5.

I woke up.

With unfocused and dazed eyes, I started to grasp the situation. It felt like I had been asleep for a year, my head cloudy, but I could barely recognize where I was lying.

A bed. An inn room. The only village. It was a large room with two beds, one for Jenin and one for me. As I pushed away the soft bedding and sat up, my limbs felt a bit tingly, but I wasn’t uncomfortable otherwise. In fact, I felt a bit dazed, but my physical condition was very good.

“Where is everyone….”

Seeing the real sword Jenin used to swing around playfully still on the table, it seemed she hadn’t left without me.

As I got up from the bed to head outside, I noticed my completely bare body. My skin had grown even paler while I was sleeping. I needed to get dressed…

Just as I was about to check my inventory, the door suddenly opened. Assuming it was Jenin, I was about to greet her with a bit of embarrassment, but standing at the door was Kelian, not Jenin.

“Kelian? Wait a minute, let me put on some clothes…!”

I quickly turned my back to him, but I froze as I felt the warmth of his body almost immediately. Kelian hugged me from behind, whispering near my neck.

“I was worried.”

“Worried…?”

“You haven’t woken up for two days.”

Two days? Only then did I realize something was wrong. Recalling my memory, I had definitely gone to the hunting ground for leveling up, leaving the party behind, and then Hans suddenly attacked…

“Oh.”

The handkerchief artifact. It saved my life, and Hans died.

“I’ve been lying down for two days?”

“Yes.”

“…We couldn’t go to Lilka, could we? Because of me.”

The plan to head to Lilka, the capital of the empire, seemed disrupted because I had slept for two days. This wasn’t the reason I went to the hunting ground… I sighed involuntarily.

Kelian, as if trying to draw my attention, wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. Though he was dressed, I wasn’t, so I could vividly feel the fabric against my bare skin. And beneath it, his solid body…

“Plans have changed, so it’s fine.”

Kelian, who had pulled my increasingly shrinking body closer to him, said something unexpected.

“Plans… have changed?”

Instead of answering, he suddenly kissed my neck lightly. His body was pressed against my back without a single gap, making it impossible for me to collect my thoughts. I could feel my hips pressed firmly against his thighs.

“Um, Kelian?”

“Yes, Aine.”

“What exactly do you mean by the plans have changed, and also, could you let me put on some clothes…?”

If you keep pulling me close like this without me wearing anything… The faint breath falling down my neck and the strong body holding me created an inappropriate, strange excitement, making me anxious. Yet, he spoke in a calm, detached voice.

“Very well.”

“…Huh?”

“Let’s go buy some clothes.”

That’s not what I meant…? Kelian wrapped my body in a black robe he seemingly pulled from his inventory. My previously exposed body was now completely covered from the neck down to my toes.

He then picked me up effortlessly, leaving me blinking in surprise. He walked out of the room without the slightest hesitation.

“Keli…”

“Aine!”

I was about to call his name again when a familiar voice called out to me even louder.

Descending the stairs while being carried by Kelian, I saw Jenin stand up abruptly from a chair in the inn’s dining area. Sayiris, Dain, and Barkrud were also there.

“Are you feeling better now?”

She looked at me with a worried expression, as if I had just come back from the dead. Although puzzled, I reassured her that I was fine. They must have misunderstood, thinking I was seriously ill since I had been unconscious for two days.

Jenin continued to scrutinize my complexion with a worried look before finally sighing.

“You have no idea how shocked we were when you returned from the hunting ground covered in blood after only a few hours.”

“Covered in blood?”

Was I that badly injured? Thinking back, I did recall my right arm being slashed by Hans’ sword, causing a lot of bleeding. I subconsciously tried to lift my right arm to check, but it was hidden under Kelian’s robe. Fortunately, there was no pain at all.

“Kelian managed to stop the bleeding, but… if he hadn’t been there, who knows what would have happened.”

Without the artifact Kelian gave me, I wouldn’t have survived. Even though I had grown and developed new skills in a short period, the level gap with Hans was not easily bridged.

“I’m sorry. Because of me, we couldn’t go to Lilka.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Jenin smiled brightly.

“You don’t need to worry about that. Our plans have changed.”

Just like Kelian, Jenin mentioned the ‘changed plans’ and seemed even more cheerful than when she talked about the original goal of the SSS-class rare dungeon. What exactly were these new plans? I looked at Kelian, who was holding me, then back at Jenin and asked.

