Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Mental Strength (4)
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『Rain Astria』
— Direct descendant of a fallen magic family
— Level 40
[Status]
— Mental Delirium
— Cognitive Impairment
[!] A fatal effect has been applied to your current body.
I brushed away the status window blurring my vision.
Then I opened the door to my lodging and stepped outside.
Thanks to a good night's sleep, my steps felt light.
Outside the lodging, I couldn't see an inch ahead.
That's strange.
I slept so well, yet it's dark outside.
At this rate, buying flowers seems difficult.
But I must get them.
Right now, I need more fragrance.
"......"
What was I doing?
Ah.
I was standing in front of a dark roadside.
My destination now was the place from last time, to buy the corpse flower and the other two beautiful flowers.
The darkness was so thick I couldn't see the path, so I used Clairvoyance, the reward from perfectly aligning the constellation board.
As my third eye flashed open, the view ahead finally cleared.
But the streets were empty.
Is everyone asleep?
At that moment.
[!] Mana is being consumed.
— Strength and stamina boosts from Mana Body are reduced.
[Remaining Mana: 50%]
Not long after activating Clairvoyance, a message popped up about mana shortage.
That's strange. I rested fully, but mana was already down to about half.
Well... I can just use the mana recovery rune periodically.
"......"
What was I in the middle of doing?
"Ah. Right."
The fragrance ingredients had run out, so I was on my way to buy more.
As I started walking again, I glanced down at my chest.
With Clairvoyance's third eye fixed there, I could see my heart nestled inside my body.
A single pure white flower was blooming there.
"Beautiful."
The flower in my heart was utterly gorgeous.
That's definitely the corpse flower.
A corpse flower had bloomed in my heart.
But its condition was strange.
The tips of its white, finger-like leaves were drying up little by little.
At this rate, it would rot and vanish soon.
That could never happen.
I racked my brain for a way to save it.
"If it smells the fragrance, it'll recover."
Corpse flower. Screaming grass. Whispering bellflower.
Burning the incense made from these three would make it fresh again.
I set off once more.
Before long, I reached the fortune-teller's shop from last time.
Out front, the curse sorcerer Blen—the one I'd met before—was sweeping up.
I approached and gave a light greeting.
"Hello!"
Maybe because I'd slept so soundly, my voice came out oddly cheerful.
Blen whipped around, startled by the sound.
"You scared me! Hey, give some warning before..."
The curse sorcerer Blen trailed off mid-sentence. His eyes went wide as he looked me up and down.
"You... you okay...?"
Okay?
I had no idea what he meant, but I answered anyway.
"I'm in the best shape of my life."
"... You're saying that with your arm in that state?"
My arm?
I looked down at myself.
My right hand gripped the staff just fine, moving smoothly.
My left arm, scratched raw overnight, dripped blood onto my thigh in thick drops, trailing all the way to the floor.
I tried flexing it, but it just dangled limply.
In short.
"Yes. I couldn't feel more refreshed."
Peak condition.
"......"
Blen just grimaced and cocked his head at my words, offering no reply.
I stared at him blankly for a moment before remembering why I'd come.
"I want to buy the same stuff as last time."
"... That's why you came?"
"Don't have it?"
"No, perfect timing actually. Thank goodness you came to me first."
Blen motioned for me to follow him inside.
I trailed after him into the shop.
"The ones you bought last time... corpse flower, screaming grass, whispering bellflower, yeah?"
"Yes."
"... Have a seat there first."
I sat where Blen pointed.
"Listen up. What you're showing looks like mental delirium. I can guess the cause from your state... but to confirm, can you answer some questions?"
"?"
Blen's words weren't computing.
I'd only come to buy things?
More importantly, I needed those fragrance ingredients.
If he didn't have them, no point sticking around.
"The flowers from last time. Got any?"
"Of course. Isn't that why you're here for them now?"
"Yes."
"Then just answer, and I'll hand them over. Simple check first."
As I shot to my feet, Blen waved me down to calm me.
"First off... your condition matches exactly what happens when you're cursed by those three ingredients you bought last time. The curse you were casting—you got hit by it yourself. Means their malice ran deeper."
"I have no opponent."
"Right, right. No need to dwell now. It'll all come back once the curse fades."
Blen pulled a monocle from his pocket—just one lens.
He fitted it over his left eye and peered at me through it.
… What was I doing?
Ah. Answer the questions, and he gives the flowers.
"A corpse flower blooming near your heart. And... screaming grass sprouting on your head. Serious state... Hm?"
Blen paused and flicked the monocle aside.
Like he'd spotted something odd, he swapped it to the other eye and peered inside me again.
"The flowers are wilting... and right while I watched, they wilted more. Impossible..."
Blen tucked the monocle away.
"By chance, got any curse resistance?"
Curse resistance?
Ah. Abnormal statuses do heal gradually.
But what does that have to do with buying ingredients?
"What's that got to do with purchasing the ingredients?"
"Don't overthink it. Answer to buy the flowers. Got it?"
Right now, all I could think about was grabbing those flowers and heading back to my lodging.
Waste any more time, and the flowers inside me would all wilt away.
"I can heal abnormal statuses."
"I figured. Explains the wilting tips on both. But... can't dawdle then."
He was right. No time to waste.
Without those flowers, no more refreshing mornings like this.
Burn the incense before they withered further.
"Healing flowers inside sloppily will make them lash out. Healing's barely started, so they're calm now, but violence is close."
"Is that so."
"Yeah. A scene in the city would've been irreversible. Lucky you came straight to me."
Blen nodded faintly.
"Curse Sorcerer Blen. That's my name. Curse sorcerers hex others. Be ready to take some backlash."
"Yes."
"But... curse sorcerers should help each other at least. Like my master did. I'll aid you this time."
"Yes."
I mumbled a vague reply, unclear on the gist.
Anyway, he'd help me.
My body felt perfectly fine, though.
"Anyway, questions... How're you feeling right now?"
"Extremely refreshed. Just woke to the most invigorating morning."
"... Still dark out. No sense of anything off?"
"? Yes."
"... Cognitive impairment confirmed."
Blen nodded knowingly and pressed on.
"Next. Remember why you're here?"
"Yes. To buy flowers."
"Didn't you get some last time? Why more?"
Why?
Obvious question, obvious answer.
"To burn the incense, obviously."
"Didn't use the last batch?"
"Used it all."
"Then why more?"
"Planning to burn incense every day from now on."
To greet mornings this refreshing, daily was only natural, right?
"... Remember exactly why you're burning incense?"
"Of course."
"Can you say it?"
"Yes."
I voiced the utterly obvious.
"To keep the flowers in my body alive."
"They're devouring your life force. You know that?"
"Does it matter?"
"... Mental delirium confirmed."
Blen rose, satisfied.
"Come on."
"Yes."
I followed him deeper into the shop.
Past a storeroom, stairs to a basement appeared.
"This way."
I descended after him into the depths.
Oddly, the stairs stretched on endlessly.
"This was my master's workshop. Far beyond a weakling like me."
Blen spoke with a wistful tone as we descended.
"My master was a Labyrinth Lord. Went missing in the dungeon ages ago."
"I see. Flowers here?"
"Yes."
Good. Flowers it is.
"Used it ten years back when he was still around... You should hold up."
"Yes."
Vague reply since it didn't click.
Answer to get flowers, after all.
How far down?
"Here we are."
Finally underground after ages.
Workshops aglow with magic stones, multiple vast chambers.
"Enter that room?"
"Where're the flowers?"
"Don't think hard. Enter to get 'em."
"Yes."
I stepped inside as directed.
Creak.
A massive cavern sprawled within.
Blen shut the door tight without entering, heading sideways.
"Go sit over there."
"Where are you?"
"Next room. Golems relay everything."
Blen's voice filled the chamber.
Huge golems hulked at each corner.
Voice piped through them, apparently.
I took the chair at the far end Blen indicated.
A sudden doubt: no flowers here?
Toyed with using my inventory's return scroll to bail.
But... somehow, I didn't want to.
Why?
"Don't even think return scroll. Use it, no flowers—got that?"
Aha.
Can't leave room to get flowers.
Decided against the return scroll.
No—use it now and escape.
But I swore never to touch the return scroll.
Absolutely must not leave here.
No clue why, but non-negotiable.
"I won't use it."
"... Holding strong. Focus on flowers now. More wilting, more clarity. You'll get it then."
Blen cleared his throat, resuming.
"Now... continuing. Flowers already bloomed—beyond my paygrade. Rough fix it is."
Wung—
Room stirred right after Blen's words.
Four mana stone golems stationed inside.
They rose in unison, staring at my seat.
"Master's old training ground. Golems his handiwork too."
"What is this?"
"Told you—rough method needed. Flowers bloomed in body? Burn 'em with internal mana. Know how?"
"No."
"Easy. Burn mana nonstop. More circulation, more those mana-sensitive flowers char."
Blen's words made no sense.
But return scroll? Swore off it no matter what.
"Takes a full day dumping mana usually, faster recovery cuts time. Shoot air if you want, but door? Golems block. Return scroll? No flowers—burn that in."
Situation baffled me.
One side of my head heated suddenly.
Mirror showed screaming grass spot on scalp.
Vowed off return scroll still.
Heat spread body-wide over time.
Deep, nameless rage surged.
"... Scary face, that."
Anger warped my features.
Mind blanked white.
"Flowers inside golems ahead. Want 'em? Smash. Master's Labyrinth Lord creations, sure."
Blen's voice seemed to mock.
Head scorched with fury.
"Waiting for? Magic it. Ah, no sweat. Not endgame 3rd circle, couldn't dent golems dead or alive."
Blen's voice faint.
Flowers in golems?
Smash, claim them.
Flowers now my life's purpose.
"Begin. I'll cover accidents—dump mana wild."
Staff up at Blen's cue.
Mana surged; white light condensed tipward.
Aimed pinpoint glow at front golem.
[Rank: Legendary]
— Fires condensed light forward. Decomposes all touched objects.
3rd circle legendary magic: Destruction Ray.
Decomposes anything it touches completely.
Fired ray lasts till mana depletes.
Wung—
Mana max-compressed, unleashed at golem.
Ziiing—
Light speared through golem.
"... What?"
Thud—
One mana stone golem crashed to the floor.