News that the demon dragon would soon revive spread throughout the empire. Each nation was selecting Sword Masters and those who could serve as military strength. 

Since the demon dragon was so powerful, it could become a prolonged battle, so resources were needed. They had to choose merchant guilds to receive support for magical supplies and food.

“The Asnel family is participating too.”

“Not as mercenaries, right?”

“Of course not. We’ve agreed to provide ample supplies.”

People continued their daily lives in fear of the news that the demon dragon would revive. 

Historical records showed that when the demon dragon revived, even regions far from the sealing site suffered damage. So everyone feared the demon dragon’s awakening.

“Are you reading the diary well?”

“Of course.”

I’d read the diary countless times. What hadn’t the Dragon Lord told me? 

Perhaps the diary itself could be a clue. The diary contained her daily life before she became a demon dragon. It was obvious a greedy human had approached her, yet seeing her happy without knowing this made my heart ache. 

The diary was tattered, seemingly read many times by someone. It didn’t seem like the Dragon Lord had read it though.

“I asked His Majesty the Emperor to tell us more about what he knows regarding the Zieten family.”

“Really?”

“Of course. It seems you’re not the only one who’s tried to break the Zieten family’s curse over the long years.”

Come to think of it, the Dragon Lord hadn’t told me about people who’d come to break the curse before. She only said that those who loved Duke Zieten ended unhappily. What truth hadn’t she told me?

I hugged my father tightly.

“Please.”

“Don’t worry.”

Looking at my affectionate father’s eyes, I prayed Fazel was doing well. Thinking of him, always cold because of the curse, made my heart ache. Letters no longer came. 

Instead, Suran and Trean periodically visited to tell me news of him. Fortunately, it seemed nothing major had happened yet. I wanted to quickly break the curse and meet him.

* * *

Taras and Kaisiel were drinking tea. Taras was the previous emperor’s illegitimate child. Since he was far removed from succession rights, he survived the previous emperor’s purge. 

He renounced succession rights himself and obtained the position of Grand Duke. By becoming Kaisiel’s loyal subordinate and earning many merits, he came to stand at the center of power.

Taras always guarded his surroundings. He didn’t have private audiences with the Emperor to share tea. Yet this time, he requested a private audience with Kaisiel.

“What brings you to me?”

Kaisiel asked Taras curiously. He wondered why his brother, who had no desires or ambitions, had come.

“I heard Louelle is running around trying to break the curse.”

“That’s right. I even gave her a small gift.”

“You haven’t given her everything.”

Kaisiel closed his mouth for a moment.

“Did Esran ask?”

Taras nodded.

“He’s asking for a bit more information.”

“My, I already gave some.”

“If you help break the curse, Count Asnel’s family will never forget His Majesty the Emperor’s grace and will remain loyal for generations.”

At Taras’s words, Kaisiel hesitated briefly.

“I didn’t tell her everything because it felt like taking away Louelle’s hope.”

Taras shook his head.

“Knowing but staying silent is more cruel.”

“That may be so. But if she knows the contents, she might despair.”

Taras could say this because he didn’t know the contents.

“Still, the current Louelle needs it.”

“That’s true.”

Taras wasn’t the only one who said this. Garen and Solestin also said to step forward if they could help Louelle. However, help could instead become something that took away hope.

Kaisiel recalled Fazel. He was a boy who stepped forward directly toward Louelle and spoke courageously. He hoped the boy still held that heart.

“Alright.”

Someday Louelle would learn too. Because the method to break the curse was surprisingly simple. If he told her, she’d move into action more quickly. He smiled and nodded.

“I’ll tell Louelle.”

Kaisiel decided to show Louelle one of the imperial secrets he’d been hiding all this time.

* * *

I looked at the diary.

As expected, it seems to be that method. After seeing the diary, I vaguely understood how to break the curse. 

But because it was such an easy method, I kept thinking, “Surely it can’t be this method.” It would be nice if I could at least discuss it with Fazel.

However, the period I could meet Fazel while avoiding the curse was only one week. So I had to be careful. 

I finished today’s tasks while pondering deeply about how to break the curse. It was frustrating not being able to confirm if this method was correct.

“Louelle, what are you doing?”

The door opened and Father entered. He’d gone to the capital because His Majesty the Emperor summoned him, but he returned surprisingly quickly.

“I was working.”

“Lord duties?”

“I finished those, this is personal.”

“Personal matters must be related to Fazel.”

At Father’s words, I smiled brightly.

“I think I’ve figured out how to break the curse.”

