Just as she was about to become anxious, not knowing where Seiden was going, Bellota’s steps came to a sudden halt after crossing through one more thicket.

“……”

As Seiden, who had stopped walking alongside her, glanced at Bellota, he saw her surprised expression in the suddenly brightened view.

“Oh my……”

A deeply impressed exclamation escaped from between her lips. Bellota slowly covered her mouth, unable to take her eyes off the forest that was dazzlingly sparkling with fireflies everywhere. It was as if a full moon had been broken into pieces and scattered over the wild grass. When several fireflies flew around the two of them, Bellota smiled happily.

“It’s so beautiful.”

Her quiet voice was filled with overwhelming happiness. At that voice, Seiden’s eyes, which had been slightly tense until then, softly settled.

His final gift for Bellota today had been successful. Seiden desperately hoped that Bellota would remember today forever. Just as he would forever remember this day that was too good for him.

“How did you know about a place like this?”

Bellota turned to Seiden and asked curiously.

Since becoming a saintess and coming to the capital, Bellota had never seen fireflies. Of course, even before that, she couldn’t see them directly with her two eyes since she couldn’t see, so it would be fair to say she had never seen such a sight before.

“It’s the commander’s privilege.”

When Seiden answered brazenly, Bellota lowered her head and laughed. But soon she busily moved her gaze again to take in that enchanting scenery.

Seiden, showing no interest in the fireflies, only looked at Bellota, who was looking around the forest with an impressed face. Bellota was beautiful, standing in the constantly sparkling forest with a smile. Anyone who saw that smile would be certain. That this woman had the purest, cleanest, and most innocent soul of all.

After hesitating briefly while looking at her, Seiden slowly moved his lips.

“About my slip of tongue during the first full moon……”

At Seiden’s low voice, Bellota’s gaze, which had been watching the fireflies floating in front of her, turned to him.

“I apologize.”

Bellota blinked in surprise.

“I was presumptuous.”

Soon Bellota understood what Seiden was talking about. Seiden continued his confession while steadily looking into her trembling eyes.

“I heard from Father Felton. About how you survived the first full moon.”

At those words, Bellota’s cheeks also turned slightly red. As the memory of her first time with Seiden, which had been dizzyingly frightening for a moment, flashed through her mind, heat rose to Bellota’s throat. When she realized that Seiden already knew the fact she had deliberately not mentioned, somehow, Bellota’s fingertips tensely clenched.

Like he said, that night when Seiden had burst in had been Bellota’s first time. She also remembered what Seiden had said to her that day, but those memories were intermittent and disconnected due to the curse’s influence. Her reason had also completely flown away as she faced a proper curse for the first time, making it impossible to remember all his words.

All she could remember was the fierce ecstasy wavering in his eyes, his touch that was rough yet preciously caressed her body, and the lust that frighteningly overwhelmed her body. It was she who had held onto Seiden, having fallen to that intense desire. Bellota knew that if she hadn’t held onto him, Seiden wouldn’t have taken her that night.

A slow silence flowed between the two.

“……”

Seiden swallowed a sigh as he stared at Bellota, whose neck was now flushed red with heat.

Although it was regrettable to ruin the mood by bringing up such words at a time like this, he didn’t regret it because it was something he had to convey someday. He couldn’t help it even if Bellota came to hate him again. Perhaps he was beyond salvation, still thinking it fortunate that he was Bellota’s first man even after committing such an act.

Just as Seiden’s gaze was slowly dropping with these pathetic thoughts, Bellota finally answered,

“I’ll forgive you.”

Her voice was as soft as the wild grass swaying beneath their feet. At these unexpected words, Seiden’s gaze returned to her. She was looking at Seiden with a fresh face, as if she had truly erased all of that.

“In exchange for showing me this spectacular view.”

