บท 53: Curses

In Kuoh Town, there exists a mythical forest not too far from where Kuoh High is. A once normal forest, turned into a thriving source of Logana and Foglia—materials highly sought by the artificers living in the town.

However, on the opposite end of the town, there exists another forest; although it's less a forest and more a carefully grown orchard. In it lives all sorts of different trees and plants, each a new species that has never existed in this world.

Although no one knows that it even exists, except I and a few of my close friends. It's hidden under a permanent 'Isolation' barrier, forever hiding it from the normal eye.

I make it there, and a chill passes across my skin as I walk through the barrier's edge. And immediately the sky above turns an empty black, and the air seems to still. The grass that I'd been walking on just seconds ago is gone, replaced by ornamental rocks and stones dug into the earth to serve as a path.

All around me are trees and plants, all wildly different than anything the rest of the world has ever seen. Trees that are absurdly tall, flowers that constantly glow with pollen, and plants bearing magical fruits imbued with immense amounts of Primal Energy. All of them are a result of my experimentations, of me using my control over flora to forcefully evolve existing plants.

Most of my tries usually end with failure, but some do make it out of the experimentations, and they become genuine plants that I cultivate over time.

My end goal is to eventually create some product unique to Kuoh. Something that, once this town inevitably becomes known, I can use as a commodity. Something to secure Kuoh's standing in the supernatural world.

I already have one, but I'm still tweaking some things to make it an even better product.

That isn't important right now though. I'm here to find a friend I haven't visited in a while.

I walk in silence for a few minutes, occasionally looking around to see if anything of the plants had changed while I was gone. It's a fairly peaceful time, if you ignored the occasional screech in the distance.

Eventually, I come upon a young boy, with bright yellow hair and gentle blue eyes. He's wearing a loose-fitting white robe, with a yellow band tied around his waist. And around his neck is a glimmering yellow scarf, somehow flapping in the air despite the lack of wind.

There's a smile on his face. He's humming a nameless tune as he's watering a plant. The plant in question, an odd piranha plant, is vainly trying to bite his watering can. The attempt only makes him giggle.

I smile. "Good evening." I say.

He blinks, and his smile widens as his eyes meet mine. "Issei!" He gently puts the watering can down and runs up to me, wrapping me in a tight hug. "You're here!"

I chuckle. "I am. Sorry that I haven't visited in a while." I pat the boy's head, smiling as he giggles. "I was a…little busy with something."

He shakes his head. "It's okay." He smiles. "I've been alone for longer. I can always wait."

I huff. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean you have to wait for me every time."

"Ah," He looks away from me, hiding his face in my shirt. "But everyone's scared of me." He says, sad but accepting. "All the kids don't want to play with me…"

I sigh. There's not much we can do about that. Nurarihyon may've helped Kanada eventually gain a humanoid form, but it still doesn't change the fact that he's a being created from a conglomeration of curses. Most might not understand why, but they can feel that Kanada isn't just a normal boy, and they tend to stay away from him.

But,

"There's a girl." I begin. Kanada turns up to me, confused. "Toujou Sae's her name, and she's a lot like you."

He blinks. "A lot like me?"

I nod. "She's human, but her body's filled with curses like yours." I gently ruffle his hair. "She's surrounded by her friends, but she feels alone, and she would've imploded if you hadn't helped me create that Infernal Arm we worked on."

His eyes go wide. "She's the girl you wanted to help."

I smile. "Yeap. She's better now. All the curses inside her won't cause her to explode from the inside." Then I sigh. "Still, her feelings won't change overnight. So-"

"I'll be her friend!" He exclaims.

"Let me finish, will you?" I huff, before I smile. "But, yes. I think you'll get along quite well. And besides," I wink. "She doesn't know how to use all the Curse Energy inside her, and I think she'll appreciate having someone tutor her along."

"E-Eh? Me? Helping her?" He looks away, cheeks turning red as he mutters, "B-But I…"

He yelps when I flick his forehead. "Don't doubt yourself. You're the best at controlling Curse Energy." I grin. "And she'll probably appreciate having someone teach her without slamming her face into the dirt every five minutes."

"Hmph. That's your fault for being a meanie." He says.

I shrug. "I ain't denying that."

He just pouts.

We talk at length after that exchange, mostly going over the recent happenings around the orchard. This orchard might be my testing ground, but Kanada's usually the one taking care of all the plants. He knows this place in and out better than anyone. At least, if you exclude my mystical eyes.

At some point though, our conversation drifts into silence. We sit before one of the few tables spread around the orchard, drinking herbal tea that was made from leaves grown in this very place.

It isn't all quiet, however. That occasional screech sounds here and there; a sound created by a plant I grew to specifically create that disrupting noise. It's mostly for Kanada's benefit. The years he spent trapped had not been kind, even when his consciousness was heavily limited.

It grates against my ears, but if it's for him, I don't mind.

Eventually though, midnight comes around, and I need to leave. I promise to introduce him to his new friend tomorrow, and he bids me goodbye as he goes back to taking care of the many plants around me. I leave right after, and the starry skies greet me once I walk past the boundary of the 'Isolation' barrier.

