Chapter 226 – Curse

“I heard the witch has appeared.”

“Yes. We’ve also secured the spirits’ safety.”

Chester and others in civilian clothes, along with the Knight Order and Mage Corps, appeared in the ritual site. It was time for the guard shift. After conveying the necessary information, we headed toward the central district.

Everyone being in civilian clothes was intended to avoid detection of personnel movements. Weapons and armor had been transported to the lodging facilities at the ritual site beforehand. Though few in number, we carefully selected personnel skilled in aerial combat gear and made efforts to ensure the city’s movements wouldn’t become noticeably hectic.

“So we’re heading over there now… The ambassador works quickly as always.”

“We don’t want to give the other side time to gather information.”

When I answered, Chester gave a wry smile.

“Is she that spirit?”

Looking toward Tephra chatting with the shrine maidens in the gazebo, Chester asked.

“Yes. Her name is Tephra. While she has a gentle personality, please don’t forget she’s a High Spirit. The shrine maidens are knowledgeable about interacting with spirits, so if you have any questions, it would be best to ask them.”

“Understood.”

At my words, Chester and the others nodded with solemn expressions.

Heading to the central district inn where Marquis Zilbolt was staying were all the party members including myself, Elmer, and Donovan.

Since Ignis and others would stand out regardless, we would travel by carriage.

We anticipated possible combat. Grace was in her Released Form. We covered conspicuous items like weapons with cloth and used Marlene’s Lantern to make them appear as small hand luggage.

“Welcome. Welcome to Kotosoutei. Are you here for lodging?”

It was a large inn. True to its high-class nature, the staff carried themselves with the dignity of aristocratic household servants. While it featured the stone architectural style typical of the central district, the interior seemed considerably modified, giving off a mansion-like atmosphere.

“We’d like to see Marquis Zilbolt. Please tell him Elmer has arrived.”

“Understood. Please wait a moment.”

When Elmer conveyed this, the inn employee bowed and headed toward the guest rooms.

Now. The real problem begins. According to Caduceus’s surveillance, the Marquis Zilbolt household had taken three rooms at this inn.

First, the room for the marquis’s family to stay together. Next, the room for the servants they likely brought to attend to their needs. And finally, the room for the witch and her escort – three rooms total.

The question is how Marquis Zilbolt will react upon hearing of Elmer’s visit.

That is, where will they talk? And will the witch be present?

We need to carefully investigate with Caduceus, closely watch the movements of the marquis and staff, and time our actions to match their return from the guest room to the front desk.

If the witch is to be present, we’re prepared to take rooms as guests rather than as Elmer’s companions. Depending on the situation, we’ve even considered using Teleportation Magic to take the marquis’s family away late at night when everyone is asleep, then explaining the circumstances at our leisure. In that case, well, we’d just have to convince them it was an emergency.

From the shadows in the ceiling, Caduceus continued monitoring the guest rooms.

An employee emerged from Marquis Zilbolt’s room. Caduceus continued surveillance, but the marquis – didn’t come out. This likely means we’ll be called to his room.

After a while, the employee returned from the guest room. With an elegant bow, they said:

“Marquis Zilbolt has instructed me to escort you to his room. Please, this way.”

Following the employee’s guidance, we all headed toward Marquis Zilbolt’s room.

“Marquis. I’ve brought Lord Elmer.”

“Enter.”

When the employee knocked and called out, a response came immediately from inside the room. Well then.

“Excuse us.”

Following Elmer, we entered the room.

The guest room was quite spacious. Besides the main bedroom and living room, there seemed to be several other rooms, but only the marquis appeared to be in the living room. When he noticed our presence, he looked puzzled.

“I’ve come with my subordinates.”

While having Elmer continue with appropriate words, I used Wind Magic to block sound so we wouldn’t be heard from the witch’s room side.

“My apologies.”

“…Oh? You’ve silenced the sound?”

The moment he saw my Magic Circle, Marquis Zilbolt grabbed the staff by the table and took a defensive Stance. So the marquis himself is a magician.

Though I wasn’t using any disguise, being able to discern the spell’s nature from the Magic Circle shows he’s truly worthy of being a Silvatoria noble.

“‘Subordinates’ is just a convenient explanation. We don’t want the room next door hearing our conversation.”

To show we meant no harm, I handed Ouroboros to Grace and bowed.

“What does this mean?”

The marquis remained on guard. Meanwhile, Elmer was outside the sound-blocking range, telling fabricated achievements about the mission going well. Donovan stepped forward to take over Elmer’s words.

“We were defeated by Sir Theodore here and captured by the Kingdom of Verdugal. We failed our mission and even sought help from a neighboring country. We will certainly accept punishment for our failure. But please, listen to what Sir Theodore has to say.”

“…Very well.”

Marquis Zilbolt nodded, then stepped outside the sound-blocking range before speaking.

“Well done, Elmer. I can’t offer much reward here, but at least let me serve some tea. Please relax and take your time.”

“Thank you, Marquis Zilbolt.”

Elmer bowed.

The marquis temporarily set his staff aside with a “for now” expression, then gestured for us to sit at the table.

Now, persuasion must be done quickly. Direct and concise. And if rejected, we’ll resort to force. We can get their understanding afterward.

