The talisman. The one item meant to save his life in a true moment of death had been consumed.
Silently.
Without warning.
Without even knowing what is happening.
His precious second chance… wasted on something he didn't even understand.
A hollow laugh nearly escaped him but all he could do was tremble.
He wanted to cry.
Not from the pain but from the helplessness.
The confusion.
The fear.
"What the hell is going on…?"
But the nightmare wasn't over.
Even though he'd been pulled back from the brink of death, the pain hadn't stopped.
The black aura... The bleak mana was still wrapped around him like chains. Still eating at his body.
Whatever had cursed him… it wasn't finished.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
Sebas and Clara rushed inside.
Sebas was the first to reach Lucien's side, his expression tight with alarm. He knelt down and tried to lift Lucien but his hands trembled. For all his strength and skill, he didn't know how to help.
Clara arrived moments later with her eyes wide. The moment she laid eyes on Lucien's current state, her face contorted in shock.
"This is—!"
Without hesitation, she began casting.
A radiant magic circle bloomed beneath Lucien, lifting his body gently into the air. A bright light swirled around him. It flowed like water across every inch of his skin, diving deep into his flesh and bone.
The dark aura screeched....silent yet palpable... as the spell washed over him, forcing the curse to recoil.
Slowly, inch by inch, the malevolent energy peeled away.
And then finally... it vanished.
Lucien's body went limp, dropping into Sebas's arms with a quiet thud.
But Clara wasn't done.
She cast another spell, this one softer. And warm. Healing magic pulsed through Lucien's battered form.
His wounds faded.
Bruises disappeared.
The blood dried and vanished.
Even his breath grew steady.
It was as if the torment had never happened.
Except for the hollow weight in Lucien's chest and the look in his eyes.
Then...
"Who dares curse my Lord?!" Clara roared. Her voice echoed like thunder in the room.
Her expression twisted with fury. Her once-gentle face now resembled that of an enraged Asura.
Clara raised her hand once more and cast another spell. A radiant light surged from her palm, expanding outward in a shimmering wave. It washed over the room like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.
Probing.
Searching.
Reaching into every shadow.
The air shimmered faintly as if the magic itself was sniffing out even the faintest trace of malice.
But there was nothing. Not a whisper of the malevolent presence remained.
Sebas stood silently, watching her.
When Lucien had brought her home the night before, Sebas had been skeptical. A zealous stranger with questionable intentions? He hadn't trusted her for a second.
But now…
He nodded quietly in approval.
Her loyalty to Lucien was unmistakable. Perhaps not as calm or disciplined as his own but no less genuine. It brought him a strange sense of relief.
Clara clenched her fists. Her voice cracked with frustration.
"Devilspawn! If I ever find you, don't even dream of crawling back to hell. I'll tear you apart limb by limb and feed you to the void itself!"
It seems that the curse hadn't come from nearby. It was a remotely cast.
Clara gritted her teeth and looked defeated for the moment.
Sebas tilted his head slightly as he observed her. 'So… she's only meek when talking to the young master', he thought.
It was almost amusing.
'A priestess with such a foul mouth…?' He shook his head with a sigh. No point thinking too hard about it as long as she remained useful and loyal.
And she certainly was.
Lucien slowly pushed himself up and sat on the edge of the bed.
He was furious.
What he experienced moments ago wasn't just pain. It was torment. It reminded him of Sebas's torture skill… only this time, it was turned on him.
And yet, amidst his burning anger, Clara's explosive fury helped ground him. Her loud and theatrical outrage made it easier to regain his composure.
He exhaled and shook his head. The corner of his mouth twitched upward.
'She's even angrier than I am.'
That thought made him chuckle... just a little. Her imagination truly ran wild.
'If I were so holy, that curse wouldn't have touched me in the first place.'
But as the tension ebbed, something deeper settled in.
'Curse… huh.'
He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. He sank into thought.
Everything had happened so suddenly...
The System.
The Life-Link Talisman.
Clara.
If even one of those hadn't been there… he would've died.
No warnings.
No signs.
Just death.
Especially Clara. Who would've thought that a random encounter the night before would end up being the thread that saved his life?
It didn't feel like coincidence anymore.
It felt like fate.
Like a puzzle slowly falling into place.
Lucien turned toward the still-fuming Clara.
"Don't bother, Clara," he said quietly. "I know who did it."
Clara's eyes sharpened. Her voice was low but resolute.
"My Lord, just say the word. I will hunt down whoever dares disturb your divine rest."
Lucien gave a faint smile.
At least her loyalty was genuine even if it stemmed from a massive misunderstanding. She didn't know the truth but she believed in him completely.
That alone was enough... for now.
He sighed and leaned back slightly. "Don't leave me for the time being. This vessel… it's still weak. Too vulnerable. I might be attacked again. I'll need your protection until my 'true' strength returns."
Clara's expression shifted. Her fanatical edge softened into something more solemn and protective.
She remembered the moment the curse struck.
The sudden drop in divine energy.
The terrifying stillness that followed.
It had felt… like death.
She was certain... Lucien had died. And yet, he lived.
'Only a true Lord could survive such a curse,' she thought. 'This vessel may be flawed, but His essence… is not.'
She knelt beside him with one hand clenched over her chest.
"Don't worry, my Lord," she said, puffing out her chest proudly. "As long as I draw breath, not even the greatest curse will dare come near you."
Lucien nodded slightly. 'She might be insane… but at least she's my kind of insane.'
'As expected of the young master,' Sebas thought from the side who watched in silent admiration.
Lucien had somehow managed to rein in a volatile priestess like Clara. That alone was impressive. But more than that, Sebas felt a surge of pride. His young master was growing into someone truly formidable.
Lucien gave a subtle nod. His gaze then darkened.
His thoughts turned to the ones responsible.
The curse.
The pain.
The stolen lifeline.
The Life-Link Talisman. Gone, just like that.
His last safety net. Wasted.
It made his chest tighten. If he weren't so furious, he might've cried from frustration.
Then it clicked.
Lucien recalled the task he had given Kael. To deliver a special package to the Coalhearts.
The head of their second son.
He rubbed his temple and let out a dry cough.
"Ahem, ahem… No wonder they cursed me," he muttered. "But it's not my fault they're so f*cking evil."
There wasn't a shred of guilt in his voice.
And why should there be? They tried to kill him first.
He was just returning the sentiment.
"Coalheart bastards..." he muttered under his breath. "This enmity can't be fixed. I'll slaughter you."
There was no room left for forgiveness.
No middle ground.
Only one path remained.
Vengeance.
But first...
He reached into his inventory and pulled out a glowing crystalline object.
The Memory Core.