Normally, I'd either head to Hibana Village or just relax in Kyoto. Not today though.

Instead, I head to the Gremory Mansion, built just several minutes east from Kuoh High. It particularly stands out amongst the series of fairly normal looking buildings in the rest of the town.

And there, to greet by the door are the two Devil heirs I'm hosting.

"Good evening, Hyoudou-san." Sona says, bowing slightly.

"Hello, Issei-kun." Rias says, smiling as she waves.

I smile wryly. "Good evening, you two. I hope you weren't too cold waiting out here for so long."

Sona huffs. "It's a wonderful night. The cold hardly bothers us."

I shrug. "That's true." My smile falls. "So, what's up? It's unlike you two to suddenly ask me to come here this morning."

The two stare at one another for a good moment, before Rias sighs. "I…can I ask for a favor?" I raise an eyebrow, and then nod. "A relative of mine is beginning to show symptoms of a deadly illness known as the Sleeping Disease."

"The Sleeping Disease," I mutter. "The plague suffered only by Devilkind?"

Rias nods. "Yes. No one knows a cure. Not even Satan Beelzebub has found one." She sighs. "This relative of mine is…vulnerable, and I wish to see if you can help in any way. And even if you can't, I'd like you to house her here. At least until she requires special equipment."

I frown. "Why me?" I ask. "Why not keep her somewhere else? Or just bring her to the hospital immediately?"

Sona answers this time. "It's a…political dilemma. Our families are close, but there is no small number of people who would like to rid this person from this world. If we kept her in my family's hospital, then that'd put the other patients we serve in danger." She shakes her head. "It just isn't something we can risk just yet."

"Well, alright." I nod. "I suppose I can help in this case." I smile. "Just remember to return the favor someday, yeah?"

Rias grins. "Of course!"

"Show me to her."

They do. We walk inside, and for a moment, I feel an odd sense of discomfort. The insides are lavish, and beautifully decorated. It's lived in as well.

And yet it feels…not cold, but impersonal. Like it's just a house and nothing more. Could this be a side effect of being constantly bombarded by the feeling 'Home' that so strongly permeates my house? Or is it something else entirely?

Hmm. I'll have to look into it later. I can feel Rias' relative not too far away.

Soon, we enter one of the many guest rooms in the mansion, and inside is one Misla Bael, sitting on the queen-sized bed. She's a woman with long brown hair and purple eyes. There's a youngness to her looks, despite her being much older than everyone else in the room.

The first wife of Lord Bael, and consequently, the sister-in-law to Rias' mother. She gave birth to a son, but one that did not inherit the Bael's Power of Destruction. She was abused by the rest of the family for it. Even her own husband, who already treated her as mostly a tool, joined in and forced her to-

…that's enough. Let's not show anger so openly.

"Greetings, Lady Bael." I say, giving a bow. "I came here at the behest of your relative."

She shakes her head. "Oh, I'm no longer a Lady of Bael, I'm afraid." She smiles kindly. "Do just call me Misla. You hold a higher position than I do currently, after all."

I go silent for a moment, before I nod. "Lady Misla, then."

She smiles. "I suppose that works."

I smile back, before I frown. "I heard that you're showing symptoms of the Sleeping Disease?" I begin. She nods slowly, strangely accepting. "You would be right to worry. From what I can feel, you are experiencing the beginning symptoms of the illness." I close my eyes. "Am I to assume you've been falling asleep at random? Say, being unable to keep yourself awake at noon?"

She blinks. "That…is surprisingly accurate."

I shrug. "This is my specialty." And also my eyes allow me to cheat. "That aside, a constant drowsiness at the point of noon is indeed the first showings of the Sleeping Disease. It will only get worse from here."

She nods slowly. "Yes. There is no cure."

The room falls silent for a moment. I'm not sure what expressions the two heirs behind me are making, but I don't bother turning around to see. "Perhaps." I say. I walk forward, stopping just before her. "May I ask something?"

She smiles. "Of course, Sir Hyoudou."

I kneel down. "There is no known cure for the illness at the moment. But that does not mean there isn't one." I hear someone gasp behind me. I ignore it. "Everything has a cure. The harshest diseases from ages past were once thought to be incurable, and many are now extinct." I hold my arm across my chest. "The solution begins with the first, solitary spark."

I turn up to her eyes. "Lady Misla, I can see that you've accepted your end." She flinches at that. I push on. "I know you have a son, and that you love him with all your heart." I frown. "Do you want to leave him behind?"

She is silent, before her kind smile wavers. "I do not." She says, soft and weary and weak. She grits her teeth. "I don't want to leave him alone."

I nod. "Good. Hold onto that feeling." She blinks at me, and I smile. "I swear, on my name, that you will be cured. All I ask is that you trust me."

She stares at me, and for a moment, the kind gaze in her eyes falls away to reveal a much more calculating gleam. It's a look befitting of an empress, and suddenly it makes sense how she managed to become the infamous Lord Bael's first wife.

Eventually, she says, "Very well."

"Thank you. Now," I gently place my thumb on her forehead. "Close your eyes."

