Diana couldn't easily open her mouth. Despite the vitality coursing through her body, her thoughts deepened.
Death and return. A castle under high-level magic, waking up to find herself imprisoned. A half-sibling with no previous connection.
Such questions swirled in her mind, with a premonition that something was going seriously awry.
How does this child know? Why were you imprisoned here in the first place? Were you here even before I died?
"Sister?"
As she stared intently with a suspicious gaze, Noel blinked his large eyes and tilted his head.
"Bwoop. Sister. What's wrong?"
When Diana pressed his chubby cheeks, the child's lips protruded like a goldfish.
His unchildlike speech and behavior were bothersome, but it seemed pointless to dwell on it.
Though it was called a novel, this world was reality for her.
She released the child's cheeks and stroked his gray curly hair.
"I'm grateful. Thanks to you, I've found a clue to regaining my health. Thank you, Noel."
As she smiled brightly, Noel, who had been staring blankly at her, bloomed into a wide smile. As if truly happy. Only then did Noel look like a child.
"Can you see it too?"
"Yes, I can see it!"
Noel's eyes followed the magical power that disappeared like smoke. His ruby-red eyes gleamed strangely.
"So this is my cure?"
"Um, it's not the doll, but the curse mediated by magical power that becomes the medicine. You need to absorb the curse. Even toxic substances can be good for you, sister, if they contain wishes."
Poison, curse. Absorbing such gloomy things. It was unsettling.
"How do you know all this so well?"
You're like some kind of wizard. Haha. Diana, who had been speaking nonsensically, swallowed dryly as she saw Noel staring at her.
"Really?"
"A wizard is someone who knows how to use magic, right?"
"That's right?"
"Then I guess I'm a wizard!"
Noel spread his small hands wide and made a round light bloom above his palm. The light, which had been as small as a firefly, gradually grew larger.
Diana couldn't close her mouth. In this era, wizards used magic stones to wield magic.
It was said that several generations ago, wizards used the magical power within their bodies to use magic. But now, without magic stones, they couldn't even use common life magic.
Even then, wizards were rare beings.
"Noel!"
Diana hugged Noel tightly with eyes full of emotion. A lifeline had descended before her eyes.
To think such a precious being was by her side. It seemed she wasn't completely out of luck.
She had to embrace everything related to survival. That's how desperate she was.
For the sake of living, there was no medicine she hadn't tried, no task she hadn't attempted.
Dying once is enough.
She didn't want to die painfully again like a living corpse.
A cursed doll? I'll absorb as many as it takes.
"Are there many such cursed objects here?"
"Yes! There are many in the warehouse!"
She should have realized it then. The meaning of having many cursed objects.
How futile her plan was to find a cure, recover her body, and then escape.
***
On the way to the warehouse. The moment she encountered that twisted and distorted thing in the damp and muggy anxiety, Diana instinctively turned and started running.
"Kyaaaah-!"
Who would have known? That she would end up in a horror survival story with her young half-sibling.
"Hueeeng! What is this!"
Diana, with her barely recovered strength, hugged the five-year-old and ran desperately down the corridor.
Behind her, a monstrous creature was chasing at a terrifying speed.
How long had she run? Diana, who had sprinted to her absolute limit, set Noel down and collapsed as soon as they entered a safe zone.
"Sister. Are you okay, sister?"
No, I feel like I'm going to die. Diana, leaning against the wall and breathing heavily, broke out in a cold sweat.
It felt like her heart was about to jump out of her mouth.
Wasn't this supposed to be a tragic romance novel? When did the genre change to horror?!
On the way to the warehouse, she must have accidentally stepped on something, activating a magic circle, and a ghost with melting skin and disheveled hair came rushing at them.
Fortunately, the ghost seemed to be blocked by some invisible barrier at a certain point and couldn't follow them further.
"That's the kind of ghost that chases you more if you run away."
Oh child. Couldn't you have told me that a bit earlier? Her hands were trembling uncontrollably.
If there was anything she feared in this world, it was undoubtedly formless ghosts.
Noel, seemingly oblivious, just kept grinning.
"Noel, from now on, you need to tell me things in advance. Okay? This sister has poor stamina, you know."
"What's 'poor'?"
Oops. I should only use polite words in front of the child. Diana unknowingly furrowed her brow.
"Sister, are you angry?"
Befitting the youngest of the villainous family, Diana too had sharp eyes. When expressionless or frowning, she looked angry.
"No? I'm not angry."
As Noel started to whimper, Diana hurriedly comforted the child in confusion. Then, as if he had never been on the verge of tears, he smiled brightly. Diana laughed helplessly, having fallen for the fake crying.
Oh my, how cunning. I'll let it slide because you're cute. She ruffled Noel's hair and began exploring again.
The wizard's castle had trap magic installed throughout, as strong as its powerful barrier. For what purpose, who knows. The traps alone were beyond imagination.
Not only did ghosts pop out, but various weapons would spring forth, threatening their lives.
They carefully explored the interior of the castle, avoiding traps as much as possible.
As Noel had said, they couldn't go outside. Every door leading outside was firmly locked.
The magic Noel could handle wasn't omnipotent, so he couldn't break the barrier.
It was amazing how the child, who had been imprisoned before Diana, had survived in such a place.