"What is Tokaku's family curse?" Jade asked, his curiosity piqued.
Kaiba smirked before responding. "Are you curious to know?"
Jade nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely! Besides, it is my duty to have a better understanding of my esteemed resident."
Kaiba glanced around to ensure no customers or restaurant staff were within earshot before diving into the story of Tokaku's family curse. As it turned out, the Azuma clan had been plagued by a curse that had been passed down through the generations, eventually reaching Tokaku herself. This cursed fate meant that members of the Azuma family would face life-threatening perils throughout their entire lives. From the moment they reached puberty, danger would loom incessantly until their eventual demise. However, there was a glimmer of hope amidst this darkness. It was believed that by marrying into the Kuzunoha family, renowned practitioners of dark magic, the curse could be broken. The Kuzunoha possessed the necessary skills and expertise to ward off the imminent threats posed by the curse. To ensure the survival of the bloodline, it was imperative for members of both families to wed one another. Over time, this edict became a strict taboo; any Azuma member who dared to marry outside of the Kuzunoha or Azuma clans risked facing extermination due to the insidious curse hanging over them.
Jade ,who listened attentively, fell silent as he did not expected Tokaku to be inherited such a deadly curse. If she was still in her home world, she might have to marry a man from the cousin of her family, he thought , which made him feel jealous and sad. However, now she is in Twisted Wonderland, a new enchanting world apart from her world where magic is just a mere fairytale for public but not for the people living in the darkness, he wondered if the curse will affect continuously as long as she hasn't marry a Kuzunoha man. His mind was confused whether to put his love for her first or her safety over his affection towards her. Then, he thought again; if he wants Tokaku to live a long life and he has the chance to confess his love to her, he must find a mage who is an expert in breaking curses to break her own. And he might have a suggestion for that.
Kaiba watched as Jade was pondering. He could guessed that the sophomore was thinking ways to save Tokaku from the haunting of her family curse. He grinned because of an entertainment he could sense while watching the Octavinelle vice house warden concerning his favorite student. After explaining the story about Tokaku's family curse, Kaiba excused himself to leave because he has finished his meal and he must head back to the teachers office for assignment marking of his class. Jade even persuade him to come to Mostro Lounge again and see him next time. Before he left, Kaiba gave Jade a vial. He told the towering teenage boy that inside the vial contains stevia which is a healthy replacement for white sugar and they taste more sweeter than any sugar. He even suggested to add the stevia in black tea as it would make it more aromatic and delightful. Jade remembered that Tokaku loves his black tea so he decided to take and use the stevia inside the vial to make his black tea special for her. As soon as Kaiba had gone from Mostro Lounge, Jade immediately rushed to the bar, making black tea in a teapot and adding a few drops of stevia as in the vial instructions into the black tea. With a spoon, he scoop and tasted it. Like Kaiba said, his black tea became sweeter with a small amount of stevia than five teaspoons of sugar. After finished making his black tea, he went to call Tokaku and invited her for a teatime at the lounge. Tokaku accepted his invitation, following him to the lounge where there were a teapot and two cups on the glass coffee table. Tokaku seated on the sofa while Jade poured his black tea into a cup before lending the cup to her. Tokaku take a sip of the black tea. She became amazed by the new taste of her favorite tea.
"Mmm... Your tea has become even more delicious," Tokaku complimented expansively.
"Thank you. I am glad that you enjoy its new taste," Jade graciously thanked.
"What did you add to make it more delightful?" Tokaku inquired curiously.
"I added a few drops of stevia to my black tea," Jade answered, elaborating on his process.
"I don't recall us having stevia on the bar shelf. Did you somehow purchase it from Sam Mysterious Shop?" Tokaku questioned.
"No, your mentor gave me a vial of stevia after our conversation," Jade clarified.
Tokaku's expression turned neutral as she stopped drinking her black tea upon hearing that the stevia drops were given by Kaiba. "What? From Kaiba?" Her tone conveyed surprise, even if her face didn't reflect it.
