Chapter : 48

So what was this about being hit with a bombshell while sleeping? The leadership of the Canton Council was cursed-!

I thought it was a terribly unfunny joke.

“It’s true, Lord Margrave.”

But the chamberlain continued his assertion, sweating profusely.

“The members of the Canton Council secretly formed a party and headed for the Arhen Mountains. Since that day, the epidemic has spread in Canton and all the council members have secluded themselves. If this isn't a curse, what is it!”

“Hmm….”

Of course, I, who was listening quietly, could only swallow a hollow laugh.

Couldn't they have gone to the Arhen Mountains to enjoy some secret(?) pleasures?

The chamberlain's claim had a rather outlandish feel to it. A curse, of all things.

“Hey, chamberlain, that’s a bit….”

“It seems plausible. It could be a curse.”

“Right? Magician Agpiel. A curse is a bit…. Yes?”

Wait a minute. Something sounds strange here.

“……?”

Could it be that Agpiel thought that outlandish statement was true?

At that, Magician Agpiel asked back, as if he found it strange instead.

“Why do you ask? Isn't it obvious it’s suspicious? Falling ill and an epidemic breaking out after returning from the Arhen Mountains. Isn't that typical? There are ancient mysteries and heretical temples remaining in the Arhen Mountains, so it's only natural for such things to happen.”

“Couldn't it just be a coincidence? Like a pear falling when a crow flies by, Agpiel.”

“Hmm. That is a possibility, but….”

Then the chamberlain jumped to his feet and said.

“N-No-! Your Excellency. If the citizens are all cured and only they are not, what could this be but a curse!”

“Oh…?”

“Besides, as far as I know, the council members’ symptoms were completely different from the symptoms of the epidemic! You can confirm this if you have people ask them!”

“Hmm, is thaaat so?”

“Yes! Your Excellency. It’s true. Please believe me.”

“Huuuuum….”

I stroked my chin with a nasal hum. Certainly…. it was a valid point. Just from hearing that, it did seem like it was a curse.

While I was thinking that.

“Human lord!”

Captain Konrad came running, out of breath.

“I-I’ve found out a secret! They say a curse has spread in the council!”

“……?”

It was news that turned my suspicion into conviction.

* * *

In [Pangea Universalise], curses and epidemics were not, system-wise, precisely separated.

So, events that were described as curses often turned out to be epidemics; no, most of them were epidemics, not curses.

So, even though the notification window popped up, I was suspecting an epidemic….

“Uh…. So you’re saying it is a curse?”

“That’s right, human lord. I sent someone into the house to secretly find out, and they said the council members have all collapsed from a curse. That's why they're under lockdown like this. Hmph.”

As he spoke, Captain Konrad snorted forcefully. Even if they were from the same clan, to think all this rudeness was because of a curse!

From Captain Konrad’s perspective, it was quite an embarrassing matter.

“Ugh…. Don’t let the goat beastman find out about this. It could be a big problem if the bishop finds out.”

I said with a sigh.

In [Pangea Universalise], the basic way to dispel a curse, especially a widespread one like this, was purification. That is, to capture them and burn them to death.

And the group that most strongly advocated for that was the Holy See, to which the bishop belonged.

If it was revealed that a curse incident had escalated due to the transgressions of a few individuals, the Holy See would surely be willing to burn them, even if they were the ruling class.

“Ah-! You're right. I’ll be careful. Thanks for the advice, human lord!”

But, absurdly.

-Bang!

With the sound of a door being kicked open.

“Meeeeeeee-! My lord!!!”

The goat beastman, Bishop Marco, came running with wide, startled eyes.

“Mehek, mehek. My lord! Something terrible has happened, meeeeeee!”

“……”

‘Somehow, I can guess what this is about…?’

I made a sour face. For something so surprising to happen at this very timing….

“Why? Is it about the Canton Council?”

“Mehehehehek!!!! Nooooooo?!”

“And…. you’re probably going to talk about the curse, right? Am I right?”

