42. Haeju (1)
#42
“Ronan…?”
Ronan remembered her. The top freshman in the magic department. Erzsebet de Acalusia.
She was the daughter of the Acalusia family who treated those without talent as sheep and urged them to rule as lions. Adeshan saw the distorted expressions of the two people and opened his eyes.
“uh? Did you two know each other?”
“Yeah well…for now.”
Ronan nodded his head hesitantly. Erzsebet’s face was so red that I thought she might explode. She smiled as Ade Shan grabbed her shoulder and pulled her close.
“It’s good to hear that you’re acquainted. Our Eri will guide you well. “Because he is the top freshman in the magic department.”
“Uh sis…the name Eri is a bit…”
“huh?”
“Oh no… then… shall we go?”
Erzsebet gave Adeshan a cursory greeting and then walked ahead. Ronan laughed. It looked as awkward as Asher spitting out her phlegm after smoking her cigarette.
Ronan recalled the appearance she made at her banquet on her first day of school. She knocked Braum a second-year valedictorian to the floor simply for interrupting her conversation.
The line she said with her snort still lingered strongly in Ronan’s mind.
– It’s always funny to see a flock of sheep struggling. Isn’t it?
Such a young lady was clinging to Adeshan who could be said to be the sheep of sheep and was showing off her charms. Did I catch an embarrassing weakness? She said as Adeshan looked down at Ronan worriedly.
“Nothing will happen. Have a nice trip.”
“thank you. “Later if a black goat comes looking for you with her sword in its mouth you’ll think it’s me.”
Ronan followed Erzé Bet in her footsteps. She led Ronan into the forest on the west side of the site. Although about twenty minutes had already passed she remained silent throughout her walk.
In the forest where even the path was cut off only the sound of birds could be heard. Ronan who was looking around at the increasingly gloomy landscape opened her mouth.
She said “Okay. You plan to kill me and bury me here Eri. “It’s the price you pay for seeing things you shouldn’t.”
“…That can’t be possible. And can you please stop calling me that name?”
I was finally able to speak. Ergé Bet turned her head and opened her glaring eyes to glare at Ronan. Ronan smiled and asked back.
“Then I’m glad. How did you become friends with senior Adeshan? “Last time I was worried about what was going on with the sheep.”
“You don’t need to know that…! And Ade Shan her sister is different from other sheep.”
It seemed clear that something had happened between the two. Her face had returned to its original pale color but her ears were still red as if they were on fire.
Anyway it’s different from other sheep. You didn’t know what you said right? Ronan who had been thinking about Ade Shan’s potential for a moment nodded at her.
“That’s right. But where are you really going?”
“This is Professor Secret’s office. “You are in charge of the [Curse and Magic] subject in the Magic Department.”
“Nimi is your main job a forest keeper? “What kind of guy’s office is in a place like this?”
“Because he is such a unique person. “There are only a few students who know the location of the office.”
Ronan narrowed his eyes at her. It was not for nothing that she said that although many people like magic no one likes wizards. Herzé Bet opened her mouth.
“I really heard the news.”
“What news?”
“I heard you rescued the craftsmen of Gran Cappadocia?”
Erzébet slowly slowed down her steps and eventually began walking next to Ronan. Ronan tilted her head.
“Huh? “How do you know that?”
“Hehe it would be difficult to underestimate Acalusia’s intelligence power.”
Erzsebet said triumphantly. The confidence in his voice seemed to have finally returned to its original form.
“Actually everyone who knows already knows. It wasn’t usually a big deal right? “Gran Cappadocia itself is a secret place so it didn’t become a news story.”
“Is it that much known?”
“Of course. You’ll probably be busy for a while. There is no way that the noble families and all classes would remain silent after hearing Ronan’s heroic tales. “They will probably try their best to recruit Ronan in advance.”
