Kwajik!
"Kuaaack!" I let out a pained scream as my hand was violently repelled. What the hell was that? It felt like slamming into an invisible wall, the force reverberating through my bones.
[You have been cursed.]
[You have inflicted with a negative status.]
Damnit! Not again!
"Ack!"
My right hand began to darken, the corruption spreading from my fingertips to my wrist, creeping up my arm like a deadly poison. At the same time, the veins in my hand tightened, bulging as though they were about to snap under the strain.
The pain was unbearable, and it took every ounce of my willpower to keep from screaming.
[Personal skill, 「 Black Box 」 has activated.]
[The Black Box has negated the effects of the curse.]
Fortunately, the protective skill activated just in time, dispelling the curse. My blackened hand slowly returned to its normal color, the corruption retreating as if it had never been there.
I flexed my fingers, testing their movement. The pain had diminished to a dull ache, but the memory of it lingered like a phantom.
"Ajusshi!"
Miyuki rushed to my side, her face etched with concern. I forced a smile and waved my hand dismissively. "Don't worry, it just stung a bit."
"Are you sure? That sounded... painful."
"I've had worse." I glanced at the invisible barrier with a mix of irritation and curiosity. "It seems someone placed a ward here to keep intruders out."
"So It's magic?"
"Yes, and it's no small spell either. Whoever did this really didn't want anyone getting in. Fascinating, isn't it? Yes, It's really interesting."
Despite the situation, I couldn't help but laugh, the sound echoing faintly throughout the corrider.
"What's so funny?" Miyuki asked, bewildered.
I gestured toward the invisible barrier. "Think of it like putting up a 'Danger Ahead! Do Not Enter!' sign. You'd think it would keep people away, but instead, it invites the most curious and reckless ones to step forward."
Miyuki frowned as if it was ridiculous. "That's just stupid."
"Maybe," I smirked, "but it's also human nature. Curiosity drives us toward the unknown, even when we know the risks. Danger only makes the mystery more tempting to solve."
I turned back to the barrier, my smile fading as my voice dropped to a murmur. "And sometimes, people like me can't resist the challenge."
Vwuuuummm...
A faint ripple shimmered across the barrier, as if taunting me. I reached out cautiously, but this time I stopped just short of touching it. It would be dangerous if I actually made contact with it again.
[System message: Analysis of the barrier is in progress...]
Streams of data about the barrier's properties flowed seamlessly into my mind. My eyes glowed faintly as I sifted through the information carefully.
Miyuki leaned in, watching intently. "What are you doing now?"
"Analyzing the barrier's properties," I replied without looking back. "Understanding the properties of magic is the first step to countering or negating it effectively."
"Properties of magic?"
"Ah, that's right," I suddenly realized. "I never taught you about the properties of magic, did I?"
Miyuki blinked. "There's a whole... system to it?"
I nodded, drawing a small circle in the air with my finger.
The heavy chains binding the door fell to the ground with a loud noise. Slowly, the door creaked open.
As I stored the Evil Breaking Sword back into the Dimensional Coat, Miyuki stepped closer to me.
The room was spacious and filled with silence, carrying the faint scent of dust and old wood. Dark mahogany panels covered the walls, with their polished sheen dulled by age. A heavy chandelier hung from the ceiling, with its dusty crystals catching faint glimmers of light.
At the far end, a heavy oak desk stood as the room's centerpiece. Its surface was a battlefield of disorder, with stacks of yellowing papers, cracked leather-bound books, and peculiar trinkets scattered across it. An imposing high-backed leather chair, with its upholstery cracked and flaking, sat behind the desk, as if still waiting for its master to return.
A grand bookshelf spanned the length of the wall to the right, with its shelves filled with tomes of varying sizes and conditions. The books were a mix of ancient manuscripts with crumbling spines and modern volumes whose sleek covers looked almost out of place.
In the middle of the room lay a circular rug with an intricate pattern of gold and crimson threads, almost as if it held some symbolic meaning.
Two tall windows stood to the left, their heavy curtains drawn shut, blocking any light from entering. Beyond the glass stretched an empty void, devoid of life or motion. Even if the curtains were opened, no light would greet the room—only an endless emptiness.
Despite the hint of neglect, there was an unexplainable air of expectation, as though the room had been waiting for someone to return.
Miyuki stepped forward, scanning the room. "This looks different from the other guest rooms."
"This isn't a guest room," I said, "It's clearly the personal space of someone with significant status in the family—perhaps the late wife of Family Head Reginald."
"You mean the Evernight Witch?"
"That is the only logical explanation. And it also makes sure why Reginald would order the servants to occasionally clean this room and prevent anyone from entering."
"Not even his own children? That man is weird," Miyuki muttered with a frown.
I nearly laughed at her words. They were simple yet oddly amusing.
She was still innocent, unaware of the extremes one might go to for the sake of love—even if it meant robbing others of their own happiness.
"C'mon, let's take a look around, shall we?"
We stepped into the room and began our search, carefully looking for anything of importance—be it a Broken Fragment or vital clues.
While Miyuki searched the other parts of the room, I walked towards the desk, drawn to the various papers scattered across its surface.
As I sifted through them, I could make out a few symbols and words that caught my attention. Some of them seemed to be written in an ancient dialect I didn't immediately recognize, but there was a pattern to them.
They seemed to be notes on magic, specifically dark magic.
Some of the notes read:
ᄂThe key to breaking the seal lies in the balance of grief and hope.
ᄂTo invoke the Heart of Despair, one must sacrifice their most cherished memory. Only then will the gate open.
ᄂDespair is the conduit, but only sorrow born from love will give the ritual its power.
ᄂThe final phase requires a willing vessel, one whose heart has been shattered beyond repair, leaving a behind a vast sense of emptiness.
Upon reading those sentences, I realised that those words were all part of an Incantation.
Could this mysterious master be attempting to create their own form of magic? Their personal Astral Theory?
'Huh? What's this?'
As I continued to sift through the papers, something else caught my attention. There was a black journal positioned at the corner of the table.
Curious, I picked it up and started reading, turning the pages carefully. The handwriting was a little harder to read, but I pressed on.
As I read, my eyes widened.
"No way, could it be..."
Unlike the previous notes, the words contained within the journal had no connection to dark magic. Instead, It was filled with a personal story. Chapter Explore:
A familiar yet unsettling story.