The Nun's Forbidden Curse
“Claire.”
In the dead of night inside the inn, Aiden, who had been listening patiently to Claire's chatter, called her name.
“Yeees…….”
Aiden was the type to pay special attention to how he addressed people he wasn't close to, but fortunately, Claire reacted normally. Well, calling it 'normal' might be a bit of a stretch. Her posture had been slumping lower and lower for a while now, and she was face-down on the table, no longer even pretending not to be sleepy.
“Aren't you heading back?”
“I told you I lived in a convent until now. I already said I don't wanna go back—what're you on about?”
“Still, you'd need to grab valuables or something, so maybe tonight……”
“I've lived an ascetic life, so I don't have stuff like that. Not that I wanted to, but.”
Her runaway life was starting today. Looking back at what she'd said, she had no money, no attachments, and whatever little she did have was already with her. So maybe there was no need to talk her out of it.
“So what do you plan to do, then?”
“If I ask nicely, they might give me a spare room……”
That was her plan. It wasn't certainty—just a hunch—which made Aiden uneasy. But if she was right, he wouldn't need to do anything special.
“So just put in a good word for me over there. In a few days, we'll never see each other again anyway, so as a parting gift, tell 'em to close their eyes and hide me for a bit……. Nah. I'll say it myself. Just……”
Claire, still face-down with only her eyes rolling around, finally let her words trail off, revealing her exhaustion. But her eyes were still open, fixed on Aiden, so she wasn't on the verge of passing out just yet.
“You need to sit up. We haven't finished our talk, have we?”
“Haha… What're you even saying? No idea.”
“If you don't sit up right now, I'll personally drag you back to the nuns' arms, Claire.”
“Ugh, fine. I get it……”
Only after the warning did Claire sit up properly, making no secret of her reluctance. Just watching her, Aiden felt like he had a sense of who she was, but he still needed to know her specific skills. So he hoped she'd snap out of it for a moment and show him something. Why didn't she seem unreliable even when acting like this?
“Come here, then. Too cold to go outside, and I can use it right here without getting in trouble or drawing eyes……”
“Do whatever. Should I return that bell you left with me?”
“Yay, thanks.”
Claire took the holy bell from Aiden while half-perched on her chair. The moment she did, a familiar chime rang out from it. No matter how long Aiden had held it, it never made a sound, but in her hands, it rang as if recognizing its true owner.
“Ah, secret time—this isn't your typical nun stuff. So I don't really need this.”
To prove it, she tucked the holy bell back into her bosom. Yet the beautiful, delicate chime didn't fade. It wasn't the bell ringing—it was producing sound some other way.
“An illusion?”
“Yup, but it's not like I can't use blessings like others… Figure it out yourself.”
“You must have something unusual. Can you tell me about it?”
“Gotta show something special to tag along, right? It's not a huge secret. Just keep it from my nun friends outside.”
Claire glanced around, confirmed no one was watching, and silenced the chime. What she needed wasn't some holy bell she had to carry. When she opened her palm, a book appeared from nowhere. She hadn't had any book among her belongings moments ago. But as if she'd always had it, she flipped open a page and read the short sentence written there.
“Voice-less village, echoing footsteps.”
As she invoked her power, only Aiden right in front of her was affected by the 'blessing.'
“…What is this?”
But what Claire had activated was no blessing. It was a curse. Aiden clearly felt the change in his mind and grasped the effect of this 'curse.' It was suffocating, like every orifice in his body was sealed shut. Yet the fact that he could still breathe made it oddly unsettling.
She had induced a curse that blocked magic and all supernatural actions. If anything, it was an incredibly verbose silence spell.
“Don't you think even you would say this doesn't suit a nun at all?”
“Not a heretic or black mage, so don't worry. Never seen magic like this, right? Might not even be magic.”
“Never doubted that.”
“No demon pacts either. No robed old man with a hidden face approaching me……”
“I didn't say that.”
He hadn't suspected, but now any doubt was gone. Why was she overreacting like someone who'd been accused before? What heresy could wield such power? If it existed, it would have been recognized long ago.
“So, what do you think?”
“Hmm.”
“'Hmm' what? What're you gonna do?”
Having demonstrated her ability, Claire smashed her face back into the table and glared at Aiden. Her posture made it look like she was shooting daggers at him. Zap. No, she really was glaring.
