Chapter: 127
Kraush felt a moment of dizziness.
At the same time, he sensed the stares of the students when he brought Dorma with him.
He thought those gazes were merely curious—like, “What’s going on?”
But if those stares were layered with rumors?
Kraush felt a sudden wave of lightheadedness at the thought.
He imagined the implications of walking alongside Dorma; it would likely spark rumors about him attracting even more female attention.
‘Most of the ones I get involved with are quite capable, after all.’
In the Sky Generation, the ratio of boys to girls was fairly balanced.
The problem was that a significant number of the boys were already grouped around Sigrid.
‘Sigrid doesn’t really get along well with girls.’
Kraush, who knew Sigrid’s personality well, was aware of her poor relationships with other girls.
Sigrid had a somewhat self-righteous temperament and a high possessiveness.
That tendency was evident even in her interactions with boys.
‘A crazy girl who wants everyone in the world to like only her.’
Naturally, other women didn’t find Sigrid all that appealing.
After all, Sigrid preferred to dominate any man around her.
Perhaps that was also one reason why Sigrid was so drawn to Arthur; he didn’t readily give her any affection.
She was constantly craving Arthur’s love.
‘It was supposed to be that I wouldn’t associate with Sigrid’s group, so I had been hanging out with others instead.’
He never anticipated it would turn out like this.
“…Dorma, I have an fiancée. She’ll be coming to Rahelrn Academy next year.”
There was simply no way someone with a fiancée would walk around with a girl.
Things just happened to turn out this way, and he had found himself in this situation.
“That rumor is false. What would a man with a fiancée be doing such things?”
“T-that’s right!”
Dorma eagerly nodded, vehemently denying the rumors.
“And like you said, I’m not exactly a good person.”
Kraush decided to correct her perception as well.
“The reason I’m willing to help you is that I have a favor of my own to ask.”
“A favor, you say?”
Dorma tilted her head, as if unsure a person like her could help Kraush.
But Kraush knew her true value well.
It wasn’t without reason that she was a specialist in exorcisms.
Usually, there are two main methods for exorcising curses.
One is destruction.
The other is sealing.
The second method, sealing, was why exorcists could carry curses around with them.
And Dorma was one of Beltua’s twelve disciples.
‘The only one who could seal even the highest-level curses.’
Kraush felt a pang of regret as he looked at Dorma.
Had she not met with death, he wouldn’t have had to struggle as much.
Of course, it was true that even she eventually concluded there was nothing she could do with the curses he bore.
But even so, if they could conduct curse cancellation research together, things would certainly have been easier.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Yeah, actually, I’ve been working on something with some folks recently.”
Kraush began rummaging through the alchemy lab.
He pulled out a list that Darling had prepared.
“We’re thinking of combining curses and toxins to create a temporary enhancement potion. We’ll also use that curse cancellation theory we talked about earlier, so I need a few higher-level curses.”
“Huh?”
Dorma took the list from Kraush with wide eyes.
As she read the details, her eyes shook fiercely.
No wonder—this was the curse cancellation theory that had only existed in Beltua’s discourse until now!
She hastily scanned the list and looked back at Kraush with a surprised expression.
“K-Kraush, who wrote this?”
“Darling, the owner of this alchemy lab. I co-created it with him.”
Dorma gazed at Kraush, feeling the curse energy inherent in his body again.
“Kraush, do you mean…?”
The biggest reason the curse cancellation theory couldn’t be realized was that it was too dangerous to experiment on people.
However, seeing the curses within Kraush’s body and this sample, she began to wonder if Kraush had actually put this curse cancellation theory into practice.
Thus, she felt apprehensive about asking any more questions.
What on earth was he trying to achieve by going this far?
“Do you have something to say?”
“Oh, um, it’s just that this is my first time seeing something like this, and I have a lot of questions. Would it be okay?”
And so she quickly changed the topic without probing further.
Furthermore, her own question also piqued her curiosity.
Kraush smiled kindly.
“Ask away.”
“I always feel he’s quite adept at faking a smile.”
As Dorma started asking about curse cancellation, Kraush answered her questions with kindness.
Initially chosen as a deflection topic, the discussion became increasingly enthusiastic over time.
Thanks to this topic that was familiar to her, it felt like a fresh conversation after so long at Rahelrn Academy.
After a while, Dorma was wearing a big grin across her face.
It was enjoyable!
She even recalled the times she used to chat about curses with the disciples in her past life.
Kraush possessed an astonishingly deep knowledge about curses.
She had even learned a thing or two from his answers!
“Kraush, you really know a lot about curses! Do you like them?”
Do I like curses?
Kraush suppressed a bitter laugh upon hearing that question.
Dorma couldn’t possibly know how he came to have such extensive knowledge about curses.
“Just somewhat.”
So Kraush replied within the bounds of what she wouldn’t mind hearing.
“Oh, right! I’m so sorry! I didn’t get to answer your question about whether I could help!”
Dorma realized she got too carried away in conversation and covered her blushing face with both hands.
Then she quickly answered Kraush.
“…I think I can help!”
Since she had agreed to help Kraush find Beltua, it was only right for her to support him too.
