Everyone made their way toward a secluded area—a spacious hall located deeper within the estate
Inside, numerous items commonly associated with rituals had already been prepared.
There were bottles filled with strange liquids, various ceremonial tools, and a large mysterious symbol inscribed across the floor.
Only a handful of bodyguards and immediate family members were permitted inside.
The bodyguards quietly took up positions around the perimeter of the hall.
Moments later, faint auras began to leak from their bodies, forming an invisible layer of security around the room.
It was as if they were preparing to contain any spiritual disturbances that might arise during the ritual.
Al looked around, then turned to Ramu.
"So… how do we do this?" he asked.
"Just relax yourself first and get ready," Ramu said calmly.
"How am I supposed to get ready if I don't even know what I'm preparing for?" Al asked.
Ramu didn't respond. He simply walked toward the center of the room.
From inside his coat, he took out a small brush and a bottle filled with a dark crimson liquid.
He then began sprinkling the liquid across the strange symbols engraved on the floor, carefully tracing one mark after another.
As the crimson fluid seeped into the inscriptions, the symbols seemed to grow more vivid, as though they had been awakened.
Around the main symbol were three smaller circles positioned at equal distances from one another.
Ramu walked to each circle in turn and used the brush to write a name inside it with the crimson liquid.
Al, Edward and Sandra.
Everyone watched in silence, not daring to interrupt—including Al.
Hmph… that looks like black rooster blood. Pretty common among shamans in this region, he thought.
Since it's already popular among ordinary people, most think it's used for something good—like offerings to ask for blessings from ancestors or gods.
But in reality, it's one of the mediums used to amplify dark magic.
With that much of it, he's really trying to drain my luck dry…But can he even pull that off on a cursed human like me?
Al shook his head.
Huff… whatever. I'll go along with it for the family's sake—for now, at least. As long as nothing weird happens.
Before long, Ramu finished all the preparations.
The ritual preparations were finally complete, along with several jars filled with what appeared to be holy water.
"Al… now take off your clothes," Ramu said.
"Huh? Take off my clothes?" Al exclaimed in shock. "Did I hear that wrong? Why do I need to take my clothes off?"
"You want to be purified and blessed," Ramu replied evenly. "...Of course you need to remove external objects so the ritual can fully affect your body."
Al took a small step back, clearly not expecting the ritual to be this questionable.
I was just thinking that nothing weird would happen… and now this? Take off my clothes?.
Reluctant, he refused.
"Ah… in that case, let's just forget it," he said, waving his hand. "I don't want to take my clothes off. Or just do it with them on—it's fine even if the effect is weaker."
"That won't work. Take off your clothes. Now," Ramu said firmly.
"No. Absolutely not," Al replied, immediately taking another step back.
He then glanced at Sandra and Edward.
Both of them looked visibly uncomfortable.
The countless scars covering Al's body were something neither of them could easily forget. The memory of the injuries he had suffered was still a source of guilt and pain for them.
Edward leaned toward Ramu and quietly explained the situation.
Ramu's expression softened with understanding.
However, he also became hesitant. Because, he could only drain Al's luck through direct contact with his skin.
The thought alone gave him a headache.
Meanwhile, Al simply ignored the discussion and walked toward the ritual circle bearing his name.
"I'm supposed to sit here, right?" he asked.
Without waiting for an answer, he sat down cross-legged at the center of the formation.
He then grabbed one of the jars of holy water and casually splashed some onto his face and clothes.
A few more drops followed.
"See?" he said. "We can do this without me taking my clothes off."
"Besides, whether I'm wearing clothes or not, this ritual isn't going to work on me anyway."
Stretching slightly, he let out a yawn.
"I need sleep a lot more than I need a blessing. So let's just get this over with."
Everyone could only stare blankly at his completely unreasonable behavior.
Ramu staggered back slightly, his mouth hanging open. This was the first time in his life he had seen someone react like this to a blessing ritual.
After a moment, he turned to Edward and quietly discussed the matter with him.
He explained that the ritual itself would be completed as quickly as possible and that there was no real need for anyone else to watch if they felt uncomfortable.
Edward thought for a moment before offering a solution.
"Then we'll simply put up a large curtain around him," Edward suggested. "That way, the ritual can proceed without exposing anything."