“What are these plans…”

But again, my words were cut off. Sayiris, who had approached silently, suddenly thrust her always-glamorous staff in front of me.

A light emanated from the staff, momentarily enveloping my body before dissipating. I felt even more invigorated than I already did.

“You’re fully healed.”

“Ah, thank you, Sayiris…”

I tried hard to think of something to say while staring at the staff that wouldn’t go away.

“Seeing it after two days, your staff looks even more radiant and beautiful.”

My compliment, delivered as naturally as possible, made the silver-haired beauty smile. Her smile was just as dangerous as ever.

“Why all the fuss when the healing was done two days ago?”

Maybe it was because I had slept for so long, but even Dain’s sharp tone sounded welcoming. He was twisting his upper body to look at me from where he sat. Barkrud, who was sitting next to him, got up and walked over to us.

“Are you really alright?”

“Yes, thanks to the healing… I’m perfectly fine.”

The excessive concern over my injury made me feel slightly embarrassed and my chest tickled with warmth. They had been really worried about me…

“Thank you.”

I was genuinely grateful. Following them, a relaxed smile spread across my lips.

“But, where are we going?”

Jenin suddenly asked Kelian, belatedly questioning why he had carried me out.

“To buy clothes.”

“Your clothes? …Oh, Aine’s clothes? Sounds fun. I’ll come too.”

“I’m coming too.”

Jenin and Barkrud immediately decided to join us. Watching this, Dain narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue.

“Why are you all tagging along to buy her clothes? And Kelian, why are you the one taking her to buy clothes?”

Everyone habitually ignored his grumbling, but I fully agreed with him.

“He’s right. I have clothes. We don’t need to buy any.”

“Then let’s just go browse. That’s fine, right?”

That was, of course… fine.

“You said the plans had changed. Is the timing okay? We’ve already lost two days because of me…”

“Yes, it’s perfectly fine.”

Since they insisted everything was fine, I couldn’t argue further and closed my mouth.

Following Kelian, who was carrying me, the entire party left the inn. As we walked down the street, bathed in sunlight, the stares we received were quite piercing. Normally, people would just look at us because we were the Warrior’s party, but now I couldn’t help but feel that my appearance, wrapped up in a robe and being carried, contributed to the attention.

“Dain, didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”

“I never said that.”

Surprisingly, Dain had also joined the outing to buy clothes. Jenin glanced at him curiously before looking ahead. It was also unexpected that Sayiris had tagged along. Did she have clothes to buy as well?

“Welcome, Warriores.”

The shopkeeper, who seemed to recognize our group, greeted us warmly. The store’s interior was very spacious and had a luxurious atmosphere, making me feel a bit intimidated. We rarely had reasons to visit such places.

Despite appearing uninterested, Dain immediately got absorbed in looking at the displayed clothes. Jenin, with a strangely suspicious smile, browsed through the outfits, while Sayiris stood haughtily as if the clothes here didn’t match her standards. Barkrud, holding a garment much smaller than half his body size, stood silently.

“Hold on.”

Kelian gently sat me on a sofa in the lounge area. He seemed to leave for a moment and then returned with a pair of shoes, kneeling in front of me. I stared at his slightly shadowed face as he bent over, and before I realized it, he had already put the shoes on my feet.

“Ah…”

Startled, I saw Kelian place a soft kiss on my leg before lowering it. Although I was still ridiculously dressed in only a robe from the waist up, at least my feet were properly shod.

“Aine! How about these?”

Jenin came in, carrying a handful of clothes. There were at least five outfits, making it unclear which one she was asking about.

“Which one?”

“All of them.”

Unable to argue with her bright smile, I looked over the clothes she held. They all looked expensive… was my only humble thought, which I couldn’t voice.

There were dresses that looked fit for a noble party and comfortable-looking pants. All of them were different from Jenin’s usual attire.

“They’re pretty. Especially that one.”

Most of the dresses were so flashy they hurt my eyes, but one stood out for its simplicity. It was a light blue dress with just the right amount of ruffles and no excessive patterns. Jenin smiled at the dress I pointed out.

“Really? Then shall I try this one on first?”

“Yes.”

Thinking she meant she would try it on, I smiled back and replied, only for Jenin to grab my arm and pull me somewhere. Afraid the robe might open, I held it tightly and followed her with short steps. We arrived at the fitting room.

“…Jenin?”

