Kuro no Maou

Episode 492: The White Fog Curse

Hot, nagging hot summer days. By the time the orphans had finished their lunch sweating in the heat and humidity in a poorly ventilated church cafeteria, Ursula, a young Everam girl, was still eating cursorily by only one person.

A raw, warm soup that lingers on a thin, dark, coarse wooden clay. When her gripping spoon slowly moves to carry the beans into the small mouth after breathing the juice and turning into buyo buyo.

Tastes bad. That's the usual. So it was always the last time Ursula decided to finish her meal.

That's how she kept eating at the usual pace where she could finally finish her meal using all the allowed meal time to the critical point, but inadvertently, that's blocked.

"Hey, Ursula, hey, I just need to ask you something."

One girl called me.

Just a little bit better than myself when I was a year old, or something like that. If Ursula turns a blurry blue eye a beat late, there must be a girl's face there who has a reputation for being cute for her age, but for some reason it looks like it took a white one and I'm not sure what look she's wearing.

"Didn't you see my ring somewhere?

Slowly cover your neck. I haven't seen it, and I don't know, per se, that she possesses an accessory called a ring in the first place.

"Yeah, I'm in trouble. It's an important ring my mom gave me. No."

Children are allowed to possess the objects of their parents' shapes. However, as accessories and other precious metals may be used, they are basically to be strictly controlled and stored by the priests of the Church.

Therefore, it is impossible for this girl to lose her ring.

"You really don't know? Is it in your pocket, or is it?

Without even coming to mind the obvious thought that there was no wax like that, Ursula obeyed her word with promise, exploring and showing pockets of cheap, short-sleeved half trousers knitted in hemp.

Ursula's fingertips touch something hard in a pocket that should only contain yarn scum. If you take it out, Sole was, like, an unrecognizable silver ring.

"Ahhh!? Sole, my ring!!

The girl's screams echo throughout the dining room. All the sights of the children, in an instant, concentrate on Ursula's seat.

"Awful! Awful, Ursula, you're stealing my ring!!

I don't know, I tried to say it.

"You suck!"

But I couldn't tell you. Ursula's cheeks, the girl's palms stretched strong.

Bachin, and a creepy noise, but the girl began to cry in disgust, as it echoed. Instead of being slapped Ursula, for some reason, it's better to slap him, cry.

"Hey, whoa, I did it!

"What, why are you crying?!?

If you notice, the kids around you are starting to get together. Ursula sits in her seat and holds the spoon in her right hand, surrounded by as many as a dozen boys and girls.

"Listen, Ursula's not..."

There couldn't have been room to pinch your mouth. Even if it was not Ursula, who has never spoken to an orphan before to Matomo, it would not be able to block the story of a girl who complains of theft damage in tears.

"Yeah, that's true!? Hido!"

"Oi, apologize, bandit!

The children's opinions lean unanimously towards the girl's advocacy and Ursula's strangulation.

I can't help it. Often, children in special circumstances who live together as orphans have a rule just for them.

For example, ticking. Children will never tolerate any trivial, casual ticking of a guardian priest or sister as a serious betrayal.

However, theft of personal effects is recognized as a more unforgivable felony.

Even being orphans, they don't have much to say about their stuff, their own stuff. Most items are shared. Though it is a natural treatment, to try not to create discrimination in the children - but that is why the rare value of existence as personal effects increases more for orphans.

"Apologize!"

"Bandit! Apologize!!

The girl crying out that the ring was stolen and whether or not they were glue, it wouldn't matter at this point. Because the kids already have a good reason to be angry.

I will not tolerate stealing. I will not tolerate betrayal. So blaming Ursula is justice to them.

"Ugh... ah..."

With the sentiments of burning anger and cursing, Ursula, instead of shouting her own innocence, can't even provoke words of apology according to her very words. I just puff my mouth small like a goldfish, and like my throat's stuck, I just can't speak a word.

My breath is painful.

"You bandit Yarrow!

Did the silent reaction instead oil the fire? One of the bloody boys grabbed Ursula's wavy silver hair and dragged her down from her chair.

