The Curse's Shadow

The conversation between the two came to an end. It had lasted a full hour. Albert normally preferred brevity and had little patience for long explanations, yet this time he had listened without interruption. He needed to hear the truth.

"So... the reason our parents died wasn't because of the monster's wounds, but because of a curse?"

"That's right."

System chimed in. It had sensed the same dissonance from the start. Why had their parents died from something as ordinary as a monster attack? At first, Albert had suspected an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unknown poison that couldn't be neutralized. But it had been a curse.

"If it's a curse, what kind?"

"An ancient item. One that can inflict a curse on the target simply by cutting or stabbing them."

A curse delivered through an ancient item. During the monster raid, an assassin hiding in the shadows had layered the curse atop the monster's attacks. In short, their parents hadn't died from the monsters. They had been ambushed by human malice.

"I understand how you must feel. It must be shocking. However—"

At that moment, Bentree could no longer continue. The atmosphere around Albert shifted, and the air inside the drawing room grew oppressively heavy. The very air he usually breathed turned thick and difficult to inhale.

What...?

"Hrk!"

Bentree flinched. The instant his eyes met Albert's, terror flooded through him.

How can eyes be so deep and heavy?

The black pupils were darker than an abyss, yet bottomless. Staring into them felt as though one's soul would be sucked in and never escape. It was terrifying. The aura radiating from his body surpassed imagination.

He's stronger than any knight I've ever met... I thought the one who handled the elves was a mage, but... I was wrong.

His body trembled with fear, cold sweat running down his back. Only now did he understand how the fallen Legrian family was rising again. The eldest son who had returned after ten years. All these changes were possible because of Albert.

...I must never make an enemy of him. In fact, it might have been fortunate that I brought this up now.

It was pure instinct. Albert would eventually uncover the mastermind and reach the truth. No matter how well it was hidden, he would dig it out. And everything connected to it would be swept away. It sounded absurd, like a dream, yet watching Albert, Bentree couldn't help but think the dream might become reality.

"Hoo... Sorry. I got a little worked up."

Albert suppressed his rage. The moment he heard his parents ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had been assassinated, fury had nearly consumed him.

Sorry.

With System's help, he barely regained his composure. Without it, the surging energy born from his anger might have brought the entire mansion down.

"N-no... As a son, it's only natural to feel angry."

Bentree wiped the cold sweat from his brow. Albert handed him a handkerchief.

"This isn't a receipt. It's an actual handkerchief."

"Thank you..."

Now that he thought about it, something felt off. Albert was clearly younger than him, yet he had been speaking informally from the very beginning. Normally, Bentree would have scolded such a brat for lacking manners, but...

Why am I accepting it so naturally?

The casual address felt entirely natural, as though it were the obvious way to speak, and Bentree found himself accepting it without resistance. Even now that he had noticed, it didn't feel unpleasant at all.

Strange. It's like I'm dealing with someone older than me.

"So how did you find out about it?"

"I heard it from a friend."

"A friend?"

"Yes. He let it slip while drunk. If he hadn't told me, I would have gone my whole life without knowing."

"...And that friend?"

"Hahaha, what a question."

Bentree laughed as if the answer were obvious.

"He's dead."

"They silenced him."

"Exactly. A few days after he returned drunk, news of his death arrived."

The cleanup had been thorough. Fortunately, the one who had orchestrated everything seemed unaware that Bentree knew the truth. Or perhaps they had suspected but couldn't confirm.

"After that, countless nobles visited my territory. Probably to check whether I knew or not."

Luckily, he had been judged uninvolved during that verification process and survived. It could only be called good fortune.

"You managed to avoid it?"

"Thanks to an item. This one, right here."

He removed the ring from his finger as he spoke. To the eye it looked like an ordinary gold ring, but its true nature was different.

System stepped in.

Erasing memory?

Having read through the books, System could now analyze items and determine what magic had been imbued in them. The expensive books had been worth it.

I see.

Now he understood how Bentree had managed to slip through safely.

"Live Lock, huh..."

"How did you—?"

Bentree was startled. He had only shown the ring, yet Albert had instantly identified its effect.

"I can tell just by looking."

"Goodness..."

Just by looking? Normally, one had to either use an item or employ an appraisal item to determine its effects. Yet he had guessed it correctly in an instant.

As expected, he's extraordinary. I knew he wasn't ordinary, but...

"Yes. This item is imbued with the Live Lock spell. Thanks to it, I was able to avoid their questions."

"Makes sense. If part of your memory is sealed by an item, lie-detection magic or hypnosis wouldn't work either."

Because he truly couldn't remember. Even under lie-detection magic, there was nothing for him to recall, so he passed. The same went for hypnosis.

"This item has been passed down through our family for generations. It saved my life."

"Good. Then this is the last question."

Albert regained his composure. Now that he knew the truth behind his parents' deaths, it was time to find the ones responsible.

"Who was behind it?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No. Ah, don't look at me like that. Honestly, my friend didn't hold a very high position either. He was only following orders."

"..."

Fair enough. He was merely a baron, so any friend of his would at best be a viscount. Once treason was on the table, only someone of count rank or higher would possess real information.

