Yuria had no idea that she was being eavesdropped on with her ears perked up, not even in her wildest dreams.
Crow and Alice exchanged a conversation that seemed rather unusual.
Why did he conclude that Yuria might be under a curse?
The reason was simple: she was, in every way, extremely healthy.
Typically, people who lose the ability to speak fall into two major categories of ailments.
Aphasia, caused by brain damage, and mutism, where psychological factors prevent speech.
However, aphasia involves issues with the language-processing regions themselves, causing widespread symptoms.
In other words, it was far from Yuria’s case, as she had no problems understanding or reading language—just an inability to speak.
On the other hand, there were no signs of anxiety or stress that usually accompany mutism.
Yuria’s mental state was incredibly serene—it was the kind of calmness that could heal those who observed her.
If anything, it almost seemed like she was deliberately choosing not to speak.
Crow, being both a doctor and a Pixie, had more than enough skill to see through such patients.
Thus, there was only one way to interpret Yuria’s condition:
She had been cursed, forcibly robbed of her ability to speak to others.
“Alice, you mentioned earlier that Yuria showed signs of briefly losing consciousness when trying to write, right?”
“Ah, yes! Greg saw it with his own two eyes. She dropped her pen but didn’t even remember doing so…”
“Hmm, I’ve seen a patient with similar symptoms before. Forbidden Magic. A spell that forbids certain actions from the target. Of course, I couldn’t sense any trace of magic on Yuria….”
“If it’s a curse that doesn’t leave behind traces of mana… is it possible something similar could happen?”
To be precise, it wasn’t exactly a curse but rather a spell from the curse category.
Crow narrowed his eyes slightly as he supplemented Alice’s response.
Curse.
It was a nearly obsolete form of sorcery.
Back when magic hadn’t yet been systematized by some great mage, when it didn’t even exist in the world…
What ruled over the now-extinct alternate world was centuries of accumulated sorcery.
Pouring life imbued with mana, unifying intention through meaningless acts, and mumbling nonsense until it accidentally aligned with the laws of the world.
It couldn’t exactly be called magic, but it was certainly very close to it.
People referred to this blend of inevitability and coincidence as sorcery.
“But sorcery…”
“Yes. No one uses it anymore. Especially after our world collapsed.”
Most forms of sorcery quickly became obsolete after the emergence of magic.
This was because sorcery fell short in every aspect compared to magic.
Requiring sacrifices made it inefficient, and mana mixed with blood and flesh made delicate control impossible.
Sometimes, the results would vary wildly each time it was used—it was utterly absurd.
After magic appeared, sorcery was inevitably pushed out of competition and disappeared.
However, there was one branch of sorcery that managed to survive and maintain its legacy.
That was the curse-based sorcery, which inflicted suffering on others.
Magic was akin to a cold, efficient machine, unlike sorcery, which wavered under countless variables.
As long as mana was properly channeled, it always produced theoretical results.
But perhaps due to this immutable characteristic,
Curse-based sorcery often matched or even surpassed similar magic.
This was because the more hatred one bore toward the target, the greater its power grew.
“And as you know, curses created through sorcery leave fewer traces as the sorcerer’s skill increases. That’s why it’s hard to even detect if someone’s been cursed… and finding the person who cast the curse is even harder.”
“That… Yes, I’ve heard stories about that.”
“Well, sorcery against sorcery. If there were a sorcerer of similar skill around, they’d easily see through it… But where would you find a sorcerer in this day and age?”
Perhaps it was because it consumed living beings imbued with mana as materials.
The greatest advantage of curse-based sorcery, commonly referred to as curses, was that it left no traces.
Especially in ambiguous cases like Yuria’s, where it was uncertain whether she was truly cursed, it became even harder to confirm.
Without detailed knowledge, verifying it was practically impossible.
Of course, a sorcerer would easily recognize the type of sorcery and how to counter it.
But since the alternate world that provided the materials for sorcery had collapsed, both sorcery and sorcerers had become exceedingly rare.
“It’s a headache. As a doctor, I want to offer a solution, but… I’ve never even heard of a curse that leaves so little trace. Though it’s almost certain some kind of restriction is in place.”
