Saving My Childhood Friend Through... Questionable Means... - Chapter 36
“Your Grace, we’ll accompany you.”
“No, you don’t need to come along.”
Sending the attendants away, Lucas decided to head to the sorcerer’s house with Seria alone. After all, the matter of his curse was only known to the house steward and Seria, so it was better to have no one else present.
“Whoa, steady.”
As Lucas mounted his horse, Seria looked up at him expectantly, hoping for something. Since she didn’t know how to ride a horse, she usually relied on carriages.
Maybe he’ll let me ride with him at the front?
But Lucas simply looked down at her blankly. After staring at her sparkling, hopeful eyes for a long moment, he finally spoke.
“What?”
“I don’t know how to ride a horse.”
Lucas glanced between his black stallion and Seria, a wave of nausea rising from the pressure of his elaborate scheme. With a grim expression, he answered curtly.
“Ride the donkey.”
Hearing this, Seria’s shoulders slumped. While the horse was too tall for her, there was a small donkey that perfectly matched her stature.
Of course, what else could she expect? Resigning herself, she climbed onto the donkey a servant had brought over. Seeing Lucas’s attitude, it was clear he didn’t view her as a woman, which left her feeling disheartened.
‘Don’t men usually ride with women they like? He doesn’t seem interested in me at all.’
Hiding her disappointment, Seria trailed behind Lucas on her donkey. They meandered through the back alleys of the capital, avoiding the bustling main streets, until they arrived at the sorcerer’s residence. Lucas’s expression grew increasingly dark, caught between worries about his plan and a twinge of guilt.
Misunderstanding his grim look, Seria gently reassured him, thinking he was simply nervous about the situation.
Contrary to her expectations of a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere, the sorcerer’s sitting room was bright and welcoming. While Seria sipped tea brought by an attendant, she observed the cheerful space. Soon, the sorcerer entered, dressed in light-colored clothes, and sat across from them.
The sorcerer made awkward eye contact with Seria and offered a strained smile.
‘What’s with him?’
Seria smiled awkwardly back, feeling the strange tension. The sorcerer’s hands shook as he lifted his tea, only to flinch and yelp when it was too hot.
“Oh dear, be careful,” Seria said sympathetically.
“Ah, what kind of tea is this, boiling hot…! Anyway, I’ve heard the story already. Shall we start by examining Your Grace’s condition?”
The sorcerer, trembling slightly, instructed Lucas to roll his eyes upward and stick out his tongue, then took his pulse. After a few moments, the sorcerer sighed and wiped the sweat dripping from his brow with a handkerchief.
Seria, noticing his hesitation, asked cautiously,
“How is he?”
“Well, um… a lot still needs to be done. Yes, the mark may be gone, but there’s… there’s still a lot of lingering bad energy inside.”
“What? But the sorcerer who came to the estate said it would be nearly resolved once the mark disappeared and promised to confirm it.”
“That’s the problem with sorcerers from rural areas… they tend to rely on outdated texts and don’t keep up with the latest findings. Sorcerers in the capital, with access to newer information, are better equipped to give accurate diagnoses.”
The sorcerer’s face glistened with sweat, making him look suspiciously like he might be cursed himself. His hands trembled as he hastily gulped down the rest of his tea, only to slam the cup and saucer onto the table so clumsily that it tipped over. However, he seemed too preoccupied to notice and continued wiping his sweat.
‘No wonder the house is so bright—it’s probably the only way he can keep himself from losing it entirely.’
In truth, the sorcerer was trembling because he had to tell outright lies. But Seria, unaware of the deception, couldn’t comprehend his strange behavior. As she glanced at Lucas with questioning eyes, she misinterpreted his tense expression.
‘He must be shocked to hear the curse isn’t fully gone. Well, it’s understandable.’
Feeling pity for him, Seria clicked her tongue softly and turned her gaze away, addressing the sorcerer again.
“So, to put it plainly, are you saying the curse hasn’t been fully lifted yet?”
“That’s… correct. A lot still needs to be done. Since it’s a sensitive matter, I’ll explain the details to His Grace privately.”
The sorcerer stammered nervously and wiped his sweat again. Lucas, who had remained silent, finally broke his silence with an unreadable smile as he locked eyes with Seria.
“Seria, could you wait outside for a moment? The sorcerer and I need to discuss something in private.”
“Huh? Oh, sure.”
Seria stood awkwardly, and the sorcerer nodded vigorously in agreement with Lucas’s request.
“Yes, yes, absolutely. I’ll explain everything to His Grace in detail.”
