Chapter 39 : Chapter 39

Chapter 39 - The Fastest Way to Develop Curse Resistance

The Five Families game.

Among them, there was one constitution that players who chose the Millesdusk faction absolutely had to develop.

“Curse resistance is essential.”

A curse is a type of magic created by a sorcerer with a strong grudge.

Of course, many elders would foam at the mouth if you called it a type of magic, but one had to admit what needed admitting.

A curse is a type of magic and is closest to the true form of magic.

And if I said this, the elders of Wisdom would foam at the mouth, but that was the reality.

That curse, being untamed magic, pure power, was intensely violent.

It was a natural result as the user's violent will was manifested without any control.

It was magic without any safety devices, and the burden on the caster was also severe.

“The moment you use a curse, you suffer the same pain from that curse. So you must build up curse resistance no matter what.”

Curses were often employed by sorcerers as their main offensive skill, aside from undead.

“Normally, you build resistance by being exposed to weak curses little by little, but it's always better to go fast.”

Thud─

He placed a considerably heavy book down in front of him.

It was a book that would make an ordinary person vomit blood just by touching it. It was Hinek's ledger.

“This body is skilled at surviving. Then I must be afflicted by the most powerful curse possible to utilize that survival ability to the fullest.”

His speaking voice trembled very slightly.

He was speaking as if it were a test subject, but the body that would be exposed to that curse was his own.

“I didn't think anything of it when I watched the character suffer. Am I being punished for that now?”

He sighed and composed his breathing at the same time.

A private room in the empty mansion.

To bring down Hinek, I needed the contents of the ledger, and to open the ledger, I had to break the curse.

“To be able to proceed with everything smoothly while also building curse resistance. I've gained tremendous luck.”

He wrapped up his tension in such a way.

Instead of the pain to come, he only thought of sweet honey.

“The curses absorbed into the body while building resistance are engraved into the flesh as they are. It means I can use Hinek's curses.”

Curses could be learned from skill books, but learning them this way was more cost-effective.

That was the case outside the monitor, but now it was accompanied by the burden of pain.

But let's just think of the honey. Let's just think of that sweetness.

“The pain I'm about to experience will become my weapon. That weapon will surely save my life.”

His heart felt a little more at ease.

Grab─

He grasped the cover of the book.

He had merely held it, but the pain of being stabbed by a knife shot through his fingers.

“...Councilor Hinek. Did you put your own nude photos in here? You're quite the coward.”

Haah.

He let out a sigh.

“If it really doesn't work, I wonder if I'll have to borrow his power.”

Muttering, he hardened his resolve.

Just as the three-sword style swordsman had thrown his body into the bubble of pain in one swift motion.

The Youngest Son's hand gripped beyond the cover.

Shwaaaak!

He opened it all at once.

He opened it completely and triggered all the curses.

[You have been afflicted by the curse 「Skull Crusher」.]

[You have been afflicted by the curse 「Full-Body Rupture」.]

[You have been afflicted by the curse 「Deadly Poison Exposure」.]

[You have been afflicted by the curse 「Hell of Sword-Mountains」.]

……

…

Thud─

The Youngest Son collapsed.

Thinking of the sweet honey, the curse resistance that would rise like crazy.

With a bitter smile left on his lips.

***

The bloodline-dedicated agent returned to the mansion as the Head Maid.

With an uncomfortable heart, she adjusted her apron and straightened her posture.

Even while doing so, the last words of the General Manager of Intelligence kept weighing on her mind.

He had said it was personal, but the moment a superior speaks, the personal disappears.

To try to make the illegitimate daughter of Wisdom the Youngest Son's concubine.

Was that something that could be achieved through effort?

No, why did she have to be the one to make the effort?

Why give a girl who seemed to know only how to hold a hammer, not a man's hand, to the Youngest Son?

Sighing faintly to herself, the bloodline-dedicated agent approached the multi-purpose porter.

“The Youngest Son is still sleeping.”

“There were no particular sounds, so I believe so. But, have you been somewhere? Don't tell me you were reporting to the General Manager…?”

“…Of course not. I'm not a dedicated agent. I was just on my way back from asking the Gatekeeper about what happened at the Black Citadel.”

