My Maid is Cute Chapter 31 : Lauren's Sword (Patreon)

"First, what should we do?"

When Christopher asked Tatiana, she lowered her face as if in thought for a moment before slowly speaking.

"First... we must somehow draw the curse implanted in her body out to the surface... and then... sever the curse... Is it too difficult, after all? No, but... it is the only way to break the spell..."

Tatiana muttered to herself. Eventually, she looked up and raised her wand. She moved it as if writing letters in the air, then swung it upward with a flourish. In the next instant, there was a sensation of something invisible flying off with great force.

"...? What was that just now?"

To a puzzled Rebecca, Tatiana answered while stowing her wand away.

"——Don't mind it. I just called for backup."

"Backup?"

"Aye. ...A descendant of the 'Lost People,' same as me."

"Eh?"

At Tatiana's words, True let out a loud voice.

"A descendant other than you, Big Sister?"

"...Yeah. ...I'd rather not get involved with him, but... I need a certain tool he possesses."

Tatiana answered with a grimace, then took a deep breath.

"...He should arrive here via 'Teleport' within a few hours. We’ll start preparations before then."

***

Tatiana pulled an old book from the piles stacked inside the house. Reading it, she began to write something down on a piece of parchment.

"You lot, go and procure these. As quickly as possible."

She thrust the parchment at Christopher. Christopher and Evan read the words written there and frowned.

"Why... is this necessary?"

"I'll explain properly later. It shouldn't be difficult for you to procure. Just go, hurry."

Christopher and Evan looked bewildered but stood up. Tatiana then turned her face to Rebecca.

"You stay here and help me."

Ordered to stay, Rebecca nodded silently. She wanted to stay by Wendy's side, so inwardly, she was relieved.

Finally, Tatiana turned her gaze to True.

"You, go help those two."

She gestured toward Christopher and Evan. At Tatiana's words, True pouted her lips.

"Eeeh? Me?"

"I want to stay by Big Sister's side~."

"Shut up. Just go, quickly."

True stood up, looking sulky at Tatiana’s indifferent response.

"Well then, I'm off. I'll come back as soon as I can."

Evan smiled at Rebecca to reassure her. Christopher, on the other hand, spoke with a serious expression.

"——Rebecca. Take care of my sister."

Rebecca bowed deeply at his words.

"Understood."

Christopher nodded slightly and picked up his coat.

It was just as Rebecca stood up to see them off.

Suddenly, her arm was grabbed with strong force by True. Startled, she turned her gaze toward her.

"...While I am gone, do not, under absolutely any circumstances, get any closer to Big Sister than necessary."

True brought her lips close to Rebecca's ear and whispered softly. Her eyes were emitting a glaring, intense light, causing Rebecca to recoil in shock.

"It's a promise. Okay?"

True wore a terrifying smile while stating her one-sided promise. Rebecca wanted to ask what would happen if she broke it, but True's voice and gaze were so frightening that, in the end, she asked nothing and simply nodded her head vigorously in silence.

***

"Come here."

Tatiana beckoned Rebecca to the back of the room.

"First, I want you to wash this."

At Tatiana's words, Rebecca was confused and involuntarily raised her voice.

"H-Huh?"

There sat a small bathtub. It was unbelievably dirty.

"T-This?"

"...No, the reason it's this dirty is simply because I haven't used it much until now... It's not like I neglected cleaning it or anything..."

Ignoring Tatiana, who was mumbling excuses, Rebecca tilted her head.

"Is this necessary to break the curse?"

At that question, Tatiana answered with a complicated expression.

"...To be precise, rather than breaking the curse, it is more accurate to say we will 'harvest' the curse implanted in her body. Anyway, I want you to clean this so no grime remains."

Hearing that, Rebecca bowed, though she still found it strange.

"Understood."

She didn't quite understand what Tatiana was saying, but if it would save Wendy, she would do anything necessary. Thinking this, Rebecca picked up the cleaning tools Tatiana handed her.

"I'll be doing other preparations over there. Call me when you're done."

