"Oh my God!"
My heart hammered against my chest, each beat threatening to break free. My throat burned with every gasping breath, and sweat pooled around me, soaking the floor beneath. What was that?
It wasn't just a nightmare—it was something far worse. It felt as if I had died and been dragged back to life.
But… hadn't this happened before? So why did it feel so different this time?
I forced myself to breathe deeply, struggling to calm my racing thoughts. Slowly, I raised my head, meeting Tara's gaze. She stood there with a satisfied smile, her voice steady and confident.
"You did it, Valvaro... You've successfully bound the soul."
---
"So... what exactly just happened?"
Tara took a measured sip from her cup, crossed her legs, and leaned back into the couch. She answered with a calmness that only deepened my unease.
"That's why curse healing is considered one of the most twisted practices," she began. "A curse's purpose is simple: to harm the recipient. To perform the rituals, I bind your soul to it. But healing? That's a whole different ordeal."
She paused to take another sip, savoring the moment before continuing.
"For healing, the recipient must also bind their soul to the curse. And that's where it gets complicated. What you just experienced, Valvaro, was a spiritual connection with an ancient spirit. Thanks to a special tool—like the devourer's bone oil—you've linked the curse to yourself. It's like signing a contract... a very dangerous one."
She let her words sink in, then added, "In other words, you, I, and the curse are now interconnected. And just so you know, this is a serious inconvenience for curse mages."
Her explanation answered little of what I wanted to know, but I chose not to press further, unwilling to reveal my ignorance.
From the moment the ritual began, I had endured and learned more than I thought possible. Questions about Solomon's language and the origins of this world resurfaced in my mind. I was about to voice them when Tara interrupted my thoughts.
"Anyway, Valvaro, the 'Niella's Doppelgänger' curse has a dreadful reputation in our community. Do you know why?"
She didn't wait for my response.
"This spirit doesn't just settle for the host. Sometimes, it demands more—it can even return to the curse mage and consume them!"
My eyes widened. "So… are you at risk now?"
Tara shook her head with a faint smile. "Not quite. As I said, this is a third-rank curse, and I'm far too strong to be consumed by it. But if anything unusual happens during the healing process, you must come here immediately. And stay away from your daughter during that time."
She paused, then added with a teasing grin, "Oh, and avoid meat or anything spiritually rich. Heavy foods will agitate the curse. I know the conditions are a hassle, but that's how it works."
I sighed. Spending time with Jila or enjoying Martha's cooking was out of the question. "How long will the healing take?"
She shrugged, taking another sip. "I can't say. It could end now or take weeks. Who knows?"
"This is infuriating!" I muttered, scowling.
The conversation dragged on as I tried to glean more about curses and magic, but Tara's answers were vague at best. When I asked about purging the townsfolk of their curses, she called me foolish before explaining.
As expected, only a few people, including Tara and me, could endure the strain of a curse. But unlike the others, I could bear both a curse and contaminated energy—a fact Tara seemed oddly pleased with.
Then, an unexpected sound interrupted us.
Blup. Blup.
I froze. "What was that?"
Tara's expression darkened. "Oh, don't tell me..."
Blup.
The sound grew louder, coming from just above my shoulder. My unease deepened, and I whispered, "What is—?"
"Don't move," Tara interrupted sharply, her calm whisper a stark contrast to the tension in the room.
A bubble formed, a silver sphere floating ominously above my shoulder.
"The fuck!" I breathed, unable to hide my alarm.
The orb shifted, morphing into a predatory shape with closed eyes, as if it were sleeping. Tara's voice was tinged with disbelief.
"I can't believe it... The spirit's manifestation! But how?"
"Can you explain, Lady Tara?" I asked, frowning.
She stared at the silver form, her astonishment palpable. "The spirit's manifestation is a rare phenomenon. For most curses, it's not unusual to see the spirit in some form. But the Niella's Doppelgänger?" She shook her head, incredulous.
"The Niella's Doppelgänger... I don't think this ancient spirit's manifestation has ever been recorded before! Let alone for a third-rank curse... This is truly an anomalous case!"
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I whispered, nervous, my eyes flicking to the still, floating orb.
"It really depends on you, Valvaro, this time..." Tara said with a sigh. "The spirit may never wake up, and even if it does, it may not speak to you. But if it does, you'll have to go along with it—and take care of it."
"Another nuisance!" I groaned, clutching my head in disbelief.
Tara added, almost apologetically, "Sorry, Valvaro... There's no book or information on how to deal with Niella's Doppelgänger. You'll have to figure it out yourself."
Her words didn't help at all. Regret began to creep into my mind. Why had I been so quick to accept the cursed healing? First, the strange conditions, then the risks, and now this—a spirit that had never been recorded? Was I some sort of bad luck magnet?
"You don't have to worry too much," Tara said, attempting to comfort me. "As I said, the spirit may never wake up. And even if it does, just don't anger it. It'll disappear in due time!"
I took a deep breath, calming myself, and forced a small smile. "Thank you, Lady Tara. I must admit, your help is… appreciated."
Tara shook her head, brushing off the gratitude. Before I left, a question popped into my mind. "What about the people? Can they see this orb?"
She gave a reassuring nod. "As far as I know, no one in your vicinity can see it—except for you and me. So don't worry."
"Okay," I replied, nodding.
---
I said goodbye to Lady Tara and Mauna, exchanging a few final words before stepping out of the house. What an adventure this had been!
Was this the second or third day? It already felt like I'd lived a year in this bizarre world. Just the curse test alone had outdone all the strangeness I'd encountered in my previous life.
I took a few steps away from the house, unsure of where my feet were leading me. My mind wasn't on the path ahead; it was tangled in a mess of thoughts. The first of which was…
"Solomon's language..."
The phrase echoed in my head, refusing to let go. In my old world, Solomon's language wasn't a real concept—just folklore. His writings and books were in ancient Hebrew, which I had noticed in the magical letters during the ritual.
Damn!
The memory of those letters came rushing back. That minor clairvoyance I possessed… I had completely forgotten to use it back there.
Yawn.
But…
Even without it, my gaze alone had been enough to recognize the ancient Hebrew. But that only raised a bigger question: how had this language made its way into this world?
"I see you're deep in thought, young man..."
"Eek!"
I jumped to the side, heart pounding, and slowly turned my head. For a moment, I couldn't believe what I had just heard—or perhaps I didn't want to believe it. Then, I saw her.
"Did I scare you? For the second time? Ha ha ha ha!"
The orb hovering over my shoulder shimmered with laughter, as if she'd just heard the funniest joke in existence.
My face went blank. Her bloodshot eyes and predator-like teeth shouldn't have belonged to something so ethereal. Yet there they were, leering at me.
"I'm hungry! Feed me, you..." She paused, as though considering something, then continued, "What's your name, young man?"
I froze, Tara's warning echoing in my head: Just don't anger her.
Swallowing my fear, I managed to respond, "Valvaro."
Her bloodshot eyes narrowed. "Who are you fooling? Tell me your real damn name!"
Damn! My eyes widened in shock. How had she seen through me so quickly?
I forced myself to stay calm. My thoughts felt scattered, as if something was interfering with them. Rationality—that's what Ethan would've relied on.
"What do you mean, who am I fooling? This is my name—Valvaro," I said, keeping my voice as steady as possible.
The orb floated closer, just inches from my face, and let out a low, almost calm growl.
"Why don't you start by begging for mercy instead of giving me your name?"
So that's how it is?
I gently pushed the orb away, plastered on a fake smile, and replied, "That's not very polite, lady. How about we take things slow—like friends, perhaps?"
She didn't react at first. The orb remained eerily calm, her expression unreadable. It was hard to tell if this was her version of thinking or the prelude to something far worse. Then, she finally spoke.
"You know… You remind me of someone."
Did it work? That easily?
Hope flickered in my chest. Her tone lacked the hostility I had expected, so I allowed myself a larger smile.
"So… we take things slow?"
"Hah, whatever," the orb sighed, almost helplessly.
My face went blank again. I hadn't expected such a reaction. Was this really the curse Tara had made such a big deal of?
At the same time, questions began swirling in my mind. Could this spirit hold valuable information?
As I recall, Tara said that Niella's spirit lived thousands of years ago…
Her personality, still a mystery to me, raised even more questions. But before I could dive deeper into my thoughts, she interrupted.
"Don't space out like that! You remind me of someone else I hate!"
Oh, are we complaining now?
"Okay, okay," I laughed weakly, trying to defuse the tension.
"Then… tell me your real name this time. And I warn you—I'll know if you're lying."
Her tone was firm, leaving no room for hesitation.
I didn't know if I'd regret this later, but there was no other way out. Reluctantly, I confessed, "Ethan."
"Ethan? Ha ha ha ha! What a ridiculous name! Pick another one!"
The orb burst into loud laughter. I had no idea why it amused her so much, but I stayed calm, grateful no one else could hear her mocking me.
"You really are starting to remind me of that person. Pick another one!" she added, this time with a sharper edge to her voice.
Is she serious? I frowned. This orb was proving to be far more difficult than I'd anticipated.
"I beg your pardon, but… who is this person?" I asked, unable to suppress my curiosity.
Could this individual have been that important to her? Had they done something unforgettable? I needed to know.
