Chapter 29

Luke, a Cursed Sign Bearer, possesses a special black magic known as Cursed Power.

Cursed Sign Bearers, a specialized profession that only those who can handle Cursed Power can take on, are even rarer than Healers, who can wield healing light.

However, due to their focus on curses, they are not well-regarded, and even those with the potential are reluctant to pursue this path.

"Well, let's get to work today, shall we?"

In the morning, in his room, Luke stretched and braced himself for a packed schedule from morning to evening.

Cursed Sign Bearers have a lot of work to do.

One of their tasks is to help people suffering from the effects of curses and cursed tools. Only Cursed Sign Bearers can save them, making them the only hope for those affected.

Despite the high demand, few people are willing to take on the profession of handling curses, leading to a shortage of Cursed Sign Bearers. Among them, those who can dispel powerful curses are even rarer.

Luke is often called the "best Cursed Sign Bearer in the kingdom" and always acts with confidence, which is indeed true.

He is friendly, kind, and cheerful, often giving the impression of being carefree, but he is an incredibly valuable asset.

Originally a skilled individual, he now possesses a powerful cursed artifact, making him unmatched in the world.

Today, accompanied by two guard knights, he was heading to the town's church.

"Wow, there are a lot of people today~"

Luke peeked inside by slightly opening the door. The statue of the goddess in the center of the church glowed white under the light from the skylight, surrounded by a large crowd ranging from teenagers to the elderly.

Their expressions were somber, but they brightened up as soon as Luke entered.

The white robe Luke wore was a symbol of a specialized mage in the kingdom. Without feeling the weight of the attention, he walked to the back, waving cheerfully.

"Good morning, Lord Luke. We have been waiting for you."

As he entered the private room with the two knights, the old priest, the church's administrator, greeted him with a gentle smile.

"Good morning. Let's get started, so please bring in the first person."

"Understood."

After the priest left, Luke placed his hand on his chest to gather his resolve. Under his clothes was a black necklace, a cursed artifact. Although he disliked carrying and using it, he found himself doing so more often due to its necessity.

He disciplined himself and treated it as just a quirky accessory, as long as he used it correctly.

Within a minute, the first person seeking help entered the room.

"Please sit in that chair."

Luke extended his right hand and smiled warmly to ease the person's anxiety.

"…Yes."

A young girl timidly sat down, holding a box-shaped music box in her hands. She began to speak hesitantly.

"Well, this is a keepsake from my mother. But sometimes it moves on its own... and it plays music even when I don't touch it... and lately, I've been getting hurt a lot, and I think it might be because of this..."

The girl looked at the music box with a sad expression.

"I see. Can I take a look?"

"Yes... please."

Luke extended his right hand. As he channeled black magic into the box, a black mist seeped out in resistance. The girl shrank back in surprise.

"It's okay."

He smiled reassuringly and refocused on the box. The black mist flowed into his hand and into his body. He remained calm and serious, analyzing the curse embedded in the box and reading the intentions within.

After thoroughly reading everything, he smiled at the girl again.

"Your mother's concern for you is contained in this box. The movements and sounds are manifestations of that. As for the injuries, this box has nothing to do with them."

Luke stated the facts without hesitation.

"Really...? But I think my mother was angry with me... because I made her so busy that she didn't even have time to dress up..."

The girl teared up as she spoke about her mother.

"The injuries are either due to carelessness or another cause, which I can't determine. But I can assure you that there is no resentment in this box at all."

"Is that so..."

"Would you like to do something about it? I can either remove your mother's thoughts and turn it into a regular music box or seal the thoughts while keeping them intact. Since it doesn't harm anyone, you can choose whichever you prefer."

"..."

Offering the choice, the girl's expression darkened, and she looked down. Luke frowned in concern and pondered.

"If you're hesitating, it's better not to remove it. Once it's gone, you can't bring it back no matter how much you regret it. So, let's seal it. If you ever want to remove it, you can come back then."

"…Yes, I'll do that."

Luke smiled at her small response. He took a white, thin cloth from his pocket and wrapped it around the box, tying the ends securely and drawing patterns with the black magic on his fingertips.

"Done. Here you go."

He placed the completed box in her hands. She hugged it tightly, and he smiled in satisfaction.

"Do you love your mother?"

"Of course."

In front of the girl's immediate answer, Luke raised his index finger.

"If you do, I have something to show you. Please close your eyes."

"?"

Although puzzled, the girl closed her eyes as he instructed.

"Alright, I'll now transfer your mother's thoughts from the box into your mind. Don't be afraid; just relax."

