Lorelei was meticulous and often noticed problems from details that others overlooked. This time was no exception.
She quickly recalled every scene involving Shinji from his arrival until now, analyzing all possible scenarios.
He walked into the house with steady steps, indicating no issues with his legs or feet.
Upon entering the living room, the first thing he did was heavily lean against the sofa. Although it was unrefined, his upper body seemed uninjured; otherwise, he wouldn't have adopted such a casual posture.
He patted Sakura's head with his left hand and interacted with her using his left hand when she tried to lift his cloak, showing no signs of injury.
Eliminating all other options, the most likely answer was clear—his right hand had to be the problem.
With this preliminary conclusion, Lorelei began looking for additional evidence. She thought back to her brief yet unforgettable interactions with Shinji before he returned home.
This boy, a few years younger than her, was ambidextrous but primarily used his right hand for tasks like writing, eating, and playing games. However, he had been using his left hand exclusively, not moving his right hand even once.
The evidence was compelling. With this in mind, Lorelei extended her hand and pointed.
A tiny wisp of magic, enhanced by her ancient and powerful magic circuits, activated the air currents in the room.
The change in airflow was subtle, not disturbing the room's furnishings or the humans' senses. Its effect was localized, starting at Shinji's feet, sweeping upwards, and parting his cloak along its seam.
Because the magic used was extremely weak and Lorelei hadn't chanted, Shinji didn't have time to react when he sensed something amiss.
The gray cloak billowed, revealing a shirt made of special material underneath.
The shirt covering Shinji's upper body was incomplete; the right sleeve was missing, replaced by tightly wrapped bandages stained with black blood spots, looking gruesome.
"Lorelei, you—!"
Before Shinji could speak, Lorelei pressed down the falling cloak with one hand and extended her index finger with the other. Her unadorned, well-maintained noble nails sliced through the layers of bandages effortlessly, a clear sign of magical enhancement.
As the bandages split, a pungent odor reminiscent of decaying animal flesh and over-fermented dairy products wafted out.
"This is—"
Lorelei held her breath, staring directly at the source of the smell—Shinji's right arm was covered in black lines resembling plant branches, with clusters of ugly black spots where the lines converged.
"—the Curse of Ortenrosse!"
The shock in Lorelei's eyes affected her body, and the intense turmoil within her disrupted her not-yet-fully stabilized magic crest. Visible green magical energy emanated from her, threatening to destroy the Matou family's living room.
Byakuya was too stunned to speak, and even Kariya, who had ceased focusing on magecraft after the Holy Grail War, was at a loss. Even battle-hardened Shinji was taken aback—how could she be so strong?
The only one to react promptly was Sakura, who quickly traced a series of runes in the air.
When Scathach constructed the workshop, she considered various contingencies, including magical outbursts. Sakura activated this mechanism.
From beneath the floor, ancient runes from the Age of Gods flashed briefly but effectively neutralized Lorelei's rampaging magical energy.
Meanwhile, Shinji extended his unharmed left hand through the turbulent flow of magical energy and unceremoniously flicked Lorelei on the forehead. "Calm down. Do you want to destroy my house?"
"Sorry," Lorelei instinctively covered her forehead, and the roaring magical power within her circuits gradually subsided. "That despicable monster Ortenrosse actually cursed you so viciously. I—I—"
She wanted to promise something but found she could promise nothing.
She had inherited the Barthomeloi's ancestral magic crest, her power growing rapidly day by day. Yet even with such strength, she had no confidence in defeating the oldest Dead Apostle.
The Barthomeloi family had a long history, but Ortenrosse's thousand-year accumulation was not much shorter. Moreover, due to the unique loyalty structure of a vampire's progeny, his followers' devotion was more assured.
If they clashed, the outcome would be uncertain, and other enemies would seize the opportunity. As long as Lorelei showed any intention of escalating the fight, neither her family nor the other Clock Tower nobles would agree. All she could do was vent her anger by opportunistically killing some of the White Wing Lord's progeny, causing him minor losses.
Lorelei was both smart and rational; she knew what she could and couldn't do. That's why she couldn't make any promises. But precisely because of this, she felt frustrated and disheartened.
Her negative emotions also affected Sakura, Byakuya, and Kariya, who now looked at Shinji with increased concern.
Guessing his family's thoughts, Shinji gave a calm smile, indicating he was fine. He then addressed the dejected young lady, "It's enough that you care. A mere curse is nothing to me."
"This is Ortenrosse's most vicious curse developed specifically for magi. It..." Lorelei thought Shinji was just comforting her, and her face showed even deeper frustration.
Shinji raised his hand to interrupt her explanation. "I know. I've read all the information you gave me, which is why I say it's nothing. Tell me, what's today's date? And when did I fight Ortenrosse?"
"It's March—wait, you mean you've had the curse for a month already?"
Lorelei instantly understood Shinji's point. Her intelligence should have made her realize it sooner, but her worry had clouded her thinking, ever since that day Shinji said he wanted to knock her out.
"That's right," Shinji nodded with a smile. "According to your family's records, no magus has ever lasted more than two weeks under this curse, and I've lasted a month. More importantly, the curse hasn't worsened; it's gradually weakening."
"Really?" Lorelei still found it hard to believe, given how deeply ingrained the fear of this curse was within the Barthomeloi family.
"Of course it's true. Here, let me demonstrate how to dispel this curse, and you'll believe me."
Shinji nudged his sister with his elbow, signaling her to step back. He then sat down cross-legged, clasped his hands together, and began to chant a Buddhist mantra.
"May the boundless light of the Supreme Leader of Heaven and Earth shine upon us."