tell everybody, Usato, I'm a father before I'm a king. There's no reason to be jittery when you're saving your precious daughter's life."

"But what will this country do if something happens to Lucas?!"

"No matter what happens to me, the best ministers will take care of it, the people who have supported me for decades. I trust you enough to take care of the rest, no matter what happens to me."

"That's not the problem!"

 

Lucas smiled cheerfully, and I held my head, not knowing what to say.

I don't feel like I can say anything about this anymore......

 

"But, Usato, it's not a good idea to try to wander around the castle without permission, and if you were suspicious, you might have been caught by the worst knights, right?"

「...... I was hoping that if I could, I would be able to resolve the situation without anyone making a fuss about ......."

 

It's not that I didn't have the idea of getting caught. But Curse is good at powerful mental attacks, so you never know what will happen if you gather people poorly.

Especially if it's a knight who will have a sword. The mind may become delirious because it cannot bear it, and it may end up being a fight between the two of them.

 

「...... Lucas, what about your bodyguards?"

"Of course, I've brought Fegnis and the four knights out of the barrier."

"Yes, I see."

 

Did Mr. Fegnis come? I hope it doesn't turn out the way Nair said.

But if you come, you can't help it.

 

「...... Try to stay away from the main book of the curse as much as possible. I'm the only one who approaches, and I'm going to let the knights protect Eva."

"Are you all right?"

"The curse is a powerful mental attack, and I'm probably the only one who can deal with it."

 

To be precise, it's just Nea, who deals with resistance magic.

Right now, I'm granting magic to Eva, but the disadvantage is that I can only grant it to one target, so when I want to destroy the curse, I have to break Eva's magic and I have to wear the magic of resistance.

 

"Let's move with Eva for now."

「...... Is it okay to move Eva?"

"If the spell is broken, the curse will attack from anywhere anyway, so it's safer for you to stay close to me, who will be your priority target."

 

If the curse were to be activated again using Eva as a medium, her existence would surely disappear.

For the time being, I'm thinking of a way to do it if Ava is the only one targeted by the curse before me, but I don't want to do that if I can.

While praying inwardly that this will not happen, I put on the coat that I had been hanging on the chair and get ready.

 

"--Father, sir...... Usato, san?"

「「!?」」

 

As I was getting ready, I heard a small voice in my ears.

At the sound of his voice, he turned around at the same time as Lucas, and saw Eva, who was lying on the bed, with her eyes wide open.

 

"Eva, are you okay?"

"Uh-huh...... All right. What the hell happened to that?"

 

Seeing Lucas's face as he approached, she slowly sat up and asked.

Don't remember? Is my memory clouded?

 

"Oh, and why is your father here?" Aren't you busy with work?"

「...... Hahaha, I've already done my job."

"Oh, really? Then I'll be with you today."

 

Eva smiled happily.

But when she picked up the hair that swayed in her vision, she let out a gasp of surprise.

 

"My hair is turning blue!?"

 

Come to think of it, she didn't know that her hair color had changed.

I can't upset her by suddenly telling her about the curse, so I'll just say that for some reason, the magic I used changed the color.

After listening to the story, she tilted her head and played with her blue hair, and suddenly looked up as if she remembered something.

 

"Oh, if you have a father, you need to get ready for hospitality right now!"

 

She gets up from the futon and slowly lowers her feet to the floor.

 

「...... What?"

"Eva, don't push yourself too hard...... Eva?"

 

Noticing that her movements stopped unnaturally as she got off the bed, I looked at her with a slight brace.

Her gaze is looking down, and if I look beyond her gaze, I will see--

 

"Don't you have ...... shadow?"

「!!」

 

Darn it......!?

The shadows cast by the moonlight formed only the dress she was wearing and the only half of her body left.

Eva, who looked up at me in a dress that seemed to float unnaturally, began to tremble while hugging her own body.

 

"Usa, To-san...... Ahhh......h Me, oh my God...... Huh?"

"Eva, what's wrong, are you okay!?"

"Don't touch it! Don't touch me!"