"Yes."

Giving a short reply to Tatiana, Rebecca began to move.

Just as Tatiana had said, the bathtub seemed not to have been used for a very long time. Using the tools, she removed all the dirt.

After scrubbing for a while, the bathtub finally regained its original shine.

"Ms. Tatiana, I'm finished."

When Rebecca returned to the room saying this, Tatiana was sitting beside the bed where Wendy slept. She was intently reading an old book and muttering something.

"Ms. Tatiana?"

When Rebecca called out as she approached, Tatiana looked up as if just realizing she was there.

"Ms. Tatiana, I finished cleaning."

"Ah, right. Sorry. Thanks."

Tatiana answered hurriedly. Rebecca shifted her gaze to Wendy.

"How is My Lady...?"

"She is fine. The curse has not completed yet."

Just as Tatiana said, Wendy was in a deep sleep, but her expression was peaceful. However, the bruises were indeed spreading little by little. Rebecca slowly held that small hand.

"Lady Wendy..."

Even when she called her name, those small eyes remained firmly shut, never opening.

"...Will the dispel succeed?"

When Rebecca asked, Tatiana frowned and crossed her arms.

"...Honestly, it will be tough. It is an overly complex curse. If only we can sever the curse from her body..."

At those words, Rebecca lowered her face. As if to comfort her, Tatiana continued.

"...I will do everything in my power. I promise."

At those strong words, Rebecca gave a small nod. Tatiana looked away from Rebecca and stood up.

"——Let's rest a bit and have some tea."

"...Yes."

Tatiana headed to the kitchen and took out cups. Rebecca followed and stood next to her.

"I'll help."

Tatiana glanced at Rebecca but said nothing. For a while, the two continued their work in silence.

It was Rebecca who broke the silence.

"——Have you always lived here alone?"

When she asked, Tatiana answered slowly.

"I've lived here since I was born... Originally, it was just me and my grandmother, but she passed away a long time ago. After Grandmother died... I lived with an acquaintance... but that acquaintance left too. Since then, I've been all alone."

Tatiana smiled slightly as she answered. Somehow, the word "acquaintance" felt loaded. Wondering if it might have been a lover, Rebecca was interrupted by Tatiana asking a question in return.

"Are you that girl's servant?"

"Yes. ...I am her personal maid."

"I see."

Tatiana answered briefly and poured tea into the cup.

"——Are there other descendants of the 'Lost People'?"

Tatiana looked troubled at Rebecca's question.

"——Aye. Few, but there are other descendants. According to my grandmother's stories... the people who fled their homeland scattered apart, starting new lives in various places as if hiding... We almost never contact each other, but..."

Rebecca took a sip of tea and continued asking questions.

"What kind of person is the one coming now?"

"He's a bit of an oddball... He lives quite far away, but if he received the message, he should be flying here via 'Teleport' any moment now."

Just then, there was a clatter, and the front door opened.

"Sorry to keep you waiting~."

Christopher, Evan, and True came bustling into the house. Tatiana blinked, looking slightly surprised.

"That was fast. I thought it would be morning..."

Evan lifted a bag that seemed to contain something and laughed.

"Well, it was actually quite a struggle to gather these. It might have been impossible if not for me."

While Evan laughed frivolously, Christopher beside him took off his coat and muttered,

"...I'm really glad this guy is a Prince. People with power are... honestly... but it helped..."

It seemed Evan's position had been highly useful.

"What did you gather?"

When Rebecca peered into the bag, it contained plants she had never seen before and some kind of tools.

"Truly, it was a struggle with items that are usually hard to obtain. We utilized Lord Evan's power and the connections Chris and I have to the fullest to gather them. We used 'Teleport' magic to hop all over the place; I'm really exhausted~."

True spoke wearily. Rebecca tilted her head.

"What on earth is this..."

Just as Rebecca was about to ask, Tatiana suddenly snapped her head up and looked toward the window.

"Big Sister? What is the matter?"

