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Chapter: Takaya Obtains the Cursed Blade
We gripped the rope that Snow was pulling and continued forward across the frozen corridor.
After crawling for some time, the narrow passage suddenly opened up into a wide chamber.
At the far end stood what looked like an altar—
and upon it sat a single treasure chest, bathed in the faint blue glow of our light orbs.
“Look, Takaya! There’s a treasure chest!” Misuzu exclaimed, her voice bright with excitement.
Bach immediately stepped ahead, striding toward the altar.
He stopped before the chest, eyes narrowing slightly.
Probably checking for traps.
After a moment, he turned back to us and said, “Lady Misuzu, there appear to be no traps present.”
I glanced at Misuzu beside me—she was smiling like a child at a festival.
Together, we walked up to the chest.
Misuzu crouched down and lifted the lid.
Both of us leaned in to peek inside.
Inside lay a sword—sleek, beautiful, and ominously silent.
When Misuzu reached in to lift it, however, her hand was repelled by a flash of unseen force.
The sword seemed to reject her touch.
Was it because she didn’t have a combat-related job?
“I’ll try,” I said, stepping forward.
Reaching into the chest, I grasped the hilt.
This time, there was no resistance.
Unlike when I obtained the Holy Sword Fragarach, this blade was properly sheathed.
To have it appraised, I drew the sword from its scabbard.
The moment the blade’s steel glinted in the light, Bach’s voice rang out—
“A cursed blade!”
And then—
The world around me changed.
The dungeon, the altar, even my companions vanished, swallowed by darkness.
When my vision cleared, I found myself standing alone upon a barren wasteland.
And before me stood a woman.
She was beautiful—
with long black hair and piercing black eyes, clad in a flowing black dress.
A Westerner, perhaps? Though black hair and eyes were rare among them.
As I pondered this, the woman spoke.
“You see my true form and remain unfazed… Who are you?”
“Well, that’s a bit sudden,” I replied with an awkward smile. “My name’s Takaya Shiraishi. And you are…?”
“Ahaha… how amusing,” she laughed, her voice rich and cold.
Then, straightening, she said proudly,
“I am called Tyrfing. Humans know me as the Cursed Blade.”
She studied me for a moment, then continued.
“You bear the blessing of an earth spirit, do you not?”
“A blessing? I don’t remember receiving one… but I am contracted with an earth spirit.”
“I see. Then that explains it,” she said. “I carry a curse—laid upon me by the earth spirits themselves. Whoever wields me shall die after three fulfilled wishes. But it seems that curse does not affect you.”
“Because of my contract?”
“Indeed. How fascinating… I sense a holy aura about you as well.”
“That might be from my Hero job,” I said.
Her lips curved into a grin. “Then it is decided. You are worthy of me. I shall accept you as my master.”
The woman’s form shimmered and vanished like smoke.
The wasteland dissolved.
“Takaya-san! Are you all right?” Misuzu’s voice reached me.
“Yeah… I’m fine,” I replied, blinking as the dungeon returned to view.
Misuzu let out a sigh of relief.
She leaned forward, using her appraisal skill on the sword.
“It’s called Tyrfing,” she murmured. “A cursed blade forged by coercing the earth spirits themselves. It bears their wrathful curse.”
She looked up at me seriously. “You mustn’t ever use it. We should seal it away somewhere safe.”
“Ah… about that,” I said awkwardly. “Apparently, since I’m contracted with an earth spirit, the curse doesn’t affect me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I actually spoke with Tyrfing just now. She said the curse won’t work on me.”
As I explained what had happened, Bach chuckled knowingly.
“I see. Lord Takaya is contracted with Lady Amber, the earth spirit, yes? And Lady Amber is quite fond of you. She must have bestowed her protection upon you.”
He folded his arms and nodded. “Furthermore, as a Hero, your very existence repels evil. There is little need for concern.”
Hearing that, Misuzu finally relaxed.
I sheathed Tyrfing and tucked it safely into my belt pouch.
“Well then, shall we head back?”
Bach opened a transfer gate with a flick of his hand, and the portal shimmered before us.
We stepped through and reappeared before the rocky crevice from earlier.
I looked to the spirits fluttering nearby. “Anything else left down here?”
They shook their heads.
“All right. Then let’s reach the entrance to the tenth floor before heading home.”
Misuzu nodded. “Kuro-mitsu, please.”
We climbed onto Kuro-mitsu’s back once more and took flight, retracing our path through the ninth floor’s labyrinth until we reached the grand entrance of the tenth.
That would serve as our starting point for the next expedition.
“Let’s go home,” I said.
Bach opened another transfer gate, and we stepped through—
returning to the Sky Castle on the dungeon’s first floor.
First the Holy Sword, and now a Cursed Blade.
The Holy Sword could only be wielded by one blessed with the Hero job,
and the Cursed Blade would doom anyone else who tried to touch it.
To prevent accidents, I sealed Tyrfing securely inside my waist pouch.
Both blades—holy and cursed—were now my responsibility alone.
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