A week had passed since that deal. The hallways of Celestia, the Magic Tower University, were filled with the same buzz as always. But inside Vanheim Elise, something was different. (*He's coming today.*) At a table in the "Hungry Gryphon" dining hall, Elise sat alone, dipping a wooden spoon into her soup. Steam rose gently. Lunch hour in the student district — around her, students chatted and laughed, and the owner's voice boomed with orders. The usual noise she never minded now grated on her ears. "[surprised]Yo. Been waiting long?" She looked up. Ashford Rion stood there, tray in hand, already sitting down across from her without asking. His black hair streaked with red was as messy as ever, a gaudy scarf draped around the collar of his sloppily unbuttoned uniform. His golden eyes gleamed with a smirk. "[cold]Who said you could sit there?" "It was empty." "Just because it's empty doesn't mean you sit. Are you a stray dog or something?" Elise's blue eyes glinted coldly. Her platinum blonde hair was tied up as immaculately as always, her high-collared magic swordsman uniform without a single wrinkle. But the hand holding her soup spoon had stiffened, just slightly. Rion twirled his spoon idly and lowered his voice. "[sarcastic]I'm coming to your place this weekend. Send me the map." BANG! The sound echoed through the dining hall. Elise had slammed her plate against the table. Students all around turned to stare. The owner shouted, "Hey, missy! Don't go breaking my plates!" "[angry]I never said I'd let you into my house. Wait in the alley." Her voice was sharp with anger. But her cheeks were faintly flushed. Rion didn't flinch. If anything, his smirk deepened. "The materials for the salve are heavy. Sealing stone powder, silver sand catalyst, and then—" Rion started counting off on his fingers. "—I'm using a carriage. Materials and carriage fee, all on you." "[angry]What?! Why should I—" "[laughing]It's for your curse, right? The homeowner covers the costs. That's only natural." Rion said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Elise gritted her teeth. This bastard — it was too humiliating. But she was the one who'd decided to prepare for the curse-breaking at her own home. If she was providing the location, it did make sense for her to bear the costs. "…Fine." "[laughing]Alright, deal. Oh, and cover my lunch today too." "[angry]Don't you—" "Well, see you this weekend." Rion stood up quickly, his scarf fluttering as he walked away. Elise set her clenched fist on the table. (*This damn playboy…!*) But then her eyes dropped to her hands. A scrap of paper Rion had apparently left behind. A materials list. Sealing stone powder — triple the standard amount. Names of ingredients for an unfamiliar curse-breaking auxiliary agent lined the page. Silver sand, moonflower root, and… "nightshade mushroom"? (*This is a catalyst used in shadow magic.*) Elise frowned. A material never taught in the university's standard curriculum. She'd seen the name only once, in research documents on seal-designated curse arts. (*This guy — he's seriously researching this.*) Behind that frivolous grin, just how much knowledge did Rion possess? Something deep in Elise's chest trembled faintly. Weekend night. The Vanheim estate — a prestigious mansion in Starview Heights, the upper district of the star capital Lux. Chalk-white walls, elegant towers, and servant quarters separated by iron fences. Elise was in the small guest room at the very back. Outside the window, it was already dark. Only a small lamp dimly lit the room. Elise stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the wall, watching Rion spread his supplies across the table. Rion pulled out a stone mortar and silently began grinding the materials. The scrape of stone on stone — *grrk, grrk*. The silver powder of the sealing stone grew finer, mixing with the catalyst. (*His hands—*) Elise's eyes widened. There was no wasted movement in Rion's actions. His technique was too practiced. Precise and smooth, as if he'd repeated the same task countless times before. "[serious]…How many times have you compounded a curse-breaking agent?" Rion answered without stopping his hands. "Who knows. Never kept count." A light tone. But his golden eyes were serious. Soon, the mixture in the mortar transformed into a faintly glowing silver liquid. A salve infused with dissolved sealing stone — its radiance was beautiful, like captured starlight. "Done." Rion transferred the liquid into a small vial and held it out to Elise. "[serious]When you apply this, your mana flow becomes visible. That's the property of the sealing stone. It'll let you visually trace the flow of your crest — the contract's burning mark." Elise took the vial. Her hand trembled slightly. "…Where do I apply it?" "From the collarbone to the shoulder blade. You can't do it yourself." Rion said it like it was obvious. Elise bit her lip. (*I know that. I know, but — letting this man touch me…*) But she had no choice. Elise reached for the clasp at her high collar. A metallic *click*. The collar opened, revealing the line of her collarbone, usually hidden. Strands of her tightly bound platinum blonde hair came loose from the tension and scattered against her neck. Rion's hand reached out. (*—Ah.