“Goodnight.” 

I murmured quickly, choosing to escape to dreamland over lingering in the awkward atmosphere.

Perhaps sensing my embarrassment, Kirie made an excuse.

“Look, my lady, I truly appreciate your concern for me. It’s just that… I’m not so good with these kinds of discussions with others…”

Hearing those words somehow made me feel relaxed.

Yeah, who was I kidding, imagining myself as the heroine in some romance fantasy novel?

‘I gave up on that dream a while back.’

I thought possessing a character would lead to an adventurous life, but half a year had passed in my room doing nothing.

With a mixture of disappointment and relief, I responded to Kirie’s words.

“It’s okay. I’ve been overstepping considering how short a time we’ve known each other.”

“No, not at all! Your advice was both tough and nourishing. Quite on point for my situation.”

“But things don’t always work out just because they’re supposed to,” I pointed out.

“…That’s true. I know I should be more honest now, but it’s not easy. It’s not like a reputation once established can easily be changed.”

That was just it. There’s a reason people say first impressions count. Once people form an opinion, they hardly ever want to change it.

‘In the original, the heroine Aila somehow manages to restore Kirie’s reputation.’

…But what exactly did she do?

I wracked my brain, but couldn’t come up with anything clear, and I mentally cursed.

Damn it! I’ve read too many novels and they’re all jumbled up!

Unless it was a part that specifically caught my interest, I only remembered the gist of the plot and certain scenes.

After a few more moments of scouring my blurry memory, I admitted defeat.

‘I wouldn’t remember even if my life depended on it!’

On second thought, the most pressing issue for me was something else entirely—the curse of the comment section.

Sorry Kirie, but my own problems take precedence here.

“Kirie, there’s something I want to ask you.”

When I suddenly spoke up, Kirie seemed a bit startled but quickly answered.

“Yes, ask away.”

“Will your curse be completely lifted tonight?”

“It’s very likely.”

His tone was serious and cautious.

“Curses are tricky, elusive magic. And the one I’m under is probably a high-level curse, extremely complex in its craft.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Absolutely!”

As the topic switched to magic, the timid Kirie of moments ago vanished, replaced by a confident mage eloquently laying out his case.

“It’s not just simple insomnia; it’s this bothersome condition where I can only sleep when paired with a specific person in a specific situation. No matter how I think about it, this can’t be the work of a mere potion. Someone must have cast this spell in my vicinity.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. It makes me wonder, what kind of skilled mage came up with this curse? And when did they manage to curse me without my notice?”

“I really couldn’t say.”

“I’ve been vigilant against such threats. And yet, someone managed to curse me without my awareness…”

Maybe it was my weary expression that did it, but Kirie quickly composed himself and fell silent.

“…I got a bit carried away there.”

“It’s okay. So the bottom line is that after tonight, your curse should be lifted, right?”

I tentatively voiced the worst possibility that I had buried deep within and had been ignoring.

“Surely it doesn’t mean that you’ll have to continue sleeping in my bed…”

“That’s ridiculous. There’s a 99.9% chance that won’t happen.”

The top disciple of the Magic Tower Lord declared confidently.

“The very existence of a curse so sophisticated and secretive is nearly miraculous. And for it to be permanent? That would be the work of a deity.”

“Really?”

“I assure you. The condition of sleeping in your bed is likely the spell’s release condition. As you know, curses of this kind usually have a potent effect but also a vulnerability.”

I had no idea about any of this, but I nodded diligently as I listened to Kirie’s explanation.

“As long as one meets the release condition, the curse vanishes without a trace. To gain something, something else must be given up—that’s how it works.”

“That sort of makes sense.”

“And another thing that sets this curse apart from the ones we commonly know is…”

Kirie was bursting with enthusiasm as he chatted away. The initial awkwardness and guardedness had all but disappeared.

He still perched precariously on the edge of the bed, but his expression was now more relaxed.

“Wow, magic really is fascinating.”

I barely understood most of what Kirie said, but I kept up with polite interjections to seem like I followed along.

“…….”

Amidst our conversation, Kirie’s once clear and bright voice gradually quieted down until it ceased altogether. When I glanced to the side, I saw his sleeping face come into view.

Indeed, just looking at him warmed my heart, his features as delicate as those of a fairy.

‘Silver-haired wizards are the best.’ 

I affirmed to myself once more as my own eyelids began to feel heavy.

Maybe it was the complexity of the lecture on magic I had endured that brought on such swift drowsiness.

