Chapter 29: A Man of Dragals

“Then why didn’t you use dream-attribute magic?”

The carriage lurched back into motion, and with it, she tossed out a quiet but piercing question.

“………………”

(So even a palace court mage can’t be fooled, huh.)

Only then did Sirius truly realize it.

(Now that she mentions it… it is strange. Estella said that during the branch assault, he rendered the enemies unconscious without ever touching them. And yet this time, despite needing prisoners alive for interrogation, he didn’t use that incredibly convenient spell.)

At this point, even Al—resourceful as he was—had no room left to dodge the truth.

“Haa… well, actually—”

He let out a small sigh and was just about to confess honestly when—

—Sirius stopped him.

“It’s fine, Al. You don’t have to force yourself to say it.”

Apart from the wounds inflicted by Crow, there was the mysterious illness that had eaten away at Sirius’s body for five long years.

The incomprehensible inability to use magic—an affliction unbefitting even the framework of living beings, something only a transcendent existence could inflict.

The distinctive traits of dark-attribute magic wielded by the former head court mage.

The precise timing of when Al lost the ability to use magic.

The reason he hadn’t reported it, despite that running contrary to his own nature.

And—this complicated expression on Al’s face.

Sirius’s exceptional mind gathered these scattered fragments, fitting them together like pieces of a puzzle, until a single conclusion emerged.

“The curse Crow placed on me—the one that was tormenting me… Al, you’re bearing it in my stead now, aren’t you? And you kept it secret because you thought I’d blame myself if I knew the truth, didn’t you?”

“Mm—yeah, something like that.”

(As expected of the genius prince. Not only did he realize the curse didn’t simply transfer to me… he even grasped that I’m deliberately shouldering it.)

“Wha—!?”

Even Estella was struck speechless by this revelation.

In truth, she too had felt something was amiss. For five years, Sirius’s body had steadily deteriorated. On the day he finally revived, his face had been gaunt—dried and wasted like preserved fish—the unmistakable appearance of a critically ill man. …And yet, he had awakened. As a first-rate alchemist, there was no way she wouldn’t sense something wrong.

(So what was eating away at Sirius wasn’t a pathogen at all… but Crow’s curse… To have failed to realize that—I am unfit to call myself a court mage…)

This curse was no ordinary affliction. It was a powerful spell personally cast by the transcendent being Crow, disguised as an incurable disease.

She was not at fault. Not truly.

At last, Estella grasped the true meaning behind Sirius’s words.

“Bearing it in your stead… what exactly does that mean?”

When Al remained silent, Sirius answered in his place.

“There’s no way Al—who defeated Crow with ease—couldn’t repel his curse. And you can see the proof right now: he’s perfectly fine. To be honest, even at this very moment, he could cast it off if he wanted to. But if he did… the curse would return to my body.”

“Unbelievable…!!”

“That’s right, isn’t it, Al—no, my kind savior of life.”

“………………”

Al said nothing, maintaining his silence.

During the battle with Crow, Al had indeed been directly targeted by the curse. But there was no way someone like him wouldn’t notice it. Just as Sirius said, he could have repelled it easily. Yet Al had already suspected the cause of Sirius’s illness. On a hunch, he chose to shoulder the curse himself—at least for the time being.

In that single battle, Al had saved not only Estella, but even her beloved fiancé.

Estella asked quietly,

“Does Seles know about this?”

Al exhaled slowly.

“She knows. But I told her the curse ‘transferred’ to me.”

“…Why didn’t you tell your fiancée the truth?”

“If I told her the truth, she wouldn’t be able to look His Highness in the eyes anymore.”

If, beside Al—who was bearing the curse—Sirius were to dote openly on his fiancée, what would Seles feel?

If she learned that while Al carried a curse he could easily dispel, the prince continued to push him forward for the sake of achievements alone—what kind of gaze would she turn upon Sirius then?

This was something Al chose to do of his own will. Because of that, she would never resent the unaware Sirius.

But could she continue to serve as a guard with a pure, unclouded heart?

The answer was, without question, no.

—“If something were to happen to Prince Sirius… then at the same time, Al—the one I love more than anything—would finally be freed from the curse…”—

(Love can twist a person. Even someone like Seles.)

Al understood the essence of humanity far better than he appeared to.

He wanted Seles, Estella, and Sirius—the three of them—to care for one another.

Seles had overcome countless obstacles just to join the royal guard. Estella had trusted her fiancé, crying as she brewed potions for five long years. Sirius had endured the curse and now risked his life to build merit for the sake of his younger siblings.

He wanted them to respect one another.

To cooperate with one another.

For their own sakes, he wanted them to remain close.

…So in exchange, he would simply do his best.

He would endure it alone.

He would keep fighting alone.

He would let his body be eaten away by the transcendent Crow’s ultimate curse.

That was all.

Such a simple thing.

Just like always.

From the outside, he only needed to act as though it was nothing.

He only needed to keep sleeping to dull the pain.

And when it truly mattered, he could just fight with a sword.

There was no need to tell anyone.

No need to rely on anyone.

Because when it came to protecting and supporting those close to him—

—he was stronger than anyone else in this world.

After all, he too had received a special charm—his master’s precious little spell.

So it was fine.

This was fine.

No more words were necessary.

“……………………”

It seemed these two had finally seen the true nature of the man called Al.

A single tear slid down Sirius’s cheek.

“Al… I’m sorry, but please let me say just this one thing…

Thank you.”

Al stroked Haku’s fur and gazed out the carriage window as he replied,

“This much is only natural. I’m a man of Dragals, after all.”

That day, Estella saw a true mage.

Through her tear-blurred vision, she glimpsed what it truly meant to stand on that side.

(What do you mean, lazy good-for-nothing sleeper… You’re the one working harder than anyone, you utter fool.)