* * *
The worn-out hallway brightened.
“What’s the point of a warning?”
It wasn’t completely illuminated, but this much light was enough.
I could see everything.
“I already told you—I won’t let you get hurt.”
He just doesn’t believe me.
No matter how dangerous a place is, if you already know all the answers, there’s no reason to worry.
Vasco scowled.
“One day, you’re going to blunder into the wrong place, unable to tell where you should or shouldn’t be, and you’re going to get yourself into serious trouble.”
“…Are you predicting the future now?”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Because, well, that serious trouble?
I’m dealing with it right now.
Not that he’d believe me even if I told him.
And we didn’t have time for explanations, so I just ignored him.
Vasco, meanwhile, kept pressing me, demanding to know if something was wrong.
It was kind of touching, honestly, seeing how worried he was.
But then he asked if my condition had worsened, so I just pretended not to hear him.
Did he seriously still not let go of the whole ‘incurable disease’ thing?
“Don’t go any farther.”
“What now?”
“Want to see?”
Instead of taking another step, I pulled a dagger from inside my clothes and tossed it ahead.
A split second later, long, razor-sharp fangs shot out from both walls.
If I’d walked forward carelessly, they would’ve impaled me from both sides.
The dagger, now resting on the floor, returned safely to my hand thanks to its engraved enchantment.
“I take back what I said about you being easy to repay.”
“You didn’t even get hurt.”
“My heart’s about to burst, that’s why!”
What a drama queen.
“It’s not like you’ve never broken into a castle before.”
“Yeah, but this one is on another level! Are we sure this place isn’t cursed? From all the poor souls who died unfairly to these traps?”
I mean, technically, we’re the intruders.
If we get killed by security measures, it’s not exactly ‘unfair.’
I thought that, but I decided not to say it.
“Maybe.”
I just hummed in response and got to work disarming the trap.
Stepping lightly, I balanced on the tightly packed fangs instead of the floor, then carefully climbed along the side of the wall.
I reached up to the ceiling, feeling for the spot I remembered.
There.
A slight indentation.
With a creaking noise, the deadly teeth retracted. We were safe again.
“We’re almost there. Let’s go.”
“So this nightmare is finally over, right?”
Hmm.
“Two more.”
“…F*ck.”
Complaining wouldn’t make the traps disappear.
Still, I kept my promise.
Whether it was a poison-coated dagger flying toward us or a deadly, flammable liquid waiting to ignite upon contact, I made sure Vasco didn’t get so much as a scratch.
“How the hell are you enjoying this?” he groaned.
“I like this kind of thing. The harder the trap, the bigger the thrill when you disarm it.”
“You’re insane.”
Hearing that from another adventurer felt rich.
He must be jealous.
Anyway, we finally reached the secret passage near the room where Arthur was giving his sermon.
As promised, I knocked on the wall to signal my arrival.
Arthur, who had been staring at our target, led me outside, muttering something absurd about how ‘the curse clings to you particularly deeply.’
As expected, the guard was fast asleep, so there was nothing to worry about.
Once Arthur stepped out, I slipped out of the passage as well, preparing to knock out the target immediately.
But then—
“Priest?”
Right.
“What are you doing out here? And who’s that behind you?”
—another guard showed up.
One who wasn’t supposed to be here.
Damn.
I thought fast.
Could I just hide?
It was an option.
He hadn’t gotten a clear look at me, and he didn’t know me well.
If I disappeared quickly enough, he might just think, ‘Wasn’t there someone here just now?’ and move on.
Honestly, he probably wasn’t even here for any real reason.
More likely, he was just bored and looking for an excuse to get involved.
He wouldn’t go out of his way to confirm what he saw.
But still…
“It’s a little disappointing that you don’t remember me. We met before, you know. It’s me—Lamin.”
I chose to brazen it out instead.
Hiding was easy, but dealing with the aftermath would be trickier.
If this guy stuck around, the sleeping guard inside might wake up.
Two sets of eyes would be a lot harder to handle.
Better to finish things while one was still out cold.
Fortunately, I’d kept the same disguise from last time—Arthur’s assistant—so pretending I belonged here was simple.
It’s not like this guy knew whether I’d been here the whole time or had just arrived.
Arthur gave me a look like I was out of my mind, but I avoided his gaze.
‘Don’t look at me like that. The key is acting natural!’
“Oh, right. The priest’s assistant?”
“Yes. Do you remember now?”
“I thought he came alone today…?”
Uh-oh.
“He did, at first. But when he realized how many prisoners were heavily cursed, he sent a message asking for backup. So I arrived a little later.”
The guard, who had been nodding along, suddenly looked uneasy at the mention of heavy curses.
Since not only prisoners but also other residents lived in Hiskers Castle, it wasn’t surprising that he’d worry about whether he was at risk.
“What do you mean, ‘heavily cursed’?”
“They start sleeping more and growing weaker. The sleep is peaceful, but in reality, they’re drifting closer to death—like a rehearsal for the real thing. When a curse eats away at the body, they eventually…”
While speaking, I slipped a needle coated with a strong sedative into my hand.
Then, faster than anyone but an experienced adventurer could react, I pressed it into the guard’s neck.
The effects were almost instant.
He didn’t even have time to question me before his knees buckled.
I caught him before he collapsed completely.
“…suddenly fall into a deep sleep.”
“Whoa!”
The remaining guard recoiled in horror.
Seeing a curse’s effects firsthand after only hearing about them must’ve been terrifying.
And fear makes people easier to manipulate.
“So, the priest is personally purifying the curse from the afflicted prisoners…”
I glanced at Arthur.
This was his cue to play along.
“If anyone else is nearby, the lingering curse’s venom might spread to them. That’s why we stepped into the hallway. I don’t know what you need, but if possible, please wait inside until we’re done.”
“O-oh, of course! No problem!”
Arthur, who was already an imposing figure, spoke in a grave tone, filling the air with ominous threats.
The jailer, visibly shaken, scurried into the room in a panic.
This setup should work—anyone approaching Vasco while he was in disguise would hesitate, fearing the curse might spread to them.
Once the jailer disappeared, Vasco, still hidden within the passage, received the signal through the sound of footsteps.
Carefully, he opened the concealed door and stepped out.
“You sly bastard.”
Vasco whispered, narrowing his eyes.
“You never even flinch.”
“I’m an expert at this kind of thing, remember?”
I shrugged.
I’m really good at things like this.
So why is it that when it comes to helping Batista, I can’t seem to do anything right?
It feels like all my talents are wasted on the most useless things, and that realization suddenly made me feel gloomy.
The moment I stand before demons, I freeze up.
Forget deception—I can’t even get a single word out.
* * *
