Early in the morning, Yuric prepared to leave and left the side building, receiving farewells from the Duke of the Royal Court of Kreuzvaldt and his granddaughter.
Yuric exchanged affectionate goodbyes with the two men and women and left the manor. He swallowed the bittersweet feeling he felt every time he had to say goodbye to people he had grown close to over the years, stepping forward with determined strides.
Even though it was early morning, the streets of the capital were already bustling with life. Yuric headed towards the station, looking at the carriages and people. As expected of the imperial capital, there were an overwhelming number of people gathered in front of the station.
He carefully examined the signs the coachmen held as he passed by them. Then he spotted a carriage heading in the direction of his destination and boarded it. There were many people inside, but unlike the southern-bound carriage which was mostly filled with mercenaries, the western-bound carriage had very few mercenaries.
The carriage, fully packed with passengers, soon departed from the station. Riding on the paved road, the carriage ascended the Great Bridge of Prom, known as the continent’s lifeline. Yuric gazed intently at the surface of the river reflecting the rising sun.
It took him ten days in total, passing through three villages, to reach the city of Krelton located west of the capital. Known for its mining industry, Krelton was particularly famous for the magic crystals used in mana cores, which were abundantly mined here. Due to this, the shopping district of Krelton had a variety of colored mana cores displayed enticingly in the shop windows.
In addition, various equipment and accessories produced by blacksmiths were piled up and sold like mountains. The equipment produced in Krelton was especially renowned for its quality throughout the continent.
Yuric wanted to buy a mana core made from Krelton’s amethyst, but the price was too high. After much deliberation, he finally bought a purple mana core after nearly emptying his purse. To earn more travel money, he headed to the mercenary guild.
Given that it was a mining town, there were plenty of job opportunities, and the guild was so crowded that people were practically spilling out. Yuric had to wait quite a while before it was his turn.
“I’m looking for work.”
Yuric presented the silver badge of a mage tower. A silver badge indicated at least expertise in one field, making him a valuable resource not easily found.
The male clerk, whose face was darkened from dealing with customers, swiftly flipped through the papers with skillful hands. Presenting a silver badge meant he was looking for a high-paying job.
“There’s a job worth four gold coins.”
“I’ll take it.”
Now was not the time to be choosy. Yuric paid the fee and left with the note scribbled by the clerk.
He headed toward the lodging area of the city, checking the signs of each inn one by one. Finally, he found his target inn on the seventh try.
– Gathering by the Campfire
The sign depicted a campfire.
When Yuric entered the inn, the noisy chatter immediately filled his ears. Even though it was past noon, many people were already visibly intoxicated.
He walked straight to the counter and told the old innkeeper the name written on the note. The innkeeper then shouted loudly, causing the hall to echo.
“Hey, is Gervus here?”
A head peeked out from a corner of the hall. Yuric nodded in gratitude to the innkeeper and headed over.
There, a middle-aged man with a slightly protruding belly was sitting with a group.
“I am Gervus.”
“Yuric. I came here through the guild’s introduction.”
The eyebrows of Gervus’ companions, who were drinking with him, twisted oddly. They seemed surprised.
However, Gervus silently stared at Yuric for a long time. Conversely, Yuric scrutinized the middle-aged man closely.
‘Gervus is an outstanding mage.’
It wasn’t just a few years of experience. Gervus had honed his magic skills for at least thirty to forty years.
Soon, the middle-aged man smiled broadly, gulped down his drink, and let out a burp before speaking.
“Passed the test. Finally, a competent mage has arrived. Sit down. Hey, bring two more mugs of beer!”
A waitress with her chest half-exposed placed two mugs of beer on the table and gave Yuric a flirtatious glance. This prompted a bald man sitting across from Gervus to click his tongue.
“He didn’t even give me a glance.”
After saying he would drink well, Yuric emptied half of his mug in one go. He was already thirsty from spending a long time at the guild.
Gervus asked without taking his eyes off Yuric.
“How long have you been in this line?”
“I started about three years ago.”
“What’s your specialty?”
“Circuitry, training, and alchemy.”
It was eerily funny. Despite looking young, he seemed like a mage with decades of experience in this field.
“What kind of task do you need me for?”
“Extermination. There’s a problem in the mine. We can discuss the details upstairs. Follow me.”
Gervus drained his last drink and stood up. Yuric followed him obediently to the second-floor accommodation room.
Gervus placed two sheets of paper on the table once they entered the room. These were contracts, detailing several clauses including confidentiality. The compensation was four gold coins.
Yuric wrote his name on both contracts. Only then did Gervus explain the situation.
“The creature we need to exterminate is a curse. A curse that greedily consumes minerals.”
Upon hearing this, Yuric’s gaze shifted from the contract to Gervus.
Curse.
Sometimes, curses materialized and appeared on the continent. The Codex of Hell was a similar case.
“And I belong to the Holy Magic Circle. I study curse studies.”
“Really? I’ve heard about curse studies, but this is the first time talking to someone who actually researches it.”
“It may not be prestigious, but it’s an interesting field.”
Gervus provided more details about the upcoming extermination mission.
“Luckily, this curse isn’t in perfect condition. But still, a curse is a curse. It could be fatal if mishandled. That’s why we’re only moving with a small, elite team of around ten people.”
The middle-aged man raised three fingers.
“We currently have three mages, including you and me. It would be great if we could find one more, but it’s uncertain whether we can get one within three days. If not, we’ll set out regardless after three days. We can’t afford to waste any more time.”
“Understood.”
“The day after tomorrow at dawn, from the eastern gate. Two knights from the duke will join us, but they won’t be considered part of our main force.”
“How long will it take to complete the mission and return?”
“A week should be enough if we prepare thoroughly. Try to get a few bottles of holy water. It may not be much help, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Holy water… Yes, understood.”
Yuric thought he should visit the church next.
“Do you have experience fighting monsters?”
“Yes, a few times.”
“That’s good. Where are you staying now?”
“At an inn called ‘Whispers of the Wind’ on the opposite side of the alley.”
“It doesn’t sound like a place with good food.”
“It’s cheap, so it’s fine.”
Gervus nodded in understanding.
“Then see you in three days.”
“Understood. See you then.”
After finishing the mission, Yuric headed straight to the church. Given it was a wealthy mining town, the church was also grand and beautiful.
Inside the church, Yuric purchased three bottles of holy water, each costing one silver coin. He wished he could obtain a relic, but such items were beyond the reach of a common person. Even if they were available, the price would be astronomical.
After completing his business at the church, Yuric bought a piece of bread from a woman carrying baskets on the street. The city smelled strongly of metal everywhere.
Yuric sketched the blacksmiths swinging heavy hammers, the apprentices moving goods and adjusting the fires or calling out to customers, and occasionally those arguing over prices.
Beyond the mining town, on the plains, shepherds tended flocks of sheep with several herding dogs. They carried long sticks and sang various songs as they went. The scene was remarkably peaceful.
Yuric sat on the grass until dusk, watching the vast prairie. The setting sun, touching the low hills, created a beautiful sunset.
After enjoying the sunset and returning to his lodgings, Yuric had a cheap dinner and went to his room. However, the blacksmith district outside his window was lit up day and night.
The next day, Yuric bought supplies for a week. Realizing he was short on money, he decided to sell some of the drawings he had made along the way.
Fortunately, kind young ladies bought his drawings. Yuric thanked them repeatedly with a friendly smile. They giggled bashfully, revealing where they lived and who they were. Yuric had learned from experience that it was best to respond positively to such interactions.
– The Daughter of the Innkeeper on the Windy Hill! Thank you.
– Miss Hélène, daughter of the blacksmith. Thank you.
– Oh, you live right next door? I’m sorry. I’ll make space. Oh, it’s okay? Thank you. I’ll give you half-price.
Yuric sold four paintings and made several new acquaintances. Although he didn’t even cover the cost of the paper, he was content if his drawings brought happiness to others.
With the money he earned, he bought the remaining supplies and prepared for the expedition.
Finally, the day of departure arrived.
Yuric shouldered his bag and left his lodgings.
For the first time, he was setting out to catch a curse.
