The Villainous Young Lady Would Even Risk Her Life for Her Beloved ～ Her Fiancé, the Prince? By All Means, Please Be Happy with the Heroine! - Chapter 1.28(2)

Both of them raised a hand in acknowledgment. My words had reached them.

I was truly grateful for their support. When was the last time I had felt such warmth?

I needed to thank Luca when I returned as well. There was no way he hadn’t been involved in all of this.

As I hurried to House Olden, I found that my uncle had arrived as well. It seemed he had come out of concern for the Grand Marshal, who had been placed under house arrest. I shared the king’s words with both of them and presented the ancient history book that had been handed to me. It was an old but beautifully adorned book about fairies.

After pondering for a moment, the Grand Marshal spoke.

“The gift of talent and the curse are separate… Indeed, our family has an old legend passed down from the first generation: ‘Whenever the kingdom faces a crisis, a savior will always appear.’”

“So there really is no mention of a curse from the time of the first patriarch.”

That’s the most crucial point. After all, having the power to save the kingdom is one thing, but adding, “By the way, you’ll also be cursed!” is a rather significant detail to omit.

“Yes. We have always interpreted it to mean that those bearing the name of Olden must fight for the kingdom’s salvation at any cost…”

“But if we take it literally, it sounds more like a prophecy—stating that someone with this talent will always be born.”

My uncle slowly began to speak while gazing at the portraits of House Olden’s past heads displayed in the study.

“The first patriarch did not have red hair.”

He was right. The first patriarch alone had dark brown hair. Could that be significant?

“During my travels in the East, I came across a family lineage similar to House Olden—one where highly skilled warriors were frequently born.”

Wait, wasn’t he talking about a southern kingdom the other day? Just how much of the world has he seen?

“The ancestor of that family supposedly offered himself to a regional deity, allowing his descendants to inherit extraordinary abilities.”

So, a sort of self-sacrificial ritual?

“…Come to think of it, there is no grave for the first patriarch, Wolf Olden. It is said that he left on a journey across the lands and never returned.”

The Grand Marshal’s face was filled with shock, as if something had just clicked.

“Did the first patriarch offer himself to someone…?” He hesitated before adding, “The thing is, that family also suffered from a curse-like affliction, but when investigated, it turned out to be the work of an entity holding a grudge against the first ancestor—not the influence of the deity.”

The situation was eerily similar. My uncle suspected that the origins of House Olden’s curse might be just as connected.

“So, Uncle, is there a way to break the curse?”

That was the most important question. The cause was intriguing, but the solution mattered most. Even the Grand Marshal was waiting anxiously for my uncle’s answer, his sharp gaze fixed on him.

“Ah, my apologies! I got lost in thought for a moment… Now, the symptoms of the curse first appeared around the third generation, correct?”

“Yes, that is what we believe.”

“Pardon me for a moment.”

My uncle pulled a thick, heavy history book from the shelf.

“During the time of the second and third generations, the Demeter region suffered a series of major natural disasters.”

“Yes. It is said that rampaging fairies were the cause. House Olden’s lands were severely affected as well, and due to that, no official records remain…”

The Demeter region is our kingdom’s breadbasket. If it were devastated, countless people would face starvation. House Olden’s territory lies within that region.

“I see… fairies, is it…? It is not widely known, but our family has long-standing ties to fairies. There is even a legend that the elder brother of the third patriarch defeated a fairy in battle.”

The Grand Marshal’s hands trembled slightly as he touched the ancient history book I had brought.

(Such a hidden history!)

“So this all happened around the time of the disasters?”

“Yes. It is said that only after slaying the fairy was peace restored.”

Fairies, with their shimmering presence, are linked to Iris, the saintess in the original story. I hadn’t expected them to also be connected to the fiercely militant House Olden.

“Moreover, our family possesses an ancestral sword, said to have been bestowed upon us by a princess of the Fairy King. The legend claims this very sword was used to slay the fairy.”

“A sword meant to slay fairies… given by a fairy princess?”

Did the fairies have their own reasons for such an act?

My uncle gently opened the ancient book detailing the history of fairies. The script was too old to be easily read, but he seemed to have no trouble, nodding to himself as he turned the pages.

(Both Geoffrey and Prince Leonhart read through this, huh? Impressive…)

Just as old Japanese was difficult for modern readers, deciphering this ancient script wasn’t simple.

“Hmm. If we piece together all the information so far, it seems that the curse began with the person who slew the fairy.”

“But I’ve never heard of fairies casting curses.”

Fairy blessings exist—after all, Iris was said to receive one. But even in this fantasy world, fairies are considered mysterious beings. Can this really be resolved?

“Indeed. Fairies are now more like myths… But according to this book, they once existed in abundance.”

As expected of a specialized fairy history book. The name of House Olden even appeared in it, further solidifying its credibility.

“Yes… After slaying the fairy, Ryan Olden, the son of the second patriarch, Finley Olden, reportedly went mad and perished.”

Tracing the text with his fingers, my uncle read aloud. The account aligned with the Grand Marshal’s earlier recollection of the family’s lore.

And then, with quiet certainty, my uncle spoke.

“Grand Marshal, I believe this curse can be lifted.”

“Truly?!”

The chair clattered loudly as the Grand Marshal bolted upright.

My uncle nodded slowly, confirming that if the curse was indeed similar to the one he had encountered before, there must be a way to break it.

“I must inform Lady Louise immediately!”

Thank goodness! Today is a good day. I turned to leave the room, nearly breaking into a run.

“Wait…! Please consider what will happen if that hope is shattered… If I, someone untouched by the curse, am already trembling with a mixture of hope and fear…”

The Grand Marshal’s hands were visibly shaking. Indeed, giving someone false hope, only for it to be cruelly taken away, would be devastating.

“My apologies… I did not think that far ahead.”

It was my uncle, not I, who apologized.

“No! The fault is mine for lacking the strength to endure it! I sincerely apologize.”

For the first time, my uncle’s usual composed expression softened into one of gentle reassurance.

“Then let us work together to save your daughter.”

At last, a path forward had emerged.