Ibi prepared herself for various possibilities as she took Yubia’s hand.

But nothing happened. It was because Yubia suddenly looked at the ceiling and changed the subject.

“By the way, who’s upstairs?”

“The Count.”

Ibi answered reflexively and felt her heart drop.

Although she had teased him earlier, the Count was still an overwhelming opponent for Ibi.

Moreover, while she was slowly creeping up using his hidden identity as an excuse, it would be troublesome for Ibi if she carelessly revealed it like this.

“Someone you don’t need to know about.”

Dies intervened on behalf of Ibi who had made a mistake.

Then Yubia tilted his head and asked Ibi again.

“Are you close?”

“If ‘close’ is short for ‘want to kindly harm’, then yes, we’re close.”

Ibi’s true feelings slipped out once again. Thanks to this, Ibi realized anew how tangled up she was.

Meanwhile, Yubia’s already triangular mouth closed even more triangularly. He seemed to be suspicious of something.

So Ibi hurriedly drew his attention.

“Is it not allowed to have someone else upstairs?”

“No, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Yubia shook his head. Then he erased his curiosity about the upper floor and grasped Ibi’s hand.

“I’ll show you what I see. You might be a little surprised. But it’s not dangerous, so don’t worry.”

Yubia said that and closed his eyes.

Ibi also gently closed her eyes, following Yubia.

With her eyes closed, Yubia’s soft hand felt even warmer.

So, thinking the somewhat useless thought that even a boy could be this cute, it was then.

―Can you hear my voice?

Clearly sitting face to face holding hands, but Yubia’s voice was heard right by Ibi’s ear.

Ibi startled and looked to the side. Then she gasped again at the sight before her eyes.

Ibi, who had been sitting in a cozy chair until just a moment ago, was now suspended in mid-air in a posture that was neither standing nor sitting.

There was endless darkness around. But it wasn’t pitch black. Beyond the darkness, there were large and small lights here and there, so Ibi felt as if she was placed right in the middle of the night sky.

―You followed in well.

As Ibi looked around blankly, Yubia’s voice rang out again from the side.

So Ibi looked around for Yubia, and discovered something about the size of a palm floating beside her.

―Yubia?

When Ibi asked half-doubtingly, the white creature that looked like a rabbit nodded.

So Ibi unconsciously covered her mouth.

Ah, this level of cuteness is cheating.

Yubia was softly glowing in the form of a small animal, not a person.

Ibi looked at Yubia and then looked down at her own body. Fortunately or not, Ibi was perfectly in her original form.

―This is the world of Noche. Just think of it as a kind of dream.

Yubia said that and fluttered towards Ibi’s wrist.

―Can you see this?

Ibi turned her head following Yubia, and discovered something tied to her wrist.

―It’s the medium of the curse. This connects you, the person who cursed you, and the snake.

At those words, Ibi closely observed her wrist.

It was wrapped around Ibi’s arm in the form of a long string. And both ends of it extended far in different directions.

But it was impossible to tell exactly what material or color that string was. It shimmered like fog or a mirage, rarely revealing its true form.

Ibi hesitated and then tried to grasp it with her hand. She clearly felt a light and smooth texture.

Thanks to this, Ibi’s feelings became quite complicated.

She was already disgustingly aware of the curse, but seeing it with her own eyes made it newly miserable.

―Hold this string and follow it.

―Which side first?

―The right. It’s connected to the person who cursed you.

At Yubia’s words, Ibi smiled forcedly.

To be so meticulously connected to the enemies who cursed her, she wished she could decline.

Swallowing her aversion, Ibi grasped the string Yubia had chosen. Then she slowly moved forward, pulling on it.

That string was stretched so far that the end was not visible.

So it seemed like she would have to go for a long time, but as soon as she pulled her arm, the surrounding scenery flipped over in an instant.

Something that shimmered like this string appeared before Ibi’s eyes.

Although everything was blurry and unclear, Ibi instinctively muttered seeing that form similar in size to herself.

―A person?

―Yes, it’s the person who cursed you. Touch it, you’ll feel what kind of person it is.

Ibi reached out without hesitation.

Then, as Yubia said, she felt various things.

It was a woman. Quite a young woman. At the same time, an icy cold and foggy, creepy woman.

Who are you, why did you curse me?

Ibi muttered inwardly as she felt that woman. Then, as if responding to the question, the woman’s feelings towards Ibi were conveyed.

Something insignificant. Something of no interest. Something bothersome.

The only feelings that woman had for Ibi were considerable indifference and a bit of annoyance.

So Ibi was quite taken aback.

To treat a person so casually even after putting a curse on them.

Apparently, this curse was not out of grudge, but based on profit and loss.

Ibi wanted to see this woman’s face. At least her hair color or body type.

But the woman’s form shimmered ceaselessly like a flame, dizzying Ibi’s eyes.

Moreover, the woman who had been standing still suddenly turned her body. As Ibi looked up in surprise, another form appeared in front of her.

―It’s the snake.

Yubia whispered in Ibi’s ear.

Snake? Suddenly?

As Ibi was somewhat flustered, the two forms began to do something in front of Ibi’s eyes.

The shape Yubia called a snake knelt on one knee before the woman. As if receiving a knighthood. That lowered body was clearly that of a man.

The woman handed something to the snake. It looked small, light and thin at a glance. A handkerchief?

The snake received it with both hands and kissed it.