Ramu considered it briefly before nodding.
"That should work."
Edward then walked over and explained the arrangement to Al.
Al looked reluctant. Not because he was unwilling. The real issue was that he didn't want to appear suspicious.
The illusion magic he had used before had been cast hastily and without much preparation. At the time, he had simply thrown something together on the spot.
If he cast another illusion now and the scars looked different from what people remembered seeing before... there was a chance someone might notice.
And if they noticed, they might start asking questions. That was the last thing he wanted.
Fortunately, the proposed solution solved most of the problem.
If there was a large curtain around him, nobody would be able to see him clearly anyway.
After thinking it over for a few seconds, Al finally nodded.
"Fine," he said. "As long as we get this over with quickly."
Not long after, Ramu took out a small earthen jug and a needle.
He pricked Edward's and Sandra's fingers, drawing a small amount of blood and dripping it into the holy water inside the jug.
Edward and Sandra stood within two small magic circles in front of Al, each connected by straight lines to the magic circle where Al sat.
As Ramu began chanting, a strange magical phenomenon unfolded.
The bodyguards—those sensitive to magical energy—felt something deeply unsettling, though they could see nothing.
The same was true for Sarah, Aurielle, Edward, and Sandra, none of whom could use magic.
But to Al's eyes, it was crystal clear.
Blackish-purple energy seeped out from the jug.
At the same time, gray energy rose from the magic circles beneath his parents' feet, creeping along the lines toward Al's circle.
The flow wasn't fast—it moved rhythmically, as if following the cadence of Ramu's chant.
Clever, Al thought. He's trying to siphon my parents' luck as well, using the magical connection between parents and child as an excuse.
But that won't work.
David could see the phenomenon too.
Hmph… this man really is greedy, he thought.
Still… I'm curious. How much luck does this kid even have left?
A child with great destiny… hmph. Does he even have any luck remaining after living such a miserable life out there?
Meanwhile, Ramu had already stepped in front of Al and slowly—carefully—began pouring the water from the jug onto his body, little by little.
Al could only tilt his head slightly, blocking the flowing water so it wouldn't enter his mouth.
Before long, Ramu had moved and sat cross-legged behind him.
Good. Good. Everything is going smoothly, Ramu thought. Now then… let's see how much luck this brat still has left. Hehe.
He extended both hands. Dark, murky energy gathered at his palms.
Tap.
His hands landed on Al's back.
He deliberately chose an area with fewer scars. Even though the wounds had long since dried, the sight of them still made him uncomfortable.
But, for some reason, despite the uneven surface left behind by countless scars, the sensation beneath his palms felt… smooth.
Almost unnaturally so. Soft.
Ramu frowned slightly.
Strange…
He dismissed the thought almost immediately.
Must be the water, he concluded. The effect of the ritual medium.
Little by little, the dark energy began creeping over Al's body.
At the same time, the rest of it flowed along the ritual symbols carved into the floor, stretching outward toward Edward and Sandra—wrapping around them as well.
Ramu formed a faint smile as he continued chanting.
Al did the same. A far more cunning smile flickered beneath his lazy expression.
He could feel the energy clearly.
It was cold—unpleasant. And beneath that chill came another sensation, as if thousands of mosquitoes were stabbing into him at once, trying to suck something out from deep inside his body.
Do you even know what you're trying to drain? Al thought mockingly.
Behind him, Ramu had already begun inhaling what he believed to be luck essence.
But instead of the familiar sensation… he felt something else.
Hmph? What is this? This doesn't feel right… it's never felt like this before, he thought.
He didn't think much of it. Instead… he kept siphoning. And siphoning.
More than ten minutes passed.
Ramu was actually quite pleased.
The child in front of him seemed to possess an enormous amount of 'luck'—so much that he could keep drawing it out endlessly.
Until—
No… wait—!
His eyes flew open. His expression twisted.
This isn't luck… it's bad luck! So this whole time, I've been absorbing bad luck instead?And this much of it?! Damn it!
He stared at Al.
This child... he didn't have even a shred of luck. His body was overflowing with…
...Bad luck.
The bitter truth slammed into Ramu like a hammer.
How could someone even stay alive while carrying this much bad luck?