Erzsebet gave information that even the Imperial Knights were paying attention to Ronan. Ronan clicked her tongue in disapproval. There were already so many things to worry about but it only made her head more complicated.
‘I need to organize my work.’
After walking for about ten more minutes a small cabin caught her eye. Yellow light was coming out of the arched window. Erzsebet standing in front of the door suddenly extended her hand to Ronan.
“Hold my hand.”
“huh?”
“I can’t help it…! “If two or more people want to enter we have to do this. What should we do?”
Erzé Bet didn’t say anything but he was angry on his own. Ronan did as he was told. After shrugging her shoulders for a moment she opened her door. Ronan raised his eyebrows when he saw the inside of the cabin.
“For an office it looks very homey.”
The image of an extremely ordinary farmhouse unfolded before my eyes. A kettle boiling in the kitchen with an old dining table. An old woman was dozing off in a rocking chair in front of the fireplace.
Ronan asked pointing to the old woman.
“Is that person Professor Secret?”
“no. You have to stay still. “Did you know?”
Erzsebet approached the old woman holding Ronan’s hand. The floor creaked with every step she took but the old woman dozed off as if she were deaf. Erzsebet whispered.
“Kashipa. Runage. Delphirim.”
Then the dozing old woman opened her eyes. The old woman turned her head towards the two people and slowly opened her mouth. Ronan cursed at the sight of his upper and lower jaw expanding endlessly.
“Fuck.”
The old woman’s mouth grew large enough to swallow the two people in an instant. Inside the wrinkled mouth there was only empty darkness.
Ronan reflexively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. The bandage that was wrapped around the body of the sword was torn off due to the sudden surge of anticipation. Erzsebet pressed the back of Ronan’s hand.
“are you okay.”
Ronan reluctantly let go of his sword. Thump. The old woman swallowed the two people. For a moment I thought my vision was getting dark but then it became bright again.
“What the fuck?”
Ronan frowned at her. The old woman and the cabin suddenly disappeared and a space like the study of some noble family appeared. A young voice came from somewhere.
“Welcome. Erzsebet.”
Ronan looked around. In the middle of the fancy study room a kid was sitting and reading a book.
She was a child whose appearance was indistinguishable between female and male and she was wearing clothes much larger than her body. Hergé Bett lowered her head towards her child.
“Hello Professor Secret. “I brought the student I mentioned yesterday.”
‘professor?’
Ronan narrowed his eyes at her. A kid who looks like he’s nine years old at first glance is a professor?
The child called Professor Secrit nodded her head without even taking her eyes off the book.
“okay. It’s the girl whose face I remember. “She used Miss Butterfly Rose’s swordsmanship during the entrance ceremony right?”
“Butterfly Rose…Miss?”
Ronan felt goosebumps running up her arms. No one had ever called her that in her Phileon before except her headmaster Kratir.
She became increasingly unable to understand the current situation. Secret closed the book and stood up.
“You seem very confused so I will tell you in the order you would like to know.”
Ronan narrowed his eyes at her. Secrit opened her mouth as she looked at Ronan who looked puzzled.
“My original age was over eighty. This is my office Separaccio. A room where a curse cannot escape. And the reason why I wear clothes that don’t fit like this is because every day around sunset I return to my adult body again.”
“her.”
Ronan laughed. She was exactly what she was curious about. Secrit who toddled up to the bookshelf looked up at her and opened her mouth.
“hmm. Could you please plug this in for me? “Second space from the top.”
“Ah…yes. That’s right damn it.”
Ronan did so. It felt like her ghost was grabbing her ears and twisting them. Secret smiled as he saw the book being put back in place.
“Thank you.”
“…It’s nothing special.”
“I’m sorry for making you come to me in such a strange way. Due to the nature of Sepparachio it was inevitable. “She has to make her movements as complicated as possible to prevent the curse from getting out.”
Now that I think about it I can’t see any doors or windows. Suddenly three Krits held out their hands to shake hers. Ronan took her hand and he waved her arm up and down happily.
