## Chapter 656 – 656. The Plum Blossom Swordsman Reincarnated Into The Baek Family
I smiled faintly, put my arm around her shoulder, and brought my face closer. I could hear her breathing.
“Yuria. Are you angry?”
“…I….”
Yuria opened her mouth. I could feel her hesitation. She never lied to me, not even about trivial things.
“…Yes. I’m angry. I’m angry at myself for not protecting Master.”
It was unavoidable. There was nothing she could do. Saying such things would only be disrespectful to her. Even if I didn’t say anything, she was already reflecting on it herself.
I used the hand that was around her shoulder to grab and hold her cheeks and chin.
“Show me your angry face.”
“…Yes?”
Yuria was slightly flustered. But she quickly composed herself and made an angry expression as I had asked. Her brows narrowed, her blue eyes filled with tension, and her pink lips were tightly pursed. It was a tempting expression.
Yuria’s and my faces got closer and closer. It was Floy who stopped me from kissing her.
“My lord. Now is not the time for that! Look at your condition! You are currently cursed. The white leaves should be used on you!”
“What are you talking about, Floy? I’m not cursed?”
“Nonsense. Just look at your skin… Huh?!”
Floy’s one eye widened. The symptoms of the curse on my body had disappeared as if it were a lie. My body wasn’t trembling, and the blue spots were gone. My complexion was obvious. I must look as refreshed as if I had just woken up.
“W-well, you’re fine. Did I see wrong…? That can’t be…”
“I’ll explain later. Let’s go back. We also know that the curse is from a demon….”
On the way back, I yelled at Zerdin and Berol to forget what they had seen today. I didn’t know what variables might occur if rumors about the demon spread.
On the way back, that guy appeared again. He was flapping his black robe in the sky and letting out an eerie laugh.
“Kuhuhuhu.”
Yuria used magic. Four blue magic circles surrounded his body. It seemed that Yuria intended to restrain the demon. But the demon passed through the magic circles without any problem and flew towards Yuria. Perhaps he was aiming for me, who was right next to Yuria.
“Foolish thing!”
Shadows rose from the ground like hot spring water, grabbed the demon, and pulled him to the ground. The demon turned into smoke and disappeared. Yuria glared at the place where the demon had been, as if she didn’t like it, and said.
“…It’s not the main body. It seems to be a temporary manifestation of the curse.”
“Can you track it?”
“There is not enough information. It is impossible to track it right now.”
“Then that’s fine.”
I was a little pissed, but I didn’t want to wander around the Harleng Mountains to catch one demon. I wanted to go back to the inn quickly and play naked with Yuria and the other maids.
But the demon’s curse appeared again.
“Ehehehehe.”
Yuria tried to grab the curse, but failed. Physical attacks didn’t work at all, and the best she could do was crush it with the high mass of magic.
“It’s a troublesome curse.”
Yuria rarely showed annoyance. It seemed that unresolved anger was building up in her heart. I kissed her lightly to relieve her anger.
“Eung….”
Yuria’s mood improved.
After that, we were attacked by the curse several times before returning to the city. There were no more attacks from the curse.
“No matter how much I think about it, it’s strange. Why did the curse target me?”
“The curse wasn’t targeting Master.”
“……Ah.”
I looked at Zerdin. He was startled by my gaze and jumped in place.
“It wasn’t me, it was targeting you.”
“M-me?!”
“Your father and Baron Nellooman were cursed. Don’t you feel anything strange?”
“…They are all my allies.”
“As you said before, it’s highly likely that your younger sister cast the curse.”
“You said that the curse was the power of a demon… Could it be that my younger sister made a contract with a demon?!”
“Maybe. Or maybe your younger sister’s subordinate made a contract with a demon.”
“That crazy bitch….”
Zerdin trembled with fear.
We arrived at Baron Nellooman’s mansion.
The head butler ground the white leaves and put them into Baron Nellooman’s mouth. The curse that had been tormenting Baron Nellooman disappeared. Nellooman’s complexion improved. The chills stopped, and the blue spots that had covered his skin disappeared.
Nellooman, who had jumped out of bed, hugged Zerdin.
“Zerdin! Oh! My brother! Thank you! Zerdin! If it weren’t for you, I would have…!”
“Nellooman! It’s only natural for me to do this as your brother!”
They showed off their brotherly love. It was a scene that made me want to throw up. They weren’t even real brothers, just cousins.
“Nellooman! I need your help. Diona is currently in control of the Hisfield Gate! The vassals of Hisfield are being swayed by Diona! My father and you were cursed because of Diona. It’s a trick by Diona to get rid of me, to drive me out of the Hisfield family! Nellooman! If you support me, if you go to Hisfield with me, we can fix everything again!”
Zerdin was giving a passionate speech. It was all prepared. I had personally heard him memorize those words before coming here.
Nellooman, who had been waiting for the day he would die from the curse, gritted his teeth.
“Of course, I’ll support you! Diona! I knew she was an ominous woman from the beginning! Zerdin, I’ll help you!”
Zerdin was his cousin and the savior of his life. If Zerdin became the head of Hisfield, Nellooman would gain a lot of benefits.
Their interests quickly aligned.
Nellooman led his knights and soldiers and headed to the Hisfield Gate with Zerdin.
And after walking the road non-stop for four days, they went around the Harleng Mountains and arrived at the Hisfield Gate.
At the rear of the Hisfield Gate, Zerdin shouted in front of the gate.
