Chapter 17

Aldo returned home carrying the sword that Rudolf had forged for him. This weapon, imbued with the power of a malicious spirit, was so dangerous that merely touching it could influence the mana vessel within one’s mind.

Although the mana vessel wouldn’t shatter immediately, prolonged contact without understanding its nature could lead to severe mental instability. Handling it required utmost caution. Aldo was especially determined to ensure that Iris would never touch it.

“I’m home!”

“Welcome back, Dad!”

Iris came running toward Aldo, her little feet pattering across the floor as she prepared to leap into his arms. But Aldo stopped her with a firm “Wait.”

“Huh? What’s wrong, Dad?”

Iris’s face crumpled with unease as she hesitated, her small hands trembling nervously like a frightened animal.

“Iris, listen carefully and stay calm. Right now, I’m carrying something extremely dangerous.”

Aldo showed Iris the sword forged from the malicious spirit’s essence.

“Listen, Iris. You must never, ever touch this. Understand?”

“Okay.”

Iris nodded earnestly.

“Not even out of curiosity. If you touch it… I’ll be very angry!”

“Y-Yeah… I won’t touch it.”

Seeing Aldo’s serious expression, Iris was overwhelmed by his intensity. She could tell from his demeanor that this was no trivial matter. While a more rebellious child might have been tempted to touch it out of mischief, Iris had learned to respect the authority of her parents. She vowed deep in her heart never to touch the sword.

“Aldo, there’s a new dungeon nearby!”

Later, after finishing work, Aldo met up with Clara, who was practically glowing with excitement over the discovery of a new dungeon.

“It’s close to where you work, so you can explore it right after your shift again!”

“Yeah, that sounds convenient. Alright, let’s check it out.”

“Wow, you’re really motivated, Aldo.” Clara grinned.

“Well, I did just get a new weapon. I want to test its strength.”

“Totally get that! I received some mana power from a spirit recently, and I’ve been itching to see how much stronger I’ve become.”

Though Clara had already been formidable, clearing a dungeon had granted her even greater powers through a spirit’s blessing. Aldo couldn’t help feeling a little discouraged at the growing gap between their abilities.

“How about we dive in tomorrow?” Clara suggested eagerly.

“Sure, I’ll let Iris know too.”

The next day, Aldo and Clara headed to the new dungeon.

“So, this is the new dungeon,” Aldo remarked, eyeing the entrance.

“I’ll take the lead,” Clara said, stopping Aldo as he prepared to step forward. But he shook his head.

“No, I want to test this weapon’s power myself.”

“Hmm, I can sense a dark, ominous energy from that thing. Is it the weapon forged from the malicious spirit?”

“Yeah. By some twist of fate, I found someone who could forge it for me. Now I have one.”

“I see. In that case, I’ll count on you this time.” Clara glanced up at Aldo with a playful smile.

“Alright, I’ll handle it!” Aldo nodded confidently.

“Great!”

As they ventured deeper into the dungeon, Aldo detected an enemy presence. He gripped his sword as a gigantic bipedal rat spirit emerged from the shadows. It was about the size of a five-year-old child but moved with startling speed.

“Look out, Aldo!” Clara called out, worried for him. Despite its size, the rat retained the agility typical of its species, moving far faster than any ordinary human. But Aldo was ready.

“Swift Strike!”

With a single swing of his sword, the rat vanished instantly.

“That… that was so fast!” Clara exclaimed, wide-eyed with astonishment. Though Clara was quick herself, Aldo’s newfound speed exceeded her expectations.

So cool, she thought, gazing at Aldo with admiration. His calm, composed expression made him look even more impressive.

“Whoa! What just happened? Did I already take it down? Clara, did you see that? I was fast, wasn’t I?”

Far from the stoic hero she imagined, Aldo was excitedly basking in his success, which made Clara chuckle fondly.

“Yes, Aldo, that was amazing.”

“Thanks, Clara. But how did I manage that? Changing weapons shouldn’t affect my speed or strength.”

“Maybe that’s just how malicious spirit weapons work. My spirit-enhanced mana improves my physical abilities too. Perhaps this weapon amplifies the wielder’s abilities in a similar way.”

“Ah, I’ve heard that spirits and malicious spirits share a common origin. That would make sense.”

As Aldo contemplated the implications, three more giant rats appeared.

“Here they come again. Let’s go… Swift Strike!”

“You’re not the only one who can show off, Aldo! I’m joining in!” Clara declared.

The duo quickly dispatched the rats, with Clara landing a powerful kick on one while Aldo’s blade took care of the rest. In no time, the enemies were defeated, leaving behind gray shards. Clara picked them up while Aldo closed his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Aldo?” Clara asked.

“There’s more malicious spirit material here.”

Using a pickaxe, Aldo began mining the dungeon walls, unearthing a root-like object.

“Wow, you’re amazing, Aldo! I didn’t sense that at all. You’ve gotten stronger in combat and even better at finding hidden resources. I’m starting to feel a bit jealous,” Clara said with a warm smile.

“No, no. I’m still far from it. It’s just the weapon that’s strong. Without it, I can’t do much,” Aldo replied.

Clara puffed out her cheeks in a playful pout.

“Hmph. But the fact is, you have that weapon, right? That means earning it is part of your skill too. Overdoing humility can come off as annoying, you know.”

“Ugh… That’s tough to balance,” Aldo said, scratching his head.

“Haha, just kidding! Sorry if I went a bit too far,” Clara said, flashing a playful smile and sticking out her tongue. Her innocence disarmed Aldo, making it impossible to hold any grudge.

“No, I’m the one who should apologize. I’ll try to be more confident,” he said with a nod.

“Yeah, that’s the spirit!”

With their minor quarrel resolved, the two continued their dungeon exploration. The spirits and other creatures they encountered along the way proved no match for the duo.

Aldo’s newfound ability to fight significantly improved Clara’s movements. In their first dungeon expedition, Clara had to focus on protecting Aldo, which held her back from unleashing her full potential. Now, with the added boost from her spirit’s power and Aldo’s strength, they made an unbeatable team.

Walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Clara, Aldo couldn’t help but reflect on how much his new weapon had enhanced his abilities. The cursed weapon’s power was truly remarkable.