The next day, Selen and Sir Howard stepped out of a carriage as night had already fallen. A knight helped Selen down, and accompanied by Sir Howard, they entered the opulent mansion before them. That evening, there was not a soul outside, and the sinister atmosphere contrasted sharply with the splendid manor they stepped into.
"The master is expecting you," a butler told them.
They were led to the master's office. The butler stopped at the door to request permission to enter.
Selen, hidden beneath her long cloak, had taken on the appearance of a female knight Jason had provided for this purpose.
"You may enter," the butler said, opening the door for them.
Inside the office sat a man behind an imposing desk made of luxurious wood. In truth, Selen had expected to be taken to some other room for their meeting, since they were not official guests. After taking a seat, she removed her cloak and placed a document on the desk.
"So you really came," Marquis Latour said as he picked up the paper.
He glanced at the document, likely to verify its authenticity, before setting it down again. He sighed and studied them carefully.
"So you truly are healing mages?" he finally asked.
"Only I am," Selen replied.
He leaned back in his chair.
"From what I understand, my offer couldn't have been the highest, given how rare healing mages are. So why accept it?"
"It may not have been the highest, but yours is the one that interests me," Selen answered.
The marquis looked at them with suspicion. From what Selen knew, the man was only in his fifties, yet he looked at least ten years older due to the wrinkles and dark circles that aged him.
"I have already met two healing mages over the past ten years—or rather two low-level frauds who took a small fortune from me and failed to solve my problem. What makes you think you can?"
Selen knew that the reason the marquis had not made a higher offer was not due to lack of money, but because of the many charlatans claiming to be healers. He had still made an offer because, despite everything, he retained hope. He had deliberately proposed a lower sum, waiting for another fool to try their luck, and if they proved competent, he would contact them again with a greater offer.
That must have been quite a surprise for him when I accepted, Selen thought.
"I trust in my gift," she said, meeting his gaze.
A minute of silence passed as they locked eyes. The marquis was the first to look away. He pulled a small knife from his pocket and cut his hand.
"Heal this wound. If you can, I will show you my problem. If not, I will ask you to leave my manor immediately," he said, holding out his hand.
Selen noticed that the cut was deeper than it appeared. Only a high-level mage could heal such a wound instantly. But Selen was far beyond that. She healed it in seconds. The marquis looked astonished, staring at his restored hand.
"I must admit, you are of a higher level. However, I do not wish to indulge in illusions…"
He sighed, his hands trembling.
"I will take you to the one who needs your help," he said, standing up.
Knights of the marquis, along with the man himself, led them to the basement of the manor. As they walked down a long corridor, Selen wondered why someone so precious would be kept in such a confined place. Wouldn't a beloved patient be kept in a sunlit room surrounded by flowers?
"It's here," said the marquis, stopping before a large wooden door. "From this point on, only the healer and I will enter."
Selen signaled to Sir Howard to let her proceed and followed the marquis inside.
The room was enormous, filled with plush toys, and at its center stood a large canopy bed draped in black veils. She noticed a strange machine near the bed, and upon closer inspection, saw red stones embedded within it. Even more peculiar, the machine seemed connected to the bed—or rather to the person lying in it.
"It is no secret in the empire that I have been searching for a healing mage for my grandson," the marquis began, carefully placing a fallen plush toy back in its place.
"Since the accident that claimed the lives of my son and his wife, leaving me with only my grandson, I have not stopped searching for a cure for the curse that consumes him."
A curse? Selen thought. She had assumed he was disabled or comatose after the accident.
"The red stones you see in this machine are the heart of my boy. Without them, his heart would stop, and he would die."
He picked one up and stared at it.
"These stones contain very little magic, given how rare mages are on this continent. They can barely be called red. So I need more… always more…"
Selen knew the marquis had spent ten years searching for a cure. How much fortune had he wasted on such weakly infused stones? Clearly, the stones sustained the boy's body. Thinking back, it explained why Noah possessed so many red stones when they met—he must have been using them to extort a fortune from the marquis.
"Hope is a dangerous thing. I have succumbed to it many times over these past years, and each time I felt like dying when I realized I had been deluding myself," the marquis said, approaching the bed.
He lifted the curtains, and Selen recoiled at the sight. The marquis cast her an empty look, clearly expecting nothing from her.
"Well? Are you still as confident as before?" he asked in a broken voice.
Selen swallowed hard. The thing lying in the bed had the silhouette of a young man, but nothing about him was human. His skin was purple, even black in places. He was emaciated, skeletal. His head was bald, and his half-open mouth revealed yellowed teeth.
In all her life, she had never seen anything like it. The marquis was right to call it a curse. The entire room reeked of dark magic, and Selen wondered how many human sacrifices had been required—one hundred? Two? Three?
And these are the kinds of people I'll have to face, she thought, stepping forward. People willing to sacrifice anything to achieve their goals.
"It doesn't matter. If you cannot heal him, I will pay whatever it takes for your silence," the marquis said, resigned.
He let the curtains fall.
"No. I will do it," she said, sitting on the bed. "However, you will need to turn around for a few minutes."
The marquis frowned.
"What does that mean?" he asked, grabbing her arm.
"It means I will heal your grandson. I understand your distrust, but believe me, I am likely the only one capable of doing so."
"Who are you, really?" he asked intensely.
Selen did not answer. They stared at each other for a full minute before he finally let go.
"If you do anything unreasonable, know that you will not leave this manor alive," he said, turning away.
Selen reached into her cloak and took out a small knife she always carried. She had thought she could heal the boy with magic alone, but she had underestimated the severity of the situation. Perhaps she should have asked Noah for more details.
She leaned over the boy and cut her hand, letting her blood drip into his open mouth. She steeled herself. She hated hurting herself, but she knew her enemies were monsters who feared nothing. She had to cast aside her own fears.
A glow enveloped the body as the blood flowed, and soon the barely human form transformed into that of a young man in his twenties.
"Dear God…" cried the marquis, turning back as the light appeared.
He climbed onto the bed, embracing his grandson in tears.
"My dear Thomas… your grandfather has finally freed you from the nightmare I dragged you into… Thank God… blessed be the saint who made this day possible…"
"Why isn't he waking up?" he asked.
"It will take time. He has been unconscious for too long. A proper doctor should examine him."
In truth, Selen did not know if he would wake. Ten years of dark magic could not be undone without consequences.
"Ten years… yes…" the marquis murmured. "Tell me what you want. Whatever the amount, I will give it to you."
Selen smiled.
"Let's wait until your grandson wakes up before discussing payment."
The marquis nodded eagerly.
"You will stay the night. Whatever you ask, you shall have it."
"I certainly hope so," Selen replied, eyes fixed on the young man.
It was only two days later that the marquis's grandson finally woke. Early in the morning, after being moved to another room, he opened his eyes for the first time in ten years.
As grandfather and grandson embraced in tears, Selen watched the scene. She too was pleased that day… though not for the same reasons.