Translator: P411

Editor: Lilia

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 171 – Call Me Stubborn, But I Won’t Back Down on This One

One Holy Water Rank B, the cheap liquor that I got through connections with the guard station, and my own Cure Potion Rank S.

I took out these 3 things and started preparing the dispel high potion with my simple dispensing kit.

The cheap liquor seemed to lose its alcohol content as soon as it was heated, so I had to add it last. I added the holy water and cure potion together and heated the mixture.

After it came to a simmer, I added the cheap liquor and turned off the heat immediately. If this was fire liquor, I would have left it on fire a little longer and then turned off the heat. These subtle differences in dispensing depended on the types of ingredients.

I quickly poured the liquid, which had turned pale blue, into an empty bottle and closed the lid.

“This is a Rank B Dispel High Potion. And here’s the recipe.”

When I handed my handwritten recipe to Blossom-san, he nervously took it.

“…Is this for real? Mac, you’re the best.”

I also gave him a bottle of Dispel High Potion. Why was I doing all these things? Simple, this was all for insurance. 

Vidello-san told me that I should reveal this recipe to someone I trusted. It’d be best if nothing happened, but if something happened to me and the recipe was only in my head, this precious recipe would never see the light of day again. I was convinced, so I entrusted this recipe and potion to Blossom-san. I was also planning to entrust this recipe to Crash and Emily-san later.

“Anyway, I think this rank B potion can remove most curses unless it’s a complicated one, so I thought I’d go to the statue to try it out if that’s alright.”

Then I looked up at Vidello-san while continuing the conversation, “I’ll be taking the curse.”

I wanted to test it on myself since I was a player, so I could see whether the bad status was removed or not on my status screen. It was a bit too risky for a person like Vidello-san, whose status was invisible, to get cursed.

“It’s for an experiment, so if I don’t take on the curse, I won’t know if the potion can completely remove the curse or not.”

“That being said, Mac, I can’t allow you to take on the curse.”

“But we can’t ask someone else to do it either.”

“That’s why I’m telling you I’ll take the curse instead,” said Vidello-san.

“But…”

We had a slight disagreement over who should take the curse.

“I know you’re skilled. That’s why I’ll be taking the curse.”

“Vidello-san… No, I don’t want that. I know what I’m doing, so I want to see for myself if this works properly or not. I’m making this so that you’ll never suffer from the curses, but if you get cursed because of me, doesn’t this defeat my sole purpose of making these?”

“Mac, you’re quite stubborn.”

“Aren’t you also? I’m not backing down on this one.”

Vidello-san let out a loud sigh and frowned.

I loved seeing his frustrated expression, but that wasn’t why I was not giving in. I’d say it a million times. I’ll never back down on this one.

Blossom-san, caught in between one who was clearly pouting and the other who was watching with worry in his eyes, smiled bitterly. 

He lightly smacked us on the head, told us to cut it out, and called out loudly for Marcus-san.

A moment later, Marcus-san opened the door and suddenly emerged. 

“You called? Eh, what, are you asking me to mediate a lover’s quarrel?”

“Just come on in.”

Marcus gave up, saying, “Yeah, yeah,” and came into the room, locking the door.

The moment he approached the table, Blossom-san tightly grabbed him by the shoulders.

Blossom-san looked at Marcus-san with a suspicious-looking bright smile.

“Ugh, what, what’s with that shady-looking smile… I just remembered I have some errands to run, so excuse me…”

“It’s okay, I know you’re free now. That’s why, go with these guys to that statue and just get a tiny bit cursed.” 

Marcus-san’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head from hearing Blossom-san casually telling him to get cursed as if this was a light walk in a park.

As if in disbelief, he was speechless for a few seconds, but later responded in a bewildered voice, “Huhhhh?!”

“Just, wait, what the hell are you saying…? Is this perhaps a joke…? Are you telling me to go drown in debt…?”

“No, no, no, you won’t go into debt unless you’re completely out of luck, so don’t worry. All you have to do is go to that statue and touch it a little bit, simple right? Marcus-kun?”

Marcus-san was half in tears when he was seized by Blossom-san, who was goading him with a very intense smile.

It was such a pitiful sight to see him repeating, “Seriously, seriously?” like a broken record.

But even if he volunteered, it wasn’t good enough. I had to witness the curse status properly gone, so unlike them, I was the right person for this job.

“Blossom-san. I appreciate it, but it’ll be the most efficient if I’m the one who gets cursed. I’m a foreigner, you know. So I can see how my condition is here.”

I pointed to a space where I could see my status.

The three of them looked at the space where I pointed and I added a little more information. 