“Well……”
With her cheek squished and eyes half-lidded in a forced glare, it was obvious she'd complain if he tried sending her back. But maybe that was a relief.
“Tomorrow?”
Aiden had no intention of refusing.
It had been just one day since the mercenary Aiden Oliver arrived in the snowfields, and the next day was beginning. Normally, the epic saga would have started by now, but that was no longer possible. The protagonist meant to be at the center was absent. Even if they returned late, it would be too late to begin their story.
The center was now occupied by an insignificant mercenary. And an insignificant nun.
“…Huh?”
Claire, who had gone to bed early, opened her eyes and shielded them from the sunlight streaming through the window, sensing something off. The sun felt harsher than usual upon waking, the outside brighter. No grogginess, no headache, just a strong feeling that something was wrong. Must be the snowfields. Anywhere else, she'd hear birds chirping……
“Wait, what time is it?”
The little nun propped herself up and properly checked outside. She usually rose around dawn, when the sky began to lighten but wasn't fully bright. She didn't keep strict time, so it varied slightly, but this was too late. Around now, those guys would pick a fight using it as an excuse.
“…Gone. They're not here.”
No need to worry anymore. Claire thought that as she recalled yesterday. Luckily, a mercenary who listened had come to this damn village, letting her show what she could do and finally get permission to tag along—a lucky day.
Come to think of it, where she'd woken wasn't her usual spot. It was the nice old man's inn. Alright, let's confirm yesterday—everything going as planned—wasn't a dream.
'But shouldn't I have woken up earlier?'
Claire dressed, grabbed the staff she'd sneaked from her room yesterday, and headed out.
What to say. It was a different start than expected. Aiden, the mercenary she'd talked with, said tomorrow, so she'd imagined rising at first light to finish things at a convenient time. Or had he forgotten despite setting a time? Praying not, she looked around.
“Ah, old man.”
And found him.
“You're up.”
“Ah… yeah. Hi……”
“What's wrong?”
“Dunno. It's just… not what I expected?”
Claire sat across from Aiden, who was killing time early, relieved no one knew. Her deliberately vague answer kept the conversation going.
“Looks like you had some expectations.”
“Not expectations, but… I thought we'd leave at dawn.”
“If it was today at dawn, I'd have come for you.”
“Ahaha… Yeah, I was worried you'd leave without me.”
Even a nun steeped in book knowledge knew a mercenary wouldn't do that realistically. They'd finished talking, she'd proven useful, and if planning dawn, he'd have woken her. She knew, yet her bad habit was imagining the worst.
“This isn't some dinner date. Can't just decide and sleep then leave immediately. I didn't say dawn tomorrow.”
“True when you put it like that. Must've misread the book.”
“Next dawn, Claire.”
“Got it.”
Meanwhile, Aiden, pondering alone, set a specific time. Dawn wasn't always quiet enough for easy work, so he'd planned to coordinate. But seeing her casually expect dawn without worry, he could decide freely.
“But old man, what were you doing?”
As conversation wrapped and he glanced out the window, Claire spoke up again. Eye contact made vague answers impossible. He'd have to explain properly.
[Have you ever thought the world is small?]
[Do you remember your own past?]
[Do you remember why you're here?]
He was hearing worthless hallucinations not worth thinking about or answering, with no good way to convey it. He'd have to dodge vaguely.
“Just some pointless thoughts. Nowhere else to sit but here.”
“Hmm, so plans for today?”
“Gonna grab some necessities while preparing……”
“Eh. No need to tag along, then.”
Tension easing, Claire relaxed her eyes and shoulders. She'd had no intention of rushing, yet ending up tense showed she was. To settle into a calmer mindset, she stood first.
“I'll rest a bit more, then……. Yawwn.”
“Pardon?”
“Wait, do I need to follow you today?”
“Doesn't matter… No preparations?”
Pondering Aiden's question, Claire showed the book and staff in her hands.
“This is enough for me. And the holy bell in my pocket.”
“…Hope you're prepared for danger.”
“If dangerous, I can bait.”
“Don't say that so lightly.”
“Ahaha.”
The little nun ducked her head with a sly chuckle.
Prepared safely, huh. She hadn't thought to do more—it was asking too much. What she'd shown Aiden, including her body and clothes, was everything.
Her smile fading completely, Claire gripped her staff with both hands.
“See ya later, old man.”
