Chapter 127 – Detrimental Plight

The blood of the prey they caught quickly drained, with the method that Ramiel thought no monster was able to discern their location.

“It looks like the blood is all drained,” Raul said.

‘That’s great...I feel drained.”

“That reminds me the ways you use barriers are weird. Isn’t that more detrimental?”

“How so?” Ramiel asked.”

“Well, I see Abby use barriers a lot, and when I ask why she doesn’t form her barrier other than the simple form, she told me that doing another form would be lot taxing than just the simple form.”

“I see...”

Ramiel touched his chin, as he noticed that the normal barriers he forms indeed less consume his energy. It was a simple thing, just like how a light armor is light if it’s left alone, adding more protection to it will surely make it heavier, making it a heavy armor, not a light armor.

What Ramiel does is simply an unorthodox way that costs more energy than needed, thus hence four or six barriers will be enough to overcast him. Ramiel didn’t really have a teacher to him and it was already good that he as an underachiever could learn spells.

“I agree it is really a detrimental way to do so, but sadly I don’t have enough offensive spells or any learnable spells that I can do better,” Ramiel said with dejection.

“It is okay, it is not like it is not useful.” Raul shrugged his shoulders.

“Can you dispel the barrier now since we need to go before the light goes out?” He added.

“Sure,” Ramiel said, dispelling the barrier around the prey with a clap.

“Thanks.”

Saying that Raul walked to where the rope that ties the prey up, and started to move the prey back to the ground. With the prey on the grassy floor, Raul took the rope, tied it to the prey’s body, covered it with a thick fur, and tied it around his back. Unlike Ramiel, he was a strong enough to carry a ninety-kilogram prey. It was nothing to him so he was able to do this task with ease.

“That looks heavy.”

“It is, though I am used to this. Hope you protect me. “Raul grinned.”

“Sure,” Ramiel said.

The two then stride away from the place they were draining the blood. They walk along a dirt path, a stepped hill that leads to the place where the entrance of the evergreen forest is located.

Ramiel steadily looks around as Raul took the lead. He was carrying a score, so he needed to be careful about his step. Raul usually does this hunting alone, but with Ramiel here he wouldn’t have to worry about repelling other predators that smell the scent of the raw fresh meat that he is carrying.

The walk down was rather slow, Ramiel whose eyes are wandering everywhere look down the path, he saw the giant trees, a line of bushes, and a simple pool of water that has small creatures drinking on. He couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering around, but since he has a task to do, he somehow prevented doing so out of fear.

...

While walking back to the entrance of the evergreen, Raul who is carrying the score of their hunt asked.

“You know I didn’t expect that you would actually come with me.”

“What makes you say that?”

‘Well, you look like you were smitten so hard by Peronell, so I thought you would spend more time trying on winning her over.”

“That’s true, but I think being clingy, and not letting her have any space would be bad,” Ramiel said.

“That’s interesting.”

“Besides, it is not like she has any obligation to do so, she has her own life to live, and I won’t stop her from doing her tasks, interrupting what she does. If she is free, then I would talk to her, simple as that.”

“I see, at least you are not pushy, or as dense as that bastard.” Raul spat on the ground.

“Hmmm, what’s wrong?” Ramiel knitted his brows.

“Just saying that at least you aren’t as dumb as Reynauld, that bastard to forget about her when he got there, almost ignoring her.”

“Oh that guy, I heard Peronell had a crush towards him.”

“Indeed she has, we four were childhood friends, yet that bastard got the most successful of all of us. Peronell has indeed a bit of wealth but she is using it to help the villagers.” While he pretty much is lost on his adventures.

“I see...” Ramiel said with a vacant look.

“Anyway, as long as you keep pressing on, and sincere, I think you will win Peronell over.”

“That’s great then.”

As Ramiel said that he heard the howl of a predator. The two stopped immediately, Raul draws his bows while Ramiel readied his crossbow. The howl vanished the area went silent again, as the air suddenly got heavy. Sensing that, Raul looked above and saw a figure pounding at them.

“A SCROFUS, TAKE COVER!”

“What?”

Ramiel wasn’t able to react as Raul dive and rolled away from where they were standing. Looking up, Ramiel saw the giant boar-like creature about to crush him. Fear crept up to Ramiel, but his right leg ached, it made a pain that made Ramiel felt so empty and calm.

A wicked grin appeared on his face, as he claps his hands together, kneeled and activated a spell around him. It was a simple thick barrier but there were protruding spikes around the barrier, making it look like a porcupine. The boar-like creature who was tumbling down met head on with this barrier.

The barrier immediately cracked, but with the spikes around the barrier, the boat-like creature got stabbed all over. Blood flowed from the boar-like creature’s body. Ramiel’s field of vision was only blood. He didn’t mind it, his expression still as wicked.

Ramiel has a problem. He is cursed badly. Unlike the scribe’s curse, Ramiel’s could not produce magical ink nor would he ever get good at writing scrolls. His curse adopted, it affected his personality, making his mindset that of an apathetic lunatic.

This is the effect of the curse on him. It adapted to what Ramiel needs. Unlike the scribe’s curse where the bearer would produce ink in accordance to the scribe’s need. Ramiel’s curse changed into that of a madman’s curse. A curse that would detriment his head the moment he is in danger.

Of course, the price to pay with the curse is his leg blighted with blackened marks. It isn’t a blessing, and more like a harmful parasite that would consume him sooner or later.

“Are you okay?” Raul shouted.

“I, I am fine Raul...so what should we do with this thing?”

Raul looked at SCROFUS that attacked Ramiel. It was much bigger than the score they got. It would weight about a thousand kilograms, and it should allow them to feed the village for months, and even sell some of it for profit.

“Of course we are going to sell it!” Raul said excitedly.

“So who’s going?” Ramiel asked.

“You should rush to the village, call the local guards, and tell them we got a big haul!”

“Are you going to be okay?” Ramiel said, walking out of the giant boar-like creature’s body.

“Yeah, just cast a barrier around us that would do us good!”

“Okay then.”

Saying that Ramiel withdrew the spiky barrier he had. Then he casted it around Raul and the SCROFUS in order for the barrier to protect them while his gone.

“Will that suffice?”

“Yeah, so hurry Ramiel!” Raul said with a huge grin.

Ramiel made a weary smile, his veins look like they were bulging, his breathing heavy, and it could be said that he is rather fatigued. So Ramiel didn’t waste time and followed the path he and Raul took to get back to the village.