Possell readily accepted my story that I had received Ruel’s Mace by chance after undergoing his trial.

 

I thought it was too big of a deal to be treated as a coincidence, but Possell didn’t say anything.

 

He simply nodded with an expression on his face as if he had realized something, saying  “I didn’t think that statue was there for nothing, but it was waiting for its owner.”

 

It seemed like he was making a serious misconception, but I didn’t bother to correct him.

 

It would be better to be misunderstood than to make excuses and raise questions.

 

It was fortunate that I met Possell in good health.

 

How would he have reacted if I had met Possell in that miserable state at the end of the trial?

 

I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think he would have been gentle.

 

Nothing much happened after that.

 

I spent my days training with the knights and entering the dungeon as I had planned on the first day, repeating the process.

 

It was really hard, but I thought I could endure it, perhaps because I had been through a near-death experience.

 

After a day or two, when the last day of the Knights’ training came, I was able to reach level 10.

 

It was definitely a good thing that I went through all that trouble to obtain Ruel’s Mace.

 

If I hadn’t obtained Ruel’s Mace, I would still be at level 7 or 8.

 

However, other than the level-up effect, it was difficult to feel any other effects.

 

Additional effects such as faster increase in Mace proficiency or skill corrections.

 

It’s understandable since I can’t see the status window, but isn’t it strange that I can’t feel it at all?

 

Did something change when this became reality?

 

Well, even if those additional effects disappeared, it wouldn’t have been a big problem.

 

I could just fill it with something else.

 

As long as the amount of experience gained increased, that would be enough.

 

After completing the last dungeon and going outside, Possell told me to take a break, saying that I had worked hard.

 

It was definitely not something Possell would say.

 

This guy.

 

Isn’t he something else in the shape of Possell?

 

Honestly!

 

Where did you hide our Possell?!

 

When I asked him questioningly, Possell waved his hand in embarrassment.

 

“Young lady, I’m just trying to give you a rest.”

 

‘Don’t talk nonsense! You wouldn’t tell me to rest!’

 

“Idiot Possell, do I look like a fool who believes what you say? Why are you talking nonsense to me?”

 

What’s the truth?

 

I haven’t spent much time with you, but I know you.

 

You’re a person who can’t be satisfied unless you push people to their limits!

 

You’d better tell me what your intentions are.

 

And most of all!

 

I don’t want to go to Evans!

 

If I go to the village, the people of Evans will tremble at me, and I don’t want to see that kind of sight.

 

“I’m giving orders right now, answer me honestly.”

 

“I’m telling you the truth, young lady?!”

 

This guy.

 

How shameless.

 

How dare you lie to me, the Young Lady!

 

Do you dare tell the truth only after I twist your true feelings?!

 

But would the shapeshifter scream if I attacked him?

 

“Miss, the captain just wants to give us a comfortable rest.”

 

“That’s right, on the last day, everyone usually rests. You never know what might happen on the way back.”

 

“Wouldn’t it be better for you to take a shower and sleep in bed?”

 

The knights, who couldn’t stand to see me continue to question Possell, came to me and pleaded that Possell’s words were true.

 

Hey, you brats.

 

I’m doing this to save you.

 

Don’t you understand the deeper meaning of this training maniac’s actions?

 

I’m not doing this to make things worse before we leave?!

 

At first, I thought this and ignored the knights’ opinions, but after hearing them all say the same thing, my thoughts changed.

 

If they’re all saying this, do they really want to rest?

 

Are they booting me to Evans because it’s hard to rest comfortably when I’m here?

 

Am I being tactless and acting like a brat right now?

 

“Young lady, you should rest in the village.”

 

This suspicion became certain the moment Karl spoke to me.

 

Sorry.

 

It seems I was stubborn about not wanting to go to Evans.

 

This time, I will sacrifice myself for your comfort, so you can rest comfortably.

 

If you get caught talking behind my back because I am not there, I will crush you, so please be careful.

 

Leaving the camp behind, I returned to the village with Karl and the maid, and sighed again as I looked at the terrified people.

 

Every time I see this, I become more and more afraid of the day I enter the academy.

 

I can’t get a game over, so I will go in, but I wonder how much I will be criticized there.

 

If I experience something like the illusion I saw in the trial of patience, I will really cry.

 

If I see this scenery any longer, my heart will only get heavier, so let’s quickly go to the room.

 

I haven’t been able to sleep properly because I have been training under Possell, so let’s spend today lying in bed.

 

I will be a lazy young lady for the first time in a long time.

 

Rather than running around unnecessarily and terrorizing the village, wouldn’t it be better for both of us to rest in our rooms?

 

“Young Lady Lucy!”

 

While I was thinking about that, someone came running towards me, calling my name.

 

The woman’s face looked like something I’d seen somewhere.

 

Where had I seen her?

 

The woman didn’t reach me though.

 

Before she could, Karl drew his sword and aimed it at the woman.

 

Normally, I would have stopped in front of the fierce blade, but the woman was different.

 

She moved towards the sword as if telling me to stab her.

 

The moment I saw the woman’s face full of determination, I realized that the woman wasn’t crazy.

 

Her trembling eyes and flowing tears told me that she was afraid.

 

The woman knew well about my notoriety.

 

She knew that the sword in front of her could cut her.

 

Despite that, she was trying to approach me.

 

At this point, I became curious.

