Yuria was eavesdropping with her ears perked up, completely unnoticed by anyone else.
Meanwhile, Crowd and Alice were having a serious conversation that hinted at something unusual.
Why did Crowd suspect that Yuria might be under a curse?
The reason was simple: Yuria was, in many ways, extraordinarily healthy.
Typically, those unable to speak fall into two major categories of disorders: aphasia caused by brain damage, and mutism, which stems from psychological factors.
However, aphasia involves issues in the brain’s language-processing areas, leading to broader symptoms.
This made it unlikely in Yuria’s case, as she had no difficulty understanding spoken or written language despite her inability to speak.
As for mutism, Yuria showed none of the associated anxiety or stress symptoms.
Her mental state was remarkably serene—so much so that it felt healing for anyone who looked at her.
This left only one plausible explanation for Yuria’s condition: her ability to speak had been forcibly stolen by a curse.
“Alice, you mentioned earlier that Yuria showed symptoms of briefly losing consciousness while trying to write?” Crowd asked.
“Oh, yes! Greg said he saw it clearly. She dropped her pen, but she didn’t even remember it happening…” Alice replied.
“Hmm, I’ve encountered a patient with similar symptoms before. Forbidden magic. A type of spell that prohibits certain actions. Of course, I couldn’t sense any traces of magic in Yuria…”
“A curse with no magical remnants… Are you saying something like that might actually be possible?”
“To be precise, it’s more like a spell from the curse category,” Crowd clarified, narrowing his eyes.
Curses—an almost obsolete form of sorcery.
In an era long before magic was systematized by great magicians and introduced to the world, it was sorcery built upon centuries of accumulated rituals that once ruled over a now-destroyed alternate world.
Life imbued with magical power would be sacrificed, consciousness unified through meaningless acts, and laws of the world accidentally touched upon through nonsensical mutterings.
It couldn’t truly be called magic, yet it was undeniably close to it. People referred to this mix of inevitability and chance as sorcery.
“But sorcery…” Alice began hesitantly.
“Right. It’s not practiced anymore—especially not after the collapse of the world we once lived in,” Crowd said, nodding.
Most forms of sorcery faded rapidly after the advent of magic. Compared to magic, sorcery was inferior in every way—it required sacrifices, was inefficient, and lacked the precise control magic offered. Results could even vary wildly with each use, rendering it unreliable.
However, one branch of sorcery survived: curses designed to afflict others with illness or suffering.
Magic, being a precise and efficient tool, operated like a cold, unyielding machine. As long as sufficient magical energy was applied, it would always yield consistent results.
Curses, by contrast, thrived on emotion. The more hatred one harbored toward the target, the more potent the curse became.
“And as you know, curses crafted through sorcery become harder to trace as the practitioner’s skill improves. It’s difficult to even confirm if one has been cast, let alone identify the caster,” Crowd explained.
“I’ve heard that before,” Alice admitted.
“Well, another sorcerer of similar skill could easily identify it. But where would you find one in this day and age?” Crowd mused.
Because sorcery consumed living beings infused with magical power as materials, curses left virtually no trace behind.
This made it nearly impossible to confirm cases as ambiguous as Yuria’s without specialized expertise.
A skilled sorcerer might be able to identify and counteract the curse, but with the destruction of the alternate world that once supplied the materials for sorcery, both the art and its practitioners had become exceedingly rare.
“This is troublesome. As a doctor, I want to help solve this, but I’ve never even heard of a curse so advanced that it leaves no trace. Still, it’s almost certain that Yuria is bound by a forbidden spell,” Crowd concluded.
“I see…” Alice said, her voice tinged with frustration.
“Don’t make that face. She’s a strong-willed girl who’s caught my interest. I’ll make time to help her whenever I can. And don’t forget—Yuria’s perfectly healthy aside from her inability to speak. If you cry, you’ll only make her anxious.”
“…I’ll hold it in!” Alice said, fighting back her tears.
As Crowd had pointed out, crying would only add to Yuria’s worries. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on sadness but to think about the future.
I’ll find a way to break this curse on Yuria, no matter what.
Instead of succumbing to sorrow, Alice channeled her emotions into anger toward whoever had cursed Yuria.
Crowd, observing Alice’s determined expression, chuckled softly and spoke in a reassuring tone.
“Thankfully, the advanced nature of the curse means it’s unlikely to evolve into something worse or cause her additional suffering. Still, bring her back here at least once a month for a check-up. Her condition could change.”
“Yes…! Thank you. I’ll definitely bring her next month!” Alice responded eagerly.
“Huhu. Ah, next time, bring Raven along too. I find myself missing his firm backside,” Crowd said with a teasing grin.
“Y-Yes! I’ll make sure Jin brings him instead of me next time…!” Alice replied, momentarily flustered by Crowd’s unabashed statement.
As expected of Crowd, the hunter of men. Alice resolved that next time, she’d definitely send Raven in her place.
Finishing their conversation inside the clinic, Alice stepped outside with Crowd, only to find Yuria sitting quietly on a chair.
She appeared lost in thought, her expression blank as she stared into the distance.
Perhaps it was because she hadn’t put her mask back on after removing it for her examination earlier.
Even in her contemplative, expressionless state, Yuria exuded a magnetic charm that could make anyone want to hand over their entire fortune.
“Yuria! I’m back!” Alice called out cheerfully.
“…!”
But Yuria’s impact wasn’t over yet.
As her head turned, and her mysterious, violet eyes focused on Alice, her lips bloomed into a radiant smile—like a flower suddenly bursting into full bloom.
Even when wearing her mask, Yuria was transparent, her emotions easy to read. Without it, her sincerity and vulnerability shone even more clearly.
"I trust you completely."
That’s what her soft, trusting smile seemed to say. The sight of Yuria smiling so warmly hit Alice like a battering ram.
Overwhelmed by the intensity, Alice clutched her chest as if her heart had been seized and slowly crumpled to the ground.
“Ugh… Hah, hah… I almost passed out…! I never thought Yuria was capable of such an attack!” Alice gasped.
“….”
Of course, Alice’s exaggerated reaction was entirely due to her weakness for overwhelming cuteness—something Yuria’s appearance and demeanor struck like a bullseye.
Adding to that, Yuria’s normally aloof and cat-like personality only made the trust she radiated now all the more disarming. Alice couldn’t help but feel her legs give out beneath her.
From Yuria’s perspective, however, the situation was bewildering.
Could someone really react like this just because they found a face attractive? She scratched her cheek awkwardly, then quickly grabbed the mask she’d left nearby and put it back on.
As someone who liked Alice, she couldn’t bear to keep witnessing her flustered behavior.
Once Yuria donned her mask again, Alice finally managed to regain her composure. She stood up, took Yuria’s hand, and bowed to Crowd.
“Well then, we’ll be on our way. Thank you for taking care of Yuria today,” Alice said.
“Think nothing of it. I was simply doing my job. Yuria had it harder, going through all those tests. Take care, both of you.”
“…!”
“Hohoho, goodbye. …Ah, Alice?” Crowd called out as the two were about to leave.
Alice turned back, tilting her head in curiosity. Had Crowd forgotten to mention something about Yuria’s condition?
“I’d like you to bring your sister next time,” Crowd said casually. “I want to check on both you and Lily. You’re not fully recovered yet, are you?”
“Oh… Uh, right. I’ll let you know when we have time. She’s been pretty busy lately, but things should settle down soon.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected request, Alice averted her gaze awkwardly.
Listening to their conversation from behind her mask, Yuria suddenly understood the implication of Crowd’s words.
Ah, come to think of it, it’s about that time. The Dragon Mayor’s order for most companies to take a break during the official holiday—Night Week.
Soon, Night Week, the annual holiday during which most companies in Nighthaven shut down, would begin.
In the original story, this was when Alice’s sister, Lily, visited the office.
After all that effort to clear out the hidden cameras, I hope she doesn’t hold a grudge over it.
Clutching Alice’s hand, Yuria secretly began to worry. If possible, she’d avoid Lily entirely. Perhaps she could hide in a closet until it was all over.
Hugging her belongings tightly to her chest, Yuria silently formulated her escape plan.