As my consciousness drifted back into my body, I opened my eyes. Noticing my movement, Lord Reinbach and the others, who had been praying by my side, turned their attention toward me. I had already informed them that I would be receiving an oracle, so they realized the session was over without me having to say a word.
After everyone continued their prayers for a short while to avoid looking suspicious, we promptly exited the chapel. We climbed back into the carriage and headed toward the laundry shop. During the ride, I explained the details of the curse to them. However, I omitted the part about the Demon King; I didn't want to incite any unnecessary anxiety.
"To think the gods themselves would personally intervene to lift a curse..."
"If I didn't already know you were a Child of God, I wouldn't believe it. I wonder, is it because of your status that they help, or is it because they love you so much that they named you such?"
"In any case, it’s a relief to know the curse can be removed. Our only real concern is the time between now and then, but even that has a solution."
"That’s right," I agreed. "I don't think there's much need to worry."
For now, we were heading to the shop, where I planned to give Calm a brief explanation of the situation. It was a sudden development, so it would likely cause him some trouble. Furthermore, it seemed best for me to avoid appearing before anyone I wasn't close with today, so I intended to head home immediately after checking in.
Just as a lingering odor remains for a while even after a foul-smelling object is covered, I still had a bit of a "residual scent" from before Gain and the others performed the treatment.
"If the gods say so, then that is the path we must take. However, will you be alright once you enter the shop? It has become quite prosperous lately, and I believe the number of employees has increased, has it not?"
"That’s true... The staff who have been with us since the first shop opened should be fine, but quite a few people have joined us just this year."
In the past, I had occasionally hired part-time help when we were busy, but currently, we are in the middle of training personnel with an eye toward future expansion. Since I delegated the role and authority of Shop Manager to Calm, the frequency of my appearances at the shop has decreased significantly.
Of course, I personally interviewed every candidate and checked their backgrounds to filter out any suspicious characters, so it wasn't a matter of distrust. However, compared to the original members, our relationships were undeniably thinner. That lack of familiarity was an element of uncertainty I couldn't ignore.
"Since it’s a shop, there will be customers as well," Elize reminded us.
"Now that you mention it, this is exactly the time of day when it’s most crowded. If the line stretches outside, I might be seen by any number of people when I get out of the carriage."
"We couldn't discuss this in the church, so I started the carriage for the time being... but perhaps heading to the shop was a mistake?"
"No, I needed to let them know I’m safe. I think showing them that I’m energetic while explaining the curse will put them at ease. Should I try using Hide magic?"
"Ryoma-kun, the condition for your curse to activate is being perceived by the other person, right?" Elize asked. "Since Hide is magic to conceal your presence, your form would still be visible. I don't think it would be very effective."
"Is there really a need to think so deeply about it?" Sieber grunted. "It is perfectly possible to enter while hiding your body without resorting to magic. More importantly, regardless of the curse, we should simply focus on making sure you don't leave a bad impression on those around you."
As we sat in the swaying carriage, we continued to consult with one another, everyone naturally offering their cooperation. Eventually, we arrived at the vacant lot within the shop's premises.
"H-Hey, look at that carriage."
"That’s the Ducal House crest! Why is it at a place like this?"
"Oh? You must be new to the city. This shop is famous for being a purveyor to the Ducal House. I heard the manager is a close friend of the Duke himself."
As expected, the shop was packed. The line stretched all the way to the edge of the vacant lot, and I could hear the surprised whispers of the customers from outside.
"Alright, let's go."
"Please."
"Excuse me! Make way, please!"
Just as I felt the carriage settle and Sieber sprang into action, a familiar voice reached my ears from outside.
"Hmm?"
"Wait, is that—!?"
"Oh! I thought I recognized that face. If it isn't the Verdure boy!"
"Sir! It is I, Yudam Verdure, former knight candidate!"
It seemed the two of them were acquainted. Sieber, the Former Knight Commander, and Yudam, who had once aspired to be a knight. Given their histories, it wasn't surprising they knew each other.
