The cursed boy 2

 
 
 ☆
 
 
 After the maids had left.
 Lord Kessel knocked on the room’s door.
 
 “Excuse me. Countess Ainsworth, who has come to examine^[1] Theo-sama, has come to greet.”
 
 When the Viscount called out, there was a sign of some sort of whispering from the other side of the door.
 
 “One moment!”
 
 A thick voice was heard, followed by a sign of even more whispered talks.
 
 And then———
 
 “That’s why I said no!!”
 
 A young boy’s angry yell was heard.
 
 
 
 The room’s door opened shortly after, and a large man wearing a uniform that looked like a knight’s outfit appeared from within.
 
 The large man, with a dagger hanging from his tanned waist, closed the door and bowed at us, with manners you wouldn’t expect from someone with his outward appearance.
 
 “My apologies. You had taken geat effort to travel here, but Theo-sama’s condition has progressed and it is difficult to meet him at the moment.”
 
 With these words, the Viscount and I exchange glances.
 
 Lord Kessel looked at me with a 『Didn’t I tell you』 kind of expression.
 
 I took one step forward, and greeted the man standing before the door like a wall.
 
 “The name is Leticia Ainsworth.”
 
 “That’s… I am Fabio, Theo-sama’s guard and chamberlain.”
 
 Fabio bowed very deeply.
 
 That reminds me, this is also the second time I’ve met him.
 He’s a good knight, faithfully serving his master.
 
 However, right now I need ot ask him to let me through, even if it is somewhat forceful.
 
 
 
 “Fabio-sama. I have come to examine Theo-sama by the order of His Majesty the King of the Heielland Kingdom. Therefore, all judgements regarding the examinations have been entrusted to me.”
 
 “Y-, yes. I have been told.”
 
 The knight shrinks back in fear.
 
 “It’s nearly noon… the time for the 『seizures』 to happen. I’ve decided that I need to immediately begin Theo-sama’s examination. I’m sorry, but could you please open the door?”
 
 “Th-, that’s…”
 
 Fabio was perplexed by my insistence.
 
 I also understand hsi feelings.
 Theo, whom he serves, just told him to 『refuse』.
 He probably can’t flatly refuse that order.
 
 However this time, I won’t pull back either.
 
 In order to deal with the curse, I need to observe how 『that』 operates during the seizure.
 
 Seizures occur twice each day.
 At noon and at midnight.
 If I miss this opportunity, I’ll have no choice but to wait till late at night for the next.
 
 Besides, if my power can ease that sharp pain even a little bit, I’ve no reason not to do so.
 
 
 
 “My authority which I have just now mentioned, is agreed to be guaranteed between His Majesty our King and Fabio-sama’s rightful Master. Should you not obey my decision, it will be considered that your Master is disloyal, is that fine with you?”
 
 “-!!”
 
 Fabio grimaced.
 
 I laid on further words.
 
 “Above all, if it’s me, I might be able to alleviate even the slightest amount of suffering from Theo-sama. I too do not want to leave an innocent man to suffer. So please, I ask for your understanding.”
 
 “-! You, can alleviate 『that』?!”
 
 I can’t say for certain, but there is a chance that I can.”
 
 “Uhhh…”
 
 The big man pondered.
 
 As far as he’s concerned, I think that authority and such is less important than that boy’s suffering.
 
 “……-”
 
 After being troubled for a while, Fabio lifted his face slightly, and made way.
 
 “?”
 
 I asked him with my eyes.
 
 And then, he bowed his head deeply.
 
 “Please, take good care of Theo-sama.”
 
 Thus, we got to open the door to his room.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Lord Kessel knocked on the door once more.
 
 “……”
 
 No reply.
 
 However this time, the Viscount called out 『Please excuse us』, and opened the door like that.
 
 I nodded to the Viscount, who held the door open for me, and set foot inside the room.
 
 That moment———
 
 “Wh-, who are you?!”
 
 A startled and confused voice came flying from the bed.
 
 I looked in the voice’s direction.
 
 A boy with jet-black hair and vivid vermillion pupils, he had clean-cut features.
 And yet, from his appearance, I could see that he was considerably weakened and exhausted.
 
 ——— there’s no doubt about it. It’s 『him』.
 Although compared with when I knew him, he is far younger now.
 
 “Don’t enter without permission!!”
 
 The boy shouted, drawing the blankets up to his chest as if to hide something.
 
 The side table beside the bed was knocked over.
 SUrely, the sound from earlier was the sound of this being knocked over.
 
 “Theo-sama.”
 
 “!”
 
 When I called out his name, his shoulders trembled, and he openly glared this way warily.
 
 I briskly walked up to the bed, and curtsied in greeting.
 
 
 
 “It’s our first time meeting. Granted the rank of Countess in the Heielland Kingdom, I am Leticia Ainsworth.”
 
 “A Countess… that’s you???”
 
 Not believing my words, the boy asked back.
 
 “Yes. Though my conferment was only just the other day. And on this occasion, I have been asked to examine Theo-sama by His Majesty Conrad the Second’s request. From here on, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”
 
 Saying so and lowering my head once again, the boy blatantly frowned, and threw a stern look my way.
 
 “Examination, you say… how old’re you?”
 
 “Twelve years old.”
 
 Hearing my age, the boy went 『eh』 with one side of his face twitching.
 
 “I was told that 『As a magic-toolmaking genius, if it’s her then she might understand something about my 『curse』』, and came here. I didn’t come here to play House with you.”
 
 “I don’t know about whether I’m a genius, but more or less, I’ve been entrusted the qualifications of a special-grade magic-toolmaster. Moreover, as said earlier, His Majesty went as far as to personally request that 『I’d like you to examine Theo-sama』. I didn’t come here to play House.”
 
 “……”
 
 “……”
 
 We looked at each other in silence.
 
 Eventually, the young boy let out a sigh.
 
 
 
 “——— enough. Just get out. I don’t want to take your examination.”
 
 “But why? You should just give it a try, since you stand to lose nothing.”
 
 When I asked so, the boy glared this way and pointed at his chest.
 
 “Because there’s no way a twelve year old woman could bear to see 『this』. The kind of guy that makes even the senior maids shriek? There’s no way a young lady like you can stand it.”
 
 “It’s fine. ———see. Let me take a look, ‘kay.”
 
 Saying so, I swiftly flipped off the blanket.
 
 “Wha-! Stop…!!”
 
 Ignoring the boy’s resistance, I put my hand on his chest.
 
 Like so, my hand touched his sleepwear.
 
 
 
 Gong, Gong, Gong…
 
 
 
 The ringing of a bell could be heard from outside the window.
 That’s the bell signalling noon.
 
 Looking out the window, I returned my gaze to the boy in front of me.
 
 “——— get away.”
 
 Bang, the boy flung off my hand.
 
 “!”
 
 He began trembling with a pale face.
 
 “Theo-sama?”
 
 “G-, get out… Quick, get out———”
 
 The moment he said that,
 
 
 Crack!
 
 
 Along with a bursting sound, a purple light ran across the boy’s chest.
 
 “Ku———”
 
 The boy’s face warped in agony.
 
 And then———
 
 
 Crack crack crack crack!
 
 Crack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack!!
 
 
 “Gaaaaaaaaaah!! AAAaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!”
 
 
 The boy shrieked, with purple lightning rushing across his entire body.
 
 
 
 “-!”
 
 It’s finally begun.
 It’s started.
 
 Shrieking, and fainting in agony, was the young boy… Theo.
 
 I once again placed my hand on his chest.
 
 However———
 
 Crack!
 
 “Kyaa!!”
 
 The moment I touched him, an electric current ran through my arm.
 
 “———”
 
 I was prepared for it.
 However, to think it was this bad…
 
 “……”
 
 I took my hand away for a moment, but if I don’t’ endure this, I won’t be able to treat it.
 
 Otherwise, from this point on, each and every day, he’ll have to suffer this sharp pain.
 
 I steeled myself, and placed my hand on his chest a third time.
 
 Applying force, I tried grabbing at his heart.
 
 
 Crack crack crack crack!
 
 “AAaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!”
 
 
 Screaming while gripping the boy’s sleepwear, I opened up the front.
 
 The button popped along with a flash of light.
 
 “-!!!!”
 
 As expected, I found 『that』 there.
 
 
 The dark, lustrous surface.
 Eight legs extending from the centre to the surroundings.
 
 
 Stuck around Theo’s heart, emitting a sinister light, was 『that』 ——— the artificially-created gigantic venomous spider.