Chapter 10: Lifting the Curse

"This is... What is this?" Luna asked with a shocked voice.

Wei glances at Gear. He didn't say anything. Wei looks back at Luna, "It's a sealing spell."

"Sealing? By using the head of the Princess we killed?" Luna wasn't sure if she should be more in shock or in horror.

Wei nods at her. Although she knew that they were doing something with their heads, she didn't think it would be for something like this. Wei told her she could go and take a look around if she wants. Luna did as she was told and walked around. She saw the first head Gear lopped off when he first took her in.

Wei looked back at Gear again, "Is it alright to tell her, Gear?"

Gear looks at Luna who was overwhelmed by the scene before her. A small smile formed on his lip. This shocked Wei greatly.

"Gear?" said Wei, "Are you alright?"

Gear looks at him, "Why do you ask?"

He folded his arm together, "...You just look... Different."

"Different?"

Wei sighs out, "I'm not sure if that's for better or worse but, is it wise to let that child see all of this?"

Gear was silent for a whole before giving him his answer.

"...it should be."

Wei's eyes widened at his words, "Should be? Gear, do you know what you're saying?"

Gear looks at Wei who has a very concerned expression. Wei gave out a sigh, "My friend... You don't even know who she is, or where she came from. She was just a dying child you picked up from the road."

"I know."

"You know? Are you certain?" Wei asked, "You take her on your hunts, tell her about killing those princesses and now here. Gear, I ask you again. Are you sure she should know all of this?"

Gear looks back at Luna who was still wandering around the labyrinth. He thinks back to when he first encountered her. A young small child that was beaten black and blue. Her arm and leg were broken and she was close to dying due to the beating and the cold air.

What Gear can't remember was if he was the one who reached out to her first or if she was the one who reached out to him.

Wei set out tea and snacks for Luna and Gear. As Luna ate the snack, Wei sipped in the tea. Gear grabs a few snacks to eat as well.

"So? What was it that you wanted to discuss?" Wei asked.

"...I need you to lift the forgetting curse on me," Gear asked.

Wei chokes on his tea, "W-what?!"

"Forgetting curse?" said Luna.

Wei while holding his mouth with a handkerchief, "If I may ask, why?"

Gear sips in more tea, "It's inconvenient."

One of Wei's eyebrows raises up, "Inconvenience? ...Gear, you..."

He glances at Luna who was listening to the whole conversation. Gear patted her shoulder, "It's fine."

Wei sighs, "...Fine. Gear, she cast that on you for a good reason. And you want to get rid of it because it's inconvenient?"

Gear nods, "I know she did it out of her good will, but if I keep forgetting while killing them... It will just become more inconvenient and harder for me."

Wei stares at him then at Luna, "For you or for someone else?"

Gear looks at Wei with a firm expression, "For me."

Wei rubs his forehead, "...Gear. I don't mind removing the curse but... You do remember what she told you right? If we remove it by force when it can just dissolve by itself, you will lose half of your life."

Luna jumps out of her seat, "What?!"

Gear pulls Luna back down. She looks at him, "If it's that dangerous then just leave it alone! What's the point of removing the curse if you'll lose your life in return!"

"Because if we keep going like this, sooner or later we will lose our life," Gear answered.

"But Wei just said that the curse will dissolve itself," said Luna, "We can just wait until then."

"Luna."

Luna grabs his shirt and lifts it up, "It's already at 51, we just need to kill a few more! Who knows maybe at 49 you'll stop losing your memory."

"I cannot gamble our life on that," said Gear.

"And I don't want you to die!" Luna screamed out.

Both Wei and Gear were shocked at her voice. Luna's whole body started to tremble as tears fell from her eyes. Gear flinches at her action.

"L-luna...?"

She glares at him, "Don't take your life so lightly!"

Gear realized why she was getting so angry and anxious at him. She was still blaming herself when she stabbed him. It took him a week to be fully healed. And during that time, he was running on a high fever and the bleeding wouldn't stop.

Luna was scared out of wits and begged him not to die. She didn't have anyone else but him. She held his hand day and night until he recovered. Gear patted her head with a small smile.

"Okay... If that's what you want, I won't have it lift," said Gear.

Luna was still crying stubbornly. She wasn't convinced at what he said to her. Gear sighs as he turns to Wei, "Never mind."

<...Never mind? Did he seriously just said that me?>

"There," said Gear, "I told him so there won't be any curse lifting. Alright?"

Luna hugs him with her small body as she nods. He patted her small little head. If Wei didn't know who they were, he would see this as a daughter scolding her father. He sighs out at them.

Luna grabs a few tissues and wipes away her tears. Gear headed out of the room to use the restroom, leaving Wei and Luna alone. There was silence between them as they had no idea what to talk about.

Luna suddenly said, "That was unbecoming of me... Could you please forget about it?"

Wei chuckles at her, "How so? You were mad at him for taking his life lightly weren't you? It was right of you to be mad at him."

Luna sniffled, "But to cry like that when I'm already this old... It's embarrassing..."

Wei chuckles at her again, "You are still a child. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Hmph..."

Wei smiles at her, "...I was suspicious about you at first, but you seem to be an okay person."

"...?"

"You look like you have no idea what I am talking about," said Wei, "How much did Gear tell you about his Princess hunt?"

"Not much," said Luna, "He only said that it needs to be done for the sake of the world."

"And nothing else?" Wei asked.

"Nothing else," Luna answered.

"Hmmm..." he stares at her, "Would you like to know more about why he does it?"