chapter 3
I happily shook my head.
“No, I was mistaken. I’ll go alone!”
And with that, I quickly climbed the stairs.
Maybe it was because I felt closer to avoiding death—the dark staircase didn’t seem so scary anymore.
‘Once I cancel the curse, everything will be fine.’
The male lead won’t shrink, and I’ll live peacefully.
I do feel a little sorry for Lisid and Seria… but for me it’s survival, for them it’s love. I have to live first.
‘From now on, I’ll just live kindly. As long as I don’t die.’
I need to survive no matter what and find a way back to my original world.
By the time I finished that thought, I had reached the top of the stairs.
I reached toward an arched door covered with a purple curtain.
“Hello? Anyone there?”
The answer came from the side.
“You’ve come again, miss.”
I jumped.
Someone who had been standing like part of the wall smiled and pulled the curtain aside.
My gaze naturally turned inward.
A large altar. Countless candles.
A crystal ball on a round table. Playing cards spread like a fan.
‘…Jackpot.’
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding.
The woman, now seated, gestured for me to sit across from her.
“What brings you here today, miss?”
Her voice was clear and gentle. Judging by her wrinkles, she looked middle-aged.
I quickly sat down.
“Well… I want to cancel something.”
Even though it was obvious this was where the curse had been cast, I tried to phrase it vaguely.
“Ah.”
She nodded immediately.
“You mean the ‘Doll Curse.’”
This is going too smoothly!
“Yes! I want to cancel that curse.”
I almost cried from relief.
But then—
Her gentle voice turned eerie.
“Cancel… you say…”
“…Huh?”
A gust of wind blew out the candles.
‘W-What?!’
I shrank back.
She raised both arms dramatically.
“I knew this would happen! I warned you again and again!”
She threw her head back and laughed.
I stared at her, frozen.
‘Why are you acting like this… this is scary!’
I clenched my fists, trying not to show fear.
“This isn’t scary… dying is scarier…”
After a long moment, her laughter suddenly stopped.
“So pitiful… truly pitiful…”
She cradled a creepy doll and stroked its head.
“You thought you could easily undo a curse fueled by such dark power? How arrogant.”
She shook her head.
“A curse that has begun can never be undone. And besides—the time has already passed.”
“…What?”
The time… passed?
“Then—!”
That means the male lead has already shrunk!
Forgetting my fear, I quickly asked:
“T-Then… when does the curse end?”
In the original story, Lisid was cured in about two weeks by Seria.
So I didn’t know its duration.
She slowly raised three fingers.
What?
“Three years?!”
I jumped up.
But she shook her head.
“No. Three months.”
“…What?”
“After that, he will return to normal.”
I blinked slowly.
“What?”
I was speechless.
* * *
Inside the carriage on the way back.
I let out a hollow laugh while staring out the window.
‘Only three months?’
What kind of curse is that?
Aren’t curses supposed to last forever?!
It made no sense.
But after thinking it through, it wasn’t all bad.
‘Three months… I can manage that.’
And besides—
‘Seria is the one who figures out who cast the curse…’
So if I just keep them from meeting for three months…
Sure, the story will change, but in these kinds of situations, trying to follow the original plot only makes things worse.
Like trying to avoid the male lead—and getting tangled up more.
I had considered running away.
Airel was practically an outcast in her family anyway.
But—
‘Having a steady source of money is a blessing.’
And more importantly—
‘Even when Airel ran away in the original story, Lisid still found and killed her!’
That level of hatred?
I can’t handle that.
Dying here without returning home would be too unfair.
So running away was not an option.
The curse has started.
The male lead has already shrunk.
The story is about to begin.
‘Right now… Lisid must be heading to the Grand Temple.’
I recalled the plot.
After being cursed, he leaves a letter and goes to the temple seeking help.
But—
He ends up in the same carriage as Seria.
And hides his identity.
So what do I need to do?
‘Stop Lisid from getting on Seria’s carriage!’
Yes—this might actually work.
If I kidnap him first and take care of him…
Then even if the truth comes out later—
‘…Will it?’
…I know. This sounds insane.
But I’m desperate.
‘I don’t want to die.’
Sure, expecting zero consequences is unrealistic.
But what if he never finds out?
What if he trusts me?
‘Then I just have to make sure he never finds out.’
I wiped away my tears and steeled myself.
If it doesn’t work, I’ll make it work.
I survived brutal overtime work in my past life—this is nothing!
‘Just wait, Your Grace.’
My survival story is just beginning.
* * *
“I’m sorry, but you are not allowed to enter the Grand Temple.”
Wait—what?
“W-Why not?”
I looked at the holy knight blocking my way.
He sighed.
“Well… you did once nearly burn down the temple.”
“…I did?”
“Is there another noble lady here besides you?”
He looked at me like I was ridiculous.
“You set fire to the temple garden, slapped another lady, and even kicked the knights who tried to stop you.”
“What? I didn’t—”
Then I remembered.
“Airel tried to chase Seria in anger, but she couldn’t enter the temple.
Because she had previously set fire to the temple garden during a fight over Lisid.”
‘…Are you insane?’
I cursed Airel internally.
Setting fire over a man?
Unbelievable.
“Then there’s no way for me to enter?”
“Not unless you sincerely repent and apologize.”
“I-I am repenting!”
I quickly clasped my hands.
“I deeply regret what I did! I’ll apologize—”
The knight frowned.
“Apologizing to me won’t help. I don’t have that authority.”
“Then who do I apologize to?”
“The High Priest who banned your entry.”
High Priest?
‘Oh… I remember.’
The youngest High Priest—the one who appointed Seria.
But where am I supposed to find him?
Just then—
“Lady Blandiche?”
A gentle voice called out.
I turned.
A man stood there, smiling warmly.
Long white hair down to his waist.
A divine, radiant appearance.
“May I ask what brings you to the temple?”
Anyone could tell—
He was the High Priest.