“Then, try it on and come out. I’ll be waiting.”

Jenin placed all the clothes on a table and left without looking back. So, all those clothes were for… me?

“…”

Under the robe, I was completely naked. Even recalling how we ended up at the shop without giving me time to dress was still baffling. But I couldn’t stay like this forever, so I took out some underwear from my inventory and put it on, followed by the dress I thought was pretty.

My loose black hair covered my chest, so I gathered it neatly and pulled it back. Looking at my reflection in the fitting room mirror, I realized I didn’t look too bad. The summer dress wasn’t stifling, and above all, I liked that it wasn’t flashy.

“I wonder how much…”

I hoped it was less expensive than the other clothes Jenin had left behind.

As I muttered to myself in front of the mirror, the shop owner peeked through the curtain. My heart nearly dropped.

“That dress is 50 gold.”

With that, the shop owner disappeared as if he were a ghost. The dress’s price was as shocking as the shop owner’s sudden appearance. 50 gold for a single dress?

I had expected high prices in such a luxurious shop, but 50 gold was beyond my expectations. How much were the other dresses?

Feeling increasingly timid, I stepped out of the fitting room to see Jenin’s eyes sparkling.

“It looks great on you, Aine!”

“Haha. Thank you, Jenin.”

I still felt awkward, the shock of the price lingering.

“What do you think, Kelian? Doesn’t Aine look amazing?”

Jenin wasn’t satisfied with her own compliment and dragged Kelian into it. Kelian, who seemed to have been waiting as well, looked at me and said,

“It suits you well.”

His straightforward praise made me feel shy, and I responded a bit late.

“…Yes.”

Jenin, who had been smiling the whole time, looked at Kelian and me with satisfaction before pushing me back into the fitting room.

“Now, try on the next outfit.”

“Ah, Jenin, wait…!”

Thus, I had to try on a total of eleven outfits: seven chosen by Jenin, one by Sayiris, and three by Dain, who grumbled about knowing my tastes.

They were overly enthusiastic about choosing my clothes. Given the fuss, I felt I should buy at least one.

“25 gold.”

The dress I bought, though not one picked by the others, was at a more reasonable price. It was a simpler white dress, less elaborate than the light blue one I tried earlier. Despite not being cheap, it was suitable as everyday wear, which I liked.

After purchasing the dress, Jenin approached me.

“Did you like that dress?”

“Yes. I thought buying at least one would be fine.”

I had felt guilty for using the fitting room for hours, so I bought it. But the dress was nice enough to warrant the purchase.

“Oh dear. Should we have bought more of those kinds of clothes…”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. Anyway, it was really fun picking out clothes for you, Aine.”

It did seem like a lot of fun. I couldn’t help but smile, remembering how happy Jenin looked each time I came out wearing the clothes she picked. Perhaps I should have bought at least one of the outfits they chose… No matter how expensive, they seemed to enjoy it so much…

“What’s so fun about that? Your tastes are really weird. How did you manage to pick such awful clothes?”

“Say that again.”

“…I mean, they’re not awful, just a bit unusual.”

Dain’s words trailed off under Sayiris’s intimidating presence.

“Aine looks good in anything anyway. Right, Kelian?”

When Jenin asked, Kelian, who was walking beside me, looked at me seriously and replied,

“Yes. Everything suits her well.”

“…”

I was embarrassed again. As I tried to keep my head down, Kelian’s gaze brushed over my face and then moved away. A hand was extended from the side.

“Will you hold it?”

I stared blankly at the hand extended to me, then stammered a response.

“Ah, why, why?”

I muttered, flustered by his unexpected gesture. I should have just taken his hand, but my nervousness made me blurt out nonsense. Of course, I also wondered if it was appropriate to do this in front of everyone…

Kelian’s response was unexpected.

“So I don’t get lost.”

“What? Get lost?”

“Yes. Me.”

“…”

He said it with a serious face, but it was clearly an excuse. The absurdity of it made me laugh lightly, dispelling my embarrassment. Kelian smiled gently at me too.

“So please, take my hand.”

Up until now, I had thought Kelian might be unintentionally charming, but at this moment, I was sure.

Kelian was deliberately trying to seduce me.

“Good grief. He doesn’t even try to hide it anymore…”

Dain, of course, wouldn’t just stand by and watch this. He pointed his finger furiously at Kelian.

“Since when have you needed someone to hold your hand so you don’t get lost? Why would you even get lost here?”

