Chapter 83: You’ve Been Cursed

There are roughly two types of curses.

Aggressive curses that are fired targeting a specific object.

Or trap-type curses that automatically activate when certain conditions are met.

What was laid on the 4th floor was a trap-type curse.

The activation condition was to gaze at it.

Just looking at it starts mental confusion, and unless you have exceptional mental strength or protective abilities, you’ll fall victim to the curse and collapse as soon as you enter the 4th floor.

What’s even more frightening is that such curses don’t just affect adventurers.

“Even the monsters on the 4th floor were all drawn in?”

“There’s no way there could be so few monsters otherwise. Not even corpses are visible.”

As Sasaro said, no monster corpses were visible.

They had all disappeared somewhere without a trace.

“There’s a very high possibility they’re gathered in one place.”

“The monsters that should be on the 4th floor are condensed in one place, huh.”

“Probably.. it’s likely something the heretics often use…”

Recorder Paramel shared information.

A method heretics frequently used in the labyrinth 30 years ago.

“There’s a very high probability it’s a corpse golem… The monster used as the base is probably either a high orc or werewolf from the underground city…”

It’s said to have swallowed all the monsters on the 4th floor by making them ‘attracted’ based on a monster from the underground city.

I couldn’t quite grasp what form it would take just from the explanation. Because it’s not a monster you can encounter normally. It’s a peculiar type that can only be seen when heretics rise up.

‘This might be…’

I had been feeding monster remains to the Bracelet of Growth as we came down to the 4th floor.

I fed it the rotten blood of zombies, the bone powder of skeletons, and even the ectoplasm spilled by wraiths.

As a result, the Bracelet of Growth was significantly increasing my willpower and mental strength stats.

‘This might be a chance to obtain materials I won’t be able to get in the future.’

It’s better to feed the Bracelet of Growth as many different types of monsters as possible.

So it would be beneficial to feed the bracelet as many monsters that can only be seen during this heretic uprising event as possible.

If we completely wipe out the heretics this time, there’s a possibility we’ll never encounter monsters that only appear during heretic uprising events again.

“It seems to be waiting for us in that direction.”

“Porter-ssi, how big is the room?”

“It’s a bit larger than the Adventurers’ Guild.”

I gave them an approximate size of the room based on my map-making.

It’s quite a large space. You could consider it a kind of boss room. I thought there might be a transfer stone to go down to the underground city next to the corpse golem.

“Let’s take care of it in one go.”

Raphael took the lead and walked forward.

The group moved following behind him.

Since Raphael and the Saint had bodies that were practically invulnerable to traps, these two opened the path at the vanguard.

“That’s the one.”

“Ah…”

Soon we were able to face the corpse golem.

A grotesque creature created based on a high orc from the underground city.

Monsters from the 4th floor were stuck to its body, expanding it arbitrarily, and bones were protruding from its torn belly like teeth, gaping open and shut.

It was growing its body by swallowing monsters drawn in by the curse through that wide open belly.

‘The smell…’

A stench of rotting corpses that made me feel like I would die from the foulness wafted over.

Paramel’s complexion turned pale, and the group all drew their weapons at once.

“What on earth have they done…”

“I feel intense malice.”

It wasn’t made using just a high orc as the base.

‘…How many people…’

My spirit vision activated on its own and illuminated the vengeful spirits of those stuck to the creature’s body.

It’s not just one person.

At least seven people.

Some of them were mixed in with those I had occasionally encountered coming and going from the guild.

They used people as materials. Their souls are crying out. These are faces I know.

‘….’

They were reaching out their hands to me, to us.

Begging to be freed from this pain.

-Stop. Stop. Stop..

-Please.. Take me out of here.. Please…

-It hurts….

My spirit vision deactivated.

Before I knew it, the inquisitors had rushed forward and were beating down the corpse golem.

‘What will happen to them…?’

The corpse golem collapsed with its arm cut off by Sasaro’s sword and its leg sliced by Raphael’s greatsword.

The Saint stomped on its head and crushed it.

The vengeful spirits were still clinging to the dead monster.

They seemed trapped.

In this labyrinth.

‘I can’t leave them behind.’

Sacrificed by heretics, they’ll wander the labyrinth until their souls are completely worn away and disappear, without even being able to go up to the surface.

Like Shaka. They’ll keep wandering endlessly just as he did.

I couldn’t leave them behind. If I hadn’t seen them, it would be one thing. But now that I’ve seen them, I have to take them out.

The thought that I must do this kept circling in my mind.

“Porter-ssi. What are you doing?”

“Ah, well… I’m sorry, but could you give me a moment?”

“Time, you say?”

“Yes.. Just a very short moment will do.”

“You want to be left alone with the corpse in the room?”

“Yes. It’s a very.. very important matter.”

Even with the inquisitors’ prayers, those vengeful spirits cannot escape the labyrinth.

Only I could send them up.

I had to rescue them. But I didn’t want to show that scene to the whole group.

Especially Sasaro and Paramel are a bit dangerous. Those two were the type of people who couldn’t accept such mystical acts.

“I’m not sure what it is, but. Let’s leave Rosie behind. She is your guard after all.”

“Understood.”

Thanks to the Saint’s consideration, the other members left the room.

Only Rosie and I remained in the room.

I reached out my hand towards the remains of the collapsed corpse golem at the center.

I put my hand into the monster’s body, which was full of traces of being burned by holy power here and there.

“Porter-ssi, what are you doing!? That’s filthy!”

“I know! Just a moment please.”

“No, there are no materials that can be harvested from a corpse golem!”

“Ah, got it!”

I touched it.

Into my hand inserted into the corpse golem’s belly…

Someone’s hand touched mine.

It’s not a physical hand.

