I watched blankly as Ren cleaned up the remnants of our meal.
"I have to say, Ren certainly knows her way around the woods."
Foraging this many wild greens and mushrooms is no ordinary feat. I wondered just how long she had been holed up in the forest.
"She’s more than just knowledgeable," Galilea said. "Apparently, Ren lived in the forest for her entire childhood."
"In the forest? Why?"
Galilea considered my question for a moment before answering.
"...Well, I suppose it’s fine to tell Master Lloyd. We Cursed Ones are outcasts in the city. Everyone here has been treated pretty damn horribly, but the persecution Ren faced was on another level. They say her parents died from her poison only a few years after she was born, and she was passed around from relative to relative after that. Despised wherever she went, Ren eventually ran out of places to belong and left home. She fled into the forest and lived there ever since."
Grimo nodded at Galilea’s words.
"A human who scatters poison would certainly be a nuisance in a town. I can understand why the locals felt that way, Boss."
It’s human nature to fear what’s different. Even in my previous life, I was often met with cold, judgmental stares when I was deep in my magic research.
"That’s when Jade appeared. He taught Ren everything—how to survive as a Cursed One and how to control her abilities. He even made her clothes woven with Magic Isolation spell formulas to suppress the poison she couldn't stop. Thanks to him, Ren regained her cheerfulness. That’s why she looks up to him like an older brother."
Galilea’s tone was heavy as he spoke.
I see. So that’s what happened.
Ren constantly voiced her trust in Jade, and given her history, it was only natural.
"Jade is a Cursed One himself," Galilea continued, his gaze fixed straight ahead. "He might have been born a noble, but I’m sure he had his share of misery. He always said he’d do whatever it took to build a place where people like us wouldn't be discriminated against. That’s why we followed him. I don't want to believe he’d ever betray us."
I see. Even with the risk of a trap, they had come this far because they believed in Jade. Ren and the others felt the same way.
I wanted to help them. After all, if a city where people with those kinds of abilities could live in peace were built, my pool of research subjects would grow.
"Master Lloyd, what are you grinning about, ssu?"
"Eh? Was I making a face?"
Strange. I thought I was maintaining a serious expression. Grimo remained silent, looking at me with a skeptical expression as I tried to keep a stoic mouth.
■■■
Morning came, and the next day we set out on foot toward the Lord of Lodesto's Manor. I decided against using Flight, as it put too much strain on the others.
It took time, but we arrived just before evening—a perfect time to make an appearance.
The Lord of Lodesto's Manor sat atop a hill outside the city. Surrounded by stone walls and a river, it looked more like a fortified stronghold than a residence. It certainly looked like the work of a war-hungry lord. I’d heard it had survived several skirmishes without ever falling once.
"Still... it’s quite noisy."
As we drew closer while staying hidden, the manor was ablaze with lights. I could sense a massive crowd even from this distance.
"I'm sure they’re getting ready to welcome us!" Ren exclaimed.
"I hope so... but standing around won't get us anywhere."
Galilea stepped forward and began walking toward the entrance.
"I’ll go in alone first. If anything looks wrong, I’m getting out of there immediately."
As he spoke, Galilea’s presence suddenly vanished.
Ooh, it was the same sensation I’d felt when Ren infiltrated the castle. Now that I was looking for it, I understood the trick. He was completely suppressing the mana that normally leaked from his body.
What a fascinating technique. Mages are always focused on how to produce more mana, so the idea of completely isolating it was entirely foreign to them. Even normal people unconsciously radiate mana, and masters are supposedly able to track those faint traces. It stands to reason that if you can cut off that leakage, you can become invisible even to an expert. I’ll have to try that later.
While I was lost in thought, Galilea extended spider silk from his hands, attached it to the wall, and climbed up. He moved across the ceiling like a shadow—a true spider.
He reached the manor in no time, peered through a window, and returned shortly after.
"They’re just getting a banquet ready. There are soldiers, but they’re barely armed. It really looks like a welcome party."
"Well... I guess we have to go in then."
There was no point in turning back now. We walked straight to the gates.
The soldiers there met us with friendly smiles.
"Welcome. You must be Lord Jade’s compatriots. Please, come inside. The banquet is ready for you."
"...Thanks."
We were ushered in without any trouble. Inside, the soldiers were laughing and chatting. The tables were piled high with lavish food and wine.
"Our master requests that you make yourselves at home and enjoy the meal while you wait."
"Whoa! This is incredible! What a feast!"
"Look at this wine! I've never seen anything like it!"
"We can eat anything we want? Kuku, how generous. This is amazing."
"...Looks yummy."
Prompted by the soldiers, Galilea and the others began to eat. They must have been starving, given the intensity of their assault on the food.
"Master Lloyd, I've got a bad feeling about this, ssu..."
"Yeah, the atmosphere is certainly getting interesting."
The concentration of mana hanging over the entire area was remarkably high. I could feel power from the soldiers that far exceeded that of normal humans. But more than that, there was a bizarre presence radiating from the top floor.
Anything could happen here.
"I mean, they’re just gorging themselves even though the food could be poisoned. Is that really okay, ssu?"
"I checked it with Appraisal just in case. There’s no poison. The soldiers are eating it too, so that shouldn't be an issue."
Appraisal provided information on any object, so if there were poison, I would have seen it instantly. Still, I didn't have much of an appetite.
One of the soldiers approached me.
"Oh? Not drinking?"
"I'm not particularly thirsty, thanks."
"What a waste! This is the best food and drink in the territory! Ah, it’s so good!"
The soldier laughed and gulped down his wine. Crimson liquid stained the corners of his mouth. His eyes were unfocused, and the sight of him guzzling the wine while laughing was genuinely unsettling. It wasn't just him; the other soldiers were in a similar state.
"Lloyd, it’s kind of scary..."
Ren pressed herself against me. She had clearly sensed the wrongness of the situation.
"Something is definitely wrong. Why hasn't anyone else noticed?"
"They’re probably intoxicated by the mana in the air."
The powerful mana being emitted by someone was likely overwhelming the senses of anyone without resistance. Ren was likely unaffected because of her unique constitution.
As the eerie scene played out, the presence upstairs began to move. It descended the stairs slowly.
A crisp click-clack echoed through the hall, and the room fell silent instantly as a figure emerged.
"Well, well. Welcome, my compatriots. I'm glad you came."
It was a young man with long black hair and jet-black eyes.
"Jade...?"
Ren whispered his name. Her expression wasn't one of joy at seeing an old friend; it was a mask of confusion and terror.
Seeing Galilea and the others eating and drinking, Jade gave a thin smile.