Khunak felt drained.
One of the reasons he didn’t want to come to Gran was precisely this.
People approaching him too much.
While they tried to approach him as a gesture of friendliness, Khunak did not want that.
The truth was that he was emitting pollution inconsistently.
Moreover, there were the malicious gazes and the voices speaking loudly enough for him to hear.
He barely managed to shake off the people and entered the Silver Horseshoe Inn.
After greeting the innkeeper, he looked for Doah.
The innkeeper, of course, remembered Azure Nazac.
As Khunak climbed the stairs and stood in front of the room, he was about to knock when he heard a familiar voice from inside.
“What? You think Khunak is kind?!”
Khunak froze on the spot.
He instinctively held his breath and listened carefully to the voices inside.
“Yes, he’s actually quite kind.”
“No, hmm. I see.”
“What’s with that reaction?”
“Well, most S-classes aren’t very kind.”
“Oh, you must have had a hard time.”
“Yes, I have.”
Khunak suddenly flung the door open.
Yan, who was sitting on the bed, looked at him and calmly smiled.
“Khunak, you should knock before opening the door.”
Khunak’s gaze shifted to Yan’s IV drip.
Doah was administering it to treat his broken finger.
Khunak’s expression darkened as he quickly walked over with his long strides.
“What’s going on? Is it because of the pollution? Is he getting a purification infusion?”
“No, it’s due to exhaustion,”
Doah, stepping forward as a doctor, quickly replied.
A potion can heal any injury.
That’s true, but only if it directly touches the wound.
To heal a broken bone, you either have to cut the flesh and pour the potion directly on the bone, or give an injection.
You have to choose between the two.
When Doah suggested pouring the potion directly on the bone, Rakshasha had gestured as if drawing a circle with her hand.
“Do you even know how much a syringe costs? How about an IV needle and the tubing? Even if you worked all year, you wouldn’t be able to afford just one.”
The potion itself is expensive, but if the additional items are costly too, the price skyrockets.
“It’s usually better to leave it to natural healing,”
Rakshasa would say, puffing out coffee smoke.
Doah initially intended to use an injection, but after examining Yan’s physical condition, she switched to the IV drip because his health wasn’t in great shape.
Doah only mentioned ‘exhaustion’ because Yan didn’t want Khunak to know about his condition.
Khunak’s face showed a moment of relief.
“I see.”
Yan grinned.
“It’s been a while, aren’t you going to greet your brother?”
Khunak nodded stiffly.
“It’s been a while.”
His voice was awkward and rigid, so different from the Khunak she knew, that Doah tilted her head in confusion.
Khunak then turned his gaze to Doah.
“But Miss Doah, how did you meet Yan?”
“I picked him up after finding him collapsed near the dock.”
Khunak was about to question her when he ran his fingers roughly through his hair and glared at Doah.
“Miss Doah, I deeply appreciate your kindness, but please refrain from bringing strangers along next time.”
“Alright, I’ll try to refrain,”
Doah said quietly, clasping her hands together.
“At this rate, you’re going to gather all the stray dogs in the neighborhood.”
“Stray dogs?”
“Stray dogs, really?”
Yan and Doah spoke simultaneously, then looked at each other and laughed.
Watching them, Khunak’s expression grew complex before he finally said,
“Then, I’ll be going now. We can talk later—”
“Stay here. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Yan gently replied.
Khunak hesitated, glancing at Doah before turning back to Yan.
“You know why.”
“I know, but it’s fine. After all, Azure Nazac is here, isn’t he?”
Doah suddenly realized what Khunak was worried about—he was concerned that his pollution might affect Yan, whose health was not in great shape.
Waving her hand, Doah reassured him,
“It’s okay. He’s receiving an infusion, too.”
The infusion, made from herbs blessed by the World Tree, had a powerful purification effect.
It would not only purify any newly accumulated pollution but also cleanse what had already built up.
Once the infusion was complete, Yan’s body would feel significantly lighter.
Khunak stood frozen in place, as if turned to stone, then slowly approached Yan.
“It’s been a long time, you know? You didn’t even come to Father’s funeral,” Yan said.
“I’m sorry,”
Khunak replied, bowing his head.
Yan smiled at him,
“I’m not saying this to scold you. We’re brothers, we should see each other more often.”
Doah looked at the two of them, wondering if there was some issue between the brothers.
Sensing her gaze, Khunak turned to her and said,
“Thank you.”