Perhaps it was a reflex from his days in training, but Yudam snapped to attention, back straight and right fist against his chest. His expression was frozen. Since Yudam had abandoned the path of the knight halfway through, he likely felt a great deal of awkwardness facing his former superior.
"As for Lord Galdak—"
"That's enough. I have already retired as Knight Commander. And you have chosen a path other than that of a knight, have you not? Perform your current duties with confidence. We require guidance."
"M-My apologies! In that case, I shall take your request. Please, follow me."
Sieber seemed to sense Yudam's inner turmoil and spoke with professional consideration. Then, his gaze turned back toward the carriage.
"Shall I carry that... luggage for you?"
"Ah, as for this..."
"Yudam-san, can you hear me? It’s Ryoma."
"Manager?"
When I called out, Yudam's eyes widened. It was no wonder. Even to suppress a curse, anyone would be shocked to see an acquaintance return from a trip packed inside a wooden crate.
Moreover, the person carrying said crate was an incredibly important figure—the Former Knight Commander himself. For a man who had once aimed for the knights, the shock must have been doubled.
"I ended up afflicted with a curse while I was away. My body and health are fine, but I need to avoid being seen in public for the time being. Could you guide everyone to the inner office—no, the basement? There are a lot of us, and I think we can speak more freely there."
"Understood."
Though I’m sure he had a thousand questions, Yudam followed my instructions and led us to the special room in the basement. He had apparently sent word to the front desk before coming outside, because Calm joined us along the way. I took the opportunity to explain the situation to both of them at once.
"...I see. I understand the circumstances. Regarding the curse, as long as we are cautious today, there shouldn't be an issue, correct?"
"Due to the nature of the magic I cast to contain it, that is the case," Remily explained.
We told Calm and the others that Remily was the one treating my curse. I trust them both, but if I were to admit the gods were involved, I would inevitably have to reveal that I am a Child of God.
Whether they would even believe such a claim was another issue, and the adults agreed that it was best to keep the number of people who knew my secret to an absolute minimum. I was grateful to Remily for playing along with the cover story.
"It is unfortunate that removing the curse will take time, but I am glad to hear it won't impact your work or your life too heavily. My apologies for the delay, but truly—I am glad you are safe. Welcome back."
Calm, who had clearly been worried, seemed to relax after questioning Remily several times. The tension finally left his face.
"I'm back, Calm. I made a bit of a mistake at the very end, but I successfully reached C-Rank, and it was a very productive journey. I’d like to discuss the details and our future plans starting tomorrow. Would that be alright?"
"There are a few things I need to confirm, but nothing is urgent. Owner, please put your own well-being first. To be honest, I would prefer to suggest you postpone your trip to the Great Forest... but you won't be changing your mind, will you?"
He already knew my patterns all too well.
"It’s something I decided on long ago, and I’ve already postponed it enough. Besides, I have you and the others here, so I can leave the shop in your hands without any worries."
"I won't try to stop you, then. When are you considering your departure?"
"Let's see... I want to be perfectly prepared, so I'll rest for a bit while I restock food and maintain my gear. I also need to process the Everdark Grass I gathered into insect repellent. Including the necessary meetings with everyone, I expect to leave within a week—two weeks at the absolute latest."
"Understood. We will make the necessary adjustments on our end to match that schedule."
"Thank you, Calm."
With my safety report concluded, I was packed back into the crate and carried out toward the North Gate. Along the way, the conversation turned back to the shop.
"I had heard the rumors, but it really has become quite the bustling business," Reinbach mused.
"The last time you saw it was shortly after the opening, right, Lord Reinbach? We’ve managed to show some real results since then."
I thought it was doing well back then for a new shop, but we had very few regulars at the start; most people just came for the novelty. Now, those people have become loyal customers and helped spread our reputation.
"I’m truly grateful for it."
"The atmosphere was wonderful, and your manager seems quite capable despite his youth," Elize added.
