The dormitory, shrouded in darkness.
Not a single trace of light seeped through, yet faint sounds of movent occasionally echoed.
A breath—fragile, trembling with sorrow.
"Ugh..."
A faint warmth escaped into the air.
A disheveled figure.
Scarlet hair, spilling across the sheets like a cascade of silk.
Amidst the scene, as if petals had scattered and only remnants remained, a girl lay sprawled across the bed.
None other than a Rose.
"Haah, haah..."
Ragged breaths, repeating over and over.
Her green eyes, resembling leaves, were clouded with exhaustion.
I was gently stroking the girl's abdon.
A treatnt perford regularly, without fail.
It was a process of easing the mana accumulated in her lower abdon and loosening the tensed muscles around it.
My fingertips, moving softly, brushed against her pale skin.
Swish—.
"Hngh, ugh..."
Soon after—
A muffled moan slipped through her tightly bitten lips.
Rose, exhaling a breath tinged with heat and exhaustion.
Her gaze trembled.
I asked teasingly.
"Why are you holding back your voice? There's no one else in the room but us."
"Stop... saying useless... things, haah... Just finish it already."
The vast dormitory housed only the two of us.
Originally, this space was shared by Elize, Charlotte, and their personal maid, Tanya. However, the other two had stepped out to give us privacy for the treatnt.
They wouldn't be back for at least three hours.
In other words, there was no real reason for her to stifle her sounds.
And yet, for whatever stubborn reason, the Rose clung to her restraint, panting but keeping her consciousness sharp.
As if refusing to yield.
"I fail to see the significance of this, but..."
"You're seriously annoying."
The girl's attire was barely decent.
What little fabric she wore barely covered her.
It was an ordinary negligee-style nightgown, yet it had been pulled up to expose her abdon.
Minimizing obstructions was necessary for the treatnt.
Naturally, such a flimsy piece of cloth did little to conceal her body.
Because of that, the Rose lay there with her curves exposed, her underbust barely covered, the thin fabric only just managing to conceal the very tips.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
Her once-pale cheeks had now turned as red—no, redder—than her hair, than the petals of a Rose.
Was that blush from sha?
Or from sothing else lingering in the air?
I had no way of knowing.
I simply continued the treatnt.
"As you command."
My hand pressed against her lower abdon.
Shadows slithered beneath her skin, seeping in.
The mont they did, Elize’s focus lted away.
Her body—hypersensitive. Nearly twice as reactive as usual.
As the tangled mana unraveled, a sharp, white-hot shudder coursed through her.
Her lower body trembled involuntarily.
"Hyaa...!?"
Her waist twitched lightly.
As her core jolted, I pressed down firmly on her lower abdon, simultaneously grasping the trembling hand of the wavering Rose.
Each ti pressure was applied to her stomach, a sharp current ran down Elize’s spine.
Her unfocused gaze shimred, dazed.
Was it because of the intense sensation?
Moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes.
I stroked her hair gently, as if soothing her.
A silent acknowledgnt that she was enduring well.
"We're almost done."
Sweat trickled down.
The damp heat stained the sheets, and a thick, lingering scent filled the room.
Soft, uneven breaths resounded within the pitch-black space.
A fragile petal, trembling as if on the verge of breaking.
Perhaps because her reactions were so endearing—
I sought out the most sensitive point and pressed down with my index and middle fingers.
Elize’s pupils dilated instantly, and her shoulders flinched.
She shot a glare, full of resentnt.
"You—again...!"
"Shh."
I quickly pressed a finger against the Rose’s lips.
Otherwise, I’d surely have to endure another sharp remark.
Before any more complaints could spill out, I pressed down on her abdon.
The tangled mana within unraveled, and the tense muscles gradually softened.
But in turn, the sensation striking her nerves grew sharper—every fiber of her being focused solely on where my hand t her lower stomach.
Sothing hot and knotted spread through her, consuming her entirely.
Sinking deeper, letting it take over.
"Relax."
Swish—
As I traced a slow circle over her abdon, her waist lifted again.
To keep her posture steady, I pressed down with more force.
Her rising stomach t the weight of my palm, intensifying the pressure between them.
"Nngh, haa..."
Had the repeated stimulation lted her resolve?
The once-defiant eyes had blurred over again.
Her lips, still covered by my fingers.
Slowly, I let my index finger move, pressing into the soft flesh.
My thumb slipped into the damp, parted crevice.
"Chup… mmh, ngh, haah…"
The sensation of her lips fully enclosing my fingers.
Heat, moisture—the warmth inside her mouth seeped through, unmistakable.
At the very tip, a hesitant tongue greeted the intrusion.
Though still sowhat stiff, she no longer recoiled.
Perhaps she had grown accustod to it through these sessions, now accepting the foreign presence inside her mouth.
Her damp tongue gently wrapped around my fingers.
At first, she had glared at as if she wanted to kill , but now—even this kind of contact had beco routine.
Monts like this often reminded of our first ti.
The Rose, back when she bristled with thorns.
"You... I'll kill you."
"How dare you do this and still...!"
Even back then—
Now, like petals facing winter, she had crumbled.
She had laid down her own thorns.
I gently stroked her scarlet hair.
"Fufu, how obedient."
"Don't treat like a child."
"Then should I stop petting you?"
"...You're seriously annoying."
Instead of answering, Elize turned her head away.
A silent request to continue.
