Ch.167167 – The Curse Commotion

<167 – Curse Commotion>

My daily life started becoming noticeably inconvenient after enchanting the fake ghost into the ring.

“Huh? I’m sure I left my writing tools on the desk, so why are they on the floor?”

“Me too, me too. You know how the hairpin I had in my hair earlier is now stuck in my uniform pocket?”

“Isn’t that just forgetfulness~?”

“You think so?”

“Don’t be so embarrassed. I sometimes blank out too and get 40 points on pop quizzes!”

“…That’s because you didn’t study.”

It’s become routine for students sitting around me during lectures to get caught up in strange incidents.

“Ugh. Look at this, Oknodie. My straw is wet.”

“S-sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing, Oknodie…?”

When I happened to meet Zhang in front of the cafeteria and ate lunch together, she pouted while touching the straw that the ghost had already sucked on.

“Now, righteous thief activities require physical flexibility. Today, we’ll test your flexibility with pole vaulting, long jump, limbo posture, and arm extension while seated.”

When it was my turn to prepare for a high jump, Lin secretly emerged from the ring in ghost form and slightly lifted the pole with her hands!

I was astounded by her persistent interference, but no chance! Pretending to take a running start, I moved 20 meters away, and while Lin couldn’t grab the pole, I quickly ran and jumped over it.

[You have successfully completed the pole vault despite the ghost’s interference.]

[Long Jump experience +3]

[Evasion experience +1]

[Leap experience +1]

Hmph. Trying to hold back a veteran player? Not a chance!

When I proudly snorted and taunted her, she appeared right in front of the pole as I was running for the next attempt, which was 10cm higher.

Not even trying to interfere subtly anymore, fake Lin grabbed the pole with both hands and lifted it as high as she could above her head.

“What’s that…?”

“Why is the pole floating up on its own?”

“Student using telekinesis. While I appreciate the strategy of hindering other students to preserve your own score, remember that obvious cheating will result in point deductions.”

Professor Bronze’s comment sparked controversy—is cheating okay if you don’t get caught?? But the atmosphere grew serious as the ghost refused to lower the pole.

“Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough. Put the pole back where it belongs.”

“…”

“Ignoring a professor? Do you want to lose points?”

Since no one had cast telekinesis, the pole naturally wouldn’t go down.

An angry Professor Bronze released detection waves to identify who had cast the telekinesis spell.

It was magic that detected mana caught in the waves to identify which sorcerer the magic was connected to.

A practical spell worthy of the world’s greatest righteous thief.

But since no one had cast any magic, naturally no one would be caught.

“It’s not magic…?”

A pole floating on its own without magic.

Of course, the classroom was thrown into chaos.

“What is that?”

“Why is it doing that?”

“Could it be a ghost?”

Startled by the word “ghost,” fake Lin returned to the ring.

Clang.

A strange coincidence that made it seem like something had responded to the student’s words.

Though it actually had understood.

Not knowing what was happening, students screamed and backed away in panic.

“Well. Since safety accidents could occur, we’ll end today’s practical lesson here.”

In the end, the class was replaced with a theoretical lecture, but among the students taking the Developing an Eye class, unusual ghost stories began to circulate.

“What could that ghost have been?”

“Could it be the ghost of a student who starved to death after failing the pole vault and not receiving additional points?”

“Giselle, not everything you think of is worth saying.”

“Haha. Sorry. I just wanted to lighten the mood a bit.”

“Still, it’s creepy. It felt like a ghost with malicious intent who died in an unfortunate accident and wanted to make students get hurt. Are you okay, Oknodie?”

“I’m fine! I’m strong, so I won’t die from something like tripping!”

“We’re just worried about you.”

“I know the little lady is independent, but if anything happens, you must ask us for help. Understood?”

“I will.”

In the end, I even made Isabelle and Giselle worry.

This troublemaking ghost.

“Are you really going to keep this up? People around me keep getting suspicious because of you.”

Fake Lin silently crouched down, picked up the chain and shook it, protesting that if I was annoyed, I should release the chain.

If she causes this much trouble while bound, there’s no way I’d listen to her silent protest!

“Hmph. I’m absolutely not going to release you. Nyah!”

“…”

Like an impudent cat staring directly at its owner, accepting the challenge, the ghost looked straight at me without averting her gaze.

Like beasts trying to establish hierarchy, a battle of wills began between me and fake Lin.

* *

Early evening as the sun began to set.

Zhang and Titosoga were heading to the classroom for the Adventurer’s Night Activity lecture.

Though they usually chatted about various things, with the relatively more timid Titosoga typically doing most of the talking, today Zhang spoke first.

“Haven’t there been a lot of strange things happening around Oknodie lately?”

“Oh, that? I heard about it too. I have a friend named Dorothy who went with Oknodie to the deep forest by carriage over the weekend. She said they found a strange object there.”

Flinch.

Zhang’s shoulders trembled slightly at the scary story that emerged while they were already on their way to a frightening lecture.

Focused on the conversation and looking straight ahead, Titosoga failed to notice Zhang’s fearful expression.

“A strange object?”

“It might be a cursed item, she said.”

“You can’t kill a curse with a dagger.”

“…Isn’t your point of fear a bit strange?”

“But it’s still scary. Many targets use curses to stop assassins.”

“Huh. I didn’t know that.”

“Your papa is a deputy mayor, right? It would be good to prepare defensive measures with curses in advance. Skilled assassins fear being cursed, so they don’t touch targets protected by witches.”

“What kind of curses can they get?”

“There are many. Curses that make you blind, curses that make your appearance ugly.”

That’s why curses are feared in the assassination industry.

“Are there such scary curses?”

“They’re not common. I know that powerful curses have demanding conditions to activate. Either the materials are extremely expensive, the conditions are very strict, or they require tremendous dedication.”

“Not much different from other fields. Ugh. Still scary though. I’d be afraid of accidentally getting cursed myself if I were protected by such curses.”

Titosoga rubbed the goosebumps on her forearm.

“Could Oknodie be under such a curse?”

“Probably not that severe, but she does seem affected by something. Oknodie is an assassin after all.”

“Would the infirmary remove curses too?”

“It would be expensive.”

“How are curses lifted?”

“Some disappear naturally over time, others require special lifting procedures. The more potent the curse, the more difficult and complicated the procedure, making it nearly impossible to accomplish by chance.”

“True. If there were a curse that could be lifted by eating a lot, Oknodie would recover in a day.”

As they discussed curses, they finally arrived at the classroom.

Oknodie, who had arrived earlier, greeted them with a “Hello!” from beside the professor.

“…Hello.”

“The professor is already here…”

Zhang and Titosoga’s eyes clouded over.

Whatever curse Oknodie might be under, it couldn’t be scarier than facing Professor Sadaco in person, who would be frightening even in nightmares.

“…Seems you’ve developed an interest in curses.”

“Yes… We thought Oknodie might be under a curse…”

“She’s not. She’s just been near a cursed object, so some cursed energy has transferred to her…”

“I-I see… But how do you know that, Professor?”

“The curse that might have transferred to Oknodie is likely residual curse waste from my lecture…”

“From your lecture, Professor Sadaco?”

“Black magic and curses are inseparable… You who have entered the path of darkness will have to learn about them in your second year…”

“We’re here for the Adventurer’s Night Activity lecture, right?!”

“…Let’s begin the lecture…”

“Don’t change the subject…”

The brief chat only created anxiety about the future (second year).

But the next day, Titosoga realized that yesterday’s conversation wasn’t entirely in vain.

“Announcement for all first-year students. Due to a contagious curse currently circulating on campus, please make sure to carry the <Protection Charm> placed in front of your door when going out.

The Academy will not be responsible for any mishaps that occur due to not carrying the Protection Charm. You can check this notice on the first floor bulletin board.

This has been an announcement from the First-Year Girls’ Dormitory Supervisor’s Office.”

Ding-dong-dang-dong.

As the announcement ended with the bell sound, tremendous anxiety swept over Titosoga’s timid heart.

What kind of curse could be circulating?

At times like this, she needed friends who knew about curses.

Zhang and Oknodie.

The two assassins would surely know.

“Zhang, it’s me! Open the door. Tell me more about curses. I’m so scared!”

“…Don’t call me. I don’t want to get infected with the curse. You wanted to know about curses, right? Stay locked in your room too. I’m not moving an inch from my room this weekend.”

The consultation with Zhang only increased her anxiety.

Now Oknodie is my only hope!

“You’re worried about the curse?”

“Yes, yes. Isn’t there some way to deal with it?”

Oknodie, who poked her head through the doorway, said with a puzzled expression:

“Just get cursed. Why are you afraid?”

“…What?”

“Once you get cursed and overcome it, your curse resistance increases. So the more curses you get, the better!”

What in the…

Titosoga was left speechless at Oknodie’s cheerful explanation.

Did the Foundation make her do even that…?