//Run down.//

It's been at least two weeks since I've arrived here.
As for what happened, well I got sick.

After constantly and successfully avoiding the dangerous country figures of this place.
I managed to keep myself in the shadows by hiding in the rooftops of the academy.
However, the weather was unexpectedly hotter than I expected.

My familiar was constantly nagging me to awaken my demon-blood
to protect myself from the heat.

But that would cause even more pandemonium to my life.
After what had just happened on the day when my hair turned to silver.
If another country figure or some big-shot approaches me.
I don't think Leanne will allow me to stay as a maid.
She might just send me off with a man and wishing my happiness as their queen!.

Estel X (*Unknown prince*) X Her Scheme Contract = More Power For her Country.

That is something I cannot allow to happen!

Or so...
what I had planned...

But still, I can't believe I got ill...
Unfortunately, the cause for this was due to my own carelessness,
I thought having the blood of the demon-king would make me immune to illnesses.
But forgot that I was still partly human.

The moment I woke up.
It surprised me, that Lana injured on my right side next to my bed.
But then there's another girl on my left resting on another bed,
I winced to see then remembered who she was.

[@&#^!&#^!] It was none other than the girl who spooked the hell out of me from the greenhouse.
But there was a problem I needed to deal with first.
And it was the angry owl in front of me.

________________________________________________________________________________
//Things are not what it seems.//

Leanne was right in front of her with an extremely angry face,
Estel swiftly turned away thinking it was all a dream.
But she reached her hand and pinched her cheek with fire in her eyes.
Waking her from reality.
 
"Ugh... that hurts, " She said to her.
After finally raising up from her bed, she then turned to Leanne with her full attention.

Leanne then exhaled deeply while looking away from my direction,
[Leanne had a lonely look that didn't seem like the usual Leanne.] Estel thought.

"Did I do something wrong again?" She asked while scratching her cheeks.

She shook her head but then asked a question in return.
"Tell me, Estel...
Are you perhaps? Afraid of me?"

"Eh?" she gazed at her intently while having a serious look on her face.
[What should I say?
This sounds like a trick question.
Because I'm actually quite terrified of her.

She's the princess of the country who knows my secret,
Not only that she capable, strong and confident in her role as a princess of her country,
It completely reminds me of my sister who seemed concerned for me.]

"Of course not." her face then had a frown, Estel was puzzled about it.
But then she exhaled and said while giving her an annoyed look.

"Then why didn't you tell me.
That you were having trouble with the greenhouse?"

Estel could only look away then say.
"I didn't want to cause you trouble."

"eh?" Leanne was puzzled she was expecting her to say something else.
As Estel touched the tip of her silver hair with her cheeks red with embarrassment,
She then said.

"You helped me when I was lost.
You accepted me, even though I am different.
Despite causing you so much trouble.
You didn't push me into doing something unreasonable.
Which was why...

I was willing to endure such a small problem.
If it means I had to endure something so little like the heat."

[Also to avoid getting married to someone who might be extremely powerful and troublesome.] She thought in the back of her mind.

Leanne retorted.
"That's not little at all!
You got ill!"

Estel then gave Leanne a bright smile as she said.

"Ah... that was my mistake.
I didn't expect myself to get sick even though I have-" she paused.
[There's no way I can tell her "THAT".]

"Have what?" she asks.

"A strong blood." she ambiguously said.

Leanne then sighed.
"Fine... but why are you avoiding everyone?"
Estel swiftly looks away from her.

"That's, because..." as she felt cold sweat fall from her head.

Lana answered for her.
"She hid from them...
because you just tried to engage her to a man.
Right now, Luria seems to want to be, at your side."
As she then winks at Estel as she said.
"Right?"

Estel was shocked the moment she heard it.
Then cried out.
"Ho-how did you know!?"
Then closed her mouth.

"Eh?" Leanne this time was the one puzzled.
Her thoughts then flowed.
[Did I just overthink things? I thought her trauma from her life with her own kind was the cause.]

Lana then giggled with a bright smile as she then said.
"Pfft... Leanne, your too concerned for her.
She's tougher than she looks.
You should trust her more."

Leanne's face went red with embarrassment as Lana read her like a book.
Estel, on the other hand, was confused and worried as she then asked.

"Uhh... can someone explain to me what is happening here?"

Lana and Leanne gazed at Estel who then gazed at the person peeking beside her.
"Lana is injured, and the person who I don't know from the greenhouse is here."

Chelsie then felt dejected as she realized she hadn't introduced herself to her yet.

Leanne on the other hand then answered her.
"Oh, that's easy." As she pulled out the mask used for covering scars of the man who scared her with a whip. She then happily said.
"We arrested the man who tormented you."

Estel then shouted with a pale expression.
"I'm not happy at all!"

As they soon explained to her the things that had happened.
________________________________________________________________________________

//The Prince Curse.//

Jake after he left the academy was on his way to his home country.
Taking him a journey of a week, he soon arrived at the place.
His intention was to stop his parents from continuing the war.

