CH 38

Chapter 38:《Count’s POV》Lady Sistana 2

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Even though the three of them had lost their composure, Jubak instead only gave them a sidelong glance before he took out a cigarette from his breast pocket. He then puffed it slowly, savouring the puff, as if this cigarette tasted so delicious. 

“Good grief… Do you even know what I mean by ‘external method’? Of course this other method comes with a high risk.”

“We get it so just tell us already!”

At Bavalein’s oppresive words, Jubak smirked and chuckled before his smile distorted into a frown as he spit out his next word.

“By other method, you just need to『pass』the curse on.”

Passed the curse… Which meant passing the curse onto someone else.

However, since this curse had been reinforced once, this curse couldn’t be dealt with by ordinary means. To begin with, the original curse…. It was something that Lönnrot brat, the best magician and the second best magician in this country couldn’t even remove. 

The target to pass this curse on, it wouldn’t be enough if the target was only a ‘human’. They needed a greater medium than a ‘human’. 

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about! You, even though you’re a sorcerer, you’re actually not very smart, huh?”

Sistana said while slamming her palm on the table. 

It appeared this girl’s head was filled with nothing but cotton candy or sludge. 

“…..In short, we can just force the curse into the『land』itself.”

“Land… You said? If that’s the case then we can just return this curse back to the land my sister is living in!”

Sistana’s voice finally took a complete 180 degree turn. Her tone became so cheerful and bright. 

When someone forced a curse into the land, the cursed one could return to their original state before they were cursed but in return, the land would become barren. The transferred land would become so barren that no weeds could even grow, let alone crops.

“That’s right. But… In order to pass this curse on, you will need to prepare at least 3 human hearts. Then you need to put fragments of your curse into those 3 hearts…. After that then you only need to bury all three hearts in Lönnrot’s estate, the place where Miltia, the person you want to pass the curse on staying at.”

“Oh? Is it that simple?”

“B-But Sistana… Three human hearts… That… W-We will need to kill….”

“Dear! Don’t you feel sorry for Sistana? She has to suffer in this form!”

“N-No I mean, I do feel sorry for her and I do agree we need to return her to her original body no matter what the cost but…”

Count sweat had been dripping on the timid Count Lyran’s back the moment Jubak mentioned ‘external method’. 

Although Count Lyran’s reaction was the most natural reaction you could expect from a normal human, the rest of the entourage was looking at him with a similar look of disappointment and disdain on their face. They all had the same thing in their mind. 

『This man is a small fry.』

“Father, just be silent!”

Sistana slammed the table once again. 

“Hiii!”

“Why didn’t you tell us this sooner?”

“Because it is dangerous, Lady Sistana.”

According to Jubak, the『sacrifice』had to be humans and since they now had a clear target for passing the curse onto, the sacrifice must had some sort of connection with Miltia. They couldn’t just take the heart of some unknown slaves.

If they had finally succeeded in transferring the curse onto the heart, if by any chance the heart got destroyed either through magic or purification, the curse would be returned back to Sistana even stronger than before and there was nothing they could do about it. This was what people commonly refer to as ‘checkmate’. 

“If you’re fine with it then… Let’s give it a go.”

After Jubak finished explaining, he started to observe the next course of action these foolish and selfish creatures were about to take. 

“…. Are there any human beings somehow related to big sister in our house?”

“The only person who treated that trash with affection was that former head chef who had already resigned from his position years ago, remember?”

“T-That’s right…”

Even though it was easy for them to begin selecting people to kill in order to achieve their selfish gains, it seemed there was no other human in this house who was related to Miltia in one way or another. 

“If any small connection is fine, what about those two soldiers who escorted Miltia to Lönnrot dukedom?”

“Hmm… Well it can’t be helped. They will do just fine.”

Jubak nodded at Bavalein’s words. Those two soldiers somehow ended up getting twisted into this plan. 

“As expected from my dearest mother. What a great idea. Now the last remaining person will be…”

BAM!

“Wha-…..?!”

Without any warning… Jubak received a hit on his chest, causing him to tumble down to his knees from the impact. After taking a closer look, Jubak could finally see his right chest had been stabbed by a knife held by one of Sistana’s tentacles. 

Jubak fell down on the floor, the same expression of surprise was still etched on his face. In his eyes, the reflection of a smiling and smirking pus and grime covered creature could be seen. 

“Ahahahahaha! After all, you’re the one who made the cursed necklace that my sister used to wear. That means you’re connected to her in one way or another, right?”

The girl’s shrill laugh reverberated around the room where the dead sorcerer laid on.