“I am the Secretariat in charge of the Curse and Harm subjects. “I’m glad to see in person the divinity of martial arts that I had only heard about through rumors.”
“It’s Ronan. I have a question from earlier why are you like that? “What do you like as a wife?”
Erzsebet’s expression hardened as she listened from behind. Secrit laughed as if it was fun and opened his mouth.
“Ah…it’s the curse of the Sphinx. It’s one of the five curses that hang over me as my body changes from day to night. Still this is better than the other four curses.”
“yes?”
Ronan’s face hardened as he shook hands. I wondered if I could entrust this author with my story.
The master of curses is under a curse. Isn’t it the same as a doctor treating baldness being bald? Secret laughed as if he had read Ronan’s thoughts.
“I know what you’re thinking but you can rest assured. Because they’re not doing it all on purpose. “They are interesting curses in their own way.”
“I’m not sure where I should be relieved.”
“Enough of the small talk…let’s talk about your curse. “Stand still there.”
Perfect! Secrit snapped his fingers in the air. A piece of chalk flew from a corner of the study and was placed in his hand. Over the course of several minutes Secret began drawing a geometric magic circle with Ronan at the center.
“What made you realize the curse?”
“What a monster that looked like a tumor… um was it Kurse’s child? “It melted as soon as it touched my body.”
Secret raised his eyebrows when he heard those words. It was a phenomenon that could only be found in literature.
“Huh if you were under that strong of a curse you would have noticed it as soon as you came in… I guess I’m interested too. “Oh don’t move.”
Secret who was drawing a magic circle while muttering something stood up. He rolled up his loose sleeves to his forearms and placed his hands on Ronan’s back.
“…show yourself.”
The moment Secret finished speaking translucent letters poured out of Ronan’s body.
“Aaaah!”
“Nimi what is all this?”
Ronan cursed. Hergé Bet who was taking a step back fell and hit his butt. The letters pouring out like a tidal wave spontaneously floated in the air and formed a cylinder shape.
In the end a huge cylinder made up of letters was built with Ronan at the center. Secret laughed.
“This is the first time in my life that I have seen a scene like this. “It’s a very old curse.”
“An old curse?”
“okay. “It has a history as old as fire or prostitution… This is interesting.”
Secret explained that it was the materialization of the curse residing in Ronan’s body. Ronan looked at the letters coming from his body suppressing the urge to scream.
‘There was something like this in my body?’
It was a text I had never seen before in my life. If there wasn’t a certain regularity I wouldn’t have even known it was a letter. Secret who was waving his hands in the air was muttering as if possessed by something.
“It’s almost as if Curse’s eye melts as soon as it touches it. How on earth did they come up with this design…?”
“I’m okay right?”
“Wait and see. Analysis is needed. “This is a curse that most people have never seen before.”
Secret brought paper and pen and began to scribble something. He did this for several hours before he allowed Ronan to move.
“Damn I almost fell off my leg.”
-Whoa…!
The moment Ronan took a step out of the magic circle all the letters that had decorated his study disappeared like smoke. Suddenly the itching in my eyes became worse. Erzsebet saw Ronan rubbing his eyes roughly and asked worriedly.
“are you okay? “Why are you rubbing your eyes like that?”
“So…damn.”
The tickling went away after a few minutes. Secrit said nothing and was staring intently at the paper he had been writing on. Ronan said.
“Am I going to die now?”
“…Do you remember what I said about five curses being placed on me?”
“yes? That’s how I remember.”
“Until now I thought that was the limit of the curse that humans could endure and live their daily lives. “No matter how weak a curse is if it starts to overlap it will destroy your body and mind.”
Secret turned around. He looked at Ronan with a serious expression and opened her mouth.
“But now there are ten curses on your body. All of them were powerful curses. “I don’t know how I survived until now.”
“It’s so damned… so what is this curse for?”
