“Actually, I’m under a curse right now.”

At Evie’s words, the count’s brows furrowed again.

So Evie secretly laughed. It seemed like frowning was a habit of his.

Evie said to the count, who looked half convinced, with that smiling face,

“It’s a curse that makes me answer any question truthfully. A bit strange, isn’t it?”

Evie asked playfully, but the count did not respond at all.

He seemed to doubt whether this was a serious statement or a joke.

But Evie ignored the count’s confusion and continued,

“When I first met you, Count, I was under this curse. That’s why I spoke so rudely. You, Count, who wouldn’t even greet me, did look quite rude, to be honest.”

Evie spoke cutely, as if confessing a small mistake.

So Zion had to think more about the truth of those words.

A curse? He didn’t know about such a thing. The astrologer hadn’t told him.

But there was more than one thing that caught his eye to simply dismiss it as a lie.

The most familiar sight of Evie to Zion so far was her strange answers to questions and then quickly covering her mouth.

“The next day when you came to our house, and when I saw you again in the tower, I spoke too strangely, didn’t I? It was all because of the curse.”

Evie Ariate’s strange words.

He didn’t even remember them one by one.

Instead, two scenes were clearly recalled in Zion’s mind.

Evie Ariate interrupting the conversation repeatedly.

And Evie Ariate suddenly covering her mouth with her hand.

Recalling that, Zion finally felt something was amiss and looked at Evie.

Then Evie continued to speak, smiling even more sweetly,

“Of course, I can’t just blame the curse. It’s all my true feelings, after all. That’s why I was really in trouble every time the words slipped out because of the curse. Explaining that it was my true feelings was difficult, and it seemed too dangerous if someone else found out about this curse.”

Upon the continued confession, Zion understood the seriousness of this curse.

Everyone has true feelings they can’t let out of their mouth.

A curse that ruthlessly exposes those true feelings when asked.

Even if it’s because of a curse, those words are true feelings, so explanation and defense are impossible.

Thinking that far, Zion realized that Evie had been desperately trying to cover up her verbal mistakes caused by the curse.

She tried to cover it up at the banquet by saying she was drunk, and after revealing her hidden true feelings, she explained and excused herself in various ways.

Zion felt the scattered pieces in his mind gradually fit together.

Evie Ariate, who Zion had seen and experienced so far, was definitely not normal.

It had been extremely confusing because she occasionally looked perfectly fine, but if she was under such a curse, everything was explained.

In the end, Zion accepted Evie’s words. At the same time, a new question arose.

‘Why is she revealing this to me?’

The existence of this curse is a fatal weakness for Evie Ariate.

Depending on how it’s used, everything from light true feelings to secret emotions and shameful past can be dug up.

Evie must know that too, but Zion couldn’t figure out why she was revealing the curse.

Is she explaining to avoid misunderstanding me? Or is she trying to ask for help by revealing the situation?

Zion Laurel thought like Zion Laurel.

And at Evie’s next words, his deeprooted pride became even more firm.

“If I get punished in the tower, this curse will be revealed too.”

The latter, huh?

Zion guessed at Evie’s words. But it was really an unbelievable delusion.

Evie thought that whatever Zion Laurel might misunderstand, it didn’t really matter. She also had no intention or desire to ask this child for help.

“Then there will be no need to prove it.”

Prove?

An unexpected word came out.

So when Zion looked at her as if asking for an explanation, Evie spoke like she was teaching a child.

Certainly, I will translate the passage as per your guidelines:

“Count, you said so. No one would believe what I expose, and I can’t prove it,” Zion said yesterday morning.

“Perhaps you should reconsider if you still intend to threaten me.”

“It may be unjust, but no one will believe what you saw, and you cannot prove it.”

Evie laughed derisively, awakening those words.

“But now everyone will believe what I say. Because this is such a curse.”

Evie’s voice was gentle.

So Zion understood the meaning of those words somewhat slowly.

The always stiff and arrogant face of the Count became a bit naive.

He looked quite taken aback.

Thanks to that, Evie became very happy but abruptly asked,

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

So Zion was enveloped in a strange feeling.

Everything was unfamiliar.

The casual smiling face of Evie Ariate,

The sudden feeling of crisis that came,

Even his own position in such a situation.

So, as Zion stood there like a fool, Evie gently added for the confused Count,

“Yes, it’s a threat.”

The base of the watchers, Tarde’s Hall, is to the east of Bis, adjacent to the border.