 

Why would that person risk her life?

 

Karl opened his mouth and put strength into his hand after seeing the woman’s provocative behaviour.

 

I knew that if this continued, blood would flow, so I stepped in front of Karl and blocked him.

 

“Miss.”

 

‘Karl, I’ll take care of it.’

 

“Sloppy, don’t do something you weren’t told to do.”

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

As soon as the sword was put away, the woman who approached me knelt on the floor and began to praise how merciful and kind I was.

 

However, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

 

I interrupted her and asked her a question.

 

‘What business do you have with me?’

 

“Shitty commoner, do you have something to say to me?”

 

“I know this is a bit embarrassing, but…”

 

“Get to the point. Do you think I have a lot of time on my hands? Just say what you want to say.”

 

“I’m sorry! My child is sick and no one here can help him.”

 

The woman wasn’t talking to me for her own selfish desires.

 

The only reason she came to me, risking her own life, was because of her child.

 

Her son was said to have been weak since birth.

 

He often suffered from various minor illnesses and couldn’t even imagine running around outside like other children.

 

However, he was able to live without any problems.

 

He was just a little weaker than others.

 

Then, the woman said, her son’s health had deteriorated rapidly recently.

 

She said that from one day on, he couldn’t even walk properly.

 

She said that he couldn’t eat or drink anything.

 

She said that for the past two days, he hasn’t even been able to open his eyes.

 

“If we continue like this, my son will definitely die! Young Lady! Please save my son!”

 

The woman who shouted while banging her forehead on the ground was close to the image of a mother I imagined Lucy had.

 

Maybe that’s why.

 

I wanted to help her.

 

After all, I had a way to help her.

 

Ruel’s Mace wasn’t the only thing I had obtained when I cleared Ruel’s Trial last time.

 

Along with it, I had acquired a skill called Armadi’s Mercy.

 

The effects of this skill are simple.

 

It removes abnormal status effects and restores stamina.

 

It’s a skill that allows me to perform functions that I normally had to rely on a healer for.

 

It was a skill that I used usefully in the game.

 

I used it a few times while going through dungeons with Possell, and the effect wasn’t that bad.

 

Maybe it was because my skill level was lacking.

 

Or maybe it was because I didn’t have enough mana, but I couldn’t use it often.

 

At most, I could use it twice a day.

 

Right now, I’m on my way back from a dungeon after using it once, so I still have one more use left.

 

So, I can heal the boy.

 

But that’s assuming that Armadi’s mercy works.

 

‘Please guide me.’

 

“Sloppy commoner, guide me.”

 

When I said that, the woman repeatedly banged her head on the ground and thanked me.

 

Ugh.

 

This is really burdensome.

 

What if Armadi’s mercy doesn’t work?

 

The place I headed to with the woman was a house made of old wooden planks.

 

The house was rotting here and there as if it had been eaten by bugs, and it wouldn’t be strange if it collapses at any moment.

 

Is a sickly little kid living in a place like this that can’t even properly block the cold winter wind?

 

“I’m sorry for bringing you to such a shabby place.”

 

The woman bowed her head as if it was a sin to bring me to this place.

 

I didn’t say anything to her.

 

I thought that whatever I said would be translated into Mesugaki’s language and sound strange.

 

Instead, I opened the door and went inside.

 

A child was lying on something thinner than a blanket.

 

The little boy was breathing hard, just like Lucy’s mother in my dream a while ago.

 

Even though I knew nothing about medicine, I knew the moment I saw the boy.

 

If I left him alone, he would die soon.

 

“Miss, will my child be okay?”

 

‘Of course.’

 

“Do you think I can’t save a little brat like this?”

 

I approached the boy confidently.

 

The method of using Armadi’s mercy was simple.

 

All you had to do was place your hand on him and pray.

 

If you asked the Creator God or whatever for healing, the god would burn my mana and create a miracle.

 

The boy’s expression became much more relaxed as the skill was used.

 

His face had regained colour and his breathing had become easier, so it seemed like his symptoms had improved.

 

Judging from the cheers coming from behind him, it seemed like everyone else was seeing it in the same way.

 

However, I knew it.

 

This was only because his physical strength had recovered and he seemed to have gotten better.

 

In reality, the illness that was plaguing him had not gotten better.

 

How did I know?

 

Because a message window appeared in front of me.

 

[Failed to cure the curse due to insufficient proficiency.]

 

It was the first time I had seen a message other than the one for the academy quest, but I was not happy at all.

 

It was telling me that I had failed.

 

I had seen this message in the game.

 

It was a message that appeared when the opponent who had applied a status effect was higher than my proficiency in the skill.

 

To put it simply, I can currently cure the venom of a poisonous snake, but I cannot cure the venom of a mythical beast, the basilisk, because I lack proficiency.

 

It is the same now.

 

If this curse had been placed by a mediocre guy, I could have done it.

 

However, the curser’s status is high, so it cannot be cured.

 

It is not normal for a poor boy born in such a small village to have a curse that cannot be cured by Armadi’s mercy.

 

I’ve seen one or two cursed people that are similar while playing Soul Academy.

 

This kind of curse is not common.

 

That’s for sure.

 

This is the activation trigger of one of the hidden quests that I know of.

 

One of the long side quests that exist in Soul Academy.

 

If nothing else, this quest is incredibly good for reputation.

 

The Curse of Agra.