Chapter 9 Part 2
The “Phnon phenomenon” is a natural disaster occurring in the north. In the same area, rain can fall, but on the right side, it’s a shower, and on the left, a storm rages. It looks like the land is split in half, with one side untouched and the other a mess.
Elia inspected the article about the flooded area and kept his eyes fixed on the estate while riding. Was his name Luxa?
“Sir Luxa, you must be very worried.”
“Ah, young lady. Well… I heard they’re safe, but I’m still anxious.”
Luxa’s face was pale.
“Of course, it’s natural to be worried. But everything will be fine. Go quickly.”
“Thank you.”
Elia comforted him, and Luxa looked a little better.
“This way.”
Aksion moved the reins. As they went down a small hill, they saw the flooded estate. Workers and villagers were already gathered, making paths for the water to flow. Among them was a child, half Elia’s height.
“The knights of Mahart are here.”
“The nobles have arrived.”
People whispered as they noticed the knights. A boy, busy bailing water with a bucket, looked up and waved enthusiastically at the knights.
“Luxa!!”
“Kion!”
Luxa dismounted and hugged the running boy tightly.
“Wow, did you come with the knights?”
Kion’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the knights, typical of a boy his age. At that moment, Elia noticed a black, slimy substance on the boy’s head.
‘That’s bad luck.’
The slime-like substance had crude eyes, a nose, and a mouth, dripping down the boy’s shoulder. Bad luck is only visible to shamans and brings misfortune to those it attaches to, whether big or small.
‘It’s a small one.’
Elia had absorbed all the knowledge from the shamanic books. According to them, pieces that break off from greater misfortunes are usually this size.
“Have you been taking good care of your siblings?”
“Of course!”
While Elia sensed the misfortune, the brothers greeted each other warmly. The Silver Knights valued skill above all, regardless of status. Some were nobles with family names, but commoners were equally respected based on their abilities.
Luxa ruffled Kion’s hair and asked, “How is Cherisha?”
“Well, our house got flooded yesterday… We had to rush her to Uncle Parmod’s place, and she hasn’t been able to break her fever since.”
Luxa sighed at Kion’s hesitant answer.
“It’s not even winter, but she can’t shake off the cold. Are you still giving her medicine?”
“Yes, we tried different ones, but she hasn’t really improved.”
Elia, overhearing their conversation, realized Luxa’s younger sister had been unwell for a while. Small pieces of misfortune often surround a larger one.
‘Then, perhaps the greater misfortune is…’
Elia intervened between the brothers.
“Hey, about your sister. Can I take a look at her?”
“Who are you?”
Kion asked, his eyes wide. Luxa pressed down on the boy’s head and spoke.
“This is Lady Mahart. She’s a princess. You should greet her.”
“A princess? Really?”
Kion clapped his hands. The word “princess” made Elia smile.
‘In fairy tales, they’re usually referred to as heroes and princesses.’
Although the meaning was slightly different, the term “princess” was probably more familiar to children.
“Yes. I heard your sister is sick. If I see her, I might find a way to help.”
“Really?”
Kion’s face brightened. Elia sought Luxa’s permission.
“Is it okay?”
“Well, it’s a humble place… but it would be an honor.”
Luxa, after a brief hesitation, nodded.
“Aksion, I’ll be back shortly.”
“I’ll continue working on the waterway.”
As soon as Aksion finished speaking, Kion grabbed Elia’s hand.
“This way, Princess!”
“Kion, what do we say about manners?”
“But I want to go quickly.”
Luxa scolded, and Kion pouted, letting go of Elia’s hand. She patted his small, round head and smiled.
“Let’s go together.”
Cherisha was staying in a house on the opposite side of the flooded area. Kion opened the old gate and went inside.
“Grandpa Parmod, I’m here!”
An old man was rocking in a chair inside a small room. Startled by the sudden noise, Parmod squinted.
“Oh, Kion, you’re back. And who is this?”
Parmod blinked. His eyesight was failing, so he seemed to rely on voices to identify people.
“I brought my brother and a princess with me!”
“Oh, I see. You brought someone new as well.”
“Thank you for taking care of Cherisha.”
At the polite greeting, Parmod chuckled.
“I haven’t done much; it’s all my wife who takes care of her.”
“I’ll send some wild berries that Aunt Momosha likes.”
“Hoho, that would be nice. Cherisha has been sleeping continuously.”
A girl with brown hair lay on the bed. She was breathing heavily, her forehead covered with a warm, damp cloth, showing she had a high fever last night.
Elia’s eyes turned a deeper shade of purple as she watched Cherisha. Gradually, invisible things started to appear. A black mass was pressing down on the girl’s body. Bad luck blinked its large eyes and stared at Elia.
“It’s too big.”
The bad luck was large enough to almost cover the entire bed.
“This is strange. Such things usually appear when a major disaster is about to happen.”
An epidemic or perhaps war.
In times of great hardship, the negative emotions that bad luck feeds on increase.
The bad luck curled around the child’s body looked like the seed of a catastrophe.
“…Luxa, could you take Kion outside for a moment?”
“Why?”
“Just for a moment.”
Elia pretended to brush Kion’s shoulder, removing the small bad luck clinging to him.
The little bad luck whimpered, wriggling in her hand before disappearing.
“Understood.”
Luxa took Kion outside as Elia requested.
Parmod’s rocking chair swayed. Elia’s magical energy gathered at her fingertips. She started to remove the bad luck without hesitation.
A purification spell filled the house.
The enormous bad luck, resembling a creature with four short legs, struggled.
The black mass in Elia’s hand grew smaller and smaller, eventually shrinking to the size of the small bad luck she had removed earlier.
The now fist-sized bad luck fussed on Elia’s hand.
“Quiet down. The child was sick because of you.”
Elia pressed down on the small bad luck’s head.
The tiny paws flailed, trying to push her away, spreading black spores with each movement. However…
“Now that it’s smaller, it’s kind of cute.”
The small, chubby body scuttling around on four legs looked like a little animal, despite its nature as a harbinger of misfortune.
Elia, who had intended to erase the bad luck with her magic, hesitated.
“Maybe I should observe it a bit longer before getting rid of it.”
She needed to understand why it had appeared in the first place.
Elia glanced around the kitchen. Fortunately, there were many empty jars likely used for storing jam.
“Grandpa Parmod, may I borrow one of these?”
“Hmm? Sure.”
Parmod, dozing in his rocking chair, nodded. Elia transferred the bad luck into a small jar.
Just because it was confined in a jar didn’t mean it couldn’t bring misfortune.
Elia drew a spell on the jar lid to block the bad luck’s power completely.
The small bad luck, once a mighty force, now banged its tiny paws against the glass.
At that moment, the spell on the jar lid activated, covering the glass with a purple barrier. It was a light that brought luck.
Receiving this light, the small bad luck quickly lost its energy and slumped against the glass wall.
“Stay quiet.”
Whether it understood her or not, the bad luck turned away, seemingly sulking.
“This should be enough.”
It looked somewhat pitiful, but the spell was highly effective.
Matured bad luck bursts open, releasing malevolent energy.
Since she had confined it before it could explode, a major disaster was averted.
Elia turned her attention back to Cherisha. Her breathing had calmed somewhat, but her pallor remained, indicating she still needed more time to recover.
