The Brand of the Curse
The curse.
“Ugh… ugh…!”
It disrespects the dignity of the flesh and wears down the fragile vessel of the mind, breaking it at every moment. It is truly the grave dug by the devil for a living soul. The target nurtures an endless yearning for death while living in that grave.
“……?”
And on the night of the new moon.
The curse exerts its most powerful force.
“Ugh… ugh…!”
“—!”
The heart pounding heavily, the child’s ragged breathing, Rebecca jolted awake from her bed. Her hand trembled as she clutched the hem of her nightgown. Tears glistened in her golden eyes as she looked up.
“Miss? Miss!”
A hundred thoughts flashed through her mind like lightning. Even when the enemy attacked on the battlefield, she hadn’t thought that fast. An outbreak? When had this started? Why had she only just noticed and woken up? Was the outbreak the master of the magic tower had warned about? Then it was medicine. She had to find the medicine. She had to give it to the child right away.
“Ah, it hurts, no, I’m sorry! I was wrong, it doesn’t hurt!”
An ominous aura of death crept in from somewhere.
The cold air felt oppressively heavy.
“It’s okay, come here—!”
In her panic, she tried to pull the child into her arms to calm her, but the sudden sensation of heat from her hand made her recoil instinctively. The feeling of sharp glass shards stabbing deep into her from all sides.
“I’m sorry, ugh, I’m sorry, I can sing better…!”
It was different.
It was clearly different from the previous outbreaks.
Unless she was an idiot, she could tell the difference.
—…—…. —…—….
In her haste to find medicine, she got out of bed and heard a small sound. Tap-tap-tap, something was hitting the window. In her blurry vision, a black figure entered. It was smaller than a bird but larger than an insect. What was it? She lit her mana lamp to see it properly.
“What is this…?”
And the source of the sound.
“‘Moth?’”
Hundreds of huge moths stuck to every window. They had formed clusters and spread their purple wings that looked like flames. Red spots shaped like eyes were engraved on the wings. The spots glowed red and all turned toward the child.
“Glory of the Empire, ugh, Your Majesty the Emperor, the authority of the lower one, ugh—!”
The outbreak was deepening. Dust falling from the moths’ wings blackened the windows. Why? She didn’t know the reason, but it seemed like it was trying to completely block the moonlight seeping into the room. Rebecca instinctively sensed that this was not good.
Regain your composure.
First, find the medicine.
“Here it is!”
She searched the drawer and found the medicine given by the master of the magic tower.
At the same time, the space was dyed pitch black.
“Ramon.”
And in the suffocating silence.
The child spoke in a clear voice.
“Ramon. I’m burning.”
Had the outbreak stopped?
That would be good.
In the moment of calm, she had to feed this—
“Ah, it’s hot. It’s melting.”
As Rebecca approached the girl, she couldn’t continue. A chilling aura. In the eyes that had lost their vitality, tears poured endlessly, and in the veins bulging on her body, faintly flickering purple blood flowed like polluted poison.
“Don’t leave me here alone.”
The flashing red light. The red magic stone at the center of the breastplate hanging on the armor stand glowed. It was a magic stone detecting Decay Mana. Black magic. The word “black magic” appeared in her mind, and her whole body stiffened. Realizing that no amount of medicine could help, despair and regret surged. The master of the magic tower’s final advice kept hitting her ears.
“Oh goddess Aratine, the war and wisdom, stay by the Emperor’s side with your protection!”
But Rebecca: Atraingel was one of the Empire’s best knights. With a momentary despair, she shook off the hand of darkness trying to pull her into the abyss. A quick decision. To save this child, she had to go find the master of the magic tower. That was the best choice.
“Kuueeeet—! Damn it!”
A curse-like exclamation.
As she picked up the child, pain seeped into her whole body.
“Just hold on a little longer. I’ll make you better soon!”
“…I want to go to Mother’s side too.”
In that murmur as if bewitched by death, the knight gritted her teeth.
This pain was nothing compared to the girl’s pain.
Insect Sea.
“Soldiers, do not panic and handle it calmly!”
