Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. – Chapter 36 – It’s Just a Mere Status Ailment

Author: Cireng

Chapter 36 – It’s Just a Mere Status Ailment

Eastern District 3.

The cultural district is known as “Lively Promenade.”

“Here are the drinks you ordered, customers.”

The waitress placed three small cups on the table. Two contained coffee with an extraordinary aroma and color. The remaining one was simply milk.

“Let’s drink first.”

I took a sip of the warm coffee.

‘Oh.’

Perhaps because the barista had used the Cook class’s Mysteries…

I hadn’t expected much, but the fragrance was surprisingly rich.

Still, something felt lacking, so I asked the waitress to add about fifteen spoonfuls of sugar.

Only then did it perfectly suit my taste.

As I slowly sipped the coffee, I casually asked,

“Pendrick, how does it taste?”

Pendrick, who had been cautiously taking tiny sips of his coffee, smiled awkwardly.

“I guess it’s because I’m from the countryside… but it feels kind of unfamiliar.”

That was his heavily sugarcoated way of saying,

‘”It doesn’t taste very good.”‘

“…”

Meanwhile, Rosalia had lowered her mask slightly and was happily drinking her milk.

“Take your time. This conversation is going to be long. If that’s not enough, I’ll order you another.”

We had come to a café to comfortably discuss various matters regarding the expedition party.

Unlike modern café chains, the atmosphere was closer to a tavern.

And every menu item came with an eye-watering price tag.

Only explorers earning a decent income could afford to visit places like this.

“I never thought I’d end up in a café. It’s also my first time leaving work during my shift…”

Pendrick gently pushed his coffee cup aside.

After curiously looking around the café, he turned back toward me.

“I’m honestly a little surprised that you came somewhere this expensive without a second thought. Were you perhaps a very successful explorer back in District Six?”

“No way. What kind of cultist makes good money?”

I waited expectantly to see how he’d respond positively to that…

But perhaps my logic had been too overwhelming.

Pendrick merely smiled and couldn’t say anything.

Lowering my voice slightly, I continued.

“The person beside me is Lady Rosalia. She’s ‘Deep Shadow,’ the escort secretary serving the youngest young master of House Brites.”

“Ah…!”

The aspiring swordsman widened his eyes.

Rosalia suddenly pulled a money pouch out of her shadow and proudly displayed the mountain of gold coins inside.

“Why are you suddenly showing off your money? If there’s any left over, won’t you just have to return it to the young master anyway?”

“…”

The assassin who’d been acting like a nouveau riche visibly faltered.

“Anyway. Let’s finally talk business.”

After ordering some biscuits to go with the coffee…

I looked toward the sword Pendrick had been hugging the entire time protectively.

“First, I’d like to examine your condition in detail. Would you mind handing it over for a moment?”

“…Yes.”

After hesitating briefly…

Pendrick carefully removed the cloth wrapped around the blade and handed the sword to me.

‘…Wow.’

Without realizing it… I committed the rude act of staring blankly at another man’s lover.

A magnificent sword.

Its blade shimmered in an elegant blue-green hue.

Seven brilliant gemstones were embedded along its side like stars.

Even Rosalia’s eyes widened at the exquisite craftsmanship, as though it had been forged by the hands of a legendary sculptor.

[Artifact — Astrimia of Joy]

[One of the “Emotion Series” created by the legendary artisan-class explorers of the Perfect Expedition Party. Every time another star along its side lights up, a new ability becomes available.]

The Emotion Series consisted of artifacts whose names were prefixed by different emotions.

Every single one possessed a terrifying performance.

Although acquiring them required absurdly complicated conditions…

Once obtained… They remained useful until death.

[To think a rookie swordsman possessed such a treasure! Astonishing. Still, I trust the reason you marked him wasn’t merely because he owned an excellent sword.]

“So you’re the cultist named Kar?”

Astrimia of Joy.

Pendrick’s inanimate girlfriend, the Ego Sword, spoke in an unconvinced voice.

“Would you mind not staring at me so intensely?”

