Chapter 147: The “Curse” of Petrification
Looking only with my eyes at the edge of the room, there were the figures of maids and butlers quietly standing.
I do not think they will attack without Setenia’s order, but I memorize their positions for caution.
It is also necessary for the lifting...
I directed my eyes to Roll who is following at the very back and conveyed with only my eyes to be cautious.
Roll noticed my gaze and quietly nodded.
Setenia crossed her arms, swayed her breasts, and directed her face to me with a challenging smile while speaking.
"Now, teach how to activate the magic tool. The effect will be known immediately, right?"
"There is no how to use or anything... Magic tools basically should activate just by flowing magic power, right?"
At the state of Setenia who is still testing me even after coming here I end up smiling wryly already.
At my reply Setenia while looking suspicious handed the magic tool I had given to Myu.
Myu looked at the magic tool handed from Setenia, looked at me with a serious expression, put out an atmosphere as if doubting, and spoke.
"The range of the effect?"
"The entire body of the person it was used on. ...Won’t you lift it quickly? Looking at a woman suffering is... hard."
"...Yes."
Myu made a surprised expression at my words, but immediately made a serious expression and headed to Timil’s bed with a small run.
Setenia glanced at me from the corner of her eye then shifted her gaze to Myu’s state.
No matter how much a challenging expression she makes, from the atmosphere one can understand how much Setenia is worrying about Timil.
Probably until now as well she has brought magic tools said to be able to lift or persons possessing skills and failed.
I do not know by what circumstances Timil had the petrification curse placed.
What I knew was only that the petrification curse is placed and that Setenia is running about to lift the curse.
In the figure painting in another country Timil’s one arm was made gray; players looking at that said it was the painter’s lack of skill or expression.
But a part of the examination team began saying it is the petrification curse, and I had read that examination.
Would a person who has built wealth like Setenia display such a failed painting? the examination team began saying.
Not that it is failed, but because it is actually such an appearance, she is displaying it as is?
Then if saying the body changes to gray it is only petrification, and if saying it petrifies slowly it is only a curse by magic.
Petrification by skill has a considerably fast progression speed; it is fast enough that petrification completes while fighting.
Compared to that regarding magic curses the progression speed changes by the user’s skill; the person who placed the petrification curse on Timil was probably bad at skill.
And places or depictions of Setenia saying she wants to lift the petrification curse cannot be seen in the story or free play.
Only from NPC conversations and rumors that she is buying up magic tools the examination team judged.
Because the credibility was thin it immediately switched to another topic, but I thought this examination interesting and remembered it.
As expected the examination team cannot be made light of; it was good I remembered.
Also in the case of petrification by magic there is a handicap even on the user; this is the reason many do not use it.
The place where even though magic it is called the "curse" of petrification; this is the greatest reason.
While looking at Myu who is trying to activate the magic tool on Timil’s chest I tightened my nerves, surveyed Fia, Elysia, and Setenia, and spoke.
"Setenia and Elysia, when the magic tool activates go immediately to Myu’s side. Fia, protect Setenia and the others."
"You, what are you saying?"
"Raide... yes, understood."
"Haa... that means you intended from the beginning to have Setenia follow, right?"
Setenia looked at my words suspiciously; Elysia smiled and nodded.
Fia looked up at me with jito eyes; I returned a wry smile to Fia.
Looking from the corner of my eye at Fia who let out a small sigh and is raising magic power, the light of Myu activating the magic tool could be seen.
"Daaaaaaaahhhhh!! My legggg!?"
"Go! Run!"
"Truly it’s never boring being with Raide."
Setenia making an expression of not understanding the meaning; Elysia pushed her back and headed to the bed with a small run; Fia while looking from the corner of her eye at the place where a man’s scream rose walked toward the bed.
I immediately directed my body to the place where the voice rose and took a combat stance, but an aged butler was collapsed holding one leg with both hands.
The maids and butlers who were around the collapsed butler changed their expressions and headed straight to the bed, trying to protect Setenia and the others.
But some of the butlers were staring at the collapsed butler with surprised faces; I also directed awareness to those guys to be cautious.
I did not know that there is pain in petrification, but because he is suffering it is probably painful.
While being cautious I raised my voice toward Fia.
"Fia! Think those who are not around the bed now as enemies!"
"Understood!"
"...Leave it to me."
When I thought my shoulder and cheek were stroked once, those who were looking at the collapsed butler successively peeled their white eyes and collapsed.
Sharle is probably making them faint, but from my perspective it only looks like they are collapsing on their own.
Whether Fia can see Sharle’s figure or is chasing something with her eyes, she had stopped the hand that was about to shoot magic.
Without taking time those other than the suffering man were made to faint; without releasing caution I approached the suffering man.
"You! Youuu!"
"Shut up... Sharle."
"It was going smoothly... uh!?"
When I called Sharle’s name small, as if answering she dropped the consciousness of the suffering man.
Surveying the room and confirming there is no other danger, there I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The suffering man perhaps because the progression speed of the petrification is fast; the visible hand had changed to gray, and the neck was also beginning to change to gray.
Because of this curse rebound petrification magic is not used much.
If failed nothing happens, but if lifted the curse rebound is done.
I do not know if there is a type among monsters that can lift, but in the game I have seen players who had it done in PvP.
The demand was few; since that incident those who use it further drastically decreased.
When I directed my eyes to Setenia and the others, Setenia was peering this way from behind Elysia.
Fia laughed at me as if fed up, waved one hand with hirahira; Elysia was breathing a large breath as if relieved.
Conveying to Roll who approached to bind the butler, I walked to Setenia and the others who are being protected by the maids.
Isn’t it better to thoroughly investigate the maids and butlers once?
Even just now five are collapsed, and there might be traitors in Setenia’s mansions in other countries as well.
Setenia told the servants to confirm the surrounding state, looked at my face, and spoke a little angrily.
"I heard from Elysia, but did you understand it would become like this?"
"...Somehow."
"That means you intended from the beginning to have her follow?"
"If it is resolved that is fine. Besides I put in the conditions not to try to keep as pets, right?"
"Foreseeing this?"
Instead of a reply I smiled enjoyably; Setenia looked at my face and quietly laughed as if fed up.
Because Elysia looked at my face and made a little worried expression, when I gently stroked her cheek with one hand she smiled as if relieved.
Directing my eyes to the bed it seems the lifting succeeded; Timil’s expression was peaceful.
Myu is affectionately stroking such Timil’s head.
Good; just being able to see that expression makes the effort worthwhile.
Fia slapped my side with a peshi, let out a sigh as if fed up, looked up at me with jito eyes, and spoke.
"Lecture."
"...Please go easy."
"No."
Fia grinned and slapped my side further.
But if I explained first Setenia would have been cautious, and considering it also showed on the face I think there was no choice but to do this.
Because they understand that Elysia and Fia are not that angry.
It was good I talked about petrification inside the carriage.
If I had not, by now I would be truly angry.