An ethereal being felt by my hand. That’s what touched me.

I’ve just made contact with one of the countless vengeful spirits reaching out their hands towards me.

‘Just a little more..’

I grasped that hand tightly and pulled with all my might.

Soon, the souls of the victims swallowed and dissolving in the monster’s belly started to come out.

-Ah… Aah…

-Light….

The vengeful spirits clung to me.

They were naturally drawn to my spirit vision, and their souls weighed heavily on my shoulders.

‘Damn.’

Do souls have weight too?

It’s a feeling similar to Shaka. The feeling of something heavy settling in my chest and weighing me down.

It was bearable. There’s no hindrance to moving. It’s just a matter of feeling.

“What on earth did you pull out?”

“Ah, well…”

As I couldn’t give any answer, Rosie just nodded as if she understood.

“Huh. Looks like there was something after all. Let’s clean your arm first. It’s dirty.”

Rosie didn’t ask anything more.

Grateful for her consideration, I took out water from my inventory and washed my arm.

Then, in case I might get a skin disease, Rosie cast a purification chant on me.

Blood from the corpse golem had also seeped into the Bracelet of Growth, and I felt like some unknown stat had increased.

I could tell right away because I felt a sensation similar to when adapting to mana passing through my body. Something had definitely grown.

“Ugh…”

“What’s wrong?”

When we finished tidying up and left the room, this time Raphael was sitting down in the corridor.

“I’m detoxifying the curse now.. Just a moment…”

“My head is spinning.”

Raphael’s left eye had gone bad because of the curse.

Although he didn’t go completely mad thanks to his high innate magic resistance, his left eye had developed a problem as a result of carelessness.

“Oh… Got it..!”

Still, since Recorder Paramel was an expert in this field, he instantly detoxified the curse on the collapsed Raphael.

“Raphael, I told you to be careful.”

“I’m sorry, Saint. It suddenly came at me.”

“By the way, is Porter-ssi really alright?”

“Huh? Ah. I’m fine.”

For some reason, I had been fine since first entering the 4th floor.

Even the inquisitors are affected by the curse if their concentration slips even a little, but I had no problems at all.

“How curious.”

The Saint stared at me intently. As if trying to find something she didn’t know.

‘Whether it’s because of the spirit vision, or if there’s another reason.’

I couldn’t know the exact cause, but for some reason the curse didn’t work on me.

“Um.. May I.. take a look..?”

“Uh, do you really need to check?”

“We need to properly understand the cause.. to lower the chances of variables occurring later…”

“Right. It would be good to check once before going down to the underground city.”

“Alright.”

Paramel, who had finished detoxifying Raphael, came over to me and started chanting some unknown spell.

“It’s a discernment chant. You can relax.”

Rosie patted my shoulder.

Some unknown energy swept through my body once, and then Paramel flinched and stepped back.

“What’s wrong? Why are you like that?”

Immediately sensing something strange, Torturer Sasaro put his hand on his sword hilt.

Whether to call it experienced or heartless, Sasaro moved as if he would cut me down at the slightest oddity.

“W-well… Porter-nim.. are you in a cursed state?”

“What? A curse? Me?”

“Yes.. I’ve never seen a curse like this before.. There’s something on your heart.”

“What?? What’s on my heart!?”

“I don’t know either..!”

“Oh my, porter. We have a problem.”

“A curse on the heart. Is it related to a covenant?”

“Have you recently signed anything someone asked you to?”

“Porter. Look into my eyes. You’re clearly possessed by an evil spirit.”

“Kyaaaah!!! It hurts!!!”

That crazy barbarian bastard tried to rip my head off!

“Hey. Raphael, calm down! You’ll burst his head like that!”

“Ah!”

Raphael finally let me go when the Saint stopped him.

Soon Paramel shared his speculation. He opined that if it was a curse on the heart, it would be some kind of covenant or oath. In other words, it meant I had agreed to it.

The Saint, listening to Paramel’s thoughts, stroked her chin and spoke.

“Hmm. This is serious. If it’s the type attached to the heart… there’s a high probability that Porter-ssi agreed to it.”

“Is that so..!?”

“Yes. Since curses are closer to unilaterally spraying excrement on the other person. They’re often engraved on the skin or hair. Transformation curses are like that too, so they change the outer appearance.”

“Ah, I see.”

So that was the setting.

“B-but… a curse on the heart… is mainly related to covenants or oaths.. or strengthening through restrictions.. black magic.. sorcery…”

“Paramel-ssi. I’m scared.”

“I’m scared of you too.. Porter-nim.. Please don’t come closer…”

“No! I’m fine! Why are you like this! Why is everyone distancing themselves from me!”

“Porter-ssi. You’re too excited. If you lose your reason from excitement, you’ll be more easily consumed by the curse. Calm down.”

Rosie came over to me and held my hand.

“No, I really feel wronged.”

“I understand. I understand you feel wronged, Porter-ssi. Paramel.”

“Yes, Saint.”

“Analyze it accurately.”

“B-but the repulsion is too strong…”

“You, are you going to abandon your duty as a recorder? Be faithful to your assigned task.”

“….A-alright..”

Soon Paramel cast the chant spell again and concentrated for a long time. After about 20 minutes passed like that, he told us the results while sweating profusely.

“Three different things are… mixed together…”

“Three things?”

“Yes.. Does anything come to mind..?”

What, if it’s three things, that’s the three villainesses, right?

“The curse is so strong… it seems to be preventing other curses from working…”

“Is that possible?”

“Y-yes.. it’s possible.. Like fighting poison with poison..?”

“Huh..”

I learned a new effect of the contract with the three villainesses.

Curses weaker or lower quality than the contract placed by the three villainesses are almost all nullified.

It was practically immune to curses cast by heretics.