"Ah."

The groaning of pain and shock, instead of stopping ringing, disappears in a mixture of increasingly heated rage.

A dusty, dusty forehead strikes a scattered floor and causes dull pain. Then from head to neck muscles, he also felt damp discomfort. The clap of soup seems to have been overturned and worn from his head.

I don't have any more dishes to eat, but my right hand is still holding the spoon tight.

"Ahhh... ahh..."

Looking up, a bunch of downpouring hate gaze. Words of malice ringing in my ears.

Surrounded, blocked, escaped, etc., no.

Scary - it was when I regained that emotion.

"Sharrap!"

I don't know what that means, but a very loud scream shook the dining room. Word, rather than a monster's roaring voice.

I couldn't help but draw the kids' attention to the amount of voices. That's the same for Ursula who fell on the floor.

From the gap between his legs lined up like a forest, he saw the Lord of his voice.

"Hey, what the fuck, Leki!

"Are you complaining, you!

Leki, the kid you called... I don't know if he's a boy or a girl. But like a hungry wolf, Ursula thought.

Bossy blonde hair is especially characterised by its pointy like a dog's ear. The bright red eyes were gleaming like bloodthirsty, giving them even more power and viciousness due to bad eyesight.

"Listen, Leki, it's terrible!

From among the children, the girl, who claimed to be the victim, took a step forward and walked out. You're getting the certainty to invite sympathy, and her semi-crying face doesn't show any grief.

"Because Ursula gave me my precious ring..."

"Fucking, bitch!

All the children on this scene heard a magnificent striking sound, like a crunch of bones. It was so vivid that it remained in the back of his ear.

Leki's rolled out right fist pierces the girl's face straight. No, her body dances through the universe. A spiral of blood erupts from his crushed nose as he circles beautifully with a circle.

Fortunately, the dishes have already been cleaned up for a long table where the kids can sit in a line of slack. The girl lands on a flat table with nothing. Gobbling and rolling with momentum, he finally fell off the table and finally stopped moving.

"Carr!

"Hey, what the heck!?

The scene becomes noisy for Leki's murder too abruptly. Women cry out like the end of the world, and boys gush up like little fighting spirit caught fire.

The opposing Leki does not show any evil appearance, but rather stares back at them with a fierce grin that seeps out of more madness.

"Camone, baby"

That's how the brawl began that just rocked everything in the church.

About ten boys compared to one Leki, who is a woman at first. Differences in battle power are historical. But for some reason, the battle is antagonistic.

"WOW, HALE!!

Leki's fist breaks his nose, smashes his front teeth, and blows after seriously damaging him in a child's fight when he is slapped in the face of the boy.

Bite, grab your hair, drag it around, and kick your groin in on the person you combine with. Leki played an awesome big stand around flying, jumping, hitting, kicking, throwing.

Successfully the number of boys decreased, just when the rest was half.

"What the hell! What are you fussing about!

"Ah, Leki!? Hey, it's you again!!

Priests and sisters working for the church appeared in the dining room. You can't make so much noise and not be noticed.

"Stop it! Come on, why don't you stop, Leki, it hurts!?

"Well, what a terrible thing... oh, God..."

To the raging Leki, a man like a corpse lying on the battlefield and a woman crying out of gold at last - Ursula, still crawling on the floor in such a chaotic place, woke up.

Her "curse" awakened her in the extreme of anxiety, fear and confusion.

"... turn it off"

It was as if it had been in a blizzard in the midwinter snow mountains. A blowing white mist snatches away his sight in an instant.

As Ursula wished, the white darkness instantly erased everything -

"... hey"

With a weak Leki voice, Ursula takes me back.

Soon, the fog was gone. And as after the storm passes, it is somewhat quiet.

What reflected Ursula's sight, which he regained again, was the sight of everyone but Leki, falling flat on the floor. The children, the priests and the sisters, are left with the exception of Leki, lying down like dead.

"Ah..."

Breathtaking. to that terrible sight. And most importantly, to myself who caused this.