Sonia swung her aura-infused spear in circles and shouted. Moths poured down like rain. The soldiers waved their torches wildly, but it was useless against the wave of bugs rushing like a tide.
“Ehehe! This damned powder got into my mouth!”
“Damn it, visibility is too hard, Sonia!”
The moths’ dust that swallowed all light like volcanic ash.
The glittering powder flew everywhere.
“Luke!”
“Yes, Sonia!”
“Emergency! Lead the subordinate knights and protect the Emperor’s throne!”
“Understood! Knights, follow me!”
Despite trying to maintain composure, Sonia was quite flustered by the unprecedented phenomenon. It would have been much easier if it was an enemy army. She had never seen or heard of this before.
“René, inform the captain of this fact, and ask for cooperation from Winter’s knights!”
“Understood!”
“Sonia! Don’t we need to request support from ‘Magia Nexus’!”
In the increasing confusion, a soldier shouted. It was right. To eliminate this many bugs, a fire-attribute mage was essential. But the command was absolute. Entry of mages into Iscaron’s Yard was prohibited at the moment.
“Just wait a little! I’ll go to Rebecca—!”
“—Sonia!”
“Rebecca?!”
For some reason, Rebecca ran out in her nightgown. Her aura burned brightly around her, incinerating the rushing moths.
“Come inside! This is my—
“No, the child is in pain. We have to go to the magic tower, right now!”
Only then did the child in her arms come into view. It looked bad at first glance. The pale face had slowly pulsating black veins. But...
“Re, Rebecca, are you okay?”
Sweat poured down.
Her expression was also quite distorted, unlike usual.
“I’m fine. Hurry, Naiad!”
“I’ll obey immediately, Brenda!”
“Understood!”
“The remaining knights will break a path for Rebecca with me!”
“““My sword and heart are beside His Majesty the Emperor!”””
Meanwhile, in the forest near the imperial capital.
[Kyaa, as expected, my little sister’s foresight was right!]
[…Did you tell the magpies well?]
[Yes! They were very pleased!]
Thousands of pairs of eyes glowing yellow on the densely packed branches.
[Ah! Speaking of which, the eagle owls also said they would join because they needed snacks!]
[What a grateful thing. Thank them too.]
[Eek?! Sister! Rather, those hungry guys should thank you!]
[…So that’s how it is.]
The owl was a bit flustered.
The ‘World Tree’s Dream’ that had become clear a few days ago.
[Did you hear what I said?]
[Of course! I’ll hunt only those trying to stop that human! I’ve told everyone firmly, so don’t worry!]
The mother’s will transmitted in the dream. In the midst of that bug wave, the child was there, and she had to protect the child. But Mother, I don’t understand. Why would you do so much for the child of the race that burned you? Is this because of Ramon standing beside you?
[Ramon, was it not enough to be a guardian to protect the child?]
[…Eh? What did you say? I couldn’t hear well.]
[No. Well, now let’s go.]
[Yes, Sister! Everyone, let’s go! Party time!]
In the forest, all at once.
The night owners rose without a sound.
“Hah! Run, run!”
Rebecca’s battle lion, Naiad, ran toward Magia Nexus. A reliable companion of the Empire’s knights. Unlike other countries that use horses, the Empire chose lions. This was one of the biggest factors that allowed them to conquer more than half the continent.
“‘Those moths are following us.’
Glancing back, the moths lined up in a long cone shape, unable to catch up with the lion’s speed.
“‘If this continues, we’ll be caught. I need to go faster.’
“Please, Naiad!”
—Rumble!
As if in answer, stronger and more dynamic kicks.
But suddenly, a crimson light rippled like a wave from within the moth swarm.
“‘Wait, what is this…!’
The wing flapping sped up rapidly. A terrifying sound reminiscent of a wasp’s buzz came. In the nick of time, something pitch black rushed from the front too.
“‘Damn! I can’t afford to lose any more time! I have to break through the front clearly!’
She drew her rapier, forced down the pain of scraping her intestines, and prepared to release all her aura to the limit. But then.
───…. ───….]
A familiar low cry.
A flying object gliding past her.
The identity of the pitch black things densely covering the front.
“……!”
Thousands of owls collided with the moth swarm.