I Became the Dark Knight in the Game World - Chapter 49

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Order

◈ I Became the Dark Knight in the Game World ◈

Chapter 49: The Gabi Trading Company (3)

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‘Childhood,’ and ‘the same curse.’ Kriel was once again certain that a Hero had intervened in the Tragedy of the Gabi Family.

‘The three Heroes who defeated Valor were a mage, a warrior, and an archer.’

Mazhar Gabi had survived the curse to this day. That meant the Hero at the time must have somehow lifted Mazhar's curse. If so...

"Was the Hero you met a mage?"

"Yes."

"Can't you try the method the Hero used to lift the curse on your father?"

"Strictly speaking, I am already trying that method."

Questions filled Kriel's mind. Tushkin Gabi's curse had not improved even though Mazhar was trying the method the Hero had found?

If that was the case, there was effectively no way to lift Tushkin Gabi's curse. Their only remaining option was to hope that killing the one who had cast it might break the curse, then find and eliminate the culprit.

"If things are that bad, even calling in the Abyss Eradication Society seems pointless."

"...Strictly speaking, the Hero's help was only symptomatic treatment. The Hero never found a way to lift the curse completely."

Mazhar Gabi spoke of his experience with the curse. On the day the Hero cast healing magic, his condition would improve. But the next day, boils would return, his fever would rise, and he would hover near death.

"The Hero treated me with unwavering patience. After more than a month of that, I woke one day and realized that my body no longer hurt, even when I breathed."

Kriel frowned. If a servant of the Abyss really had been involved in the Gabi Family's downfall, then the Hero had overpowered the servant of the Abyss in a contest of patience. The Hero had stubbornly kept casting healing magic until the curse caster finally gave up.

Mazhar Gabi was also keeping Tushkin alive with healing magic from a hired mage and all manner of miraculous medicines.

"Then how long has your father been ill?"

"...It has easily been over a year. I have tried every means available to restore his strength, but he cannot rise from his bed. My siblings only desire to use my father's absence to seize the Gabi Trading Company."

Kriel nodded. It smelled of the Abyss.

"Have you ever told your family that this is a curse?"

"Did you think I had no hope in my family? Again and again, I insisted that this was a trap laid by the Abyss and that we had to overcome it together, but they dismissed me outright. They only laughed, asking why I was talking about the Abyss now when years had already passed since the Demon King perished."

After hearing the story, Kriel was certain that a servant of the Abyss had returned, one whose attempt to bring down the Gabi Family had been thwarted by the Hero long ago.

The problem was...

‘Why has the servant returned only now?’

Kriel recalled the sword hanging at his right hip. The Seven Demon Weapons, whose whereabouts had been unknown for so long, were beginning to stir once more, and the Gabi Family's downfall, which should have occurred during the Demon King War, was being attempted again.

Kriel scratched his head. Complicated matters like this were not his specialty.

Fortunately, he had good friends.

"Mazhar Gabi. As a matter of knightly duty, I intend to help you."

"Hm?"

"You know that Morgina, who fought me in the Trial by Combat, is the Saintess of Eve Kaha, and that I am Eve Kaha's Champion. The Pantheons gathered beneath the radiance of the Six Principles all count the Abyss as their lifelong enemy. Once Morgina hears your story, she will join the fight as well."

Kriel did not understand complicated matters, but he was confident that if he got close to the Abyss, he could find it and smash it.

And Morgina was a Saintess. Eve Kaha was better known for destruction than healing, but a Saintess could approach Tushkin Gabi under the pretext of examining a patient.

‘If I get close to the person affected by the curse, something will turn up.’

Kriel alone might not be enough, but with Morgina, finding one or two pieces of proof of the Abyss's involvement should be easy.

"I'll speak with my companions and return. Other employees of the Gabi Trading Company are in the temple ward, so if you can move, why don't you talk to them?"

Kriel rose and was about to leave without hesitation. As Morgina herself had said during the Trial by Combat, he owed her a favor worth the value of a suit of armor.

It pricked at his conscience to ask for help empty-handed. Not because it went against knightly conduct, but because relying on her without offering anything in return felt awkward between friends.