She does. She closes her eyes, and I silently sigh at the success. There's no need for me to do this all, but I can't just stand in the middle of the room and stare at the woman for a few minutes. I need to do something, and making contact with her gives me some excuse.

Then, finally, I activate my eyes, and a slew of information bombards my mind.

I see the first time the Sleeping Disease began in her. And from there I see the other Devils who suffered from this same disease, whether it be recently or decades in the past. Entire centuries flash in my mind, going through each and every instance when the disease appeared. And during all that, more and more scraps of information about the cause of the disease springs in my head.

While I do this, I also direct some of my Ki to help heal her. It won't do much, but it'll at least keep her energetic for a few days, and also give our bodies a gentle glow for those watching. Just as an extra precaution.

After what feels like hours, I finally collect enough information, and I deactivate my eyes. I pull my thumb away from her forehead, and the glow of Ki surrounding us fades. She opens her eyes, and so do I.

And immediately, I grin. "Well, I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"

Misla stares for a moment, before she cautiously says, "The bad news, please."

I nod. "The Sleeping Disease is…perhaps not a misnomer, but certainly not a correct depiction of what it actually is." Everyone stares at me in confusion. "How do I say this…" I sigh. "The Sleeping Disease is more a curse than an illness; a defensive mechanism built into all of Devilkind."

"What!?" I hear Rias scream, and I turn to meet her shocked eyes. "Y-You mean-!?"

I nod. "Yes. The cause of the Sleeping Disease is, in the end, the Demonic Energy you rely on." I frown. "Humor me this: What is the source of a Devil's magic?"

"...imagination." Sona says, looking like she already has an idea on what I'm about to say.

I smile. "And what immediately comes to mind when I say that, Sitri-san?"

She looks grim. "Dreams." She says softly. "You speak of dreams."

"Exactly." I say. Misla and Rias still look confused, but I quickly explain. "The Sleeping Disease happens when a Devil begins losing their willpower, and their willingness to keep staying awake." I close my eyes. "And so, your Demonic Energy responds to this desire, and it begins trying to hypnotize you to sleep."

It dawns on the woman then. "Ah…" She says, looking down at her hands. "I see." She says, a weak smile on her lips. "It's because my mind is weak."

"Yes." I say. "I don't say this to be mean. Everyone has different levels of willpower. This is just how life is."

That's simplifying, of course. Misla Bael is a strong woman, there's no doubt, but all the abuse she suffered under the hands of her family and her husband is not a scar that heals easily. And combined with all the stress she experiences in raising her son, it's no wonder why she subconsciously wishes to sleep forever.

A somber mood falls on them all, but I quickly clap my hands to diffuse it. "But!" I shout. "I did say I have good news, did I not?" Their eyes turn to me, and I grin. "There is a cure for this, and a fairly simple one as well."

And at that, chaos happens. Or, well, it's mostly Rias who shouts very loudly. Sona and Misla just sort of stare. I gingerly rub my ears. "Right." I smile. "It's a three-stage plan."

I hold up a finger. "First, is to cease any connection you have to your Demonic Energy." I can see the question in Misla's eyes, and I smile. "As I said, the illness begins when your mind subconsciously reacts with your Demonic Energy. Cutting that connection will halt that. At least while the connection is severed."

"But how will we even do that?" Sona asks, frowning slightly.

I grin. "I have a solution for that. I should be able to make it in a week or so."

And I do mean that. Sae's new Infernal Arm basically scrambles all connections the brain has to the rest of the body, including their magic. If I can make a smaller version of this to muddle the connection between the mind and the body's Demonic Energy, then the Sleeping Disease will stop progressing.

I hold up two fingers. "Then, you'll need to train yourself, to train your Demonic Energy to only respond when you want it to. This is…significantly harder, but not impossible."

Misla nods at that, smiling slightly. "That I can do. I've been idle for too long, I think."

I smile. "Glad you agree." I then hold up three fingers. "And finally," I let my sentence hang for a moment, before I grin. "Therapy."

Misla blinks. "I'm…sorry?"

"Therapy." I repeat. "I'm serious." I say. "This all stems from your subconscious desire to escape your problems. Not a healthy thing for anyone, and especially unhealthy for a Devil whose magic relies on their mind. Getting professional help about your troubles will, genuinely, help you deal with this illness."

The woman looks down for a moment, taking in my words. She seems unsure, not at my explanation, but at herself. There's some shame in there too, as if she hates to admit that she needs therapy. But eventually, she raises her eyes back to mine, and she smiles. "I understand, Sir Hyoudou."

I nod."As I said, I will make sure to cure you of this illness." I narrow my eyes. "I do not make promises lightly."

Finally, I stand up. "Lady Misla." I reach out my hand to her. "As the owner of Kuoh, I request you to become a citizen of this town, so that I can help you cure yourself of the Sleeping Disease." I smile confidently. "You may also have your son live here. If you do, I will protect you both. What do you say?"

The woman stares, and finally, I see that steely confidence return. She stands from the bed, and she shakes my hand. "Those are acceptable terms, Sir Hyoudou."

I grin.

And just like that, I've secured another connection to one of the strong families in the Underworld. All in a night's work.