Olivier returned to the mansion to write a letter to Duke Alway.
Left behind were Jared and Pfeil, both silent.
Jared had nodded to Olivier’s request. This meant entrusting Olivier and the others to Pfeil.
He still didn’t know if that choice was the right one, and anxiety swirled within him.
“Jared Murphy.”
“What? I don’t want to talk right now.”
“I have something important to discuss.”
“What is it?”
If possible, he wanted to avoid talking to Pfeil, but seeing his serious expression, he couldn’t help but respond.
“I’ve thoroughly investigated you.”
“I know.”
“That’s why I’m telling you. — Place a curse on me.”
“…You know that much? Does Waalthe know everything about me?”
“Only I know. I won’t speak of it. But that’s beside the point for now. I prepared poison to gain your trust, but I now regret that I tried to gain trust with poison of my own devising. That’s why I want to be cursed.”
“You’ll die?”
“I understand that.”
Jared was taken aback by Pfeil’s certainty, as if he had already made up his mind.
He himself knew he was acting strangely, but Pfeil was even stranger.
There was no need to risk his life to aid someone he had fought to kill. But Pfeil seemed different. He chose an unusual method: a curse.
Jared was a magician of the Earth attribute, a composite of Earth, Fire, and Water attributes. However, his master was skilled in curse techniques, so he had received some instruction.
He lacked talent and could only use a very limited number of curse techniques, but he could kill an opponent with a curse.
“If I cast a curse on you, there will be restrictions. Especially time. I don’t know how much resistance you have to curse techniques, but my curse can only be lifted by me. If I’m killed by Rosa, you’ll be dragged down with me, you know?”
“I don’t care. Do it.”
“Being loyal to a fault can become abnormal.”
Jared sighed heavily as if resigned, and Pfeil gave a wry smile.
“I don’t want to hear that from you, who is risking your life to protect a mother and child you just met.”
“It’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.”
“It seems so.”
They both burst out laughing.
They continued to laugh, each thinking the other was strangely amusing, yet finding a kindred spirit in them.
“Won’t this be a betrayal of Waalthe?”
“As long as we don’t leave this mansion, Rosa won’t know. Even if Waalthe attacks this mansion, if I kill them all, there will be no problem. I am just Pfeil now.”
“Then let’s begin. I’m about to cast a curse on you. In about two hours, your magic power and stamina will dwindle, and you will die. However, your resistance to curse techniques and your magic power will alter the time. It won’t be severe at first, but it will become painful when it gets down to thirty minutes?”
After confirming that Pfeil nodded, Jared had him unbutton his shirt.
He cut his palm with a knife, scooped up the flowing blood with his finger, and began drawing a curse mark on Pfeil’s skin with his finger and blood.
Blood contains magic power. Just as blood circulates through the body, magic power circulates. Blood is used in various ways as a medium for magic power.
It is essential for everything, from sacred rituals to evil ones.
When the curse mark was complete and the incantation recited, the blood-drawn mark became a bruise. Though it should have been painful, Pfeil remained unfazed. He should have been writhing in agony.
As he had imagined, Pfeil had resistance not only to magic but also to curse techniques. He set the curse to activate in about two hours, but it would likely take longer.
If Jared willed it, he could have killed Pfeil at that very moment.
It was merely a precaution, but he wanted to reduce any lingering anxieties by being thorough.
“It’s finished. Your life now has about two hours left. However, if you mention to Olivier that I can use curse techniques, I will kill you.”
“Understood. I will not speak of it. But it’s strange. Those who can use curse techniques should be rarer than Earth attribute users. Why hide it?”
“Would I boast about cursing people? Besides, I’m a failure who can’t even cast curses on a target without directly drawing a curse mark like this. It’s presumptuous to call myself a Jutsushi.”
In the first place, Jared had no intention of using curse techniques.
He only used it because he knew Pfeil could use curse techniques, but curses carry significant risks. The curse mark of death he cast on Pfeil this time would recoil on Jared if it failed.
Unlike magic, curse techniques are performed using a medium, but the price is greater and more dangerous than magic.
“In any case, don’t forget that your life is in my hands. You must protect Olivier, Hannelore, and Trane. If you betray them, I will kill you. If you fail to protect them, I will kill you. Understood?”
“I understand. I will keep my promise. So, you promise me too—that you will definitely defeat Rosa Roen.”
“Of course. I will return alive with Yeny.”
He had once considered whether he should offer his life. But if Jared died, Olivier and the others would be in danger. However, if he prioritized Olivier and the others, he didn’t know what would become of Yeny.
He wanted to find a way that didn’t sacrifice anyone, not knowing what the right decision was, but he couldn’t find it.
If Pfeil hadn’t appeared, Jared’s death would have been certain, regardless of the outcome.
But he had gained a chance to fight.
He was hesitant to entrust his precious people to Pfeil. However, he wanted to believe in Pfeil, whom Olivier trusted.
“Pfeil, protect my loved ones for me.”
Jared extended his hand as if pleading.
“Leave it to me. I will protect the people Jared Murphy wants to protect, even with my life.”
Pfeil took Jared’s hand and clasped it.
It was the moment the two, who had once tried to kill each other, joined forces.