And worse—I had already absorbed a massive amount of it.
Panicking, he tried to pull his hands back.
Huh?... Why can't I move them?!
He shook his arms, panic rising rapidly.
Al shifted slightly, his body swaying from Ramu's frantic movements, and spoke up.
"Is something wrong?" he asked innocently. "Is the ritual supposed to shake me like this?"
Of course—he already knew the answer.
As if a cursed human could have any luck at all. Haha. Eat that, Al thought smugly.
Ramu could only stare at him nervously.
"Ahaha… y-yes. That's… that's how the mechanism works," he replied awkwardly.
David, watching from a distance, felt something was off.
He knew how this ritual was supposed to function.
Ramu's movements were strange—clearly wrong—but David couldn't tell exactly why.
Hmmm… what's with that guy? Is this some kind of new method?
Even the others were confused.
They had seen this ritual performed many times before—by Ramu's father, and by Ramu himself.
But there had never been any shaking like this.
No one understood why Ramu was reacting this way.
Meanwhile, panic surged through Ramu.
On one hand, he had to release his grip to stop absorbing the bad luck. On the other, he had to get rid of the bad luck already inside him.
Luckily, a small idea flashed through his mind.
He tried to transfer the bad luck back into Al's body—even though that meant his own luck might get dragged along in the process.
But losing some luck was far better than living while drowning in overwhelming bad luck.
Al immediately sensed the change in the energy flow.
Hmm… I won't let you contaminate my body, he muttered inwardly.
And then—
BOOZZ—!!
The instant Ramu attempted to send the energy back, a violent chill ran down his spine.
His entire body stiffened.
The surroundings suddenly darkened, as if the world itself had been swallowed by shadows tinged with blood-red hues.
From Al's body, an enormous mass of pitch-black energy erupted—vast, oppressive, and suffocating.
Goosebumps exploded across Ramu's skin. Cold sweat poured down his back. He swallowed hard and slowly looked up.
And there it was.
A gigantic black silhouette, towering above him—
with glowing crimson eyes staring straight into his soul.
ROOOAAARRRR—!!!
The creature roared directly at him.
Ramu, terrified out of his wits, jumped backward with a scream.
"ARRRGHHHHH—!!"
He staggered back in panic, his body trembling violently, his face deathly pale.
But when he opened his eyes again—
Everything was normal.
The ritual hall was the same. The symbols on the floor were unchanged. There was no shadow. No monster. No crimson eyes.
Only the curtain was left in disarray because of his jump.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
Ramu stood there awkwardly, breathing heavily.
"…Ah."
He slowly realized everyone was staring at him.
He coughed dryly and straightened his robe. Fear still clung to him, leaving him silent as he struggled to process the terrifying thing that had just happene
David glanced at him.
That was… weird. Was something wrong? he thought.
He then shot a sharp look at Al, but there was nothing strange about Al's body at all. No abnormal aura. No reaction. Nothing.
Then why had Ramu reacted like that? He had looked like someone who had just seen… the Angel of Death.
Edward and Sandra were just as confused. Ramu had suddenly screamed and jumped back without warning.
Instinctively, they wanted to step closer—but unsure whether the ritual had truly ended, they chose to remain silent, staying within their magic circles.
Only Aurielle and Sarah, approached.
"What happened, Ramu?" Aurielle asked. "Why did you suddenly scream like that?"
"Don't tell me his misfortune can't be cured?" Sarah added, frowning.
Ramu didn't know how to respond. He himself was confused about what had just happened.
What was that just now? That massive being… from that kid's body? Was I hallucinating? he wondered.
He swallowed hard, forcing himself to calm down.
But one thing is certain… that child is overflowing with bad luck.
I didn't even know a person like that could exist. And now… my body is filled with it.
I need to tell Father about this phenomenon. I need him to purge all this bad luck immediately.
He let out a slow breath and was about to speak—
When Al's voice came first.
"Hey—what's going on?" Al complained. "Why are you just standing there? Is the ritual finished or not? My legs are starting to go numb."
Ramu, could only respond awkwardly, almost resigned.
For him, finishing this ritual and reporting everything to his father was now the top priority.
"Ah… y-yes. Yes," he replied. "The ritual is finished."
He then moved closer in slight haste.
"Please step aside. I'll take care of the rest."
With that, he quickly began packing up all the ritual tools.
Al watched him, a faint sense of amusement bubbling in his heart.
A shaman who can manipulate luck…
That's extremely rare. I didn't expect to encounter someone like that here.
A type of magic that's almost impossible to pull off.
But—Hehe… enjoy all that bad luck.
Just pray it doesn't turn you into a cursed human like me.
David walked over to Ramu, who was hurriedly packing up the ritual tools.
When he got close, he greeted him lightly.
"Brother Ram—"
"Huaaah!" Ramu jolted in shock once again, nearly slipping on the still-damp floor.
David reacted instantly, reaching out to steady him.
"Careful, Brother Ramu," he said, catching him. "Did I startle you?"
When Ramu realized it was David, he finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"Huff… it's you, David," he said awkwardly. "Sorry. I'm a bit… exhausted from the ritual earlier. I'm not very focused right now."
His gaze flickered briefly toward Al—then he quickly looked away.
The image of that terrifying figure resurfaced in his mind every time he looked at Al.
What was worse was that he could clearly feel it now—his body had become clumsier than usual.
Which meant only one thing.
His luck had already been affected by the bad luck he had absorbed.
David simply nodded.
He quietly analyzed the flow of energy within Ramu, but didn't sense anything strange—aside from his energy reserves being noticeably depleted.
Hmm… he really does look exhausted, David thought. Absorbing luck from a child with great destiny must consume a tremendous amount of energy.
By then, Edward and Sandra had already walked over.
"You look exhausted, Ramu," Edward said. "Is it because Al is already seventeen? Does that make the ritual more taxing?"
"Yes, your face is so pale," Sandra added. "By the way... how did the ritual go? Was it successful?"
Ramu looked at them and nodded.
"A baby's body is much smaller, so it requires far less energy than an adult's," he explained.
"As for the ritual... everything went smoothly. You can consider him fully purified."
Edward and Sandra visibly relaxed upon hearing that.
"That's good to hear," Edward said. "Then stay for dinner. You probably haven't eaten yet."
"Yes," Sandra quickly agreed. "You've worked so hard. Let me have the maids prepare something for you."
Ramu stiffened almost imperceptibly.
"I..." He paused before forcing a polite smile onto his face. "I truly appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I can't. I have something urgent I need to take care of tonight."
"Urgent?" Edward asked, frowning slightly. "Can't it wait?"
Ramu immediately shook his head.
"No... it really can't."
Edward understood.
Whether Ramu truly had other matters to attend to or not, the fact that he already looked utterly exhausted was explanation enough.
It was clear he should leave and rest.
They exchanged farewells, and David escorted him outside.
As Ramu turned to leave, his foot slipped on the still-damp floor.
"—!"
This time, David didn't react fast enough.
Fortunately, Ramu managed to catch himself against the wall—but his foot clipped a small decorative vase. It crashed to the floor and shattered loudly.
"Oh—no… the vase… I'm sorry. I'll replace it," Ramu said hastily.
"Ah… there's no need," David replied.
"Yes, no need Ramu, it's just a vase." Edward added. "Hmph... You really look exhausted. Don't worry about it—go home and get some rest."
Normally, Ramu would have expressed his gratitude properly. But this time, he felt an overwhelming urge to leave as soon as possible. He bowed once.
"Thank you for your consideration. Please excuse me."
Edward and Sandra could only watch as Ramu hurried away, his steps unsteady, his figure disappearing far quicker than expected.
Al, already dressed again, watched the scene with an amused look. He almost laughed—but held it in.
That wasn't even one percent of my bad luck. If you'd absorbed any more, a simple slip like that might've killed you, he thought with a faint grin.
---
Outside, the night air felt heavier than usual.
As Ramu reached his car, the key slipped from his fingers and dropped straight into a puddle.
"…Tch," he muttered irritably.
"Hm? This place is usually fine," David said, glancing down.
"There's a puddle here all of a sudden. I don't remember it raining at all today. That's strange," he added.
For some reason, hearing David say that made Ramu feel like he was being mocked.
"Haha… yeah… you're right," Ramu let out a strained laugh. "Pretty strange, isn't it?"