“I see…”
“Don’t make that face. She seems like a spirited girl I quite like, so I’ll help out whenever I have time. Besides, Yuria is perfectly healthy aside from not being able to speak. Crying like that will only make her anxious.”
“…Urk, o-okay! I’ll try to hold back!”
Alice fought back the tears welling up from worrying about Yuria.
Just as Crow said, if she cried, it would only make Yuria feel uneasy.
So now wasn’t the time to wallow in sorrow—it was time to think ahead.
I’ll find a way to free Yuria from this curse, no matter what.
Instead of feeling sadness, Alice burned with anger toward whoever had cursed her.
Crow chuckled behind his hand at Alice’s determination and continued speaking, seemingly relieved.
“Still, thanks to it being such an advanced curse, it won’t transform and torment Yuria in other ways. But come by once a month just in case her condition worsens.”
“Yes…! Thank you so much. I’ll definitely come back next month!”
“Heheh. Ah, bring Raven next time too. I miss that firm butt of his.”
“Yes, yes! Next time, I’ll have Jin bring him instead…!”
Alice momentarily froze at his longing gaze toward Raven’s behind.
As expected of Crow, the man-hunter. She resolved to send Raven next time without fail.
Having finished their discussion inside the hospital, Alice emerged with Crow.
She noticed Yuria sitting quietly in a chair, deep in thought.
Perhaps it was because she had removed her mask for the examination and hadn’t put it back on.
Though her expressionless face gazed blankly into space, it still radiated a destructive charm that made one want to hand over all their money.
“Yuria! I’m back!”
“…!”
But Yuria’s power was only just beginning.
The moment her head turned and her mysterious violet eyes locked onto Alice,
It was like a bud blossoming all at once—Yuria broke into a radiant smile.
Even with her mask on, Yuria was transparent enough that you could guess her thoughts.
But her bare face revealed even more.
I trust you wholeheartedly.
Her bashful smile, brimming with trust, hit Alice like a massive battering ram.
Overwhelmed by the sheer force, Alice collapsed weakly to the spot, clutching her heart.
“Ugh… Huff, huff… I almost fainted…! I had no idea Yuria could launch such an attack!”
“…”
Of course, Alice’s exaggerated reaction stemmed entirely from how Yuria’s face perfectly targeted her severe cuteness addiction.
And to think that unpredictable, cat-like Yuria was sending her a signal full of trust!
It was no wonder Alice’s legs gave out without resistance.
From Yuria’s perspective, though, it was utterly baffling.
Sure, her face might match someone’s preferences, but was it really enough to elicit this kind of reaction from just a casual smile?
Embarrassed, Yuria scratched her cheek and hastily pulled her mask back over her face.
As someone who genuinely liked Alice, she couldn’t bear to watch her make such a spectacle of herself.
Perhaps regaining some composure, Alice rose to her feet, took Yuria’s hand, and bowed deeply to Crow.
“We’ll be going now. Thank you so much for taking care of Yuria today.”
“No problem. I just did what I was asked. Yuria went through quite a bit with all those tests. Take care, both of you.”
“…!”
“Ohoho, farewell. Oh, right, Alice?”
Just as they were about to leave, having packed up their things,
Crow suddenly remembered something and called out to Alice.
Had he forgotten to mention something about Yuria?
When Alice tilted her head, asking why he called her back, he responded casually.
“Next time, bring your sister along. I’d like to check up on both you and Lily then. Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet, has it?”
“Ah, umm, yes. I’ll let her know when I have time. She’s been busy lately, but I think she’ll have some free time soon…”
Perhaps it was because she hadn’t anticipated this at all.
Alice awkwardly averted her gaze.
Yuria, lost in thought behind her mask, belatedly grasped the meaning of his words.
“Oh, come to think of it, it’s about that time. The official holiday when most companies shut down under the Dragon Mayor’s orders—Night Week.”
Soon, Night Haven’s annual corporate holiday, Night Week, would arrive.
And in the original story, during this time, Alice’s sister Lily visited their office.
She had been diligently removing hidden cameras all this time—surely, they wouldn’t hold a grudge over this, right?
Holding Alice’s hand, Yuria felt a twinge of unease.
If possible, she’d have to hide tightly in the closet to avoid meeting her.
Clutching her belongings close, she secretly began planning her strategy.
