The Cursed Eyes.

I stared at the food in front of me as I gulped. I feel like a whole new information was fed to me and I already feel full just by that.

I can see Alina's family from my peripheral vision, exchanging looks and then turning their heads to me again. Does my bothered mind affect my expression as well? Hmm, Ziel did say that I'm expressive.

Additionally, except from Asher's new information.

The meat in front of me...it's beef.

And I don't eat beef because I don't like the way it taste in my tongue!

"Ali, is the food not to your liking?" Orpheus asked. I forced as smile at him before I replied.

"It's fine, Dad..."

I mumbled as I look at the meat in front of me again. Should I try and eat it? Who knows, maybe the texture is different from the ones in Earth? I mean, this is a world of magic after all...

But a beef is a beef!

"Permission to speak, Your Majesty," Themis raised her hand and Orpheus nod his head right away to let her speak. 

"The Princess does not like beef," Oh...wait, she knew? How?!

Could it be that Alina don't like beef meat as well? I don't know. It's not like I can remember everything, that's impossible. The memories within Alina's mind can be recalled just like how we try to recall something after all. Not all of her memories are just lying in my pre-conscious mind and can be remembered right away. Unless I experienced it myself, then recalling it won't be hard for me.

"Themis..." I mumbled and turn to the Emperor. He looks at me with surprised eyes and then his expression turns...bitter?

"Apologies, Ali. We didn't know about it. Is she allergy to beef?" He turned to Themis again after apologizing to me. His apology looked sincere enough to sway my child heart.

But, no. Gotta stay strong if I want to live peacefully.

"She doesn't have allergies to any food, Your Majesty. But the Princess hated the texture of the beef, and she says that the taste of it makes her vomit," Oh...so we're the same, huh?

"Understood. It's good to know that she doesn't have any allergies. We'll have to change my daughter's food then. Tell Morias about it," Morias?

Morias...

Morias...?

That name sounds veeery familiar.

"Brother Dae, is Morias our chef?" I turned my head to Diellzain who's sitting beside me. He nod his head at me and smile a bit. His face looks like he's guilty about something. I wonder what he's thinking?

Anyway, that Morias. His name is really familiar. Was he one of the characters in the novel? Hmm, I can't remember. Maybe I'm overthinking it? Could be that he has the same name of my classmate before, or a relative, or maybe one of my previous professors?

"It might take a while before your food arrives, Ali. Do you want to request more food?" Orpheus asked. I shook my head at him. 

I don't even have an appetite right now because of that jerk of a magician. I keep thinking about what he said to me and I don't know how am I going to sink it in to my little brain. Unless he explains everything to me, I'll forever be bothered by it. How annoying! He definitely knew that Diellzain is coming, that's why he didn't tell me! Or maybe it's going to be shocking for me that he wants me to find out about it by myself? 

That's usually the reason why some fictional characters refuses to reveal everything all at once, right? And now I'm experiencing it! 

Daaang!

"Ali? Are you okay?" Helios asked. Oh, it looks like my mind really is affecting my expression. 

"Ohh--I'm fine, Brother Heli! Why?" I asked. He smiled at me gently and he looks really pretty!

"You looked really bothered. Is there something in your mind?" Now, it's Aelius. Are they worried about me for real? I can't get used to these interaction with Alina's family. Because I know that she never got this attention in her life at all and it causes her to kill herself. 

Seriously...I don't know what's happening now. 

"Or--Dad..." What the heck, I almost called him by his name!

"Does our family had a case about curses?" I asked. Orpheus' eyes squinted before he crease his forehead. Looks like it reminded him of something but chose to act as if he don't have any idea about it. 

He knows something about what Asher told me. 

"Curses, Princess?" I nod my head. 

"Why did you asked, Ali?" Diellzain asked. Hm? Wait a minute. 

Why are they looking at me like that? As if they're waiting for me to spill the tea or something. That confirmed my suspicions that these guys wants something from me. But this is the first time they're giving me those looks. Is it related to the question I relayed? Could it be that there really is a curse?

I need to ask Asher about this. 

"Hmm, my dream. It's always dark and scary...but last night I had a great dream. Because Asher was there. I thought that maybe there's a curse..." Their faces just became dark when I mentioned Asher's name. Wait, that was a lie though! I'm just trying to get away with Diellzain's question!

Now, I made these people suspect the kid!

Well deserved. 

That jerk should be banned from my room. 

"What was that jerk doing in your room?" Orpheus asked. Wow, he looks mad. 

"Ohh, he said it was to watch over my mana..." I replied. Now, that wasn't a make up story. He really was there to take care of my mana, because that's what he said last night. Not that I believe him though. But it's a good reason.