Luke placed his left hand on his chest and extended his right hand. He brought the black mist from his palm to the girl's forehead, gently transferring the thoughts he had read.

This was only possible with the artifact, and it was his first attempt. He wished for the mother's love to be conveyed and carefully transferred the warm, beautiful emotions, not wanting them to be lost.

"You can open your eyes now."

Luke smiled confidently, waiting for her reaction with a racing heart. The girl's face brightened, and she smiled tearfully with genuine joy.

(Phew... I'm glad.)

Heaving a sigh of relief, he waved goodbye to the girl as she bowed deeply and left the room.

The next person to enter was a large, middle-aged man with a menacing appearance.

(Oh...)

While he tried not to judge by appearance, he sensed this wouldn't be a good consultation. He observed the man, who sat back in the chair, extending his left hand to show missing fingertips on his middle and ring fingers.

"Make my fingers grow back."

"It's impossible."

Luke immediately rejected the man's request.

"Are you kidding? I came here because a healer said this was a curse."

"I always approach everyone sincerely. Your fingers are a result of your own actions, and they can never be restored."

Luke stated the facts plainly. The man stood up, kicking the chair.

"Don't mess with me! Why do you think I came all this way? Take a closer look!"

"It's clear just by looking. No matter how much time you spend, it won't change. Can you please calm down a bit?"

"Brat."

The man raised his right fist, but stopped when two sharp blades were pointed at his throat.

"Please refrain from violence."

One of the knights warned him coldly.

"...Alright."

The man raised his hands, sweating, showing his willingness to comply.

The knights sheathed their swords, and Luke, who had remained calm, raised his index finger.

"I could have helped if you were the one cursed, but you are the one who cast the curse. Your fingers are the price you paid, and they never existed in the first place. Healers can't heal them, and they will never grow back."

The man was silent after the explanation.

"You have to accept that it's your own fault for getting involved with curses. If you have a valid reason, I can listen to that, but..."

"......Never mind."

"Ah, that thing in your pocket is an illegal cursed tool. Please leave it behind. If it goes off, it won't just be your fingertips. You might not even die easily."

"──Ah!"

Luke smiled and warned him, and the man hurriedly took out the cursed tool.

"Got it."

The man left the room quickly after Luke caught the thrown object with both hands.

"He's in a hurry."

It was good that he handed it over willingly. He hoped the man wouldn't get involved with dangerous cursed tools again and channeled black magic into the object.

He examined the bracelet after removing the curse. It was clearly made with malice and had a magic stone, allowing anyone to activate it by channeling magic, though its effects and safety were not guaranteed.

(Only one country comes to mind for making and distributing such things...)

He gazed into the distance, thinking of the likely source.

He entrusted the man to one of the knights, but he doubted any information about the source would come up. Without evidence, there was nothing he could do, but he found the country extremely troublesome.

He was also a bit disappointed to be called a "brat," even though he was already an adult, often looking younger than his age.

"Well... what kind of curse will I see next?"

He smiled and waited for the next person, ready to tackle the day's challenges.

He successfully resolved the issues of the subsequent consultations and completed the last exorcism.

"Phew... I'm so tired~"

Luke slumped into the chair where the last person had sat. Dealing with various strong emotions embedded in curses and repeatedly exorcising them was mentally draining, depleting not only his magic and physical strength but also his mental energy.

He had finished the exorcism work scheduled for today. After thanking the two knights who had escorted him, he headed back home.

On his way to the cafeteria for lunch, he scanned the room. Some mages ate quietly alone, while groups of knights chatted noisily, varying in number and atmosphere.

Luke, skilled in socializing, could easily blend into any group, male or female. Depending on his mood, he might join a quiet one-on-one conversation or a lively group discussion.

Today, he had dealt with many curses, most of which were negative emotions like anger, resentment, and sadness. Even Luke felt overwhelmed after reading them one after another.

On days like this, he wanted to spend time with real people and have fun.

(I'll go there.)

After picking up his meal at the counter, Luke headed to the chosen table.

Fiona, at the center of the group, was enjoying dessert with a happy smile. Matthias and Graham were bickering, and Muriel was chewing her salad with a disapproving look.

Layla, watching quietly, had a beautiful smile but was about to snap.

"Good work. It's lively as always."

Luke greeted them cheerfully and joined the group.

Spending time with these close friends was always comfortable. Although they often fought, and he sometimes got caught in the crossfire, he knew Fiona would scold them properly, giving him peace of mind.

He decided to recharge for the afternoon's work with a pleasant lunch.