"Mauna..." My lips curled into a gentle smile.
She stood before me—wavy black hair cascading over her shoulders, crimson eyes gleaming with a quiet intensity. Mauna was nothing more than Jila's childhood friend—her closest one, to be precise. She frequented the Valvaro household, visiting at least once a week.
"Jila's father!" she whispered, her voice tinged with awe and surprise as she held her breath.
Without hesitation, Mauna darted inside, leaving the door wide open. Her voice mingled with another, soft and delicate—undoubtedly Lady Tara's. Moments later, Mauna reappeared, gesturing for me to follow.
I stepped inside and watched as she vanished deeper into the house, moving like someone burdened with a thousand tasks. The living room unfolded before me, modest yet elegant, its centerpiece a woman seated on a finely upholstered couch.
She appeared to be in her forties, with long, wavy hair and blood-red eyes that sent a chill down my spine. As she closed the book in her hands and turned to face me, a faint, knowing smile played on her lips.
"Mr. Valvaro, what a surprise. Please, have a seat."
Her voice carried an odd weight, commanding yet calm. She wasn't ordinary—that much was clear.
"Thank you," I replied, taking a seat across from her. A low, dark wooden table stood between us, adorned with a few books and a delicate porcelain cup.
Since my arrival in this world, I hadn't encountered a presence this potent. Even without tapping into my minor clairvoyance, I could sense the faint crimson mist swirling around her. She was powerful—far beyond my current level.
"Perhaps D6... or even C0," I mused silently.
"Thank you for hosting me, Lady Tara," I began warmly, but she cut me off with a wave of her hand.
"There's no need for pleasantries, Mr. Valvaro. I already know why you're here."
I blinked, caught off guard. "Did Sailor tell you already?"
She shook her head. "No, Mr. Valvaro. The tainted energy on your leg is plain to see."
Lady Tara set her book aside and stood, walking toward me with an expression of mild concern.
"You're in need of a purification ritual, aren't you?"
Her tone carried a subtle note of worry as she knelt to inspect my leg.
"Excuse me," she murmured, her fingers glowing faintly crimson as she examined the cursed aura.
"Well," I admitted, "Sailor did tell me about you, so... here I am."
Tara frowned slightly, her fingertips tracing the air near the afflicted area. "This energy is cursed at its core... and dense." She paused, pressing lightly on my leg before continuing. "I've felt something similar around town recently, but I've found no trace of its source. It seems Pieck has had a surprise visitor—a malevolent spirit."
"A malevolent spirit?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. Valvaro's memories offered no knowledge of such entities.
Tara's crimson eyes narrowed. "They're often misunderstood. Some think they come from the other world, but they're simply magical beasts with unique traits. Curse-weavers like me—and necromancers—are tasked with handling them."
I nodded, though unease crept into my mind. I needed to tread carefully around this woman.
After further inspection, she straightened and met my gaze with a serious expression.
"Mr. Valvaro... you're likely to die in three days."
"What!?" My reaction was instinctive, the words escaping before I could compose myself.
She remained calm. "This cursed energy is consuming you from within. By tomorrow, it could claim your entire lower half."
"Is there no cure?" I asked, my concern growing.
"Of course there is. That's why you're here," she said with a sinister smile. Her blood-red eyes glinted, making her look like a villain plucked straight from the movies.
"Mauna!" Tara called out, her tone shifting to one of commanding excitement. "Prepare the tea and come here! We have some exciting work to do."
"Exciting work?" I muttered under my breath, now wholly uneasy in her presence.
As if reading my thoughts, Tara turned to me with a mischievous grin. "Don't worry, Mr. Valvaro. My curses are nothing like that Spirit Thorn Sect nonsense. Bring any purifier you know—they're all worthless compared to me."
Her sudden shift in demeanor was jarring, from a composed noblewoman to a theatrical villain in a blink.
"Stay here. I'll return shortly," she said, disappearing into another room.
Watching her retreating figure, a thought crystallized in my mind.
"Isn't she a perfect first candidate?"
For some time, I'd been contemplating testing the revealing Wink, but I didn't want to waste it on just anyone. Its cooldown period was still a mystery, and I needed to ensure my first target was worth it.
Sailor and Hart had crossed my mind, but neither seemed ideal. Tara, on the other hand...
She was perfect—powerful, enigmatic, and unpredictable. Even if reincarnation into her became necessary, it wouldn't be a bad outcome.
"Yes..."
My decision was made. Fixing my eyes on her as she vanished around the corner, I allowed myself a sly grin and whispered,
"Revealing Wink."
[Error: Host's true name must be known to activate the Wink.]
"What!?"
"Does this mean…"
Tara's name isn't her real one?
I didn't have time to dwell on it. The system didn't require the host's family name, so the key question was…
"Why is she hiding her real name? And does anyone else know?"
I had no clue, but it was probably tied to her past. Just a guess, though. There was no way to confirm it—certainly not by asking her outright. Another thought struck me…
"Clairvoyance."
I'd already broken through the first level's limits, but the ability still needed upgrade. I opened the skills menu.
[Secondary Ability: Minor Clairvoyance
Level: 1
Enhances vision slightly and grants limited understanding of objects beyond normal perception.
Cooldown: 0 seconds.]
[Level: 2
Improves your understanding of objects around you. You can now perceive the essence of low-tier spirits without additional vision enhancements.
Cooldown: 4:30 minutes.
Cost: 10 Reincarnation Points; activates host's aura in the eyes for five minutes.]
"Interesting…"
The Level 2 description caught my attention. Perceiving the essence of low-tier spirits? Didn't Tara just mention something like that?
"Suspicious," I murmured to myself.
What kind of spirits were these?