“Aah! You've worked hard! That person was really scary, so I'm glad you managed it well!”

The multi-purpose porter, bright again, returned to his post.

The multi-purpose porter, who had now mastered even kitchen work, was learning how to wash dishes from the chef.

He was such a fast learner that in a month, he would be able to cook decent meals.

He seemed to be enjoying it now.

“I wonder what I'll learn today~”

He took pride in himself as he learned the household chores one by one, becoming knowledgeable about everything in the mansion.

It was a positive? change.

Probably.

Tap, tap─ Tap, tap─

The Head Maid's plain flat shoes climbed the stairs.

It was a staircase she wouldn't have to climb much longer.

She went to the top floor of the mansion, to the Youngest Son's room.

She passed through the simple, unadorned corridor, which lacked even the common paintings or potted plants, and stood before the door.

As Lubosch had said, there was no sound coming from inside.

There was truly nothing.

Not even a small breath.

“…Young Master.”

Knock, knock─

She knocked on the door.

He had sharp ears, so even if he was sleeping, a reply would come immediately.

But now, there was no answer.

She still couldn't hear any breathing.

“……”

Kwoooong─!!

She threw the door open.

She saw the Youngest Son collapsed in front of a book.

“Young Master…!”

She rushed to his side to check on him.

The curses that should have been crammed into the book had transferred to the Youngest Son.

She could tell why from the ledger that was spread wide open.

She could also tell why the Youngest Son had done it by looking at the ledger.

“Don't tell me you were trying to build curse resistance…?”

As soon as she thought of the answer, her head shook from side to side.

Dangerous.

It was too reckless.

To quickly build curse resistance, one naturally had to be afflicted by a powerful curse, but.

Even so, one does not simply accept curses that a councilor-level sorcerer has layered on top of each other all at once.

Especially without having built up any curse resistance separately.

Perhaps the Youngest Son had trusted in the innate curse resistance he was born with as a Millesdusk, but.

Curses were difficult even with that.

A power that typified the violence existing in the world.

It was too dangerous an enemy to face head-on.

“Still…”

She pressed her ear close to his heart.

It was faint, but it was beating.

He was alive.

He was half-dead, but even that was a surprising feat.

“Anyone else would have exploded as if they'd swallowed a bomb. I see the information I reported to the General Manager wasn't wrong.”

An unprecedented growth rate in Millesdusk history.

Behind that façade were various crazy acts hidden.

Today was no different.

But today, the Youngest Son had attempted two crazy acts.

“…Young Master.”

The Head Maid's eyes, checking his condition, saw his crimson eyes open to a slit.

Those crimson eyes were staring intently at her, at her arm.

“The thing I postponed… before. I must take it now.”

“Yes…?”

Two fangs sank into her pale forearm.

And yet, there was no pain.

She was momentarily surprised, but she felt no pain whatsoever.

…Her body was growing cold.

The body temperature dropping as blood was drawn out quickly turned her skin pale.

In the silent flow of time.

The fangs of the noble of blood pulled out of her forearm.

The wound, a pair of evenly spaced punctures, no longer bled, and only then did it throb slightly.

The Youngest Son's expression also eased a little.

Of course, the curses had not yet subsided.

But in a difficult situation, sweetness shines even brighter.

“You leave most of the food I usually serve you, so why have you suddenly become a glutton.”

The Head Maid spoke with faintly trembling lips.

Her head was dizzy from the sudden loss of blood.

But the Youngest Son's world must be spinning right now due to the curses.

Amidst that, the Youngest Son's red lips opened, albeit slightly.

“It was… a rather enjoyable, taste.”

The Head Maid smiled faintly.

She suppressed her swaying body and lifted him up.

She laid him on the soft blankets instead of the floor.

“Rest.”

And she was about to leave.

Though she said the words, her feet wouldn't move.

When her younger brother had a fever and his body was boiling.

At that time, she had reluctantly turned her back to carry out the family's orders.

When she returned, her only family member, belying the heat that had consumed his body, was cold to the touch.

The caregiver she had hired instead had lamented that she couldn't stop the disease.

And now, it came back to her again.

