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Chapter 6
“Yeah, there is. The current king’s only sister—the one people say is cursed and even got her parents killed.”
“A curse?”
“About ten years ago, I think? The former king and queen died while on their way to see their young daughter. The king died, the war they were winning fell apart… and for a while, everyone said it was all because of the princess.”
The man scoffed.
Valdina was known for its small but brave army, but apparently, its people weren’t particularly intelligent.
To make such a fuss over a mere child.
“And you believe that?”
“Not really… but the timing was too convenient.”
Gallo shrugged.
“Looks like idiots aren’t only in Valdina.”
“That’s harsh.”
Gallo placed a hand over his chest, pretending to be hurt.
“A curse, huh…”
The man’s reflection appeared faintly in the glass window.
A long shadow stretched behind him, cast by the sunlight.
“They’ve never even seen a real curse, yet they talk so much.”
The edge of the shadow trembled slightly.
“Your Highness—no, Boss. I—”
Gallo’s lips, which had been curved in a grin, suddenly froze like stone.
The man lowered his gaze.
His fingertips had turned a faint bluish color.
“Your Highness… what should we do?”
Three years ago, the first prince of the Kazen Empire, Cesare, massacred the Kikwegin tribe on the empire’s frontier.
At the time, he was in the middle of annexing smaller kingdoms that had been invading the southern borders.
“These Kikwegins are completely insane. They tried to summon some unknown evil god and sacrificed people left and right. And get this—they even roasted and ate the sacrifices afterward! Said they needed to absorb resentment properly.”
There was no mercy left for those who had abandoned even the bare minimum of human dignity.
“Burn them all.”
Silver swords and shields were stained with dark, dried blood.
The so-called evil god the Kikwegins worshipped could not evade blades and spears.
Fields, villages, temples—
Flames rose everywhere murder and cannibalism had taken place.
“AAARGH! You black, wicked creature! Even demons are kinder than you! The primordial darkness will never forgive you! Are you not afraid?!”
The tribal chief screamed, his eyes bloodshot.
“I’m not some ‘black wicked creature.’ I am Cesare. Go tell your god the name of the ruler of this land.”
Cesare sneered from atop his snorting horse.
His arrogance placed even their evil god beneath him.
Yet no one could deny it.
That brilliant, sun-like young man would one day rule this vast empire.
“Cesare! The blood in your body will freeze blue like your eyes, and your heart will harden black like your hair! Even if your brilliance and ambition achieve everything and cut down all enemies—”
Black smoke surged from the chief, whipping around Cesare like a lash.
“—you will not be able to stop your body from crumbling away!”
“Your Highness!”
When Cesare awoke, the chief’s curse had already taken hold.
The sword that once cut faster than the wind slowed.
His beast-like instincts dulled noticeably.
At times, he would cough up blood, his entire body stiffening like stone before losing consciousness.
After the third episode, Cesare had no choice but to accept it.
Something had changed in him ever since the day he annihilated the Kikwegins.
The military physician said:
“Your Highness… your body is turning to stone. At this rate… you have, at most, three years.”
But he refused to believe it.
He sought out the greatest physicians on the continent.
“A disease where the body gradually grows cold and rigid… Even I, called a divine healer, have never seen or heard of such a thing.”
They all shook their heads.
Cesare went to the Holy Kingdom.
He sought out priests said to possess the strongest divine power.
“This is an extremely vicious curse. I can feel primordial darkness from you.”
“I’m sorry. Even if you kill me and wage war against the Holy Kingdom, it won’t change anything. This is beyond our realm. No holy power can affect something born of the primordial.”
The answer had been forced out at swordpoint from the Pope himself.
It was not a lie.
As he searched desperately for a way to remove the primordial darkness, the curse progressed slowly—but steadily.
“Long live His Highness the First Prince!”
During his triumphant return ceremony, another episode struck.
“Your Highness!”
Soon, rumors spread across the empire—
That the first prince had contracted a fatal disease during the war.
The emperor suspected it might be another scheme by his son.
His brothers rejoiced at the fall of their strongest rival.
“How pathetic.”
A curse should at least be something like this.
Something powerful enough to drag down a man who once soared endlessly toward the sky.
“Anyway, it makes sense why Valdina is still such a mess despite having such excellent cavalry.”
Gallo’s expression brightened again, as if nothing had happened.
“So this disliked princess finally awakened or something. She’s got spirit—but do you think she can really suppress the head maid until the end?”
His brown eyes sparkled mischievously.
“Boss, should we keep an eye on the princess’s palace? It’s been a while since something this entertaining came up.”
“Do you have that much free time?”
The cold question made Gallo flinch.
“You found the priestess, I assume?”
“Ah… still tracking. But the last place she was seen was here in Valdina. The trail ends near the border.”
When every other method of breaking the curse had failed, one priest had said:
“If it’s a priestess of the Shadeia tribe… she might know how to remove primordial darkness. They say they can read ancient texts written in the light of creation.”
Like grasping at straws—
But it was the only possibility left.
So Cesare traveled the continent disguised as an arms dealer, searching for the Shadeia priestess.
“That’s it?”
“Come on, don’t be ridiculous. Do you think it’s easy to find traces of a tribe that went extinct ages ago? Even the Pope and the former emperor failed and gave up.”
Gallo puffed his cheeks.
“You talk too much.”
“Damn it! I’ve searched every inch from the Valdina border without missing anything! She’s definitely inside the capital—I’ll stake my life on it! Happy now?!”
He shouted.
Cesare narrowed his eyes.
“You’d better. Otherwise…”
“Make sure your neck is ready.”
His cold gaze gleamed.
“G-Got it! I got it!”
Gallo hurriedly stood up, practically fleeing.
“Oh—and Boss, you’re entering the palace this week, right? Don’t forget when you go.”
He tapped the table lightly before leaving.
On the round table lay a silver half-mask.
“Even if it’s annoying, don’t forget it. If Sisear finds out who you are, old ties won’t matter—he’ll try to split us in half.”
Cesare glanced at the mask.
“Don’t like hiding your face?”
“….”
Once the silver mask covered his face, he was no longer the feared First Prince of Kazen—
Just a mercenary of the arms dealer “Facade.”
Why did that small taste of freedom feel so unpleasant?
“Boss, don’t tell me you think your looks are your greatest asset? You just hate hiding them—”
“You talk too much.”
“Alright, I’m going! I’m going! Damn!”
Gallo rushed out, slamming the door shut.
A finely honed dagger flew and embedded itself into the door—
Right where Gallo’s mouth had been moments ago.
Another blade spun elegantly between Cesare’s fingers.
* * *
The Princess’s Palace
“So you just stood there and watched the princess leave?!”
A woman’s voice rang loudly through the palace.
“W-We couldn’t stop her… she suddenly ran out—”
The maids stood in a line, heads bowed as they endured her fury.
Her fiery red hair, paired with her sharp features, made her look like a burning branch.
Mariyu.
The princess’s closest maid.
Dressed in the latest fashion, she looked more like a noblewoman returning from a ball than a servant.
I’ve been waiting so long to see him again…! If she got hurt, she should’ve stayed in bed—why did she get up and wander around?!
Just thinking about the princess’s naive face made her angrier.
“I told you to report immediately wherever she goes! Didn’t I?!”
She slapped a maid repeatedly.
“Do you all want to be thrown out?! Get your heads straight!”
The reason Mariyu could act this way—
She was the daughter of the princess’s former nanny.
When the nanny died, the princess had cried and said Mariyu was like her own sister.
“W-What if something happened to the princess… and they find out we all left our posts—”
“Shut up!”
She grabbed a vase to throw—
“Your Highness!”
A maid cried out as she spotted someone approaching.
“Your Highness, where have you been?! It’s so cold—!”
Mariyu quickly changed her expression and turned around.
She rushed toward the princess—
Then suddenly stopped.
Her eyes widened at the shocking sight before her.
