Jigglypuff's Diary

“It’s all well and good that everything went well, but I certainly wasn’t expecting even the practical application to go this smoothly.” [Rosenberg]

Rosenberg-sama looked both impressed and troubled as he smiled. To be honest, I felt the same.

Warlock Arts was magic, and yet it came to me more naturally than any magic I’ve come across.

It’s true that Eleonora-san and I spoke about how quickly I picked up magic, but it was still especially fast for Warlock Arts.

“Not that I’m doubting you or anything, but you haven’t studied warlock arts before, have you?” [Rosenberg]

“My first time learning it was definitely with Remilie Clemis-sama, but I was ignorant and ended up cursed.” [Ryouma]

In general, I haven’t been studying magic for long. But as I’d mentioned to Eleonora-san, I’ve been consuming a ton of fantasy works, mostly Japanese manga and anime, so that’s probably what’s giving me an edge as far as visualization goes.

“My grandmother did have some books, though, and I happened to read them when I was younger. Some of those stories spoke about warlock arts. Maybe that helped?” [Ryouma]

“Oh? What kind of warlock arts?” [Rosenberg]

The first thing that came to mind was the Cursing Ritual of the Hour of the Ox that I mentioned earlier, then there were the other famous ones that included the Kodoku and the Inugami, both of which involve dangerous magic.

Kodoku, also known as Kojutsu, involves putting poisonous creatures into a jar so that they might kill each other until just one remains, then that last creature is used to kill others.

Inugami involves burying a dog up to its neck, placing food where it can’t reach until it starves, then just before it dies of hunger and lunges for food, you cut off its head. From there, you either use its spirit or dispatch it to possess and kill someone. Well, at least that’s how I remember it.

There were all sorts of variations for either story, some embellished no doubt, so there were bound to be some inaccuracies, but one common theme was that they all reeked of forbidden magic.

I explained as such to Rosenberg-sama, and his face grew increasingly grim.

“Is it a problem just knowing about these spells?” [Ryouma]

“No, just knowing isn’t an issue. Such spells weren’t uncommon long ago. Anyone serious about being a warlock is bound to learn of them sooner or later.

However, those sort of spells, especially those involving the sacrifice, killing, and torture of living beings are forbidden in today’s world. You must never use them.” [Rosenberg]

According to him, a sacrifice was essentially a substitute for a magic stone. All things contained mana. Blood was especially rich with it, so killing a living being was once a way to absorb, or supplement, or amplify mana.

The torture was also to facilitate the conversion of mana. Just as magic stones are chosen to match the element of a spell, the suffering of the victim would fill them with negative emotions, allowing their mana to become more suitable for the curse and thus amplify the result.

“Accidents like that merchant you mentioned must’ve happened a lot then.” [Ryouma]

“Such accidents were quite common indeed. That’s why these practices are now banned. Still, there are those who can’t resist the temptation of power. There are also those who harm themselves under the guise of ‘ascetic training’ to strengthen their abilities. It’s more common than you’d think.” [Rosenberg]

Sacrificial rituals tend to leave traces, especially if they involve other people. It’s a crime now, so offenders will be apprehended, warlock or not. But inflicting pain on oneself isn’t considered a crime, and many gradually accept it, believing it to be a legitimate form of training.

Moreover, if someone with past trauma becomes a warlock, their trauma makes it hard to tell if they’re just being ‘ascetic’ or genuinely suffering, so the practice is heavily discouraged, though not strictly prohibited.

“Of course, you can’t go through life without experiencing pain, but harming yourself on purpose is never acceptable, and any attempt to amplify negative emotions remain a dangerous act. Should you one day meet a warlock who trains that way, or someone who encourages you to, do not follow them under any circumstances.” [Rosenberg]

“Of course, Rosenberg-sama. By the way, how do warlock generally train?” [Ryouma]

“Through meditation and introspection of course. For example, one could ponder the emotion of anger and ask–what is it that he feels anger for? Why does it make him feel that way? Once he knows the cause, he can then begin pondering how to solve it. Something like that.” [Rosenberg]

So, like counseling? Or mental care? He used anger as an example, so it reminded me of that anger management course I once took during my company days.