Kelian had clearly made up his mind. And who could resist when he was trying so hard? I certainly couldn’t; I wanted to take his hand without thinking.

“Ugh! Forget it.”

Surprisingly, Dain calmed down quickly. He didn’t seem as angry as he usually did, which was odd.

Jenin chuckled at Dain’s reaction. I looked at them and then back at Kelian’s outstretched hand.

I was happy.

The man I liked was reaching out to me, his companions were treating me warmly, and it was a beautiful, sunny afternoon. I felt so happy I might burst. When a thoughtless phrase slipped from my mouth:

“I’m cursed.”

Kelian’s hand slowly dropped.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

For a few seconds, no one spoke. My sudden mention of a curse was so out of context it was bewildering.

I was just as shocked by my own words, but I instinctively knew that even if I could turn back time, I would have said it anyway. The only thing threatening this happiness was me.

“A curse? What do you mean…?”

Jenin’s smile froze as she muttered. The party halted, and passersby grumbled as they walked around us.

“Did that guy curse you?”

Kelian asked sharply. For a moment, I wondered who he meant, but I quickly realized he was referring to Hans.

Hans had tried to kill me but ended up dead himself thanks to Kelian’s artifact. However, he hadn’t cursed me. I shook my head heavily.

“No. The curse came from a monster. It happened before I met you all. I approached you because of it.”

“You approached us because of a curse?”

“Yes. Specifically, because of your holy power, Kelian… or rather, Warrior.”

Jenin’s eyes showed significant shock. Her mouth opened slightly, but she couldn’t find the words and closed it again.

“Look ahead.”

The voice came from Sayiris. At the same time, my body started to glow blue. As the light scanned different parts of my body, Sayiris’s delicate brows furrowed even more.

“No curses detected.”

“Oh.”

She had used magic to check for curses. I hurriedly revealed the nature of my curse.

“It’s an S-rank rare curse, so it might not show up with magic.”

“…If it’s S-rank, then it makes sense I couldn’t detect it.”

Sayiris’s magic could only detect rare curses up to A-rank. It was natural that she couldn’t sense my S-rank curse. I almost smiled at them out of habit, even though we hadn’t known each other for long, but I managed to suppress it in time.

“I wanted to purify my curse with the Warrior’s holy power. I didn’t have enough money to get purified at the temple.”

Once I started talking, the reasons I hadn’t shared with them before came pouring out. I was scared of the cold atmosphere, but I felt an even stronger urge not to deceive them any longer.

“Is that the whole truth?”

Kelian, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. My throat tightened with nerves, and I swallowed hard before answering.

“Yes, that’s everything.”

His eyes scrutinized me, trying to discern the truth behind my words.

“So, everything was because of the curse, forced by it?”

The disappointment in his voice pierced my heart. The recent intimacy with him wasn’t because of the curse. It was due to my genuine feelings. I hastily denied his implication.

“I didn’t force myself to do anything. Approaching you because of the curse and hoping for purification is true, but… I genuinely enjoyed it…”

The kisses and intimacy were so wonderful that I forgot about the curse. If there was a problem, it was that. I never did anything against my will.

Kelian hadn’t specified what he thought I forced, but my panic made me almost confess. If it hadn’t been for Dain, I might have.

“Hmph, I knew it.”

Dain, who had always been suspicious of me, seemed the calmest now that the truth was out.

“You wouldn’t lie about the curse now, so I’ll accept that. But I knew you had an ulterior motive.”

Dain’s quiet reaction was unexpected. It made sense, though. Shock is only felt by those who trust. For someone who never trusted me, it was just confirming suspicions.

“Is it really a rare curse?”

Barkrud, who had been eyeing the situation, asked. Unlike Dain, he seemed skeptical about the curse itself.

“Yes, it’s true.”

“But, people I’ve seen with rare curses were always in pain.”

Indeed, I appeared too healthy for someone supposedly cursed. The reason I wasn’t in pain was all thanks to Kelian.

“I was in pain too, but when I… um, had contact with the Warrior’s holy power, the pain disappeared. It’s not fully purified yet, though.”

I couldn’t bring myself to mention the saliva and physical intimacy. Barkrud, tilting his head, finally nodded.

“Kelian’s holy power is strong.”

Understanding the potency of Kelian’s holy power, Barkrud seemed to accept my explanation that it had alleviated my pain.