At Bellota’s joke, a faint laugh like a sigh escaped from between Seiden’s lips. Nevertheless, Seiden’s somewhat earnest gaze didn’t leave her. An almost painful impulse was rising up his throat. Inside him, the urge to kiss the woman before him fought a fierce battle with his barely remaining reason.

If only time would stop like this. Soon they would return to the Grand Temple, and when today passes and tomorrow dawns, this moment would scatter like an unreal dream. He knew this might be a moment that would never come again. Perhaps this was the last chance to reveal everything. It was the moment when Seiden, suddenly overwhelmed by intense emotion, hesitated as he moved his dry lips.

“Aaagh!”

Because of the pain-filled scream that came from beyond the thicket where the two were standing, all of Seiden’s worries and resolve shattered without a trace. The two’s hardened gazes immediately turned toward where the sound came from. The scream was so piercing that even the fireflies seemed to stop moving for a moment.

Naturally, the romantic atmosphere that had been flowing gently around the two also scattered sharply. As both held their breath simultaneously and listened, another faint scream was heard.

“Ah……”

It was a thin woman’s moan. When Bellota grabbed Seiden’s arm and made a gesture with her eyes, Seiden nodded and took the lead. The two approached where the scream had come from, keeping their breathing very low.

As they got closer to the thick bushes, faint panting grew louder. Seiden put Bellota behind him and peeked through the gap in the bushes. He had planned to rush out and subdue the person if someone was threatening a woman, but what entered Seiden’s view was completely unexpected.

“……”

When Seiden remained frozen after seeing something, Bellota couldn’t resist and approached his side to look at what he was seeing. Then she saw a woman sitting on a magic circle drawn with blood, trembling as she held her bleeding hand. The blood flowing from her was being absorbed into the magic circle.

Seiden slowly turned his gaze to carefully examine everything around. The magic circle where the woman sat seemed to be drawn with the blood of freshly killed chickens, as dead chickens were scattered around it. White candles were arranged in a circle above the magic circle, and finally, a man was watching the scene with a worried face. Both Bellota and Seiden knew what such an act meant. It was related to a curse.

After trembling face down for a long while, the woman slowly raised herself, blew out the candles around her with her mouth, and weakly stood up. When Bellota finally saw the woman’s face, her eyes opened wide. The woman was Countess Margaret.

“……”

Seiden also knew Lady Margaret well. She was a devout believer of the Grand Temple who had become a widow right after marriage and filled that void with service and devotion. To think such a woman was performing a curse ritual in a place like this.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

Bellota also recognized the man supporting Lady Margaret as the butler who always followed and assisted her. The thin woman around her forties leaned her tired body against the butler and shook her head.

“I’m not alright. It feels like my lifespan is being cut away every time I do this.”

“Perhaps we should look for another way……”

At this, Lady Margaret immediately became sensitive and sharply retorted.

“No! There is no other way, don’t you understand yet? The only way to break this curse is the method written in that book!”

At those words, Seiden and Bellota’s eyes, who had been holding their breath, hardened. A book? Seiden unconsciously turned his head sharply and stared intensely at the angry Lady Margaret.

Lady Margaret repeated with a face that seemed about to cry.

“The only way to break this curse is the method written in the book created by the demons……”

The end of her desperate voice broke faintly. A book created by demons. At that clear and obvious explanation, Seiden and Bellota’s shallow breaths stopped completely.

Lady Margaret exhaled a painful breath, leaning against the butler as if she had no strength left to speak.

“I understand. I was wrong to think that way, please don’t be angry. You will be alright, my lady.”

The butler gently comforted the sensitive and pitiful lady.

“But I don’t know how long I have to repeat this……”

“Didn’t that person tell you?”

That person? Seiden’s eyes narrowed sensitively.

Lady Margaret weakly shook her head.

“Even that person doesn’t know anything beyond what the book instructs. The book only said to repeat until all the candles go out by themselves. Still, if it weren’t for that person, I would have eventually died possessed by this curse, never to receive God’s forgiveness again……”