Chapter 42: Please (1)
Chapter 42: Please (1)
“Ronan…?”
Ronan remembered her. The top freshman of the magic department. Elizabeth de Acalusia.
She had been the heiress of the Acalusia family, which ruled over the Acalusia Domain, treating those without talents as livestock and ruling with the demeanor of a lion.
“Huh? Did the two of you know each other?”
“Well, um… for now.”
Ronan nodded with a nervous smile. Elizabeth’s face was so red that it seemed like it might explode. Adeshan grabbed her shoulders and playfully pulled her closer, laughing cheerfully.
“Looks like you both know each other after all. It’s fortunate. Our Eli will guide you well. After all, she’s the first-year’s top mage student.”
“Um, unnie… the name Eli is a bit…”
“Huh?”
“Oh, no… well then… shall we go?”
After exchanging some formal greetings with Adeshan, Elizabeth stepped forward and led the way. Ronan chuckled softly. He was as awkward as Aselle, who would light a cigarette and then spit out phlegm.
Ronan recalled the image she had shown at the freshman welcoming party. She had slammed Braum, the second-year student, to the ground just because he interrupted her conversation.
The dialogue she had muttered with a chuckle still vividly echoed in Ronan’s mind.
– The sight of a flock of sheep wandering around is always amusing, isn’t it? Don’t you agree?
That young lady was clinging to Adeshan, who could be called the sheep among sheep, and acting cute. Was it possible that she had found his embarrassing weakness? Adeshan looked at Ronan with a worried expression and spoke.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. Have a good time.”
“Thank you. If a black goat comes with a sword later, you’ll know it’s me.”
Ronan followed Elizabeth. She guided him towards the forest to the west of the estate. Despite more than twenty minutes passing, she didn’t say a word during their walk.
Now, in the secluded forest, only bird songs echoed. As the scenery grew more lush, Ronan finally spoke up.
“I get it. You’re planning to kill me and bury me here, right Eli? As payment for seeing a side of you that I shouldn’t have.”
“There’s no way that’s true. And please don’t call me that ?”
Her words finally came out. Elizabeth turned her head and gave Ronan a stern look. Ronan chuckled and replied.
“Well, that’s fortunate. So how did you become friends with Senior Adeshan? Last time, you were talking about sheep and nonsense.”
“Well, you don’t need to know that… And Senior Adeshan is different from other sheeps.”
Something had clearly happened between them. Her face had returned to its usual fair color, but her ears were still as red as if they were burnt.
Speaking of which, different from other sheep? You didn’t say that knowing it, right? Ronan thought briefly about Adeshan’s potential and nodded.
“That’s true. But seriously, where are we going?”
“We’re heading to Professor Sekreet’s office. He teaches the [Curses and Blessings] course in the Magic Department.”
“Seriously, does he even have a main job? What kind of nonsense office is in a place like this?”
“He’s quite unique, you see. There aren’t many students who know the location of his office.”
Ronan narrowed his eyes. The saying that there were many people who liked magic but not many who liked magicians wasn’t without reason. Elizabeth spoke up.
“Oh, by the way, I heard some news.”
“What news?”
“They say you rescued the craftsmen of Gran Cappadocia?”
Elizabeth slowed her pace and started walking beside Ronan. Ronan raised an eyebrow.
“Huh? How did you know about that?”
“Hehe, underestimating Acalusia’s information network would be a mistake.”
Elizabeth spoke confidently. Her voice exuded a sense of self-assuredness, as if she had returned to her original self.
“Actually, those in the know already know. It wasn’t a big deal, was it? While Gran Cappadocia itself is a secretive place, it wasn’t much of a secret in the first place.”
“Has it become that widely known?”
“Of course. You might get busy for a while. Nobles and various social classes won’t stay quiet after hearing your heroic tale. They’ll probably put a lot of effort into recruiting you in advance.”
Elizabeth even revealed that the royal knights were paying attention to Ronan. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. Amidst all the things he had to deal with, his mind was getting cluttered.
“I should organize my tasks.”