*) His fingertips brushed the hair from her shoulder. A gesture that took barely a second. Just a motion to get it out of the way. But. Elise's earlobes burned hot. A heat different from the curse's attacks. A shallower, more ticklish heat raced across the surface of her body. (*W-why is this—*) Elise turned her face away, pretending not to notice. But her heartbeat was so loud she panicked, wondering if Rion could hear it. Rion said nothing, just dipped his finger into the salve. The silver liquid gleamed slickly in the lamplight. "Applying it now." A low voice. Cold. The moment the salve touched the base of her collarbone, Elise involuntarily held her breath. The cool liquid seeped into her skin. And then— (*Ah—*) Heat erupted. The curse's searing heat was released from within all at once. Beneath her clothes, a pattern of pale golden light surfaced. Geometric lines ran from her collarbone to her shoulder. Like a star map — beautiful and terrifying lines of light. "[whispers]Ah… nn…" A sweet sigh escaped before she could hold it back. Her body trembled. Pleasure and shame crashed over her simultaneously. Her mind went blank, the sensation in her limbs blurring. Rion's golden eyes traced the contours of the crest. (*Those eyes—*) Not the eyes of a frivolous playboy. A quiet, sharp gaze trying to discern something. In those eyes, Elise remembered the night they first met. "[serious]I'll start here." Rion's fingertip touched the crest at the base of her collarbone. "—Nn!!" She bit her lip, holding back the sound that almost escaped. Rion's finger traced the flow of the crest. From collarbone to shoulder. Slowly, as if confirming each line of light, one by one. (*The heat — it's easing.*) The curse's searing heat receded smoothly wherever his finger passed. A sensation she'd never felt before. That agony — being soothed by someone's hand — she'd never experienced anything like it. But. "[whispers]Ah… n-no… ah…" In place of the receding heat, a different sensation crawled through her body. Pleasure. A sweet numbness raced up her spine, melting her mind. She felt like she might die of shame, yet her body trembled as if yearning for Rion's touch. (*No, this is — wrong—*) Rion's finger reached the edge of her shoulder blade. One line. Then another. Each time the flow of the crest was traced, a sigh slipped from Elise's lips. The more she tried to suppress them, the sweeter they became, dissolving into the air. Rion was silent. No quips, no teasing. Just focused, moving his fingers as if deciphering the crest. That seriousness only fueled Elise's shame. (*Please, say something — if this keeps up, I'll—*) The last line of the crest vanished. The heat drained completely from her body. The lines of light faded, and her skin returned to its original whiteness. Breathing heavily, Elise slowly regained her senses. (*It's over—*) And immediately, her right hand moved. *SMACK!* The sound of a swing cutting through air. Rion had already stood up and stepped back two paces, light on his feet. The slap hit nothing. "[laughing]Whoa, that was close." Elise, thrown off balance by her own momentum, pitched forward. —She was going to fall. The moment she thought it. An arm reached out from behind. Rion caught her by the waist. Her back brushed against his chest for just an instant. Through their clothes, she felt a man's body heat. "—Nn." Elise pulled away as if burned. Her face was bright red, all the way to her ears. "[angry]Wh-what do you think you're—" "[sarcastic]You're one to talk." Rion grinned, but the smile was a little softer than usual. It worked, didn't it — his expression as he confirmed it briefly was hard. The frivolity was gone. Elise nodded silently. "[serious]…I see." Rion said nothing more and began packing up his supplies. She saw him to the door. A small entrance on the outskirts of the servant quarters. The cold night air felt good against her flushed cheeks. Rion turned his back and started walking down the path. His figure melting into the darkness. (*Next time — when…*) "[whispers]…When are you coming next?" She was surprised by the words that left her own mouth. (*Huh? Did I just say that?*) A question far too honest. Elise hurriedly covered her mouth. Rion turned back, raising an eyebrow. "[sarcastic]Oh? Could it be you've started wanting to see me?" "[angry]N-no! I was just confirming the curse management schedule! Don't get the wrong idea!" Elise's voice, making excuses with all her might, echoed through the path. Rion laughed over his shoulder. "[laughing]About three weeks, I'd say." With just that, he vanished into the darkness. Left behind, Elise stood rooted to the spot. (*…Three weeks.*) A warmth spread deep in her chest. For the first time tonight, she found the heat left by someone's touch pleasant. It's because of the curse. It's definitely because of the curse — repeating that fiercely in her mind, Elise pushed her secret deep into her heart. The next morning. Elise was tidying up the guest room they'd used the night before. The stone mortar, leftover materials, scattered cloths — she organized the tools Rion had used for compounding. (*He could at least clean up after himself.*) Cursing him inwardly, she noticed a scrap of paper lying beside the mortar. A memo. Scribbled handwriting. Elise picked it up and followed the words. — *Your crest isn't an ordinary curse.* (*…What?*) — *The flow of the crest resembles the structure of a sealing formula. There's a spell I've heard about in the Veil archives.* Elise's hand stopped. Her heart pounded. (*The crest is — a sealing formula?*) The curse carved into her body was sealing something? What? Why? (*The Veil archives — where records of seal-designated curse arts sleep.*) The ink of the scribbled note seemed to blur in the lamplight. Clutching the paper, Elise couldn't move. (*This curse — isn't just a curse.*) Her first doubt. The history of the Vanheim family. Her mother's cold words. This mark that might violate seal-designated curse arts. (*What exactly is sealed inside my body?*) Another secret she couldn't tell anyone. But this time — it was a secret that needed unraveling, not breaking. On Monday, she'd investigate using Rion's research notes in the university library. Having made that resolution, Elise stared at the crumpled paper once more. Outside the window, the morning sun of the star capital Lux was beginning to illuminate the chalk-white cityscape. A premonition of a new battle was quietly, but surely, approaching.