Tiago ignored him and pretended not to have heard the king's pleading. He was too enthusiastic about showing Elisi to Berit.

He was sure that Elisi could help them and then impress his beloved girl. Meanwhile, Dalion's pain swallowed his words. He needed to tell them not to look for Elisi.

She could not cure such a significant amount of pain, not a novice like her. When he regained consciousness, she was already beside him.

 

Her hand was on his shoulder, her eyes were squinting in agony, yet she remained silent.

 

"aaargh," Dalion struggled to pull himself up.

 

"Tsk... Take her off me" She is going to die if she takes any more of this curse.

 

"Please take her off of me... she won't… she won't..."

 

He begged Tiago, looking at him with his sharp eyes. He needed to preserve the curse inside.

 

How is it that this novice is capable of that? Was her will that strong? Why?

 

He could see Tiago struggling to separate them until he finally surrendered and called his grandfather, who stopped the situation in an instant.

 

Elisi was left lying on the floor. He couldn't leave her like that. Her body was shaking. He needed to go to her as soon as possible and take back the curse. As he was trying to approach her, somebody came from behind him and hugged him.

 

It was his daughter. "Please, Berit..." She hugged him tighter.

He needed to take her away, yet it was always hard for him to deny his daughter. Gladly, Sebastian came to his rescue and took Berit away from him. After that, he asked Tiago to please accompany everybody outside.

 

It was better if it was just the two of them trying to remedy the situation. He crawled fast towards Elisi, but it was too late. She locked herself to stop the pain. Her eyes closed, and she slept in peace. Her soul was about to leave her body waiting in limbo.

He could not let her give up on her life like that.

 

"It's not too late. You need to help me find her"

 

"It's too dangerous my lord, she is gone" Sebastian was trying to maintain his composure. It was hard.

 

"I can find her..."

 

"I cannot let you," Sebastian said with a desperate voice, a cracking voice.

 

"If it gets too dangerous, I will be back right away. I know I can pull her out of there"

 

Sebastian made a barrier that will connect them both, and get inside the world she entered.

 

After a long struggle, Dalion succeeded to pull her back and take the curse back into his body.

 

Why is she so determined to die like that? He hated it. Why would she give her life for him? He wanted to shake her and tell her not to do that, but Sebastian was there looking. How could her tiny body survive that? Maybe she was determined to live after all? What was she thinking, what's going through her mind? She was a mystery to him.

 

After everything calmed down, Sebastian left them alone in the room. She slept on his divan while he laid down on his bed to read a book. Her face was pale, and her body almost looked like a corpse.

 

“That dam old man” made her stay in his place. How is he supposed to take care of her? He is not a nurse; he knows nothing about healing someone else.

 

“Mmmmm” the girl cried.

 

“Tsk, I can’t even call a nurse” He tried to keep his eyes on the book, but couldn’t concentrate because of the girl's sorrowful noises.

 

Although he got back his curse, it might have left her body in a weak state. Maybe I should take her to bed instead?

 

“So light...” Dalion didn’t expect her to be so light, he almost lost balance as he lifted her. Years of malnourishment did mess up with her body, he thought. She curled inside the sheets once in the bed and kept adjusting her body as if uncomfortable.

 

“Hug.... just...” “Mmmm hug” His eyes widened at her words. She seemed to be deep in a nightmare.

 

“What should I do? Jeremy?”

 

He didn't like seeing her like that. She looked too pitiful.

 

"hu... Hug..." the maid kept repeating.

 

He slowly leaned towards her and dragged his hands below her, pulling her towards his chest. Her tears wetted his shirt, then he hugged her tighter. When the maid seemed to have calmed down, he laid her back to rest, and as he was leaving, she grabbed his hand. He could have easily released himself, but instead stayed beside her, letting her hold him and use him for her comfort. It didn't matter for how long he would stay there.