Ursula has already noticed. That the mist just now is what I put out. And now, strangely, my body is lighter, and I'm feeling better enough to even remember where I'm emancipating.

"O, my, god......"

But the strangest thing on this occasion was that Leki smiled somewhat satisfied and then fell.

Successfully defeated the Goblin Legion.

Dortos, who was the biggest threat, was stopped by the two that appeared on the front and the two behind them, four combined, and after that he was able to dispose of his enemies in due course.

The back gate has been broken, but without even Dortos, only a group of less than fifty goblins remain. After I've duly reduced the numbers at the Grenade, I'll leave the spot to the vigilante and return immediately to the main entrance.

While I was away, everyone used to defend the line of defense, mainly Ryan, with silver heavy armor and goblins directly out of the front. If I go back there and put the gun on fire again, they'll be destroyed in less than five minutes.

Very invincible, said Goblin's chief quickly put together his gestures and rushed back to the woods, but the village crisis would not leave unless he finished him off. You won't want to target this village any more than you've suffered so much defeat, but there's no denying the possibility that you'll burn in revenge and feed more troops next time before you attack.

It is dangerous to go deep into the goblins that fled into the woods. That chief might have traps and ambushes in case. If you are attacked backwards in the woods with poor vision, this time there will be casualties.

So I went after him alone.

Without the vigilante's company, I can run at full speed, and I don't need to distract attention to protect anyone. Easy stuff. The opponent is dozens of goblins and a few rank 1 monsters. And only one magician.

When I caught up with them, the flying counterattack was a shot of Wind Blade (Yale Sagitta) released by the Chieftain. I didn't allow a second shot, and blew every wind defensive magic I was deploying in a howitzer shell (grenade burst).

Later it's just a remnant hunt. It is an easy task to feed the backs of escaping goblins with demon bullets. That's how they left no one behind and completed their annihilation.

"Oh, you're back, priest, that was fast."

Goblins of abandoned pawns left in the chief's retreat remained around, but they also just completed their annihilation. Ryan came home from the woods and called me first.

"Maybe you let him get away with it?

"It's all right, everyone. It's done."

"Hugh, it's a boulder. That goblin was an idiot who jumped right through the monster."

Gahaha, and Ryan banging his shoulder with a luxurious laugh. But you would have bitten me first, so I stopped screaming wildly.

"More than that, any victims in the vigilante?

"Zero. God's miracle."

Hear that, ho, ho, ho, ho. The back gate was broken, and while I was out, the number there was still attached to the front. An attack across the fence makes it no surprise that someone is lucky enough to die in battle.

It's really twisted. I'm not even willing to offer a prayer of gratitude to the white god.

"But a lot of people get hurt. Grandma's busy, too."

"You're the only doctor in the village, take care not to fall."

"Hehe, priests couldn't do nothing but holy healing magic."

Both Ryan and the vigilante know very well that I can't use healing magic. I don't hurt them in training, but I've never healed a wound with it. I proclaimed grandiously "I can't use healing magic," and a great booming flew in.

"People are bad at it."

"How about a priest who's better at killing?"

"It's okay, if you kill your enemies, God will rejoice."

Laughing sarcastically, I decide to cut this place off.

When the battle is over, I don't have a place in a slaughter-specific priest. Because there are no dead people out there, so is funeral work.

Well, I'll probably help fix broken gates and fences later...

"Then I'll leave the rest to you, Ryan. I need to talk to Leki and Ursula for a second."

"Leki's guy, he said he killed that deke's by himself. Praise him, he'll be happy to shake his tail."

"... right"

"Go, Ursula and Yuri will be worried."

Say thank you to Ryan for his rare and honest words of care, and I'll head to church early.

Well, the interception of the Goblin Corps itself ended with great success, but I didn't know we were going to have another new problem.

Ursula, I already know the monstrous power she possesses.

……

A painful silence surrounds a narrow church bedroom.

Right now, there are four people in this room: me, Sariel, Leki, and Ursula, who are at the heart of the problem. I sat in a set of chairs with a small literary desk, and the Sister threesome sat me in bed.

