Author's note:

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---------Ragan’s POV

After I clean Gran’s house I went out hurriedly from his house. Along the way I saw Eloah with his sword hanging beside his left waist. He also has a backpack.

It seems like Greta gave him a mid difficulty test. Gathering is a bit difficult job because an adventurer need to locate the place unless of course if the adventurer already know the place, then the specificity of the materials or herbs that the adventurer need to find. Without knowledge of the certain object or plant then the adventurer will be randomly picking things up so it would be a waste of time plus the reward will be lower. I think Greta is testing Eloah’s wisdom and knowledge.

I was about to run towards the merchant hall but Eloah saw me, so I approached him

“ So, are doing your first job,” I smile.

I watched Eloah’s reaction, he seem to be looking at my back. Geez...I wagged my tail.

“You mean test,” Eloah responded.

“ha ha ha! Hope you succeed!, I said it while glancing towards the merchant hall. I got a bad feeling.

“Is there something wrong,” Eloah asked politely.

“Ah, no! We have some crocodiles coming,” I laugh.

“Huh? Anyway, I have to go now,” Eloah said.

“ Farewell!, I said and ran towards the merchant hall entrance.

The entrance of the merchant hall is crowded. I even saw some of the adventurers I knew. I looked back and all I see is the back of Eloah approaching the gate of the city.

“Hey! Ragan this is bad,” Keen is hysterical.

“What happened?,” asked.

Keen whispered and said, “The curse return again, goes inside hurry! Gran needs help! Don’t worry I will gather the citizen and onlookers, I will handle them,”

I went inside the hall and close the door that was already opened. I saw three people. I can see Gran’s worried and horror face and the smell! How can I forget the smell! This smell killed almost 10,000 of my kin!

“Gran! Don’t tell me...,” I said in a concerned voice.

“The water god’s curse,” Gran said while his eyes are clouding.

“ Nooo...,” The father of the child said.

“Gran...we can asked the help of the bishop who will be coming anytime in this afternoon,” I asked.

“Does their skill really help? Those idiots’ help your kin remember? And all of them died! They were the ones who coined the cursed for their own benefits that they discovered them! ,” Gran was furious and helpless.

“But we have to try,” I asked calmly.

“Kindly place the child and the family in the abandoned house,” Gran said.

“Family....,” I said.

“Just like before, it will spread. Just give them food and clean water till they....,” Gran voice is breaking.

“ As you wish,” I said.

When me and the family came out, there are no people outside the merchant hall. It seems like Keen successfully disperse the people. I took the family in an abandon house few meters east of the Guild Hall. I gave them water and instruct the family not to get out. The family agreed as if they know their fate. I asked myself...why I am so helpless. I ran towards the merchant hall and saw the church’s carriage outside the hall.

-----------Gran’s POV

“Welcome to our humble place Bishop Carl Tiban,” I said.

Carl is a 5’7" obese person. He has a blond hair, dark eyes and white skin. He is around 55 years old. He is currently wearing a white robe. His staff is made up of silver and several jewels are embedded at the tip of his staff.

Carl sniffed and blurted, “Your place stinks, if not because of the Emperor’s plea then I will not come here. Did your prepare a room for me? If it is not I will file a complaint against you, similar to your stupid old man.

I want to kill the piece of shit but he got a body guard, a light bearer and a Oweseni in rank. So, just smile and calm down.

“Since you are a high rank bishop I think you can do this,” I smile.

“ Hmph! You piece of junk! Lead the way!,” Carl said.

We went outside and guide him to the abandon house and Ragan was already waiting for me. I asked him to go the guild hall to contain the people in there. We reached the abandoned house, I opened the door and the smell is just horrible.

“This is the curse of the water god,” Bishop widened his eyes. The bishop smile and said, “ It seems like you anger the god, the only one that can cure that curse will be the Pope himself. I doubt that the pope will give time for this barren land.”

“So, you will do nothing?,” I exclaimed.

“ Nope, the only thing that you can do is burned those piece of trash. The reason that they became like that it is because they angered they water god!,” Carl explained and grinning.

“So, basically you’re useless,” I told him

“Hmp! You know nothing! Carl shouted then he continues to talk and said, “I think I will go now, I don’t want to be curse by the angry god.” Carl said and walks out.

The Bishop went to the carriage and move out from the city.

“Sir...just follow the Bishop’s order,” mother of the child said.

“ I....need to think...first,” I said and close the door.

