Reincarnated as the mother of an otome game's villainess?!

Chapter 35. El Atrapasueños.

(From Rosanne)

The Academy looked very different from the last time we visited it, with quite a lot of soldiers guarding the entrance, and even the surrounding areas. I was getting nervous, thinking that we would be rejected for going there without previous notice. But as soon as we got near the door, a soldier ordered the others to open the door for us.

—W-welcome, Madame Dragonroot! —he said, sounding a bit nervous.

He was wearing more elaborate armor, and had an insignia of a star of eight points. I was pretty familiar with that one, as it was what identified the knights who were assigned to protect the castle and the royal family. His face also seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place when I had met him. Perhaps during one of my visits to see Erzi when I was a kid?

—Thank you, and thank you for your hard work —I said, trying to sound as elegant as possible.

I didn't want to make him look bad in front of his subordinates, since he was helping me a lot by letting us in without any problem. I thought about inquiring about asking his name to give him a gift as a reward, but we had already walked past him when it crossed my mind. It might also have been a bit too obvious and suspicious. I made a mental note to ask Maxwell later.

We arrived at the inner garden, right before the entrance to the main building, and I took a moment to look at where the Ygdrassil tree would sprout in the future. I could also see a lot of movement through the windows.

—Please, wait here —I said as I put Violet on the ground.

She let go of me very easily, as if she hadn't been acting as a spoiled baby just a few moments ago. I kissed her, and told Allysa, Sophie and Nora to stay with her.

—Are you sure? We can come with you —Nora said.

—No, I... I'll be fine —I said.

I looked ahead and started walking, feeling a bit of dread. In that building the victims of the curse were being treated. I wasn't afraid that they could get infected, I knew the curse didn't work like that. What I didn't want was to expose them to what the afflicted were going through. The myth described the process very gratuitously, as it probably was written as a cautionary tale. Those who had succumbed to the curse of Calliope would have turned into deformed and pitiful creatures, barely resembling humans, before they turned into monsters. I took a deep breath as I stood in front of the door, and pushed it slowly. To my surprise, the first person I saw was someone I knew.

—Oh, Rosanne, why didn't you tell us you were coming?

—Car-Carmila? What? —I managed to say.

She was on a wheelchair, but she was moving it on her own. She also had a pretty good complexion, all things considered.

—A-are you alright? Are you really alright? —I asked as I closed the distance between us, and kneeled next to her.

I looked at her even more intently. She had a few gray hairs, and the skin on her hands resembled obsidian. She must have noticed I fixate on that, as she grabbed my head and forced me to look at her eyes.

—I am fine. At least better than those first days. All thanks to the doctor's treatment.

—Thank goodness —I said, feeling a weight lifted from my shoulders that I didn't know I was carrying.

The doctor's letters had told me she was fine, but I couldn't fully believe it until I saw it myself. I took a look around, to the surrounding rooms. The people afflicted by the curse were in similar, if not better conditions. The doctors were working hard, but didn't seem completely overwhelmed, thanks to the help of the people of the church. They still took their time to glare at me from beyond their masks before returning to their work.