"What do you say we change the subject? Ugh, I told you, I'm hungry!"
She completely ignored my question.
I was beginning to piece together her personality—or so I thought. She acted like a grumpy child, but I couldn't let my guard down. Whether she was harmless or not, caution was still necessary.
"Alright, I'll give you something to eat… but how about a question in return?"
"Just give me what you've got…"
I think I understand now!
Or maybe not entirely. It seemed Niella couldn't consume my body directly, which explained why she hadn't tried, despite her constant complaints of hunger. Perhaps my body had some sort of value to her.
"Okay, there's this strange black energy in my leg… it's yours."
As soon as I said those words, the orb descended to inspect my leg. Without hesitation, she bit me. The bite wasn't painful—it wasn't real, after all.
A second later, I activated minor clairvoyance.
"Amazing!" I whispered to myself.
Hehe, was it really this easy to get rid of the contaminated energy? Two birds with one stone!
I felt a wave of relief. The cursed energy was gone, just like that—effortless, like drinking water.
"Well… tell me your question, and I'll see if I can answer it," Niella said as she floated back to her perch on my shoulder.
"Hmmm, I don't have just one question, but many."
"Then you'll have to feed me more. Don't think those light snacks are enough to satisfy my hunger," she replied coldly.
Demanding as ever. Still, I agreed to her terms and asked, "Why can't you consume me directly? Isn't that possible for you?"
"Heh… Hahaha… Hahahaha!" Her laughter echoed—this time, it sounded unnervingly human.
The shift in tone made me uneasy, but she finally answered. "Let me tell you something, you fool…" She paused for dramatic effect, her voice laced with pride.
"Ever since my soul shards ended up in the hands of those pathetic sorcerers, they've been cursing their enemies so easily. Do they think my soul is free to use as they please? There's no respect left for the mother of beasts!"
She straightened, her aura radiating grandeur. "I, Niella Q—Ahem! I, Niella, Empress of the Beast Continent, will reincarnate and erase humanity! I will rebuild my land and my people!"
She fell silent, her smile brimming with pride and dignity.
"But you didn't answer my question…" I interjected.
"Oh?"
Is this Niella insane? I wondered. Her grand declarations were intriguing, sure, but I needed answers, not a monologue.
"I could devour you in the blink of an eye," she finally said, her tone calm yet ominous. "But I chose you, Ethan… I chose you because you have the qualities to bring me back. I am the Empress of Beasts!"
Her response sent a chill down my spine, conjuring a frightening thought. I hesitated, then asked, "Does this mean I'm your vessel?"
"No…" she replied, a sly grin in her voice. "You're more like a collector. I'll make you gather the 17 shards of my soul… Only then may you become my vessel!"
I frowned immediately.
"Now, to the feast!" Niella exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement.
I ignored her last statement—my mind was racing with questions. Answers. I needed answers, not more riddles!
Without realizing it, I'd been walking aimlessly, my thoughts consuming me. I stopped and looked around, piecing together my location from memory. Using Valvaro's maps as a guide, I realized I was on Orit Street, about fifteen minutes from home.
But going back wasn't an option. Not yet.
Earlier, I'd considered visiting the Pieck Library to check something… a world map, perhaps. If nothing else, it might answer one pressing question: Did I really transmigrate? Or am I still in my world?
With that thought in mind, I turned and headed toward the library.
---
Fortunately, the Pieck Library wasn't far. Crossing Orit Street and then Curtains Street was a short twenty-minute stroll. When I arrived, the building stood before me—a smaller counterpart to the Pieck School but equally gothic in style.
A short marble staircase led to the entrance.
Inside, the library was modest in size, consisting of a single hall that encompassed the entire space. Bookshelves lined the walls and formed rows, creating wide corridors between them, which were dotted with tables and chairs. It felt like a miniature playground for scholars.
"What are we doing here again?" Niella's voice dripped with boredom.
"I told you—we're checking the world map. I need an answer."
"Ugh, hurry up then!" she grumbled.
Ignoring her complaints, I scanned the shelves for geographical books, but my search ended when I spotted a giant map on one of the walls.
Oh!
I approached it, standing directly in front of the map.
"It's…"
Not the world map.
In fact, it didn't resemble any map I'd ever seen before.
Did this provide an answer? Honestly, I wasn't sure. Before I could process my confusion, Niella spoke.
"This map is wrong," she said bluntly.
"Really?"
The map depicted a single piece of land shaped like a thick crescent, its concave side facing west. A crescent-shaped ocean surrounded the landmass on all sides.
"Let me correct myself," Niella continued, her tone sharp. "This map is incomplete. Very incomplete…"