With her fists clenched tightly, Kraush posed another question.
“Now that I think about it, Dorma, you’re part of Sigrid’s faction, right? Is it really okay for you to help me?”
Valheim and Ephania didn’t have the best relationship.
Especially since Sigrid had her rival, Charlotte, it made the tension between Valheim and Ephania even worse.
Given that Dorma was part of Sigrid’s camp, Kraush questioned her willingness to help.
She took a breath and said, “W-well, I’ll have to ask first. Sigrid is a generous person, she might be okay with it.”
Well, it was likely she would allow it.
Sigrid would want to bridge a connection with this side anyhow.
“Then that’s a relief.”
And thus, they’d probably end up wasting their lives constructing a bridge that would never be completed.
As naïve as Dorma was, it was the perfect moment for Kraush to stifle a laugh at his true intentions.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave now!”
With the conversation over, Dorma got up to head back.
Clack, clack—
At that moment, the sound of high-heeled shoes began to echo from outside.
Kraush recognized who it was just from the sound of the footsteps and stride.
As he stood up, there came a polite knock at the alchemy lab door.
“Hello! I heard our Dorma is in here and came looking for her!”
A familiar voice, warm and friendly, floated through.
Kraush grimaced the moment he recognized the voice.
Thank goodness they didn’t open the door right away.
Had they seen his face, it would have been immediately obvious that he had returned to this world.
“May I ask who you are?”
Kraush responded, pretending he didn’t know the owner of the voice.
“Wow, it’s Kraush Valheim!”
Dorma shouted in a panicked voice.
The reason for her panic was clear: the owner of that voice was none other than Princess Sigrid Ephania.
Kraush’s least favorite person in the world!
At that moment, a light laugh came from outside.
“Yes, I’m Sigrid Ephania. May I ask if the owner of this voice is Kraush Valheim?”
“Uh, what should I do?”
Dorma’s face turned pale, looking as though she’d been caught red-handed in a theft.
It seems she also knew that Sigrid didn’t take kindly to Charlotte.
After all, Kraush was Charlotte’s younger brother.
“I’ll go see.”
Kraush turned the doorknob as if to say, “Don’t worry about it.”
The instant he opened the door, he saw Sigrid step back one step.
While Sigrid’s pale blue hair was a stark contrast to the light-colored hair of the frail Sizzly, it was still strikingly beautiful.
As soon as she met Kraush’s eyes, she beamed at him with a bright smile.
“Ah, it’s you. Kraush Valheim, nice to meet you.”
She acted as if they were meeting for the very first time.
Moreover, she insisted on addressing him with honorifics like “Mister.”
This was likely Sigrid’s subconscious desire to convey her noble status: “See, even I show you respect.”
That thought alone made Kraush feel nauseated.
“Princess Sigrid, nice to meet you.”
However, Kraush also made a point to respond with feigned awkwardness, as if this were their first meeting.
Behind her stood two men.
One of them had short white hair—later known as the White Serpent.
The other, with long black hair—later called the Black Serpent.
These twin brothers with contrasting hair colors were already making a name for themselves within the Sky Generation.
Currently, they were under Sigrid’s banner, serving as her knights instead of the usual Meri.
The special studies students were viewing the exchange, whispering curiously among themselves.
While Kraush had come to this special studies classroom a few times, it was the first time Sigrid had come in person.
“Our Dorma said she was looking for Kraush Valheim, so I thought I’d drop by. I was concerned I might be imposing.”
“Ah, I see.”
It seemed she had fully figured out the circumstances leading to this meeting.
‘Looks like she has quite a few ears planted around the academy without anyone realizing it.’
There was a reason she held such influence at Rahelrn Academy.
“I was just discussing curses with Dorma for a bit.”
“Curses?”
Sigrid’s eyes opened wide.
Her reaction was genuinely surprised.
Had Kraush not known better, he might have bought it.
“Yes, Dorma has some expertise in curses.”
“Oh, heh, I do.”
Dorma blushed slightly, scratching her head in embarrassment as she overheard the conversation.
“So I recently requested her help with some research. I was just about to inform you, Sigrid, so this works out perfectly.”
Kraush explained smoothly to Sigrid.
Listening intently, Sigrid turned her gaze toward Dorma, wearing a smile.
“Dorma, you decided to help Kraush?”
“Yes, yes! Kraush said he’d help find Master!”
When Sigrid heard the term “master,” her eyes narrowed momentarily.
For just an instant, Kraush could see the suspicion flash across her face.
That was a reaction one might expect upon noticing something suspicious in the circumstances.
“Is that technique you’re using, Kraush, something you learned from Beltua Lacroix?”
At the next question, Kraush simply smiled, choosing not to answer right away.
Sigrid’s expression stiffened, then relaxed as she grasped the meaning behind his smile.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was prying too much.”
Her face had relaxed, but Kraush sensed her pride had been pricked.
To a person who had always treated curses disdainfully, it made sense for her to react this way.
It was natural for Sigrid.
Kraush was grateful that she hadn’t changed.
It rekindled his determination to mess with her just as he always had.
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