Soul Orb (4)

Eltman prepared a special reception room for Florin's sake.

Sunlight didn't seep in, and with the space barrier, there was no worry of the curse spreading out.

After placing guards and close aides in the adjacent room, she entered the reception room with Baek Yu-Seol.

It wasn't very large, but it was a cozy and warm space.

As she seated Baek Yu-Seol in front of her, Florin considered her words.

Since ordinary human boys wouldn't open their mouths first in front of the Elven king, she felt she should take the lead.

But was that boy really not feeling pressured at all?

"Do you drink coffee or green tea?"

"...."

It was absurd to see him fiddling with the portable coffee pot as if he didn't care about her, and seriously considered whether to add sugar first or pour the shot first.

She didn't feel bad.

It just felt a little strange.

"I'll have... green tea."

"No. I've already made two cups of coffee."

".... Then coffee it is."

"By the way, it's iced coffee."

"Ah...."

Although she hated cold coffee the most, she couldn't refuse what had already been served.

"Here."

"..."

As Florin hesitated to take the cold coffee, Baek Yu-Seol chuckled.

He knew she disliked iced coffee.

However, this was considered one of the best ways to pique her interest even in the original game.

In typical dating simulation games, you increase affinity by giving gifts the other person likes.

However, in the Aether World Online, after doing the opposite of what the other person likes, you can earn several times more affinity by doing something better next time.

Baek Yu-Seol didn't necessarily aim to build up Florin's affinity for dating, but he thought it was the best way to open her heart for conversation.

As Florin glanced at Baek Yu-Seol, who was sipping his iced coffee, she felt a strangely familiar scent wafting from him.

The energy of the Spirit Celestia?

Of course, that was there too.

But what was more important was...

"... I smell the same curse from you as I do from myself."

"Yes. You're right."

That was right.

The hellish scent of the curse, which Florin had quietly hidden in the deepest recesses until now, was also emanating from Baek Yu-Seol.

But it was strange.

Even though Baek Yu-Seol was walking around perfectly fine, people would fall for her and die from unrequited love.

"Have you... overcome that curse?"

Upon receiving that question, Baek Yu-Seol had a gut feeling that his assumption was correct.

'I think you don't even know that I was blessed by Yeonhong Chunsamweol?'

There were not many records of Florin-related stories in the Sentient Specs.

So, he tried to deduce various possibilities himself, one of which was the absence of Yeonhong Chunsamweol in Florin's memories.

"Hmm, well. If I overcome it, what about you..."

"Me... Is it really possible? How... Please, teach me too!"

The sight of her desperate and forlorn appearance as she tightly held her trembling hand and cautiously pleaded seemed urgent and pitiful, but in fact, Baek Yu-Seol himself had not completely overcome the curse.

Originally, when the Yeonhong Chunsamweol bestowed blessings upon Florin, it was so powerful that she likely failed to control it.

As a result, she received an excessively overwhelming power, akin to a curse, and yet when Baek Yu-Seol received the blessing, Yeonhong Chunsamweol had already weakened significantly, so he hardly received the power of fascination.

He merely acquired the ability to become mentally stronger and to perceive the opponent's psyche to some extent.

"Well, there is a way."

"Is it really possible?"

In truth, he didn't know well.

He only knew that it was possible to neutralize the curse by utilizing the protection of Yeonhong Chunsamweol.

It was vaguely recorded even in the Sentient Spec, so he couldn't know exactly what method to use.

Perhaps scenes of resolving curses were mostly skipped in the original game.

Nevertheless, the reason for lying was his confidence.

Baek Yu-Seol was confident that if he could use the protection of Yeonhong Chunsamweol possessed by him, he could somehow eliminate the curse.

Florin was barely an extra in the original game, but she was close to being a completely good character and her abilities were also remarkable, so it would be quite a waste to leave her as she was.

Since there was no guarantee that Edna would save her like in the original game, he had no choice but to try to solve it himself.

It was not common for an ordinary student to have the opportunity to confront the Elven King.

So, in this seized opportunity, drastic progress must be made.

"If it's not too impolite, could you... take off that mask?"

"Um, that's..."

Florin seemed hesitant, but they both already knew.

Her curse didn't affect Baek Yu-Seol at all.

Recalling the memory of their previous encounter, Florin slowly removed her veil, along with the other masks.

In summer, it would be hard to believe how she managed to wear several thick layers of masks, but as she removed them all, the first thing that poured out was her snowy white hair. They resembled snowflakes of the White Mountains.

Florin's golden eyes resembled the North Star. It had a shimmer of its own, and if one stared at them, they might feel like they were being sucked.

She possessed a beauty that surpassed what intelligent beings could accept.

However, she was cursed to hide her face at the far end of the world due to the Curse.

As Baek Yu-Seol saw her, he remained still as if his breath had stopped.

"... Ah, as expected, the curse is still..."

Seeing Baek Yu-Seol like that, Florin desperately tried to find an exit from the curse's influence, but he raised his hand to stop her.

"No, it seems fine."

"... Really?"

Even her cautious inquiry was beautiful.

"Yes, really."

The curse's influence was almost nonexistent.

However, the problem was that with such a face, cursed or not, it didn't matter.

Her face possessed a black hole-like power, and coupled with the Curse, it would probably be classified as an S-rank character in the original game.

The face could even cause massacre.

Just revealing that face would make people die one after another from infatuation.