Ursula in the middle is just right in front of me, but she never tries to look me in the eye, nagging with a blatantly depressed dark look.

Well, all four of us already understand the circumstances gathered on this occasion. Sariel isn't the only one who's seen the example, but I explained it lightly in advance. In the coming story, I asked you to follow me well, but now, I don't think I can expect much from a robot like him who doesn't understand the finesse of people's minds.

Anyway, I guess I should cut the story out more than I called. Honestly, I can't predict how I'll roll the story myself... but, yeah, now, be.

"Let's swear to God that what we're going to talk about will be the secrets of the four of us here. Ursula, can you talk to me about your hidden abilities? Whatever horrible it was, I promise I will never do anything to hurt Ursula."

Though I did cut the tantrum, the place remained quiet with Sin. I didn't hear it, no way, but still, when I couldn't stand the silence so much that I could inadvertently say the same dialogue again, my reaction finally returned.

"Oh, that Death, Dear Chloe, Ur, hey, uhh..."

As obviously sheltering Ursula, Leki is about to say some excuse, but pathetically elusive, not even rational.

But is it because you saw such a hard working leki? Ursula looked up, as she was finally ready.

"... it's okay, Leki. I thought this might be the time."

"Ulu, come on!

Shaking his neck full, Ursula refused to stop Leki.

And as small as a twinkle, and with a trembling voice, she speaks.

"Dear Chloe, my body is... cursed"

Unexpectedly, I see my hands chilling. What's there is a gray glove that hasn't gotten any reaction back yet.

For me, "curse" is not so much an abominable being as a companion I can count on, who is the closest thing to my power.

But I guess that's not what Ursula calls a curse.

"Is that white fog a curse?

"Yes."

"Is that what you suddenly come out of, regardless of your will"

"Yeah, I don't usually answer. I can decide whether to let it out or not... but sometimes when it's dangerous, I can leave on my own."

"Then you let it out this time of your own free will. To protect Leki."

"... Yes"

I honestly praise "you're great," and stroke my head, and the point goes.

That's why Ursula jumped out of the church, which is a refuge, and went outside until she risked herself. The brilliant Ursula must have a good understanding of how dangerous and pointless it is for just a child without combat skills to go outside because he is just worried.

Still headed under Leki because Ursula has the 'power of curse' when it comes to it.

Maybe one of those crusader raids that made me kick ass to get to know the two of them in the first place, and even if I didn't get in there to help, in another ten seconds, Mashram could have been turned into a white bone corpse by Ursula.

"But I can't completely control the power of that curse on my own. Right?

"I'm sorry, I almost killed Leki."

"Oh no! Leki is a die job at all, so Ur not a bad Death!

But if I made a mistake, Leki could have really died.

That's when I witnessed Leki in the middle of a white fog. Ursula kept Leki from being attacked any further by leaving herself, but the response is correct.

However, since I was there, the results are the same, but there is only a slight difference in the process leading there. First of all, I pick up the leki right away and throw it in the church. Next, Ursula was evacuated and isolated to a nearby house at the same time.

Ursula knew it was best to do the same, so the action ended quickly and I was right back on the front.

"Right, this is how Leki was safe. That's it, now let's do it."

What is important is not to preach to Ursula about the dangers of power. The first thing you need is information.

"Ursula, tell me everything you know about your curse"

"... Yes"

Affirmative, but Ursula's expression looks terribly spicy. Really, incredibly dark facial changes from her regular, clearly understandable.

"Because of the curse, it could have been hard on your eyes. So if there's anything you really don't want to talk about, you don't have to."

"Yeah, I don't mind... being Chloe and Sister Yuri, even talking"

"Are you sure?

"Anyone who sees my curse is scared or tries to kill me. Just because Lord Chloe didn't kill me is enough to trust me."

I couldn't say anything more to Ursula, who spoke with cold eyes to kill emotions somewhere.

For her, I am a man who can kill herself at any time. Pretty much, I thought we'd gotten along. I thought you admired me a little.