After walking for about ten more minutes, a small cabin came into view. A yellow light spilled out from the arched window. Elizabeth stood in front of the door and unexpectedly reached out her hand to Ronan.
“Hold my hand.”
“Huh?”
“It can’t be helped… You have to do this to fit more than two people inside. What are we going to do?”
Elizabeth grumbled even though she didn’t say much. Ronan complied with her request. She opened the door after a moment of hesitation. Inside the cabin, Ronan’s eyebrows furrowed.
“It’s surprisingly homely for an office.”
Before him spread a very ordinary farmhouse scene. An old and worn-out table, a boiling kettle in the kitchen. In front of the fireplace, an old man was dozing off in a rocking chair.
Ronan pointed at the old man and asked, “Is he Professor Sekreet?”
“No. You have to be quiet. Got it?”
Elizabeth held Ronan’s hand and approached the old man. Despite the creaking floor beneath their steps, the old man dozed on, seemingly oblivious. Elizabeth whispered softly.
“Kashpa. Lunajie. Delpirim.”
The dozing old man opened his eyes. He turned his head towards the two and slowly opened his mouth. Ronan couldn’t help but curse at the endlessly expanding upper and lower jaw.
“Damn it.”
The old man’s mouth expanded in an instant, large enough to swallow them both. Within the deep darkness inside his mouth, there was nothing but emptiness.
Ronan reflexively placed his hand on his sheathed sword. In an instant, the bound-up bandages that concealed the blade were unwound. Elizabeth pressed her hand onto the back of Ronan’s hand.
“It’s okay.”
Ronan reluctantly let go of the hilt of his sword.
Poof!
The old man swallowed them. For a moment, everything darkened, then suddenly it brightened again.
“What the hell?”
Ronan furrowed his brow. The old man and the cabin had disappeared, replaced by a room that resembled a noble’s study. From somewhere, a rather whimsical voice could be heard.
“Come in, Elizabeth.”
Ronan looked around. In the center of the opulent study sat a young child, reading a book.
The child’s appearance was so indistinct that it was impossible to tell whether it was a girl or a boy. They were dressed in clothes much larger than their own body, as if draped in adult attire. Elizabeth bowed her head towards the child.
“Hello, Professor Sekreet. I’ve brought the student I mentioned yesterday.”
“Professor?”
Ronan narrowed his eyes. How could a child who looked like they might be nine years old be a professor?
The child addressed as Professor Sekreet nodded without looking up from their book.
“Yes. You’re the one with the memorable face. You used the Butterfly’s sword technique during the entrance ceremony, didn’t you?”
“Butterfly…?”
A shiver ran down Ronan’s arm. Until now, no one in Philleon had referred to Navirose in that manner except for Headmaster Kratir.
He found it increasingly difficult to understand the current situation. Sekreet closed the book and stood up.
“Seems like you’re quite confused. Just tell me your questions in the order you’re curious about.”
Ronan narrowed his eyes. Sekreet looked at him with a puzzled expression before speaking.
“My original age is over eighty. This is my office Sepharachio. It’s a room where curses can’t fly out. And the reason I’m dressed like this, wearing ill-fitting clothes, is that I turn back into an adult’s body when the sun sets.”
“Huh?”
Ronan chuckled. These were exactly the questions he had been curious about. Sekreet, who had been browsing the bookshelf, raised his head and spoke.
“Hmm. Could you plug that in for me? The second slot from the top.”
“Uh… sure.”
Ronan complied. He felt a shiver run down his spine as if a ghost had grabbed his ear. Seeing the book slot back into its place, Sekreet smiled.
“Thank you.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Sorry for bringing you here in such a strange manner. It was unavoidable due to Sepharachio’s nature. We had to make the route as complex as possible so the curse wouldn’t escape.”
Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen any doors or windows. Sekreet extended his hand for a handshake. When Ronan shook her hand, Sekreet enthusiastically shook his arm up and down.
“Meet Professor Sekreet, who handles the curses and blessings subject. I’m pleased to finally see the sanctity of the martial arts department, which I’ve only heard rumors about.”