If he chooses the crown prince over his wife and daughter, or rejects our proposal out of loyalty to Silvatoria – then we’ll simply detain him as an enemy.

“Due to the dangerous situation, I’ll explain the process later. I heard about the hostage situation. We’ve taken countermeasures using the Moon Goddess’s Blessing to deflect Curse Magic. The spirit Tephra is protected at the ritual site.”

“Wha-at?”

Taken aback by the sudden information, the marquis looked shocked.

“We’d like to protect your wife and Young Lady who were taken hostage by the witch’s Curse Magic using similar methods.”

At my words, Marquis Zilbolt shifted his gaze to Elmer and the others. Elmer and Donovan looked straight at Marquis Zilbolt and nodded.

“If I want to change the current situation, I should bet on you. Is that what this means?”

“Yes.”

Seeing is believing. I should show my hand.

“Marlene, can you do it?”

When I glanced at her, she nodded and made a praying gesture. The blessing’s effect reached everyone in the room.

“Th-this blessing’s strength…? M-Marlene – Third Princess, Your Highness?”

He seemed to have figured it out, but probably couldn’t believe it. As the marquis stared wide-eyed, Marlene smiled and picked up her skirt hem to make a greeting gesture. This part was impressive – truly befitting royalty. For a girl Marlene’s age, this wasn’t a gesture that could be learned overnight.

Well, the blessing’s strength was partly due to Marlene’s own abilities as a shrine maiden plus Claudia’s full cooperation, but there’s no need to reveal that.

The marquis seemed dumbfounded but then pressed his hand to his forehead as if enduring a headache, let out a dry laugh, and stood up. By then the smile was gone, replaced by the face of a lord.

“The two of them are in the bedroom. Please help us, help our people. I no longer have the power to do so.”

“Leave it to us.”

I nodded at his words.

When the count called out to the adjacent room, his wife and daughter peeked out.

That’s when it happened. Wind blew into the room through a window gap, making the curtains sway.

There – I saw her. Beyond the terrace. Floating in the air – a woman dressed in black – the witch. Our eyes met. Seeing us enveloped in blessing light, she showed an expression of shock.

Though we had soundproofing… camouflage isn’t perfect either. She must have sensed something abnormal in the adjacent room.

“A blessing? Are you prepared for this, Marquis?!”

The witch widened her eyes, bared her teeth, and laughed.

“Wha–!?”

Marquis Zilbolt cried out as a Magic Circle glowed in the witch’s hand. A spell formula I’d never seen before. Probably that was Curse Magic –

When I made a Magic Circle glow in my hand, the witch seemed to hesitate for a moment between dodging or activating her curse.

But. The witch thrust out her hand and clenched her fist. That likely had the effect of crushing the target’s heart.

However – the witch then showed a stunned expression. She must have felt no resistance.

“Y-you bastard!”

She gritted her teeth as if grinding them, glaring at me.

Yes. Once Marlene activated her blessing. And once we directly met the wife and daughter. That already meant our victory.

Blessings come through prayer. To make them stronger, you need to know the other person more deeply and specifically. For example, knowing their face, circumstances, or the issues they face.

We had to counter the witch’s Curse Magic. That’s exactly why we needed to meet directly.

“You didn’t forget the other curse–“

“Rather than worrying about the spirit, why don’t you worry about yourself?”

The witch started to say something, but I cut her off. Even if I hadn’t stopped her midway, it would have ended up that way.

Black mist began coiling around the witch. Curses come home to roost. The curses with nowhere to go – return to the caster.

“Guhh!”

The curses began Eroding various parts of the witch’s body. Staining her blood vessels black, eating away at her body.

Whether it caused pain or not, the witch let out an anguished cry. Probably, that would have reached the heart and crushed it –

“Annoying!”

The witch shouted irritably and made a shaking-off gesture.

She forcefully expelled two curses from her body, then – swept them away.

“…Demon.”

Sheila’s voice. Both expelling the curses from her body and sweeping them away was done with miasma.

It wasn’t worth being surprised about. I came out here precisely because I’d considered this possibility, and that’s why I blessed everyone here.

The man who served as the witch’s escort also seemed to have followed his master. Remaining airborne, he looked toward us. Unmoved by the witch’s miasma. He too – should be considered a demon.

“Claudia. Preparations?”

“I need just a little more time. I’m using Life Sense to identify everyone in this area so I can teleport them to both the ritual site and labyrinth simultaneously.”

“Understood.”

In short, we just need to restrain those demons so they can’t make any unnecessary moves until Claudia’s magic is complete.

“Theo – be careful.”

“May fortune favor you.”

“We’ll handle the other demon.”

“Understood. Everyone, be careful too.”

We nodded to each other, then turned our gaze toward the demons.

“I see, I see. So you had grasped our movements? Kukuku. We’ve been made fools of.”

The witch… no, the demon floated a tearing smile with eyes brimming with anger, rising miasma from her entire body as she looked down on us. On her back, enormous – iridescent butterfly wings shimmered.

Seems she’s motivated. That’s exactly what we want too.

“Come. I’ll smash you to pieces.”

I laughed in response to the demon, taking a Stance with Ouroboros. When I raised my magical power and emitted Spark Light, it also deepened its smile happily.