77th Duchess of Odilia.

Right away, after we came back home. Diellzain sent me to the Alphard Palace before coming back to Albireo Palace, where him and Alina's other big brothers stays. 

There are four palaces in this empire. What the heck, how wealthy are these people? 

Anyway, Altair Palace is where the Emperor and Empress lives. The Antares Palace turns out to be where the concubines of the previous Emperors stayed, while the Albireo Palace is where the princes stays, and the Alphard Palace is the home of the princesses. 

Okay, that's enough with that. 

I ran towards the center table and placed the book on it, very carefully. Because Diellzain told me to take care of it properly. I kneel down on the floor and opened the book and navigates the table of contents. I wonder if there's something about the curse here?

Every previous Duchess and Dukes are written here, and this book has...

500 pages?! Just how many generations does this family have?! And not just that because their achievements are also written here. How many achievements do this family have?! Now I'm feeling the pressure...

"Hmm...curse, curse..." I mumbled. If only they have internet and google here I won't have a hard time searching for information about this cursed eyes thingy. Hah ~ I didn't know it was this hard to live without phone and internet. I never even visited the library in our university even once, and now I came to the Imperial Library two times in a week! 

Life really can be surprising.

"Curse...curse...where you at..."

I could just ask Asher about it, but after his explanation about the cursed eyes. I decided not to. Bro's probably the one who says 'it goes fwoosh and bang' when someone asked him to teach them magic. The way he explain things is bearable though, and I still able to understand what he was trying to say, but it's a bit complicated. 

"Curse..."

I wonder if I can ask Sir Abel about it? But that would require a request from Alina's father and they might get suspicious of me wanting to meet Abel all of the sudden. There's this book anyway, so maybe I should just do my best and look for the information I want. 

Oh, there it is. 

"The Cursed Duchess, page...two-hundred thirty four..." I mumbled and quickly turns the pages to navigate the page written on the table of contents. 

The Cursed Duchess, huh? How come all the Dukes and Duchess here have their names written on it, but this certain person had her uhm, title? Written on the table of contents. Could it be that they didn't want the readers to know right away who this Duchess is? Isn't it rude to put it like that instead of her name? It's like they're humiliating her for telling everyone that there was a cursed duchess in the family of Odilia. 

When I finally found the page I was looking for. I saw a picture of the Duchess...she's beautiful with wavy blonde hair and golden eyes. She have all the traits of an Odilia. As for Iliana, she got her mother's silver hair. This cursed duchess is very beautiful too, and her droopy eyes looks like she's always looking at you softly and gently. She's got an accessory on her head and it's pendant is centered on her forehead. She's absolutely stunning...I don't even know which words to use to describe her beauty. 

This is the...

77th Duchess of Odilia. 

Felicia Odilia, The Cursed Duchess. This is what they wrote on her first page of biography. 

"Felicia Odilia..."

[ Felicia Odilia is the 77th Duchess of Odilia, and is also known as the Cursed Duchess. She was born in Cybi 23rd, in the Year 456 and died in Beryl 21st, 480 at the age of 24. The Duchess was once known as the youngest Duchess after she ascended to her position when she turns 20. ]

Wow, she was only 20 when she became the Duchess? But dang...she was so young when she died. I wonder what happened? Does it have something to do with the curse? She's called The Cursed Duchess after all. 

Anyway, their months really is different from the ones we have in Earth. Cybi is November in Earth, while Beryl is March. Unlike the months we have in Earth, they have their own name of months. Jenara, Prema, Beryl, Aasta, Maj, Calinda, Suvi, Helia, Medi, Decimus, Cybi, and Neve. They are not translations of January to December, but those are the order of their months. Guess what is Helios' month out of those, haha. 

Anyway, it's really already been a long time since this Duchess had died, huh? I wonder if there's another cursed duchess after Felicia? It's already in the year of 765. Wow, so it's been 285 years since...? Plus, she died at the age of 24.

Hmm, let's look for a paragraph that talks about the curse. 

[ Felicia Odilia is known to be the first human to have a divine mana after the Astra's Three, and became a healer for the Empire's Knight Squads with the use of her divine power ]

Wow, she had a divine mana? That's amazing! Is divine mana different than mana? She's recorded as the first human to have a divine mana after the Astra's Three after all. That means it's quite unique, huh?

Wait, hold on a second...

Asher and his siblings already exists 285 years ago?! And this book is even implying that they've been alive even before that?! 

He has the appearance of a kid, but that jerk is an old man!

Dang it, just how old is he?

Anyways, let's continue searching. 

[ The Duchess became engaged to the Crown Prince Aeron Osiris de Ciera after they announced their relationship to the whole empire. The Crown Prince revealed that they've already been lovers for two years, and that he loves the Duchess dearly...]