“I’m not sure if it’s the same, but that sounds similar to something I was once made to do. I’m also familiar with meditation as part of martial arts training.” [Ryouma]

“I see. Well, emotional control and mental healing are important for everyone, not just warlocks. Some warlocks even go out of their way to teach the general public. Perhaps, without realizing it, you’ve already undergone warlock arts training yourself, Ryouma.” [Rosenberg]

Rosenberg-sama seemed satisfied with that explanation, but I personally find it surprising that there are actually warlocks that excel in counseling and mental care.

Then again, since warlock training involves negative emotions and is potentially harmful to oneself, it only makes sense that they would also develop techniques to cope with that.

“Anyhow, since you know how to cast the spell after purification, let’s proceed to Curse Removal.” [Rosenberg]

Rosenberg-sama gestured behind me.

When I turned around, I saw Sebasu-san at a distance arranging a table and some chairs over the barren ground then using magic to bring out a large number of boxes.

There were even more boxes than yesterday, and they came in all manner of shapes and size.

I took a seat and watched as he opened the largest one first, only to reveal even more boxes packed tightly inside.

“Inside every one of these small boxes is a cursed object, or what we commonly refer to as a cursed item.” [Rosenberg]

“All of these? Just at a glance, there must be at least fifty.” [Ryouma]

“We can’t predict what might happen if cursed items are left unattended, so it is required by law that they be promptly processed or put away as soon as they are found.” [Rosenberg]

If the owner requests purification from a warlock or exorcist, they can keep the item, but if they decide it’s not worth the purification cost, they can relinquish ownership.

The item then passes through the guards or guilds to be brought to a storage facility prepared by the local lord, where practitioners or exorcists purify or destroy the object.

What makes cursed items frightening is that they look no different from normal items, so they can easily end up for sale at antique markets or street stalls without anyone even realizing it.

“These came from the Jamil House’s Repository. I withdrew them under my name for training purposes. Cursed items come in everyday from all over their territory, so the facility is always understaffed. They can’t purify them fast enough, so the stockpile just keeps growing. The staff were quite pleased to have me take some off their hands.” [Rosenberg]

“Isn’t that pretty bad?” [Ryouma]

“They still have room to spare. Ideally, each territory will handle their own purification, but if that’s not possible, neighboring lords can work together and find other facilities before capacity fills. There’s no need to worry.” [Rosenberg]

Work at the repository can be flexible, some purify just once a day, while others, like Rosenberg-sama, take home an entire batch to clean in their spare time. Warlocks are paid by the item, so for new warlocks, it’s treated almost like a convenient side job.

I tried purifying one using Curse Transfer myself, and of course, it worked without issue. With so many cursed items and all my mana to spend, I just kept purifying them one after another, until at some point, it began to feel like factory work. It was oddly nostalgic from my student days. I actually enjoyed the rhythm. Maybe this kind of work suits me.

However, there were just too many cursed items. I thought there were only about fifty, but the actual number was far beyond that.

“We can just return the ones that can’t be purified, so there’s no need to overexert yourself. We have Sebasu-dono here for that. I brought a lot just so we had some extra in case we ran short.” [Rosenberg]

“That’s a load off my back, but it doesn’t feel right to leave an easy task unfinished. Besides, this should serve as a form of training for warlock arts too, so I’d like to keep at it until noon.” [Ryouma]

“If you’re that motivated, I see no reason to stop you.” [Rosenberg]

That being said, purifying one by one felt too inefficient. Unfortunately, grouping multiple cursed items together was considered dangerous, as sometimes the curses would react to each other and cause strange phenomena. For safety reasons, mass purification can’t be recommended.

But I wonder, could slimes use warlock arts? If dark slimes, which can use dark magic, could perform warlock arts, it would really be a huge help.

Once the idea hit me, I couldn’t help but try it out. Of course, after asking for permission.

So, I summoned a Dark Slime from my Dimension Home and placed a cursed ring and a magic stone for Curse Transfer on the table and demonstrated the process.