"That’s Calm. He was a direct recommendation from the Chairman of the Morgan Company. His knowledge of commerce and management is far beyond mine, so I feel perfectly safe leaving the shop to him. Of course, the rest of the staff helps immensely as well."
"The Verdure lad is also an excellent man," Sieber noted. "If he’s settled in, he should prove quite useful to you."
That was right—Sieber had mentioned knowing Yudam. I hadn't found a chance to ask while we were at the shop, but I had been curious.
"Are you talking about Yudam-san?"
"I am. It’s because he was in the Academy's Knight Department, isn't it?"
"We crossed paths there, yes. Students of the Knight Department are almost guaranteed to enter the knight order's training facilities after graduation. Because of that, the order conducts inspections and interviews early on to scout for future recruits. I saw him several times during those sessions. However, I rarely remember faces from before they actually enlist. Many drop out at the candidate stage, and the numbers are simply too large... but there were a few reasons he stuck in my mind. First, his father was a man I knew well."
Yudam's father. I remembered hearing he was the Court Gardener. I suppose they would have interacted often. But then...
"I remember now," Remily chimed in. "He’s the Court Gardener's son. He’s the one who looked after the gardens where His Majesty used to hide whenever he was skipping his lessons."
"Skipping and hiding?" I asked, surprised.
"That's right. He’s settled down now, but the King was quite the rascal in his youth. He was unnervingly good at hiding. He would slip past his tutors and guard knights just to disappear into the gardens or sneak down into the city. The castle was in an uproar every other day."
"Wait..." I muttered. Was that really okay for royalty? And if he was slipping past the knights, was the King just that good, or were the knights that bad? Or if he was just "unnervingly good at hiding," maybe the knights were just normal?
"...I hate to interrupt your trip down memory lane, Remily, but those of us around back then know you were part of the problem," Sieber grumbled. "And I agree. If you hadn't taught His Majesty Hide magic when you were his tutor, things wouldn't have been nearly so difficult."
Ah, so Remily was the one who taught him. That made a lot of sense.
"I didn't think he would master it to that extent! I only did what I could as an instructor," Remily defended herself. "Hide is useful in an emergency, and I specifically chose magic that wouldn't have a negative effect on his mind or body if something went wrong. It's quite rude to complain when I did my job perfectly."
"I understand your reasoning, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating... Regardless, that was how I met his father. The other reason I remember the boy is that he didn't join the order. As I said, nearly everyone who finishes that department enlists. Aside from those who suffer a crippling injury or illness, it is practically unheard of for a graduate to decline."
"So it was a 'to think he'd throw away a guaranteed future' kind of situation?"
"Precisely. Where a man goes is his own business, but personally, I felt he was the exact kind of talent the order needed..."
Oh? It seemed Sieber held Yudam in high regard.
"He told me his reputation wasn't very good, though."
"Yes, I heard the rumors—womanizer, frivolous, lazy. I know he was looked down upon by his peers. However, his instructor at the time—a junior of mine who retired after an injury—evaluated him as someone who could 'truly see the people around him.'"
According to Sieber, the Knight Department was full of elite noble children, but in the end, they were just that—children. They faced brutal training every day and were constantly pressured to maintain top grades or face expulsion. When they also carried the weight of their family's expectations, their vision tended to narrow. They lost their composure.
"A man needs to know how to relax. If it's excessive, that’s one thing, but apparently he often invited his peers—the ones who were pushing themselves to the breaking point—to go out and enjoy themselves. Very few of them were in any state to accept, however. Most of them just threw verbal abuse at him. Those who are drowning in their own work often can't see a gesture of kindness for what it is. To think that having the composure to play is a sign of laziness... honestly."
"People with tunnel vision don't take breaks just because you tell them to," Remily added airily. Her words stung me just a little.
"So that’s what happened," I murmured.
