Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Someone Gets Stabbed in the Back Part 1
About half a month had passed.
Having played a significant role in the successful completion of the purification ritual, I had become the most special guest at the temple. Thanks to this, I was able to live without worrying about food or shelter.
Of course, it wasn't all just eating and relaxing. During the fifteen days spent at the temple, I conducted four more purification rituals on the cursed lands, all of which were safely successful.
"You packed everything?"
"Yes, Master."
Just yesterday marked the completion of the last ritual.
Even though we purified a fairly large land yesterday, the experience points gained were less than half of what I got the first time. It meant that I had almost exhausted the experience points that could be extracted from the purification ritual quests. Naturally, the next step was obvious. It was time to leave. There was no need to linger any longer with me having achieved my original goal.
And what was this original purpose?
I opened the book.
Letters shimmered faintly beneath my name.
[Saint of Purification]
This was it.
A title!
[The effects of curses bestowed upon you are now nullified.]
[Range of nullified curses: up to +10 levels above your current level]
[The effects of curses beyond this level range are weakened when applied.]
The title [Saint of Purification], earned through my contributions at the temple, was a title with quite impressive effects. This was especially true given that the curses applied to the cursed lands were not ordinary curses but those cast by "gods". It was for this reason that even the most renowned wizards could not lift these curses, and only the holy magic of the priests proved effective.
I'm an exceptional case, though.
Originally, the title I sought was [Gods Servile], but I had no complaints about receiving [Saint of Purification] instead, as it was a far superior title. [Gods Servile] only offered minor blessings.
Curses were a particularly tricky and frustrating form of attack. Once afflicted, lifting a curse required both time and money, not to mention various restrictions. Thus, it was best not to be cursed in the first place. This made [Saint of Purification] an incredibly advantageous title. It repelled curses up to +10 levels above my basic level and even weakened those from higher levels.
While it would be perfect if it could reflect curses back to the caster, that effect wouldn't really align with the title [Saint of Purification], as such action borders on vengeance.
No, let's just avoid getting cursed in the first place…
After expressing our gratitude to the people at the temple (the paladins who had initially ignored me were so sad to say goodbye, it was a bit creepy), we headed to the market.
"I'm looking into purchasing a decent carriage. Size doesn't matter."
Why a carriage all of a sudden?
According to my original plan, I was planning to buy a useful horse.
But life seldom follows one's initial plans.
Due to the unexpected addition to my group, I found myself looking for a carriage in addition to a horse.
El was a little girl, so riding together on a horse wouldn't have been a bad option, but…
If I buy a carriage, I can rest while El drives. And we won't have to set up a tent every night.
A typical little girl might not know how to handle a horse, but El was originally a noble's daughter. Naturally, she would have had her own horse and, of course, would have learned how to handle one.
Knowing how to handle a horse meant she could easily get used to driving a carriage.
This is my chance to acquire my own personal "car" and my own personal "driver".
Whether El was aware of my thoughts or not, she was busy looking around the market to see what was so exciting even though she was carrying a lot of luggage.
"A carriage?"
"Yes, a carriage."
The merchant's eyes sparkled momentarily.
"Well, it just so happens that a very fine carriage has come in. The price is quite reasonable too."
Stories that start this way usually don't end well. There's always a reason why the price is "reasonable".
However, I listened quietly to the merchant's pitch.
When the merchant noticed that I hadn't interrupted, he eagerly began to describe the carriage.
"It was originally used by a noble from Paldeme. It is crafted from high-quality oak and the interior is fully lined with calf leather. The curtains are made of top-notch velvet. Inside, it's quite spacious and comfortable."
"And the item?"
"Oh, it's just over there… still getting rid of the smell…"
"Smell?"
"Ah, my mistake. I meant the leather! The smell of leather."
"A smell? Didn't you say it was used by a noble from Paldeme?"
"Y-yes, that's right."
The merchant, while hurriedly heading towards the carriage, kept glancing back at me as if trying to gauge my reaction. What's with him? Did someone take a shit in the carriage or something?
Then I'll have to negotiate a huge discount.
I casually followed the merchant with this thought in mind. Upon reaching the warehouse…
"Wow…"
The carriage there emitted an aura different from the other ordinary ones.
Should I call it majestic or overflowing with dignity?
While lacking flamboyant decorations, the intricate carvings visible in various places clearly indicated a great deal of effort had been invested in its creation.
Carriages of this sort usually come in a variety of colors, but this one being black is a bit concerning, isn't it?
The interior was similarly decorated with soft calf leather and sparkling velvet, giving it a comfortable yet antique charm.
This carriage had clearly been crafted with great care.
After inspecting every corner of the carriage, I casually broached the subject with the merchant.
"This is quite the good carriage. To think of selling such a piece. Did the nobleman who owned it owe you a huge debt?"
"It would be better if it were just a debt."
The merchant let out a low sigh.
What could be the story behind this carriage?
