The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

A curse that consumes royalty.

His words with a somber look on his face reminded me of what Rose had told me before.

"Healing magic cannot cure a curse.

Even healing magic, which can heal injuries, illnesses, and anything that can be considered harmful to the body, cannot cure the phenomenon of curses.

"You see..."

King, it's time to go.

What kind of a curse is this that is consuming the royal family?

How does the curse affect Eva?

As if to interrupt my questioning, Mr. Fegnis, who had entered the room before I knew it, spoke to Master Lucas.

"Good God, you've always been so hard to read the air, Fegnis. ......Usato, I'm sorry, but I'm going back to my job as king."

"...... yes."

If you don't have time, I guess it can't be helped. .......

If I get another chance, I'll ask him.

"I enjoyed our discussion, even if it ended on a somber note. ---Fegnis, please send Usato on his way, because he will have a hard time getting lost here."

"Yes, sir. But you speak as if you have experience.

"...... first time, only first time."

So you've been lost before.

It's true that the inside of a castle is like a labyrinth, so it's not surprising to get lost. When I was in the Kingdom of Lingle, I lived in the dormitory of the lifeguard corps, and when I visited the castle, I was guided by maids and knights, so I never got lost...

Then take good care of my daughter.

"The way you said that, it sounds a little malicious, but you don't have ...... any other intentions, do you?"

"No, I'm just ...... joking."

Don't go from smiling to making a straight face afterwards, it doesn't sound like a joke. ......!

Seeing me with a twitch of my smile, Master Lukas returned to his mild smile and walked out of the room with his escort knights, laughing like a child who had just played a successful prank.

I, who was left behind, let out a light sigh as I stand up and turn to Mr. Fegnis who is waiting for me by his side.

"Mr. Fegnis. Please show me the way.

I understand. Then, please follow me."

Mr. Fegnis gives me a bitter smile of sympathy, turns around and starts walking down the path that leads to the garden where Eva lives.

As I follow him, I think about the curse that Master Lucas mentioned.

Curse.

As far as I know from the original world, it is a spiritual phenomenon in which resentment and envy have an actual harmful effect.

Or, a means by which a vengeful spirit, evil spirit, earth-bound spirit, specter, sorcerer, etc. torments others and literally curses them to death.

This is the type of horror stories that I am not good at.

As far as I know in this world, it is the physical curse that Rose mentioned.

And the magic that Nair mentioned. For example, binding spells that bind a person's body with a spell. But I know very little about the magic of this world.

If any of these are the curse that is consuming the royalty of Eva-Samaritan... then it is possible that it is the one that Nair is dealing with, and that it is the one that is affecting the royal family of Samaritan. Is it witchcraft ......?　From what I've heard, there are many kinds of magic in this world. If magic is not in decline now, but in the past when it was common, it would not be surprising to find a magician who could curse and kill people.

...... Wait a minute, if it is a curse similar to sorcery that is taking over Eva's body, then Nair's liberation spell might come in handy..,

"---Sato-sama. ......usato-sama."

"What?　What's wrong?

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard Mr. Fegnis' voice walking in front of me.

How was your interview with the king?

"The interview? ......I think it was a good experience for me to understand the thoughts and personality of Lucas, the King of Samaritan, even though I was only a passive listener.

When I honestly answer Fégnis' question, he puts his hand on his chin and says, "Hmmm.

"The king must have had a good time."

"As for me, I didn't have anything interesting or interesting to talk about at all. ......"

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. In fact, today's king was different from usual.

"Different?"

What, he doesn't usually talk much?　Or was he acting in that frank manner?

As I was wondering, Mr. Fegnis, who slowed down his pace to walk alongside me, raised his index finger.

"Do you remember the king when we talked about slaves?"

"?　Yes, it was just a few minutes ago."

We use slaves and beastmen to improve the country,...... right?

What does it matter?

"I was very surprised by the king's words at that time. His Majesty, who usually only speaks of practical things, revealed that he wants his country's slaves to be happy. It's impossible for those of us who know His Majesty in his everyday life.

"I see. Why are you telling me ...... such a thing?"

"You may be a child who doesn't know politics, but it may also be because you are ...... Rose's disciple."

Because you're her protégé?

...... Do they think that if they say something bad, they will get some kind of retribution?

Rose, however, if that's how you feel about me, I'm going to have to turn around and go clear up this misunderstanding right now. .......

"Your Majesty does not speak of your ideals because you have given up on them. I think it's because she has given up, that she has been talking about her ideals, and she has been realizing them, and she has been hiding her "true feelings" from you for a long time. ......

"...... I'm not the same as the Commander. We are nothing alike."

I haven't grown up enough to be able to compare myself with him.

I am not that unreasonable in my physical abilities and personality.

However, Mr. Fegnis gives a small laugh at my words.

"Hm, I would say so, but after what you did in Luxembourg, I don't think so."

"U......"

The report in Lukvis is about Nack's training, isn't it?

I don't know who or where it came from, but maybe it was a mistake to have him train in public as a Rose impersonator.

Maybe the rest of the world got the wrong image of me from ...... and I'm in serious, reputational trouble?　

"The King has done everything he could for Samariat since Lady Eliza disappeared. He has done everything for her who loved this country and for Eva who lives here now..."

As soon as Mr. Fagunis had said those words, a loud "gong" sounded from outside the castle.

Looking out the window of the passageway, the silver bell at the top of the large tower in front of the castle was ringing, reflecting the sun's rays.

I was surprised by the sound of the bell, which was much louder than the one in Lukvis, which also had a similar bell, when Mr. Fegnis, who had stopped to look at the tower through the window as I did, quietly opened his mouth.

"A few hundred years ago ......"