“Mehehet! This is crazy!! My lord has performed the miracle of mind-reading again, mer!!!”

Just as I thought. It seems I was right.

Damn it…. I have no idea why I’ve been getting so many headaches lately.

“What should we do, Agpiel?”

Leaving the nonsensical goat beastman behind, I asked with a sigh.

Magician Agpiel shrugged and replied.

“What can we do? We have to treat them, ‘for now’.”

Oh? It felt like he subtly emphasized one word, but it seems there is a way to treat it.

“Then is there a way to cure the curse?”

“Well? Honestly, I'll have to see. We don’t even know how the curse came about yet, do we?

If it’s a curse I can handle, it can be cured. If not, it’s impossible.”

“Hmm….”

I was momentarily speechless at the quite logical and reasonable answer.

‘He’s right, but….’

Somehow, I get the feeling that if he can’t cure it, he’ll resort to other measures without mercy.

“Then let’s try treating it for now. What do you think, Captain Konrad?”

“Th-Thank you, human lord!”

At my answer, Captain Konrad offered his thanks, and the goat beastman, Bishop Marco, who had been standing silently by, interjected.

“Meeeeee! If it’s a curse, it must be purified! Purification! In the name of God, by all means, purification! Merrrr!”

This madman!

As expected of a crazy religious man, the goat beastman, Bishop Marco, continued with his radical words.

“They will gladly receive purification, mer!!! It is better to go peacefully to God's embrace than to suffer from a curse! My lord!! Purify them at once!!! Meeeeee.”

“You should say such nonsense after assessing the situation. Don't you see Captain Konrad next to you?”

“Mehet? Mehehehehe…. Sorry, mer.”

Bishop Marco then let out his characteristic goat cry and scratched his head. A truly unhelpful goat beastman.

“What do you think, Magician Agpiel? Weren’t you invited here for the purpose of treatment anyway?”

“Hmm. I came to treat the curse(?) that spread in Canton, so I've actually done all my work, but…?”

“What?”

I was momentarily bewildered by Agpiel's quite cold words.

If the magician didn’t help, there would surely be considerable difficulty in lifting the curse.

In the first place, I didn't know how! What could I do other than to ‘purify’ by burning them?

‘But if I did that, the aftermath would be truly unmanageable.’

The notification window’s content would probably come true, and my infamy would skyrocket like crazy.

“Hahaha. You’re in a tough spot too. This is very amusing. Do you really think I would turn a blind eye to such a thing? I am a Great Sage, after all.”

Then, seeing my expression, Agpiel laughed heartily.

“Since it has come to this, it would be good to put the Canton Council in my debt. I will help! Margrave. Let’s go and try to cure this curse.”

* * *

I immediately gathered the army that was scattered throughout the city of Canton.

It was to head to the grand mansion where his relatives lived, guided by Captain Konrad.

As the soldiers and knights gathered, I led them and moved quickly.

“Is this the place, Captain Konrad?”

“It is, human lord.”

Fortunately, the grand mansion where Captain Konrad’s relatives lived was not far away.

It was three or four houses down from the Canton council member's grand mansion where we had stayed a little while ago.

Upon spotting the army I was leading, the soldiers standing guard at the grand mansion shouted with frightened expressions.

“H-Halt! This is the mansion of the head of the Blackrock family, a member of the Canton Council and a great merchant of Canton! Who dares to lead an army here….”

“It is Margrave Bellua.”

“????”

At the unexpected presence, the soldiers on guard stood with their mouths agape and their eyes wide.

It was because his appearance was too sudden.

“Uh, th-that is…. why is Your Excellency here?”

“You cur! Must His Excellency argue with the likes of you! And open your eyes wide and see who I am!”

“??? Young Master Konrad?”

Why on earth was the young master, who had been gone from home for so long, suddenly appearing?

The soldiers on guard fell into even greater confusion.

“If you recognize me, then clear the way! You scoundrels.”

“B-but, the strict order was not to let any outsiders in….”

“What? Outsider? Are you calling me an outsider?”