The next morning, I was awakened by the knocking of the maid on the door. When I looked beside me, there was no one there.

“Has he already left?”

I surveyed the neatly arranged bedding and then turned my gaze away, but then I noticed a piece of paper on the table.

“I couldn’t bear to wake you from such peaceful sleep, so I took my leave. Thanks to you, Lady, I was able to get a good night’s sleep for the first time in ages. I’m very grateful for your help in breaking my curse.”

The note, written in neat handwriting, continued to say that he would come to see me soon to give his thanks.

With a smirk, I tucked the note into a drawer and let the maids into the room.

‘Thanks.’ That one word cast a spell of excitement in my heart. What should I ask in return for his thanks?

‘Asking a mage for money is amateurish.’

After all, in the world of fantasy, magic is an exceedingly important element.

No matter the hardships faced by the protagonist, often it was a single powerful spell that could handily resolve the most dire situations.

Besides, I could presumably get more than enough money from Reynard, the crown prince, so naturally, I should ask Kirie for something related to magic.

‘A magic tool, without a doubt!’

A magic tool allows even non-mages to cast certain spells.

As a distinguished mage and the apprentice to the master of the magic tower, Kirie was likely to possess unique and valuable tools, ones not easily bought with money.

Maybe something that could grant the power of teleportation or flight.

‘It wouldn’t hurt to have an escape plan, just in case I’m ever being labeled as a villain and face ruin like in the novel.’

It’s best to avoid such situations, but it’s wise to be prepared because life is unpredictable.

Though I was far from actually securing any tool, I spent a delightful time musing over what I might choose.

After a simple freshening up, I headed to the dining room with a light step.

“Charlotte, late again today? What have you been doing at night that makes you oversleep every day?”

“I’m sorry. I promise to be on time from now on~.”

Even the tedious nagging of the Marchioness Lindsay seemed pleasant to my ears. How could it not, when the thorn in my side had finally been dealt with, leaving me in high spirits!

As of yesterday, I had lifted the curses that plagued Reynard, Eugen, and Kirie, those three sub-male leads.

Parting with their handsome faces is a bit, well, considerably disappointing, but a good night’s sleep trumps all, doesn’t it?

‘Plus, there’s the loot.’

From Reynard, a hefty sum of money, from Kirie, a magic tool, and from Eugen… well, his cuteness suffices.

Now, all I need to ponder is where to lead a comfortable life with these treasures, far away from the empire.

The last thing I want is to bump into Aila or Cedric by loitering around the empire and unintentionally solidifying my reputation as a villainess. That’s an absolute no-go for me.

‘Maybe it’s time to broach the subject of moving me to an overseas villa to Marquis Lindsay.’

Just then, I felt an intense gaze and abruptly looked up.

Jayden, seated diagonally from me, met my eyes and gave a slight, amiable smile.

“Did you sleep well last night, sister?”

“Huh? Oh… yes, I slept quite well.”

Hadn’t he been piercing me with his stare just a moment ago? And what’s with that out-of-character sweetness in his voice?

It wasn’t just me who felt the awkwardness; the family members, and even the servants attending to us at the meal, had stiffened up.

“When did you two get so close?”

Marquis Lindsay asked, his voice a mix of confusion and awe.

“Just yesterday, you both attended the tea party as partners. It seems you’ve become quite the affectionate siblings.”

Caught in an awkward spot and unsure how to respond, Jayden spoke up first.

“The truth is, sister and I had a heartfelt talk recently and opened up to each other.”

…We did?

“We resolved any misunderstandings we had and agreed to move forward with the goal of having a positive relationship.”

…Since when?

“Oh, is that so? I wasn’t aware of that.”

Marquis Lindsay nodded, his face showing surprise, before settling into a contented smile.

“If you two have reconciled, there’s nothing more I could ask for. Lately, Charlotte has matured a lot, and it seems we have nothing but good fortune at home.”

“That’s right, dear. It brings me joy as well.”

When the Marchioness agreed, a warm atmosphere flowed over the dinner table.

With the mood becoming too friendly, I found myself unable to call out Jayden’s bluff and silently continued to eat my food.

If I were to blurt out ‘Don’t be fooled! This brat is lying!’ I would undoubtedly be the odd one out, as clear as day.

Stealing a glance at Jayden, I caught him cutting the meat with elegant gestures, all the while wearing a facade of a smile.

‘What’s he really up to?’