Chapter 292: We Found a Treasure? (2/2)

Dispel. [Remilie]

What greeted me as soon as I got out was Remilie-sans magic. Light born from magic permeated my body and gave rise to a strange feeling. It was exhilarating, as though Id been freed from something. My head started working better too. Or rather, I think its been sluggish until now.

Was I cursed? [Ryouma]

From how she used Dispel, and from how Im feeling so refreshed, I must have been cursed.

From time to time, accidents of that sort can occur in places where you can get dark magic stones. The dark element tends to focus on mental attacks or indirect attacks, so that might be why the mana contained within the stones can influence people. I havent mined my own stones in awhile, so Id completely forgotten. [Remilie]

I was careless too. Thank you for saving me. If it had just been me, it would have probably been too late before I noticed that I was cursed. [Ryouma]

Theres no need to thank me. Were working together, after all. Later, Ill teach you how to deal with curses too, but for now, rest. Ill get rid of the curse on that magic stone too. [Remilie]

As she said that, she rubbed my head and chanted, Anti-Curse, then she entered the hole.

Have some water. [Sebasu]

Thank you. [Ryouma]

Sebasu-san handed me a cup of water and a towel, and I wiped my sweat and drank some water. Light spilled out from the hole, and some dozen seconds later, Remilie-san came back.

Remilie, how was it? [Reinbach]

Reinbach-sama, who had stayed alert of our surroundings this whole time, asked that, and Remilie-san made a troubled face.

Im not sure how to put it, but anyway, that thing is really amazing. Its a magic jewel. [Remilie]

If I recall correctly, the ruby in the necklace Elia entrusted with me is also a magic jewel. Its supposed to be super luxurious.

While I was thinking that, Remilie-san spoke.

I know youre tired, but can you get that magic jewel? [Remilie]

So I went back into the hole, but she made sure to cast some anti-curse on me before I went.

Now that I look at it again, that thing I thought was a bunch of magic stones was actually a large cl.u.s.ter of black quartz. Ive once seen a crystal cl.u.s.ter at the waiting room of a business partner in my past life, but nothing this big. Theres no reason I couldnt have realized that, though. As expected, the curse had affected my judgment.

Still, it sure is pretty. I wonder if it would be fas.h.i.+onable to display something like this in my house. Yeah, I think I might want this thing. Despite no longer feeling that chill from earlier, I cant find it in myself to want to touch it.

So I used Create Block and covered the whole cl.u.s.ter with earth magic. Since it had grown as big as the magic jewel that it enclosed, I got the earth slimes to widen the path, then I used ki to get the whole thing out.

T-This is [Sebasu]

Its impressive, but Im not sure how to handle it [Reinbach]

If not for the curse, it would definitely be on the level of a national treasure. [Schieber]

After extracting the whole thing out, everyone but Remilie-san and I were speechless. They were barely able to squeeze out their impressions. As expected, this magic jewel was an anomaly, be it in terms of rarity, quality, or size. Even these people, who have long gotten used to luxury, couldnt tell how much it would go for if sold.

As for me, the amount of money being discussed was already too much for me to wrap my head around. It sounds like a lot of trouble if we tried to sell it, so I think Ill just keep it at home.

Ryouma-chan, if you dont mind, can you entrust this magic jewel with me? [Remilie]

This thing? [Ryouma]

When Remilie-san said that out of nowhere, the first thing that came to mind was to reject her, but then it hit me. Why was I trying to reject her? I would stand out in a bad way if I sold it anyway, and Remilie-san didnt say she wanted it for free Im not so attached to it that Id reject her request without even hearing her out, but It seems I might have wanted it a lot more than I thought. Well, its a fairly valuable object, so I guess it cant be helped.

Dispel. [Remilie]

When the contradicting emotions within me reflected on my face, Remilie-san used Dispel on me again, and my head cleared again The adults made a glum face.

I guess the curse wasnt undone, after all. {Remilie]

Its not that I was afflicted with a curse again when I extracted this thing but that you couldnt lift the curse? [Ryouma]

You were already under the protection of my Anti-Curse, and the response I got when I used Dispel on the magic jewel was strange. Its hard to put into words, but It felt less like I was able to dispel it and more like the curse allowed itself to be dispelled I thought I managed to dispel it, but I couldnt actually be sure. It feels bad, honestly.

By the way, its also common for the person afflicted with the curse to show an obsession with the cursed object. [Remilie]

So her question earlier was her way of probing me.

Its understandable to want that magic jewel, so I was originally planning on making my decision only after asking a few more questions, but you seem to have noticed that you were acting weird yourself, so it was easy to see that you were still cursed. [Remilie]

In that case, I suppose well have to get a shaman, or an exorcist, or perhaps someone high up in the church to examine him then. [Schieber]

Yes. Unfortunately, this is about as much as I can do. Dispel and Anti-Curse are all I can use when it comes to curses, after all. The former is as the name suggests meant for dispelling, while the latter is meant for defending. Fortunately, the curse thats affecting you doesnt appear to be the type that immediately causes the deterioration of your health, but Are you feeling strange anywhere, Ryouma-chan? [Remilie]

I pondered on it, but after her explanation about the curses obsessive effect, my interest in the magic jewel has mostly dissipated. I was confused earlier, but thanks to her Dispel, thats been done away with. As of now, I dont think theres anything else strange about me. Am I really still afflicted with the curse? Im normal enough to wonder that.

In that case, theres no reason to panic. Curses are less effective when the target has more mana. For the meantime, lets get out of here. [Remilie]

Yes. Even if we tried, we wouldnt be able to come up with anything if we racked our heads somewhere as gloomy as this place. [Schieber]

Lets go back then Though I must say Walking all the way back those stairs would be a pain. [Reinbach]

Lets go back with my dimension magic then. The undead have already been dealt with anyway, so it should be safe by now. [Sebasu]

Like that, we left the tower, and our quest to search for the herb of Everlasting Darkness at the Town of Departed Spirits came to an end. Though there was an unexpected hiccup at the end, I was without any obvious symptoms, so in the end, Id say that the trip was both successful and fruitful.