"But there is someone who would know."

"There is?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

Bentree took a sip of tea to wet his throat, then carefully opened his mouth.

"Count Beprons Neck. He would likely know."

* * *

"Nngh..."

Park, lying in the treatment room, opened his eyes.

Where... Right, I came back...

"Hah!"

Finally awake, as though his mind had finished booting up, he shot upright.

"How long was I asleep? The elves!?"

The image of the elves approaching the territory flashed through his mind. He couldn't afford to lie here. They were supposed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to arrive in a few days, so he needed to prepare countermeasures before then.

"Kuh..."

His head spun. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious. Struggling out of bed, Park staggered as his legs gave out. Barely managing to grab the bed for support, he gritted his teeth and stood.

What is Father doing right now? Have the knights gathered?

"I need to move quickly. First, I have to see Father and come up with a plan."

Park headed toward Bentree. As he walked down the corridor, he felt something was off.

Why is it so empty?

Over twenty servants lived in the mansion. Normally, he would have run into at least one person by now, yet there was no one.

Did they all run away? Did Father ultimately decide to abandon the territory?

Of course, the servants were actually outside treating the knights, but Park had no way of knowing that. He assumed Bentree had chosen to give up the territory.

Park ran all the way to the office. Along the way, he encountered the butler.

"Butler!"

"Young Master Park, you're awake? Your body..."

"That's not important ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right now. What happened to the elves? Where's Father?"

"The lord is currently in the drawing room having a conversation. And as for the elves, there's no longer any need to worry."

"No need to worry? What do you mean?"

The butler wore a relieved expression, as though a heavy burden had been lifted.

"All the elves are dead. So there's no need to worry anymore. The territory is safe now."

Park blinked in disbelief at the butler's words. The elves were all dead? The territory was safe? That couldn't be. How many knights, mercenaries, and mages had died because of the elves heading toward the territory? They were a disaster incarnate. A calamity born from a natural disaster that human power couldn't stop! Yet suddenly they were all dead?

"What... nonsense is that?"

"We received help. That person..."

"Tsk! Everyone's gone mad! That can't be true! I'll check for myself! Where is Father?"

"He's in the noble drawing room."

Park shoved the butler aside and headed for the noble drawing room. Voices could be heard from inside.

All the elves are dead? Impossible. They must have been tricked.

Park didn't believe the butler. He was convinced they had simply been fooled by someone's smooth talk. He flung the door open.

"Father!"

"Oh, Park! You're awake!"

"What do you mean? I heard from the butler before I came in. He said all the elves are dead!"

"Yes! You heard correctly. You can rest easy now, Park. Thanks to the help we received, the elves have all been eliminated, so the territory..."

"Hah! That's a lie! I don't believe it!"

"What?"

"You killed all those elves? That doesn't make any sense!"

Park's gaze turned to the man sitting across from Bentree. He was probably the one who had tricked them with lies. Park could never forgive him. The territory was on the brink of extinction, yet he dared to spout such ridiculous lies!

Let's see what kind of bastard he is first!!

He planned to punch that face and knock some sense into him so he would never lie again.

"How dare you lie! If you want to die— H-huh... Huh...?"

The moment Park grabbed the man's shoulder and spun him around, his eyes widened in shock upon seeing his face. The man—Albert—grinned.

"We've met before, haven't we? Why so surprised?"

Albert stroked his chin, wearing a confident smile.

"Well, my face is handsome enough to be shocking. Not many people look this good, after all. Maybe I should have become a celebrity?"

In that instant, seeing Albert's face, Park remembered being struck. The merciless beating the rangers had taken, and the blow he himself had received.

"U-uaaah!"

His face turned deathly pale, as though he had seen the grim reaper he had barely escaped. With a scream, he fled.

"..."

Albert looked dumbfounded. Running away screaming just from seeing someone's face?

"...That's a bit much."

"All I did was give him a bloody nose. He's way too fragile for a man."

Albert shook his head and stood up. His business here was finished. He had received the payment, and everything else he needed.

"Leaving already?"

"I have to. There's a lot to do. I need to handle what I received as well."

"How do you plan to go?"

"What do you mean how? Like this. Taxi!"

Albert called for a taxi. With a flash of light, Gaster appeared in his yellow uniform, looking thoroughly displeased.

"Why are you calling me? You have Hydra!"

"The vibe's off."

"The vibe?"

"Yeah. Think about it. Raising your hand and shouting 'Model Taxi!' versus just saying 'Taxi!' Which one sounds better?"

"..."

"Taxi just sounds better when you say 'taxi.' Four syllables is a bit..."

"..."

Now that Hydra had joined, he had thought this matter was over. He had planned to retire, investigate the dimensional rifts, and simply exploit Hydra. But because the name sounded off, he had been forcibly re-employed.

"Whatever. Let's go back."

"Haa... Understood."

Albert left without looking back. After he departed, a man entered the office. It was Aiden.

"Where is Lord Albert right now?"

"...You still haven't left?"

"What do you mean?"

"He already left."

"..."

Aiden had been abandoned on the spot.

"He left without me?"

Aiden seriously began considering resignation.