Cursed

Shiro POV

This is not going well for us. Quinn and I are both pretty much out of energy. All we can do is keep moving. They probably blocked the entrance so it'd be suicide to go there, but behind us is a pissed off werewolf. Making our way down the familiar corridor, some double doors opened and out popped a familiar face.

"Finally! It is complete!" I could hear the Burger Prince announce as he held up a plate of what looked like a Cheese-Burger. I am honestly getting weird vibes from it. He turned to see us nearby. "Ah! My friends, would you like to be the first to experience magnificence!?" he exclaimed with bright stars in his blue eyes

CRASH!

We all turned to see the massive furry monstrosity appear in the distance. His eyes looked completely bloodshot, wow he must be pissed! I turned to Quinn and gestured a bit towards the Prince.

"Hey!" Quinn snatched the plate in the Prince's hand as he understood what I was getting at.

"I think the big guy would be the best taste tester in this case." I savagely grinned as I took off my conical hat. Waiting for the right moment, I see the furball lunge straight towards us. I threw the hat out like a frisbee as Quinn threw the plate in quick succession.

I'm guessing he didn't think much of the hat, so he was surprised when it impacted his face. He opened his mouth in pain as the burger on the plate found it's way into the opening. With a last burst of speed, Quinn and I appeared right before the stunned werewolf and slammed his mouth shut for him.

We watched with interest as the werewolf began to claw at his throat for a moment before falling over while foaming at the mouth. Quinn and I shared a manly bro fist in victory.

"Maybe I put in too much demon extract?" The prince questioned as he looked at the result of his culinary skills.

"Don't worry too much about it, I'd say you just have to keep trying." I told him good-naturedly before we ran off again at the sound of approaching guards.

∞

Outside the King's bed chamber, there was an assortment of people waiting in line to try their hand at curing the Burger King. It was quite the sight of doctors, priests, and healers standing with their single guards. It was due to the fact that they were only allowed to bring one guard to escort them within the castle.

Despite the fact that there weren't any castle guards outside the room to facilitate them anymore due to the recent intrusion of the treasury. The people in line were still respectful enough to wait their turn one by one as the servant allowed them entrance one by one. However there was of course one exception.

"Tsk, someone like me being expected to wait in line like this. It's outrageous!" The man in white robe yelled out indignantly despite being next to enter as he stroked his long white beard. He was of course a prideful man who didn't think much of the Burger Kingdom, and now that the guards disappeared. He had no reservations about criticizing every little thing.

"What? Do you backwater hicks have a problem with what I said!?" He noticed the people in line giving him looks. No one responded as they didn't want to make trouble. They were all practitioners of the art of healing, conflict wasn't what they desired.

The man with the beard huffed as he turned to his own escort, however he blinked for a moment when he noticed it wasn't the same guard he brought with him. The person in front of him was wearing incredibly heavy looking plate armor that covered everything except for the slot at the mouth. The mini golem looking man had a smirk displayed on the slot of helmet.

Before the bearded man could formulate a question, he was immediately struck from the back and knocked out cold. Shiro quickly stripped him of his white robes and ripped the beard off his face. Disguising himself as the bearded healer, he threw the man in his boxers to the back of the line as guards appeared.

"What's going on? We heard a commotion!" Everyone in line seemed to look at the unfortunate stripped healer on the ground as they didn't speak up for him due to his earlier rudeness. The guards glanced at the man in his boxers, as they pulled him away thinking he was some troublemaker.

Shiro stroked the white beard that he just froze to his face as the door to the bed chamber opened, allowing him entrance. With a confident smirk on his face, he stepped through with Quinn as they had finally lost the guards.

∞

Shiro POV

Well, that was much easier than I thought it'd be. Nice of the rest of the people in line to not care about me assaulting that random guy and cutting in line. Now I just need to buy some more time before I get sent out of the room. I'm not a healer, so I'll have to bullshit my way through this as usual.

[Host, update has been completed. Information is up to date.] I hear the System inform me as my eyes lit up.

Nice, it was annoying when I wasn't able to ask the system for relevant info. Maybe the System could help me out in this situation.

"Please be respectful, the King is waiting for you on his bed." the servant respectfully spoke as he allowed me to move closer to the bed. There were only 2 guards stationed on both sides of the door, I guess security is low since everyone is searching for us.

"Greetings your majesty" I gave a slight bow as I allowed the white robes I stole from the other guy, to flow with a slight self generated wind as it made me look like an expert.

"...No need for formalities." The King breathed out slowly. His blonde hair looked nearly white and his skin was wrinkled like a prune. The man was dying, even I could see that. This didn't seem natural, is this guy poisoned or something?

"Allow me to diagnose you then." I spoke as I took slow measured steps to buy as much time as possible. The King was strong, I could feel it. If he wasn't in such a miserable state, I'm pretty sure he could make short work of me.

[I detect the residual presence of a curse] The system spoke as I stopped my steps next to the bedside.

A curse? Well at least I can make myself seem competent, let's try some basic questioning then. "How long do you believe it's been since you were cursed?" I spoke calmly as I attempted to exude the presence of an all knowing expert as I stroked the stolen white beard.

"...Why do you think that I am cursed?" the King asked incredulously as he believed himself to be Ill due to another reason.

"I can sense the presence of a curse within you. Now, when do you believe you were inflicted with this curse?" I repeated, waiting for his answer.

The King seemed take a moment in deep thought as he opened his eyes to respond. "I believe it was a little more than a year ago, I was visiting the Kingdom of Trost for my friend's party, King Vran. A month after my return, I failed my second awakening and fell ill."

"Do you believe King Vran was responsible?" I asked as the timing of such a thing was too suspicious.

"No, he has no reason to. His daughter is engaged to my son, Jack. It's my fault anyway, it was my failure that led to my current condition." he dismissed the idea of his friend betraying him. Failing an awakening is always dangerous and can be fatal.

"From what I heard, there was a princess who broke their engagement with the Prince." I spoke remembering the Prince's drunk ranting as he seemed stunned. Guess he didn't know after being bedridden for so long.

"But... why?" he spoke out loud, more to himself. "There is no reason to do such a thing!" he started to become enraged until he broke out in a violent cough.

"Your Majesty!" the maid cried out worried.

"Relax, we can think of such things after you are cured." I placated him

"You can cure me?" he seemed to cling on to hope as I stroked my beard. I wonder if I should grow my own beard, this is kind of fun.

"Only time will tell, I must first diagnose you." I calmly responded to his hope. I reached my hand out. "Please do not resist, I must scan you myself." I inform him, he wasn't wary as he felt himself to be dead soon anyway.

'System, how will you scan him?' I asked the system as I didn't know anything like structural grasp or anything similar.

[Send a pulse of mana through his body and I will do the rest.] the system instructed

I placed my palm on his chest and flared what little mana I had left in me. I was still exhausted from the fight earlier, so I didn't have to hold back. Using the last bit of mana I had at my disposal, a blue ripple visibly dispersed on the King's body.

[Condition verified] my eyes lit up at the information displayed before me.

∞