“I see.”

The Dragon Lord had told me the method. Since this happened because a human coveted a Dragon’s power, I just had to return the power to the demon dragon. But because it was such an easy method, I thought it couldn’t be right!

Then Father held out a document.

“What’s this?”

“It contains letters left by women who tried to break the Zieten curse.”

“Oh, such a precious thing!”

There might be a way to confirm if the method I thought of was correct.

“Have you read it, Father?”

“Of course.”

Father stroked my head.

“Whatever choice you make, I’m on your side.”

These words suddenly made me anxious. I quickly took out the documents Father gave me and read them. I read all the letters right there and started writing a letter. 

It was a letter to send to Fazel.

* * *

Fazel was in a room full of cold energy. Though it was summer, he wore long sleeves and even a coat. The cold energy that seeped into his bones was agonizing.

Louelle. He looked at the gifts Louelle had sent. Because they were words written by his lovely her, they were all precious. He couldn’t write replies. But he could still read these letters.

Occasionally he felt the urge to burn the letters, but he could still endure it. He already knew. 

When the curse grew stronger, he would burn the letters too. Louelle would understand. But Fazel himself couldn’t allow such a thing.

Louelle had returned from meeting the Dragon Lord. What results had come from that meeting? 

On days when the cold energy grew stronger, he missed Louelle. He briefly lifted his teacup and drank hot tea. This was only temporary—the cold energy returned again.

The door opened and Ollos entered. Behind him was Esran. Louelle had sent news. Fazel jumped up.

“It’s been a while.”

Fazel nodded.

“Did Louelle send a letter?”

“That’s right.”

Esran sat in the seat across from Fazel. He gave Fazel the documents received from the imperial family and Louelle’s letter.

“What is this?”

“Documents containing the method to break the curse.”

“Good heavens.”

“The imperial family kept them secretly.”

Esran looked at Fazel.

“They say the opportunity to break the curse comes when the seal is released.”

“Then!”

“The opportunity is only now.”

At Esran’s words, Fazel felt relieved. He was so grateful to Louelle for finding a way to break the curse.

“Louelle has the demon dragon’s diary, so she can meet with you for about a week. So she’s decided to participate in the demon dragon subjugation.”

“The demon dragon subjugation can’t be done in just a week!”

Thinking something was up, Fazel read the documents and Louelle’s letter. After reading, Fazel made an expression of disbelief.

“It was possible with this method?”

The method to break the curse was simple. The Zieten ducal family’s power belonged to the Dragon. The family head just had to return it to the demon dragon by their own will. 

Those who loved Duke Zieten discovered this.

However, when the demon dragon awakened, the Zieten Dukes knew this fact but didn’t return the power to the demon dragon and sealed it again.

“Why didn’t they return the power at the end? If they’d just done that, there would be no suffering.”

“The reason is unknown. So the women either left Duke Zieten’s side or stayed by their side living in pain.”

“Good heavens.”

Fazel’s eyes wavered.

“Fazel, what will you do? Will you return the Zieten ducal family’s power?”

Fazel spoke without hesitation.

“It’s power that wasn’t originally human. The more I use it, the harder it will be to handle.”

“Fazel.”

“I just want to escape the curse and return to the time I was with Louelle.”

Fazel stroked Louelle’s letter with his hand.

“I must end this while I can still read this letter peacefully.”

The curse grew stronger gradually.

“I’ll escape this damned family.”

Fazel stated firmly. Esran smiled.

“If you give up the power, you might become an ordinary human?”

“Then I can become Louelle’s husband.”

Whether ordinary or not didn’t matter. He could do anything to be by her side. Esran nodded, pleased with Fazel’s answer.

* * *

The sweltering summer ended. Rumors circulated that the demon dragon’s seal would break in autumn. The empire announced that Sword Masters Caslan and Fazel would step forward. 

However, it was the smallest scale subjugation force in history. People guessed the reason was because two Sword Masters were participating this time.

The mages observing the sealing site predicted the demon dragon would awaken within two weeks. Louelle tied her hair tightly.

“I’ll be back!”

Louelle told Esran. Since she would participate in the demon beast subjugation force representing Asnel territory, she packed necessary items. 

Of course, the diary the demon dragon wrote was essential.

Esran pulled Louelle into a tight embrace.

“Have a safe trip.”

“Yes!”

The end of the original work approaches. Though she didn’t know she’d be part of this moment.

‘It mustn’t end in tragedy.’

Louelle moved to rewrite fate.