“I’m sorry. You’re simply so beautiful that I couldn’t help having my eyes drawn to you.”

“Thank you for the compliment. Among all my brothers and sisters, I ‘am’ especially beautiful.”

Such confident words overflowing with pride in her appearance made Pendrick grin from ear to ear.

Rosalia noticed that expression.

She flinched ever so slightly…

Then quietly slid her chair a little farther away.

“Pendrick rushed into trusting you. But I still find it difficult.”

Astrimia’s blade trembled faintly.

“The cults of the Evil Gods aren’t nearly as influential as they once were… But I’m still afraid. So I hope you’ll understand if my instincts reject you.”

If she’d once suffered terribly at the hands of cultists…

That reaction was understandable.

Seriously… Those senior cultists of mine never seemed to help with anything.

Well… Thinking about it, they’d provided some decent experience points back in Earth Elf’s Grave, so perhaps they’d been useful at least once.

“I don’t mind.”

I smiled… a smile meant to raise affection, taking advantage of a half-elf’s only real strength: Charm.

“Actually… If you’d blindly trusted me without even speaking with me first… I would’ve been rather disappointed.”

Distrust was a special survival instinct granted to intelligent beings.

Not to the extent of Odilon…

But I didn’t trust people blindly either.

“I suppose that’s true. You’re searching for companions who’ll eventually entrust their lives to you. Honestly… I’d also prefer Pendrick to join an expedition led by someone truly capable. Rather than remain in this incompetent guild that can’t even recognize his talent.”

“In that case… You no longer need to worry. We’re exactly the expedition party Lady Astrimia has been searching for.”

“Can I really look forward to it?”

“Of course.”

Our interests aligned well enough.

Now… It was time to prove my ability.

“Cultist Kar. So… How exactly are you going to cure me?”

“Before I answer… May I observe Lady Astrimia a little more closely?”

“Very well. I’ll graciously allow you time to admire my elegant form.”

“It would be my honor.”

Perhaps because he was feeling slightly jealous…

Pendrick’s complexion visibly darkened as he silently listened to our conversation.

Thanks to that… Rosalia quietly moved her chair one seat closer to mine.

“Let’s see…”

As I examined Astrimia’s blade…

Eye That Perceives Truth quickly diagnosed the narcissistic Ego Sword’s condition.

[7th-Tier Black Magic — Curse: Waves of Lethe]

[After sufficient time passes, all memories disappear, leaving the victim an idiot. Remaining time: 27 days.]

Normally… It was a curse used to turn enemies into complete fools and render them harmless.

Once it is fully activated…

Astrimia would become nothing more than an ordinary sword with a beautiful appearance.

Without an ego…

An Ego Sword couldn’t use any of its innate abilities.

“What a dreadful curse.”

After finishing my examination… I spoke quietly.

“It’s a scheme specifically designed to destroy Lady Astrimia. If she weren’t an Artifact… She would’ve become an ordinary sword long ago.”

A seventh-tier high-level Black Magic curse…

Was suppressing an Ego Sword forged by the greatest artisan expedition party in history.

“We have twenty-seven days left. The curse must be lifted before then.”

“…”

Pendrick, unable to keep his hands still atop the table…

Forced a weak smile.

“…You figured it out instantly. As expected of a cultist serving Lord Lidni, who knows everything.”

Taking Astrimia back into his hands…

Pendrick gently stroked the blue-green blade with a sigh.

Crackle.

Reacting to the sorrow in his eyes…

The Exalted One sent another surge of electricity.

It felt like encouragement to keep diligently spreading the faith this way.

“When I still lived on the Eastern Continent… A dungeon appeared near my hometown.”

Completely unaware that his appearance alone had attracted Sue’je’s intense interest…

Pendrick continued his story.

“My mother was caught inside that dungeon. So before the dungeon suppression force could arrive… I had no choice but to rush inside.”

“That’s where you met Lady Astrimia?”

“That’s right. She was stuck in the ground, wrapped in chains. She’d already been cursed when we first met.”