The hand of her family member, drenched in cold sweat, clutching her clothes, asking her to stay by his side just a little longer.

Rustle─

She briefly opened the blanket to let one more person in.

The spacious bedding did not become cramped or crowded with one more person.

And yet.

They stuck so close it felt as if they would fall off if they moved even slightly apart.

She wrapped her warm body around his, which was trembling faintly as it endured and overcame the curses.

She could feel his breathing and the rise and fall of his chest with each breath.

It was neither strong nor weak, but uniform without any irregularity.

It was proof that he was alive.

Only then, relieved, did she lean her tired body a little more into the bed, into him.

***

The dark dawn.

A room left alone.

A half-empty bottle of strong liquor.

This damn reality.

All the perfect ingredients for making a bad choice were gathered here.

Hinek filled his cup again and spewed curses.

“…That bastard Chapman. You used me as a footstool and I didn't hesitate to lick your damn shoes, and you ignore me like this? Die. Just all of you, die….”

Drip, drip─

The liquor he meant to pour into the cup missed slightly, soaking the innocent desk instead.

“……”

Swoosh─

Crash─!!

The bottle of liquor, worth a house, shattered against the outer wall.

But it wasn't because of a momentary surge of irritation.

It was anger stemming from the unpleasant feeling of being watched.

“I don't know who you are, but come out. Even in this state, killing one of you is no problem.”

Slither─

In a corner of the pitch-black room, an oil lamp lit up.

Thus, the being holding the oil lamp naturally appeared.

“…The Fourth Son's Butler. You've come to finish things off rather violently. Did you take the ledger just for show?”

“I will correct two things.”

The Butler placed the oil lamp on the table, sat in the guest chair, and crossed his legs.

“First, I did not come to finish things off. Second, I did not take the ledger.”

“Lying to the very end….”

“You can choose not to believe me. But if there is any truth here, it is that I am the one who has come to save your life.”

“……”

All the drunkenness vanished.

His reddened nose returned to its original state, and his blurred focus became sharp again.

“…Speak in detail.”

“Recently, you and I have been feeling a very similar emotion. Everything we do goes wrong and gets blocked, and it goes so thoroughly wrong that it aims for my neck.”

There was no answer or response.

It wasn't needed anyway.

His feelings were as clear as the palm of my hand.

The Butler continued.

“You see. Every time such things happened, the Fifth Son was always there.”

“…The Fifth Son?”

It was such an unexpected name that his reply was late.

Well, it's understandable.

The powerful figures of the East had long since lost interest in him.

But recently, he had been soaring to the point where the word 'meteoric rise' felt awkward.

Recently, he had truly soared and come to the Black Citadel.

His bloodshot eyes were perfectly at ease, even though he had come betting his own life.

I doubted if he was really the Fifth Son from my memory.

But it was true, and at that moment, I knew.

“The Fifth Son must be killed. That goes for you too.”

“Are you saying it's the Fifth Son who's after my neck, not the Fourth Son.”

“At least for now, that is the case. And if you protect your neck and crush the Fifth Son. I will secretly protect your position.”

“…!!”

It was a surprising offer, but his excited heart soon calmed down.

“Why would you. Doesn't the Fourth Son want this place.”

“The Fourth Son is more than capable of becoming the Family Head without the Citadel. He can let the First Son have this damn garbage dump.”

The councilor of that garbage dump was listening, but the Butler's words were unhesitating.

“Rather, I don't understand. It may be due to rivalry, but why does he obsess over this place, even abandoning practical gain?”

It's time to throw it away.

It was a good opportunity to do so.

And at the same time, a chance to get rid of the Fifth Son without lifting a finger.

His master's attention could be diverted to another rattle anyway.

Now was the time to remove the obstacle, not the rattle.

“The weaknesses written in the ledger. Manipulate them and pass them all on to our councilors as an anonymous tip. Reveal the weakness of the ledger first to erase it.”

Then what was the point of the manipulation?

What else. The most common thing here in the Dusk Citadel.

“Your subordinates. How many do you have.”

The Butler's face, half-lit by the oil lamp.

The corner of his mouth revealed beneath it rose to a suffocating degree.

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