The Cursed Night

It was night after the bath.

After the two of us washed each other and enjoyed a pleasant soak, we walked down the hallway toward the bedroom.

The air conditioning cooled our flushed bodies.

Liricia had already spread her wings and was floating gently in the air.

I moved along while holding her slender waist.

With every step, the twin mounds wrapped in her bathrobe swayed heavily.

Liricia let her still-damp silver hair hang over her cheek, eyes closed in contentment and smiling.

She was probably in no condition to walk on her own.

“What’s wrong? Feeling a little lightheaded?”

“Yes… it felt so pleasant I might ascend to heaven…”

Liricia let out a sultry sigh from her red lips.

I gave a wry smile.

“Elixir baths are dangerous. Let’s take it easy.”

“Y-yes, I’m sorry, Master…”

She said that, but her peach-colored cheeks remained relaxed.

When we entered the bedroom, we headed toward the bed.

That was when I noticed red flowers arranged on the side table.

“Where did these flowers come from?”

“They’re the bouquet brought as thanks from the family whose child was saved, the one I mentioned during dinner.”

“Oh, right.”

“You weren’t there, so I accepted them on your behalf. Was that alright?”

“Of course. Hearing someone was actually saved makes me happy.”

“Yes, I’m glad Puchi Elixir exists in this world. As expected of you, Master.”

Liricia floated over and hugged me.

I laid her down on the bed and lay beside her.

I gently pulled her close and kissed her delicate lips.

“Mmh… Master…”

“Liricia, your skin looks beautiful after the bath.”

“Ah… Master…”

As I removed her bathrobe and traced the curves of her body, she grasped the sheets behind her and let out soft breaths.

Her white and black wings stretched out—

…Black?

Looking closely, black spots were steadily increasing across her wings.

My eyes widened as I stared.

“Hey, Liricia, are you feeling alright?”

“I feel… really good…”

“Not that. Are you sluggish? Feverish? Tired?”

“My head feels… fuzzy…”

She answered in a clinging voice while skillfully undoing my bathrobe.

—She hasn’t noticed.

“No, Liricia. The black spots on your wings are rapidly increasing.”

“Huh…? Eh—EEH!?”

Her drooping violet eyes snapped open as she looked at her wings.

Shock filled her face.

I asked:

“Do you know what this means?”

“I don’t know, why!? Sin—no, I may be cursed!”

“A curse!? Then what should we—”

While watching, about a third of her wings turned black.

Her face twisted in tears as she clung to me.

“Please give me Holy Wave, Master! Master!”

“Leave it to me!!”

I pulled her tightly by the waist.

Then I kissed her, held her, and poured everything into her.

“Here I go, Liricia!”

“Hurry—Master—ahh!”

She arched her back and cried out, accepting me with her whole body.

Watching her wings, their whiteness returned halfway.

But the corruption spread quickly—the blackness grew again.

Tears filled her eyes as she looked at them.

“Ahh… it’s no good… I won’t make it…”

“I won’t allow that—I’ll save you! Faster—again—no, wait.”

If more Holy Wave was needed, I just had to increase the density released at once.

I steadied my breathing and compressed the Holy Wave with focus.

400 meters, 200, 100!

—I could reach this much.

But to overcome the curse, I needed to compress it further!

Before me, the naked Liricia sat on the bed, face full of despair.

Her silver hair draped across the white sheets.

Her slender back and soft curves trembled weakly.

—A beauty beyond this world.

I would never allow it to be defiled by a curse.

More… more!

To save Liricia, I would surpass my limits!

I clenched my teeth and compressed further.

50 meters, 25 meters, 12 meters!

At 12 meters, my body began to emit a faint phosphorescence.

The high-density Holy Wave lit the room in pale blue.

Liricia, collapsed against the bed, suddenly raised her face in shock.

“M-Master!? W-what incredible Holy Wave!?”

“Liricia! I’ll save you! We promised to stay together for life!”

I pulled the confused Liricia into my arms.

Each time our lips parted, pale blue Holy Wave threads stretched between them.

Her body trembled just from being touched.

“No, this is too much—too dense, Master!”

“I love you, Liricia!”

“Masteeer!”

We embraced fiercely, hearts becoming one.

Her silver hair whipped upward in the storm of Holy Wave pouring from me.

Her slender nape was enchantingly beautiful.

The super-condensed Holy Wave surged inside me.

I held her tightly and cried beside her ear.

“Here it comes!”

“No—Master—ahhh!”

Her white-and-black wings spread—

Flash!

The room filled with light.

A blinding pale glow.

In my arms, Liricia shook and lost strength.

I collapsed onto the bed, still holding her.

As the light faded, I checked her wings.

Pure white—without a single shadow.

Whiter than ever before.

Liricia opened her eyes slightly and looked back.

“Ah… the curse… is gone…”

“Thank goodness, Liricia.”

I embraced her gently and stroked her wings.

The fluffy feathers felt pleasant on my fingers.

—I’m glad I protected the most precious thing in the world.

Smiling in relief, she rested her cheek against my chest.

Her warm breath and silver hair tickled my skin.

When I stroked her head, she narrowed her eyes happily.

“Amazing, Master… even removing a curse…”

“But it happened suddenly. Do you know the cause?”

“I don’t know… I was living as usual…”

She tilted her head slightly.

At that moment, a dry sound echoed in the bedroom.

We looked—the red flowers had withered black and crumbled.

“Those flowers…”

“No way—”

Liricia leaned against me and peered through a monocle focus.

Then she cried out:

“Master! The flowers! Those red flowers are the curse catalyst!”

“What!? But those were a thank-you gift…”

“Anyone who receives them will die after the number of days equal to the flower count!”

“That’s vicious.”

“Yes… normal people would never notice… how terrifying.”

I hugged her tightly.

“Targeting my wife… absolutely unforgivable. If it’s a curse, then followers of an evil god, right?”

“I believe so…”

“I’ll crush them. Absolutely.”

“M-my chest might be crushed too…”

I quickly loosened my grip.

Her body trembled as she turned sideways.

I leaned close.

Her eyes widened.

“Liricia—I’ll protect you.”

“Yes, Master—mmh… eh!?”

As our tongues entwined, she blushed in surprise.

She began touching me back.

I compressed Holy Wave again.

This time only to 25 meters.

Still, she trembled in my arms.

“This is too much, Master—!”

“I’m worried once isn’t enough. And I need to learn the compression.”

“But still—ahh!”

Overwhelmed by the Holy Wave, her silver hair whipped wildly.

Her body writhed.

In the end, I gave her enough that she lost consciousness.

I’d keep practicing compression every night.

—but for now.

I stroked her back as she lay exhausted and thought.

Whether the underworld outfit or the medicine dealer, this could not be forgiven.

First, preparation.

I gave one last stroke to her twitching white wings, put on clothes and armor, took my sword— and left the bedroom toward the dungeon.