"Hmm, alright. I'll let that escape," Huh? He accepted it right away?!

"Yeah. Ali might not notice it, but your mana is overflowing. You've got too much mana for your body, and it might get dangerous for you," Helios added. Huh? My mana's overflowing, huh? Then, is Asher actually telling the truth when he said that he's there for my mana? 

Come to think of it, he was there all night. He even slept there?

Hmm...

"What will happen if it wasn't taken care of?" I asked. 

"It might create something that eats away your mana until you've got no more," Of course, I already know about. 

They're called 'Beasts'. Those creatures are created by someone's mana, be it overflowing mana or if the person willingly let them out. They eat away someone's mana and ends up controlling them, causing them to end up being mad and swayed by their impulsive and evil desires. Once that the person has no mana to feed the beasts, they will be the one who gets sacrificed. 

Dang it. Thinking about it sends shiver down my spine. 

"That---that sounds scary," I spoke. Diellzain nods his head. 

"Really scary," He replied. 

*knock knock*

"The Princess' food is here," 

Oh, there's the food. 

Finally, I can eat. Now that I got to talk to these guys, I feel like my appetite came back. 

"Yaaay! Let's eat!"

---

I narrow my eyes as I look at the magician in front of me. I'm glad he's still here. 

"How's your breakfast, Your Highness?" Why does he keep calling me Your Highness even after knowing that I am not really into that address? This jerk is testing my patience. 

"Quite good. Now, would you mind explaining about the cursed eyes you said?" I asked. He leaned his chin on the back of his right palm as he place his elbow on the table in front of the couch. 

"Hmm. I think so? Looks like we've got enough time after all," I see. The reason he did not tell me earlier was because he knew that Diellzain is coming and that would leave me in a huge cliffhanger if he starts telling me about it earlier. 

"Well, what I mean is that your eyes are cursed, and it's gonna make you a criminal," I creased my forehead. Still confused, it did not explain anything at all, stupid magician. 

"How is it going to make me a criminal?" Do I really need to ask him just to get answers? Can't he just tell me everything right away?!

"Patience, Your Highness," I took a deep breath and walk towards the couch across him. Good thing I asked Themis to just stay outside and she agreed. 

"So?" I take a seat on the couch and lean on its back as I stare directly to Asher. 

"Those eyes are destined to turn people into ashes when you look at them. That's the curse placed in Odilia Family," I blinked for a couple of times as I furrow my brows. I know I look shocked right now, but who cares about the state of my expression! That's unbelievable!

"Then, Alina's brothers...also...?" He shook his head. Huh? Is it just Alina?

"This curse is only passed down to the female descendant. Only activates every fifty years," Huh...just to female? How unlucky are those who are born every fifty years! And how unlucky is Alina?!

"Additionally, the last Odilia that have this curse will die after the next person with the curse is born," I creased my forehead as I tilt my head. 

"Is Iliana also cursed?" He shook his head again. Huh...

"The last one who bore this curse killed herself before she turns twenty, so the curse was gone for many years before you were born after fifty years," Ahh, I'm quite confused. 

"Looks like you're lost. What I mean is, the curse stopped for a moment when she killed herself. It only appears every fifty years after all. Fifty years later after she was born, Alina arrived in the world, so the curse is now passed onto you. If she were alive when you were born, she's gonna die a day later after Alina is born," How many 'born' did he say?

"You're saying, when she killed herself, the curse disappeared? It won't be passed to anyone, because it only appears every fifty years?" I asked, he nod his head. Alright, I think I get it now. 

"So, this curse is passed every fifty years? For example, Alina was born five years ago, after forty-five years, when someone in the Odilia is born a female on the same day that Alina turned fifty, that baby will have the curse, and Alina is gonna die tomorrow after the baby is born?" I asked, trying to sink in everything he just said and to make sure if I understood his words right. He nods his head again. 

"Alright. I get it now. Then, if no one was born when the person turns fifty...would the curse stay with her until a new female Odilia is born?" He smirked at me. 

"Wow, you're actually right!" I see...

"I get it now. So a female Odilia won't have the curse if they were born on the forty-ninth years and lower?" He snapped his fingers and pointed at me. 

"That's right,"

"And the curse will immediately passed down to those baby girls that are born on fiftieth and above?" he nod his head again. 

Dang it, it's confusing but I'm starting to get it. 

That's why it was passed to Alina, because it's already been 50 years since the last cursed Odilia was born. 

What a life, Clara. What a life, Alina. 

What a liiiife!

***