The moment True spoke to Tatiana, the sound of knocking came from the door. Knock, knock.

Tatiana lightly waved her wand, and the door opened with a click.

"——Yo, Sis. I'm here."

Standing there was a figure draped in a tattered cloak. The voice identified him as male, but his hood was pulled deep, obscuring his face. He was holding a large box as if it were precious.

"...Hm?"

The moment she saw that box, she felt a strange sensation. A hazy, faint sense of unease. Rebecca involuntarily let out a small sound, but fortunately, no one noticed.

"It's been a while. Lauren."

When Tatiana spoke, the man called Lauren slowly stepped into the house.

"Yeah. Brings back memories. How many years has it been since I came here?"

Saying this, he removed the hood he was wearing. Rebecca gasped slightly upon seeing his appearance. Christopher, Evan, and True also looked surprised.

He was a young man with sharp indigo eyes. There was a large scar over his left eye, and a faint smile played on his thin lips. What stood out most was his short hair. It was the same shining silver as Tatiana's.

"This is Lauren Hope. One of the descendants of the 'Lost People,' same as me."

Tatiana introduced him with a look of annoyance. Lauren looked around at everyone, seemingly amused for some reason.

"Are you True?"

Addressed directly, True blinked in confusion and nodded.

"Eh, yes, I am... but how do you know me?"

At those words, Lauren's face broke into a smile, and he grabbed True's hand. Then, shaking it vigorously, he answered.

"Man, I've wanted to meet you for ages. Tatiana writes about you constantly in her letters..."

"Lauren!!"

For some reason, Tatiana shouted sharply, cutting off Lauren's words.

"None of that matters! Did you bring the thing!?"

"Ah, yeah. I brought it as told, but... what are you using it for?"

Lauren released True's hand and asked curiously. Tatiana silently turned her gaze toward the bed where Wendy lay. Lauren followed her gaze and immediately opened his mouth, at a loss for words.

"——This is..."

"You know of it too, don't you? It is a 'curse'."

Lauren put a hand to his head in confusion and slowly shook his head side to side.

"Wha... this, eh? ...Really?"

He stared at the reddish-black bruises on Wendy, seemingly unable to form words properly.

"Why is this curse here... how..."

"Explanations later. Anyway, we are going to harvest the curse from this girl."

"H-Harvest, you say... Sis, wait. That method is..."

Ignoring the bewildered Lauren, Tatiana waved her wand again. With a pop, a strange sound rang out, and Rebecca looked over. In the middle of the room, the bathtub Rebecca had cleaned appeared. It was filled with plenty of water, causing Rebecca to widen her eyes in surprise.

"B-Big Sister? What do you intend to do?"

When True asked, Tatiana approached the tub and moved her hand as if caressing the water.

"——We must drive the 'core' of the curse out of her body. That core was originally part of a human soul. By performing a purification, we will extract the soul."

"...Purification... is such a thing possible?"

When Christopher asked, Tatiana continued with a difficult expression.

"Likely so. What I had you gather were the materials necessary to create purification water... It is magic originally devised by my ancestors, after all. I have a proper grasp of the method."

Saying this, Tatiana glanced at the bag Christopher and the others had brought. Meanwhile, Lauren held his head and spoke up.

"No, wait. Don't tell me, the 'thing' you made me bring is——"

"...It is exactly as you're thinking."

At Tatiana's words, Lauren grimaced. Seeing this, Rebecca timidly spoke up.

"Um... what is 'the thing'?"

At that question, Lauren let out a huge sigh and gestured to the large box he had brought.

"This..."

Saying that, he reached for the box and opened the lid. Inside lay a long, slender sword.

"...Whoa."

"Hyah."

Rebecca and True cried out simultaneously.

For some reason, the moment the sword revealed itself before their eyes, they felt an indescribable "something."

"Th-This is?"

Tatiana answered while watching True's agitated state with interest.

"This is one of the magical tools passed down in Lauren's family. ...It's a rather special magical tool."

"This is a sword that severs 'magic itself'."

