CMI 11

Chapter 11

Be Careful of the Past

When Odette last checked, Louis was said to be at the Clovis Count’s townhouse due to health reasons.

Odette still clearly remembered how Ellie had shaken her head when she visited Louis after attending the tea party.

“It’s probably not going to work. They won’t receive any visitors at all, so even if Your Highness goes, I doubt they’d open the door. I’ve heard that the Clovis Count has strictly ordered that no one be allowed in.”

Yes, Ellie had definitely said that at the time.

And that was only a short while ago.

Now, he was at the Académie?

“…Is that man someone who’s come before?”

“No, I’ve never seen him before.”

Annesophie had been a bookworm since her school days. Her personality had likely intensified once she entered the lab, rather than diminished.

So if Annesophie said this was Louis’s first visit to the academy, then it really was his first.

“Do you know why he came?”

“She said he had something to discuss. I don’t know the details, but he didn’t look well. He looked sick at first glance.”

A handsome patient—Annesophie adjusted her glasses, remarking how rare that was.

“Was he really that unwell?”

“Yes. I don’t know exactly what happened, but sometimes students come to the professors claiming they’ve been cursed after doing something wrong. They wander into trouble, get cursed, and have no other choice but to ask for help.”

Whether he had earned it by his behavior or made an enemy, being entangled with him wasn’t beneficial, according to Annesophie.

And the fact that Odette had even considered getting involved with Louis was troubling enough to unsettle her.

“A curse, huh…”

That explained why he had suddenly fallen ill.

It wasn’t actually a disease—it was just far more troublesome than a normal illness.

“Do you know him personally? I don’t really know the nobility.”

“I do. The Clovis Count is also an alumnus of this academy.”

That was also why Odette had come to Belfor Academy.

The only known connection between Walter and Louis was that they had both attended Belfor Academy.

If there’s any connection, it must be here.

It turned out that Louis and Walter had also briefly overlapped with Odette during their school years.

Attending a private academy was both a networking opportunity and proof of some level of refinement. It was an unspoken rule for the upper class to go through a private academy before entering high society.

If you didn’t even attend a private academy, which could be entered with money, it means you’re too foolish to even pass the entrance exam.

Whether one liked it or not, attending for at least one or two years was necessary to have the right to show up in high society.

Among private academies, Belfor Academy was the most prestigious, a place where high-ranking nobles fought to enroll.

There were two types of students there:

1. People of high status, like Odette and Louis.
2. Those of lower status but exceptional talent, like Annesophie.

Odette, as a princess, had automatically been enrolled for the sake of royal appearances, whether she liked it or not.

Fortunately, I was inconspicuous while attending the academy.

Information about her had been scarce, and she lived modestly to maintain minimal dignity. No one would have suspected that the quietly dressed girl was the Fourth Princess.

Well, that didn’t mean she was completely unnoticed…

“Huh? First Prince… Your Highness… Odette…? Why are you two here…?”
“…Say hello, Annes. This is my brother, Cedric. Brother, this is Annesophie. She takes classes with me.”

It wasn’t a complete secret, but thanks to Annesophie being uninterested in high society, Odette had managed to go through two years at the academy without incident.

In the end, it had been good; she had made a friend.

And she had gained an unexpected benefit.

I’m not sure if the Clovis Count is really cursed or not…

If there was a chance to meet him, she had to try.

“Annes, you said the professor is seeing the Clovis Count, right?”

“Yes. He went outside the lab, so he’s probably at Epona Hall alone.”

Epona Hall was a lounge not far from here. It was a place to relax, read, or have tea, often used when meeting outsiders.

“Thanks for letting me know. I enjoyed the tea.”

“Your Highness? Are you going there?”

“Yes. I have something urgent to deliver.”

Odette hurried off, saying she’d come again soon since she planned to visit the academy often for research. She moved unusually quickly, which was uncharacteristic of her.

After she left:

“…Hmm. I wonder if it’ll be okay.”

Annesophie scratched her head and walked toward her lab, looking doubtful.

She had been admitted to Belfor Academy for her magical talent and had become a research student.

Her specialty was future prediction.

Sometimes, even strong and near-future events were partially foreshadowed.

So the hint to prepare tea was because Princess Odette was coming.

That part made sense.

The problem was the second hint.

Hmm.

Annesophie crossed her arms and rested her chin, letting out a slow voice:

“Be careful of the past… what does that mean…?”

She was preoccupied with the upcoming academic festival and had no idea about the rumors circulating in high society surrounding Odette.

So she could not imagine what was about to happen around Odette.

Meanwhile, Epona Hall

“I’m afraid even I cannot guess the cause of the Count’s ailment.”
“…As I thought.”
“Yes. I’ve seen curses cause past events to resurface as nightmares, but someone entirely unrelated appearing… there’s simply no precedent.”

Zantife, a professor of magic at Belfor Academy, shook his head.

Across from him, a young man with platinum hair, Louis Clovis, smirked coldly.

“But if it’s not a curse, what could it be? He was fine, then suddenly collapsed, hallucinating, and suffered for days.”

“I do believe it is a curse, Count. Otherwise, there’s no explanation.”

“Then why can’t it be lifted?”

“You need to know the cause to lift it. In the Count’s current state, we cannot even speculate on what caused the curse.”

If the cause was unknown, they could only mitigate the curse by weakening the corrupt magical energy in the body.

“But we can feel no trace of corrupt magical energy in your body. So there’s nothing to resolve.”

Louis’s faint smile faded as Zantife sighed lightly.

“Or, could you describe the hallucinations in more detail? Curses usually manifest fears the person already has. Maybe we could find something that way.”

Zantife’s tone was genuinely worried. Louis sensed it.

Still, he shook his head.

“No, thank you for your time.”
“Count, you’re serious?”
“Of course. Do you think I misinterpret the hallucinations? My fears appeared in front of me, and I am not confusing them with something else.”

Zantife looked embarrassed, struck by the truth, and Louis gave a faint smile.

“Unpleasant? Not at all.”

He simply was not misinterpreting or afraid. He could recount the hallucinations precisely.

The reason he didn’t was simple: what he saw was a story not to be casually spoken.

Hallucination Scene:

-Louis, why didn’t you come to the banquet? I said I’d go with you. It wasn’t just anyone—it was the godmother’s birthday banquet.
-I had work. I contacted you.
-I never received it. Only after I had left did your message arrive…
-I sent the fastest person I could. You know it wasn’t my fault it was late. I did my best.
-Then you could’ve just kept your promise. Just attend the banquet once… That’s all I asked…

In the hallucination, Louis was already married. It made sense, as he had to secure a suitable marriage partner.

What was shocking was who he was talking to:

-Odette! What are you doing? I had no choice because of work!

Odette Benoît Célestin.

In the hallucination, she appeared as Louis’s wife.