The High Maiden's chamber was quiet, a sanctified stillness clinging to every inch of the room. Velvet drapes hung from the tall windows, only one of which was slightly open, letting in the soft glow of morning. The faint scent of incense lingered in the air.
Lady Evelyne stood near the arched window, her silhouette framed in the gentle light. A veil of fine silk hid her face, a mark of her sacred position. When the chamber doors opened, she did not turn, but her presence was commanding enough to still the steps of those who entered.
Sister Arienna stepped forward with a slight bow. "High Maiden Evelyne. Vel-sama and Shuri-san have arrived. They bring urgent matters regarding a curse."
Vel bowed his head respectfully, and Shuri did the same.
Only then did Evelyne turn, her voice soft but edged with strength. "Show me."
Arienna stepped forward and handed her the shuri's notebook and the small vial of blood. Evelyne took them with practiced grace, fingers barely trembling as she inspected the vial—its contents swirling faintly with a reddish shimmer.
"What exactly happened?" Evelyne asked, her voice quiet but sharp. Her gaze remained fixed on the vial, the strange hue in the blood glinting subtly under the light. "This isn't a natural affliction."
Shuri hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around her notebook. She glanced at Vel for reassurance.
He met her eyes and gave a small nod.
Shuri took a breath. "We've tried every known healing method—spells, potions, recovery magic—nothing had any effect. The victims remain completely unresponsive."
She paused, then added, "Bella-sama and I… we studied the blood and the symptoms extensively. Based on what we found, we believe this may be the result of a curse—one that was hidden inside the green liquid they were injected with."
Evelyne's eyes lifted, the faint light behind her veil catching on her lashes. She turned her head toward Sister Arienna. "You performed a detection spell?"
"I did, Your Grace," Arienna replied immediately. "But I couldn't sense the curse directly. It felt… concealed. Elusive. As if it was hiding behind something else."
Evelyne was silent for a moment, considering.
She handed the report to a nearby assistant, then turned her gaze back to the others.
"Then come. We will take this to the Prayer Room. If there is any trace of the curse that still lingers, the divine rites may reveal it."
Without another word, she moved toward the concealed door beside the throne dais. Vel and Shuri exchanged a brief glance before following, their footsteps quiet against the stone floor.
Inside, there were no windows—only thick stone walls and the warm light of four tall candles, one in each corner. The air was heavy, reverent.
In the center of the room, a circular pattern was etched into the floor using white powder. At the far end stood a marble statue of Goddess Nadia, her hands outstretched in grace. In front of her lay a thick book—bound in white leather and chained to a gilded pedestal.
Evelyne walked to the book and unlatched it. The pages rustled with weight as she turned them, flipping past dozens of runes and incantations until she stopped. Her fingers brushed the sacred markings on the page—symbols that glowed faintly in the candlelight.
Evelyne moved with practiced grace toward a carved wooden shelf built into the stone wall of the Prayer Room. Her gloved hands reached for a sealed brass container etched with runes. As she twisted the lid open, a faint shimmer caught the candlelight—inside was a fine white powder, speckled with tiny, glistening flecks like powdered starlight.
She knelt on the smooth floor and, using her fingers, began to carefully trace a ritual circle. The design mirrored the one in the sacred tome that still lay open on the bookstand behind her—precise lines, interwoven runes, and divine sigils forming a pattern only the ordained could decipher. Each movement of her hand was calm and deliberate, no gesture wasted.
Once the circle was complete, she stood and walked to a smaller shelf near the statue of Goddess Nadia, where she retrieved a simple wooden bowl polished smooth with age. Holding the vial of blood aloft for a brief moment, as though offering it up, she unsealed it and gently poured the contents into the bowl. The dark crimson liquid settled with a quiet ripple.
She placed the bowl in the exact center of the circle, making sure it aligned perfectly with the markings.
Then, stepping back to the edge of the drawn ritual, Evelyne placed one hand over her chest, lowered her head slightly, and began the incantation.
The language was unlike anything Vel or Shuri had ever heard—whispers that resonated in the chest more than the ears, layered and rhythmic. A divine cadence.
Vel leaned slightly toward Arienna, his curiosity piqued. "What language is that?"
Arienna responded in a low voice, "It's not a language anyone else can read. It's a divine incantation—only a High Maiden, one who has received revelation, may speak it. It's a prayer, an awakening."
The light in the room dimmed as the incantation continued. The bowl of blood trembled, then glowed faintly, pulsing with a sickly hue.
After nearly five minutes, Evelyne's voice softened, then ceased. She staggered slightly and steadied herself. Her breath was labored, though her composure remained intact.
Arienna stepped forward. "High Maiden?"
"I'm fine," she said, her voice muffled beneath the veil. "The curse is... arcane in nature. Forged through dark rituals—black magic. It's designed to strip away the self, drowning the victim in a dream of peace, of perfection."
Shuri paled. "That explains why they don't respond. They're lost in a perfect illusion."
Evelyne nodded. "No magic of ours can shatter it directly. But… there is a path. Holy water, blessed by the divine light, can help. It won't cure them—but it can guide them. The rest is up to the afflicted. They must choose to wake from the dream… or remain trapped within it."
Vel exhaled, eyes narrowing. "That's going to be difficult. But if there's even a chance, we'll take it."
"You have my blessing," Evelyne said. "I will have the water prepared."
Both Vel and Shuri bowed deeply. "Thank you, High Maiden."
As they turned to leave, Sister Arienna followed them through the hall, her face more hopeful now. At the arched entrance, she stopped and bowed.
"Please," she said softly, "bring the sisters back. Whole and smiling, next time."
Vel gave a firm nod. "We will."
The great doors of the church closed behind them.