“I’m Ronan. I’ve been curious since earlier. Why are you in that appearance? Lady’s preference?”
Elizabeth, who had been listening from behind, stiffened her expression. Sekreet, as if finding it amusing, smiled and spoke.
“Ah… it’s called the Sphinx curse. One of the five curses that affect the body’s transformation based on day and night. But compared to the other four curses, this one is relatively better.”
“Really?”
As they shook hands, Ronan’s expression became tense. He began to wonder if he could entrust his own blessing to this being.
A curse dealer who was cursed. It was like a doctor specializing in treating baldness being bald themselves. Sekreet seemed to have read Ronan’s thoughts and chuckled knowingly.
“I understand what you’re thinking, but you can relax. I’m not intentionally doing any blessings. Each of these curses has its own unique appeal.”
“I’m not sure where to relax.”
“Enough small talk… Let’s start talking about your blessing. Stand there quietly.”
Thud!
Sekreet flicked his finger into the air. Chalk flew towards him from a corner of the study. Sekreet started drawing a geometric magic circle centered around Ronan, taking his time.
“What made you realize the curse?”
“A monster that looked like a tumor… Hmm, Cursed eye, was it? It melted away as soon as it touched me.”
Sekreet raised an eyebrow at that statement. It was something that could only be found in literature.
“Huh, if you were hit by such a strong curse, you should have noticed as soon as you entered… I’m also getting interested. Oh, don’t move.”
Muttering something, Sekreet stood up from his seat. He rolled up his sleeves to his elbows and placed his hand on Ronan’s back.
“Show me your form.”
As soon as Secret finished speaking, translucent characters burst forth from Ronan’s body as if pouring out.
“Yikes!”
“What on earth is this?”
Ronan cursed. Elizabeth, who had been standing behind him, staggered back and fell over, clutching her bottom. The characters gushed out like a tidal wave, forming a cylindrical shape in midair on their own.
In the end, a massive cylinder composed of characters was erected around Ronan, with him at the center. Sekreet chuckled.
“I’ve never seen such a spectacle in my whole life. It’s an ancient curse indeed.”
“An ancient curse?”
“Yes. Just as old as fire or prostitution… this is quite interesting.”
Sekreet explained that the curse that was embedded in Ronan’s body had materialized. Suppressing the urge to scream, Ronan stared at the characters that had emerged from his own body.
“I had this kind of thing inside me?”
It was a type of script he had never seen before in his life. If it hadn’t had a certain consistency, he wouldn’t have even realized that it was text. Sekreet, who had been waving his hand in the air, was muttering to himself as if possessed by something.
“The curse would melt away as soon as the Cursed child touched it. How in the world did they come up with such a design?”
“Is it okay?”
“Wait and see. It requires analysis. Most of these curses are unheard of.”
Sekreet took out paper and pen and began to scribble something. After a few hours of this, he finally allowed Ronan to move.
“Gosh, my legs almost gave out.”
-Whoosh!
As Ronan stepped out of the magic circle, the characters that had filled the study vanished like smoke. Suddenly, his eyes began to itch intensely. Elizabeth, seeing Ronan rubbing his eyes vigorously, asked with concern.
“Are you okay? Why are you rubbing your eyes like that?”
“Yeah… darn it.”
The itching sensation persisted for a few minutes before finally subsiding. Sekreet was staring intently at the paper he had been scribbling on without saying a word. Ronan spoke up.
“Am I going to die now?”
“Do you remember when I told you that you’re cursed with five curses?”
“Yes? I remember.”
“I thought that these curses had limits that humans could bear while going about their daily lives. Even a minor curse can lead to physical and mental collapse if they start to overlap.”
Sekreet turned his body. He looked at Ronan with a serious expression and opened his mouth.
“But your body now carries ten curses. And all of them are powerful curses. I have no idea how you’ve managed to survive with them all.”
“Damn… so, am I screwed now? What do these curses even do?”
