‘Why the hell has he told me to do this?’ wondered Dante, walking behind Gladius.

  ‘I’d never thought he was such… such a fraud…’

  The night was rather bearable for the Crusaders. Everyone decided to cut the conversation, reserving energy. Gladius and Dante were at the end of the group. The knight signalled him to slow down even more. The crimson-haired raised a brow, but he did as he was told. After a while, they were about seven metres behind the rest of them.

  “Tomorrow, provoke a dwarf as soon as you’re able to,” whispered Gladius, covering his mouth.

  “What? Why?” the Warrior of Hades replied, disoriented by the order.

  “The demihumans need to respect us. There is gossip circulating about the Crusaders. Some say that we’re mercenaries and dogs of King Leopold. Others mutter that we’re brain-dead idiots, killing everyone in sight. Tomorrow, please, provoke a dwarf.”

  “Why a dwarf, and not an elf?”

  “Elves are peaceful; they avoid any politics and prefer to stay neutral. They don’t care about our group, as long as it isn’t harmful to them.”

  “I see… What should I do then?”

  “Hell if I know. Make fun of their height, point at them, and say something. Make them enraged. Then, I’ll step out trying to de-escalate the situation. In reality, I’ll be covered in the blessing. It has strong mana emissions, distinguishable only to demihumans. For them, it’s just like I was covered in muck for us. He’ll likely call me a monkey. That’s when you slap him in the face.”

  “What?”

  The paladin glanced at the man, giving him a serious look. Dante saw that face maybe five or six times total in his time as a Crusader.

  “Why are you so persistent about it?” he murmured, feeling uneasy about the task.

  “They need to respect us. It’s better to lie and gain recognition than be a truthful man and be called a weakling. I’ll use evil to reach my goal. The sacrifices are unavoidable for us. To kill the Vampire King, we have to use whatever it takes. We need, no, we have to be differentiated from the common mercenaries. Of course, as long as we’re not caught,” the knight stated, giving him a subtle smirk.

  Dantenium nodded silently. For the first time in a long time, he doubted himself and his morals. Still, he had done as he was told to…

  “What about this hotel?” asked Laudis, pointing at a tall building.

  “Why not?” replied Gladius. entering it.

  The hotel had nine floors, each with two apartments. The inside was covered in beige, ceramic tiles with colorful accents. The desk was wooden in a half-oval shape. He was wearing a green shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a green hat. The two men walked to him, greeting him with a simple head nod.

  “Hello. What room would you like to rent out?”

  “Hi. We’re looking for something with five separate beds. An apartment with a kitchen would be nice. Of course, we’d like a bathroom with a drainage system if that’s possible.”

  “I see, I see… We’ve got only one left. There’s the bathroom with the drainage system. Medium-sized kitchen. The only problem is that there are only three beds.”

  “Ouch… Are there any sofas or something like that?” the captain said, slightly flinching.

  “Unfortunately, no. We can arrange a sofa to be put there, but that’s the most we can do. Are you still interested in the apartment?” the man asked, handing him a paper.

  “What do you think, boy?”

  “I mean… There aren’t many places left to check out for us. I’d pick it. However, the price is off-putting…”

  Gladius glanced at the document:

  ‘The Apartment of Elder Sailor

  Amenities:

  three large beds,

  bathroom with a drainage system,

  medium-sized kitchen,

  terrace with a seaside view.

  Price:

  200 golds per night.’

  “We’ll take the apartment for two weeks,” the paladin stated, signing the papers.

  “Oh! If that’s the case, then the cost will be reduced to 2,000 golds, since you’re renting it for such a time.”

  “Great. Here,” the Light sorcerer said, putting a sack filled with coins.

  The receptionist poured its contents on the desk. There were exactly two thousand coins. Both he and Laudis were puzzled. How did he do that? The man gave him the key to the room, and the paladin gave a sign, letting the Crusaders know to enter the hotel.

  “Is there a kitchen?” asked Udania.

  “Yeah.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  “Great. I’ll go with Laudis to buy food for dinner.”

  “When did I agree—”

  The woman kicked him very lightly.

  “I guess I can go.”

  “Great. Take our luggage, would you, Dante?”

  “Alright,” the man responded, taking the bags from them.

  “Thanks.”

  “How many? Just how many mercenaries will they send to hunt me down?” muttered Nathan, walking down the road.

  The road consisted of irregular pebbles mixed with gravel. Just a regular one in the skirts of Pisacria. The trees were giving him shadows, making his travel more convenient. However, his mana emissions were odd, too odd even for him. Animals were straying away from him as soon as they sensed his presence. The wind blew a few leaves in his direction, but when they got in contact with him, they withered. The only companions he had were the sun and the moon. Stokes changed his clothes. He was wearing a grey stolen tunic with a hood. When a carriage passed by him, it was jerked down by the animals. The carters were wondering why their horses were slowing down so sharply. In reality, the men were unable to sense that mana. Unlike them, humans had to constantly use sorcery; otherwise, they turned into laymen.

  “It’s not my fault that I was cursed; they’ve done it to me. If only, if only I had a choice, I’d do things differently. But I can’t. I’ve done what I thought was best. Oh, I see a village. Maybe I’ll find a place in a farmer’s barn. I have to rest for the night.”

  The town was small, with roughly twenty houses. A few children were outside, playing with a leather ball. They were throwing and catching it at each other, trying not to let the toy touch the mud. The buildings were built out of light green dilceasian wood. The trees were entangling the whole kingdom, so they were widely used in modern constructions. Suddenly, the ball was coming at Nathan. The man caught it mid-air with his left hand.

