Could this be why Heisenberg tried to kill me early on? Because of Ada's arrival?
I let out a dry chuckle at the absurdity of it all.
Ada's presence would safeguard me in the future, yes…
But it could have also been the reason for my death before.
And beyond that, it didn't change the fact that she was risking her position to oppose Leonidas.
I chose not to tell her about what happened on the train. I was grateful to her and didn't want her to feel burdened by guilt.
"Don't get the wrong idea, kid."
This time, it was Vulcan who spoke.
"It's not your sister who's in a tough spot right now. It's quite the opposite."
"What do you mean?"
A brief silence followed before the old butler explained further.
"With his latest move, Leonidas has backed himself into a corner more than ever before. The entire younger generation stands behind Lady Ada, and she controls over 90% of the family's operations. Aside from the family's elders, no one supports Leonidas. We are not lacking in any way…"
Vulcan then turned his gaze toward Carmen, who immediately understood his implication.
"Yeah, we won't lose in terms of combat power either."
Carmen smirked, gesturing proudly toward herself.
"Because I'm here."
Hearing this concise summary of the current power dynamics within the Starlight Family, I finally began to grasp just how capable my sister truly was.
"Is that true?"
I directed my question straight to her.
She seemed somewhat flustered by the direct praise.
"Uhm… I wouldn't say we're completely ahead… But we do have the upper hand. Though, I have no idea what that old man might do in our absence."
I nodded at her with a smile. At the very least, I now had solid backing.
For the next hour, we discussed in detail what was to come for the Moonlight Family—who I should be wary of, what actions I needed to take, and so on.
Ada's presence would prevent them from making reckless moves, but that didn't mean they would simply surrender.
The door to possibilities remained wide open.
I was organizing my thoughts when suddenly, a strange sensation crept into my chest.
I exhaled a small breath of cold air, feeling as though ice was seeping into my very core.
"What's wrong?"
Ada was quick to notice my state, but I waved her off.
"It's nothing… The air just feels a little cold."
She scrutinized me for a moment, fully aware that this level of cold shouldn't affect people like us.
Fortunately, she didn't press further.
But I wasn't in any condition to reassure her.
It felt as though an icy dagger was stabbing into my heart.
And the further we moved forward, the worse it became.
'What the hell is happening to me?'
"We're approaching Winterfell."
Carmen's voice snapped me back to reality, alerting me to something important.
This strange sensation… It coincided with our entry into the Moonlight Family's domain.
'No way… Could this actually be happening?'
"I need some time alone."
I rose to my feet and stepped away from the group.
There was something I needed to confirm.
Without hesitation, I pulled out my laptop and accessed the system menu.
I intended to ask about the issue immediately, but I didn't even have to.
Because a brand-new list of missions had just appeared before me.
---
[Main Missions]
Survive the Train Mission: 1000
Achievement Points (Completed)
Reach Rank C before the end of the training period: 1000 Achievement Points
Survive the Moonlight Family's Conspiracy: 1000 Achievement Points
---
The list was unusually full this time, offering a considerable number of points.
But none of these missions were what truly caught my attention.
It was the fourth mission that appeared right below them.
---
"Cursed! You are cursed. Your fate is no longer in your own hands. Break free or embrace your demise."
Reward: 2000 Achievement Points
Failure Consequence: Death of the Host
Time Limit: 30 Days
---
I stared blankly at the words in front of me.
"I… am cursed?"
A sharp pain throbbed in my head as I tried to process the information.
When? How?
It was impossible for such a powerful curse to be placed on me without my awareness.
And if it had, then it must have happened a long time ago…
"Damn it, Frey…"
That useless idiot never failed to disappoint me.
First, I had to deal with the mess he left behind…
And now, this? A curse?
I found myself sinking into a whirlwind of thoughts.
Setting aside the curse itself, I didn't even know who had cast it.
How the hell was I supposed to undo it in less than 30 days?
Worse than ever before, I was completely cornered this time.
---
---
---
While Frey was drowning in his predicament…
A pair of sharp eyes studied him intently.
Selina's gaze shifted toward Danzo and Ghost, who sat beside her.
Their journey had been lively with Danzo around.
Even someone as silent as Ghost had spoken more than usual, giving her the opportunity to analyze their personalities more deeply.
She was organizing her thoughts now.
"Danzo Smasher—strong physique and high endurance. Good potential, possibly exceeding S-rank talent. But he lacks anything truly unique, and he's far too straightforward… Not him."
Her focus then turned to Ghost.
"Son of Mist—refused to reveal his true abilities even when facing an opponent far stronger than himself. Highly analytical and possesses unknown potential. His talent is at least SS-rank… But assassins like him are merely tools for killing. Not him either."
Finally, Selina's gaze returned to the black-haired young man with those chilling eyes.
She recalled the moment he had thrown both of them off the train… And how he had then trapped Heisenberg right after.
"Frey Starlight—unknown abilities, unknown past. Possesses a power or artifact capable of sealing magic. Exceptional ability to navigate extreme situations, even managing to corner an SS-rank Awakened. It's said his talent is only A-rank… But what he has displayed is far beyond that."
Selina's expression grew colder as everything began to align.
"The probability that he's the one they're after… 99%."
At that moment, Frey Starlight had no idea…
That he was already surrounded from all sides.
...
...
...
Author's Note:
"Selina" refers to the Year of the Unknown Past within the Nightmare Lands.