Joshua was lying unconscious.

Balzac and I rushed to him, our faces pale with worry.

As we got closer, I saw Joshua’s condition was worse than I expected.

His face was ghostly pale, and his neck veins were bulging prominently.

Balzac quickly pulled off his shirt.

“...!”

“...!”

His body was covered in black spots.

His veins stood out a deep blue, and his breathing seemed about to stop.

Balzac muttered in a panicked voice,

“W-What the hell is this...?”

“A curse.”

“What?”

“It’s a curse mark.”

Someone had cast a curse on Joshua.

The moment news spread that Joshua Astra had fallen victim to a curse, the entire castle was thrown into chaos.

All the doctors and mages in the castle were summoned, and a letter was sent to the workshop requesting healers.

Daymond walked down the hallway with a grim expression.

He strode in and flung open the door.

The summoned officials were already gathered.

“General.”

“Miss.”

Balzac and Erilot, who were by the bedside, turned their heads toward Daymond.

Without a word, Daymond approached the bed.

Joshua looked deathly pale; even his breathing sounded like metal scraping.

Daymond looked at the mage.

“What’s going on?”

“He fainted due to the curse.”

“Who did this?”

“We traced it, but failed. It appears to be the curse of someone wielding a powerful Gaho.”

“Don’t give me the obvious!”

Daymond shouted sharply.

The mages, startled, sweat dripping, answered.

“We’re not healers, so we cannot completely break the curse. For now, we have cast spells to weaken it. He should awaken soon.”

The officials were outraged.

“How dare someone commit such an outrageous act against a member of the Astra bloodline!”

“Obviously, it must be one of the other 2nd generation (duke’s children).”

“How could they do this to a child...!”

“This must be reported to the main estate. Whoever dared do this to Lord Joshua must be punished.”

Daymond’s expression turned cold.

The officials’ eyes grew sharp.

Joshua is officially recognized as Daymond’s adopted son.

To attack Joshua is essentially a declaration of war against Daymond’s domain.

Just then—

“Sir.”

Michelan entered the room.

“What is it?”

“The gardener insists on delivering a message. It seems related to Lord Joshua, so I brought him here.”

Daymond nodded slightly.

When Michelan said, “Come in,” a middle-aged man hesitantly entered.

It was the gardener who had been kicked by Baron Jahabang earlier today.

“Um... I’ve been feeling strange since yesterday and today, so I had to report it...”

“What is it?”

“Baron Jahabang suddenly ordered to uproot the garden. He said it was on Lord Joshua’s command...”

“...”

“I said it’s not allowed, and if it has to be done, report to the master first, but they just kept beating us...!”

The frustrated gardener looked at Erilot.

“You saw it too, right, Miss?”

All eyes turned to Erilot.

Daymond bent his knees, met Erilot’s gaze, and asked.

“Is what the gardener says true?”

“...Yes.”

Encouraged by Erilot’s testimony, the gardener continued confidently.

“I was upset and complained around, and it turns out Lord Joshua has been acting strangely quite often.”

“What kind of strange?”

“He met Baron Jahabang late last night. It looked like he was being threatened.”

Everyone in the room frowned at “threatened?”

“Yes. Denny from the laundry overheard it. They threatened Lord Joshua to do whatever they said if he wanted to survive.”

Enzo frowned and said,

“If that’s true, it’s definitely abnormal. To threaten a member of the Astra bloodline...”

Since everyone knew Baron Jahabang had risen to power through Deconz, this was even more unusual.

“What will you do?”

“We have to confirm it. Bring Baron Jahabang here.”

The /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ soldiers immediately departed for the commissioner’s lodging.

It took less than 20 minutes to capture Baron Jahabang in his room.

The Baron was forced to kneel by the soldiers.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Joshua has been cursed.”

“...What?”

“Is it your doing?”

Baron Jahabang jumped up, kneeling but protesting.

“What are you saying! If you touch Astra’s direct line, it’s not just me who dies, the whole family would be wiped out!”

“Then why did you order the garden to be overturned?”

Baron Jahabang’s shoulders twitched nervously.

He stammered confusedly,

“It was Lord Joshua’s order.”

“What order?”

“Apparently, he didn’t want to see the roses...”

Laughter broke out around the room.

It was too ridiculous a story.