Also, the cost wasn't just Reincarnation Points anymore—it required activating my aura within my eyes. From what I understood, the system was nudging me to learn aura control.
"Also… five minutes."
Five minutes didn't sound like much, but I had no idea how hard it would be to maintain.
"Hello, hello! I hope I didn't keep you waiting!"
Tara's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She returned with a cheery demeanor, carrying a small blue stick resembling chalk and a tin bottle. Beside her was Mauna, balancing a brass tray with a teapot and three cups. The pair looked unsettling, like sinister twins. A chill ran down my spine.
Mauna set the tray on the table as Tara spoke.
"Alright, Mr. Valvaro… we'll begin preparing the curse now, and I'll explain the steps. Curses aren't exactly healing magic, so you'll need to cooperate. Otherwise, the consequences could be... dire."
I nodded, swallowing hard. Did she really have to say something so terrifying in such a cheerful tone? She looked like she was enjoying this.
Tara crouched on the floor, drawing with precision as she explained.
"The curse I'll cast on you is called Niella's Doppelgänger. It's said to originate from an ancient spirit thousands of years old, one that devoured everything in its path! There are 17 ranks to this curse, but don't worry—I'll only use the third rank on you. That should be sufficient… probably."
Tara finished drawing overlapping circles, each about a meter in diameter, and started sketching something within them.
"The spirit will initially consume the contaminated energy. But that won't stop it from feeding on you directly. To prevent that, you'll have to tether your aura to the spirit fragments, stopping it from devouring itself. This requires precise adherence to specific steps."
She continued, her tone steady but unnervingly casual.
"Since this curse is for purification, I'll teach you how to slow it down if something goes wrong. But after purification, you'll need to return to me for its removal."
Tara finished her design—a seven-pointed star within the circles, each point marked with a strange letter. My eyes caught one of the symbols, a jolt of recognition surging through me.
"Ancient Hebrew?"
Wait… what? What was that doing here? A coincidence?
I couldn't let it slide.
"Excuse my curiosity, Ms. Tara, but… what are these symbols and letters?"
Tara's eyes sparkled with delight.
"Oh, you're interested?"
Of course, I was interested. Madness seemed to follow me like a shadow. I remembered Jaden and me attempting strange rituals from an old, tattered book we'd found. The text had been in Hebrew, the symbols incomprehensible. Unsurprisingly, the ritual failed spectacularly.
But now, seeing this here?
Tara interrupted my spiraling thoughts.
"I don't suppose you're much of a reader or researcher, Mr. Valvaro. Forgive me, but I doubt you understand the scientific method behind magic… am I right?"
"…Right," I admitted reluctantly.
I had always been a lover of reading, especially about ancient civilizations, religions, and the supernatural. It was my passion—and Jaden's too. Maybe that's what brought us together in the first place.
Tara smirked, her expression laced with mockery. "The science of magic is far more complex than you think. Any explanation I give wouldn't even scratch the surface."
"Step forward." She gestured toward the center of the circle. I obeyed without hesitation, and she continued.
"These magical symbols are called spiritual gates. There are seven types, corresponding to the seven pillars of the soul. Each type contains countless formations with distinct purposes. The letters, however, belong to the ancient Language of Solomon. It's the exclusive language of curse casters, spirit summoners, and conjuration sorcerers. The Language of Solomon is unyielding—each configuration of its letters has a precise function and effect."
The Language of Solomon?
The name jolted me. It had always been tied to magic and spirits. I remembered poring over a book with the same title.
But how?
Questions flooded my mind, unraveling theory after theory. Did this world connect to mine? Was I still in my world? Or had someone else been here before me? My thoughts spun until Tara's voice yanked me back.
"And that's not all." She poured a viscous, ink-like liquid around the circle. "There are also incantations, chants, and planetary invocations. Some require the Language of Solomon; others don't. Our next spell, however, includes it."
"Take a deep breath, Valvaro. Inhale. Exhale. And repeat after me."
Tara sipped her tea, while Mauna watched eagerly from the couch. Unlike them, I was gripped by unease.
"And now… the incantation."
Tara stepped in front of me, her hands glowing with a dense crimson aura that ignited the circle in fiery red. She paced around me, chanting phrases that felt eerily familiar. I could have sworn I'd heard them before.
"Repeat after me, Valvaro."
"By blood and for blood, devourer of all things, this submissive woman commands you, spirit of Niella's Doppelgänger, to consume this body."
I echoed her words exactly. Tara raised her hand, her aura growing thick and suffocating. Calmly, she declared, "I'll bind your soul now. Don't worry; it will only take a moment. Take a deep breath."
I inhaled deeply. Then Tara struck my chest with her palm.
And everything stopped.
I didn't feel the blow. Instead, I was suddenly outside Valvaro's body, floating behind him. The surroundings faded into endless black.
It felt like I'd slipped into a spiritual state. Tara stood frozen, engulfed in darkness, as a white mist began forming before me.
"Heheheh…" A guttural, otherworldly laugh echoed from the mist.
"Valvaro…"
"Who's there?" I demanded.
From the mist emerged a grotesque row of massive teeth, forming a wide, monstrous grin. It loomed, threatening to swallow me whole.
Yet I didn't feel fear. I simply stared.
"You are not Valvaro… Intruder, beware of me!"
The laughter deepened. Then, a massive, crimson eye burst into existence, piercing into my soul—or so it seemed—before vanishing abruptly.
I gasped as I snapped back into my body.
"Congratulations," Tara said, smiling. "The curse has been successfully cast."
I couldn't respond. I dropped to my knees, clutching the floor like it was the only thing anchoring me. My body trembled, drenched in sweat, my breath ragged.
"What just happened…" I muttered.
Then the panic hit.
"What the fuck just happened?!" I screamed.