Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator

Chapter 44

Sir, theres no need to take a direct look at him. The curse could spread, couldnt it?

Soned said to Allen with an uncomfortable expression.

What would he do if the curse were to spread to Allen? The merchant groups name would be tarnished were anything to happen, regardless of any favors Allen and Soned may have exchanged. 

"I appreciate your generosity, sir. However, hell be treated with the potion, so you don't need to look at it yourself."

"No, something similar could happen again. Shouldn't I check it out for that sake?"

"Oh, Sir Allen!"

Karik, whod only just entered the room, was surprised by the difference between the merchant group leaders reactions compared to what hed expected, but Karik nodded after hearing the tail end of their story.

It seems that their conversation went well.

He knew that Allen had wanted to arrange a meeting with Soned, but Karik had still felt a little wrong about it knowing that itd occurred after only having been associates for a few days.

When he saw Soned's greatly improved expression, though, Karik felt proud of himself for no reason.

"Sir Allen, did your conversation go well?

"Yes, I was lucky. I was lucky to have taken the banshee tears with me just in case after having heard about Mr. Soneds son.

"Are those the banshee tears?"

As Karik turned his head, Soned carefully presented to him the purple potion.

"This is a precious item hard to come by in any territory

Karik looked at Allen with a startled face.

Banshee tears werent too difficult to manufacture, but hard to come by.

Even if successfully made and acquired, it was a rare item, generally only sold and purchased between high-ranking nobles or the royal family at a hefty price.

Among curse-healing tools, nothing held a candle to banshee tears.

Allen smiled like his favor wasnt of note.

"People have different values."

Just as the values of slaves and commoners were different, so were the values of commoners and nobles. If you compared the value of a potion purchased by a merchant's son and one by a high-ranking aristocrat for a large amount of money, of course, the value of the latter would be higher.

However

"Personally, I simply judged that the favor I received from Mr. Soned was of a higher value than the potion he received in return.

"I You speak far too kindly."

Although Soned thanked him for his kindness, he could not hide his bitter feelings.

This is a far larger debt.

Even though his son was suffering from the curse, he hated himself for calculating the value of their exchangeevaluating the price of his partners good will with his merchants mind. 

"That's all."

Allen didnt say that men were inherently equal, or that all life was worth something. It wouldnt mean anything; itd just be words. He was just invested because Soned's future value would be more than worth the exchange of the potion.

I'll pay back the debts I owe from my past life.

He also needed to search for the devil-contracting tomes that hed found in his past life in order to reduce Julius's influence.

'You have to lose some to win some.

This was his one and only chance.

This period of time when Julius would be gone.

A period of time in which he could prepare for the future without disturbing anyone. So, Allen, guided by Soned, arrived at the room wherein Soneds son rested.

Is this it?

"Yes, were here."

Soned angled himself to enter the room first. Nothing strange had yet occurred, but wouldnt there be the possibility that the curse could cause a sudden explosion?

"I'll go first, and then you, sir, can

However, as soon as he opened his mouth, the door behind him opened, cutting him off.

Squeak.

"S-sir!"

Its alright. We should still be fine to cure his curse from here. Allen stepped inside, moving ahead of Soned who was dissuading him from the side.

It was silent inside.

Allen went forward, coming to the bed in the center of the room.

* * *

* * * 

'Hes so young.'

He mustve been around fifteen, but his complexion had dulled because of the curse, and his skinny bodyshowing his skeletonmade him look a few years younger than his true age. Though on the surface, you couldnt tell if this change was a result of a curse or disease.

Itd have been good if you only looked like this because of an illness, but

That wasnt the case.

Allen immediately spread out a sensing range. The net spread out widely across the room and checked around Soneds childs body.

Allen sent out a thread to cling to the sons body. Allen focused and felt the childs bodily health gradually deteriorating, as if it were being sucked away. For the moment, the son was managing to maintain a somewhat liveable state thanks to all of the measures taken by his father, but Allen wasnt sure how much longer itd be sufficient.

His life force is being drained somewhere.

But all of the dark sorcerers were supposed to have been taken down.

Julius's trip to Garviawhich had occurred in their past liveshadnt taken place, so Allen could only have taken a guessbut he was certain when he witnessed, firsthand, the condition of Soneds son:

They werent properly dealt with.

Running through his plancrafted according to the current situation that hed predictedAllen felt a tinge of bitterness knowing that he wasn't able to prevent the situation at hand.

"Sir Allen!"

"A-are you alright? Is there something wrong?

Linbelle and Soned, following close behind, rushed to see if something had happened, as Allen stood quietly near the bed.

"No, I just checked the state of the curse for a moment."

"O-oh, then

Soned looked at Allen with eyes filled with anticipation. Allen nodded like Soned had the right idea.

"The curse is strong, but not enough to subvert the banshee tears."

If thats your verdict, sir, then!

Soned.

Allen paused for a moment.

So, then, does that mean you can help him?

Even just one sip should be enough for it to expel the curse, right?

Hed been worried at firstabout how hed use what was left of the potion. 

I could have it stored for future use, or perhaps I could give it to another afflicted kid?

Maybe if he were to do that, Allen would try to find something else and not be able to, when it came time that hed actually need something to deal with a curse in the future. 

If I dont say that Ill use it to heal some other person out of goodwill, its not like theyre going to ask me what else Im going to do with it.

Until Allen arrived at that thought

that terrible stench lingered in his nose. 

That inhuman smell. The image of those utterly lifeless surroundings combined with that stench that plagued him.

Though could I really look away from another in need?

If he were to, how would he be at all different from his previous life? Was Allens desire for revenge so great that it should trump someone elses salvation?

So, then 

My people must come first before comparing the value of their lives.

So, it would be just enough to save the merchant group leaders son, in that case. 

Even if someone were to use what was left of the potion, it wouldnt be enough to fully eradicate the presence of most curses. But

Couldnt they at least give it a shot?

I think that your son, the victim, should take enough for himselfenough for one person.

I yes, alright.

That way, hed be fully cured of his curse before the end of the month.

There's no way to know just how many other victims there may be. And no way to know how many others may have already died, either. No, it is surely far too late. The transmission period of this particular curse has likely already passed, but

If Julius were to return homeif the time came that that young elf prodigy had run away into the Heavenly Forest

This situation will resolve itself.

At the very least, Id like to hope that we could try to help someone else.

Allen pleaded to Soned with a sad look on his face.

For the people.

For the poor people afflicted by this terrible curse. 

And

Theyre all under my care, arent they? 

For himself.

Soned, at a loss after hearing Allens answer, lowered his head, closed his eyes, and responded:

We should do as you saidno, I implore you to carry out your plans as you said, sir.

Thank you.

Allen gave his practiced smile as always.

That smile that suggested that not a single lie had been told.

* * *

And thus, a single sip was rushed to the merchant leaders son to drink. 

Upon downing that single sip, its effectiveness was made immediately apparent.

Cough, cough.

Erik! Erik! Are you okay?!

D-dad? Whats going on

Are you alright? Does anything hurt?

Perhaps

As Allen looked over his patient once more, it was as though he could feel that the curse had been largely weakened, though still laid partially dormant within Eriks body.

If theres only this much of it left and he were to rest for another few weeks, the rest of it should naturally work itself out of his system.

Together, Soned and Erikwho hadnt opened his eyes in quite a long timeboth lowered their heads to Allen.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you so much for helping me.

It was no trouble at all. I was afraid that it mightve been too late already.

As Allen gave a bitter smile and accepted their gratitude, Soned waved his own hand, brushing it off.

No, what are you saying! Its all thanks to you, sir, that

Thank you.

Allen waited for the father/son conversation to end before following Soned back to the drawing room.

So, you understand the degree to which his health has improved.

Allen sat down and began their conversation.

So when did he first contract the curse? Because according to my understanding, this curse came from a dark sorcerer which Julius was supposed to have put to rest.

So, about that

Would it be okay if I tried to explain all of this?

Karik, after having been cut off by Soned, readily accepted.

Youve been around here longer than I, so, surely, youd know better. Its alright.

Thank you. So, the part that you, sir, are curious about is just thata part of the whole story. Youre curious about why, despite Sir Juliuss declaration that the dark sorcerers had been taken care of, their curses were spreading.

Soned spoke in a calm tone. It seemed that at the improvement of his sons condition his self composure had recovered to match its natural state.

If I were to come to a conclusion from that, it could be correct to say that the curse would have died off after the dark magicians were subdued. But the curses clearly did not disappear entirely.

A memory from the past came to Allens mind.

A memory, set to occur about one month from now, about a disaster.

A memory of a disaster resolved by Julius.

A more precise estimate would say it was likely around the end of the Thanksgiving festival.

Soneds story was a short one.

Julius had subdued the dark sorcerers in his vicinity in Garvia, and, from there, the curse had stopped being produced. Therefore, it must have started to spread again a few days prior. At first, Soned couldn't bring himself to believe that rumorthat the curses were still circulating, despite their creators having been taken outbut with a child afflicted by said curse, he had no choice but to believe that. 

Or, at least, that was the story hewith an unknowing look and a smile on his faceimparted to Allen.

I didnt mean to simply reiterate such a widespread rumor.

Allen remained silent.

But on the inside, he was reviewing his plans that hed come up with, starting from the moment hed obtained the banshee tears at a rapid pace.

At the beginning, I thought that itd be such a simple plan to execute, but

He restructured his plans according to the fact that Julius was supposed to have subdued the dark sorcerers and the curse sourced from those same southwestern territories.

I can use this.

Allen had already begun establishing a good rapport between him and Soned from saving Erik. 

With Soneds help, Allen could aid others also afflicted by the curse and get rid of the witch who sourced it. And, perhaps, he could also discredit Juliuss reputation, while propping himself up as a friend of the people.

I don't think Soned has any animosity toward Julius yet.

Just because the curse didn't go away didnt necessarily mean that Julius failed to subdue the dark sorcerer.

But what if Allen resolved that which Julius couldn't completely settle by himself?

Hell have no choice but to compare us two.

That was just the way that people were.

"Thank you, again, for your willingness to donate so much of your potion to us."

Soned bowed his head once again. As he collected himself, he returned to his logical, experienced merchant mindset.

"Since youve decided to help others, I will gladly follow whatever decision you make, sir."

"I-I'll help you, too, sir!"

Soned vaguely guessed Allen's intention and seemed to be trying to hitchhike accordingly, but Karikstill but a foolish merchantwas swept away by the atmosphere and tried to agree as well.

"Well, then I shall give you instructions.

"Whatever you wish, sir."

"Yes, whatever you say, sir."

Allen took out the remaining potion and held it out to them.

"First of all, call in the nearby alchemists to dilute this potiononly to the extent that the effect of the potion remains usable. And make sure that the alchemist doesnt try to sneak away with any."

Soned accepted the potion and Allen continued:

"And ask for a priest in my name."

Priests were hard to come by, but if they searched the city, theyd be sure to come across at least one. 

"And also, grab some herbs to aid the recovery of those affected by the curse."

"So, you mean"

Allen nodded, affirming his suspicions. 

"I will take care of it.

The Daike merchant group was the group that controlled the trading of herbs, so their contribution would be sufficient. 

"Inellia and Linbelle will stay here for a few days." 

There was no way Soned wouldnt understand what Allen was saying. Soned affirmed:

"The trade will be done fairly."

Now that thats all been taken care of

It was time to kill a witch and spread some rumors.

Upon hearing Allen's various requests, Soned closed his eyesseemingly in thought for a momentand then opened his mouth:

"Your kindness will impress many people. However, this will make it difficult to dissolve the curse remaining with other victims."

"I suppose so."

Allen himself wasnt quite sure whether or not the measures that hed listed off would be enough to resolve everything.

It's just for show.

It was just laying the groundwork to support the rumors that would spread later.

To show that he took responsibility and did the best he could.

To show that that was how he was able to dispose of the curse.

To show that Allen was, obviously, much more outstanding of a person than Julius.

"Then what about you, sir?"

Allen slowly rose from his seat upon hearing Soneds question.

In any case, curses become vastly weaker when the caster dies.

To just kill her should be enough to resolve the whole ordeal.

"Well, of course"

So

"Im going to kill the caster."

Hed hunt down the witch.