The Empress shook her head gently. “Thank you for your concern, Elder. The medicine my mentor brought back from you has already healed me.”

Leonchi nodded slightly, but his gaze soon drifted to the little girl standing beside her. A glint of surprise flashed through his eyes.

“This child… seems to share a peculiar fate with you.”

The Empress replied coolly, “We came across her on the road, so I brought her along.”

Just then, Elena cautiously stepped up to Leonchi, reaching out her tiny hand to lightly tap his powerless legs—then quickly withdrew it, afraid she had hurt him.

Both Ursula and the Empress stiffened.

Leonchi was known for his gentle demeanor, but there was one thing he absolutely could not tolerate—any mention of, or contact with, his crippled legs.

The Empress was about to pull Elena away when she saw the girl looking up with innocent, concerned eyes.

“Does it hurt?” Elena asked softly.

“Hurt?” Leonchi was momentarily taken aback, then let out a bitter laugh. “I lost all feeling long ago. I was born this way.”

He looked into her pure, earnest eyes and, surprisingly, didn’t get angry. In fact, he felt a rare warmth in his heart.

After all, how could anyone be annoyed at such a kind and well-mannered little girl?

Elena frowned. “Big brother, why don’t you go see a healer?”

Leonchi chuckled and reached out to gently tousle her hair. “Big brother? Heh… it’s been a long time since anyone called me that. Little one, do you know I’m already three hundred and fifty-six years old?”

“As for healers…” He gave a self-deprecating smile. “When it comes to healing magic—especially the light-based kind—who on this continent can surpass me? If even I can’t fix these legs, who else possibly could?”

Elena blinked. “Whoa! You’re over three hundred years old? That’s just like my daddy! He’s even younger—he’s already five hundred and eighty!”

The room fell silent for a second. Then Leonchi, the Empress, and the others couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Little girl, do you know what being five hundred years old means? That would make him a being beyond Grand Archmages—a living legend!”

“There’s no such monster in this world. You’re still a child, and already learning to tell tall tales!”

Elena pouted, looking serious. “But it’s true! My daddy really is over five hundred! He used to be the strongest person in the world!”

“And…” She puffed out her chest proudly. “He’s a healer too. Super amazing! He can cure anything! Last year, Little Q down the mountain had limp legs, and my dad healed him! If you want, I can take you to see him next time!”

Elena had always been kind-hearted. Seeing Leonchi’s crippled legs reminded her of the dog her father had healed, and she couldn’t help but want to help.

Leonchi’s face twitched. “Little Q?”

“Yeah! That stray puppy that lives by the village gate. We all call him Little Q! Daddy used some wooden planks and herbs and fixed him right up.”

“And there’s Dora and Dillis next door—he healed them too!” Elena added proudly.

A vein bulged on Leonchi’s forehead.

He had no idea who—or what—Dora and Dillis were, but he was quite sure they weren’t humans.

Was the great High Priest really being compared to injured pets?

“Your father… is a veterinarian?” he asked dryly.

Seeing Leonchi’s complicated expression, the Empress quickly shifted the topic. “High Priest, please forgive her. Children speak without thinking. We’re actually here for something important.”

Leonchi waved it off with a wry smile. “What’s there to be upset about? She meant well.”

“It’s been a long time since anyone’s shown this old man such care… it’s not a bad feeling.”

He gestured with one hand. “Bring that old codger in. Leaving him outside makes me seem like a poor host.”

Ursula immediately gave the order, and several knights carried Grand Archmage Eldritch into the house on a stretcher.

Seeing his once-glorious old friend now barely clinging to life, Leonchi burst out laughing.

“Well, well! The same guy who used to blast my herb garden with magic and steal my roast chicken legs at the banquet table—where’s all your bravado now?”

“Looks like… you’re going to die before me. When the time comes, I’ll drink wine over your grave.”

His tone was full of old camaraderie, clearly showing a long-standing friendship between the two.

Though barely conscious, Eldritch stirred at the teasing. He opened his eyes a crack and snorted, turning his head to the side.

“Hmph! I didn’t come here to listen to your nonsense… I came to be treated! So? Are you going to heal me or not? Just spit it out!”

Leonchi rolled his eyes. “Still as stubborn as ever, even on death’s doorstep.”

Watching the two ancient mages bicker like boys, the Empress and Ursula couldn’t help but exchange smiles.

Men truly remain boys at heart, even in old age.

Despite the banter, Leonchi wasted no time. With a flick of his wrist, a silver-white stream of energy flew through the air and wrapped itself around Eldritch’s wrist.

Leonchi closed his eyes, entering a state of deep sensing.

The room fell silent, not even a breath out of place.

As Leonchi’s brows drew tighter and tighter, everyone else’s hearts began to sink.

After a long moment, he withdrew the energy.

Eldritch, still weak, asked hoarsely, “Is there… any hope?”

“He’s not ill,” Leonchi said slowly. “But… it’s complicated.”

The Empress frowned. For a Grand Archmage to collapse like this, it was clearly no ordinary affliction. The continent was in turmoil—Grand Archmages were irreplaceable. Eldritch couldn’t be allowed to die.

“Elder, if you say it’s difficult, then that means there’s still a chance. Whatever it takes, I’ll get it. Please, save my mentor.”

Leonchi sighed and shook his head. “He’s not sick. He’s cursed.”

“Cursed?!” Ursula gasped.

Everyone’s faces went pale—except for Elena, whose eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked between the Empress and Eldritch.

This beautiful sister really cares about the old grandpa…

If I help save him, and give the credit to Daddy… maybe the pretty sister will… marry him?

Then I’ll finally have a mother! I won’t be the girl without a mom anymore!

A bright idea bloomed in Elena’s head. She secretly reached into her treasure pouch and pulled out the “Universal Antidote” her father had given her.

She was just about to step forward when the Empress pulled her back firmly.

“Elena, don’t cause trouble.”

Interrupted, Elena pouted and obediently stood to the side.

“Elder, my mentor is the strongest among Grand Archmages. What kind of curse could possibly affect him? Who would even be capable of casting it?”

Leonchi looked grim. He let out a long breath.

“A single curse wouldn’t harm him. But what if it wasn’t just one? What if it were hundreds—layered, interwoven, and slowly corroding him over time?”

Gasps echoed through the room.

Ursula and another high-ranking knight cried out in shock. “That’s impossible! Who could get close enough to him to cast so many curses?!”

“I don’t know,” Leonchi admitted. “But I’m certain of this—the person responsible must be someone close to him.”

The Empress fell silent, her eyes fixed on Eldritch, thoughts racing through her mind as she considered potential suspects.

A few moments later, she spoke again, her voice serious. “Elder, how do we break this curse?”

Leonchi pulled out a silver needle and pricked Eldritch’s fingertip, squeezing out a single drop of pitch-black blood.

The moment the needle touched the blood, it turned completely black and dissolved in a cloud of corrosive, malevolent energy.

Leonchi’s eyes turned sharp.

“As I feared… this is the Curse of the Netherlord.”

A collective gasp swept the room. Even Eldritch’s eyes widened with despair.

“Curse of the Netherlord?!”

“The legendary forbidden curse forged from hundreds of dark hexes—rumored to be unbreakable?”

“Then… doesn’t that mean the Grand Archmage is…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep