Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Shadow Cast Over Ark #3
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I had quite a bit of experience washing women's bodies.
Bathing the very young kids at the orphanage had always been my job, and recently, I'd often had to help with Aira's bizarre soapy baths as a favor.
"Then, if you don't mind."
"…Ugh."
Rustle.
I took off Mirna's shirt.
Normally, if a commoner guy were undressing her, she'd resist or put up a defensive front.
Mirna Draco should rightfully snap, "How dare you remove my clothes—!" but right now, she seemed completely out of it.
How high was her fever to make her like this?
Swoosh.
"Whoa."
When I placed my hand on her forehead, the scorching heat surprised me even more than I'd expected.
Could a person's head get this hot?
I could probably fry an egg on it.
For a moment, thoughts of her womanly figure or pretty underwear crossed my mind, but soon a sense of duty to cool this fever took over.
So I dunked a towel into a basin of cold water, wrung it out, and gently wiped down Mirna Draco's body.
"It'll be cold."
"Hoo, haa…."
As time passed, her breathing grew rougher.
She seemed to be having trouble breathing—probably because of the bra adorning her chest.
"I'm doing this with no ulterior motives, miss. Don't get the wrong idea."
"Wh-what are you… doing…."
So I unhooked Mirna Draco's bra.
Thanks to experience changing Aira's clothes or undressing Elga, unhooking a bra wasn't hard.
Bounce.
My eyes caught sight of two soft, plump, enticing breasts.
I tried to act gentlemanly, like I wasn't looking at a sick patient in a teasing way, but men are helpless creatures, it seems.
"Ugh."
But when Mirna groaned and collapsed back onto the bed, I snapped back to reality.
Then I carefully wiped from under her breasts, between them, over the top, and along the sides with the wet towel.
Squish, squish.
"Eek, hoo…. Hooo…."
Did the cold wet towel feel good on skin hot enough to fry an egg?
Mirna Draco's expression softened a bit. Seeing her ragged breaths steady, I felt a little relieved too.
"Theo, Gospel…."
Was she regaining consciousness? She called my name in a somewhat tender voice. I leaned in to listen.
"Yes. What is it?"
"…Why keep wiping just the front… just my chest…? That's clean enough now."
"…I'll do your back too. Let me turn you over."
I rolled Mirna onto her stomach, exposing her back to the ceiling. And there, I discovered something surprising.
A tattoo.
A huge tattoo was etched on Mirna Draco's back.
It looked like a mark inside a round, pizza-slice-like border, with an X and a cross overlaid. I found the letters inscribed there and read them aloud slowly.
"Murmu…?"
Whirrr.
Then the characters on her back glowed, feeding information straight into my eyes.
「Murmur: Intermediate Curse. It devours the vitality of the bearer, turning them corpse-like. Effects vary by the caster's circle and mana.」
A curse.
I instantly realized this curse was the reason for Mirna Draco's dire condition.
Could I remove it?
I pressed the towel to the curse's magic circle on her back to wipe it away. Right then, she shrieked "Grrraaah!" and convulsed violently.
"Are you okay?"
"What did you… do…? My body, hooo…."
Did touching the magic circle cause pain? Blood now trickled from her back.
"Grrraaah!"
The pain worsening, Mirna Draco clutched and tore at the bedsheets.
Rip. Riiiip.
"Ugh!"
Did I mess up by touching it?
What should I do?
My bewilderment heated my head for a moment.
Soon, my talent 《Calm Thinking》 swept it away like a cold wave.
In its wake remained one thing.
A spell I'd learned since coming to Ark.
"Belial!"
Belial nullifies the opponent's magic. In theory, it might erase the spell on Mirna Draco's back?
Crackle, crackle.
Sparks actually flew from Lady Draco's back as I cast.
Moreover, Lady Draco let out a "Rrrraaawr!" like a cat doused in ice water, furious.
Crash!
But when glass shattered and the image on Lady Draco's back evaporated away, all returned to calm.
* * *
Mirna Draco regained consciousness about five minutes later.
"Hah…."
She seemed awake but unable to move a finger.
"What happened…?"
"I removed the curse's magic circle from your back, miss."
"Curse…? Removed…?"
I briefly explained what had happened to Mirna, who didn't seem to grasp it.
Listening, she murmured "I see" appropriately, then realized she was nearly naked—save for cute panties—and pulled the blanket over herself.
I put dried kelp in a kettle, boiled it vigorously, and asked casually.
"Is your body feeling better now?"
"Yes. A bit dazed, but. To think you lifted that curse…. So the nickname 'Yoseung' wasn't unfounded, huh?"
"I don't like that nickname much."
"Still, it was practically Angmar Demon King's curse…. I'm purely impressed. Who knew you had skills beyond your silver tongue."
Mirna blinked, genuinely amazed that I'd resolved the curse on her.
"How did you do it? Angmar Demon King's spells require deep knowledge of ancient dead languages to dispel…?"
Her praise felt great, but the more she probed, the closer she got to my secret as Angmar's sole survivor.
So I decided to change the subject.
"Then, miss, what now? We have class. If you're not well, should we rest?"
"Class…. The ancient dead language lecture, right?"
"Yes."
"I have to go. It's probably meant to lure me out."
"What do you mean? Lure you?"
Wrapping the blanket like a gown, Mirna sat up. She looked better but still a bit delirious.
Still, she dressed in her uniform shirt and skirt, enduring her headache as she continued slowly.
"Ballan. He's the culprit. He raided Draco family mausoleum and stole the corpses. The one recklessly reviving the dead…!"
"Is that true?"
Professor Ballan as the culprit? Unbelievable, but Mirna explained calmly.
"He stole my lich last night. I'm sure. I swear on Draco family honor…. But don't believe me. I'll handle it alone anyway…."
"No, if it's the professor, shouldn't we tell others? Rumors say Draco miss has gone mad, rampaging everywhere."
"But… no solid proof yet. If we make noise, he might flee. The only reason he hasn't run after I learned his identity is one thing…."
"What?"
"He's after my body. My living body, to use as a living undead puppet."
Controlling a living person like an undead?
I wondered if that was possible. But in a world full of every magic and spell imaginable, why not?
I'm not even from this world, yet here I am.
"Hard to believe, right? Draco family is cursed by betrayal and lies. I didn't say it expecting belief."
Mirna smiled self-deprecatingly. She resembled Narmi, who'd guarded the mausoleum alone last night.
Recalling Narmi, now a sort of friend, I spoke warmly to Mirna.
"No, I believe you."
"……."
Mirna said nothing.
Her face flushed—maybe lingering fever, or something else.
I said to her.
"Shall we ask Queen Aira for help? If I explain, she'll probably assist."
"I don't want to owe Tarantara queen anything. Help however you like."
Got it.
Same Single Numbers dorm anyway. I stepped into the hall and knocked on Queen Aira's door.
Knock knock.
Click. The door opened, revealing drowsy Queen Aira lounging in bed.
"Your Majesty. Sorry, but can I borrow your strength?"
"No."
"……."
"Kidding. What's going on?"
I explained everything to the still-sleepy queen.
Chatter chatter.
She listened long, then yawned hugely and stretched.
"What? That's nothing I need to handle. Theo, you can do it alone. No way a corrupt professor beats Ark's second-smartest man, right?"
She stroked my head and chin—her overly positive thinking showed she wasn't fully awake.
"Now, I'll sleep more. Out you go."
No help from Aira.
One option left. Platinum dorm had one more person I could rely on besides Aira.
I walked the velvet-carpeted marble hall to the next door, marked V, and knocked.
Knock knock.
"Lady Elga."
"What."
The door flew open. I said to Elga.
"I'd like to borrow your strength. Draco miss and I might be in trouble."
"No way. Mirna Draco in trouble? Serves her right?"
"But this chance to make her owe us—could be useful later. Who knows when it'll come again."
I explained the situation and proposed: watch Mirna suffer, or saddle her with debt for future leverage.
Elga was strategically smart; she'd see which was more profitable.
"Mirna, that girl. Knew it. Relying only on necromancy without training herself. Loses her lich? What idiot loses their father's corpse to a thief?"
"So you'll help?"
"Not help—trade. Heard Draco has dragon bones left. I'd like some. Tell that wench Mirna."
Tell or not.
Mirna Draco was already behind me.
Why talk only to me when facing each other?
I glanced at Mirna, who'd heard everything. She winced, eyes closed like she had a headache.
Elga continued.
"Lioness Golden Army is pricey. Especially top soldiers—worth every coin, right?"
"Fine. Deal. Dragon tail bone tip. That'll do."
Swoosh.
Mirna extended her hand readily. Elga looked surprised but slapped palms.
"No funny business."
"Won't."
After defeating Demon King Angmar, the scattered, feuding dragon and lion houses allied temporarily.
And I, Theo Angmar, made it happen.
Just like the Demon King united them.
I'd twisted the original story perfectly.
My chest swelled with pride at the feat.
But thinking calmly, wasn't it bad if my enemies to overthrow bonded stronger?