"Yes?"

"Hundreds of years ago."

I listen to his words, wondering at his quiet, hesitant tone.

"Samaria suffered a great calamity."

"......"

"Many people died, castles, houses, everything was destroyed, the worst event since the founding of Samaritan. It was a long time ago, but we have not forgotten it and we have told our stories until now."

Is it correct to say that Samaria was once nearly destroyed?

The fact that it is thriving now means that it has managed to recover.

"Just when everyone was about to despair and abandon the country, the king of Samaria built that tower in the hope of restoring the country and hope."

"Why did you build such a big tower in spite of the disaster?"

"I heard that many people were against it, but the king wanted to show people that there was hope. As a result, the tower became an object of hope---no, an object of worship."

"......I see, it is called the land of prayer. ......"

"Yes. That's how Samaria came to be called the Land of Prayer."

A centuries-old disaster, huh?

I can think of one.

---The battle between the evil dragon and the previous hero.

The battle to the death that took place in the land of Samaritan. There is no doubt that the battle of the heroes of the past who faced the evil dragon at full strength would cause tremendous damage to the surrounding area.

Once again, as I nodded my head while muttering, "I see," I noticed something unusual about him as he gazed intently at the tower, which had already ceased to ring.

"But that is not what the king wanted at that time. The hope that he tried to show us---the one and only ...... that everyone worships and shudders at---that was only the result of that process. What we sought was..."

"Mr. Fegnis, ......?"

He is muttering more to himself than talking to me.

When I speak to him, he comes back to himself and bows his head to me, holding his hands on his head apologetically.

"......I am sorry. I was a bit absorbed in my position as knight-errant ...... and my family background is closely related to that tower."

"As far as I'm concerned, it's an interesting story, so I don't mind.

I am glad you feel that way.

After that, we started walking again and Mr. Fegnis and I arrived at the garden without any problems.

As usual, two knights are standing at the entrance of the ward where Eva lives, but when I look at Mr. Fegnis who is standing next to me, his legs are aligned and his back is straight.

As soon as I have the two knights in my sight, Mr. Fegnis stops walking, turns around, reaches into his pocket and pulls out something.

It was the small sword that I had left with him when I came to the castle of Samarriar.

"Usato-sama, I would like to give you back something that was entrusted to me when I invited you to this castle.

"Um, ...... are you sure?　It's a knife, and I don't ...... want to bring it into Eva's presence."

"I'm sure it will be fine. Your fist is stronger than the blade.

Well, I only use a small knife for cutting fruits. It is unlikely that you would use it in battle.

He takes the small sword offered to him and checks it for any damage.

"That looks like quite a piece of work, where on earth did you get it?

"What?　Uh, uh, it was given to me by the people of the village where we stopped before going to ...... Samaliar. ......Why do you ask that?"

"I'm a swordsman too, it's part of my job to know if a sword is good or bad. From my point of view, the sword is too beautiful and complicated to have been made by ...... dwarves?　It is clearly made by a different process than a normal forged steel sword. It's a vague word, but it's like a-- an extraordinary sword, out of this world, isn't it?

"Well, come on?　I don't know much about it because it was given to me. ......"

"......"

Why the silence?

I thought it was unusual because it was the weapon of the previous generation of heroes, but would they say that the manufacturing process is different when it's a Japanese sword? Is a Japanese sword really that great a thing?　As an amateur, I have no idea how great this little sword is.

I put my sword in my belt and tuck it under the hem of my uniform, looking away from Mr. Fegnis's quizzical gaze.

"Well, thank you very much for walking me here."

"...... don't mind. It's only natural to be courteous to our guests. I'm going back to my patrol now."

With that, Mr. Fegnis bowed deeply and went back toward the castle.

While I was relieved that he did not pursue me too much about the sword, I was glad that I had not told him about the evil dragon and the previous heroes.

I don't know why I thought so, but it seemed dangerous.

"...... Samaritan to the evil dragon, huh? Shall I go back and read my notebook again ......?"

He puts his hand on the notebook of the previous generation of heroes, which has been kept in the pocket of the lining of his troupe uniform.

Perhaps there is a connection between the evil dragon and Eva's curse. ...... If it is a curse that is causing the death of the royal family, the cause is not in the present, but in the past.

Let's start with the possibilities.

Folding my arms, I walk in the direction of the wards, thinking..,

"Hmm?"

--- you see something black cross the edge of your vision, and you stop.

The shadow was black and disproportionate to the sunlit garden.

You turn your eyes and see a familiar black bird perched on a branch of a tree planted in the garden. The black bird, which was staring at me with a somewhat dismayed gaze---when it met my gaze, it flapped its wings and flew toward me.

Silently, I raised my right arm to make it easier for the owl to stay, and it stayed there as if it were slowly landing.

The owl proudly flutters on my arm and opens its tiny beak with great enthusiasm.

"Hmph, ooza..."

"Okay, you've come to the right place, Nea. Did Mr. Aruk send you?　Well, take your time. In the meantime, I'll try to persuade the knight to let you in.

"Heh?"

I'd like to greet her again, but I can't do that in front of the knights, so I put my hand lightly on her head and make her close her mouth.

"What?　Wait, just hear me out. ...... Why are you being so pushy after three days of not seeing me?

Well, you really came at the right time.

You might be able to tell us a lot about Eva. Maybe, just maybe, the spell of liberation that you thought was useless will see the light of day.

With a flabbergasted Néa in tow, I start walking toward the garden---the place where Eva and Eiri are.

"......Ah..."

I completely failed to consider Eva's reaction when she saw Nair.

She would definitely be interested in him, but... well, contact is inevitable for her to check him out, so this is just another test, yes.