It was a backstory the game’s creator had given Pendrick…

To make the promising swordsman even more tragic.

Pendrick wasn’t recruitable until the middle or late stages of the game.

Pendrick. The merciless Black Mage Slayer burning with fury… Who wielded one of the Emotion Series swords.

“Do you happen to know who cursed her?”

“Unfortunately… I don’t know that much.”

I actually knew.

I simply pretended I didn’t.

The culprit was a Level 9 Black Mage.

Someone far beyond what a weak cultist like me could challenge.

“These days… I’ve been terribly anxious. The curse still has a little time before it fully activates… But Asmi’s condition gets worse with every passing day.”

Asmi.

That was Pendrick’s nickname for Astrimia.

“…”

Rosalia moved her chair again…

Until she was sitting right beside me.

“A few days ago… She couldn’t even remember my name for a moment.”

“So you made your decision quickly.”

“Yes… Honestly… I couldn’t bring myself to trust you so easily.”

“But… I had no other choice.”

The swordsman’s eyes, fixed upon his beloved sword, were filled with accumulated suffering.

“I came to Pletica to earn money and cure Asmi. But instead of building a reputation as an explorer… I’ve barely even had opportunities to enter dungeons. So… I ended up working at the inn.”

Just another promising explorer… Among countless others throughout Pletica.

His future was guaranteed.

But the present-day Pendrick… Had yet to bloom.

So… I intended to help him bloom myself.

“Pendrick. You can relax now.”

I spread both arms wide.

“Because you’ve met me.”

I could change Pendrick’s fate.

I could prevent Astrimia’s tragic end.

I possessed both the knowledge and the ability… To ensure the two of them could live happily together.

“What do you think now, Lady Astrimia? Have you changed your mind?”

“…I still can’t quite bring myself to trust or rely on you completely.”

The blue-green Ego Sword, adorned with stars, let out what felt like a mental sigh before continuing.

“Still… I think you’re worth placing some hope in. Every Black Mage I met after coming to Pletica failed to identify the curse on my beautiful body. But you recognized it within seconds.”

That was mostly because Black Mages were a rather miserable, widely despised class that attracted few talented people…

But I simply nodded.

“I’ve decided. Lord Kar, for the time being… We’ll entrust ourselves to your expedition party.”

Swordsman Pendrick. Ego Sword Astrimia.

Recruitment successful.

“Our young master, the founder of this expedition party, is extremely distrustful of people. So we’ll draw up a contract later.”

“That’s fine. By the way… What’s the name of the expedition party?”

“It’s the Moon Expedition Party. Isn’t it an adorable, charming name?”

“……”

“Why have you suddenly gone silent?”

Astrimia said nothing.

Rosalia quietly turned her head away from me.

“Moon Expedition Party? I think it’s cute and fun!”

Only our kind-hearted Pendrick…

Blessed with the trait Borderless Sociability, which prevented conflicts with companions, reacted positively.

“…Now. May I finally hear how you’re planning to cure me?”

“Certainly. I’ll explain.”

Just then… The waitress brought over the biscuits.

After dipping one into my coffee and taking a bite… I spoke again.

“Normally… Curses can only be removed by Cleric-class individuals. Or by certain rare Artifacts and treasures. The problem is… A seventh-tier Black Magic curse requires someone at least at the bishop level. And the relevant artifacts are far too expensive. So both options are basically impossible for us right now.”

“Then… Do you know another method, Lord Kar?”

“I do.”

Curses were troublesome.

But in the end… They were merely status ailments.

There were plenty of ways to remove them.

Though… A seventh-tier Black Magic curse did make things a little more complicated.

“The path illuminated by the revelation bestowed upon us by the Pioneer of Twisted Truth… Leads to a dungeon.”

The means of curing Astrimia… Lay inside a certain dungeon in District Three.

“Pendrick. Have you heard of the dungeon called City of Pleasure?”

“Of course! That’s the E-rank dungeon people visit to have fun rather than clear, isn’t it?”

“…”

The assassin, who hated leisure, suddenly grabbed my wrist and stared directly at me.