“Oh, no need to mention it,”
Doah quickly shook her head.
At that moment, the door opened, and Berry entered.
“Ms. Doah, I brought the tea.”
Berry quickly handed the tray to Doah, who then picked up two cups and offered one to Yan and one to Khunak.
Berry looked crestfallen.
“But what about you, Ms. Doah?”
“I’m fine. Both of you are my guests, after all. The guests should be served first.”
“Then I’ll quickly bring a fresh cup,”
Berry said as he hurriedly left the room with the tray.
Yan took the teacup.
His finger bones had fully healed, allowing him to move without much difficulty.
Moreover, his head had felt clear and his mood uplifted since earlier.
“If you started a private practice, it would be very successful,”
Yan remarked.
“Yes, but my goal is to be an adventurer,”
Doah responded with a slight smile.
Yan grinned and said,
“Then how about starting at B-rank?”
“B-rank?”
“Yes. Based on what I’ve heard and your skills, I think you’re definitely above B-rank. However, jumping straight to A-rank might cause some resistance.”
He glanced at Khunak.
“If an S-rank adventurer vouched for you, starting at B-rank shouldn’t be an issue.”
“That sounds great. I’d be very grateful,” Doah replied.
B-rank? Starting from B-rank was a huge leap compared to beginning at F-rank.
Yan nodded.
“Alright then, how about you visit the guild tomorrow? I’ll make sure everything is prepared.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Oh, no need to mention it.”
As they talked, Khunak suddenly stood up and said,
“Well then, Ms. Doah, Yan, I’ll be going now.”
“What? I thought it’s been a while since you two last met?”
Doah asked, pointing to herself.
“Shouldn’t I be the one to excuse myself instead?” Khunak smiled.
“It’s fine. I can always see Yan later.”
“Really?”
Yan asked, frowning slightly.
Khunak nodded and left the room.
As he exited, Berry walked in, grumbling,
“If he was going to leave so quickly, he should have refused from the start.”
“No, even if he was going to refuse, it’s still polite to serve the tea. Thank you, Berry. I should have brought it myself. I’m sorry to have troubled you,” Doah apologized.
Berry jumped a little and responded,
“No, it’s alright, Ms. Doah! It’s fine!”
Berry wagged his tail as he spoke.
“I brought the tea,”
Berry said, trying hard to speak clearly.
“I’ll just sit quietly in the corner and not disturb you.”
Berry settled into a corner of the room.
“No need to…”
Doah started to say that he could relax, but stopped herself.
She decided it would be better to talk to him about it when they went shopping for clothes later.
Doah looked at the IV drip. It seemed like it would take another 30 minutes to finish.
“Should I call Khunak back? I can step out if you’d like, but it will take another 30 minutes for the drip to finish,” Doah suggested.
Yan glanced at the IV and then said,
“No, it’s alright. Khunak is afraid of me.”
“Afraid of you?”
Doah squinted at Yan, trying to understand.
Yan burst out laughing.
“No, it’s not that I did anything to him. Khunak is just afraid that he might harm me.”
“Khunak, harm you?”
“Yes. My father—well, Khunak’s adoptive father—passed away young after a long illness.”
“Oh,” Doah responded, her expression showing understanding.
Yan nodded.
“Khunak believes it’s his fault. It might even be true. He’s afraid the same thing could happen to me.”
Doah felt a mix of emotions as she looked at Yan.
Yan offered her a faint smile, meeting her gaze.
“In truth, as the guild master of Gran’s adventurers, I might need to ban Khunak from entering Gran.”
“Because of the pollution?”
“No, because of him,”
Yan said, as if swallowing a sigh.
“You never know when he might lose control.”
“Lose control?” Doah asked, puzzled.
“Yes, if a cursed sword starts emitting pollution, who do you think will be most affected?”
“The wielder, I suppose.”
“Exactly. And when the pollution fills the marrow, like with some sorcerers, the wielder will lose control. The damage they could cause would be catastrophic.”
Hearing this, Doah frowned.
She had heard of sorcerers losing control.
Pollution could invade their brains, or they might overextend themselves casting powerful spells, becoming something no longer human.
They would transform.
There’s a limit to the amount of pollution a human can withstand.
Once that limit is surpassed, they cease to be human.
They become no different from the beasts that appear in dungeons.
At that point, they’re like a ticking time bomb—an explosion waiting to happen.
A great disaster.
