MTLNOVEL Chapter 145.2
Curses And Charms Are Different Things
…Wait, you’re not just in a foreign land—you’re in a different world, and yet you’re living so comfortably and leisurely? Well, that’s just how Yuuri is. His job is legendary-level cheat-tier, but he can disguise it as a normal job, so it’s fine. Plus, his laid-back personality is just who he is, so don’t worry about it.
In any case, the two of them were stuck. No matter what they said, the woman wouldn’t budge. They were at a loss for what to do. As they were pondering their next move, Rooks let out a small sound. He seemed a bit displeased. When Yuuri and Yakumo looked down, the adorable slime had half-closed his eyes. He was clearly in a bad mood.
“R-Roo-chan?”
“Hm? What’s wrong, Rooks?”
“Kyuuu…”
“Uh, yeah, we’re in a bit of a bind, but calm down, Roo-chan. Let’s stay calm, okay?”
“Kyu…”
Rooks was in a bad mood. A very, very bad mood. He was Yuuri’s familiar and loved Yuuri dearly. Anyone who caused trouble for Yuuri was, in Rooks’ eyes, an enemy. So now, Rooks had decided that this annoying, accusatory warrior woman was an enemy and was considering whether it was okay to eliminate her. Sensing this from his aura, Yuuri hurriedly tried to stop him.
After all, Rooks might look like an adorable soccer ball-sized slime, but his stats were all sorts of messed up. He was a rare variant of an Ancient Slime, and his abilities were off the charts. If he went too far, it would be a disaster. And given his current mood, it didn’t seem like he was planning to hold back.
Yakumo seemed to share Yuuri’s concern, as he held Rooks back, preventing him from lunging forward. With Yakumo, the very person being accused, stopping him, Rooks couldn’t do much. Instead, he continued to tap the ground with a part of his body, his half-closed eyes still glaring. It was clear that if given the chance, he would attack immediately.
“Yakumo, what should we do? Roo-chan is scary…”
“Hmm… But she won’t listen to reason…”
“Maybe we should just ask Gilmas or someone to handle this…”
“Hopefully someone will come by…”
“Ugh, relying on others…”
But Yuuri couldn’t think of any other solution. He hoped someone would pass by and help them out. Someone like Gilmas from the adventurer’s guild or Ali, who could probably convince the woman. …Normally, this would be the time to call on a scholar, but neither Yuuri nor Yakumo thought of Jake. Good ol’ Jake.
However, luck was on their side.
“Yuuri? Yakumo? What are you doing there?”
“Ah, Frau!”
“Oh, Frau.”
The one who called out to them was Frau, her striking beauty wrapped in her usual pants-style outfit. Today, too, she looked so cool that you’d want to call her “big sis.” She seemed to have been out shopping, as she was carrying a small magic bag under her arm.
“Frau, were you out shopping?”
“Yeah, just restocking some arrows. What are you two doing in an alley like this? …And why is Rooks tapping the ground?”
“…………Roo-chan’s a bit… out of fuse.”
“…I’m just dealing with the usual.”
“…I think I get the picture.”
Yuuri muttered while looking in the opposite direction, and Yakumo followed up with a distant look in his eyes. Frau, having grasped the situation from their comments, turned her gaze to the woman who was standing there in confusion and spoke up.
“I don’t know who you are, but I can guarantee, on the name of Scarlet Lynx, that he is not a harmful individual. The term Curse Master might sound ominous, but he is by no means evil.”
“Uh, um…”
“If you or someone you know has been a victim of a curse, I can assure you that Yakumo has nothing to do with it. This man has no intention or desire to curse anyone.”
“Well, it’s not like cursing someone would leave me unscathed, so I’d rather not. I have no interest in being judged by the gods after death.”
Frau spoke with a stern expression, and the woman, now even more confused, was at a loss for words. Seizing the opportunity, Yakumo reiterated his stance on curses. Watching the three of them, Yuuri hugged Rooks, who was still tapping the ground, and marveled at Frau’s effortless persuasiveness.
The woman’s reaction was completely different. If Yuuri or Yakumo had said the same thing, she probably wouldn’t have listened. But now, she was listening intently. What was going on? The power of charisma is scary, Yuuri thought.
And then, this happened.
“I’m so sorry! Even if it was a misunderstanding, I was rude…”
“No, as long as you understand, that’s all that matters.”
“Yakumo always ends it like that, so doesn’t that just lead to the same thing happening again?”
“Even so, if the misunderstanding is cleared up, there’s nothing more to ask for.”
“You’re really magnanimous, or maybe just easygoing… …Actually, that reminds me of Jake.”
“Please don’t compare me to that dysfunctional mess.”
“…Yikes.”
Yakumo, who had been calmly brushing off all the insults until now, spoke with a serious tone. His voice was a bit cold. It was clear he genuinely disliked the comparison. Yuuri gave a distant look.
Well, it was understandable. Yakumo and Jake were around the same age. Having traveled far and wide, adapting to survive in different lands, Yakumo found it hard to accept being compared to a deadbeat who spent his days lazing around in the hideout.
The sudden shift from Yakumo’s usual gentle aura to a cold one made the woman shiver. She must have realized how rude she had been and was now scared. But Yakumo’s anger was directed at being compared to Jake, not at her. Once she apologized and the misunderstanding was cleared up, he was fine with it. He really was magnanimous.
“I’m a foreigner, so these things happen often. As long as you understand, that’s enough.”
“Thank you…”
“By the way, were you or someone you know a victim of a curse?”
“…A long time ago, a friend of mine…”
She didn’t say anything more. It must have been a painful memory. Yakumo didn’t press further. Curses do exist. Cursed items exist too. So, it’s not entirely unreasonable for people to misunderstand someone with a job title like “cursemaster.”
With the conversation with the woman over, the three of them headed back to the hideout. Along the way, Frau gave Yakumo a look of exasperation.
“Honestly, if you had just mentioned Scarlet Lynx or Ali’s name from the start, this could have been resolved much quicker.”
“…I’m just a guest here. I don’t like declaring that I’m under someone’s protection.”
“That’s not the point… If Ali hears about this, he’ll yell at you to just say it next time.”
“Probably. Our leader is quite compassionate.”
“But if you say that, Ali will deny it vehemently, right?”
“He will. …Probably just hiding his embarrassment.”
“Frau, if you say that, he’ll really yell at you.”
“I know. I won’t say it.”
The image that came to mind for all three of them was their leader, Ali. Despite his rough appearance and brusque manner of speaking, he was incredibly caring. He had a tendency to take on troublesome matters without realizing it, and they all respected him for it.
“By the way.”
“Yes?”
“Hm?”
“We should hurry back. It looks like rain.”
The moment Yakumo muttered this while looking up at the sky, Yuuri and Frau exchanged glances. The sky was clear. Not a single cloud in sight. But they didn’t doubt Yakumo’s words. They quickened their pace and headed back to the hideout.
And sure enough, after they got back and took in the laundry, a sudden rain shower came down. Yuuri found himself grateful for Yakumo’s weather forecast.