Everyone present tilted their heads in confusion.

"My ancestors apparently liked creating tools with unique sorcery. My house still has tools left behind by them. Various things that are just too peculiar... This is one of them. It absolutely will not cut people or objects. It can sever and destroy magic and sorcery."

Lauren explained, but Rebecca, unable to fully grasp the story, just tilted her head. True, on the other hand, stared at the sword with sparkling eyes.

"To think such a tool exists... Amazing, I definitely want to research it."

As if to stop True, who looked ready to reach for the sword at any moment, Lauren continued.

"Ah, also, this sword chooses its wielder."

"Excuse me?"

True frowned. Lauren suddenly reached for the sword. The moment his hand touched the sword, there was a zap sound, and Lauren's fingers were repelled. Everyone who saw it gasped in surprise.

"Amazing, right? Even I can't touch it... Only humans with high magic power can handle this sword. Apparently, this sword 'speaks' to those with high magic power."

"...? Speaks? What is that?"

Evan asked back in wonder, and Lauren tilted his head in distress.

"I don't really understand it either. The records left by my ancestors just noted that it 'speaks' to you."

"...With your high magic power, did you sense anything?"

Tatiana asked True, and True nodded, looking bewildered.

"——Umm... 'Speaks'? I don't really know about that, but I do get a strange feeling. Even now, it continues constantly. How should I put it... just, anyway, it's a weird sensation..."

Rebecca secretly agreed with True's words in her heart. That was the unease she had been feeling for a while now. She didn't understand it well, but the sword was "speaking" to Rebecca and True.

"Oh, then you can probably handle it. Want to try holding it?"

Saying that, Lauren held out the sword, box and all, to True. True reached out without hesitation. She touched the sword without difficulty and lifted it from the box. Seeing this, Lauren let out a voice of admiration.

"Amazing... It's the first time I've seen this sword come out of the box."

"It's quite light. Even I could use this sufficiently."

True was observing the sword with deep interest. Seeing this, Christopher spoke to Tatiana.

"Are you going to use that sword?"

Tatiana nodded at Christopher's words.

"Aye. To break the curse, we must harvest the core of the curse. If we attempt to purify the soul, the curse should inevitably emerge from the body. We will sever it with that sword."

"Will it go that smoothly?"

Tatiana directed a sharp gaze at the anxious Lauren.

"We have no choice but to do it."

Then, she raised her voice loudly.

"Let's prepare."

***

True and Tatiana began preparations with old books in one hand. They put mysterious herbs, flowers, stones, and powders that Rebecca didn't recognize into the bathtub.

"Will it be okay?"

Rebecca, watching over Wendy, voiced her anxiety. It was Lauren who answered.

"Have faith. Sister Tatiana's magic power isn't that high... but when it comes to technique, she's amazing."

At Lauren's words, Rebecca, who could only wait, nodded. Lauren then spoke to her.

"By the way, Missy, what's your name?"

"Eh, ah, I am Rebecca Leon."

"I see. Say, Rebecca, I want to ask you something... when I brought out the sword earlier, I felt like you made a weird face..."

Gikuri. Rebecca involuntarily flinched. Lauren continued with a serious face.

"——Could it be, that sword 'spoke' to you?"

"——No way."

Rebecca shook her head with feigned ignorance.

"I was just a little surprised because it was a mysterious sword I'd never seen before."

"Hmm, is that so."

Since Lauren nodded as if convinced, Rebecca let out a sigh of relief. Glancing to the side, she saw Christopher and Evan talking intently a short distance away. Relieved again that they hadn't heard the conversation, she let out a small breath.

"Alright, done!"

"It's perfect!"

At that moment, hearing Tatiana and True's voices, Rebecca quickly headed toward them.

"Is it complete?"

"Aye. Bring the girl here."

Told so by Tatiana, Christopher headed to the bed. He immediately returned holding Wendy.

"You, take the sword."

"Yes!"

True nodded vigorously and picked up the sword.

"I will cast the purification magic. The core of the curse should come out immediately. Just as I said, strike it with that sword."