“I am Zerdin Hisfield! The legitimate heir of the Hisfield family! Now that I have returned to the family! Open the gate and clear the way! I will meet my father first!”
I was impressed by Zerdin’s bluff. If this guy wasn’t so cowardly, he would be an excellent con artist.
The soldiers and knights standing at the gate moved busily.
Zerdin was the eldest son of the Hisfield family. As he said, he was the legitimate heir. If Zerdin had come alone, they might have been suspicious, but he came with Baron Nellooman and his soldiers.
The gate opened.
Zerdin confidently took the lead and walked to the castle in the center of the fortress.
The people came out to see Zerdin’s return, but the atmosphere was strange. Some welcomed Zerdin, while others avoided him. And they whispered among themselves behind Zerdin’s back.
I used mana to enhance my hearing and eavesdropped on the people’s whispers.
“Young Master Zerdin has returned. Was the rumor that he abandoned the soldiers and defected to the Rapelli Kingdom false?”
“Why did he only come now when Count Hisfield is in critical condition?”
“Honestly, I wish Lady Diona would become the head of the family and lead the territory, not Young Master Zerdin. Lady Diona is wise, beautiful, and generous.”
“Don’t forget that Young Master Zerdin is the eldest son. And we shouldn’t speak carelessly.”
It seemed that Diona had been up to something. But even so, most of the territory’s people were sure that Zerdin would become the lord. There was one reason. Because Zerdin was the eldest son.
Knights and soldiers were lined up in front of the castle. And in the center was a woman wearing a blue dress.
She had long purple hair and red eyes, just like Zerdin. White skin and distinct features. The word beautiful came to mind. Her breasts were D-cup, and her waist was without any fat. Her buttocks were hidden by her dress skirt, so I couldn’t see them.
“You’ve returned, brother.”
Her voice was calm and elegant. The gorgeous blue dress decorated with jewels suited her very well.
Zerdin flinched. He straightened his back and put on a cold expression, conscious of the vassals around him.
“I had some things to do. I’ll tell you the details later.”
He couldn’t criticize Diona here. And even after this, he couldn’t officially remove Diona. To reveal the sins of a family member, evidence was needed, but there was no material evidence.
“First, it’s my father. I want to see my father.”
“Brother, Father is in critical condition. The healer told us not to let anyone in carelessly.”
“I am my father’s son. And is my father really sick?”
“The healer and the magician said it was a disease.”
“Incompetent bastards….”
It was too early to be sure if they were really incompetent as Zerdin said. It was highly likely that Diona was manipulating them.
“My father was cursed.”
“A curse?!”
“A curse?!”
“Young Master Zerdin! What are you talking about?!”
The vassals were startled. The surroundings became chaotic.
“Nellooman suffered the same symptoms as my father, and I have a way to remove the curse. I’ll tell you the details later. This is urgent. Take me to my father.”
“My brother is right. Above all, Father is important. If my brother can remove Father’s illness… no, the curse, there is nothing more joyful than that. I will guide my brother myself, so please wait here.”
Zerdin frowned. It was because of the vassals’ attitude. The vassals followed Diona’s words without refusing. He wouldn’t like that.
“But brother, who are the merchants behind you?”
“They are merchants from the Korea Trading Company. Thanks to their help, Nellooman was able to get rid of the curse. They are the ones who will be my father’s benefactors, and they are trustworthy.”
“Hmm. I see.”
Diona glanced at us once and turned around to guide us to Count Hisfield’s bedroom.
Count Hisfield’s condition was serious. His skin had turned black, and the size and number of blue spots had increased. He was trembling with his eyes closed. His eyelids were tightly closed, as if he were in a coma.
A middle-aged healer was sitting next to the bed, nursing Count Hisfield. She stood up as soon as she saw us.
“To make my father like this…!”
Zerdin glared at Diona as if he would kill her.
“Brother, you’re talking as if I cursed Father.”
“You disgusting thing. Do you think I don’t know it was your doing?!”
“It seems someone has said something strange to my brother. There’s no way I would curse Father.”
“You will definitely pay for your sins…!”
Zerdin growled at Diona once and took out a small bottle from his pocket. It contained the powder made by grinding the white leaves. He tilted the bottle and fed it to Count Hisfield.
Count Hisfield’s symptoms improved. But it didn’t completely disappear like Nellooman’s. His black skin returned to normal, but the blue spots still remained.
“Why, why is this…?!”
Nellooman grabbed Zerdin’s shoulder, who was panicking, and calmly said.
“Calm down, Zerdin. It had an effect. If we have more of Elst’s leaves, we can completely get rid of the curse.”
“Y-yes. Father’s symptoms have improved, so we have time.”
I clicked my tongue.
This made things troublesome. The original plan was to use Count Hisfield, who had been freed from the curse, to solidify Zerdin’s position as heir. If Count Hisfield spoke, Diona’s tricks would all be shattered. Diona would be executed or exiled.
‘And then I would take Diona away. I would make it look like Diona escaped with Zerdin’s help, and then I would take Diona to my mansion, eat her up, and train her….’
If this was the case, I would have to use other means. It might be better to forcibly kidnap her using Yuria. I would tell Zerdin to take care of the aftermath.
‘Huh?’
I made eye contact with Diona’s red eyes. The corners of Diona’s mouth slightly turned up. As if she knew my identity and intentions.
“My brother’s words were true…. But it seems that Father has not yet been freed from the curse. Father needs rest. Let’s go out first, brother. Please tell us what you’ve been through.”
“Kuh….”
Zerdin gritted his teeth and went out of the bedroom.