He's a big idiot. Proud of my superhuman combat abilities, I would have just been a target of fear for Ursula. No matter how close she could have been on the surface, she would have been unimaginable, stressed if her curse had been found out...

"I'm sorry, but it's true that I believe in Lord Chloe and Sister Yuri."

Was I in my face enough to make me say such a follow-up? I make it, I feel sorry for myself.

But Ursula began to talk about the power of the curse, its details, which is the real issue, without showing that she cares about such things as dew anymore.

"My curse was born."

It's not like someone cursed me, or possessed me by some evil being. From the moment he became conscious, Ursula seemed to have noticed the presence of power in him.

"But my parents were delighted that this power was not a curse, it was a great thing"

Was it, for the Everarms, a perception of the power of holiness, like a blessing?

"I don't know the details. All I remember is that my parents were so adorable about me with this power. I can't remember either face, and I don't remember how I broke up with my parents anymore."

One day, he was protected as an orphan in a crucifix church when he realized it. In the first place, he said, it was only a year after he came to church that he was able to understand the very situation of being orphaned and protected.

Ursula's memory ambiguity may not be so unnatural. For example, it would be no if we were able to accurately grasp, in real time at that time, the circumstances in which a still small child was taken from there to an orphanage for unluckily losing his parents in some kind of accident.

However, if one day suddenly you can no longer see your parents and live in a different place than the house you've been living in, that anxiety is likely to become a great stress and engraved deeply in your child's mind. It's not strange to be traumatized.

However, as far as listening, Ursula doesn't seem to have that point. When I realized it, I was in church and living with the orphans naturally.

"There was a Leki in that church..."

"Leki remembers a little Death when Ur arrived."

"I see, that's where you two met"

"Yeah, I didn't even talk to Leki at first."

"Ur don't talk to anyone, Dace, who was always alone"

"So, what kickass made you get along?

"My curse made a case."

Ursula couldn't solve it with any of the orphans at the time and was alone all the time. Whether you are a child or not, such a lonely thing can be eyed in a place where humans live together. Ursula was no exception.

A fig, is.

"But mine wasn't that bad of a thing. 'Cause the surveillance eyes were tight over there, so it can't be a big deal."

Still, a fig is a fig. Ignoring in the shadows is normal. The theft of personal effects was also said to have been experienced on several occasions.

"I don't really remember what they were doing then either. 'Cause I didn't really care...... but at the time of the incident, I remember clearly"

One day, more drastic fig acts were to be added to Ursula than usual.

"Wet clothes that stole the ring, they put them on..."

That's how I heard about the case.

"Sorry, wait a minute..."

I almost cried. I mean, I might be crying a little. My eyeballs are hot.

From Ursula and Leki, a raw, warm gaze is pointed somewhere.

"I don't know what to say, Sman... sympathy may be a mystery... but hey, I seem more vulnerable to that kind of talk than I thought I would be"

What kind of girl gets jerked off in an orphanage is a common story that I've seen somewhere before. I feel like there was such a drama, and I know it must be a situation that is happening in real life Japan.

But when people hear that a girl I've already seen, a good friend of mine, was seeing something like that, the shock... I may have never felt realistic about the tragic past that orphans carry.

"Never mind, it was a long time ago."

"Ursula is strong enough to say that."

I know how hard it is to get over it because I've had a painful experience myself. Even I gave up fighting the Crusaders and seriously thought about taking Lily and Fiona away.

"Nevertheless, Leki has been Yancha for a long time"

"Nooo! Old story Dace!!

Reacting like a college student who was reminded that he was making embarrassing characters when he was in middle school, Leki covered his brightly red-stained face with both hands, falling into bed and bumping his legs.

You don't have to be so shy, I guess.

"It's cool to punch the main culprit out of nowhere."

"I'm fucked already!!

Apparently, it's strictly forbidden to talk about it when it was still rough. I'm greatly curious as to how the hell Leki, who punches men and women equally without question, has become such a bright and energetic personality as she is now, but let's just relax now.

