Trouble That Didn't Feel Immediate
The morning started normally well not really. Ruko jumped scared to Aqua shout arguing with the innkeeper over breakfast prices while Kazuma pretended not to know her.
Megumin was still half-asleep, leaning against her staff, and Darkness sat straight-backed at the table, already dressed as if expecting something unpleasant.
Nothing felt urgent. That alone bothered Ruko. He went down stairs and mumbled. "What the hell is going on here, i want to get some freaking sleep for once you ungrateful maggots."
"Oh Ruko I didn't know you were sleeping but the person you should go to.. is Aqua." Said Kazuma. "Wa.. what are you blaming me for since I haven't done anything."
"Ok i dont want to hear it. 'Sigh', I could go for some 'Kaiju No.8' game ever since I miss it but there's no technology here." Ruko snoped. After breakfast, the group headed toward the Adventurers' Guild. Axel looked the same as always with crowded streets, noisy adventurers, people shouting about quests and rewards. But after walking for a few minutes, Ruko noticed something subtle.
The guards were more alert. "Hmm what's going there?" Ruko asked quietly, walking beside Kazuma. Kazuma glanced around. "See what? Besides the usual feeling that I should've stayed in bed?"
"I dont know what's the guards are more alert than usual but there's a tension in the air," Ruko said. Kazuma frowned. "You're getting weirdly serious and out character today lately." "I mean it."
They reached the guild, and the moment they stepped inside, the noise hit them. Adventurers crowded around the request board, voices overlapping. Several guild staff members were speaking urgently with armored knights near the counter.
This wasn't normal. Luna, the receptionist, noticed them and waved Kazuma over. Her usual calm smile was strained. "Kazuma," she said. "We might need your party's help today."
Kazuma stiffened. "That already sounds expensive." "This morning, several adventurers reported unusual curse marks is infected on further of axel." Luna explained. "They appeared overnight. We're still gathering information."
Aqua perked up. "Curses? Did someone say curses? Because if they did, that means—" "No," Kazuma cut in. "It does not mean you're getting extra pay." Ruko stepped closer to the counter. "Can we see the markings?"
Luna nodded. She gestured toward a man sitting on a bench nearby. His face looked pale, and his arm was wrapped in cloth. When he unwrapped it, black symbols crawled across his skin, faintly glowing.
Megumin leaned in. "That's not a normal curse and i dont what curse it is." Darkness tilted her head. "It doesn't seem to weaken or worsen." Ruko studied it carefully. The markings weren't random. They followed a pattern, repeating at precise intervals.
"This curse isn't meant to kill immediately," Ruko said. "It's designed to uuhh... maybe make him sick or somehow death.. im not sure." Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "You sound pretty sure."
"I am but in between," Ruko replied. "And it's seems to be waiting for responsethough." Ruko kitty gesture. Before Luna could respond, the temperature in the guild dropped like therebones is been haunted. Not dramatically, but enough that several people shivered.
A hush spread through the room. At the outer gates of Axel. A mounted knight rode inclose but not on a real horse, but something made of mist and cold air. The knight wore black armor and carried his helmet under one arm. Where his head should have been, blue flames flickered.
There's no one screamed. No one moved. But stilled like a statue that never has life force. "Bomboclot, what the hell is this pressure I felt. Ruko thoughts. "Gah.. HEY guys lets go out to the outer gates and check what pressure of mana this is." Ruko said. After reaching the outer gates they see—"
"I am Beldia," the figure said, his voice echoing unnaturally. "A general of the Demon King." Aqua immediately pointed. "Hey! You can't just walk in here without paying an entry fee!"
Kazuma grabbed her sleeve. "Now is not the time."
Beldia ignored them. "Last night," he continued, "I was insulted by someone who just use magic on my caslte and i wanna know who!" The curse marks on the injured adventurer's arm pulsed. "In response," Beldia said calmly, "I have placed a curse upon Axel. One life will be claimed each day."
Panic broke out instantly. Shouts filled the guild. Several adventurers backed away. Luna's face went pale. Kazuma swallowed. "That's… not great."
Ruko didn't react outwardly. He focused on the feeling pressing against his senses. The curse wasn't radiating from Beldia directly. It was constructed to him, but anchored elsewhere.
"You're not here to fight," Ruko said.
Beldia's blue flames flickered toward him. "And you are?" "Someone paying attention," Ruko replied. "If you wanted to kill us, you could have done it already."
Beldia laughed softly. "Correct. This curse is mere mercy. So Apologize, and I will lift it." Aqua crossed her arms. "Apologize? For what?" "For disrespect," Beldia answered. "For mockery."
Ruko understood then. This wasn't a battle even it doesn't started yet. This was pressure. If the town rushed to attack him and failed, the curse would worsen. If they did nothing, people would die one by one.
"We need some time for this," Ruko said quietly to Kazuma. "If we provoke him now, we lose control of the situation." Kazuma nodded slowly. "So we investigate first."
Beldia turned toward the back to the road. "You have until tomorrow." With that, he vanished. The cold lifted. The curse marks remained.
Aqua gasped suddenly. "Why does my leg feel weird?" Everyone looked down.
Black symbols were creeping up her ankle. Kazuma stared. "…Of course it had to be you."
Aqua screamed. "WHY AM I ALWAYS TARGETED?!" Ruko clenched his fist.
"I guess this curse wasn't fogging random. Beldia was testing reactions and start targeting the queen of not yappy yap yap."
"Alright," Kazuma said, taking a deep breath. "We're not panicking. We gather information, prepare defenses, and figure out how his curse works." Ruko nodded. "And we don't fight him until we're ready."
Kazuma glanced at him. "You're starting to sound reliable. That worries me." Ruko allowed himself a small smile.
This wasn't a normal demon general encounter and whatever influence he'd been sensing since morning with Aqua shouting this morning… it hadn't finished making its move.