Chapter 16 – 16. Liberation
At Evangeline’s request to enter the bathroom, I opened the door and went inside. She, who had been naked until just now, had a towel wrapped around her body before she knew it.
“…… Master?”
“Why, why…… ?”
“What is that?”
However, covering the body with a towel did not catch my eye at all. Because her face was not visible at all. Like an egg ghost that only appears in movies.
She turned her head away, covering her invisible face with her hand, looking very ashamed.
“Because I can’t see her face…… By refracting light….”
“Aha.”
Even in this situation, she was more eager to hide her face. If she reveals that she has a constitution that her curse doesn’t work on, she’ll have to reveal the face she’s been hiding too…….
‘…… Let’s not do that.’
Yesterday, when I realized that I was impervious to curses – Margaret begged her master not to tell her about it.
She said that if she revealed it right after she went out with him, it would look as if she had revealed the secret to herself – she asked very politely.
As a guest, it was not advisable to turn down her request, which could annoy me. In addition, I also wondered why Master was trying to hide the fact.
“Then, let’s go in.”
“Yes.”
I was sweating profusely, but I didn’t need to take a shower before entering the bath. The enchanted bathhouse would instantly filter sweat and secretions.
Chow ah ─ When an adult male’s mass enters the bathtub, the same amount of water flows out of the bathtub.
The bath water at just the right temperature covers the entire body and blows away fatigue. It wasn’t that much fatigue, but anyway…….
‘…… Can’t magic be nullified?’
Looking at Master without a face, I had such doubts. Considering the nature of ignoring witches’ curses and the fact that witches’ curses are magical, it was normal to be able to get rid of the magic they use as well.
But it didn’t. Didn’t I even understand what magic was in the first place?
While soaking in the bathtub and thinking about this and that, Master carefully opened her mouth.
“That, John?”
“…… Ah yes. Master.”
“It’s a bit embarrassing to look at you too much…….”
Saying that, she began to cover her breastbone with her towel. She was lost in thought with her head down, thinking that she was staring at her chest.
It wasn’t like she didn’t see it at all, so she nodded and apologized without saying anything.
“Sorry.”
“Oh no! I have nothing to apologize for…….”
“Because Master is so beautiful.”
“…… It is beautiful.”
After hearing those words, Master suddenly became quiet, and then he slowly came to me, cutting through the water.
Even though her face was not visible, her voluptuous body was clearly visible – she felt tense just by her body approaching.
When she came closer and pulled my arm, her heart started beating like it was about to explode.
“John.”
“Yes, yes, yes…….”
“What if, what if- I… What if I’m not that pretty?”
“Yes? Master is pretty enough.”
“…… Didn’t you even see it properly?”
“…… You will be pretty even without looking.”
“So— what if it wasn’t actually?”
Then I realized why she said that. I heard from Margaret that Master’s curse is the curse of disgust.
It was a curse that was so terrible that it was hated by living beings who saw her face—even abandoning her parents who gave birth to her.
Margaret said it felt like a two-meter cockroach flapping its wings right in front of it. No matter how strong your heart is, you can’t help but frown…….
“Nevertheless, I will tell you that Master is beautiful.”
With a curse, she must have lived hated by people all her life. Whether or not her face was objectively beautiful, people would have disparaged her appearance.
So she herself must have felt disgusted with her own appearance. Every time I look in the mirror, I want to rip off the leather on my face.
I just didn’t because I knew that the source of the curse wasn’t her face, but her magic itself.
And she——even though the self that was impervious to her curse appeared, she had no confidence to reveal that face. Cursed or not, her face would have become an abomination in her mind.
“Master.”
“Uh, uh…… ?”
“I like Master. I respect you as an adult and praise you as a wizard.”
“Uh huh? Go, suddenly… ?”
Seeing her bewildered by her sudden confession, she smiles softly. I couldn’t see her face, but I could clearly see what expression she was making by now.
Her embarrassing face was cute and nice, but I wanted her to always have a smile on her face.
“Even if Master holds a secret from me.”
“Bee, it’s a secret. There is no such thing…?”
“Couldn’t it be?”