"Sorry, let's get back to it. So, what happened after that incident? Rather than, were they all alive?

"Not one of them was dead. If the dead were out, I would have been executed."

That is by no means an outrageous expression.

According to Ursula, after the incident, the priest appealed Ursula to the church for summary execution as a 'demon-taken and possessed curse'.

Due to the magnitude of the damage caused by dozens of children and the fact that the clergy, who are adults, were also put together to faint, Ursula was to be summoned immediately to heretical interrogation.

I don't know much about heretical interrogation, but from what Fiona tells me, it's like a witch trial. In other words, at the time of being brought to trial, guilty. He says he will be cut off in the name of God.

"But Nicolai helped me."

Therefore, Mr. Nikolai, who was officially the priest of the pioneering village as my predecessor, will appear.

He said he pleaded for Ursula's life because she was just a young child. Normally, it is unacceptable, but it seems that Priest Nicolai was a fairly well-known figure in the Church, whose wishes are heard.

However, it was not simply an acquittal, but a change to heretical interrogation, on the condition that the Nikolai priest would responsibly convert Ursula, one day bound to deceive the devil and lift the curse. He'll take Ursula, maybe even call it pre-construction.

Anyway, that's how Ursula was supposed to be safely protected in the Church of the Nicolai Priest.

"So that's when you broke up with Leki?

"Yeah, Leki followed me"

"I was worried about Ur, Dace!

It's a pain in the ass.

"Ulu!!

Leki was also Leki and seemed to be a constantly quarrelling problem child, so this seemed fortunate enough to have been pushed by Priest Nicolai.

But the great thing about him is that when he heard about the incident, Leki was happy to take it from him because he was sure he would be a good friend with Ursula. And the fact that it was true proves the two of us getting along right in front of me.

"I see, so far,"

"Then again, although the power of my curse came out once in a while... it didn't matter as much as that incident, so I didn't have any particular problems. But Nicolai cautioned me very much."

"Did Priest Nicolai say anything about this power?

"Yeah, nothing in particular. It is only said that if you live the right faith and life as a Sister, one day the curse will be lifted"

If Ursula can activate herself of her own free will, the opportunity to exercise her power does not come as long as she lives in peace, even if a fundamental solution is certainly not possible.

"So you're saying that Ursula knows very little about her powers after all"

"The curse works exactly as I thought it would... but it's too powerful to contain it"

Even after defeating Dortos, the fog would have stuck around Leki because of it. Even from the side, it was clear that she was not in control of her powers.

"What else is the ability of the fog, besides the attack that turned Dortos into a bone?

"It's all the same...... I think. If you make it strong, you'll be boned, but if you're weak, you'll have to fall, somehow, but that's what it feels like."

"You mean essentially the same ability."

"And then, if you want to hide, you can disappear"

"That's... awesome. Mist is a light attribute that can be transmitted or reflected, maybe."

"I'm not sure. But thanks to this, I was the only one in the shed who couldn't find him."

I see. Speaking of which, I only saw Leki in there then. By the corner of the storeroom, were you disappearing?

"What other abilities?

"No. That's all I can use"

"Well... thank you, you've spoken well"

When I stroked Ursula's head again, she made it look a little ticklish, but she looked more heartless or happy than she had just stroked it. Did it make you feel a little easier because I told you as much about the curse as I could?

Finally, is it my fault that Leki seems to be looking at me with a slightly murky face?

"Ursula, let me ask you just one question"

"Ask me anything."

Nice face. It is a grand expression just because there is nothing more to hide.

"Have you ever heard the voice of the curse?

"Voice? I've never heard that before."

"I see, I understand very well -"

At the same time I was relieved to hear that, he made me decide to be ready for one thing.

"- Ursula, can you control the power of the curse?"

"... that... really, can you?

"If you're ready for Ursula, be sure, you can"

"So, but... is it dangerous? I just touched the fog."

"You don't have to worry. I'll be fine."

Because, and I just keep on being confident that I'm here.

"I'm confident in the treatment of curses."