"To be honest with you, I really like this carriage."
Its slightly smaller size compared to ordinary carriages granted it better maneuverability, yet the interior was spacious enough for ample resting space. The wheels too seemed finely made and would likely reduce the amount of jolting. This means an increase in the quality of rest. And because it looked sturdy and light, it wouldn't tire the horses easily.
It really looked like a perfect carriage.
"However, I cannot commit to purchasing it until I know the story behind it."
The fact that such an exquisite carriage is coming into the possession of a wandering druid who was not even a native of Galopic
There must be something terribly amiss.
The merchant hesitated and seemed quite troubled, but when he saw my stern gaze, he finally opened his mouth.
"…. If I tell you the story, will you buy it?"
I simply smiled silently. My mind was already set on drastically reducing the carriage's price.
"This carriage was specially made by a noble from Paldeme, who hired not only skilled craftsmen but also a wizard. It was a gift for his daughter's eighteenth birthday."
So far, it was a typical story.
"But on her birthday, while she was on her way to meet her fiancé, she unfortunately encountered some thieves…"
Still a typical story.
"As you might guess, she died. But the real story starts now."
The merchant whispered to me, lowering his voice as if telling a scary story on a summer night.
"As you know, people die every day. Death is a common occurrence for everyone. The young lady was just unlucky. But the thieves…"
"...."
"They weren't just unlucky. Their plan was to murder the lady, seize her jewels and horses, and then sell the carriage. However, things didn't go as planned. Something unforeseen occurred, resulting in all of them being tragically crushed beneath the very carriage they intended to steal."
"That's quite a story."
"And what's more strange, the only one found sitting in the carriage, which had crushed the thieves, was the dead young lady herself."
"So, you're saying…"
"Exactly! The carriage is cursed!"
The merchant, seemingly surprised by his own words, quickly covered his mouth. It appeared that only now had he remembered that he was trying to sell this item to me.
"…Anyway, since the carriage was found in such a state, there was nothing to be done. A nobleman from Paldeme disposed of it. But then."
"But then?"
"He said that everyone who bought this carriage heard a woman's terrible screams. Tsk tsk, it must be cursed."
"Is that all?"
"…Hmm?"
"Was there nothing else that happened?"
"Well… uh… yes, that's it."
"Understood."
Now I see why this luxurious carriage is oddly covered only in black.
It was to cover up bloodstains. And probably to mask the smell too.
"But everyone who had it fell into a slow decline…"
"I've heard enough. Could you please tell me the price?"
I interrupted the merchant who was keen on continuing this "cursed story" and asked about the most important thing, the price.
"Ah, the price! Yes, I should tell you the price."
"I trust you'll give a reasonable price, considering it's definitely cursed."
The merchant fiddled with his beard and then cleared his throat loudly.
"8 gold coins. Even considering everything, I must get at least 8 gold for it."
8 gold coins…
That's a decent price.
But not a "reasonable" price, is it?
"A carriage that has seen people die and you're asking for as much as 8 gold coins?"
"Man! For a carriage of this quality, it would usually be 20 gold; no, even more than 30!"
"But it's a different story for a cursed ghost carriage."
"Hmm, cough. Alright, I can go down to 7 gold and 50 silver."
"4 gold coins."
"You, I didn't take you for someone without conscience."
"Talking about conscience when you're trying to offload a cursed ghost carriage on me without a word?"
"7 gold coins. That's the lowest I'll go because you are the [Saint of Purification]."
"4 gold and 50 silver."
"Who do you think I am, digging up gold from the ground? 6 gold and 50 silver."
"5 gold coins. I can't go any higher."
"This man!"
"If I become a ghost, that would be quite an inconvenience for you, wouldn't it?"
"…6 gold coins! That's my final offer!"
6 gold coins it is.
That's definitely a "reasonable" price.
I grinned and took out six gold coins from my pocket and handed them to the merchant.
"Very well."
"You're quite something… not your average person."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
I wore a contented smile while gazing at the "cursed carriage" that was now mine.
A cursed carriage taken from cursed lands… it has a certain appeal.
"Master, are you sure this is okay? What if we end up cursed too…"
"Don't worry, El. That won't happen."
I spoke with absolute certainty.
Even if the carriage were truly cursed, I wouldn't be too concerned due to the effects of my [Saint of Purification] title. It's unlikely that anything serious would happen.
Besides, not just anyone can cast a curse.
If the lady of Paldeme had become a ghost, that would be a different story…
Well, if that were to happen, I'd simply have to exorcise the ghost.
Having secured the carriage, it was now time to acquire horses.
We headed to a nearby stable. I had already spotted a horse a few days earlier, so all that was left was to pay for it.
"…I'm really sorry about this."
I was sure of my choice…
But for some reason, the horse I had set my sights on was nowhere to be found in the stable.
"Please explain to me exactly what happened."
Struggling to hide my growing frustration, I turned to the stable owner with a demanding gaze.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone