CHAPTER 13 "DIVINE STRENGTH" (2)

Since I had finished all my classes faster than anticipated, my afternoon was relatively free. I decided to return to the bedroom for a short rest before making my way to the library. A group of maids accompanied me. Immediately after arriving at my destination, I headed straight to a row of bookcases at the center of the library. I was determined to continue my search for information about curses.

"Ah," I sighed helplessly.

The book I wanted to read was located on an upper shelf that was too far for me to grab easily. I silently stared up at it and wondered what I could do.

I think I can reach it if I tiptoe a little, or maybe I can find something to climb on.

I steadied myself against the bookshelf as I carefully balanced on the very tips of my toes, reaching as far as I could toward the book. Unfortunately, the distance between me and my target was still too far. Again, I stretched my arms as high up as I could manage, but my efforts still failed to yield any success.

I can't reach it. Let's see if I can find a ladder or stool to step on.

At that moment, I felt a cool breeze blow past me from somewhere. The wind seemed to pull free the exact title I was looking at and gently placed it in my hands. I stared blankly at the book.

Is this magic?

I turned my head reflexively at the familiar silhouette that appeared beside me. It was Kyle. He scanned me with his signature, taciturn gaze, and then he took a gander at the book I was holding.

"… Archduke?" I blinked.

His sudden presence had caught me by surprise. I struggled for a brief moment to figure out what to say.

"Before you ask me what I'm doing here," I warned, "I'm letting you know that I'm not skipping my afternoon lessons. I already finished them in the morning."

"I know," he responded curtly.

"How do you know? Ah, Jean told you?"

"Yes."

An awkward silence fell between us. His golden eyes turned to me again. I sensed a strange expression swirling deep in his irises, but I wasn't sure what it meant. To keep the mood between us going, I decided to switch the conversation topic.

"What brings you here?"

"Is there something weird about me visiting my own library?"

"… No, I was just curious," I replied.

Incidentally, I noticed something very uncharacteristic of our interactions.

"By the way," I added, "you're not ordering me to not talk to you today."

"Well," he quipped, "even if I ordered you not to, won't you just ignore it and still talk to me, anyway?"

That's true.

Still, I felt the atmosphere between us was not the same as before. His brusque manner of speaking remained as always, but I could sense that something about the way he treated me had changed.

Is it because he's not ordering me around anymore?

I felt compelled to continue the conversation, so I curiously voiced my thoughts.

"But why are you staring at me like that?" I asked. "Do you have anything you want to say to me?"

Instead of answering my questions, Kyle lowered his gaze to the book I held.

Oh, I think I understand what he's trying to say.

Jean had probably visited his office after I finished all my scheduled lessons early. He must have suggested Kyle accompany me during my free time. It was evident that he only came here to stop Jean's whining. I set my book down on a nearby desk.

"I can read later… Um, Archduke, did you by chance come here so we could take a stroll together?

"…"

Gotcha.

Jean must have been extremely annoying if Kyle decided that being in my presence was better than listening to the butler's nagging. I approached the Archduke and gently nudged him forward.

"Isn't that right? Let's go, then."

"Don't come near me."

This guy was unbelievable. He came here to accompany me, yet now he's ordering me to stay away from him. Was I an insect that he was trying to avoid or something? I simply ignored his rejection and continued to urge him forward. Eventually, he begrudgingly complied, and we departed the library together.

****

Our stroll led us through the mansion and then outside to the gardens. Kyle walked quickly ahead of me, but his strides were not so fast that I could not follow. We maintained this pace for a while.

But this isn't right. This can hardly be considered taking a stroll together since we're not even walking next to each other.

I grabbed the hem of my dress and quickened my steps. My skirt became crumpled from the extra exertion, but that didn't matter to me. I managed to narrow the distance between us, though not enough.

"Wait for me, Archduke!" I shouted, nearly out of breath.

"Stay away from me," he ordered.

"No, I should stay close to you. You walk too fast! Please walk slower."

My predicament was made more uncomfortable by the heavy dress I wore. Besides, I was beginning to fear that I would break my heels at this rate.

"Why should I slow my pace for you?"

There was not a trace of empathy in his voice. He seemed to briefly contemplate my words, because for a fleeting moment he did match his pace with mine. But then he just as quickly resumed the same speed he had before. Yet again, he had ignored my request.

I'm utterly pissed.

"Ah…" he sighed. "It's a bother to wait for you." His offhanded statement left me speechless.

Ahead of us, there was a nameless, violet wildflower blooming by the side of the road. Before I could appreciate it any further, Kyle suddenly trampled the flower in his haste without a moment's hesitation. As he walked further, he approached a patch containing more of those wildflowers before destroying most of them, too. The sight of so many lovely flowers dying was pitiful. A thick, red fluid resembling blood seeped from their broken stems.

Is this the dragon's curse dominating Kyle's behavior right now?

My chest filled with remorse for both Kyle and the flowers. I stopped to kneel before the mess of bruised petals and stems and reached my arms toward them. A gentle light radiated from my hand. I could feel a sense of warmth enveloping my entire body. Slowly, the crimson liquid dissipated, and the crumpled petals and torn leaves regained their lushness. Before long, the flowers returned to their original form before they were crushed. Their recovery was so impressive that if someone told me the flowers had been previously trampled, I would have called them a liar.

"What are you doing?"

Out of nowhere, a low voice interrupted my thoughts. I raised my head and saw Kyle studying me.

"Don't you see what I am doing?" I shot the question back at him.

He paused.

"You must have a divine strength."

Only

"Ah, yes, I think so."

I gave him an ambiguous answer, but I knew for certain that this body possessed divine strength. No other power was capable of restoring damaged objects to a previous state.

I remember writing about this set-up.

Riddel Spencer had the ability to turn back time, though there was a limit to her power. She could not reverse the time or the effects of death on a human, among other various constraints and consequences. In the original story, Riddel had discovered her power much later, but I was able to make use of it in advance because I already knew about its existence.

"Why are you using your power to save those things? Do you think it's worth it?"

My body trembled at his icy tone. I let out a breath that I hadn't been aware I was holding. The stronger the curse affected him, the more Kyle's irises shifted from gold to red. At this moment, his eyes blazed wildly like flames.

I think my actions must have somehow stoked his curse.

My head ached as I tried to figure out a way to remedy the situation, but I calmed after remembering the original story.