He was just about to head out to buy snacks Morgina might like from a confectionery in the duchy.

"Wait."

"Hm?"

"...So you're saying you'll help me now? For free?"

"Ah. Right. I forgot to mention that."

Kriel nodded.

"One coin will be enough payment for me, but discuss Morgina's payment with her directly. As far as I know, Morgina isn't someone who cares much about payment, but you never know."

With that, he turned and left.

* * *

"Hey, Kriel!!"

Morgina forced open the locked door and entered. That did not mean she had broken it. She was a Saintess, after all, and had a duty not to damage the Church of Eve Kaha's prestige unless absolutely necessary.

She had applied Blood Flow Manipulation, Eve Kaha's distinctive Divine Art. Rather than hardening blood into the shape of a weapon, she kept it liquid and slipped it into the lock to release the mechanism.

Although she had flung the door open with considerable force, Blood Flow Manipulation was why the lock remained undamaged.

Morgina burst in as though she were about to break down the door, then looked around. Kriel was not there.

"Huh?"

"Damn it, who..."

A mage with long pink hair trailing behind crawled out from the adjoining room. It was Armede Kett, currently Kriel's fiancée.

"...Saintess of Eve Kaha. What brings you here?"

"I should be asking you that. I came to follow the aura of the sword I gave Sir Kriel. Where is he?"

‘Oh, shit.’

Orisin, whose blade Armede had been inspecting from end to end, tutted. No popcorn during such an entertaining moment.

Even if there had been some, eating it would require another tedious process. Still, it was a shame. They said the most entertaining thing to watch was a fight, and this was a lovers' quarrel, no less.

Both seemed to have feelings for Kriel, and both had tempers, so neither would directly say what they felt. Even so, Orisin could roughly make out the shape of the feelings leaking through.

‘If Kriel doesn't come, they'll probably squabble a little and go their separate ways. If he does...’

Either the fight would cool down at once, or it would catch fire in earnest.

For the sake of entertainment, Orisin hoped for the latter, but Orisin had firsthand experience of the tempers of both Morgina and Armede.

‘Uh. This might be dangerous.’

Orisin suddenly felt uneasy.

"Morgina?"

It was the familiar voice calling for the thug Saintess. Orisin sighed inwardly.

‘Oh, no.’

"What is it, Kriel? Where did you go?"

"Kriel went to meet Mazhar Gabi."

Armede answered before Kriel could. A strange smile hung on her face.

"Hmm... Why? Did you look into it and find that the Abyss had visited that kid's house?"

"Exactly."

"What?"

Both were taken aback. Kriel shrugged.

"It seems neither of you has heard yet. Mazhar Gabi was nearly assassinated just now. The Gabi Trading Company's building almost burned to the ground. I rushed over and managed to keep him alive."

"What about the people? Is anyone in need of a miracle of healing?"

"I left them at a nearby temple. Aside from the dead, everyone is out of danger."

Morgina held her head. She was angry at the Abyss and disappointed in herself. If she had been there, she might have saved even one more person.

Kriel naturally patted Morgina's shoulder.

"The result wouldn't have changed with you there. Everyone except those caught in the first explosion and killed instantly could be saved."

It was a priest's chronic ailment. When someone died because of the Abyss, they all thought it was their fault. It was a tendency shared by priests to some degree, but Morgina seemed especially prone to it.

Kriel removed his hand from her shoulder and continued.

"It appears Tushkin Gabi has been cursed by the Abyss. Can you help?"

"My grandmother sent me here to find the Abyss in the first place. Of course I have to go catch it."

The conversation ended in an instant. Armede had not even finished processing the news that Mazhar Gabi had been attacked.

"Armede. I'm sorry, but..."

"I'll come too."

"Huh?"

"The Gabi Family is one of my clients. I can't just sit still when the head of that company has collapsed."

After considering it, Kriel nodded. Mages and priests had similar but different perspectives. They could make up for each other's blind spots.

"There's something important I need to tell both of you."

Morgina crossed her arms. Armede, who had paused while searching for her staff and packing her things, turned to look at Kriel.

"We need to discuss compensation with Mazhar Gabi."