“Three are copper curses. I can’t determine the effects of the remaining seven for now. Copper… ”
Sekreet paused for a moment and snapped his fingers in the air. A semi-transparent barrier split Elizabeth and Ronan apart. Elizabeth was muttering something and her lips moved, but no sound reached them.
“It’s a Silent Spell. It’s because this conversation seems sensitive.”
“You’re more delicate than I thought.”
“Given the circumstances, it can’t be helped. If my interpretation of the copper curses is correct… you won’t be able to handle the natural state of mana. It’s beyond sight.”
Ronan’s eyes widened. It was the moment when the questions that had tormented him were finally answered.
“Yeah. Something felt off.”
Even those who were incompetent with a sword still had the ability to sense mana. Finding out that it wasn’t due to a desperate talent was a relief, but whether that was something to be thankful for remained uncertain. Ronan asked.
“Is there a solution?”
“Ordinarily, I would assert that there’s no curse that can’t be lifted. But this time, I can’t be sure. Most of these curses are unknown. Maybe, even if it’s possible, extensive research would be needed.”
Sekreet’s voice sounded a bit downcast as she spoke. Despite his appearance he was an intelligent child.
“Damn, even after coming this far, it’s still not working.” Ronan let out a bitter laugh. Sekreet, who had been staring at the paper, muttered softly.
“Well, at least I might be able to help with one of the copper curses.”
“Really?”
Ronan’s body tensed. Without answering, Secret snapped her fingers again. The Silent Spell that had been separating Elizabeth and the two of them disappeared. She spoke in a slightly sassy tone.
“Hmph, leaving me out and having your own private conversation.”
“Elizabeth, can you lend me a bit of your mana?”
“Huh? My mana?”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened in surprise. Sekreet nodded her head. She picked up the chalk again and started drawing a complex pattern on the floor.
“Professor Sekreet?”
Sekreet’s hand moved without hesitation as he manipulated the chalk. Three much more intricate magic circles were drawn than before. Sekreet, pointing to the topmost one in the row, said,
“It’s fine. Lie down here with your head, Ronan.”
“Lie down?”
Ronan complied. He laid down, and the ceiling filled with strange characters came into view.
Lying down with his head on the magic circle, he felt a natural progression: the middle circle aligned with his chest, and the bottom circle with his feet. Sekreet explained with a casual tone.
“The method we’re going to attempt now is a curse-breaking method that I’ve developed. There might be a side effect where your consciousness gets damaged if it fails, but one effect is certain.”
“Darn, is that safe?”
“Normally, curses and blessings come with risks. But with your strong martial powers, you should be okay. I will create an imaginary world within your consciousness, where I’ll project one of the copper curses that afflicts you.”
Ronan furrowed his brows. He couldn’t quite grasp what Sekreet was saying. Sekreet continued.
“In that world, you just have to break the curse that binds you. You might experience it as a vivid dream. Maybe due to Cursed eye, one of the copper curses was significantly weakened.”
“So, I have to enter a dream and break the curse? How am I supposed to recognize it?”
“You should be able to sense it instinctively. It might take a while, so we should start. Elizabeth, place your hand on my head.”
“Yes, sure?”
Sekreet urged her on. Elizabeth hesitated, but eventually placed palm on his head. Then, Sekreet placed his palm on Ronan’s forehead. Elizabeth felt mana being drawn out, and she let out a short gasp.
“Kyaaah…!”
“Just bear with it for a little while. This spell consumes a lot of mana.”
Ronan couldn’t comprehend the bizarre situation he was in. Sekreet opened his mouth with a serious expression.
“Alright, let’s begin.”
A chant like a lullaby flowed from his lips. It sounded like a dirge for the deceased, yet also like a nursery rhyme.
Suddenly, everything in front of Ronan went dark. When he opened his eyes again, he couldn’t see Sekreet or Elizabeth.
“Where am I?”
The ceiling covered in characters disappeared, replaced by a familiar sky of the same color. Ronan slowly got up.
Below the hill, he could see a village, and a river winding through the village. A low chant slipped from Ronan’s lips.
“Nimbuten?”