“If I want to, I can see whether my strength or stamina or other stats are decreasing or not. I can also check for status abnormalities. If I got cursed, I would know what kind of curse I’m affected by. So I’m saying that I’m the most qualified out of everyone to do this job.”

“Ah… So that’s what you meant…”

Blossom-san let go of Marcus-san’s shoulders as if he were finally convinced, but Vidello-san still didn’t look happy. I knew how he was feeling right now, but please know that I don’t want you to get cursed, now or in the future. That was my biggest concern rather than the status.

“If that’s the case, then you’re certainly the right person for the job. Vidello, give it up and be his bodyguard instead. Marcus, you should go with them, too.”

“Eh~ you’re telling me to tag along with them? Calling me out for a depressing mission for a single man like me, isn’t Roy a better fit for the job?”

“Don’t be unreasonable. Vidello, you too.”

The two nodded reluctantly at Blossom-san’s words. Sorry for making you both do something you didn’t want to do. 

I felt sorry for Vidello-san as his claim was treated as something unreasonable by Blossom-san, but I felt relieved to know that he would not suffer from the curse. 

Once everything was decided, I got up from my seat.

“Let’s confirm whether the potion works or not. Vidello-san, Marcus-san, please take care of me.”

When I bowed my head, Vidello-san shrugged his shoulders as if he had already given up and got up from the seat. “I’m the one who told you to do what you wanted,” he grumbled. 

The two brought out the horses from the guard station, and as I was unable to ride a horse alone, I settled into Vidello-san’s bosom and we set off.

The usually two-hour walk was shortened with a horse ride, and we got there pretty quickly.

I tied the horse to a tree and petted its nose, saying, “Wait for me,” before entering the cave. 

The monsters that came out on the way were cut down with a single strike by Vidello-san and Marcus-san without me needing to lift a finger. They’re really strong. And so cool. I love you!

Without a hitch, we arrived at Jhal Gar-san’s altar. Lately, I felt like I’d been coming here all the time, but it might be my imagination.

Today’s plan was to check on the curse, so I didn’t need to pour alcohol on him to restore him back.

I left the two of them with a dispel high potion of each rank and approached the stone statue.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Marcus-san called out to me with an unusually serious tone. 

When I turned around to the voice, both of them were looking at me with grim faces.

“It’s alright. Please trust my skills.”

As long as it wasn’t a complicated curse, it would soon be lifted.

Even if I couldn’t drink the potion myself, the two of them would help me drink it right away.

That’s why I could get cursed with peace of mind. After having these thoughts, naturally, a smile appeared on my face.

“Jhal Gar-san, please excuse me. I’m going to touch you for a moment.”

I wasn’t pouring alcohol today, but I would at least call out to him just in case. After holding the dispel high potion in my hand, I held out my hand towards Jhal Gar-san’s feet.

The moment I touched the stone statue, that disgusting sensation invaded my body. No matter how many times I got cursed, I could never get used to this feeling. It’s truly unpleasant.

The instant I felt it crawl through my body, I frowned and dropped the dispel high potion.

The sound of glass breaking echoed through the room.

“Mac!”

My whole body started to become numb.

I couldn’t stand any longer and I collapsed on the spot.

The moment I thought I would hit the floor, I felt as if I was in the arms of Vidello-san, who had rushed to catch me.

I desperately moved my eyes to see what type of curse was on me, and I saw the bad status of [ Paralysis (Curse) ].

So this was the curse paralysis… It’s painful. I couldn’t drink the potion by myself with this curse.

My mouth, my hands, and my feet, everywhere in my body felt numb. I felt like I was completely knocked out. Would this curse be removed over time? The monsters didn’t come into this room, so at least my life was safe from them, but I wondered what a person with the paralysis debuff could have done other than wait. Ah, but in the first place, there weren’t many people who would come to this kind of place alone.

Just as I was lost in my thoughts, I heard the faint voice of Vidello-san.

As my ears were also paralyzed, I couldn’t hear what he was saying.

Oh, did he pour the dispel high potion into my mouth? But I didn’t feel anything at all. I also didn’t feel like I was swallowing any liquid.

This curse, it’s painful. All my senses were so shrouded in numbness that I couldn’t quite grasp what was going on with me.

But not being able to drink was fatal. Would I be forced to journey to the church again?

Should I be thankful that my mind wasn’t paralyzed?

Then, I suddenly felt something hot in my stomach.

My blurry vision came back and my hearing became clearer. At the same time, I felt a strange sensation, as if all the blood in my body had drained away and something foreign that had been moving inside my body disappeared.

And I finally came to the realization that Vidello-san’s lips were on mine.