Vol. 1 Chapter 1 - The Most Wicked Curse User with Zero Magic Power

Adil Ruzali Gilgard.

 

That’s my name.

 

The Gilgard family, a prestigious lineage of magicians, is known for using exceptional magic to exterminate monsters, protect their subjects, and accumulate noble titles.

 

And then, I turned thirteen.

 

In the territory where I live, there’s a custom to undergo the “Blessing Ceremony.” Esteemed nobles gather, and with the power of the Grand Priest, they determine the amount of magic power and abilities.

 

I stepped forward with my head held high, watched by my father, mother, my two-year-younger brother, and many relatives. Born into the Gilgard family, I was to support the household as the eldest son.

 

Inside the temple, the Grand Priest placed his hands, brimming with magic power, on my head.

 

Then, the priest’s eyes widened in astonishment.

 

“What… Adil Ruzali Gilgard. Surprising, once in a century, perhaps even once in a millennium.”

 

With those words, the people around me buzzed with excitement.

 

Could this be the return of the hero? Some were even whispering that.

 

I couldn’t help but glance back, and my parents were smiling.

 

I was happy, but at the same time, I felt relieved.

 

In truth, I had been anxious until I came here.

 

Normally, by this age, magic should have blossomed, but I showed no signs of it. The ceremony was only to confirm one’s true abilities.

 

Late bloomers were not unheard of.

 

On the other hand, I had always been talented in martial and sword arts since my early years, so I had confidence in that.

 

But I wanted to become a magician.

 

However, this was a relief.

 

“Zero,” the priest announced.

 

“…Eh?”

 

“Zero magic power, none at all. Not a millimeter, not a drop. Among those I’ve seen, and perhaps even among the entire history of magician lineages, this might be the first time. Incredible… Even among commoners, it’s incredibly rare.”

 

I couldn’t understand.

 

My vision blurred.

 

Zero magic power?

 

In other words, I couldn’t use magic.

 

Five years later…

 

“Adil, never cross the threshold of the Gilgard house again. Don’t interfere with your younger brother,” my father called me to his private room.

 

The head of the Gilgard family had decided that my brother would inherit.

 

“I’m truly disappointed. I couldn’t stand your useless efforts, especially knowing you had zero talent. I feel relieved that I won’t have to see your face anymore. Goodbye, big brother.”

 

A few years after it was revealed that my magic power was zero, it was discovered that my brother had the potential to be the greatest magician in history. From that point on, he began to despise me.

 

It seemed he disliked that I continued my training even after the revelation of my zero magic power. Every time he saw me, he glared at me with cold eyes.

 

At the same time, as the head decided on my brother, my father told me to go to a remote territory and work quietly there.

 

As he had said, he probably didn’t want to see me.

 

“I understand.”

 

And so, I quietly left the room.

 

That night, I left a note and left the Gilgard family.

 

Not out of sadness.

 

I’m a man who never gives up.

 

I had always loved adventure stories.

 

In the past, I often read books that summarized the achievements of the hero who defeated the Demon Lord.

 

I wanted to become a hero, protecting everyone in this beloved land as the head.

 

But that was no longer attainable. In this world, it’s believed to be difficult to fight monsters without magic.

 

However, I had confidence in my swordsmanship.

 

Even without magic-infused swords, I would still do it.

 

Of course, I had set a goal.

 

To become an adventurer and aim for the highest rank, “Special Grade.”

 

It held the same authority as nobility.

 

It wasn’t about being mocked.

 

I wouldn’t give up on everything because it’s not something others decide; it’s something I decide.

 

With a strong determination in my heart, I set off.

 

First, I headed to the capital city where the Adventurer’s Guild was located.

 

I mounted the horse I had prepared beforehand and gazed at the full moon.

 

Ironically, it looked brighter than ever, the most radiant in my life.

 

Two days after leaving home, I found myself wandering through a forest.

 

The journey had been smooth until then, but a sudden appearance of a monster forced me to change my path.

 

And, my horse disappeared.

 

But from this point on, such things could happen countless times.

 

I tightly gripped my sword.

 

But at that moment, I felt an indescribable feeling.

 

A sensation that couldn’t be put into words.

 

As if guided, I walked, and what I saw was a massive rock wall.

 

However, it was shining.

 

I reached out to touch it, and I intuited that it was cursed.

 

There was no reason for it. I just felt that way. I had studied curses a little. They were used in ancient times, as far as I remembered from my readings.

 

If I remember correctly, there’s something called dispelling curses. At that moment, the rock wall opened like a door.

 

“What… is this?”

 

I cautiously stepped inside, finding it hollow. It seemed untouched for a long time, but there was something artificial about it.

 

Come to think of it, I had heard that uncontrollable monsters were sealed away.

 

So, I couldn’t let my guard down.

 

As I walked to confirm, I was met with a shocking sight.

 

“What is this?”

 

A girl, her hands and feet bound by chains, was affixed to the wall.

 

Tattered clothes, matted white hair, and I couldn’t tell if she was alive or dead. Her brown skin and distinctive long ears were characteristic.

 

She didn’t seem like a monster. I was more worried than scared, and I hurried over to her.

 

“Are you okay? Are you alive?”

 

“Ugh…”

 

Surprisingly, she was conscious but seemed greatly weakened.

 

“What happened to you… Who did this?”

 

“Human…”

 

With that word, I realized she wasn’t human.

 

An Elf.

 

But she was slightly different from the Elves I knew.

 

I tried to unfasten the chains in a hurry, but they wouldn’t budge, even though she was in such a terrible state.

 

“Pant… Pant…”

 

The girl’s voice was terribly weak.

 

I had heard that malicious monsters couldn’t be discerned just by appearance.

 

However, I couldn’t sense any malevolence from her. I don’t know why, but I just could.

 

No, that didn’t matter.

 

“I will definitely help you.”

 

I remembered the rock wall from earlier.

 

In the next moment, my hand was covered in a black substance.

 

Then suddenly, the shackles on the girl’s wrists were forcefully flung open.

 

With her support gone, she slumped toward me.

 

“Ah, thank you… Thank you…”

 

“Are you okay? We need to get a doctor…”

 

“No, I don’t need one… People, people…”

 

“Understood. Wait a moment. Here, have some water.”

 

I handed her a bamboo tube I had in my bag. She took it with both hands and drank the water inside eagerly.

 

“Delicious… I didn’t know water could taste this good… Oh, sorry. My name is Eve.”

 

“My name is Adil Ruzali…”

 

There, I paused. I wasn’t part of the Gilgard family anymore.

 

“Adil.”

 

“Adil-sama, thank you.”

 

“Don’t use ‘sama.’ Just call me Adil.”

 

“You saved me. You’re my lifesaver.”

 

But something was strange. Elf skin should be fair and shouldn’t tan in the sun.

 

So why was her skin this brown?

 

“Dark Elf…”

 

I had heard that they were shunned as harmful to humans.

 

But that was a tale from centuries ago. In reality, it was only in recent years that it was discovered that Elves without magic power existed.

 

Could it be… No, it couldn’t.

 

“Do you know about it?”

 

“Yes, but don’t worry. No one will harm you.”

 

“Adil-sama, how were you able to dispel the curse?”

 

“Curse? What do you mean?”

 

“Yes, there was a curse on my chains.”

 

Come to think of it, it was strange. I had no magic power. I had never used magic.

 

“Adil-sama… Are you perhaps a Curse User?”

 

“Curse User? What’s that?”

 

“You don’t know Curse Users…?”

 

“How long have you been here?”

 

She didn’t answer.

 

“What is a Curse User?”

 

“It’s the strongest power… Curse Users have… but Adil-sama, I feel an even more incredible power from you.”

 

“Sorry, but that’s impossible. I have zero magic power.”

 

“I can’t sense any magic power from you either. But… I can feel a curse power from you.”

 

“Curse power?”

 

“Yes. I’m certain Curse Users… use ‘Status’.”

 

“Status?”

 

Then, something appeared in my field of vision.

 

Something I had never seen before.

 

But I was surprised because my name was written on it.

 

New: Adil.

New: Curse User: Lv1.

New: Stamina: B.

New: Curse Power: SSS.

New: Skills: ‘Hour of the Ox’s Memorial.’

New: Cursed Equipment: Five-inch Nail and Straw Doll.

New: Curse that seals a part of the target in a straw doll and inflicts curses by driving in a five-inch nail.

New: Effective Range: Five meters.

 

“What is this… ‘Hour of the Ox’s Memorial’?”

 

At that moment, my hand glowed black.

 

Black threads appeared, gradually taking shape.

 

And what was created was a heavy, small iron rod and an eerily charged straw doll.