Master and Slaves

Curse... Have I been cursed?

"Is there any way to lift the curse?"

"Yes. Someone who can use curse-type magic or holy magic should be able to lift it. It depends on the strength, of course. Also, if you do something that acts as a key or enter that state, it might be possible to lift it."

"I see. So that’s why Helene and Tiria are calm—because they know a way to lift the curse."

"...Why are you so calm, Hiroyuki-sama? You’re the one directly affected."

"Hm, I wonder why myself."

Because I have no real feeling for it?

"Tiria has been crying ever since you collapsed, Hiroyuki-sama. She hugged you tightly, called out, and tried to soothe you, and it took a lot of effort."

"I see. Not calm at all, just finally calming down. Sorry for worrying you."

I raised my right arm and gently stroked Tiria’s right cheek again.

Tiria placed her own right hand over mine.

"No, as long as my Master is safe, that’s enough...."

She nuzzled against my hand as if to confirm my presence.

"Thank you, Helene."

"I’m fine. More importantly, what should we do from here?"

"Well, let’s head back to the village for now."

I tried to stand up to prepare myself, putting my left elbow on the ground.

As expected, my body felt heavy.

It had been too light before, so it was like returning to normal....

"Will Hiroyuki-sama be returning too?"

"Yeah, I can’t stay here forever."

"No! Please wait here, Master!"

Tiria held down my shoulder.

"If we leave, you might get hurt again!?"

"That’s right. So, let’s try it. Slowly, so I can return to the ruins right away."

When I stood up, the tunic I had been lying under slid down.

"This...."

"Because Hiroyuki-sama complained of pain, I had Tiria check your body."

"I see. Thanks."

After listening to Helene’s explanation, I thanked her and patted Tiria’s head.

She usually squirmed when tickled, but now she was looking at me worriedly.

"It’s fine."

I told Tiria that and stood up.

My body was heavy, but I could at least stand and walk.

There was no pain.

I dressed in the tunic and walked to the entrance of the ruins.

Just in case, I didn’t bring any weapons.

I wanted to stay as light as possible.

"Alright, then let’s try."

I took one step out from the ruins entrance.

Nothing happened.

No pain.

I took another step forward.

It seemed fine.

I walked out without issue.

"Master!"

"Hiroyuki-sama!"

Tiria and Helene came running toward me from behind.

Tiria clung tightly to my waist from behind.

"No!"

"It’s fine. See?"

I turned to Tiria, spread both arms wide, and showed that there was no pain.

"Master! Please don’t do anything reckless!"

"Ah, sorry."

I felt guilty at Tiria’s tearful words and apologized to her.

"Haa. Please be aware that you’re cursed, Hiroyuki-sama."

"Yeah, I guess so. But I don’t feel that way at all..... For now, let’s go back to the ruins."

Helene had also warned me, but how could I even realize it?

What should I do if I noticed?

I probably shouldn’t move around too much?

...Like catching a cold?

Then....

"Say, Helene."

"What is it?"

"Curses... can’t be passed to others, right?"

"Eh?"

Helene turned her tense face toward me and stepped back.

"...No... right?"

"Ahaha... ahahaha."

"Even if it’s a curse that spreads, I will stay by my Master’s side!"

Helene reversed her voice and laughed, while Tiria hugged my right arm with an expression full of determination.

But before Helene could finish laughing, I saw the corners of her mouth lift.

Haa.

I freed my right arm, pulled Tiria closer by the shoulder, and gave Helene a look of exasperation.

"So, what do you think?"

"There are curses that cause that kind of effect, but this time it’s probably different."

Helene answered my question casually.

"Why do you think so?"

"If this curse was meant to spread, then we should also be cursed."

"I see... Then why only me?"

"I don’t know. After all, Hiroyuki-sama is special just by existing."

"Well, that’s true."

Helene and I returned to the ruins while talking.

Tiria had kept her hand on my waist the whole time, supporting me... or rather, clinging to me.

"Now then, let’s prepare."

"Prepare? Only Hiroyuki-sama does."

Helene said that and brought me my weapon.

When I looked, Helene was fully prepared to leave at any moment with her luggage on her back. Tiria... well, was dressed as usual.

"Thank you."

I held Shiranui the same way I always did.

"?"

"What’s wrong, Hiroyuki-sama?"

"Nothing."

It felt heavy again.

It felt about as heavy as the Japanese sword I carried from my original world, or even heavier.