"Indeed. His relationships with women were... frequent, I suppose. But I never heard a single story of him being unfaithful or causing a scandal. Besides, the Academy's Knight Department is meant to build a foundation—to take immature children and make them strong enough to survive the actual knight order's training. It is a stepping stone. The students are merely candidates. Because of that, basic ability and loyalty to the crown are far more important than a 'noble spirit' at that stage. Many students and parents think graduating means their future is set, but the truth is that they spend the next two years as a Knight Apprentice, buried in training. Any personality flaws are usually beaten out of them then. If they can't handle it, they never even become a Squire. Furthermore, to become a Regular Knight, one must gain immense practical experience and receive recommendations from several superior officers. Most of the knights I know laughed and said that any student who could breeze through the Academy's training and still find time to play was exactly the kind of recruit they wanted."
I don't know much about the inner workings of the knights, but I could see how a veteran would look at student training as child's play. Still, I could also understand why Yudam's classmates would feel jealous and resentful.
"Trying to do something good can backfire. Even a kind gesture isn't always understood... Human relationships are difficult."
"They are... As a result, he found a new path and left. The friction with his peers played a part, but because his vision was so wide, he wasn't obsessed with the idea of being a knight. I’m just glad to see he’s doing well now."
"You don't have to worry about that," I told him. "He’s working for us now, so he’s getting proper food and rest. He also trains every day with me and the other security staff."
"Is that so? Then perhaps I’ll test his current skills—no, maybe I’ll just train him myself when I have a spare moment. Since I’m moving here anyway, I’ll have plenty of time."
Wait... moving here? Sieber is coming to Gimul?
"Oh, did I not tell you? Sieber and I are planning to move here from the Royal Capital."
"This is the first I've heard of it."
"The decision was finalized while you were sleeping, Ryoma-kun. Remember the night we finished gathering the Everdark Grass? You were out like a light."
I see. Since they had taken the night watch, I had been fast asleep. I had no idea they were discussing such a thing.
"Remily and I have already retired, but our names and faces are too famous in the Capital. We can't even walk down the street in peace. Since we’ve decided to work as adventurers from now on, we figured we might as well move somewhere else entirely."
"No matter where we go, we’ll cause a bit of a stir, but it should be better than the Capital. Besides, I'm curious to see how your curse turns out, and it’ll be easier to keep our stories straight if I'm around, right?"
That was true. Just like when we explained things at the shop, having a former Court Mage around added an incredible amount of weight to the story.
"It’s a huge help, but are you sure...?"
"Don't worry about it. As you said, it’s only a year until the curse is lifted. To a Dark Elf, that’s just a blink of an eye. Besides, I am technically your magic teacher, so it’s only natural for me to help my disciple."
"...Thank you so much!"
It was all I could say, and I bowed my head automatically. I wondered if there was anything I could do to thank her properly.
"It was just a coincidence of mutual interests. Don't let it bother you."
"We're asking the gods for the curse removal anyway, and I feel a bit of responsibility as your companion and elder, so I don't need a formal reward... but come to think of it, Ryoma-kun, you never call me 'Master.' Even though we decided on it at the beginning."
"Now that you mention it, I completely forgot."
"Or maybe 'Big Sister.' Come on, repeat after me!"
Ah, there it was. I had thought calling her "Big Sister" would be way too embarrassing, so the idea had completely vanished from my mind. Actually, it was still embarrassing even now that she was prompting me. But since I had just expressed my gratitude and offered to do something in return, I couldn't really refuse...
"Could I at least make it 'Big Sis'?"
"Hmm... well, you are at that age, so I suppose I shouldn't force you. That’ll do."
And so, I ended up calling Remily "Big Sis Remily." But immediately after I said it...
"Wouldn't it have been simpler just to call her 'Master' and be done with it?" Reinbach whispered.
"He was played like a fiddle," Sieber added.
I realized my failure in negotiation too late. For the rest of the journey to the North Gate, I was pestered incessantly by Big Sis Remily, who had the look in her eyes of a child who had just found a brand-new toy.