“Three are prohibited. I can’t figure out seven right now. Forbidden…”
Secrit paused for a moment and snapped his fingers in the air. A translucent barrier separated Erzsebet and Ronan. Erzébet with wide eyes mumbled something with his lips but his voice did not come out.
“It is silent magic. “Because it seems like a sensitive story.”
“You’re more delicate than I thought.”
“Because the matter is a matter it has no choice but to be like that. Unless my interpretation of the prohibition is wrong…you won’t be able to see mana in its natural state let alone handle it.”
Ronan’s eyes widened. It was the moment when the questions that had been bothering him until now were resolved.
‘Yeah damn it. ‘Something was strange.’
Mana sensitivity is something that even idiots who can’t even hold a sword straight know how to do. It was nice to know that it wasn’t because of hopeless talent but I also wondered whether I should consider this a blessing. Ronan asked.
“Is there a way to solve it?”
“Originally I would profess that there is no curse that cannot be lifted but I am not so sure this time. Most of them are curses whose identity is unknown. Even if it is possible it is likely that a long period of research will be needed…”
Secret said in a slightly intimidated voice. If you look at his outside appearance he was clearly a downcast child.
Damn it why can’t I come all the way here? It was the car that made Ronan smile bitterly. Secret who was staring at the paper muttered quietly.
“…Well I think I can give you at least one gold item.”
“yes?”
Ronan’s body stiffened. Instead of answering Secrit snapped his fingers again. The silent magic that was blocking Erzsebet and the two people disappeared. She said rather sharply.
“Hmph what did you two talk about without me?”
“Erzebet. “Can you lend me some of your mana?”
“yes? “My mana?”
Hergé Bett widened her eyes. The three krits nodded their heads. He picked up the chalk again and started drawing a magic circle on the floor.
“Professor Three Secrets?”
There was no hesitation in Secret’s hand movements that moved the chalk. Three magic circles were drawn much more complicated than before. Setrit said pointing to the top of the magic circles lined up.
“It’s done. Would you like to lie down with your head here Ronan?”
“Lie down?”
Ronan did so. The ceiling covered in strange letters caught my eye.
When she lay down with her head on the magic circle the middle magic circle naturally came down to her chest and the bottom magic circle came to the bottom of her feet. Secret said with his back turned.
“The method I will try from now on is the method I developed. “If you fail there is a side effect of damaging your ego but one effect is certain.”
“Are you sure that’s okay?”
“In the first place curses and curses are fraught with danger. Since you are powerful you will probably be okay. “I will create an image world of one of the prohibitions placed on you and project it into your consciousness.”
Ronan frowned at her. She couldn’t understand what was being said. Secret continued.
“You just have to cut off the curse that is binding you in that world. It probably feels like a realistic dream. “I don’t know if it was because of Curse Eye but one of the golden emperors was considerably weakened…”
“So you’re telling me to go into the dream cut off the curse and come out? “Do you know what that looks like?”
“You can feel it instinctively. It might take a long time so I guess I should start soon. Erzsebet place your hands on my head.”
“Yes yes?”
Secret urged. Erzsebet hesitated and placed her palm on his head. Then Secret placed his palm on Ronan’s forehead. Erzsebet moaned briefly as she felt her mana being sucked out.
“Kyaaaa…!”
“Please be patient. It’s a spell that consumes a lot of mana.”
Ronan could not understand this strange situation at all. Secrit opened his mouth with a serious expression.
“Then let’s begin.”
A song-like spell flowed from between his lips. It sounded like a lullaby or a dirge honoring the dead.
Suddenly Ronan’s eyes became dark. When I opened my eyes again the two people were no longer visible.
“This is….”
The ceiling filled with letters had disappeared replaced by a sky of familiar colors. Ronan slowly got up.
I could see the villages built at the bottom of the hill and the river winding along the village. A low murmur escaped Ronan’s lips.
“Nimburton?”
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