Then this one....

"Can you take the Destroyer?"

I tried to grasp the handle and lift it... asking Helene to do so.

"Okay... but maybe..."

"Ah, I can’t hold it."

It was too heavy to hold.

"!!... I understand."

Helene was startled for a moment, but she immediately accepted.

"Then, let’s go home."

We left the ruins and returned to Rade Village.

......

"What should we do now?"

"Let’s head to the city of Lübeck first. For lifting Hiroyuki-sama’s curse as well."

Helene said that, and Tiria nodded vigorously.

"We’re almost at the village. Hiroyuki-sama, are you okay?"

"Yeah, a little out of breath, but I’m fine."

With this much, it should be no problem.

With that, we returned to the village.

Straight to the house we borrowed from the village.

"Cathy!... Cathy!... Where on earth did she go?"

Helene called for Cathy, but there was no reply.

She must be inside the house.

....

"Excuse me a moment. I’ll go look outside. Hiroyuki-sama, please rest here with Tiria."

Helene placed her luggage in the corner of the room and went outside.

"Please rest in the room, Master. I’ll prepare something to drink."

Tiria tried to light a fire with a flint on the fireplace.

"I’ll do it."

『It’s warm...』

"No!"

When I tried to use the Fire Ignition magic with my right hand, Tiria pinned my right hand down with her body.

"W-wait, what’s wrong?"

"I can’t use magic! I don’t know how the curse might worsen!"

Ah, that makes sense.

"Um, sorry."

"No need to apologize. It was for me. Then, leave this to Tiria, and I’ll go back to the room."

"Yes!"

Tiria clenched both fists in front of her chest and answered cheerfully.

I returned to my room and lay on the bed.

The moment I did, drowsiness hit me.

Because I had walked through the unfamiliar forest?

Or because so many things had happened?

Without hesitation, I fell asleep.

......

I woke up.

The window was bright outside.

It was still too early to call it evening.

That meant I hadn’t really slept much.

I didn’t know why I woke up, but there had been a big noise, so probably that was the reason.

Was something happening?

"Tiria!... Tiria!..."

I called for Tiria from the bed, but there was no reply.

She should be inside the house.

I stood up from the bed and walked toward the door.

My body was still heavy.

Well, it didn’t interfere with walking.

I opened the room door and peeked into the living room.

There was no one there.

Where had Tiria gone?

"Tiria!... Tiria!..."

I peeked into the kitchen.

The teacup Cathy had brought had tea in it.

Steam was still rising, so Tiria hadn’t been gone long.

Was Tiria disappearing too after Cathy?

Well, she would probably come back soon.

I took the teacup and sat on a chair in the living room.

Mmm......

It was delicious, but it couldn’t compare to Helene’s or Cathy’s.

While I was thinking such selfish thoughts, I heard a knock on the door.

Who could it be?

I stood up from the chair and walked to the entrance.

When I opened the door, there stood a red-haired girl.

"Um, are you Hiroyuki-sama...?"

"Yeah, but...."

"Um, the maid who was staying here has been taken!?"

"Taken... what do you mean?"

"Orcs... the orcs took the maid...."

Orcs... the ones I defeated weren’t all of them.

Damn it!

"I understand. Guide me."

I grabbed Shiranui that was leaning against the wall and, along with the red-haired girl, entered the forest behind the village.

......

This is the path to the ruins.

Would I go to the ruins like this?

I was following the red-haired girl.

Therefore, I didn’t know where we were going.

"This way."

The girl pointed to a path like a trail in the middle of the path to the ruins.

"Understood. You go back to the village and tell the village chief and the Dule named Helene about this."

"Understood."

I parted ways with the girl and tried to enter the trail.

There, I suddenly noticed something that didn’t feel right.

What was it?

Tell Helene... talk to Helene....

Come to think of it, yesterday Helene had been talking with her.

Her name was... Milli... I think.

Tony had said she was suspicious because she was missing.

Now, for some reason, I was also thinking she seemed suspicious.

What was suspicious?

She had said she saw orcs.

Orcs... carrying Cathy....

Came all this way?

A civilian named Milli?

Without being seen by the orcs?

Following the orcs’ trail?

How....

I walked a few steps along the trail and turned around to ask Milli.

There, I saw a wooden stick coming straight toward my eyes.

Before I could react, my consciousness went black.

In that moment, I heard the girl’s voice.

"Sorry. I’m sorry...."