Strictly speaking, he wasn't an outsider, but wasn't he coming with an outsider right now?

“And do you think I would have brought His Excellency here without reason? Move aside quickly.”

“Y-yes. Understood.”

The soldiers unwittingly shuffled aside to clear the path.

His confident demeanor made them assume that there must have been a summons from inside.

Besides, wasn't the person before them the Margrave who was said to perform miracles?

‘Surely he wouldn't lie.’

That was the common thought among the soldiers. Of course, it was true that I had shown up suddenly without any appointment.

“Where is the Canton council member who is said to be cursed?”

“He is being treated separately in an annex inside the mansion, human lord.”

“Is that so? Then let’s go there.”

I said so and quickly passed through the inside of the mansion.

People came out at the sudden commotion and stared with surprised expressions, but fortunately, no one tried to stop me.

It was, as expected, the power of my overly confident movements and the aura of being a performer of miracles that had been bestowed upon me.

“????”

However, it seemed my sudden visit was quite a surprise.

“Wh-Who are you! Uwaaaah! Intruder! Guards! Guards!!”

The Canton council member who spotted me shouted with a surprised expression.

Well, if an outsider suddenly burst into the inner sanctum of my house, I would surely be surprised too.

“Calm down. It’s me.”

“????”

“Meeeeee~! It’s the Lord Margrave, mer! Show some respect.”

“Keuhuk. What are you talking about? What kind of dog-like nonsense is this…!”

At the absurd words, the Canton council member unwittingly shot up, only to collapse in pain.

Then, panting, he spotted Captain Konrad standing next to me and blinked his eyes.

“…Huh?”

“That’s right, uncle. It’s me. The immature Konrad. Hmph…. I have brought the Lord Margrave.”

“N-no…?”

Leaving the bewildered Canton council member behind, I got straight to the point.

“I came here because there was a report that you were cursed.”

“Th-that is a lie! Your Excellency. Who would make such a slander!”

The Canton council member said, sweating profusely.

He spoke so aggrievedly that just from his voice, it seemed to be the truth.

However.

“Hmm, it’s a curse.”

“Meeeeee-! It's a curse! A curse. Must be purified! Merr.”

“You definitely seem to be cursed.”

Unfortunately, the traces of a curse were evident on the body of the Canton council member, Captain Konrad’s uncle.

A blackish fog-like substance was slithering all over his body, and he claimed it wasn't a curse-!

No one who saw it would believe him.

Then, grasping the situation, the Canton council member hurriedly rushed over, begged, and took my hand.

“……”

“P-please save me! I’m truly sorry for deceiving you, Your Excellency!”

“Holding my hand won’t cure the curse or anything.”

“Ahaha….”

The Canton council member awkwardly withdrew his hand.

As expected, he was just an ordinary being who believed in the superstitions of this era.

“Alright, what on earth happened? Tell me.”

“Uh…. um.”

The Canton council member rolled his eyes, looking around furtively.

“You don’t want to talk? I heard you did something strange in the Arhen Mountains?”

Seeing that, I let out a sigh and warned him.

“I came to help you first because you are a relative of Captain Konrad, whom I have employed. If you keep angering me…. I will announce what you have done to the citizens. You’ll have to clean up the mess yourself, won't you?”

“Hiiik-!”

At my words, the Canton council member cried out in shock. It seemed he had finally grasped the situation.

“I-I was wrong. Please forgive me! Your Excellency!! I am truly a wretch who deserves to die.”

At the same time, he said this, and then began to sob, shedding chicken-dropping-like tears and starting his confession(?).

And after hearing everything he said, I could only think this.

‘He must have been crazy, wanting to get cursed….’

-Tiriring!

[You have learned the full story of the curse cast upon the members of the Canton Council.]

[Notification : If you make this fact public, you will be able to execute the members of the Canton Council without gaining infamy.]

[Notification : By executing the members of the Canton Council, you can bring Canton under your sphere of influence.]

[Current Canton Domination 0/12]