He then said while in the carriage.
"After meeting that maid, I felt somewhat strange.
I feel as if a heavy weight was lifted from my chest, so much so...
That I felt determined to deal with this farce...

Luria huh...
When I return successfully from this, I will surely return to confess."
He said with a clear intention.
Though...
It was easier done than he had expected.
The moment he entered the throne room, there were cheerful smiles on all their faces.
Everyone was celebrating as though something had uplifted them.

"I can't believe it you are all free!" his little sister happily cried out.

"We can finally let go of that wretched place!" His mother shouted.

"Ah... my son!
You've finally arrived." He warm-heartedly greets him with an embrace.

"I can't believe you did it!
To think you would find someone to break our family curse,
Instead of asking for some stupid woman's aid!" His father cried out in laughter.

"Eh... " Loading data...
"Eh!?" Confirming...
"EHHH!?" System overload...

Puzzled and confused, he didn't understand a single word he had said.
He could only remember his parent sending him out to find someone to save his country from three nations.

"WAIT!?" He shouted.

"What curse?" Everyone in the room then gazed at him with confusion in their eyes.

"Did he not know?
Then he wasn't the one who broke the curse.
Then who did?"

His father then asked his men.
"Strip him!"

"EEEEEH!"

And thus in public, he was stripped only his underwear was left.
As his father inspected him while his guard tightly holds him down.

"Father! what is the meaning of this!?" He cried out.

"It's not there." His father said.
His mother who approached him from behind then said.
"He probably didn't even notice it."

"Notice what!?
You stupid parents just sent me on an impossible mission!?
Then this is how you treat me!
Don't screw with me!" He cried out in anger and embarrassment.

His father then removed the buttons on his chest as his muscular and huge figure is then revealed to everyone in the room, both guards and servants. Revealing a large tattoo spreading across his body from his back to his chest like roots reaching to his heart.

"Look closely, my son!
This is the curse that plagued your parents and our people.
That accursed mines carried accursed gems, that soon took the lives of those that mined them.

I was on the verge of death grimly waiting for my demise.
Then something finally happened.
The curse placed on me had begun to vanish.
The weight we felt soon faded.
As though we were reborn and renewed."

"HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS!" He kneeled as he cried it out.

His mother then snarled at him as she said.
"You were so busy studying the gems and plants all locked up in your room, while everyone was grieving. You've even contracted the curse and you didn't even notice it."

"Then why did you all send me out there to find a partner to save this country!"

"Because that mine held history!
We were searching for a way to break the curse!
While not all the gems are cursed, only a handful of the gem was deemed dangerous that it was too late when the royal court mages of our dear country had found out.

But those fools were too greedy trying to take it away from us, while we are in a dilemma with the curse and these dastardly bandits!

Soon they will be the one who will be cursed!" he then laughed wholeheartedly.

Jake then retorted as he asked.
"If the gems are cursed, and now that the curse was broken.
Doesn't that mean the curse in the gems are all broken as well?"

His parents then looked at one another as they nod.
"Have you at least found someone to protect the mines then?"
He shook his head in response while partially naked.

"Then why have you returned!" His father asked.

"Well...
That's...
To stop you guys from protecting the mines.
And waging war from three countries." he said with a tired look.

The two then laughed wholeheartedly.
"Oh, we will surely let go of those mines." His mother said.

"Now that the curse is broken, there is no reason left to try and defend it.
You have nothing to worry about my son." His father said.

He was relieved as they said these words.
But then his father then asked him.

"Now then, my son...
You've contracted the same curse, yet yours had fully disappeared.
Care to explain how in the heavens did that happen?"

Jake was then pressured to tell them of his reason for his return.

"You met a maid?" His mother said.

He nods.

"That was rude to you, but cheered you up?" His father said.

He nods again.

"Who told you to save your kingdom by abandoning the mines?" His mother assessing it.

"Yes," he said.

"That you even gave her our heirloom... Have you gone mad!"

He nods with an expressionless face as he said.
"Yes."

As everyone in the room heard it, his parents could only look at him in confusion.
But then his little sister angrily said.
"Brother is stupid...
He probably didn't even notice her break the curse.
Like how he was cursed and didn't even found out."

"Eh..." Brain Malfunctioning as everyone said.

Everyone then thought.
[It made sense.]
"Good girl." her mother said.

"E-he-he~"

"Eeeeh!" he cried out.
and thus...
A new task was given to him.
Return to Bristle and investigate/bring the maid he met to confess/reward her for the deed.
Unsure if she had actually done it, he had to return and ask.
But he was planning on meeting her again as he promised, regardless.
Though in his dismay, not the romantic way he had imagined.

________________________________________________________________________________

taesijr123

Ha! I still got it!
It was a fun write.
To those who expected it to be a cool curse.
Well it was a cool curse, that haunted his family.