Elibas had said this with a dark expression.
So, what would happen if a cursed sword wielder, like a nuclear power plant, lost control?
‘Chernobyl… Fukushima…’*
It would be a disaster for humanity.
And unlike those plants, a cursed sword wielder moves around.
A moving, explosive nuclear power plant.
“Isn’t this a pretty serious issue?”
Doah asked.
“Yes, that’s one of the reasons Khunak can’t come to Gran and has to stay outside,”
Yan replied, looking tense.
Yan was anxious.
He needed to find a way to reduce Khunak’s pollution level, no matter what.
Doah finally understood why he was drinking that bitter tea.
He was swallowing herbal tea that purifies pollution as if it were water, too afraid to visit precious places or touch those dear to him.
But despite all that, the limit would eventually come. It was inevitable as long as he was the owner of a cursed sword.
Yan added bitterly,
“Khunak has lasted unusually long. Most cursed sword users don’t even survive a year.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Those who seek power by making a pact with a cursed sword usually have a reason to use all of that power.”
“Oh, I see,”
Doah said, understanding that it could be for revenge or something similar.
People who obtain a cursed sword, make a pact, and wield its power to its fullest are bound to reach their goals.
After that, the only thing left is the inevitable breakdown.
With a serious expression, Doah asked,
“Is what we’re talking about now related to how Yan got hurt today?”
Yan nodded slightly.
“In a way, yes. I followed along, hoping I might find a way to purify the cursed sword.”
He gave a bitter smile.
Doah sighed.
Earlier, when she used the branch of the World Tree, its light had purified everything.
But only where the light reached.
Since the pollution was accumulating inside Khunak’s body, the branch couldn’t purify it.
‘I can’t just expose his brain to light. That would be impossible,’
Doah thought to herself.
The idea of a brain undergoing photosynthesis was terrifying.
‘So, what was that group trying to do by baiting us with that? And what about that vial filled with pollution?’
Doah shook her head, clearing those thoughts from her mind.
This was Yan’s problem, not hers.
Right now, she had more than enough to handle with her main quest.
At that moment, Yan spoke up.
“Ms. Doa, since Khunak is calling you that, I’ll start calling you that too.”
“Oh, yes, of course.”
Yan looked directly at her and asked,
“You’re not here to kill Khunak, are you?”
What?
Doah was too stunned to even react properly.
It felt like opening a surprise box she never wanted.
“Kill? Kill Khunak?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I?”
“Because you’re Azure Nazac.”
“Does Azure Nazac go around killing people?”
She was so flustered that she could barely get her words out.
Yan shook his head.
“That’s not it.”
He spoke calmly.
“Every time a cursed sword wielder went berserk, Azure Nazac appeared and dealt with them. Sometimes even before they went berserk,” Yan explained.
“Azure Nazac?”
Doah was stunned, standing still for a moment.
At that moment, Berry spoke from behind,
“You should be grateful.”
Startled, Doah turned around, and Yan gave a bitter smile.
“I understand that, but there are circumstances that make it difficult.”
Berry growled,
“The Guild Master should be asking Ms. Doah to take care of that person!”
Berry’s pronunciation became more muddled as his emotions flared up.
“It might seem like a lack of responsibility, but I won’t do that,”
Yan said calmly.
“What are you both talking about behind my back? Why is Yan asking me to commit murder?”
Doah asked, her voice rising in disbelief.
“Murder?”
Yan chuckled coldly, his laugh oddly cheerful for such a serious matter.
“Killing a cursed sword wielder is murder? It’s an act of justice.”
In that moment, Doah felt something she couldn’t quite describe, an emotion that left her at a loss for words.
She glared at Yan, who then gave her a sorrowful look.
Unable to hold his gaze, she lowered her eyes.
She had only known Khunak for a few days, but Yan had lived as Khunak’s brother for a long time.
He had likely faced such views his whole life. His family probably had as well.
Yan must have heard this kind of talk many times before.
So, she couldn’t just dismiss his words with something as shallow as,
“Even as a joke, family shouldn’t say things like that.”
The only response she could muster was in a very small voice,
“For me, it’s murder…”
Silence filled the room before Yan gave a short reply.
“Thank you.”
* Chernobyl and Fukushima are both sites of catastrophic nuclear disasters, which are among the most severe in history. Both disasters highlighted the risks associated with nuclear power and led to significant changes in nuclear safety regulations worldwide.
