Kuro no Maou

I just heard the same line in the Adventurer Guild before, but never had I thought that Nell would be saying that very same line in the lounge of dorm.

During lunch break, Nell came to me after the classes, while smiling, and,

「I am going to appear in the sword battle tournament tomorrow」

I told her that while showing her the leaflet of『Curse Carnival』that I borrowed from the guild with confidence, however the reply that came to me was the one above.

「Listen to me Kurono-kun, the Cursed Weapons can’t be done anything with pure ability――」

「Nell, see this thing」

Her words seemed exactly similar to what I had heard before, so I decided to prove everything to her.

The thing I called out from the『Shadow Gate』at my feet is my favourite sword that I’ve not seen recently due to black magic research, the『Absolute Grudge Hatchet「Kubidan」』.

That girl, who killed her parents, villagers, even the pursuing Knights, her grudge was today too blowing out vigorously in a dark red aura.

Wil had said before that this indeed amazing aura is truly a dangerous thing, to the level that anyone could see it in a glance and understand that it’s an「Cursed Weapon」.

This has evolved two times, and as the user only I am able to know just how much of the curse’s extent had grown deep.

Hence I thought that if I showed it to her she would understand that I am a Cursed Weapon-user, but,

「K-Ky-Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!」

I ended up making her cry.

Now I seriously think that I will sentenced with lese majeste......

.

.

.

「I-I’m sorry Kurono-kun, I, um......got too scared」

With this and that, the situation calmed down.

If this had happened in the popular school building, it would’ve turned into a great disaster without any means of coping it.

「No, it was also my carelessness, sorry」

I won’t take this out other than combat time, I firmly vowed.

「Um, will you truly appear in the『Curse Carnival』?」

She must have understood now that I’m a Cursed Weapon-user, though the hard way, but looks like Nell is still worried.

「I was warned in the Guild too, but is it truly that dangerous tournament?」

I could gain a new Cursed Weapon, while my supreme objective was to expand my battle strength, so this quest could be said as a godsend to me.

「It isn’t known what sort of special ability an Cursed Weapon might have. Moreover, the person possessed would lose their sanity, it turn will go into Berserk state which increases the physical abilities of the person」

During the time with Joto, I knew about the power of『Evil Eater』so I was able to deal with it.

But, with that power and speed, moreover a hidden ability just increased the danger levels.

「Kurono-kun, if you want to make more money there are other quests for it, so don’t do dangerous quests」

Choosing a quest not dangerous is definitely not a cowardly choice.

People being adventurer for making a living would choose a safe quest based on their abilities.

Of course there would be people like that bodyguard, Ludora, who live for fighting, but still most of the adventurers working in this world are for making it an occupation.

「It’s different Nell. I’m not an adventurer for making a living, but there is a reason for me to become stronger than now」

「Eh, is that true!?」

Did Nell see me as a proper adventurer?

No, that might be so, commuting to Academy’s Adventurer Course while completing quests is the standard method that every young adventurer takes.

「Um, can I......」

Ask about it or not, is what she might want to ask. Nell seemed to be restless, even the wings on her back seemed to flap restlessly.

「I have to kill some people no matter what」

Crusader’s Supreme Commander, 7th Apostle Sariel.

Completely messed up fake-adventurer, 8th Apostle Ai.

And , the bitch that toyed and kill my friends, 11th Apostle Misa.

『Apostles』, people who are human but have superhuman abilities while conceiving the divine protection of White God. I need power to kill of them――no, I will definitely get that power.

「I’m sorry but I can’t say anymore」

However, this is my problem.

It’s not something I can easily tell to her, even more as she is my friend.

「That’s why I am going in the tournament for getting the Cursed Weapon by venturing in the danger」

This way of speaking might have been sly, but it can’t be helped.

I am keeping secrets from Nell who called me as her friend, so guilty feelings surely swell up, but revealing all the secrets without any hiding isn’t the only form of true friendship.

「I’m sorry to ask something unnecessary......I get it, I won’t be stopping Kurono-san」

Looks like Nell also understood me, I was relieved in my mind.

「But I will also help you」

「Eh?」

She is a person who would surely say ridiculous things......no thinking about her personality it might be natural.

「Even if you say help, it will be just me fighting, you know?」

There wasn’t a problem of having a team or not, but in the『Curse Carnival』the combat style is a fight between the possessed person and the contender.

And upon winning the contender can get the Cursed Weapon of the opponent.

Even if contender defeats the opponent, if that person isn’t able to control the curse then that person would become the new possessed person and would fight new contenders, or would be taken back only to be presented in the next year’s tournament.

The end would be cruel, but still it is the person’s decision to join or not. At the very least they were recruiting at the Adventurer Guild, so everything is self-responsibility of the person taking the quest.

Anyhow, fighting alone is the prerequisite, let alone direct attack help from allies, but even support via Boost Magic is forbidden.

「Ufufu, I know about those rules. But a Gladiator needs a Healer to heal his wounds after the match」

「Ah, which reminds me your class」

「Yes, I’m a Priest, I have confidence in Heal Magic」

Nell spoke with an expression brimming with confidence as if saying “Can you refute that”.

It felt like that her big breasts were also shaking more proudly than usual.

「I see, Healer, eh......」

Thinking back it might be natural.

If it was a Adventurer Quest then evading fight with Monster would also be a great method, but the same doesn’t go for Gladiator, whose living purpose is combat.

Upon fighting injuries along with fatigue would pile up, regardless of relative weight.

On the modern Earth there were MMA tournaments, which used protective gears, fighting barehanded or with weapons that won’t inflict lethal wound, however, the same doesn’t go in this world, here everyone uses real weapon and the fights truly are with life at stake.

Even if the person wins it would be a lethal wound if he had a sword stabbed into him/her, so unless Cure Magic was applied it would be too late.

Just like Nell said, the Gladiator needs have a comrade who would support via healing, just like a lifeline.

Currently Lily wasn’t here, so although I have the『Fairies’ Miracle Drug』, but the treatment I can do with it is limited.

Her proposal was extremely thankful, for I only have an item and my one and only original healing magic『Flesh Compensation』.

And it’s not like Nell will stand directly on the battlefield.

「Is that really alright? I won’t be able to repay you enough――」

「No, I don’t need repayment, after all we are friends!」

Aren’t we friends, her line seemed to say that, which is an amazing blessing now that I hear it again.

However, let it be Lily or Fiona, I’m always being saved by girls. When I think that I need to repay this enormous favour, I can’t help but feel great pressure.[1]

This time I want to let her relax by winning without injuries.

「Thank you, well then, please by all means take care of me」

「Yes, please leave it to me!」

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

Kurono: “What do you think seeing this?”

Nell: “It is truly......cursed......”

[1] Yeah, the repayment would be make a harem of all girls! Pfft, now that sure will give enormous pressure.