He knew exactly why. It was the bad luck he'd absorbed.
Regret churned heavily in his chest.
David could only give an awkward laugh at Ramu's reaction.
"Oh, right… how did it go?" he asked. "You've been acting kind of weird since earlier."
Ramu straightened up after finally retrieving his car key, then let out a deep sigh.
"That kid…" He paused, unsure how to even begin explaining it.
"Huff… I should talk to father first before explaining anything to you," he said at last.
"...There's something strange about that boy. Something I don't even understand myself," he added.
"Hm?" David frowned. "What kind of thing would make you this uneasy? He's just an ordinary kid with no magical energy at all."
Ramu shook his head.
"That's exactly what makes it even stranger."
He reached out and lightly patted David on the shoulder.
"For now, just listen to me," he said quietly. "Be careful around that kid. If possible, keep your distance. You can mess with him subtly if you want—but don't go any further than that."
David felt uneasy about the warning, but he nodded anyway. He understood that even if he pressed for answers, Ramu wouldn't be able to explain properly.
By the time Ramu finally got into the car and shut the door, his breathing was uneven.
David stood outside and tried to send him off lightly.
"You look like you're in a real hurry, brother," he said. "Can't wait to enjoy your harvest of luck? You must've gotten a lot this time, right?"
Instead of reacting the way David expected, Ramu snapped his head toward him, teeth grinding, his brow tightly furrowed.
"Luck my ass!" he snapped.
The engine roared, and the car sped off instantly.
David could only stand there, dumbfounded.
Then, slowly, a faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.
For someone who's nothing more than an energy reserve for me, you're pretty arrogant, he thought.
Heh… enjoy whatever you got while you can—before I come to claim it.
With that, he turned and headed back inside.
Meanwhile, Ramu leaned back in the driver's seat, staring blankly at the road ahead—his mind drifting elsewhere.
That thing…
That presence…
His hands tightened around the steering wheel.
What did I see back there? A hallucination?
And that boy… that much bad luck shouldn't even be possible. Anyone else would've died long ago. And yet… he's alive.
Ramu swallowed hard.
I absorbed it… far too much of it.
Just thinking about it made his chest feel tight.
I hope Father can deal with all this bad luck inside my body.
CRASHH!!
Lost in thought, he nearly slammed into another car on the road. He stomped on the brakes just in time.
The other driver got out, shouting angrily.
Ramu could only curse his own misfortune, slamming his fist against the steering wheel.
"Arghhh!"
---
Some time later.
Inside David's room.
David lounged in his plush chair.
The chandelier overhead swayed slightly, casting distorted shadows across the room—as if even the room itself could sense that its master's pride had been dealt a blow.
"HIHS?" David muttered, the words dripping with disbelief. "That orphan brat?"
His brows knitted together.
He still found it hard to believe. But... it was true.
He had just checked the academic records in Makazhar City, and sure enough, Al was officially registered as a student of HIHS.
A nervous voice suddenly broke the silence. It came from the shadow guard Al had toyed with yesterday.
"My apologies, Young Master. The route he takes every day does indeed lead toward HIHS. However, I couldn't believe it myself and never thought to verify it."
The guard lowered his head further.
"It turns out he really does study there. I underestimated him. Please forgive me once again, Young Master."
David remained silent.
Truthfully, if he had been in the guard's position, he would have been skeptical as well.
Still, that didn't erase the mistakes. The guard had repeatedly lost track of Al along the way.
And David himself wasn't blameless either. If he had allowed Al into the family car even once, everything would have been obvious from the start.
Irritated. David was genuinely irritated by all these revelations.
His gaze shifted toward the shadow guard.
Then—
WHAM!
Without warning, David kicked him straight into the wall.
The guard crashed into a wardrobe before quickly getting back to his feet without a single complaint.
"I don't want something like this happening again. Watch him more carefully from now on!"
The guard groaned in pain before dropping to one knee.
"Yes, Young Master."
Then he hurriedly left before becoming the target of another one of David's tantrums.
David returned his attention to Al's academic profile.
He carefully read through every piece of information, making sure he understood everything about his target.
Then one particular detail made his eyes widen.
"He actually received a scholarship from them?"
A frown formed on his face.
