Mr. Howell dropped me off on the ground and then went somewhere on his own.

Igni was walking toward the cottage, and knocked on the door to meet up with the other three. Nie opened the door and let Igni inside. On top of the table, cards were scattered everywhere. Looks like the three of them were playing together.

Igni: (Oh, Elinas been losing really bad.)

Elina: IIgni! You came at a good time!!

Igni: WhWhats wrong, Elina? Elina: I cant seem to beat these two no matter what! Please help me!!

Elina came wandering over to him with teary eyes.

But it was more important to relay to them what Igni learned just now.

Igni: CCalm down, Elina. I have some shocking news.

Elina: Shocking news? Igni helped Elina calm down, and he spoke to the three about everything he saw with Howell.

Rania: So youre saying that Yoori is a victim of that [Gu] Ritual?

It was Rania who spoke first.

Igni: That would be the case.

Elina: ......I see. Thats why Yoori is unable to use Attack Spells.

Elina also crossed her arms as she listened and groaned as she digested the information.

Elina: Then.I.understand what that human stagnation is saying. I do understand, but shouldnt its resentment be pointed against the people of the town then?

And Elina quietly stated a great argument.

Rania: ThThat is true, but maybe it was easier making Yoori the target?!

And Rania is not as confident in her answer against Elinas spoken doubts.

Igni: Thats probably correct, I think. I agree with Rania.

Rania: You can call me Big Sister Rania!

Igni: ........that stagnation is taking its fury out on Yoori. A classic example of misplaced anger.

Igni completely ignores her.

Nie: So what should we do to help that stagnation complete its revenge? Nie was collecting and stacking the scattered cards neatly in a pile as she asked. Igni thought about her question and then expressed his own thoughts.

Igni: ......Im not an expert when it comes to resolving a stagnations issue. What do you think, Elina? Elina: Hm? Why not just ask it?

Igni: Ask? Elina: That baby can speak words, right? We can ask what it will do when we bring Yoori along, no? Igni: ......ohhhh Igni: (I see.)

And Igni was impressed with Elinas answer. He assumed that the stagnation would try to kill Yoori if he brought Yoori along, butwhat if it had other ideas? Now that she said it, Igni remembered that you can speak to [it].

Then talking to it is one option.

Rania: Ughhhhh, I dont want to go see that thing again.

Nie: Elder Sister, I feel the same way too, but I also agree with Miss Elina in this instance.

Rania: Is there a way to deal with it without meeting with it again, Igni? Igni: .......hm? There are other ways.

With Ranias question, Igni pulled out all his knowledge about human stagnation from his memory.

Igni: But it would be impossible for us. Well need an expert.

If a Wizard is one who reaches the pinnacle of using Magic Power, then there are experts who specialize in understanding human stagnation.

Rania: An expert? Igni: It would be a Curse Caster.

Rania: Ohhhh..

Rania realizes what Igni was trying to say. Igni only knows Miss Valia who is a Curse Caster, and shes currently back at her home for summer break, so he wouldnt be able to call upon her help even if he wanted to.

And Igni does not know of any other Curse Caster friends.

Rania: Hmmm Lil Sis. You dont know about curses, right? Nie: .......yes. My specialty is Spells, Elder Sister.

Rania: Thought so

She probably wanted to reconfirm. Rania would have been surprised otherwise.

Rania: Why cant we just blast it with Spells to cleanse [that]? Igni: Hm? Ohh, thats because its a concentration of negative human emotion.

Igni answers Ranias question directly.

Igni has spent a full year cleaning out the sewers, and because of that, learned quite a bit about human stagnation. But even then hes only slightly more knowledgeable than the average person. Thats to be expected since its not his specialty.

Igni: For instance, if you found someone who had so much hatred pent up inside that he wanted to kill someone, do you think punching that guy would erase his urge to kill?

Rania: ........hmmmmmm.I dont think so..

Igni: Exactly. Its the same with human stagnation. Rania: I see now. Its a difficult issue

Rania raised both arms up in a gesture of surrender.

And silence falls upon the group.

Igni also didnt have any solutions and continued to think this and that when Nie suddenly looked outside the window.

Nie: ........isnt that..isnt that Yoori over there? Igni: What? Nie pointed her finger outside the window. There was someone with white hair sneaking into the entrance of the mines.

Igni: WhWhy is Yoori here?!

Rania: Come on!!

Rania jumped up, and Igni agreed to her suggestion.

The four of them practically rolled out of the cottage together as they headed to the mines.

Igni: ...........?! Where is Yoori?!

Looking inside, Yoori was nowhere in sight.

Rania: Calm down. All these paths eventually lead to the large meeting room, so we just need to go there!

Igni: Understood. Rania spoke up first and led the way. Igni also sharpened his five senses, but he could not pick up Yooris footsteps. Looks like hes gone quite far ahead. He might even be running very quickly.

Rania: Lets take a shortcut. This way. Rania spoke again as they walked down the winding tunnels of the mines. As they finally got accustomed to the mines distinct odor and darkness, Igni and his group arrived.

Elina: ...........there.

Elina spoke quietly.

Just as she pointed out, Yoori was there in the large, spacious room inside the mines.

And he seemed to be quite on edge as he looked around for people besides himself.when [that] came.

Igni: ........lets go.

Igni led the group now and headed to where Yoori was.

[Finally here] [Here, here] [Hasnt changed]

[Changed a lot] [I cant tell] [Its an impostor!!]

The fetus with the abnormally large head. Every inch of its head was covered in mouths and eyes, and an umbilical cord extended out from its body.

Yoori: ........Im..here

Yooris trembling voice echoed throughout the hall.

[Welcome] [Im going to kill you] [Ill kill you first!]

[No, dont kill.] [Were doing a do-over] [Thats right, a redo!]

[REDO!!]

And the countless mouths continue to shout whatever they please.

Yoori: ........a redo? Do you meanyou mean you want to redo that?!

Yooris eyes open wide in shock.

[Thats right!] [Im stronger] [No, I am]

[Kill right here!] [Kill over there!]

[Shut up, all of you. Well begin now.]

The next instance, all the voices fall silent, and a bone-chilling darkness covers over the ground, and Yooris body falls into it.

Igni: Yoori!

Igni shouted and leaped forward when

[Intruder!] [Let them participate!] [Participate!!]

[Itll be fun!] [We can kill them] [Kill] [Kill]

[ [ [ Lets begin ] ] ]

And the next moment, Ignis body also fell into the darkness.

No, it wasnt just Igni. Nie, Rania, and Elina who was walking right behind him also fell into the deep shadows as well.

And they opened their eyes as heavy rainfall hit their bodies.

It was nightfall, and a warm liquid continued to rain upon them.

Igni: .......where are we? There, they saw countless trees planted against a slope. They were most likely on a mountain somewhere.

[Human Stagnation] so dense and thick that it was hard to breathe. There might have been someone fighting in the distance as they sensed Magic Power being manipulated around them.

Elina: IIgni! There!

And Elina pointed to the thing dimly shining before them a giant Spell Inscription.

Noa <Curse Inscription>!

Elina: .........whatwhat is going on here? But the words Elina mumbled disappeared under the heavy rain.