Chapter 18: The Curse of the Razor Wind
“They’re currently searching the territories you mentioned by deploying shamans around the area.”
Donecolint.
A dark shaman who could plunge entire groups into confusion with his large-scale curse, known as Siren’s Scream.
His spiritual power was exceptional, and he had been selected as a key force to play a major role within the shamans’ nest.
“Donecolint is essential for the war that’s about to unfold. He’s definitely hiding somewhere near Blyer, Elletor, or Beneta. Make sure to locate him quickly.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Oh, and issue a ban—no one is to approach Laup Forest for the time being.”
“Laup Forest, you say?”
“Yes. That’s one place we cannot afford to meddle with right now.”
“I’ll relay the order to the shamans as well.”
It seemed like a sudden command, but Kamel’s instructions always carried deeper meaning.
Overcome with admiration for his foresight, Rengua bowed without further question and left the room.
‘Ah.’
As he departed, Rengua recalled the divine revelation he had recently received. He hesitated for a moment, glancing at Kamel’s back, still turned toward the window. In the end, he decided to keep silent and withdrew.
Receiving a divine message was something other shamans would envy, but to Kamel, the content of the revelation mattered far more than the fact of receiving it.
But the problem was, the revelation was impossible to interpret.
Admitting that would be the same as declaring himself incompetent, so Rengua chose to keep it a secret. Fortunately, it seemed that no other shaman had received the same revelation.
***
Once everyone had left, Kamel placed his empty glass on the desk and studied the map laid before him.
The map given to him by the assassin before his departure marked the place where he was supposed to meet him in a week.
“A small village near the walls of Elletor Castle, huh….”
Kamel pondered the location, lost in thought.
“Will I be able to kill him?”
From the beginning, the idea of cooperation had never existed in Kamel’s mind. It was only a matter of timing.
“Damn, this sucks.”
***
The coachman, Gavis, grumbled as he shook the water from his soaked hood. The sky had grown overcast since the morning, and by afternoon, it was as if a hole had opened in the heavens, unleashing a torrential downpour.
Of all the times for a rainstorm, it had to hit just as we were about to approach Nelitori Gorge. With the steep cliffs ahead, this weather couldn’t have been worse.
But...
‘The heavens must be smiling upon me!’
I looked up at the pouring rain, barely able to contain my excitement.
The heavy rain limited visibility and erased tracks—ideal conditions for anyone planning an escape. There couldn’t be a better environment for someone on the run.
I silently prayed for the storm to continue for several days.
As we traveled half a day northward, leaving the Beneta territory behind, the landscape began to shift. Forests and greenery gave way to barren land, scattered with rocks of various sizes.
Soon, we found ourselves standing on a bleak expanse of rock, the only signs of life being patches of withered weeds. Gavis let out a short sigh and dropped the reins.
The entrance to Nelitori Gorge was blocked by a pile of rocks, and the terrain began to slope gently upward. From here, the carriage was useless.
“We’ll need someone to stay behind with the carriage. What do you think?”
“We’ll need it for the return trip, so leave someone behind,” Ben replied.
Gavis nodded and assigned one of the mercenaries to stay behind with the carriage.
After gathering our supplies, the rest of us disembarked and began moving toward the gorge.
The group consisted of five people in total: myself, Ben, Gavis, and two other mercenaries.
“Make sure you don’t forget anything, unless you want trouble later.”
“Got it!”
The mercenaries’ packs were filled with food and supplies for the next few days. As Ben turned his head toward me, he asked,
“Where do we go from here?”
“Head toward the highest point you can see. We need to get there first to get our bearings.”
“The rain’s pouring down. Will you be able to find the way?”
“We’ll figure it out.”
I needed to understand the geography before I could properly use the gorge map I’d obtained from Fenry.
Taking the lead, I started up the path, and the others followed slowly behind me.
The heavy rain made our progress excruciatingly slow. The downpour blurred our vision, making it difficult to get a sense of the terrain.
I hadn’t expected this to be so challenging.
“Hey, are we going the right way?”
“Yes. If we follow that tree up ahead, we should be on the right path.”
“Damn it, how much longer is this cursed rain going to last?!”
Ignoring Ben’s complaints, I focused on clearing the path ahead.
By the time dusk fell, we reached the highest point in the area.
Climbing onto a large rock, I scanned the surroundings. The fierce wind nearly knocked me off balance, so I had to crouch low to get a proper look.
‘This gorge is enormous.’
It stretched out like a massive serpent, with huge rocks seemingly connected in a long chain. The sheer scale made it look more like a mountain range than a gorge.
I compared the landscape with the map and pinpointed our current location. I then began searching for the area marked by the Razor Wind’s Curse.
My eyes lit up.
‘Found it!’
There it was—the red mark Fenry had mentioned.
It wasn’t far. If we followed the rocks to the right, we could reach it within half a day.