Woah. So, an Odilia and Ciera had become fiancee's once before? But because of Felicia dying early, the connection between Odilia and Ciera was cut off, huh? 

"Amazing...I'm curious about her life all of the sudden," I mumbled as I continue to turn the pages. 

[ After the Black Magician revealed that she desired the Crown Prince even before the Duchess met him, was the same time that she placed a curse on the Duchess ]

There it is. The word 'curse'! But, a black magician? 

I turned back the page where the very first paragraph about the Black Magician starts. 

[ However, just when the people of Ciera Empire had recognized the Duchess to be their Empress. A certain magician appeared, introducing herself as the Crown Prince's first lover, though the Crown Prince denied this, and it is also confirmed that the Crown Prince never met the lady even once. The magician is named Athalia, and is also known as the first black magician in the Empire. Despite her fake rumors about her relationship with the Crown Prince, Prince Aeron was nice enough to let her go and asked her to never bother him and his beloved lover anymore. However, the Black Magician keeps bothering the Duchess. From entering her Duchy, giving her nightmares every night, poisoning her food, and more evil actions towards Duchess Felicia. Her actions reached the ears of the Astra's Three, causing their youngest twin sister, Ashley to come and take care of the Black Magician ]

Oh, so my godmother isn't Asher's older sister but his youngest twin sister? I wonder if she looks like Asher and Abel?

But, dang...what's wrong with this Black Magician? She's literally evil! So, she's the one who placed a curse on Alina's whole family?!

She's got screw loose!

"Ali? Are you awake?" Oh, that's Helios. 

I glanced at the page of the paper and closed it right away. I run towards my bed and hid the book under my pillow before I jumped on the bed. 

"Yes, brother Heliii!" I replied, and only when I answered that he opened the door. He entered and smiled at me right away. 

"How are you? I'm sorry, we couldn't come with you earlier," Helios starts walking towards my direction. Why is he hiding his right hand behind him?

"It's fine, brother Heli! I understand that Big Brother has important duties to do! I'm glad to see Big Bro again!" I answered, with a huge smile on my face to show him how happy this Alina is. 

"Ali's really understanding. As a compensation for not being able to be with my little sister, I brought her..." He slowly show me what he's hiding behind his back and it's a box of cupcakes!

"Wowww! Are those chocolate cupcakes, brother Heli?" I jumped off the bed and run towards him. 

"Of course. Ali loves chocolate cupcakes after all," I stretched my arms towards him and he quickly handed me the box of chocolate cupcakes. This is the first time I'm tasting a choco cupcake from a literal store! They can bake cupcakes here so we didn't have to go outside to purchase it. But it looks like Helios went from outside the empire and bought this from a cake shop that he passed by. 

"Wow...it looks really tasty ~" I mumbled after seeing the design of the cupcake. Of course, it still looks like the appearance of a cupcake. But based on the image on it's box, there's also a melted chocolate in the middle of it, and the icing is caramel flavor. There are small cherries scattered on top of the icing too and a lots of sprinkles! 

Wait, how did they made these cherries to be this tiny? 

"That's right. The reviews of that cake shop is high, that's why I decided to purchase a box to see if Ali would like it. If you do, then we'll ask the baker for its ingredients and procedure. Additionally, this is a limited edition of their special chocolaty cupcake," Chocolaty...? Anyways, are you saying you're going to steal their special chocolaty cupcake?

"No need for that, brother Heli! It would be unfair for them if we do that. Purchasing from their shop would help them increased their revenue," I replied as I walk towards the table in this room. I placed the box on the table and turn my head to Helios...who's looking at me with surprised expression. 

"Ali's really considerate. But, you already know what revenue is?" Of course, I was a business student in my previous life, Mister.

But I'm not really sure if what I said was right. I don't like studying before after all and only memorizes things I want to memorize. 

"Hm!" But there are probably a lot of terms in our world that is not used in this world, so I shouldn't be so confident about it. But revenue is the money you make by doing normal businesses. 

"Ali's a genius, huh?" I only gave him a chuckle before I face the box in front of me. I'm not a genius though, if I am a genius, my previous family would never resort to violence against me. 

"Do you want some, Brother Heli?" I asked, pointing to the cupcakes inside the box. He shook his head as he give me a smile. His smile's starting to become genuine as the day pass by. Before, his smile looks scary, probably because he's really not the type to smile. But now he's learning. 

"I bought it just for Ali. You should enjoy it," I giggled and turned my head to the cupcakes again. 

Because of him, I've forgotten my worries about the cursed eyes. 

Although it is really unbelievable that Helios and the others gives me such ease now whenever I'm around them. I still can't let go of the doubts though, that's why I'm still making plans for my future. 

However, it looks like I'll have to change my plans completely because of Asher's new information about my eyes. 

Dang it. 

***