When I turned back I saw several parents and children running towards me for help. They seems to have the curse manifestations. Keen and Ragan came out from the guild hall and guided the cursed people towards the abandoned house to isolate them.

“I need to talk to the people,” I said.

“ My lord...they are already in the merchant hall,” Keen said politely then I nodded and walked towards the merchant hall.

--------------merchant hall

“I think you already know what happened. The curse of the water god returns.” I said in a calm voice.

The masses are talking, murmuring and some are shouting. Some of them blame the kids for whatever reasons they angered the god.

“SILENCE!” I shouted and everyone stop talking. “ I know that we are in deep trouble. The church refuse to help us and I myself is useless in this kind of situation. The Bishop who came here told me that I need to burn them in order to save us. My people let me hear thoughts about this. Please approach me, Keen or Ragan. I want to hear your thoughts or anything that could help those who are cursed.”

Ragan handed me a small paper.

“Currently the people who are sick are located in the abandoned house, east from the guild hall. The total cursed people are 25 adults and 100 children. If anyone of you knows how to cure them please let me hear your thoughts” I said.

-------------Inside the carriage.

“ ha ha ha ha I can't wait till the day that the entire city will turn into dust!” Carl is laughing.

“Why do you hate him so much,” Light bearer body guard said.

“It is not him, it was his late father. When I filed a complaint, the emperor sided with him! Why would I lie anyway,” Carl explained.

“You do realized that your were making those stories right, that is the reason the emperor sided with his late father,” Light bearer body guard responded.

“Who are you siding!? Hmph! May the Gods punished them! The cursed of the water god can’t be cured no matter how many expensive cures you drink. All of them will die." Carl explained.

“You are not even doing anything? Light bearer body guard asked.

“Nope, and besides they don’t have money,” Carl responded.

Light bearer body guard stared at Carl with disbelief looks.

----------Back to Eloah

“Wow! That carriage must be expensive. It seems to be out of place in this barren land,” I murmured.

The carriage is made up of wood with some flowerily design. The animal or beast that pulled the carriage looks like a yellow pachycephalosaurus.

I walk towards the entrance of the city and was greeted by the soldier. It seems like the soldier is worried about something. I nodded and went to the Guild hall.

-----------------Guild hall

Again there were no people. Seriously, where are the adventurers! I know this land is barren but even a barren land have people.

“Hello!,” I raised my voice.

Greta came out from her office. I handed her the herbs. Greta meticulously checks every leaf and she can’t help but smile.

“Is there something wrong,” I asked politely.

“ No there is nothing wrong. It is just the entire herbs are high grades.

“Grade what?,” I asked.

“When it comes to gathering especially materials for medicine or clothing or armors or weaponry, the guild uses the grade system. Grade 1 as the highest and grade 10 as the lowest.” Greta explained then she continue“the herbs that you picked: 30 are grade 6, ten grade 5 and ten grade 4.”

“Is that so,” I said.

“Wait me here, I will get your reward,” she said.

She went to his office then she came back and handed me a pouched with 5 small silver coins. The sized is about 2 cm in diameter.

“By the way where is everybody,” I asked.

“They are in the merchant hall. The curse of the water god appear again!,” she said while shivering.

“Huh? I said.

“You might not heard about it because you were not born back then. Several years ago when the Duke was still around 4 years old, the curse appeared in grand city which killed several kin of Ragan and residents. The church explained that it is the cursed of the water god. They believe that by burning the people either dead or alive they will stop the cursed. After they burned all the people who exhibit the cursed the cursed stop,” Greta asked.

“What are cursed manifestations, if I may asked,” I asked curiously

“Well, that would be dry skin, they have sunken eyes and constantly flowing water from its private parts,” Greta explained.

“What colour is the poop and its consistency,” I asked.

“The colour is off white and it smells. The consistency is watery,” Greta said.

“Thank you,” I said.

I walked out from the guild house. I saw several people outside the merchant hall. Ragan saw me and approached me.

“It would be better if you don’t see it, you are still young,” Ragan said.

“ Huh? What are talking about,” I asked.

“ Did Greta told about the disease?” Ragan said.

“Yes, what are you going to do,” I asked.

“Majority of the people voted that those who are affected by the disease will be burn dead or alive. This is not easy for the Duke,” Ragan explained.

“Where is he? I mean Gran,”? I asked

“He is inside the hall. The purification will start an hour from now,” Ragan said and he ran to the east of Guild hall.