Edited: Shiro


    We had dinner with our new friend, Neah .


    Neah, who lived in a village near Samaria, seemed to know their speciality cake and is hitting me with her small wings while Hooting loudly towards the large amount of cakes .


    However, while she was frightened by the overwhelming cake and being frozen, she pleaded me to stop Eva from trying to add more cake .


    …I’m starting to doubt that whether Neah is even helping me .


    Then, night arrived . At a time when everyone should be asleep, I was relying on a small candle illuminating the notebook about the previous hero .


    “… . . This is impossible, I can’t read at all . ”


    I don’t understand a single word coming from this notebook .


    In order to find the similarities between the Wicked Dragon and the curse of Eva, I tried reading the notebook, but to no progress .


    Even Neah said, “Ain’t all this irrelevant?”


    “Fufu~, Fuhihi…”


    “First of all, why the hell are you occupying my bed?”


    I thought she would sleep in the form of an owl, but——-This girl with black hair is sleeping in her original form .


    Just because I took my eyes off of her for a while, now I can’t even stop her .


    Right now she’s covering her face with her futon with a sly face .


    “Well, it was really helpful that you came . ”


    Let’s recap what happened today .


    Instead of sitting down and sleep, I sat relaxing in the chair and reread the notebook .


    “According to what Neah deciphered, there were many casualties before the previous hero defeated the Wicked Dragon . ”


    Also, some Samaria citizens were buried in rubble after the end of the battle .


    But it doesn’t have anything to do with the curse, so it doesn’t matter .


    “… . . Maybe Neah was right, it doesn’t matter . ”


    Maybe it’s better off not relating the Wicked Dragon with the curse .


    Let’s ask Neah tomorrow to explain my situation about Eva to Ark-san and Amako . Later, I can ask Eri-san about various things .


    Since I need to depend on Neah about magic, she plays an important role .


    “I wonder if Amako would get angry . ”


    Maybe she already is .


    She’s rather scary when she’s angry…… It’s true that people who rarely get angry really are the scariest when they do .


    Let’s see whether she’ll be shocked when she hears my story from Neah .


    Will Ark-san just laugh it off?


    Either way, I have to apologize for making them worry when we meet again .


    “… . . Sigh~”


    I’m worrying too much .


    I placed the notebook on the desk and covered my eyes with my hand .


    “Time to sleep… . ”


    My eyelids are getting heavy, and I have to work hard tomorrow morning .


    Lazily, I got up from the chair and pick up my uniform on the chair .


    At the very least, I can sleep laying on the wall—–Thinking so, while moving to the wall, I stopped and looked outside the window .


    “Hm?… . That is . ”


    I can see someone from outside the window where the moonlight is shining .


    At such a time? Don’t tell me, a ghost? My heartbeat rises up, but after looking closely, it was someone I knew .


    “Eva… . ?”


    Why? I thought she should’ve been asleep?


    Somehow, she was filled with a sad expression as she sat in front of the pond in the barrier and gazed at the surface of the water .


    …… . To be honest, I was kinda scared .


    It’s impossible of her to break her only rule of sleeping early and getting up early . Not saying anything to Eri-san and sneaking out at such a time, this can be considered something strange is happening .


    Especially if this is deviating to being manipulated by a ghost .


    Since there’s such a concept as a soul in this world, the existence of a ghost cannot be denied .


    “S-Should I go…? Wa- Wait a minute . Neah… Yeah, I have Neah . ”


    Away from the window, I moved to the bed where Neah is asleep .


    Two is better than one . If there’s a strong relation between souls, it might be demons . This is a job for vampires!!


    ……I can no longer calm down .


    “Neah, oi, wake up . Get up now . ”


    “… . . Fuhi, Hii… . . ”


    I shook her shoulders and tried waking her up, but she didn’t seem to get up at all, probably because she was sleeping soundly .


    Rather, she wrapped herself in the futon that I hung up this morning and moved to the end of the bed .


    This bas—-


    In the case of movies, it’s a situation where the ghost would attack you first .


    Ghost can’t be beaten because you can’t hit them .


    “… . Can’t help . Guess I should go alone…”


    I can’t wake her up at this state .


    Time to make a decision .


    Maybe Eva can’t sleep as well, and she’s just taking a walk outside . I don’t have to be so scared .


    Recalling her actions thus far, it might be a possibility .


    She is Eva Urd Samaria after all .


    I thought about it again and again, I put on my uniform and opened the door .


    “Ah right, I kept the sword attached to my uniform . ”


    When I was wearing the uniform, I noticed the small sword that was still attached to the uniform . However, if I were to return back to my room, my determination will likely be shaken, so let’s just continue moving .


    Then again, why on earth is Eva outside at this time?


    Did something happen… . Even if I remove the occult, I think it might be a curse, so I’m worried .


    Outside was brighter than expected, thanks to the full moon above my head .


