The Crown Prince Aseraian turned his gaze toward Ceres as well. Soon, the two of them came over.
“Ceres, I’m sorry I’m late greeting you.”
The Crown Prince greeted her with a welcoming smile.
“This is my cousin.”
...His cousin?
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The man bowed politely, his smile even warmer than before.
“I’m Veilks.”
It was Veilks.
[That’s him.]
At that moment, Elliet’s firm voice sounded in Ceres’s ear.
[He’s the one behind that curse.]
.
.
.
Chapter 60: The Fall of Marquis Merial
“Are you all right?”
“—!”
Marquis Merial, who had been trembling in the lounge and hiding from Harua, flinched at the familiar voice.
“W-when did you get here?”
“Just now. You should go see His Highness.”
It was Veilks. The Marquis’s eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t heard that Veilks would be attending the party today.
Why is he here?
Veilks had never appeared in public before. The Marquis couldn’t imagine why he suddenly came to the party.
“You look awful.”
Veilks sighed in concern as he approached Marquis Merial and took his hand. He patted it gently, but the gesture only made the Marquis’s skin crawl. It felt like a disgusting snake crawling all over his body.
Seeing the Marquis grow even paler, Veilks shook his head and reached inside his coat.
Clink.
“Here. Take this.”
“That’s...”
It was a small vial, filled with the black liquid Marquis Merial took regularly.
“It should help you calm down.”
A spark returned to the Marquis’s hollow eyes. Just as Veilks said, he knew the medicine would calm him.
More than anything, he wanted to feel that powerful rush again, the sensation that made his whole body tingle whenever he took it.
“It’ll work even better this time. It’s very strong.”
“R-right.”
Marquis Merial snatched the vial from Veilks, opened it, and quickly drank it down.
“I’ll see you later, Grandfather.”
Veilks watched as the Marquis drained the vial, then rose with a faint smile.
“I wonder how strong you’ll become.”
With that cryptic remark, he left the lounge and headed straight for the party hall. That was where he finally saw her.
Ceres.
Her name always came up in everything he did. A smile brighter than ever spread across Veilks’s face.
***
“Nice to meet you. I’m Veilks.”
“....”
Ceres simply stared at him as he greeted her with a smile.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. They say you’ve saved countless people with the power of the Tamer Relic.”
“......”
Despite Ceres’s silence and unwavering gaze, Veilks remained unfazed and continued speaking.
“You’re truly remarkable.”
“That’s right. Ceres really is special.”
Cheion stepped in on Ceres’s behalf.
“Ah, it’s been a while, Cheion.”
“Yeah. Hello.”
Cheion belatedly raised a hand in greeting, his face lighting up with a smile. He was happy to hear Ceres being praised, and even happier to see his younger cousin again after so long.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes. Thanks to your concern.”
“That’s good.”
Veilks smiled at Cheion who nodded enthusiastically, then turned his attention back to her.
“If you ever have some time, perhaps you could show me the Tamer Relic...”
“Are you interested in curse magic?”
“.......”
The beautiful smile on Veilks’s face froze. But a moment later, his expression brightened with interest.
“...Curse magic?”
“I know someone who died from a curse.”
“......”
“A curse that makes your entire body melt away if you try to say one of the forbidden words.”
The mood in the room instantly changed. Everyone fell silent at Ceres’s words, but Duke Schweiss’s gaze turned especially fierce.
After all, hadn’t he seen someone who died exactly as Ceres just described? The former leader of Mirror, the very man who had brutally killed his younger brother, Ren.
Ceres wouldn’t bring something like this up out of nowhere.
Could it be...
The other two dukes seemed to have reached the same conclusion. Their gazes toward Veilks turned cold.
Could that brat have something to do with that incident? He was Marquis Merial’s grandson, so it was certainly possible.
Hmm.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Aseraian looked at Ceres in surprise. He had never told her anything about Veilks.
How did she know?
How did she know he was behind those strange incidents? Aseraian clicked his tongue as he watched Veilks speaking with Ceres.
The last time he had seen Veilks, he still seemed like his old self. Shy, awkward, and never quite sure what to say...
But the Veilks he saw today was completely different. It was as if he had no intention of hiding who he really was anymore.
“What are you talking about? Curse magic?”
Cheion was the only one who seemed completely lost, repeatedly tilting his head in confusion. Why was Ceres suddenly bringing this up with Veilks?
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean either.”
When Veilks tilted his head innocently, Ceres chuckled.
...Was it you?
From the fake Saintess to the kidnapped children...
So it was all you.
...Interesting.
The corner of Ceres’s mouth curled upward.
“Aaaah!”
“.....?”
A deafening scream rang out from somewhere at the party hall. Everyone turned toward the source.
“Argh!”
“Aaaah!”
Someone was swinging a sword at the people gathered there.
“Grr... Urgh!”
When they realized who was wielding the sword, everyone stared with their mouths agape.
Why is he...
“Aaaah!”
“Aaaah!”
The one attacking the crowd indiscriminately was none other than Marquis Merial.
***
Thump, thump.
“Haa... haa.......”
His heart was pounding. No, it was racing, as if all the blood in his body were being drawn into it.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Marquis Merial gasped for breath. His mind went blank.
What on earth...
...Why am I like this?
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
“Gah!”
The pain was unbearable, as though his heart were being torn from his chest. Marquis Merial collapsed onto the lounge floor.
It had all started after he drank that medicine.
Ve...ilks.
What did you give me?!
“Haa... haa.......”
His throat was parched. When his mind grew hazy, an unbearable thirst took hold.
He wanted to quench it...
No... he had to.
“Marquis Merial, are you alr—”
Whoosh!
“Aaaah!”
Blood. Blood...
The thirst seemed to ease a little.
But...
“Argh!”
“G-guards!”
...I need more blood. This isn’t enough.
“Seize him!”
If I kill everyone here...
“Aaaah!”
“Aaaah!”
Then...
...maybe this thirst will go away, too.
“Why is Grandfather...”
Cheion stared blankly at Marquis Merial, who attacked the people around him.
“......”
The memory of Marquis Merial gently patting his head when he was a child was still vivid. They had grown somewhat distant over the years, but to Cheion, the Marquis was still the same kind and gentle grandfather.
But...
That grandfather was now hurting people, his eyes gleaming blood-red.
“Cheion.”
Cheion stood frozen as he stared at the scene, until a firm hand closed around his shoulder. He turned sharply and saw his older brother, Aseraian.
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