Chapter 21: Herbalist

# Chapter 21: Herbalist

Curses are one of the most complicated things that exist. A curse is usually cast upon by Gods. Either because of the disgrace that your family did that as karma your child is cursed... Or that you did heinous things in your past life to deserve such curse yourself—At least, that is what they believe in.

However, only Gods could cast a curse on a mortal. In this world, nine Gods are widely known. While your affinity and abilities depend on what line of blood you are born, the Gods are the ones who can nourish and make your talents flourish through their divine blessings.

That's why...

‹ Perhaps the rumours about the Quiñones family involved in dark magics are true, › Analeigh silently thought to herself.

‹ But... I can't completely comprehend if this is a curse... It's complicated ›

Normally a cursed person just flickers a dark aura in their essence but intense dark emotions that she felt were unheard of, these two things shouldn't be present or the cursed one will not be able to survive these, not only that but because there was also something strange. Despite the darkness of the curse, there are moments when it almost seems to flicker with a contradictory light or essence, hinting at a duality within the curse itself.

‹ I may not be well-versed in curses, but even with my limited knowledge, I can sense that something deeply troubling lurks within this situation ›

Having no clue behind the cause, Analeight stopped her observations.

But as soon as she stopped looking through, she could feel her hands trembling and tears running down her cheeks.

"???"

Mary who was alerted asked, "Are you okay?"

However, the girl couldn't respond as she felt heavy emotions bursting in her.

‹ I shudder to think what could've befallen me had I lingered any longer... ›

She silently muttered under her breath when she experienced the repercussions of witnessing something otherworldly.

Slowly, "Yes... I'm alright, fortunately," Analeigh replied with a quivering voice.

Sitting on a chair she continued and gazed into Mary's eyes.

"Are you perhaps aware of what is your Young Lord going through?"

Mary who noticed the grave atmosphere furrowed her brows, "What do you mean?"

"Over the past years... Has anything happened to him?"

Once Analeigh posed her question, Mary's lips quivered. Observing this faint signal, the woman with red hair then extended her hand towards her tea, lightly tapping the rim of her cup.

"You see..."

But the maid quickly interrupted her, "Is he in danger?" Her eyes were now darker than before.

The redhead sensed a prickling sensation in her throat and a chilling tremor down her spine,

Instinctively, she knew that she needed to be careful of her words this time.

"Not in the immediate sense, no. It's more... complicated than that. It's not something that poses a direct harm to him or us, but it's grave and deeply mysterious."

Analeigh then crossed her legs while touching her chin, ‹ Let's not immediately assume it's a curse... Let's first learn the basics... Why is his essence incomplete? The void in him what and how did it happen? › she contemplated. Before continuing; "Has perhaps something happened to him...? Something traumatic I say..."

As she spoke those words, the maid just silently gazed into Analeigh's eyes.

"..."

...Silence...

The air thickened unexpectedly, its weight pressing down upon them, but the tension was swiftly shattered—

"Yes"

Mary, her voice now colder than ever.

Analeigh, Silently gulping her saliva, despite the intensity, continued.

"Could you spare me the details?"

Meanwhile, Arianna who was watching the intense interaction just quietly shut her mouth. Yet, when she heard something might have happened to Alfonso, it made her both curious and worried.

‹ I wonder what happened...? ›

She questioned inside her head, perhaps it could answer her questions of why the Quiñones were seen as evil, however, she suddenly noticed Mary looking at her.

"!!!"

Understanding the reason, she swiftly rose from her seat, murmuring, "I'll take my leave," as she offered a slight bow.

"..."

It was only once Arianna had left that Mary finally addressed Analeigh.

"Why?"

Twirling her fingers on her teacup, Analeigh carefully voiced out her words; "As I have mentioned, my primary concern is his well-being and swift recovery. Any information you provide will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for his healing."

Putting her tea aside, she continued; "Upon examining his essence, I've encountered something quite troubling."

She then gestured her left hand into a fist, "Alfonso's very core, his essence, harbours a deep void, an emptiness that shouldn't naturally exist. Alongside this void, there's a persistent dark aura, fluctuating with intense, negative emotions." Her fist glowed in green but the core was devoid of such. With a flick of her wrist, she released a cloud of dark particles into the air.

"Normally, such phenomena might hint at a curse, but it's the nature and cause of this void that puzzles me most. It suggests something—or someone—might have deliberately inflicted it. Can you think of any event, any trauma in his past that could have sparked such profound alterations in his essence?" She posed the question gently, her hands now still when her demonstration was finished.

Mary–with a furrowed brow, hearing her finally nod before speaking.

"It was five years ago..."

Having successfully nudged Mary into speaking, Analeigh allowed herself a quiet, inward sigh of triumph. Yet, she remained attentively focused, keenly aware that she couldn't squander this moment. It was crucial to forge a connection with them by positioning herself as their saviour.

