ITYVA 74🔐

Chapter 74

My blurry vision gradually became clearer.

I blinked absentmindedly, then slowly sat up.

‘…It was a dream.’

My head throbbed. I pressed my temples.

The documents about the curse I had found in Dante’s office yesterday must have been more shocking than I realized.

To dream about what I had read in The Tyrant Emperor…

And about Harnen’s pathetic past, of all things…

I bit my lip hard.

“…Those bastards.”

They went berserk just because they couldn’t touch my favorite!

Rage welled up inside me.

“I’ll never forgive them!”

I clenched my fists and shouted, then collapsed to the side.

Maybe it was because I had been running around like a foal until late last night.

Even after sleeping, it didn’t feel like I had rested at all.

‘I’m tired…’

Just as my eyes were about to close again, on the verge of sleep…

“What are you not going to forgive?”

I heard As’s voice as the door opened.

Moments later, he approached in a light shirt, shaking his wet hair with a towel.

I suddenly sat up straight.

“Ah, As.”

“Did you sleep well?”

As smiled faintly as he perched on the edge of the bed.

For some reason, it felt like I was seeing As freshly washed for the first time, and I stared blankly. Then, in his voice tinged with amusement, he said,

“It’s the first time I’ve seen Einra awake at this hour.”

“Huh? What time is it…?”

I muttered reflexively as I looked out the window.

It was still dark outside.

‘…Dark?’

I blinked in confusion, and As’s voice reached my ears.

“It’s 4:30 a.m.”

“…4:30 a.m.?”

I muttered a beat late, and my expression slowly shifted to shock.

It’s one thing to be awake at 4 a.m. because I hadn’t slept, but I had never voluntarily woken up at 4 a.m. in my life.

‘How long… did I sleep?’

As must have read the question in my face, because he answered gently.

“You slept a full day.”

“Gah…”

My face went pale.

The longest I had ever slept before was twelve hours, but I had slept a full twenty-four hours without waking once.

‘Am I a total sleep addict…’

Feeling a bit self-conscious, I buried my face in my hands.

Seeing this, As smiled faintly and reached over to brush my hair back.

“If I had known you’d mind, I should have just woken you up. But you were sleeping so soundly, I deliberately didn’t.”

“…No, As. It’s just… I’m realizing how much of a sleep addict I really am.”

I murmured that, then suddenly lifted my head to look at him.

“Oh, As, there’s something I want to tell you.”

I briefly explained what I had heard from Eliah about Dante’s reincarnation.

As listened with a serious expression, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

“I see. So that finally clears up the questions that didn’t make sense.”

“And… I have two favors I want to ask you.”

The small hand that had been smoothing my hair paused.

His crimson eyes softened as he looked at me.

“If it’s a favor from Einra, of course I’ll do it.”

“Well… I want you to find Dante’s location.”

Of course, the Quiels were already looking for Dante’s whereabouts, but having the world’s official mastermind helping would feel even more reassuring.

“And the other?”

“…I want you to find information about a certain curse.”

I reached to pull out the documents I had brought from Dante’s lab but then paused, remembering I was still in my pajamas.

As, fully withdrawing his hand, pointed to the nightstand next to me.

“All of Einra’s things are in the nightstand.”

“Ah, thanks.”

I opened the nightstand and took out all the documents inside.

“These are from Dante’s lab. It seems to be a curse aimed at Harnen.”

“…”

As received the documents from me and quickly skimmed through them with an indifferent expression.

I watched his profile nervously.

After a while, As looked up from finishing the documents.

“I can investigate, but it’ll probably be difficult to find anything beyond what’s organized here.”

“…”

“There’s never been a record of someone remembering their past lives except in ancient times, so this is likely all there is. And this curse…”

As’s gaze shifted downward again.

“It seems Dante devised this curse himself. It wasn’t a pre-existing curse.”

So there’s nothing more to uncover.

‘Now everything depends on Dante’s whereabouts.’

I clenched my fists tightly.

“…Then at least I need you to find Dante’s whereabouts.”

As’s crimson eyes returned to me.

He smiled softly and replied,

“Of course, Einra.”

After having an early breakfast with As, I rode Hisha to Harnen’s townhouse.

When I knocked, Harnen, who had already been informed of my visit through the Quiel, opened the door.

“Come in.”

“Mm.”

I entered as Harnen guided me inside.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Uh, yes.”

“What would you like? Dew tea? Black tea?”

“Dew tea.”

“Got it, just a moment.”

Harnen smiled warmly and went toward the kitchen.

Once I confirmed he had entered the kitchen, I quickly sat at the chair by the living room table and took a deep breath.

I had come to Harnen for one reason.

I hoped that, from a sorcerer’s perspective, he could find out something more about the curse targeting the reincarnated.

And the most capable sorcerer around me was Harnen.

Of course, I didn’t want to mention Dante’s curse directly, so I had prepared an excuse.

‘Okay, Einra. Just ask naturally.’

I mustn’t make Harnen suspicious.

Just naturally. Naturally.

As I repeated that to myself like someone preparing for an interview, Harnen finished setting the tea and approached with the tray.

“What are you thinking about so intently?”

He placed a teacup in front of me and asked.

Startled, I scratched my cheek nervously and laughed.

“Um, whether dessert should be chocolate or strawberry later… something like that?”

“Ah.”

Harnen, squinting his sky-blue eyes, tilted his head and smiled.

“I see.”

“Mm.”

“I’d go for chocolate.”

He placed his own teacup down and sat.

I lifted my teacup and tilted my head.

“Why?”

“Because your hair color is chocolate-colored.”

He smiled faintly.

I pouted.

“That’s not a good reason, it’s lazy.”

“Hmm, for me it’s the most meaningful reason.”

“Harnen.”

I glanced at him without hostility, and he chuckled, lifting his teacup.

“So, what exactly did you want to ask that made you come all this way?”

After taking a sip, Harnen met my eyes.

I took a deep breath and calmly began.

“My friend… um, a friend’s distant cousin’s neighbor’s client employee’s son’s cousin is a bit worried, so they want a sorcerer’s advice.”

“Mm.”

“Um, they’re wondering if someone can use their past life’s body to cast a curse on their current self… what do you think?”

Harnen paused, his gesture halting mid-motion.

His sky-blue eyes quietly studied me.

‘Did he… notice something…?’

I tensed under his gaze, but then Harnen smiled.

“Good question. I can answer that.”

“…!”

I widened my eyes in surprise.

Harnen’s calm voice continued.

“It’s possible. That curse is possible. It’s a bit complicated, though.”

“…”

I had already suspected it was possible, but hearing a direct confirmation like this didn’t exactly make me happy.

I paused, then asked,

“…Complicated? Does it require certain conditions?”

Once the first question slipped out, the rest followed naturally.

“Is the method very tricky? So even a small mistake would prevent it? How could I interfere to stop it…?”

“Einra.”

Harnen’s call snapped me back to attention.

I closed my mouth and looked at him. His eyes softened as he spoke gently.

“You can ask slowly, step by step. No one’s going to eat you.”

“…Mm.”

I gripped my teacup tightly and answered softly.

Harnen chuckled warmly.

“You said your friend’s distant cousin’s neighbor’s client employee’s son’s cousin is worried about that curse, right?”

“Uh, yes…”

“Tell them there’s nothing to worry about.”