The Cursed One (3)
"It looks like this story's going to drag on. We'll head back for now and come again later. Doesn't feel like something we should be eavesdropping on anyway."
As the middle-aged woman's tale continued, the Hero's daughter left the house with her family.
Hm. We were supposed to have dinner with the Hero's family... but these uninvited guests are messing it up. Tch. No helping it. Gotta wrap this up quick and eat!
"Even after that, Uncle kept pushing me away, but in the end, my stubbornness won out, and we set off on our journey together. The goal of the trip... was to lift Uncle's curse."
The woman's words flowed on.
"Uncle didn't tell me much about the curse itself. All he said was that he'd been cursed by a god, and disasters swirled around him because of it."
Hm... Cursed so disasters haunt him? Sounds like he's hiding his own screw-up. Honestly, if he admitted he groped a woman, mocked a temple and its god... he'd hear he deserved the curse.
"Still, we traveled the world together. Along the way, we helped people who were suffering like me, or those persecuted by others."
Hard to believe that idiot helped anyone. Maybe it wasn't his choice—unavoidable circumstances, or he got dragged into it because she wanted to help. Even if unintentional, actually aiding others counts as good karma. Maybe I should see him in a slightly better light.
"S-stop..."
As the woman pressed on with her story, the fool—who was finally coming to his senses—muttered in a tiny voice.
"Uncle couldn't walk properly under the sun, he writhed in agony from flowing water or even a flicker of flame... but he never stopped traveling. A journey to find a way to break the curse. Through countless disasters, he still helped people—and that's why over a hundred followers came to revere him."
A hundred people following this fool? Hm... They probably don't know his crimes, just benefited from his help. That's why they follow.
"Anyone near Uncle gets caught in the god's disasters, so the others built a safe village far away. I'm the only one who travels with him."
The middle-aged woman said this with a strangely proud expression.
"During our journey to break the curse, a certain king coveted Uncle's power. He thought gaining Uncle's immortality—never aging, never dying—would grant him eternal life. With eternity, he could seize the world."
Hm, someone after eternal life? Natural enough. The more you have, the bigger you are, the less you want to stroll into death's gloomy valley.
"Uncle couldn't risk dragging others into danger... so he slipped away alone. Knowing full well he'd face great peril."
"Th-that was... just to shake off you nuisances..."
"In the end, you went to the king alone and put an end to his greed, didn't you? That king was despised by his people, but thanks to you, a wise prince became the new ruler! You set a whole nation on a better path!"
Hm... Destroyed his own country, but helped another. Go figure.
"After hearing that tale, he didn't push me away when I found him! If he really hated it, he could've ditched me easily and gone alone!"
"......"
The fool had no retort. Probably... because he was lonely? Even in his fight with the Hero, he'd said he hated a life where he couldn't bear watching others die. Even this fool hated being alone. Others' lives mattered to him.
"So, Uncle and I endured countless disasters and kept traveling. Helping innumerous people, seeking clues to break the curse."
"P-please... stop..."
The fool started making dying-moan sounds. Clearly mortified as his deeds were laid bare.
"Then one day, dead drunk and collapsing in an alley, Uncle muttered softly. The names of the Hero and the Dragon Priestess."
"Hm. Our names?"
"Yes. In a low voice, laced with regret. He said nothing else... but looking back, something felt off."
Off how?
"If it was a god's curse, the first thing would be to beg the human closest to the gods."
Hm. Fair point. The human chosen by the Goddess of Life was right here. The Hero.
"In hindsight, Uncle's path never crossed yours during his travels. No—if anything, it seemed like he avoided you. Took me ages to realize."
"So that's why you came here?"
The woman nodded faintly at my question.
"Yes. Took forever to convince Uncle. He swore he'd die before meeting you, but after endless pleading, he finally agreed."
"So you sought me and Sis?"
"Yes. You're our last hope."
The middle-aged woman gazed at the fool, now rising with his limbs intact, and spoke.
"Please, both of you. Lend us your power. To lift Uncle's curse..."
The fool placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's over. They won't help me."
"What? Why not?! If it's the Hero, the Dragon Priestess—the legends we heard—you'd surely help Uncle!"
The fool fell silent at her words. No wonder—he couldn't confess to his follower that the curse came from groping me and scorning the goddess and temple. Ten mouths wouldn't help.
So.
"There's nothing I can do."
I spoke for the fool.
"What? Why?"
"Because of why that fool got cursed."
I glared coldly at him; he averted his eyes.
"A curse from a god herself can't be lifted without soothing her wrath or fulfilling her will. No other way exists, so centuries of searching yield nothing."
"B-but..."
The woman bit her lip, wanting to argue, but no words came. And the fool himself showed no desire to break it. His words in the Hero fight weren't "lift the curse"—they were "kill me." He'd never intended to break it.
"Stop this folly of seeking other paths before the obvious first step. Cursed by a god? Beg that god. Clinging elsewhere won't work."
The fool scowled deeply, hating the idea. Didn't want to beg the Goddess of Life who'd cursed him.
No wonder centuries passed without relief.
So.
"If you get it, find the right way—or kneel before the god and beg forgiveness. Otherwise, it'll never lift."
That direct hint should jog his memory! I want to lift that land's curse soon too! Without your pigheadedness, I'd have done it ages ago! It's not even your curse, technically! Wait, no—
"The right way...?"
"Yes. The simplest, surest way—which you're ignoring."
Honestly, I figured it'd take him years at most to come begging at the temple. I'd even spread the word via pilgrims. One or two years, he'd roll in yipping and whining like a kicked puppy.
But decades? Unbelievable! What insane stubbornness in the wrong place.
"And if you don't break it soon, irreparable damage might hit that foolish soul. So drop the pointless pride, head to the temple, and beg forgiveness."
"Y-yes! So, which god? Uncle suffers under the sun, so the god of light first? Or others with clear temples... Um..."
"Enough."
The fool calmed the flustered woman.
"The Dragon Priestess means the temple of the Goddess of Life."
He said it grudgingly.
"That's where it all began."
"Th-then let's go quick! It's close..."
"No. I won't go there."
"Uncle!!"
The fool—no, the idiot—said it with utter disgust.
"What Goddess of Life? What merciful mother? She only brought me pain. I never wanted this life."
This bastard...? No self-reflection? I kept giving chances, said I'd lift it if he repented—and he blames others?
No. This one's hopeless. Time to rip bone from flesh, torture his soul eternally—
"You idiot!"
Before I could act, the Hero moved faster, slamming a fist into the idiot's face.
Thwack!!!
His head snapped back—neck nearly broken—as he toppled.
Staring down, the Hero—rarely angry—roared.
"Denying your faults, just making excuses! No idiot like you!"
Right on! Good job! Hit him more!
I cheered silently behind the shouting Hero, dispersing the mana I'd gathered to erase the idiot.