It was when Ibi was silently watching this scene.

The snake, which had been reenacting something excluding Ibi and Yubia, suddenly turned its head towards Ibi.

Along with that, Ibi’s body sank down.

―Kyaak!

Ibi screamed at the feeling of something grabbing and dragging her.

She desperately searched for Yubia but couldn’t see him. Meanwhile, darkness and light quickly passed before her eyes, leaving her completely disoriented.

Just when it seemed like she would be dragged endlessly like that, a slimy voice came to Ibi’s ear.

―Have you come to see me already?

At that chilling voice, Ibi swallowed a gasp. And realizing what state she was in, she was even more shocked.

A large white snake was tightly coiled around Ibi. Ibi was trapped inside the snake’s coils, unable to move an inch.

The snake, as thick as a pillar, tightened around Ibi’s body. She felt like she couldn’t breathe and her body would be crushed.

When Ibi let out a groan unable to bear it anymore, the snake chuckled lowly and whispered.

―I’m happy, I’ll eat you well.

The snake opened its mouth wide and lunged at Ibi.

Ibi desperately struggled to escape, and to wake up.

So just before the snake swallowed Ibi, she was barely able to open her eyes.

.

.

.

Ibi took a deep breath like someone who had come out of water.

Opening her eyes again, Ibi was sitting in the reception room of the two-story house.

“Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay……”

Ibi answered Yubia’s question with a pale white face.

Rolling up her sleeve, her arm was covered in goosebumps.

Though she was completely disoriented, she could tell that something terrible had almost happened.

So Ibi groaned towards Yubia.

“You said it wasn’t dangerous……”

“I think the snake sensed that we were spying. So it chased after us.”

Yubia said with a dejected face. Ibi could only sigh deeply, unable to say anything more.

She had hoped it would be foolish, but that snake Ibi had to catch was not only cunning but also very creepy.

Thinking she had gotten into trouble either way, Ibi held her forehead.

As Ibi caught her breath, Dies asked Yubia.

“Did you confirm?”

“Yes, I saw the snake too. So now I can distinguish it.”

“Then can you chase it right away?”

“Chasing is easy. But it’s hard to enter where the snake is hiding.”

At Yubia’s words, Dies’ eyes narrowed.

“Is where the snake is hiding some kind of stronghold of the Night Clan?”

“No. We really don’t like gathering together.”

“But you said earlier that three were gathered.”

“They’re not gathered, they’re trapped. In an arena.”

At Yubia’s calm answer, not only Dies but also Ibi raised her head in surprise.

“An arena?”

“Yes, some wealthy person in Bis created it. Usually they make mercenaries or beasts fight, but they also secretly hold competitions using the Night Clan.”

It was hard to believe that the infamous Night Clan was trapped in an arena and treated like fighting dogs.

But there was more surprising news.

“The commotion in this village during the last new moon, that was also because of the arena.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Originally, the Night Clan attracts curses. But with three of them gathered there, a high concentration of curses was drawn to this area.”

The Night Clan are cursed humans and curses in human form. So without fail, they draw in curses during the new moon.

With not just one but three such beings, it was perhaps natural for anomalies to occur here.

Ibi was shocked by the facts Yubia revealed, then startled once again.

‘……Isn’t it four, not three?’

Last new moon, Yubia was also near this village.

Then wouldn’t Yubia also have contributed to some extent to the occurrence of that unusual curse?

“Don’t worry, I don’t call curses.”

Sensing Ibi’s suspicion, Yubia said in a calm voice.

Then he rummaged inside his clothes and pulled out a pouch.

It was a pouch large enough to fill even an adult man’s hand, and it was full of small crystals.

“Manyana salt?”

“Yes, if you have this, curses don’t gather even during the new moon. But you have to get new salt every month.”

Yubia said as if to reassure her, and Ibi could finally understand why he demanded such a large sum of money.

Anyway, an arena, Ibi’s head was throbbing at this new obstacle.

“Butler, is it possible to infiltrate the arena?”

“Aren’t you pushing people around too much……”

“What can I do, I can’t roll myself……”

“You can’t? If you did, you’d do it better than anyone.”

It was when Ibi was subtly laying the groundwork to send Dies to the gates of hell.

She felt Yubia staring intently from the side.

So when she turned her head, Yubia said in a very serious voice.

“That arena is a really bad place.”

Of course, there’s no way an arena could be good.

“You shouldn’t pretend not to know. You said you’re going to become a saint.”

This kid, hitting the sore spot again.

Apparently, Yubia wanted Ibi to be outraged by this situation. Not knowing how powerless Ibi’s outrage was.

Feeling pressured, Ibi was pondering what to say, when a creaking sound came from the ceiling.

It was the sound of someone stepping down the stairs from the second floor.

‘Is it the Count?’

Those footsteps came down the stairs as if angry. So Ibi was sure those footsteps belonged to the Count.

The rapid footsteps echoed in the first floor hallway, and soon the sound of someone kicking open the front door was clearly heard.

The conversation stopped at the Count’s sudden departure, and Ibi decided to naturally change the subject.

But there was no need to do so.

Yubia had already lost interest in the conversation and was looking at the Count’s retreating figure through the window.

“What’s wrong?”

Somehow feeling that Yubia was very interested in the Count, Ibi asked.

Then Yubia hesitated for a long time before saying.

“Do you know?”

“Know what?”

“That person is also under a curse.”