What was even more frightening was that this appearance was still in a "neutral" state.

Neutral elves didn't exhibit distinct gender characteristics in areas like the shoulders, chest, waist, and pelvis.

Even though sexual attractiveness was almost nonexistent, if Florin were to undergo a transformation into a man later in line with the original game, it would be a bit scary.

Even an ordinary man might fall in love with another man.

"It's as I expected."

At the unexpected words from Baek Yu-Seol, Florin widened her eyes in surprise, and he spoke with a serious expression as if he had anticipated every situation.

"Not long ago, in the Divine Realm, I met Yeonhong Chunsamweol. And, I directly received her divine blessings."

"Ah... I see."

"However, Your Majesty also senses the same aura as me. That means... even Your Majesty has already received the blessings of Yeonhong Chunsamweol."

"... Really?"

It was heartbreaking to see Florin reacting in such a way.

The solution to the curse might indeed be closer than expected.

"The method is simple. Either Your Majesty retrieves the blessings received, or... if that's not possible, share it with me, who has already received the blessings."

"... I see. Since you've already found a way to overcome this curse."

But that was not it.

Nevertheless, he pretended to agree and remained silent, stroking his chin.

It looked believable.

"Hmm..."

Florin's fingertips trembled slightly, and her gaze shook noticeably.

It was a look of hope.

Although it couldn't be felt here, Florin's heart might be pounding roughly by now.

If what the boy in front of her said was true…

Now, she could confidently reveal her face and go outside into the world.

She no longer needed to relieve her frustration by secretly walking through the forest paths at dawn, as she had experienced in past nights.

She could confidently stroll through the heart of the city, engage in conversations with people freely, exchange sincere looks, and be loved by everyone like an ordinary person.

"Please... I want to lift this curse."

"I think the same. We can go right away if you want."

"No, that's not possible."

"Yes?"

Surprised by the unexpected rejection here, Baek Yu-Seol was a bit taken aback.

"Because that would only satisfy my personal desires. I didn't come here just for that reason. I wanted to apologize to you for what I've done wrong... and if time allows, I wanted to talk about my long-time friend with you."

"Ah."

Well, after all, it wasn't like she made the appointment just to ask about the curse.

In that respect, it was truly remarkable.

Despite being able to lift that hellish curse that she had suffered for centuries at any moment, the thoroughness with which she maintained her priorities, even to the point of seeming like a kind of obsession, was truly impressive.

If it were Baek Yu-Seol, he might have rushed out, dismissing everything else, and immediately resolved the curse.

Florin glanced at the clock on the wall and smiled softly.

There was no need to rush.

After all... Wasn't there a living witness who overcame the same curse, despite suffering from it just like her?

With the boy in front of her having a way to resolve this curse, what's the rush?

Undoubtedly, she would regret later for not cherishing the time she couldn't afford to lose now.

'So, let's take our time and enjoy my tea time with him leisurely.'

… Although she still disliked iced coffee.

With Baek Yu-Seol, however, she thought she might be able to enjoy it somewhat.

The room right next to the reception room served as a waiting area where attendants waited while their masters conversed.

Similarly, since Florin was in the reception room, the best magical knights to guard her were supposed to be waiting in the waiting room, thoroughly guarding the surroundings.

However, Florin sent them all away.

While taking off her mask inside, the curse could seep out and affect them.

For that reason, the waiting room had to be empty.

Except for one person.

Orenha was still there, waiting for Florin.

"..."

Tock! Tock!

He counted the time by tapping his finger on his thigh.

Despite a long time, they showed no sign of coming out.

It was irritating and frustrating, but he endured.

It was unlikely for the Elven King to suddenly fall for a teenage boy.

Her Majesty ordered him to "go back."

However, he didn't listen.

A man who actually goes back when a woman tells him to lacked charm.

Orenha, who had gone through several relationships as a disguise, boasted considerable knowledge about love, as he had been in love a few times for the sake of infiltration.

When Florin finished her private conversation with Baek Yu-Seol and came out, he would properly apologize and brief her on how to handle things in the future.

By doing so, he planned to prove his competence once again and lead her to trust and rely on him.

After all, because of that 'curse,' Florin couldn't freely move around outside.

'Your Majesty. You can't do anything without… me.'

No matter what mistakes he made, ultimately she had to entrust everything to him.

That was the fate decided.

Thinking so, Orenha endured the time of patience thoroughly.

Finally, around the time the evening fell completely.

Clack!

As the door opened, they walked out.

"Your Majesty!"

Orenha stood up with a bright face to greet the king.

Then, frozen in the same posture, his body stiffened.

'Huh?'

His queen... had taken off her mask.

The familiar yet rarely seen beautiful face.

She smiled warmly at the boy, but her expression stiffened when she saw him.

'Why?'

It was truly strange.

Even with Florin's face in front of him, another question arose in his mind.

'Why did Her Majesty show her bare face, which she had never shown to me, to a mere human?'

When jealousy filled his mind, he found himself unconsciously approaching her.

"Your Majesty, why..."

'Why did you show that beautiful face, smile, and affectionate gaze that you didn't even show me, to such a human being?'

With all those questions in mind, he reached out his hand.

".... Don't come any closer."

Florin said with a guarded expression, and stepped back.

"Ah...?"

Shocked, Orenha stopped for a moment.

Thud!

The world tilted, and he collapsed on the ground.

His vision was engulfed in darkness.

He could no longer... do anything.