“Watch closely, all right? Curse Transfer.” [Ryouma]

I took my own mana and wrapped it around the sinister mana clinging to the ring. As I erased the sinister mana, I made sure to purify the ring thoroughly before transferring the mana into the magic stone.

After confirming that the ring no longer contained the curse’s energy, I ended the spell.

I had the Dark Slime observe the entire sequence, then I prepared another cursed item for it to try.

“Can you do it?” [Ryouma]

The Dark Slime extended its tendrils across the table to touch at the cursed earring and its magic stone. For a moment, it released a faint trace of mana, but the curse didn’t transfer.

“That’s too bad.” [Ryouma]

It’s easy to forget since they’re so expressive and even train on their own, but slimes are magical beasts with only the faintest trace of self-awareness. No matter how sentient they seem, they still act mostly on instinct. Perhaps, that’s why they can’t use warlock arts. Maybe, they don’t have the emotion for it.

As I was thinking that to myself, the Dark Slime gently set the earring and magic stone back on the table, and I reached out to retrieve them, but it was then that I noticed something strange.

“Rosenberg-sama, this earring… Hasn’t the curse disappeared?” [Ryouma]
“You’re right. I didn’t sense the curse being transferred, but it’s gone now. Where did it go?” [Rosenberg]

“…Perhaps, the slime ate the curse? Though curses may be distorted by negative emotion, fundamentally, they are still dark-attribute mana and Dark Slimes like dark mana.” [Ryouma]

It wasn’t the result I was expecting, but the result was undeniable–the curse was gone.

“Let me test something.” [Ryouma]

I imagined a light flu and released a small amount of cursed mana as I would when feeding slimes.

The Dark Slime eagerly extended its tendrils, and it happily absorbed the mana emanating from my hand just like it would during feeding time.

Just like that, I confirmed it. The Dark Slime can indeed consume cursed mana.

Come to think of it, back in the Town of Departed Spirits, the Dark Slimes were absorbing the ambient mana too.

At the time, I thought they were just feeding as usual since the Demon King’s fragment was buried there.

But now that I think about it, that whole area was dripping with miasma just like the old execution site. Even without the Demon King’s fragment, the place would have been thick with curses.

Could it be that this ability had already begun manifesting back then, and I just didn’t realize it? If so, then…

“What a failure.” [Ryouma]

“Takebayashi-sama!?” [Sebasu]

“Are you all right? What’s wrong all of a sudden?” [Eleonora]

“Ah, my apologies. It’s just that as a researcher of slimes, I’ve just realized that I’ve made a grave oversight.” [Ryouma]

Sebasu-san knew me well enough, but Eleonora-san and Rosenberg-sama were clearly baffled and startled. I owe them an apology, but for now.

“For now, Rosenberg-sama, may I use the rest of the cursed items as well?” [Ryouma]

Now that I’ve confirmed that this Dark Slime could absorb cursed mana, I wanted to observe it further as it fed.

The way it eagerly consumed the curse earlier suggested there might be potential for evolution.

And so, what began as curse removal practice soon turned into slime observation.

“Yes! It’s happening! It’s happening!”

Cursed Slime (Curse Slime)

Dark Magic Lv3 Warlock Arts Lv3 Dark Resistance Lv8 Curse Resistance Lv5 Absorb Dark Mana Lv2 Absorb Curse Lv3 Jump Lv1 Digestion Lv3 Absorb Lv3 Split Lv1

After absorbing the curses from numerous cursed items, the Dark Slime successfully evolved into Cursed Slime!

“No external changes. Same size, same color, same shadowy black gleam. Visually, there’s no way to tell the difference between its pre- and post-evolutionary forms. But ability-wise, it’s gained curse-related skills and resistances on top of its dark magic traits.

So it ‘ate’ the curse through the Absorb Curse skill? I never got to test it before, but the Dark Slime fed on dark magic, so it could feed on dark mana to weaken the power of a dark spell.

While I was completely lost in studying the newly evolved slime, I forgot about the others altogether, and I failed to notice that the three adults had begun to watch me with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to realize that until much much later.