Chapter 46
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Violet's First Words - Episode 46
"Kyah, kyaaah!"
I seized Marigold's lower jaw firmly with my other hand.
Marigold was startled by the strength of my grip.
Sharp fragments of aura had already begun floating around her face.
"Wh-what..."
"Your cheap tricks won't work on me. I'm an aura user too."
"That can't be... you..."
"Shut your mouth and listen to what I have to say. I'm going to speak now."
"Ugh, mmph!"
My grip on her lower jaw tightened with each passing moment.
That was when it happened.
The door burst open and unfamiliar figures rushed in.
"Is this the girl?"
The one looking down at Marigold with an irritated gaze was none other than...
'Cyril Uncle?'
Marigold's eyes widened.
"Yes, that's right."
I rose from my seat.
"Help! Someone save me!"
Marigold tried to scream. Then the spirit Sylphir began to fade.
But Cyril pressed his hand against her throat as he forced her into a chair.
"Keep the spirit manifested."
"Ugh, mmph!"
"If you don't want to die, do it now. Actually, there's no need for words. Olive."
Cyril spoke.
"Yes."
The woman called Olive approached with an expressionless face.
"Before we proceed with the procedure, allow me to administer anesthesia first. I'll be pressing several pressure points, so it will be quite painful."
Olive pressed hard against Marigold's neck.
"Ahhh, aaaagh!"
Marigold screamed in agony. But that was all she could manage.
Beyond metallic shrieks, she could not form words. Soon Olive pressed other points across Marigold's body.
Marigold went rigid like a wooden log and collapsed to the floor.
Even so, Marigold desperately raised her eyes and stared at me.
I gazed down at Marigold.
And slowly, I smiled.
* * *
The day before Marigold came to Cyril's House.
I met the "curse diagnostician" Cyril had mentioned.
[I work under Cyril as a curse detoxification specialist in human physiology. My name is Hayden.]
Hayden appeared to be an elderly, benevolent physician.
He seated my tense form and methodically examined my body.
[What is it?]
Cyril asked anxiously. Hayden's brow furrowed.
[Miss Violet is afflicted by a curse. A most vicious one at that.]
When I heard those words, my mind reeled.
Hayden's subsequent explanation chilled me further.
[Someone has punctured a hole in your mana and is siphoning it to themselves. This is... the most insidious curse, one not even used in ancient times.]
The curse binding my body was simple yet devastating.
It was channeling my mana to someone else.
But mana could not be drawn upon by just anyone.
The similarity of mana—that is...
[This is a curse used between blood relatives. If any family members are mana users—mages or swordmasters, for instance—they should be considered suspects.]
Marigold's status as a spiritist immediately came to mind.
And one whose powers had manifested so suddenly.
[Why is this curse used only between blood relatives?]
I asked quietly.
[Because blood relatives share similar innate mana, making such curses far more likely to succeed. They must have examined both your mana for a long time, researching the possibility. Of course, this is also a crime.]
Hayden spoke.
Cyril looked at me.
[Your Younger Sister, Marigold, became a spiritist, yes? When did she first awaken to her spiritist nature?]
[I remember it was when I was ten years old. I was gravely ill then. Right after that, I recall Marigold became a spiritist.]
Originally, Marigold would not have been physically capable of passing the Academy entrance examination.
But when I was ten and took the Academy entrance test, there was a day I fell ill publicly for an entire day.
And what was Marigold doing at that time?
[From here on, it's my domain. Keep your eyes closed.]
Cyril and Hayden slowly gestured around my body. Soon, my abdomen began to ache.
[It's in this area.]
I hesitantly exposed my abdomen.
An unfamiliar circular rune floated above my belly.
[This rune is the very source of the curse.]
Why did disappointment continue to mount?
'You and your family... you're truly something else.'
The more I learned, the more disappointed and disgusted I became.
Marigold was no spirit summoner. At least, not without drawing on Violet's mana, not without the curse.
Marigold was nothing.
The truly talented one, the necessary one, the noble one—that was Violet.
Her family had merely kept her eyes covered all this time.
Cyril knew it too, which is why he remained silent.
[There was a reason my Stepmother cared for me back then. She was worried the ritual would fail. Because if I wasn't in perfect condition, Marigold couldn't steal my spirit, Sylphir, and use it for herself!]
Violet murmured. Her heart ached.
The expressions of those around her showed they didn't know what to say.
Even Olive, standing like a shadow, couldn't hide her contempt for Violet's family.
[I'll decide what price to make Geoffrey pay for this later.]
[Uncle...]
[First, let's break the curse on you. I know how to handle this field with certainty.]
[Yes.]
Violet nodded.
[You said it's a curse that drains mana. Then the curse marks, the gems, should come in a pair. The other pair must be on your Younger Sister's body.]
The other party to the curse.
That was the element needed to break it. Cyril explained it that way.
In other words, Marigold was necessary.
[We'll need to lure Marigold out.]
Cyril said.
Violet was fortunate. Before they even had to lure her, Marigold came of her own accord the very next day.
From the beginning, it wasn't Violet who had fallen into the trap. It was Marigold.
That's why Violet had agreed to meet her when Marigold came seeking her out, asking for just one meeting.
"Marigold, you always thought I was foolish, didn't you? But the fool was you."
"Ugh... ugh..."
Marigold's pupils trembled violently.
She gasped, trying to say something.
Olive watched Marigold for a moment, then dragged her to a large chair and sat her down. Marigold stared at Violet with wide eyes, unable to move.
Violet approached and fixed her gaze on Marigold.
"You won't be able to speak. Olive can temporarily paralyze a person's vocal cords with just a pressure point."
In that moment, Marigold's eyes were practically hurling curses at Violet.
"'How did I...'? Ah, you know I can't lie. But pretending not to know what I know, and revealing only part of what's inside—that works. I learned it from a friend."
Violet laughed purely. In truth, she hadn't known it would be this easy.
Wanting an apology letter, wanting a pledge—those were genuine desires, so they weren't lies.
She had no intention of forgiving from the start, but the words "I'll think about it" weren't a lie either.
"So don't make that face. Even if I had lied, you'd have no right to complain. You've deceived me countless times."
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org