Jade nodded in affirmation. "Yes."
"Jade, can I check the vial?" Tokaku requested.
Jade agreed to let her inspect the vial containing the stevia drops. He led her to the bar shelf where he stored the vial and handed it to her. Tokaku uncorked it and sniffed the tip. Confirming her suspicion, she realized that the stevia was mixed with hallucinogenic substances.
"These stevia drops are mixed with hallucinogenic drugs," Tokaku declared, providing additional information.
"Really?!" Jade reacted in shock. "Oh my, I added a few drops of that into my black tea, and you drank half a cup," he regretted.
"Did you taste your black tea?" Tokaku inquired, adopting an informative tone.
Jade nodded. "Yes, I did."
"Don't worry. Luckily, I always keep some remedies for antidotes in case of getting drugged. Let me fetch some from my room," Tokaku reassured, offering to retrieve an antidote to counter the effects of the drug in their bodies.
"May I help?" Jade offered, ready to lend a hand.
"You empty your black tea into the kitchen sink while I prepare the antidote," Tokaku instructed, clearly explaining the tasks at hand.
Jade nodded in understanding. He swiftly took the teapot filled with his black tea laced with hallucinogens and hurried to the kitchen, where he poured the tea down the sink. Meanwhile, Tokaku swiftly went to her room, pulled open a drawer, and grabbed a liquid drug antidote that she kept for emergencies. The assassin girl returned to the kitchen, where Jade was waiting. The antidote was in a liquid form, so Tokaku requested that Jade bring two mugs of water. After Jade handed her the mugs, Tokaku poured the antidote liquid into the water. With a spoon, she stirred the mixture before they both drank from the mugs. Jade recoiled slightly due to the bitter taste of the antidote water, expressing his dislike.
"Just drink. The antidote in the water will stop the effects of the drug and detoxify our bodies," Tokaku explained with reassurance, providing additional context for the antidote's purpose. She then advised Jade to be cautious and not accept any gifts or items from Kaiba again. Jade nodded, fully understanding his lesson learned from this experience, and resolved to never trust anything that originated from Kaiba.
"What is the composition of this antidote, Tokaku?" Jade inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"The antidote contains sea hare's blood," Tokaku replied, causing Jade to be taken aback, leading him to choke on his water. Observing her distressed vice house warden, Tokaku swiftly reached for a clean napkin and handed it to him, allowing him to wipe his mouth and stifle his cough.
"Why sea hare's blood?" Jade asked, still coughing as a result of the water going down the wrong pipe.
"Sea hare's blood is remarkably effective in detoxifying drugs and poisons within the human body. Even the most potent substances can be neutralized by simply mixing sea hare's blood with water. It is highly recommended for individuals struggling with drug addiction to consume a mixture of sea hare's blood and water, as it can help alleviate their addiction," Tokaku explained.
"Wow... I have encountered numerous sea hares while diving, yet I had no idea about their incredible detoxifying properties," Jade remarked in awe. "You possess a wealth of knowledge on these matters, Tokaku," he commended the girl.
"I am an assassin. I have been trained to survive under any circumstances," Tokaku stated matter-of-factly.
As Tokaku mentioned the word "survive," Jade was reminded of the curse that Kaiba had spoken of regarding Tokaku's family. He realized that he must do everything in his power to break the curse, ensuring that Tokaku can lead a long and fulfilling life, as he cared for her more deeply than he did for his own twin brother, Floyd. After drinking the sea hare blood water, Jade and Tokaku went to their resident rooms to sleep after a tiring day. They bid a good night to each other before went down to their own rooms.
......
When Jade was deep in slumber, he was suddenly transported to a dream-like state, finding himself standing in a misty white room. The sophomore, taken aback by the sudden change of scenery, quickly surveyed his surroundings. To his surprise, a woman with long blue hair materialized at a distance from him. Not only was he shocked by her sudden appearance, but he also found her face strangely familiar. He couldn't help but notice that she had the same face and hair color as Tokaku. Overwhelmed by curiosity, Jade greeted the mysterious lady before inquiring about her identity.