While Mary hesitated for a moment, she soon collected her thoughts before speaking. "When the... incident occurred, I wasn't there by his side. I had been sent away to improve my skills, a task given with the intent of protecting the Quiñones family more effectively. But the irony of my absence at such a crucial time has not escaped me."

She looked down, her voice laced with regret. "All I was told upon my return was that Alfonso had been... attacked. The details were sparse, and I was led to believe it was a matter of physical assault. They said he had been locked up—beaten severely, reasons? They claimed it was rooted in envy of his appearance... As Alfonso was not a familiar face to the public... The assailants who laid eyes on him were unaware of his lineage as Antelmo's son."

Mary's gaze shifted, lost in the memory of her return. "I saw the aftermath in his eyes; not just the physical pain, but a deeper, more haunting shade of anguish. I tried to reach out, to provide him with the comfort and understanding he needed. But he... he pushed me away. It was as if he believed I had abandoned him, that I didn't care."

She paused, taking a deep breath to steady her voice. "Perhaps my failure to protect him in that moment, to even grasp the full extent of his suffering, has led him to misconstrue my absence as indifference. But nothing could be further from the truth."

After Mary had concluded, Analeigh offered her thoughts, "I believe we've found the trigger... It might be wise to delve into the location where it occurred."

Rising to her feet, she added, "What's lacking in his essence seems within the realm of human influence. Perhaps that incident is key to understanding how he lost a part of himself."

"A part of himself?" The maid repeated her brows furrowed even further.

"Yes... And it could have been the reason, the trigger of his constant negative emotions..."

"?"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━

Behind me, footsteps, and the sound of a window opening echoed.

Looking down, my gaze fell to the earth. Every part of me ached with a deep, piercing pain... A pain so profound that I could sense the unchecked tears streaming down my cheeks.

Yet, it was the foul odour that truly perturbed me.

‹ Am I naked? ›

The cold concrete beneath me sent chills through my very bones. Unbidden, my lips began to quiver and part.

"Wa...t...er"

I tried to move but couldn't, as if all my strength was drained.

And in a fleeting moment, even as my sight grew hazy, I could discern the slow seep of blood spreading beneath the shut door.

Behind the door were cries. However, their screams for help were abruptly silenced by the eerie melody of agony, echoing as if each note pierced through flesh like a dagger's cruel thrust.

–SPLATTER!

Gradually, their voice faded and the door slowly unfolded.

There, a man clad in armour emerged, his eyes filled with pity.

‹ Don't look at me... Please ›

The voice in my head shouted. No—more like... It sounded like a child. It wasn't my voice.

Gently, the man made his way towards me. As he wrapped his arms around me and lifted me, I began to wail.

"Aaahhhh!!!"

With my voice choked with tears, my mouth uttered hateful words.

"Disgusting... They're all... disgusting... Every... one of you..."

My sobs seemed to stretch into infinity afterwards, pouring out until tears could no longer form and my voice was rendered silent, too weary to even whisper.

Without me noticing it, my surroundings have changed and I'm now gazing into a window.

"Young Lord"

A familiar female voice called out to me. Yet I paid no heed to her.

"Young Lord, are you okay?"

Her question was filled with worry yet I couldn't help but find it hateful.

"..."

Slowly, I met her gaze with a troubled expression creasing my brow.

"Please, just be quiet!" I suddenly lashed out.

Tightening my fist.

"Why were you not there? I needed you!" My voice then cracked.

"Why didn't you come sooner? Mary?" Only then did my mouth let out a sob.

I attempted to close my eyes to stem the tide of tears, but even with my hands wiping them away, they continued to flow unabated.

Overwhelmed by rage, I erupted, hurling venomous curses at her from the depths of my being.

"I HATE YO—"

Just as the final word was on the brink of escaping my lips, a sudden burst of light flooded my vision, and...

An unfamiliar ceiling came into view above me. In stark contrast to moments before, I found I could now move my body freely.

‹ A dream...? ›

Slowly, I made myself sit straight.

"Alfonso!"Then a voice pierced my ears.

It was the same voice of the woman I had dreamed about. No... Was that even a dream? It felt too real.

In the midst of my thoughts, suddenly, I could feel the woman's embrace.

Her arms tightened around me.

As a result, I couldn't help but widen my eyes.

‹ What the... ›

In that moment, a wave of emotions washed over me, as if my heart momentarily danced with Alfonso's own feelings, embracing me with its tender embrace.

However,

Those emotions swiftly dissipated as I winced from the sudden pressure of her embrace, my body throbbing with pain, my injury, caused by the beast I have on my body.

"Ouch..."

I quietly whispered.

"I'm sorry My Lord"

In a panic, Mary separated herself from me.

"..."

Soon I asked, my gaze cold as ice.

"How are Christine, the little commoner, and Valentina?"

But at the sound of my voice, Mary fell silent, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Don't you care about your own well-being? About the injuries you sustained? I feared... I feared you were at death's door!"

Mary responded, her voice trembling.

"Your bones... they were shattered. It was beyond my comprehension how you clung to life in those moments. I understand your desire for change, but I beg you, please, take care of yourself!"

Her tone quivered as she let out a heartfelt cry, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I was beside myself with worry! Promise me you'll never put yourself in danger like that again!"

Her words struck a chord deep within me, causing my heart to skip a beat.

At that moment, I found myself lost in the depth of her gaze, a silent communion that spoke volumes. Unbidden, moisture gathered in my eyes, blurring the world around us.

It was then I understood, that my facade of indifference had shattered completely.

It was then that I noticed Mary's typically stoic expression crumble, replaced by a visage marked with concern and eyes swollen from tears.

I found myself questioning whether this maid, with her once indifferent gaze, was truly the same person I had known.

Because of it, the hatred I had been harbouring for her abruptly subsided as my heart grew weary.

My jaw then began to shake. Overcome by an irresistible urge, I found myself opening my mouth to speak to her, as if my body had taken command, beyond my ability to control it.

"I... I'm..."

Drip!

Drip!

Drip!

Each drops poignant punctuation to my words.

"I'm sorry..." I choked out, tears streaming down my cheeks in an unending cascade. The tumult of emotions raging within me left me utterly powerless.

"I thought... I thought you didn't... C—"

A hiccup interrupted my words, my mouth moving almost independently of my will. Only then did I realize that my lips were betraying my innermost thoughts?

Simultaneously,

|"Why didn't you come sooner? Mary?"|

The dreams I just had flashed before my eyes.

In a heartbeat, an onslaught of emotions tore through my heart anew.

Regret, hatred, remorse, a sense of being irreparably shattered, and disgust intertwined in a tumultuous dance.

My tears broke free, cascading down my cheeks as I wept over this singular memory, this profound loss.

I clenched my eyes shut, desperately wishing for the tears to cease, but to no avail. This body—Alfonso's emotions engulfed me completely, leaving me adrift in their intensity.

"It's not your fault. I only wish for you to prioritize your well-being."

At that moment, Mary's soft whisper calmed me a little yet...

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." I continued to apologize.

Consumed by the sudden burst of emotions, suddenly Mary hugged me again.

Her warm embrace tightened and calmed me little by little.

"It's okay my Lord."

Mary comforted me, but it was not enough to stop my tears.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Why was I even apologizing? It was so bizarre.

Yet, amidst the confusion, a poignant sentiment took root—a deep-seated regret, a gnawing sense that I had wronged, as if I had committed a sin.

‹ Is Alfonso apologizing for what he did? ›

I wondered silently, taken aback by the unexpected gesture.

I couldn't help but ponder if the dream I had glimpsed played a part in the growing distance between Mary and Alfonso.

‹ Just what the hell happened to Alfonso at that time? ›

I thought inwardly.

.

.

.

.

.

.

━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━

Outside, encircled by knights guarding the house, there stood a figure distinguished by her fiery red hair. Though small in stature, the girl with the crimson locks carried herself with a sense of maturity that seemed to contradict her youthful features.

A full day had elapsed since she began treating Alfonso.

"I was bracing for at least a week's toil... But this recovery, it's inhumanely fast, his body is beyond common sense... Is he a monster or something...?

No... Are the Quiñones born with such insane bodies that's why they became powerful?" Analeigh remarked, exhaling a plume of cigar smoke into the air.

The reason for her being outside was a brief respite to indulge in a smoke.

"I suppose the young one has already departed to assist her father..." she murmured under her breath, her thoughts drifting to Arianna.

When Mary had sent her away the previous day intending to discuss matters concerning Alfonso, the girl never returned. Mary, with a hint of concern creeping into her voice, inquired about her possible whereabouts. Analeigh suggested that she might have returned to help her father.

To her astonishment, the maid instructed the knights to search for Arianna. Mary's confidence in directing the knights highlighted her well-known loyalty to Alfonso and her deep understanding of his interests, likely lending her this unexpected authority. It seemed, perhaps, they trusted her judgment.

"I guess I was not mistaken that Arianna has taken the interest of a noble"

Shrugged Analeigh, before holding the pipe to her lips and inhaling deeply.

In the middle of her puff, a blonde girl approaching from a distance emerged. At her back knights were also following her.

‹ Another noble? What the hell... ›

The red hair coughed as she momentarily composed herself.

The scene that ensued was one of urgency, with knights swiftly encircling her house, their formation clearing a path for the noble girl's advance.

They parted respectfully as she moved forward.

Clad in a soft, sunlit yellow dress that accentuated her beauty, her golden locks cascading in a perfect complement to her attire.

Behind her was a maid, and when the noble finally halted from her steps.

"A child?"

She weakly whispered.

The soft voice of the blonde girl barely reached Analeigh's ears, though its feebleness didn't hinder Analeigh from catching every word. As a result, a twitch in her eyes occurred.

The blonde girl then continued, shrugging her earlier thoughts away.

"I'm here to check Alfonso's condition"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.