Aurora sighed deeply, then pulled out one of the old books she was holding. The cover was worn, but the silver emblem in the center—a winged eye with a tongue of fire—was still clearly visible.
"If you want to know… the curse system isn't as simple as you imagine."
She opened the book, revealing pages filled with ancient symbols and sketches of the human body.
"There are three main types of curses," she said softly. "First: Body Curses. These attack your physical form—causing pain, petrifying the body, or stopping blood flow, and so on. It's usually felt immediately… like an unhealable wound."
She turned a page, revealing a sketch of a human head surrounded by a magic circle.
"Second: Soul Curses. These are more dangerous because they're invisible. The victim might hear strange whispers, lose their way, or even lose themselves. In some cases, their soul can be possessed by a foreign entity."
Lucian swallowed hard. Something inside him felt uneasy.
Then she stopped at a page—dark, almost illegible, but one word was written in red ink: Nulla.
"And lastly… Existence Curses."
Lucian sharpened his hearing.
"This type… doesn't directly damage the body or soul. But it erodes your existence little by little. People will start to forget your name. Mirrors won't reflect your image. Even magic will no longer respond to your will—as if you're no longer part of this world."
Nathan looked horrified. "How do you know this?"
Aurora stared blankly. "Because I once researched one… and the only survivor lost all their magical abilities. He's still alive. But only as… an ordinary person. Unknown. Unremembered."
Nathan looked serious now. "Then… the one that attacked Lucian, which category does it fall under?"
Aurora slowly closed the book. "Based on its initial effects, it's a Soul Curse. But… after seeing the ancient script that appeared, I'm sure we're dealing with something higher."
Lucian frowned. "You mean...?"
Aurora looked at him sharply. "That curse… is Class A. Maybe even S."
A moment of silence punctuated by slight confusion.
"Curses are classified from E to S. E is like a minor inconvenience—nightmares, a mild fever. But S… is a forbidden curse. Usually created from ancient rituals, the blood of nobles, or the wrath of the gods."
"Seriously, curses have classes too?" Nathan asked incredulously. This was the first time he'd heard of such a thing.
On the other hand, Lucian seemed calm. But in his mind, one question began to emerge: who cast the curse on him?
He bid them farewell and thanked Aurora for helping him and explaining the various types of curses.
After that, Lucian left, leaving the two of them. For the first time, Nathan felt something strange about his friend's demeanor. Soon after, he followed, bidding Aurora farewell.
Upon reaching the inn, Lucian looked drained. He pushed the door open slowly, each step heavier than the last.
His mood was chaotic. Inside him, anger burned—being transported to a foreign world was bad enough, but now… a curse?
His body lay prone, muttering to himself, frustrated with his unfortunate fate.
On the other hand, Lucian remembered his original world, and he was slightly anxious about leaving his family. He wondered if his family back home was alright?
Lucian looked towards the door. Gradually, footsteps drew closer, the sound of a knock. He assumed it was Nathan. But when he opened the door, he was surprised to see Aurora standing beside him.
Lucian furrowed his brow. "Seriously? You came here too?"
Hearing that, Aurora just smiled. She had insisted Nathan come along. He couldn't refuse, so Aurora came with him.
Nathan slumped into a chair while Lucian abruptly threw open the bedroom window. The breeze gently entered, making the room feel cool. He turned to his friend and asked why they were here.
But Nathan narrowed his eyes, his index finger pointing towards Aurora, who was daydreaming. As if she was the one who wanted to talk to Lucian. Without a second thought, Lucian approached her and asked about her purpose in coming here.
Aurora smiled faintly. "Huh, aren't you curious about the curse affecting you?"
Lucian quickly nodded.
Without further ado, she explained the curse rankings.
Aurora opened a worn page from her book. Dust fluttered lightly as she placed it on the table, then pointed to a line of characters that looked like a classification.
"The curse isn't just one type," she said, her voice calm but serious. "They're divided into levels. A kind of… classification system based on their danger."
Lucian and Nathan exchanged glances. Aurora continued, her finger tracing each line of writing.
"The most basic is called a Minor Curse, level E. The effects are mild—annoying, but not deadly. Wounds that heal slowly, persistent nightmares, or unusual drowsiness."
She turned the page.
"Level D, Naissance. Usually attacks the mind. Unceasing whispers, unexplained mood swings, excessive anxiety. It seems trivial, but it can drive someone insane if left unchecked."
Her eyes met theirs, her expression growing more serious.
"Level C, Chihuard. The effects become severe—chronic pain, memory loss, a slowly weakening body. Many victims of this level curse don't realize it until it's too late."
Nathan swallowed hard. Lucian just stared silently, his eyes slightly tense.
"Level B, Death," Aurora said softly. "A curse that can kill slowly. The body petrifies, possession by otherworldly beings, internal bleeding… all without any apparent cause."
"Then, Level A, Catastrophic. One curse can strike an entire village. Spreading like a plague, or causing the victim to explode from within due to uncontrolled magic."
Aurora paused before uttering the final word.
"Level S. Known as the Numero Curse. A forbidden, ancient, and extremely rare curse. Its effect? It can erase a person's existence from the world. Or imprison their soul in frozen time… forever."
The room fell silent. Only the sound of their hearts faintly beating could be heard.
"If the curse affecting you is one of them," Aurora whispered, looking at Lucian. "We need to know now… before it's too late."
Lucian stood motionless, his eyes locked on the ancient page lying open before him. The words "erase existence" echoed in his head, spinning like an incessant mantra.
"I haven't felt anything so far," he mumbled, trying to sound calm, though his heart felt otherwise.
Aurora shook her head slowly. "That's precisely what's most dangerous. Some high-level curses… don't show their effects immediately. They wait. They take root silently—like poison slowly spreading throughout the body."
Nathan leaned back in his chair with an uncomfortable expression. "So we don't even know… what kind of curse is affecting Lucian?"
Aurora looked at Lucian with a sharp gaze, not out of suspicion, but trying to understand what was unseen. "Not yet. But I can guess one thing—the curse didn't originate from this place."
Lucian raised his head. "What do you mean?"
Aurora took a deep breath. "The symbols on that paper, the strange script that appeared after the spell… it's not from the magic language known on this continent. Even in ancient magical cities like Nother, I've never seen it."
Nathan glanced at Lucian. "…Does that mean… the curse didn't originate from here?"
Lucian lowered his head. For the first time since waking in this strange world, real fear curled quietly in his chest. If the curse truly didn't originate from this place... then who sent it?"
And more importantly…
Why?