"My name is Mako Azuma," the lady replied.
"Azuma?" Jade whispered to himself. "Could you possibly be related to Tokaku? Sharing the same surname..."
Confirming Jade's assumption, the lady nodded. "Yes, I am related to her. In fact, I am Tokaku's aunt who tragically passed away when she was just a child," she explained with a touch of sadness in her voice.
Jade was taken aback. How could Tokaku's deceased aunt appear in his dream? Was it mere coincidence or something more profound?
Understanding Jade's astonishment, Mako began to shed light on the situation. "I understand you must be questioning why I have appeared in your dream, considering my status as a deceased person. Allow me to explain. I am actually a soul, separated from my physical body, and I have resided within Tokaku's body for the past twelve years. You see, even after death, I made an oath to remain by my niece's side until she finds a way to release me."
Curiosity piqued, Jade asked, "What compelled you to make such an oath?"
Mako proceeded to reveal Tokaku's deep attachment to her. "You see, Tokaku never wanted to let me go. She harbors a profound love for me, surpassing the affection she held for her own grandmother during her childhood. When I tragically lost my life, she blamed herself for not being able to protect me from her own grandmother's violent act. Over time, Tokaku discovered a curse that plagued our family, which led her to view herself as this curse."
Perplexed, Jade inquired, "But why does she see herself as a curse?"
Mako sighed, her voice laced with sorrow. "Tokaku sees herself as a curse because throughout her life, she has endured the pain of losing her loved ones prematurely. Her grandfather succumbed to illness, her father passed away in an accident, and her mother died shortly after giving birth to Tokaku. As for me, I was tragically killed while trying to shield Tokaku from her grandmother's violence, leaving her scarred by the sight of my death. Lastly, her grandmother eventually succumbed to old age. All these losses, along with her isolated upbringing as the Azuma clan's heir, have left her devoid of love and companionship. Despite her longing for love, Tokaku, molded by her grandmother's teachings to be heartless, has never sought it. To add to her despair, she believes that by becoming a professional assassin and meeting her demise during her first mission, she can reunite with me in the afterlife. However, I refuse to let her succumb to such a tragic fate," Mako explained, her mournful tone mirrored in the teardrops that welled up in her eyes.
Jade listened attentively, barely able to believe that Tokaku had lived a loveless life in her world. He remembered the moments when Tokaku had acted icy and heartless, only to realize that these were the results of her upbringing, where she had never received any affection from her family. She had distanced herself from people, constantly plagued by thoughts of being a harbinger of death to anyone she met. The weight of the pain she had endured while keeping her past a secret in Octavinelle with Azul, Floyd, and himself saddened Jade to the point that he almost cried.
However, his sadness was soon comforted by Mako, who gently lifted his head with her soft hand. "I can see that you are sad for Tokaku. Thank you for caring for her when she's in your world."
Feeling her hand under his chin, Jade noticed that Mako's hand was as soft as Tokaku's. This realization made him wonder if they truly were a family.
"Jade", Mako called, causing the teenage boy to blink momentarily. "My niece has always loved you, but she kept it hidden. And you, you openly love her. I beg you to protect her from Kaiba, her mentor. If you don't protect her, her mother might take control of her body," she pleaded.
"Tokaku's mother?" Jade echoed, his curiosity piqued. Before he could ask Mako for more information, she had already disappeared and the mist in the white room grew thicker. Jade woke up, returning to reality, and found himself sitting on his bed, looking at Floyd, who was sound asleep in his own bed. Jade reminisced about the dream he had just experienced, deep in thought. "Tokaku has endured painful memories, yet she still worries about her friends and my safety."
"I...I need to protect her, even if it means I have to hurt."