The Curse of Being Hated Has Been Lifted

12 – Isn’t this the time we mix words?

‘An apology.’

Until yesterday, Anna’s apology, delivered as if she despised herself, awkwardly passed by her. However, it wasn’t something she could just let go.

‘Am I deserving of an apology like that?’

Even if Aria were to seek forgiveness, she had no intention of accepting it, but the flow wasn’t entirely strange.

Considering the past friendship with Anna when they were young, she was justified in receiving an apology.

But what about those who silently cursed Logan internally?

What about those who harbored ill feelings toward Logan only based on rumors?

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Was it because of the curse or their own wrongdoing?

It was hard to judge.

‘Others aren’t a big problem, but…’

Anna’s issue seemed like something that needed to be resolved promptly.

“I apologize.”

Whenever she crossed paths with Logan, she bowed so deeply it seemed as if she would touch her head to the ground, offering an apology.

It wasn’t just a passing apology.

She waited until Logan passed, bending all the way to her waist.

“I don’t think I can be forgiven. I want to compensate for the damage I caused.”

She had uttered those words so many times a day, she had lost count of how much embarrassment she endured.

Ignoring her was one way to handle it, but because Logan hadn’t received some blessing that skyrocketed his reputation within the academy since the curse was lifted, rumors circulated that Anna was constantly apologizing to Logan because he had somehow exploited her weakness.

“During lunch, behind the training grounds.”

Anna’s onslaught of apologies began, and after two days, Logan decided to have a private conversation with her.

“Yes, I will go ahead and wait for you.”

Anna’s manner of speaking was abrupt, but her slightly drooping expression was a new sight for Logan.

When he was young, so young that he could barely remember, Anna always used to play with him cheerfully. But after he was cursed, Anna only poked at Logan’s temper with the bare minimum of courtesy.

Today, he wasn’t driven out of the lecture.

With Aria returning the disappeared textbook, Logan could concentrate properly on the lecture.

Having given up the sword, he needed to show his prowess elsewhere, but he still didn’t know where his talents lay, so he did his best in every lecture.

“I have a question about the magic circle on page 27, Professor.”

“The greatest kindness a ruler can show to the people is creating a society where they don’t have to worry about food, as written in the textbook…”

As he worked hard, naturally, the number of questions increased.

The level of the questions couldn’t be considered high, but the professors were taken aback by Logan’s cursed yet earnest inquiries, as they had always thought of him as a good-for-nothing, having driven him out of most lectures.

Was it because he attended the lectures so diligently?

New rumors began to circulate about Logan.

That he had come to his senses.

Thanks to the curse being lifted, an environment where he could study diligently had been created, so the people at the academy assumed that the unpleasant aura emanating from him had disappeared because he had come to his senses and started studying.

It was more advantageous to think that way.

No one had any doubts.

“You’re early.”

Surely, they must have left from the same classroom, yet Anna had arrived before Logan.

“It’s unreasonable for the person apologizing to arrive later, isn’t it?”

From yesterday onwards, as always, Anna stood in that somewhat reserved posture.

Hailing from the prestigious Bellocia Marquis family, she was renowned for her magical talents.

Though her always poised and confident demeanor might seem elusive to others, it wasn’t particularly important to Logan.

The issue was the strange rumors circulating about Logan because Anna continued to maintain that reserved posture.

“There’s something I need to address with you first.”

“I’ll listen carefully to whatever you have to say.”

Anna, so polite in that manner,

Even Anna, who stood before her grandfather in her youth, didn’t seem to be as courteous.

“That thing you always mentioned, the unpleasant and dirty energy that’s disappeared lately, it’s Stella’s doing.”

Logan stated without beating around the bush.

The crucial point now wasn’t preventing Anna from excessively apologizing every time she saw Logan; it wasn’t about revealing what curse afflicted him.

“What?”

Anna widened her eyes as if she hadn’t thought about it at all.

It wasn’t that she was foolish, but rather, due to the strength of Stella’s curse when the headquarters was attacked, she hadn’t considered their connection at all, even though Logan’s curse had lifted.

“Stella cursed me. Thanks to General Seongseng’s recent punishment of that wretched woman, the curse was lifted. I only found out this time. Initially, I didn’t even know I was under a curse.”

For a brief moment, hope flickered in Stella’s eyes.

‘All the disgust I felt until now was because of Stella…’

If that were the case, wouldn’t she be free from blame?

For about 0.1 seconds, she thought so.

“You’ve lived a difficult life… Still, it doesn’t change that it was even harder because of me. Even if there was a curse, if I had paid a little more attention…”

“I never knew the curse myself, how could you possibly understand it?”

It was as if he was speaking as if Anna had done nothing wrong, but Anna knew that wasn’t the case.

Whether she liked it or not, she was the person closest to Logan at the academy, and she knew well about Logan’s way of speaking.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean I want to forgive you or anything. Whether you were influenced by Stella or not, I really struggled because of it.”

Even though she knew rationally that Anna’s fault was minimal, it was hard for her to accept it emotionally.

So many people had rejected Logan simply because of the unfounded curse, but Logan had actually suffered, been rejected, and hurt.

The inability to forgive the other party was much weaker than the act of rejection and causing harm in the aftermath of not being able to forgive.

“I’m sorry.”

“From now on, saying sorry is forbidden. It might give others the impression that they have found your weakness.”

‘Won’t you even give me a chance to apologize…’

Anna bit her lip tightly.

“And if possible, don’t mix words. It’s not like we can just laugh it off.”

When Logan told her about the curse that had befallen him, Anna felt a familiar sense of hope.

If she did better, maybe they could go back to the way things were in the past.

Of course, it was just the foolish misconception of the perpetrator.

How much she must have hated herself.

Even Anna, who had only been affected by the curse, had despised and resented Logan before his curse was lifted.

Logan had actually been assaulted and ignored by people.

The loathing and hatred he felt would be several times stronger than hers.

Ultimately, it was a fact that Anna had rejected him because of Logan’s curse, which was something she could find solace in.

However, it wasn’t a relief in the dimension where Anna and Logan could reconcile; it was only a fact that Logan could find solace in not immediately cursing her and throwing a punch at her face.

“I understand… If there’s anything you need, feel free to talk to me anytime. I’ll do my best to help.”

“Not necessary.”

Logan turned away, leaving Anna behind.

Perhaps if she didn’t catch him now, she might never catch him again in her lifetime.

It was similar to the last chance Anna had dared to offer Logan last week.

Similar, yet different in the sense that Anna lacked the qualification, ability, and courage to seize the last opportunity.

Unlike Logan, who could seize such a chance by acting confidently and normally, Anna couldn’t grasp the opportunity herself.

Later, when Logan faced difficulties, she might be exploited, but that would be the extent of it.

She had no right for anything more.

“Let’s go eat!”

“What’s gotten into you again?”

“Just because you gave up the path of the sword doesn’t mean we have to sever our senior-junior relationship, right? Let’s go grab a meal!”

Logan, while radiating annoyance, reluctantly entered the restaurant with Shohel.

‘Merely meeting Logan late…’

A murky emotion slowly surfaced in Anna’s heart.

The emotion named jealousy quickly filled Anna’s mind.

If she had enrolled last year and met Logan, they might have been similar.

Anna forcibly suppressed the jealousy, an emotion that threatened to dominate her.

She knew it was a misplaced emotion.

Home is just home, and what has happened has already happened.

Anna wasn’t foolish enough to be blinded by jealousy at not being affected by the curse.

“Sob…”

Yet, the small sob was unbearable.