The Smart sisters were polar opposites in their personalities. Liz was simple, unaffected, earnest, and occasionally acted maturely. Sitri, meanwhile, was rational, composed, organized, and occasionally acted childishly. In addition, Sitri liked giving more than she liked being given to. This was probably part of why she was so successful as an Alchemist.
I liked the way Liz would drag my lazy self along with her, but I found healing the way Sitri accelerated my descent into indolence (By the way, the person I found most reassuring was, naturally, Ansem. I suppose having two lively younger sisters had shaped him).
Decorated with Relics and incredibly cheerful, Sitri cooked me a meal. I ate it as I idly watched Killiam exercise. Sitri maintained her grin all the while. Since I didn’t plan on leaving my room, having a guard didn’t really feel necessary, but I guess she was enjoying herself.
As I let out a yawn, Sitri eagerly approached me.
“Oh, Krai, I just remembered. Take a look! In light of our conversation yesterday, I brought some research materials!”
“Research materials? What kind?”
“It’s the Curse Compendium. It’s a special compilation of every known dangerous phenomenon and cursed item, so it’s not up for sale. I went through a lot of trouble steal—getting my hands on this for you!”
That’s an unsettling name. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I never asked you to do this!
Sitri placed in front of me a dense text with an ominous design, then leaned against me from behind. The cold feeling of the jingling Relics mixed with her body heat and the soft sensation pressing against me.
“If I tell you which one I want, will you give it to me?” she whispered in my ear.
I won’t.
It seemed that odd rumors had once again begun to propagate.
“The majority of cursed items are kept hidden,” she told me. “It’s because simply knowing about them can be dangerous. This is a very precious book. I got it for you. For you.”
She really emphasized that last point, but even though I collected Relics, I wasn’t interested in cursed stuff. There was nothing I could have done about the Devil Sword brought in by Eliza because I hadn’t realized what it was. And did this thing have to have an alliterative name?
Given Sitri’s general diligence, I was curious as to what she might want, but there was no way something like that would just be sitting around somewhere in the imperial capital. Weren’t things like that outlawed? Maybe just possession was okay? Anything with a downside tended to have enough power to make up for it.
Sitri rubbed herself against the back of my neck. I leaned on an elbow and flipped to a random page near the end. There was a picture of an unsettling tree that was black from its trunk all the way to the tips of its branches. I read the accompanying text.
“What’s this? ‘The Black World Tree.’ It was made by a magic civilization as a stand-in for the World Tree, a mystic tree that is completely unique. Unlike the original tree, which draws power from the ley lines and circulates mana throughout the world, the Black World Tree attacks living creatures and steals their mana. It is said a full-grown Black World Tree will spread its roots in every direction and create a magic wasteland.”
“Civilization certainly would change if people couldn’t use magic anymore,” Sitri said.
“I see. I guess that’s no big deal. I mean, I don’t need magic.”
I couldn’t use it after all. Sure, not being able to charge my Relics would be less than ideal, but curses were things I expected to maim and kill. I guess that wasn’t always the case.
The World Tree was a mystic tree of legend. It was said to be one of the best possible materials to make a staff with, boasting extreme mana-amplification that surpassed even Relics. However, it was uncertain if this was actually true. I had heard that there was only one, and it was deep in a forest managed by Noble Spirits, who worshipped the tree. But I found that pretty dubious; even the members of Starlight had never seen it before.
But I wonder if they’d be enraged by this drawing of a Black World Tree. Would they take it as an insult?
So, which one did Sitri have her eye on? Seeing the glimmer in her eyes, I figured my best option was to ask her. But that got cut off by the door flying open. With a look of panic, Eva dashed in. At just about the exact same moment, the Sounding Stone from Franz began to vibrate.
“Krai, bad news! The Zebrudia Academy of Magic has been destroyed by an immense, unknown monster!”
“What? What’s this?”
The Zebrudia Academy of Magic was the empire’s top magic-oriented school. It was the academy to which the professor Lucia was apprenticed to belonged. Its campus was enormous, and the school building was sturdy. With multiple barrier spells in place, it was one of the safest places in the capital. It couldn’t be destroyed by a monster. I heard that place could withstand a dragon attack.
This had to be bad info. An immense monster shouldn’t have been able to get in there in the first place. Sitri and Killiam were both wide-eyed. Short of breath, Eva came up and slammed her hand on the desk. She was about to say something when she saw the book open in front of me.
“Th-This is it!” she cried. “This looks just like it!”
Well, that’s no good. She’s not making any sense. What’s she so worked up about?
All the while, the Sounding Stone continued to vibrate irritatingly. What did Franz want? I was busy.
I calmed myself with a deep breath and tried to look serious. “Eva, this isn’t a monster. It’s something cursed.”
“That hardly matters! Look, there!”
Eva walked around behind me and pointed out the window. I obligingly got up and looked, as did Sitri. Off in the distance, beyond many buildings, I could see a giant dark something that hadn’t been there before. It must’ve been pretty large if I could see it over these buildings.
I rubbed my eyes.
“No big deal, right, Krai?” Sitri said while poking my shoulder.
“Yeah, uh-huh.”
It was no big deal and it had nothing to do with me.
Hm? What’s that? I have to go? Well, Lucia might be there. And I’ll have Sitri with me, so I guess I can go take a look.
With the Sounding Stone in one hand, Sitri and I headed out. Since it was dangerous, Eva stayed behind to hold down the fort. It would’ve been very bad for us if she had come along and gotten injured. If possible, I also would’ve liked to hold down the fort, but I was in no position to raise any objections.
“What’s going on, Thousand Tricks?! Successive disasters aren’t normal in the imperial capital!”
“Well, I don’t know what you want me to do.”
“You think I’m stupid?! I looked into it! I know your sister is enrolled at ZAM!”
“Yes, that’s true. But that’s not enough to make this my fault...”
Franz’s ceaseless booming voice made it clear he had decided I was responsible for this. True, I was unlucky and a Level 8, but I didn’t like the way he pushed every problem onto me. There were two other Level 8s in this city; what were they doing?
“What the hell is that thing?! You have an idea, don’t you?!”
“Wha? Don’t just assume I know everything,” I replied. “That thing, though, it’s probably the Black World Tree.”
“Hm?! Oh, you son of a bitch!”
Something dark writhed in the distant sky, and constant screams rang out across the main thoroughfare. If I could see it from where we were, it must’ve been hundreds of meters tall. It was definitely bigger than a dragon. How had something like this gotten into the imperial capital? I thought the city was supposed to be on alert because of some prophecy or something.
What am I supposed to do once I get there? All I can really do is send Sitri that way. Am I necessary?
“My, look at the size of it! This is easily a Class A threat, wouldn’t you say, Krai?”
Oh god, she looks so pleased.
With a shine in her eyes, Sitri held one hand over her mouth and held my hand with the other. In her grip, I couldn’t run away.
Calm down. Calm down, Krai Andrey.