    I got out of the house and slowly walked to the place where Eva was .


    With some tension and fear, I move to a position where I can see the back of the pond—-And I found Eva in the same position as before .


    It doesn’t feel like she’s being controlled or unconscious based on her reflection at the surface of the pond, instead—–


    “… . Eva?”


    “Usato-san… . ”


    ——She was crying .


    She was crying while looking at her reflection .


    “… . . ”


    She was stunned when she saw my face, and that turned into a surprised expression . When she noticed the tears on her cheeks, she quickly wiped her tears .


    This is not a small matter if she’s crying alone in such a place . Worried about her, I walk up to her and slowly crouch .


    “Sorry . ”


    She spoke with an apologetic manner, with a thin voice and no context .


    Why does she need to apologize? She didn’t do anything wrong .


    “I, I knew that Usato-san was coming . ”


    “Eh?”


    She knew?


    That I would be watching?


    “Your room was lighted, right?”


    … . I see, so she knew I was awake .


    Looking behind where my room is, the small flickering light from the candles are certainly swaying outside .


    So her apology was knowing that I’ll come outside…


    “So, why cry at such a time?”


    “… . That is… . ”


    She leaned down and sat down slowly on the ground, holding her knees .


    Similarly, I sat down as while so that it was easier to talk, and asked her once more .


    “Did, something sad happened?”


    “Why would I be? … . I have my father, Eri, Usato-san, and even Neah-san… The people of the palace are so kind to me . So, I’m actually very fortunate . ”


    “Then, why?”


    “That is… . ”


    When she glanced at me, she opened her mouth after being determined .


    “I had a dream . And it was a very scary dream…”


    “A dream… . If it’s a scary dream, then I understand that you feel like crying . ”


    It’s a story you often hear about when dreaming . I even had a dream about Rose, where I was asleep doing push-ups in bed .


    Especially those spooky and horrible dreams where you can’t remember what happened in the dream .


    The fear that you don’t know what you fear is very scary .


    “There are a lot of people angry around me . ”


    “Angry… . . Can you see their faces?”


    “No, all of their faces are blurred, and they’re all angry at me who is in the middle… . And that dream continued forever . ”


    “That is a scary dream indeed . But, who would be angry at you? You didn’t do anything wrong . ”


    Eva’s a good girl, just as Lucas-sama said .


    She doesn’t have characteristics of being resentful and in the first place, I can’t say anything bad about her .


    According to my words, Eva shook her lips .


    I was slightly concerned, but soon she started talking .


    “When I want to forget about such a dream, I would usually spend my time here near my mother . If I’m here, I don’t feel like I’m alone…”


    “So that’s why you’re here…”


    Even if there’s no one, the grave is important to her .


    She really does care about her mother .


    “But today’s dream was different . Though it’s scary, but there were people there who protected me . Many too . ”


    “Oh, so there are people protecting you . That’s good . ”


    The dream is an unconscious area, so does it mean that something has changed her? In any case, I think it’s good to have someone to protect her .


    “That’s right . What I was surprised was that one of them had the same face as me, but a little taller? I couldn’t see the other people’s faces, but they stood up and protected me . ”


    “Same face… . as you?”


    “It’s true because I confirmed it here . I don’t think I will make a mistake in my face after seeing it for years!”


    For some reason, she confidently pointed at the surface of the water and smiled as she pointed .


    I see so that’s why she stared at the surface of the pond?


    “Well, nightmares don’t happen so many times in a row . The next time you go to bed, you’ll surely have fun dreams… . But don’t quote my word . ”


    “Fufufu, that would be nice if it were true… . . ”


    Eva giggles .


    Since she started laughing, is she alright now? I guess I can tag along with her until she starts becoming sleepy .


    Thinking about what we can chat about to kill time, I realised that Eva has stopped smiling .


    “… . . Usato-san, you’re leaving here soon, right?”


    “Well, that’s right . There’s something I have to do . ”


    After a few days, I have to travel to the next country .


    By that time, even if I wanted to help Eva, I would’ve given up after time runs out .


    I want to save her, but there’s an even more important task of handing a letter, and a mission to cure Amako’s mother .


    I can’t break my promise because of that .


    Eva showed a sad expression to my reply and hugged her knees tightly .


    “… . I might not be able to meet Usato-san the next time . ”


    “Why?”


    “… . I’ll be gone soon . ”


    By gone… . . Does she mean the curse?


    It wasn’t unexpected . But there’s no doubt that she’s not aware of her curse .


    Rather, it’s normal .


    “Perhaps Usato-san has already heard about it . I’m cursed, just like my mother . We will eventually disappear without a trace . ”


    Disappear .


    I can’t imagine how much intention was put in those words .


    I could barely give words of comfort for her .


    “There, might be a way to help?”


    “It’s impossible… . . I understand the feeling of eventually disappearing more than anyone else . And—-”


    She lets go of her hand that was holding her knees and removes her white long gloves fitted in her right hand .


    During the daytime, the white hand I saw when she let Neah stand—–And nothing was out of the ordinary until she raises her right hand over the moonlight, where I could finally see something strange happening .


    “… . This is… . ”


    “Do you understand now?”


    Her hand is transparent…!?


    When she places her hand to the ground, there was no shadow casting on her right hand .


    Her existence disappearing—-I came to understand the severity of these words that I had vaguely recognised .


    It’s not just an ordinary curse, it’s as horrible as Neah described .


    “Currently, it is only until my right hand . But at the end of it all, my entire body will look like this—-In the end, I will disappear as if I had not existed… . This is the kind of curse I’ve been bestowed upon . ”


    I can finally see the curse eroding Eva .


    It was much crueller than I had imagined .


    With such a phenomenon happening to her, she acted as if nothing had happened in front of me… .


    She must’ve been scared .


    She would’ve been crying .


    But she continued to smile .


    Being speechless, I moved and looked at her .


    Her smile was sad, as she stood up hiding her right arm, and turned her head down to bow deeply .


    “I’m sorry . ”


    “… . Again, why are you apologising?”


    There is no need for you to apologise .


    She raised her head slightly and explains .


    “I’m really a bad child . Even if I knew it would happen, I was really trying to hold back . I wish I can have a pleasant daily life… . . And I tried getting sympathy out of you… . . I wanted you to accept my kindness… . ”


    “Eva… . ”


    “It’s normal that I should be punished for trying to put my feelings before everyone else . ”


    Indeed, I was sympathising .


    I wanted to help .


    I wanted to do something .


    However, isn’t that natural for everyone to think that way?


    “You’re wrong . ”


    “I’m not . ”


    “You did nothing wrong . It’s natural to be kind to someone . No one should be alone when they’re sad or when they’re suffering . ”


    “If so, can you stay here with me? Can you stay here until the moment I disappear? Can I accept that kindness from you?”


    Her eyes overlooking me, her body shaking ever so slightly .


    Honestly, my answer is fixed . There’s too much work to be done to meet her wishes .


    While sitting, I turned my body to Eva and put my hand on her knee, then lowered my head .


    “… . I’m sorry, that’s impossible . I have to continue my travels . ”


    “… . Please raise your head . ”


    I raised my head .


    I steeled myself to prepare the reaction that was about to come, but what I saw was Eva bowing deeper than before .


    “Thank you very much . You have answered honestly… . . And I shall give up . ”


    “…… . . ”


    She raised her head and smiled at me . However, it was the smile of a doll, emotionless .


    The alarm rings in the bottom of my heart .


    Was my previous answer so important… . ?!


    “I know that I shouldn’t keep you here . But when I heard your words, I finally understand . ”


    “… . . Wait, Eva . ”


    “It’s alright . I’m sorry for putting you through this . ”


    Just as I was about to say something, she turns around and tried to go back indoors .


    I can’t let her go .


    Should I reveal that I’m working to help her?


    However, under the present circumstances where there are no clues to the solution, I might give her unnecessary hope .


    No, I’m just giving excuses, I have to stop her now!


    I stood up in a hurry and reached out to her .


    “Eva!”


    “———-”


    I extended my hand and grabbed her right hand .


    The moment I tried to say something, she looked back with a teary face, and the sword on my waist suddenly began to tremble .


    “What the?!”


    ————–UGyoooooooooo!!


    “Ugu?!”


    A familiar and terrifying roar echoes in my head, causing a headache .


    The roar was much larger than in memory .


    Although only for a moment, my headache soon subsided, but I realized the hand that I was holding was strangely cold .


    When I raised my face, she held her head with her left hand like I did .


    “Eva, are you——-”


    “Usato-san…stay . . … . ”


    “Stay… . . ?!”


    “——–”


    When I tried using healing magic on her right hand, her head dropped and she loses strength .


    I immediately caught hold of her and lifted her up .


    “What on earth… . is going on?!”


    “——Unforgiveable . ”


    “Eva?!”


    “Neither you nor the King will be forgiven . ”


    It wasn’t her voice .


    I was convinced when I heard the spooky voices coming out of her mouth .


    “So you’re the real curse . ”


    “Yes, hero . Why did we have to die? Why were we abandoned? Oh stupid King, who was drowning in power, why have you forsaken us? We would’ve still been alive . ”


    “… . . Is it not listening?”


    “That is why we shall never forget . The anger, fear, despair, hatred . We will curse you for eternity!”


    The person manipulating Eva said, as her body floats up in the air, and slowly descended to the ground .


    However, at that moment—-


    “But, the centuries of suffering have finally come to an end . With the presence of a hero and the king here, we are finally free . ”


    “?!”


    ——Something half-transparent jumped out from her body and flew to the ground .