Kays Translations

Chapter 211: The Cursed Stone

Tauro approached the polished stone among the shop’s merchandise.

“Tauro, don’t touch it!” Aeris shouted.

Ragune and Ankh reacted immediately.

“What’s wrong?” Ragune asked.

“Something about that stone feels revolting,” Aeris said.

Riryo looked toward it as well.

“I’ve never seen it before. The surface is polished, but is there something wrong with it?”

He started to reach out.

“Don’t touch it,” Aeris warned. “It’s probably a cursed stone. It was made to place a curse on whoever handles it.”

She immediately erected a barrier around the store.

“This should block interference from the spellcaster outside. The curse already contained in the stone remains, so everyone must still stay away from it.”

Riryo stared at the object in disbelief.

“Why would something like that be in our shop?”

“I’ll try [Purification],” Tauro said.

When he cast the spell, a crack spread across the stone’s polished surface.

“Aeris, has the curse been removed?”

“Most likely. But I can still feel traces of the same curse farther inside the building. Could it be Riryo’s mother? Tauro, come with me.”

Riryo ran toward the back room, calling for his mother. Tauro and the others followed.

A pale, hollow-cheeked woman lay on the bed, breathing heavily.

“Welcome home, Riryo,” she said weakly. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been feeling well, so I lay down for a while.”

She tried to rise, but Riryo gently stopped her. He looked desperately toward Tauro.

Tauro nodded and cast [Purification]. Aeris watched a black haze lift from the woman’s body and disappear.

“The curse is gone,” she said.

The woman’s breathing gradually steadied, and Riryo sagged with relief.

Tauro lowered his voice.

“This may explain what happened to Riryo’s father as well.”

Aeris looked back toward the cursed stone. The former shopkeeper’s sudden death could no longer be treated as a coincidence.

“It appears we won’t be leaving immediately,” Ankh said.

“Then we must catch whoever placed the curse!” Ragune declared.

Tauro agreed, but protecting the clients came first. Moving to Dansas would take Riryo and his mother beyond the cursed stone’s immediate reach.

“Ragune, Ankh, and Aeris, escort them to Dansas. I’ll remain here and watch anyone who visits the shop afterward.”

Ankh frowned.

“Are you certain you can handle this alone, Leader?”

“I’ll only be observing the store. You three will have the harder task because you must travel without a proper rest and return as soon as the clients are safe.”

“Don’t take unnecessary risks,” Aeris said firmly.

“I won’t. I’m the only one here who can break the curse directly, and I have strong resistance to dark-attribute magic. That makes me the best person to stay.”

Ankh reluctantly accepted the decision, and Ragune agreed with him.

Riryo was uncomfortable leaving a boy alone in a potentially dangerous shop, even after being reminded that Tauro was an experienced adventurer. Once Tauro explained that remaining behind might expose the culprit, however, he had no choice but to consent.

By the following morning, Riryo’s mother had recovered enough to travel. Ragune placed their personal possessions inside [Magic Storage]. Tauro separately stored the remaining merchandise so that it could later be appraised and sold or disposed of safely.

A Garfish Company branch operated in Dareder. The company would purchase the ordinary goods, though probably below their original retail value.

Riryo’s mother provided their only clue. An unfamiliar customer had left the polished stone as a supposed token of gratitude after she gave him a discount.

“Please take care of everything that remains,” Riryo said, shaking Tauro’s hand.

“I can’t promise how the investigation will end, but I’ll do everything I can to find the person responsible.”

Tauro watched as Aeris, Ragune, and Ankh escorted Riryo and his mother toward Dansas.

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