Carefully, I reach out my hand toward her face. And so, the moment her palm touches her cheek, she feels her flinch. I can feel the Master’s warmth.
“Even if Master’s true identity is actually a witch of hatred, and I have a peculiar constitution that does not work under the witch’s curse—even if he accepts me—this doesn’t change.”
“…… Who did you hear from?”
“Mr. Margaret.”
“Oh, that bitch?”
I grab her by the shoulders as she tries to get herself up right away, and sit me down. Where are you going to go? It’s something to do later to get angry at Margaret for revealing the secret. What to do after tonight.
Holding her face once again, I recalled the invisible face of Master in my memory and slowly opened my mouth.
“Master, I want to see your face.”
“…… No. You will be disappointed.”
“I will not be disappointed.”
“I’m sure you would say it’s disgusting, it’s ugly…….”
“Even though the curse doesn’t work on me?”
“…… That, still can’t.”
Learned fear. Even though she has found a partner who will never be hated by her constitution to nullify curses, hundreds of years of memories engraved in her unconscious oppress her. Make her make the wrong choice.
If so, make it impossible for her to choose. Just like the curse, the miracle that breaks it is not given by her choice. It’s just one-sided – it’s given without any relation to the person’s will.
‘I want to see your face…….’
Miss you.
I want to see her face
I hope the magic that playfully covered the face will disappear.
Clink-!
“…… Uh?”
“Ah, no way. I know you can’t…….”
“…… Master?”
“Why why? I want to go out now…….”
“The face…….”
Hearing that, she started groping my face. Indeed, that alone is enough to make me realize that my magic is gone. If it was the touch of a witch who is sensitive to magical powers.
Realizing that the magic that had been hiding her face was gone, Evangeline buried her face in the bathtub and hid her face.
“Master.”
Bubbly-.
“You said earlier that you would look at Master’s face and say he was beautiful, right?”
…… Pogreuk-.
“I need to cancel that.”
Even the air bubbles that had been slowly rising completely disappeared, and she completely stopped moving. It’s enough to think that he died while holding his breath-.
Above Master’s head, who had stopped moving, he cautiously opened his mouth.
“I can’t just say that it is beautiful. The most beautiful in the world, the most beautiful in the universe.”
─Burr-!
After taking half of her face out of the bathtub with the foam, Master looked at me and rolled her eyes. Even though her mouth was still in the bathtub, she seemed to be able to hear her words.
“…… Really?”
“So, is it fake?”
“Really really, really really?”
“Really really, really really.”
Now that she had completely removed her face, she looked at me, revealing a face she had never wanted to show before.
Water droplets dripped down her hair, adorning her beauty. Looking at her, I could understand why she had awakened the magic of love.
Even this Mother Nature could not help but love her.
“…… John.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
“—What?”
“…… You said you would tell me I was beautiful.”
“Aha.”
Hmmmm, upon receiving the request, I cleared my throat and cleared my throat at Master’s request. After I think I’ve refined it to some extent, I bring out the words I’ve wanted to say several times in the meantime.
“It was love at first sight. Miss.”
“──!?”
“Will you give me a chance to see your beauty from the side?”
After hearing my words, Master cautiously blushed and nodded.
“…… Like.”
With permission, I dared to move closer to her face.
Even observing it right in front of me, I couldn’t find a speck of ugliness.
“It’s beautiful.”
“…… I’m sorry-.”
“Pretty.”
“Ha, one more time…….”
“It’s cute, Master.”
“Hey… !”
After hearing what I wanted to hear over and over again, Master suddenly grabbed my forehead and collapsed. Quickly grabbing hold of her body, I realized that she had passed out from vertigo.
…… Even witches get dizzy if they stay in the bath for a long time.
I picked her up and headed outside.
* * *
Margaret woke up in the morning and went into the living room to witness a grotesque scene. The situation where Evangeline, not wearing a hood covering her face, brought her face close to John while humming.
“Once more.”
“You are beautiful, Master.”
“Hehe, one more time!”
“Pretty, more than any jewel.”
Hehe, more and more!”
“I prefer looking at Master, rather than looking at the night sky.”
Hehe…….”
Seeing Johann and Evangeline, who had been doing dirty things since morning, Margaret frowned.
