Chapter 49 - Volume 2 (2/2)

「Daring to cast a curse on my wife, don’t think I’ll let you die easily.」

「A curse!?」After that declaration the knight captain broke the silence, raising his voice in shock. His brown eyes widened, and he muttered 「Seriously? And when you say curse, you’re talking about a contract with a demon, right?」

「Is there another kind? Anyway, could you keep quiet for a little while?」

「Even if you tell me that, Princess…」

At the princess’s statement, the knight captain frowned, troubled. Then, looking at Edi, whose staff was pointed at Celves and who was looking like he might cast an attack spell at any moment, Alhelm made an unpleasant face.

「Oi, Agedilus, could you please not kill him? If he really contracted with a demon, he should be turned in to the knights and judged the proper way.」

What the knight captain was saying was correct. To this country who worshipped the goddess, contracting with a demon was a serious crime. Even Celves, a noble from the esteemed House of Ronein, was no exception. I didn’t want to believe it, but it looked like Celves really was the one who had cast the curse on me. It’s said that people who contract with demons are marked with a characteristic pattern somewhere on their bodies. The dark red design on his arms must be that mark.

But even seeing that, there was some part of me that just didn’t want to believe it.

「…ng」

Pinned to the ground, Celves muttered something faintly. 「Hm?」the knight captain asked, tilting his neck quizzically, and at that same moment the bandages restraining Celves’s arms filled with light, surging like a raging flame.

「What?!」

The bandages burned up, and the force of the light threw the knight captain into the air. Colliding with a nearby tree, he let out a moan. Paying no mind, Celves immediately rose, the marks on his arms flickering with sinister light. His blue eyes were aimed, not at my husband, but at me.

「Wrong! I, Suzette, I had no intention of hurting you!」

「Sir Celves…」

————What’s your name?

The question he asked when we first met replayed itself in my ear. That voice wasn’t filled with anguish like it was now. It was a calm, collected voice.

————My name is Suzette.

At that time I had lied, and that lie had grown to involve not just me, but all of the people here too.

Referring to me as Suzette, Celves was stared at in suspicion by both the princess and the knight captain. The man holding me in his arm looked at me with those sunrise colored eyes, as if to ask, 「What’s he talking about?」

Then, Celves looked at me pleadingly. I had a reply to those blue eyes, but it was certain to hurt him.

Freeing myself from Edi’s hold, I stepped forward. Dodging the hand that tried to stop me, I stood in front of Celves.

「I am very sorry. My real name is Filmina Von Lancent. I am the wife of this Agedilus Von Lancent.」

Celves’s handsome face filled with despair. He had always looked resolute, and I didn’t want to see this expression. But I wouldn’t forgive myself if I looked away. This was my guilt. The lie I had told at that time had caused this man to make this sort of face. It had hurt him this much.

At the time I had thought it was only a little lie. But it resulted in this. It had caused us to start spending time with one another. I had thought fondly of him, and I had thought that he thought fondly of me. And because of that, precisely because of that, it was this painful.

Talking to him was fun. I was happy when he ate the sandwich I made. I was happy to have a friend who would listen to my concerns.

If, at that time we had met, I had told him my real name, even if I had at least only told him my first name, not Suzette but Filmina. If I had done that, maybe it would have turned out differently. Even if I thought that, it was far too late. All I could do now was regret.

I could do nothing but clench my fists. As if to protect me, Edi stepped between me and Celves. At that moment, Celves’s blue eyes flashed with a disturbing light.

「You! If only you weren’t here!」

Along with that resentful voice, the pattern around his arms shone brighter with that dark red light. Clicking his tongue, Edi tried to grab me. I should have been able to go along with him, but for some reason, my body moved to oppose him.

「Edi!」

With all of my power I pushed him away. Those sunrise-colored eyes opened wide. Then the impact ran towards my body The last thing I saw was fresh blood flying through the air, more vivid than rose petals.