"Does that mean... he's under their protection as well? If that's true, getting rid of him won't be easy."
David recalled Ramu's warning. Be careful. Don't underestimate Al.
"Is this what Brother Ramu meant?" he wondered.
Unfortunately, there was no answer. Only silence.
With a sigh, he tossed his phone onto the bed.
His gaze drifted toward the window. Beyond the garden outside stood Al's building.
"I never expected that orphan to study there... and even have connections like this."
His eyes narrowed.
"That could become his weapon. Something that gives him standing in this family."
A smirk slowly appeared on his lips.
"But rest assured. In the end, he's still just a lucky orphan. Sooner or later... I'll crush him."
With a casual wave of his hand, the curtains closed.
The lights went out. Darkness swallowed the room, leaving only the faint glow of a phone screen that hadn't fully dimmed yet.
Displayed on the screen was Al's scholarship information.
Scholarship Sponsor:
Alasia Group.
---
At the same time,
Inside his room, Al sat cross-legged on his bed.
He had just finished a brief meditation session to make sure the disturbances within his energy had completely settled down.
Fortunately, he didn't have a patrol scheduled tonight, nor were there any emergency assignments.
Makazhar was unusually peaceful tonight, giving him a rare chance to sit back and think about all the strange events that had been happening lately.
The movements of the other cursed humans.
David and the shadowy creature lurking around the Virellano residence.
The fluctuations in his energy and the sudden bursts of killing intent.
Edward's slap.
The luck-draining shaman.
And, of course, the mysterious creature he had chased earlier this afternoon.
A creature whose identity remained unknown. A creature that had somehow slipped past his radar.
Could it have come from a hidden dimension? But if so, how could it possess the ability to evade his senses even while existing in the human dimension?
Al lowered his gaze toward his hand and let a strand of magical energy flow across his fingers.
"The mysteries and challenges keep increasing every day. Not just from the outside world... but from within myself as well."
"To make sure everything stays under control, I need to reach that level as soon as possible..."
"...Saint Level."
The progression of magical energy was divided into ten levels. And those ten levels were further divided into separate categories.
From Novice to Grandmaster, advancement was primarily about increasing one's energy reserves, strength, and mastery of skills.
No matter how powerful they became, they were still mortals at their core. Mortals with extraordinary power.
The levels beyond that, however, belonged to an entirely different category. A category often referred to as... Half-Immortal.
It was the stage where true transformation began. Abilities evolved beyond what ordinary mortals could achieve.
If mortals could jump, those at this stage could fly.
They no longer needed food. No longer needed air to breathe. No longer remained bound by the natural laws that governed ordinary life.
Of course, they still retained a few weaknesses.
They could still feel pain. Their emotions could still be affected. And they could still die.
Saint was the first realm within this category. And Al needed to reach it.
Not just to become stronger. But to ensure that he could fully control the dark energy within him.
Not only for his own sake. But also for the sake of his people. Those who shared the same cursed fate as him.
Those whose burdens he partially carried through the mysterious connection linking them together.
A soft sigh escaped his lips.
"Yeah... I'm already at the threshold. It won't be long before I break through."
He extended his senses and felt the energy surrounding him.
Thanks to the gathering array he had set up, abundant energy constantly flowed into his room.
But unlike the earlier stages of cultivation, quantity alone no longer mattered. At this level, quality was everything.
It wasn't as simple as absorbing energy and cultivating anymore.
Yeah. He definitely needed to find a better energy source. Where it was, he had no idea. But he was confident he'd find one eventually.
Not long afterward, he finished preparing for bed. His body relaxed against the mattress.
Tonight was his night off. And his only goal was to enjoy a long, uninterrupted sleep.
Because no matter what dangers or threats lurked out there... he believed every mystery would eventually reveal itself.
And as long as he was here... everything would be alright.
Slowly, his eyes began to close. His consciousness drifted deeper into darkness.
Then, a whisper echoed from somewhere. Soft. Faint. Yet strangely clear.
"Don't resist..."
Al's eyes snapped open.
"...What?"
The room was silent. Dark. Empty.
But before he could move... the whisper came again.
"Accept your darkness."
A chill ran down his spine. For the first time that night, tension appeared in his eyes.
And then... the voice disappeared. Leaving only silence behind.
---