And so, as the treatnt went on, I kept stroking her abdon and her hair.
It only ended once her nightgown was completely soaked in sweat.
***
The treatnt had lasted over two hours.
Despite the commotion, everything had wrapped up smoothly.
As I quietly tidied up, the Rose, her brows slightly furrowed, suddenly spoke.
There was a hint of mischief in her gaze.
"Wasn't today... a bit excessive?"
"I am always consistent."
"You're probably the only one who gets away with molesting a princess like this."
"It’s a simple dical procedure. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Hah... well, just looking at my state, anyone would think it was rape."
"And do you dislike it? If Your Highness wishes, I can stop anyti."
"...You're such a sly bastard."
The girl muttered.
Was she lost in thought all of a sudden?
Her lips pressed together, and silence settled between us.
Then, after a deep breath, Elize spoke again—
Her voice was serious.
"Do you rember?"
"To what are you referring?"
"I told you before. No matter what you do to , I'll accept it."
"I rember. You certainly did."
"Even if… it was rape. If it’s you, I’d accept it."
"You're saying sothing dangerous, Your Highness."
"That’s just how much I an it. It’s not a lie."
"I see. Your determination for treatnt is admirable."
"Well… I never said which part I was serious about."
"Either way, I am honored. It ans Your Highness trusts ."
"You always manage to slip away so easily."
"Thank you."
"That wasn’t a complint."
Lighthearted banter passed between us.
Even as we spoke, I continued tidying up the surroundings.
I flicked my fingers lightly, straightening the disheveled sheets.
Elize, drained from the treatnt, remained slumped on the bed, utterly exhausted.
As I stood by her side, sothing caught my eye.
White bandages wrapped around her wrists and neck.
I carefully took her wrist in my hand.
"You’ve been cutting yourself again."
"......"
"I’ve told you countless tis—self-harm is not the answer."
"It’s just... a habit. It makes feel oddly at ease."
"You promised , didn't you? That you'd try."
"...I'm sorry."
When I pressed her firmly, the girl’s expression darkened.
My gaze, just slightly, had turned cold.
The mood withered.
Though I disliked seeing her like this, I couldn’t simply let it slide.
This was sothing she had to overco on her own.
I slowly unwrapped the bandages and replaced them with fresh ones.
Swish—
Through the thin fabric, red lines and scars surfaced.
I applied dicine over the wounds blooming across her skin like a field of broken petals.
"Hey..."
Perhaps it was because of the expression on my face.
Elize hesitated, then reached out and clutched my sleeve.
"I'm sorry... I’m just so used to pain. Sotis… it gets too much to bear."
Her voice wavered.
She, who was normally sharp-tongued and imperious, suddenly seed fragile—
Like she would shatter at the slightest touch.
Rose never made it obvious, but she paid close attention to my reactions.
Whether she was becoming a nuisance, whether she was being a burden—
Whether she might eventually be abandoned.
No matter how many thorns she had wrapped around herself, her fragile core remained unchanged.
That, too, made her seem even more like a Rose.
She whispered,
"So... don’t make that face."
Elize bit her lip.
Loneliness, perhaps even pain.
Her green eyes carried all of it.
For a mont, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.
"......"
I had sworn to be strict with her.
And yet, I couldn’t turn away from that lonely gaze.
A bitter taste spread in my mouth.
"You don’t need to apologize to ."
Because—
What fault did she have?
The only cri she bore was having been born into a cursed fate.
Even if she broke completely, who could bla her for it?
I simply didn't want to see this fragile flower wither away.
With a softened expression, I took her hand.
Her skin was warm.
"Your Highness."
"...Yeah?"
"I want you to take better care of yourself."
"I know... but I just can’t get used to it."
"I know you’re trying. I only ask that you keep pushing forward. I wasn’t upset, so there’s no need to feel so anxious."
"...Not like I care about that."
Her response was deliberately curt.
I let out a quiet chuckle and stroked her hair.
Then, as I saw the opportunity, I brought up sothing I had been aning to tell her.
I t her gaze, locking onto her calm green eyes.
"There’s sothing I need to tell you."
"What now?"
"It seems the ti has finally co to fulfill the promise I made to you."
"Promise...?"
"There’s one, isn’t there?"
The very first promise we ever made.
That I would bring hope to her life—
And in doing so, break her curse.
"No way..."
"Yes. Just yesterday, the research on Mana Stone Consumption Disease was finally completed."
I smiled faintly.
Elize, realizing what I was implying, froze for a mont.
For just an instant, a spark of life flickered in her leaf-colored eyes.
And as if responding to that glimr of hope, I spoke.
"I will break your curse."
"......"
"Tomorrow, we leave for the Imperial Palace. All the answers are there."
—Valcaros Lantana von Staufen.
That damned emperor.
There was much I needed to hear from him.
About Elize’s curse—about everything.
[Report on Mana Stone Consumption Disease]
[Author: dro Andreas]
Mana Stone Consumption Disease is more of a curse than an illness.
Ancient records indicate that the fundantal nature of the curse allows its effects to be transferred to another.
This "Curse Sharing" significantly lowers the fatality rate of the afflicted.
However, it can only be transferred between direct blood relatives.
I read over the docunt again, letting its weight settle over .
Then, almost in resignation, I murmured to myself,
"All the answers... will be with him."
It had been a long, long road.
But now—
It was finally ti to put an end to this curse.
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