“Is that a map?”
I heard Ben’s voice from behind me. I shrugged and tucked the map into my belt.
“First time seeing a map?”
“I don’t recall seeing that one before. Where did you get it?”
“From our lord.”
I tried to dismiss the question casually, but Ben grabbed my collar, narrowing his eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“I think it’s time you told us the truth.”
“The truth about what?”
“Why we’re here and what exactly we’re supposed to do.”
“……”
The rain lashed down fiercely. The mercenaries stood silently, sensing the tension between me and Ben.
It made sense for them to be curious.
There was only one reason I had chosen Nelitori Gorge as our destination.
Because it’s the perfect place to escape.
Back in the underground prison, during the torturous interrogation with the shamans, I had discovered something about myself.
My mental defenses were extraordinarily high—so high that even I couldn’t determine their limit.
After enduring such brutal treatment, I had gained clarity about my abilities.
That was when I decided to rely on the Curse of the Razor Wind.
With defenses like mine, I believed I could maintain my composure even within the curse’s influence.
The others, however, wouldn’t stand a chance. My plan was simple: abandon them in their confusion and escape while they were incapacitated.
It was a sound plan, especially considering the skill level of my companions.
But the problem was the real watcher.
The presence of a four-star knight complicated everything. Just comparing Ben, a three-star, to a four-star was enough to understand the vast difference in power. With that monster watching me from a distance, escape seemed impossible.
I intended to lure him into the cursed area, but the higher the rank, the stronger their mental resistance.
And the gap between a three-star and a four-star was immense.
‘Will the Razor Wind’s Curse even work on him?’
I needed to be careful and observe how things unfolded.
I only had one golden card to play, and it would only last for 10 minutes.
“Let’s find a place to rest for the night.”
“You’re still not going to tell us?”
“I’ll explain once we find shelter.”
The mercenaries quickly searched for a suitable spot in the darkness.
Surprisingly, it didn’t take long. They found a small clearing nestled between two large cliffs—sufficient to house five people for the night.
Though a few drops of rain leaked through, it was enough to start a fire. The mercenaries gathered damp weeds, and I pulled out a fire scroll from my pack and tore it open.
Boom!
The weeds caught fire, their wetness no match for the magic. Warmth spread through the space. Magic really did make life easier.
After everyone gathered around the fire, I spread out the map and pointed to the marked location.
“Our task is simple. We need to go to this mark and light a signal fire.”
“A signal?”
“See that spot up ahead? Just light a fire there.”
“And then?”
“That’s it.”
“That’s… it?”
“Yes.”
Both Ben and the mercenaries stared at me in disbelief.
Of course, it sounded ridiculous.
Maybe I should offer a little more explanation?
“It’s a necessary signal.”
“For whom?”
“Our lord’s contact will respond to the signal. That’s all you need to know. Any more, and you risk getting killed without a trace.”
Ben asked no further questions. Not that it mattered—there was no real signal to begin with.
It was all a decoy.
A ploy to imprint the idea of him in Kamel’s mind.
***
“We move at first light, so get some rest.”
I crawled into my blanket and lay down. The mercenaries, tired as well, set up a watch rotation and went to sleep.
The fire crackled quietly as midnight came and went.
Sometime later, I woke to the sound of someone entering the shelter.
I sat up, pulling off the blanket, and asked,
“Where did you go?”
Ben paused for a moment, then walked past me without answering.
“Do I need to report every time I take a piss?”
“No, just curious. But it looks like the others are asleep?”
“I’m on watch tonight.”
“You?”
What kind of employer stands guard instead of the hired mercenaries?
He must think I’m an idiot. But I said nothing and stretched as I headed outside.
“Where are you going?”
“To take a leak.”
Swoooosh!
The rain poured relentlessly outside the small crevice, and the cold wind made me shiver. I lowered my trousers and relieved myself.
With the sky completely overcast, the darkness was absolute.
There was a strange serenity to it.
‘If only there weren’t any prying eyes.’
It’s hard to relieve yourself when you feel someone watching.
Why had Ben followed me? Was he hiding something?
As I glanced around, I noticed a faint trace of red ash scattered at the edge of the ground.
It was a subtle mark—something easily overlooked. But I knew exactly what it was.
How could I not?
‘I’m using the exact same thing.’
Pulling up my trousers, I crushed a small gemstone and scattered the dust into the wind. The red ash disappeared into the storm.
It was a magical signal—used to communicate one’s location.
There was no need to ask who Ben had sent his signal to.
The four-star knight.
And the Black Rose mercenaries I’d hired.
“Shit… They’re making their move.”
I scuffed the ash into the ground with my boot and returned to the shelter. Curling up under my blanket, I shivered—not from the cold, but from tension.
The reality of the situation hit me like a slap to the face.
The game of cat and mouse had begun in earnest within the depths of Nelitori Gorge.