Up to that point, Joshua had said nothing about roses, and suddenly, at the same time he was cursed, he hated roses?

That made no sense.

The officials frowned.

“Then what about the claim that Lord Joshua was threatened? Our staff heard everything you said!”

“He was unwell and told to get treatment to survive!”

No one believed him.

Daymond glanced cautiously at the gardener standing awkwardly.

“You.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Bring the servant who witnessed Baron Jahabang threatening Lord Joshua.”

“Yes, yes...!”

The gardener hurried out.

He strode down the dark corridor.

The laundry room was underground.

Denny was a smart kid and would testify well.

Baron Jahabang would have no escape now.

But then—

“Where are you going?”

A young voice came from behind.

Startled, I turned around and saw Erilot following closely.

“I’m going to get Denny from the laundry.”

“Okay.”

“Oh, Miss, you must have been scared? The bad guy’s caught now, so don’t worry.”

“It was really bad, sir.”

“Yes. Even if Deconz and his brother don’t get along well, how could he lay hands on his nephew—”

The child suddenly grabbed the gardener’s collar.

“Who are you?”

“...Yes?”

“How could a mere servant know that Deconz did such a thing?”

“Well, I heard it from the noble...”

“Since you came, no one’s even mentioned the name Deconz.”

The gardener’s expression froze.

I glared at the gardener.

He hesitated, then awkwardly laughed.

“Everyone thinks one of the 2nd generation ordered the curse. Also, there was a fight between Deconz and our general at the Duke’s birthday party...”

I smirked slightly.

“You talk like a stranger.”

He flinched.

“Where are you from?”

“...”

“Let me guess. Eastern March? The Bushez estate in the East?”

I had heard rumors of friction between my grandfather and the Bushez Marquis.

I knew the Bushez side was currying favor with nobles by selling a valuable ancient stone.

‘I have a good information gatherer named Conrad.’

When I gave the enhancement stone to my grandfather, Conrad told me,

“You did a great thing. The Bushez Marquis’s movements have been suspicious.”

“Suspicious?”

“Yes. They are using the ancient stone to sway nobles, so we need something to diminish its value.”

“Enhancement stone?”

“Yes. With it, the value of the ancient stone would plummet.”

So, the Bushez side, furious about the enhancement stone, tried to divide the Astra estate.

Daymond Astra, who gave the enhancement stone to the Duke.

And Deconz, who was on bad terms with him.

They set them against each other.

‘I get why the gardener used an eastern dialect.’

There are many foreigners in the Astra estate.

So, the variety of accents was normal, and using an eastern dialect wasn’t considered strange.

So the gardener likely deliberately spoke in his native eastern dialect to act the part of a simple gardener.

‘Someone who’s familiar with their own dialect.’

The gardener’s face instantly grew cold.

“The truth is...”

The cheerful middle-aged man I had seen just vanished.

He glanced around and twisted his lips.

“I’ve heard you’re clever. But you’re arrogant.”

His tone completely changed.

He grabbed my arm tightly and said,

“For such a small child to challenge an adult alone like this...”

“...”

“You foolish girl. Instead of proudly chasing me, you should have told your father.”

“Why?”

“Then you wouldn’t have died...”

Bang!!

With a loud crash, the gardener was knocked over.

Someone had kicked him flying.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I told you to be careful!”

I frowned and looked down at him.

It was Han Jihyeok, the errand boy I had hired for the barracks.

“Do you know how long it takes to come from the barracks here?”

Han Jihyeok grumbled and poked the gardener lying on the ground, still unable to get up.

The gardener ground his teeth in anger.

“Those bastards...!”

“Am I stupid?”

Deconz’s uncle was a coward.

I remembered how he trembled when he saw my father at the grandfather’s birthday.

Would such a man, who clearly would be accused, dare to curse Joshua?

‘Also, it was strange how Joshua defended Baron Jahabang.’

Why would he defend someone he supposedly hated?

Besides, Baron Jahabang was a master of balance.

He wouldn’t do anything to offend the Astra main line.

But when I got angry for hitting the gardener, he wasn’t fazed at all.

‘It’s because Joshua was a strong shield.’

Putting it all together, the conclusion was clear.

‘Someone is sowing discord between father and Deconz’s uncle.’

If someone wanted to split the Astra estate, the answer was obvious.

‘The Bushez Marquis.’

So preparations had been made.

To create solid evidence.

No one would believe the guess of a three-year-old like me.

Footsteps approached behind me.

Turning, I saw the three-meter-tall soldier, Mosco.

‘Han Jihyeok, that weakling, who did he think he was kicking?’

Mosco gritted his teeth and said,

“I heard everything from ‘You foolish girl.’ You bastard.”

Naturally, the gardener turned pale upon seeing Mosco.

I took the chance to put on a pitiful face.

“Mosco, I’m scared...!”

Mosco’s face instantly twisted into a fierce scowl.

Clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked, he approached the gardener.

The beating began.

Baron Jahabang sobbed, tears and snot running freely.

“Lord Joshua forced me to lie to cover things up!”

He was trembling like a leaf from how much Daymond had threatened him.

Then, sniffling, he began to explain the truth.

“As soon as he arrived in this domain, Lord Joshua’s condition worsened. They quickly discovered the curse and ordered me to find the medium.”

“Medium?”

“Yes. They successfully tracked the curse using magic...”

“How did they find something even our mages couldn’t?”

“Well... that...”

Baron Jahabang glanced nervously at Daymond.

Then hesitated, swallowed, and finally said,

“They used Duke Lissian’s (the twins’ father) notes... with the magic written there...”

“Notes?”

“Yes, Lord Joshua also came to the castle to steal those notes from the general...”

Everyone sighed.

I sighed as well.

‘No wonder father didn’t mention the curse.’

Curses usually manifest through objects.

If Daymond knew Joshua was cursed, he would have searched his belongings immediately.

‘That’s why the notes of Duke Lissian couldn’t be discovered.’

I now understood why Joshua set fire to the fireplace.

He wasn’t burning letters; he was burning paper with magical formulas.

Baron Jahabang said in a low voice,

“Anyway, the curse originated in the garden.”

“So that’s why they tried to tear up all the flowers?”

Everyone frowned.

“Why didn’t you mention that earlier?”

“How did this even happen?”

“We should report this to the workshop first—”

While the officials were arguing, Daymond spoke quietly.

“Everyone out.”

“Yes?”

“Do I have to say it twice?”

“Ah... yes.”

The officials and Baron Jahabang left, sensing the tension.

Left in the room were Daymond, me, Balzac, and the unconscious Joshua.

Daymond silently stared at Joshua.

Balzac hesitated, then spoke to Daymond.

“Sir, Joshua...”

“He must not have trusted me.”

“...”

“That’s why he even stole books to find a way to survive. To hold onto anything as a weapon.”

Balzac hung his head low. He seemed to think the same.

I gently placed my hand on Daymond’s arm.

“Joshua is a child.”

“...”

“He was just scared.”

Daymond and Balzac looked at me.

“You know, Joshua is very smart.”

“...”

“If you tell him off, no one else will.”

“But he didn’t say anything about being cursed. Because if you did, you’d get angry at me.”

Anyway, Joshua’s protector was Daymond.

If he was cursed, negligence would have affected even Daymond.

Maybe Daymond was forced to give up the twins.

Joshua had been the only relative he could trust.

Daymond silently looked at Joshua lying down.

When Joshua shifted, the wet cloth on his forehead slipped off the pillow.

Daymond slowly placed the cloth back on Joshua’s forehead.

“Open your eyes if you’re awake.”

At Daymond’s words, Joshua’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

‘Ah, he was awake.’

Joshua stubbornly kept his eyes shut.

I ran to him and gently patted his chest with my tiny hand.

Joshua’s body twitched slightly.

“You were scared.”

“...”

“You had a hard time alone.”

Balzac was the first to react.

He bit his lips tightly. Tears welled in his reddened eyes.

Joshua turned his head to the opposite side, pretending to toss and turn.

“Don’t be hurt.”

Balzac finally broke down and sobbed.

Joshua’s suppressed sobs could faintly be heard through his clenched teeth.

The garden was completely destroyed.

Daymond used Gaho to reduce it to dust.

The gardeners stared at the dust-covered garden in despair.

Three healers were sent from the workshop.

Joshua was ranked very high among the 3rd generation (duke’s grandchildren), so the main estate was also in uproar.

‘Now it’s time for revenge.’

I narrowed my eyes sharply.