Tsana tried to push Cayn's body away, but the man didn't budge. She saw the black roots crawling from his wrist that was pressing against the curse symbol on her abdomen.
Tsana grabbed Cayn's hand and tried to pull it away, but her strength was far too weak compared to his.
She gritted her teeth. "Why are you doing this?! Let go!"
She couldn't understand why Cayn was transferring the curse into his own body. Tsana panicked, she had never done this before and didn't know what kind of consequences might occur if the curse was moved to another person. But she did know one thing, if she interrupted the ritual halfway, it would endanger her own life.
In the midst of her panic, Cayn's whisper reached her ears. "As I thought, I can't transfer it completely into my body."
Tsana's eyes widened. "You planned to transfer the entire curse into yourself?!"
Cayn didn't answer, but the black roots had already slithered from Tsana's abdomen to his wrist, crawling up to his neck, wriggling like living snakes trying to take over his body.
Seeing that, Tsana truly panicked. She began to channel offensive magic into her palm, intending to force Cayn away. The ritual of curse transfer was a forbidden act something that should never be done carelessly.
If she stopped the ritual midway, the curse wouldn't move to Cayn's body. But the consequence, the curse would strike directly at her heart, killing her instantly.
But that was fine, Tsana was already used to dying, and dying once more didn't matter.
However, just as she raised her hand to strike Cayn, a memory of Zephyr flashed through her mind.
"Don't worry. Didn't I promise you? That I won't die again?"
Her hand froze, her trembling fingers lingering in the air. She had promised Zephyr not to die again. Yet this situation gave her no choice.
Suddenly, a soft whisper came from above her head. "I'll announce to the entire kingdom that the entrance to the Nightmare Forest will be open to the public. Three days from now, every monster hunting squad from other kingdoms will gather here, and we'll begin our journey to meet the Dragon. Don't forget, I'm the one guiding you to the Dragon. Even if billions of powerful people enter the forest to hunt it, none will reach the Dragon unless the Dragon itself wills it. Only you and I can meet it, understand?"
Tsana looked up to meet Cayn's face, but the world spun around her, and everything turned dark.
★★★
A man in a black cloak, with short black hair and phoenix like eyes, approached Cayn, who had just returned from meeting the Guardian of the Nightmare Forest.
His name was William, a high ranking fire spirit contracted to Cayn for many years.
When William saw his master's pale face, curiosity stirred inside him, but he didn't dare ask what had happened.
Cayn stopped beside a tree, his gaze fixed on the distance.
William could feel the heavy air surrounding his master.
"William," Cayn called.
"I'm here, Your Grace," William replied, kneeling down.
"I'm immortal now. Even if you kill me, I'll just come back to life."
William frowned, his expression filled with questions as he tried to understand the meaning behind those words.
"I just transferred thirty percent of the Guardian of the Nightmare Forest's curse into my own body."
"What?" William gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Even though only thirty percent of the curse entered me, it feels like my flesh is being flayed alive. I want to die right now. Can you imagine that woman bearing this pain for hundreds of years while carrying one hundred percent of it?"
William swallowed hard. Looking closer, he could see faint black roots writhing under his master's neck, moving in eerie patterns.
That must be the curse.
Cayn continued, "Every time I'm near her, my heart beats faster, and I feel ashamed. But now, I feel even more ashamed because I realized I'm still far weaker than she is."
He began walking toward the horse carriage parked in front of the Nightmare Forest entrance, with William silently following behind.
Before stepping inside, Cayn spoke again. "Three days from now, we'll enter the Nightmare Forest. The Headmaster of Roswell Academy will surely send two representatives to join the expedition. Handle all the arrangements."
"Yes, Your Grace."
A gentle breeze brushed past them, swaying their cloaks lightly.
William, staring at his master's lonely back, couldn't help but ask, "Your Grace, do you still regret your decision from the past?"
Silence lingered for a while. Then came Cayn's bitter voice.
"You know me best William, I even went mad because of it."
★★★
The next day, Duke Ennel officially announced the opening of the Nightmare Forest to the public, using his influence and connections.
Upon hearing the news, other kingdoms immediately sent their strongest monster hunting squads to capture the Dragon of Light.
The Dragon of Light was a legendary creature of immense power. Capturing it would elevate their kingdoms' status and grant them recognition throughout the continent.
Its heart was said to bring fertility to any land, making it rich and prosperous. That was why every kingdom desired it so badly.
Meanwhile, at Roswell Academy, inside the Headmaster's office, Rolan stood in front of the large glass window on the third floor, his blue eyes scanning the royal announcement in his hand.
"Why must I be sent on this Dragon expedition too?" Rolan asked after finishing the paper, turning to face Theo, who sat calmly on the sofa.
Theo sipped his tea elegantly, a faint smile on his lips. "Didn't you say you wanted to become the Witch of Song's disciple?"
Rolan sighed and sat across from him. "Of course I do, but she still doesn't acknowledge me as her student. Is there another reason you're sending me to join her journey?"
Theo shook his head lightly. "This year, Roswell Academy can't hold its usual student trial in the Nightmare Forest due to the Dragon's appearance. So instead, I'm sending our two best students on this journey. If you succeed, it will count as completing the academy's trial."
Rolan frowned. "Two best students?"
Theo nodded casually. "Yes, yes."
Rolan clenched his jaw in displeasure. "Don't tell me that girl is going too."
Theo gently placed his cup on the table, adjusted his single lens glasses, and said, "That's precisely your main mission, keep an eye on the Third Princess of Kamal."
Rolan's expression turned confused. "What do you mean?"