"Yes!"

Tatiana nodded at True's reply, then turned her face to Christopher.

"Put the girl into the water."

"...It will be okay, right?"

Christopher asked Tatiana, his face stiff with tension. Tatiana nodded slowly with serious eyes.

Returning her gaze, eventually, Christopher slowly lowered Wendy into the bathtub. Her entire body, except for her face, was submerged in the water. Seeing this, Tatiana spoke in a whisper.

"...Everyone, stand back."

Everyone except True stepped back a little from the spot. Then, Tatiana slowly moved her wand in a large arc.

"...Ah."

Rebecca involuntarily let out a voice.

The moment Tatiana waved her wand, "something" emerged from Wendy's body.

"...What is this?"

Evan's bewildered voice could be heard.

"It" was an indescribable object, like a black mist. Seeing "it" spread softly across her vision, Rebecca was stunned. It was pitch black like a shadow, writhing eerily.

"This is the curse... something like this has been in Wendy's body all this time..."

Christopher was also at a loss for words.

"The curse... part of a soul... This is it? It's terribly murky."

Lauren also muttered in surprise.

"——I just need to cut this, right?"

True seemed a little bewildered by the appearance of the black mist, but seemingly remembering her role, she tightened her grip on the sword.

"Here I go!"

And just as True was about to move.

Suddenly, the black mist moved violently. As if targeting True, the mist rushed toward her.

"Ah."

The black mist moved as if clearly attacking. True was blown away with great force. Her small body slammed violently against the wall of the house. The sword left her hand and fell to the floor.

"True!!"

Tatiana screamed as if shaken.

"This is bad... this is really bad."

Lauren's face went pale, his voice trembling.

"What does this mean!?"

The moment Rebecca shouted, the mist began to move again. It enveloped Wendy's body and grew larger and larger. Wendy's figure was faintly visible, but the darkness was gradually becoming denser. Lauren let out a panicked voice.

"...The curse's power is far stronger than we thought... It's going berserk!"

"No... Wendy!!"

Christopher shouted loudly.

"Wait! I'll do it one more time...!"

True, who had been blown away, shouted. having hit her body hard, she tried to stand up unsteadily, but her body wouldn't move as she wished. Tatiana rushed over and supported True.

"Big Sister, one more time."

Tatiana also opened her mouth, trembling with a face drained of color.

"True, but..."

"The sword, hurry..."

At that moment, the black mist moved significantly again. Simultaneously, Wendy, inside the black mist, opened her eyes. Those eyes were hollow, having lost their focus.

"Wendy!"

Christopher's loud voice echoed. In the next instant, Wendy opened her mouth inside the mist.

"——Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"

A voice like a scream came from Wendy's mouth. Reddish-black bruises eroded her face with terrifying speed. The black mist continued to deepen in color, and in the blink of an eye, Wendy's figure vanished from sight.

"Wendy!"

Evan grabbed the arm of Christopher, who tried to rush to Wendy.

"No, Chris!!"

"Let go! My sister is——!"

Just as Christopher directed a sharp glare at Evan, Rebecca moved.

"H-Hey!"

Lauren hurriedly tried to stop her, but he wasn't in time.

"My Lady!"

Without hesitation, she dove into the bathtub, entering the mist.

"Y-You fool! No!!"

Tatiana also raised her voice, but Rebecca wasn't listening.

The moment she entered the black mist, her vision was dyed pitch black. She couldn't see anything. For some reason, her head felt like it was being struck, throbbing with pain.

"My Lady, Lady Wendy...!"

She should have called out the name, but she couldn't hear her own voice. In the darkness, she searched desperately with her hands.

"Lady Wendy——"

Just as she reached out with all her might, she touched something.

"Ah——"

She knew instantly. There was no mistake. It was Wendy's hand.

She gripped tightly onto what her hand had touched. In the next instant, Rebecca's consciousness fell into darkness.

Just before losing consciousness, she definitely heard a voice right by her ear.

"———becca!"