 

Ava crawls away from Lucas, who tries to put a hand on his shoulder. She moved to the window, looked at me, and murmured in a small voice, "I'm sorry."

From this appearance, it seems that he was conscious even when he was being manipulated by the curse.

...... It's no wonder that she's been taken over by someone she doesn't know, and who, like me, would have heard the grudges of the Samarian people.

 

"Usato, what should I do ......?"

"Lucas, leave it to me."

 

Lucas, who is upset because he doesn't know what to do, says so and takes a step forward.

I'm not sure, but I have to calm her down.

 

"Usato-san, don't come near me, I'm ...... curse again."

 

As she approached the bedside, she held her head in her hands.

I think the curse was triggered because I touched her at that time.

It's also because of a bad curse, but she seems to think that if she touches her, someone will do her a bad job.

When she saw that I wasn't getting any closer, she looked up.

 

"Me...... I don't want you to disappear. You don't think it's okay to disappear together...... Believe me, please."

「...... It's okay, I believe it."

 

Did those skeletons say that if she erased me, we could be together?

I know you're desperate to be free from the curse, but I can't forgive you.

Suppressing my resentment, I calmly talk to her.

 

"You were just taken over by a curse at that time."

「...... Huh?"

"Now that I'm using magic to keep you away from the curse, you don't have to worry about being manipulated, so you can rest assured. Look."

 

He holds out his right palm in front of Eva, who is hiding her hand in her arms.

Looking at my hands and eyes, she slowly reaches out her trembling hand as if frightened.

I pulled my hand back in confusion, but a cool hand rested on my palm.

 

"Oh......."

 

When the curse was activated, it was because I touched her hand, but now that the curse has been driven away by the magic of resistance, nothing happens when I touch her.

...... Now that Nea is gone, it's only a matter of time.

 

"Hey, you're okay, aren't you?"

「...... Huh?"

 

With a faint sigh of relief, she squeezed my hand.

I'm glad you calmed down, but this is so embarrassing. Right now, my actions are so bad that I have the urge to go back to the spot right now.

 

"Usato"

「...... Yes? Oh, that's it."

 

When I fainted in agony with embarrassment, I noticed that Lucas, who was next to me, was looking down at me.

I change my gaze from Lucas to Eva, and then turn pale.

 

"Well, this is, that."

 

Even though it was necessary, it was insane to hold the hand of a princess of a country.

I used to joke that even my father, Lucas, would be able to get rid of me, but in a situation like this, I ...... not surprised that he would say, "Why are you touching your daughter's hand?"

 

"Aren't you willing to get a daughter after all?"

"What?"

"That's what you're talking about!?"

 

If you look at me with no expression and wonder what to say, is it?

Eva and I looked up in surprise, and Lucas, who was smiling as if he had done so, continued to speak.

 

"No, it's at times like this that you can see what true feelings are. I have to admit that I'm a jerk for this. I'm going to ask for my daughter, Usato."

"Please don't say it like you were reluctant......"

 

As expected, I'm a stone...... I feel like it was a mess.

I didn't see a single element of a stubborn father in his words and actions.

 

"Well, I'll talk about this after I save my daughter."

「...... What? You're not going to be kidding, are you?"

 

Something ridiculous awaited him after he saved Eva.

 

"Oh, Father...... What does it mean to save......?"

"From now on, Usato is going to break your curse."

"Usato, ...... san."

"Anyway, I'll explain the details as we go."

 

Crouching down in front of Eva, who was stunned at the sight of me, Lucas put his hands on her back and knees and lifted her up.

Shall I have her halfway? When I heard that, Lucas said,

 

"Leave this task to me...... Maybe...... No, let's get out of here anyway."

「...... I understand. Then follow me."

 

I knew what Lucas was trying to say.

Failing to destroy the curse means that I will be bound to this castle with my soul, and she will disappear.

 

"I'm not going to let it be the last time."

 

I don't want to fail.

I broke the curse of Samaria with all my might—and I walked out the door with even more enthusiasm.