The Child Bearing the Curse

Rhine stepped forward, shielding the King and Queen as his arms traced graceful arcs through the air.

Clear spring water gushed forth from the palace floor, turning into billowing white mist the moment it touched the flames, effectively halting the surging inferno.

The ornate carpet came to life in an instant, shielding Rhine, the King, and the Queen to ensure the scalding steam did not harm them.

The Old King opened his eyes, only regaining his composure when he saw the back of the youth draped in magnificent robes.

Thank goodness for Rhine, this highly skilled mage! "Incredible!"

Seeing this display from Rhine, the Black Dragon was somewhat surprised.

The silver-haired boy before her looked far too young, appearing to be only eleven or twelve years old.

When the Black Witch attended the banquet, she had heard that this boy sitting beside the King was a mage, but given his appearance, she had not taken him seriously at all.

"I truly didn't expect it, old man, that you were still hiding an ace up your sleeve. Your Kingdom Sage is actually such a formidable mage," the Black Dragon sneered.

Seizing the moment of the Black Dragon's surprise, Rhine clapped his hands lightly.

Clap, clap!

Tables, chairs, plates, cutlery, stone statues... every object in the great hall seemed to come alive, either running or flying, all pouncing toward the Black Dragon.

Grant Life! This was the magic Rhine had mastered after helping the King and Queen fulfill their wish for an heir.

While the soldiers and the 12 Witches were battling the Black Dragon transformed by Maleficent, Rhine had been quietly casting spells, granting life to the inanimate objects in the hall to create a massive army of "Animated Objects," waiting only for this moment to strike!

This had consumed most of Rhine's magic, but it was entirely worth it!

A massive swarm of animated objects leaped and bounded, surrounding the Black Dragon in the center.

A colossal stone statue drew its Greatsword and slashed at the Black Dragon, while silver knives and forks struggled to pierce the gaps in the dragon's scales.

As the animated objects fought, Rhine raised his hands again. Pure white light surged from his palms, enveloping the entire hall and flowing into the bodies of the heavily wounded soldiers and Witches, healing their injuries.

Healing Art! The soldiers who had been fleeing in all directions, and the nobles who had been hiding under tables (though the tables had run away) looking disheveled, regained their radiance.

"Wonderful, it's the magic of the Kingdom Sage, Rhine!"

"Rhine is holding back the wicked Black Witch!"

"Wasn't my leg burned off? It's actually healed! Thank you, Rhine!"

"Take this opportunity, let's attack together!"

Having caught a moment of breath, the 12 Good Witches also gave their all, using their most powerful hidden magic to join the soldiers in confronting the terrifying Black Dragon.

"Truly annoying."

The Black Dragon flapped her wings.

The attacks from the animated objects, the kingdom's soldiers, and the Witches, while not yet causing any substantial damage, were still bothersome to deal with from all sides.

She had just released a powerful curse capable of affecting the entire kingdom, and even with the 15-year delay, it had consumed the vast majority of her magic; she had little power left now.

In such a state, crushing this group of ants was not an easy task.

Moreover, who knew if that little mage she was unfamiliar with was using his full strength?

If this Kingdom Sage still had something in reserve, continuing to fight might result in her being injured or forced to use her trump card...

Forget it, the curse was already cast, why waste effort on a fight...

The Black Dragon let out a roar and flapped her wings violently, overturning all the animated objects in the vicinity.

Rumble.

The giant dragon smashed through the palace ceiling, flying toward the starry sky amidst the swirling dust.

The Black Witch's laughter echoed through the vast, endless night:

"The curse is cast, there is no escaping it!

"Tomorrow, I shall leave this dying kingdom.

"Farewell, His Majesty the King, go die along with your precious princess!"

The Old King knelt on the ground, staring at the gaping hole in the palace ceiling and the swirling dust, watching the Black Dragon disappear into the depths of the night sky. A sense of powerlessness and despair welled up from the bottom of his heart.

Looking around, the foreign guests from various nations were fleeing in a panic.

Many intended to return to their countries and warn their homelands never to approach this cursed land again.

The joy of the previous celebration, the crimson lanterns, the festive songs, the aroma of the feast, and the fragrance of the wine—all felt like a fleeting dream, shattered at a single touch.

"Why? Why did it come to this?"

The Old King knelt on the ground, crying out to the heavens.

The face of this aging monarch was etched with the pallor of despair.

In the cradle, the Little Princess was awakened by the loud noise, her expression blank, unaware of what had just happened.

This newborn Princess did not yet know what kind of curse she bore.

She felt no fear, nor did she cry.

Then, the King, the Queen, and the mage Rhine all witnessed a scene they would never forget—

The young and ignorant Aurora reached out her tiny hands toward the brilliant galaxy above the palace, beyond the hole in the ceiling.

The Sleeping Beauty in her swaddling clothes was giggling at the stars filling the sky.