  “Amazing! You must be a circus performer!” one of them blurted out.

  “Yeah… no. Do you know if there’s an empty barn nearby?”

  ‘They’re no older than six, but they can comprehend my question, right?’

  “Eh…”

  ‘Of course. They’re still children. What the hell have I thought?’

  “Is there any grown-up in the village right now?” he asked, forcing a smile.

  “No. Everyone left for the fair in the Mendjegur,” the boy replied, walking up to them.

  “How long is the road to Mendjegur from here?”

  “Twentish kilometres or so. They won’t be back until sunset.”

  ‘He’s the smartest of them all, despite being the smallest one. He’s the one replying to my questions. I have to use him.’

  “Can you show me the nearest barn?”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I’m writing a book about the Piscarian Kingdom. I want to focus on smaller towns, also.”

  “I see. Come with me.”

  “Hey, Brad. What’s a book?” one of them asked, covering his mouth.

  “I think it’s a kind of food they serve in other countries.”

  “Oh, I see…”

  After a while, they were in front of the wooden building. It was located about two kilometres from the village. The construction was painted dark orange, with a massive double-door entrance. The man took out a pouch filled with coins.

  “Listen. You’re the smartest here. How much do I have to pay you to let me sleep here?”

  “How much does one book cost?” asked Stokes, looking in his leather bag.

  “I don’t know. Like two or three golds.”

  “Okay… I want ten golds then.”

  ‘He might be the smartest here, but he’s still a kid. I paid twenty-five golds in the previous town. I’ll throw him an extra gold.’

  “Here. Eleven golds,” said Nathan, pouring the coins on the kid’s hands.

  “Eleven?”

  “Yeah. Take care.”

  “You too?” the boy muttered, wondering about the tip.

  Inside, there were a few cows and horses. He didn’t come here to kill them or steal anything. The man lay down on a pile of hay, closing his eyes. Despite the curse, he was still a human who had to rest. The same nightmare returned to him…

  “Listen, I didn’t do anything wrong!” protested Nathan, jerking on the stake.

  “Liar! You’ve killed ten soldiers in our city!” the crowd shouted.

  “They attacked me first—”

  “Shut up, liar!”

  “No! Stop it!”

  A guard lit the wooden construction on fire. Then a man poured a yellow substance all over him and around the pedestal. The flame caught up to him. The pain was unbearable for anyone with any sanity left. No man would be able to endure it for more than ten seconds without wishing for faster death. Yet, Nathan was unable. One after the other, people were collapsing, dying of mana deprivation. Despite that, the mob only yelled louder and louder. His skin was repeatedly turning pink, red, crimson, and black in a repetitive cycle. He shouted at the top of his lungs. His eyes were constantly spilling out of his eyesockets, and returning to them in a moment. His hair turned to charcoal in seconds, but soon after, it was healed back.

  ‘No! Kill me! Just kill me! I don’t want. I don’t want to suffer any more! I want to die! Finish me!’

  The man thought he was saying it out loud, but his flesh was unable to. His mouth was dry as a desert, and his lips were almost always cracked and chapped, making him unable to speak. Even his blood was unable to pour out of his body. The liquid, as soon as it got out of him, returned to him in a span of two seconds. The pain stayed the same, but its length was inhuman and immoral. Even an Olimpian God would have a problem with the suffering. But Stokes was a man, a mere human. The residents were slowly dying, but the yells didn’t stop. After six hours, it started raining. The fire was extinguished, but at what cost? The entire city was murdered alongside their animals. Before he knew it, he had died over 40,000 times. Nathan experienced the power of his curse firsthand.

  “I slept for about seven hours. That’s alright. It’s good that nobody tried to kill me in my sleep, so I didn’t murder anyone. I’m off to go,” the man stated, waking up.

  He left the barn and saw dense smoke coming from the town. The man stood still, hesitating about what he should do. He took a deep breath and wandered to the village. The houses were on fire. The women and men who had returned from the fair were mostly slaughtered. A group of mercenaries barged in on them, killing everything they encountered. In Mundusia, mercenaries were common. Humans had to militarise against vampires, so it was just a matter of time before such troops emerged from the mob. Their mentality and morality varied, depending on the organisation.

  ‘Good grief. I thought I'd be free after my nap. I guess I have to get my hands dirty once again.’

  “Steal the money! Abduct virgins and children! Everything else, kill!” the man shouted, slicing someone’s throat.

  Nathan glanced down. There was a boy covered in cuts. It was the same one he had met earlier. The Bearer of the Curse knelt, trying to grasp the kid's mumbling.

  “They tried to take my sister. I, I…”

  “Shush… I understand.”

  “T—Thank you…”

  The boy died. Stokes closed his eyes and drew out his dagger.

  “Get the hell away from us! We’ll kill you if you intercept!”

  “Twenty-two…” he replied, taking his tunic off.

  The mercenaries recognised him at first sight.

  “He’s, he’s, he’s!”

  “I know, he’s the Bearer of the Curse. Shut up and watch me cut that bastard!”

  “What’s your troop’s order?” asked Nathan, pointing at him with his weapon.

  “We’re the fourth troop of the Apostle Famine!”

  “I see. So I’ll kill you with pleasure.”

  “Huh?!”

  The armoured man rushed at him, taking a swing with his long sword. Stokes stood still, making a specific hand sign.

  “Divine Curse of Gaia: Loop of Death: Twenty-two activare.”