Chapter 8 : You’re moving in here too?

"Orange… Orange?"

Bobo, still on the boat, was taken aback for a moment.

"Oh, I misspoke, I mean…"

"Stay here and don't move. I'll take care of the curse quickly, and I'll need you to ferry me back afterward." Nate glanced at the shore and asked, "Which way is the village?"

"Over there!" Bobo pointed in the direction, his expression serious. "Mr. Knight, I can't stay here long. I feel really uneasy. Please try to finish before nightfall…"

Nate waved casually and began walking in the direction Bobo had indicated.

After passing through a thick forest, signs of human activity began to appear. A village came into view, surrounded by tall wooden fences, with a towering gate at the front.

"Is anyone there?" Nate shouted toward the village.

Soon, the wooden gate lifted, and the village chief, along with a group of villagers, emerged.

"I'm Knight, a wizard from Fairy Tail. I've come to take care of your request. Who's the client?"

"I am," the village chief, Moka, said, stepping forward. "I just received the notice that the commission was accepted yesterday. You're already here today? That's fast."

The village chief was wrapped in a gray robe, his face hidden behind a veil, only his eyes visible.

"Are you here alone? Can you really handle the curse by yourself?" Moka sounded doubtful, seeing that Knight had come alone.

Nate removed the glove from his left hand, revealing the Fairy Tail emblem to confirm his identity. "No need for idle chatter. I've already learned everything I need to know about the curse on my way here."

"Before I lift the curse, though, have you prepared the reward?"

The village chief hesitated for a moment, a bit unsettled by Knight's directness. He wanted to explain more about the curse but swallowed his words.

"Uh... yes, of course. As long as you can lift the curse, the reward will be ready."

"Then I'll begin."

Nate nodded and looked up at the sky. It was noon, and the sun was blazing. Squinting slightly, he couldn't see the evil barrier with his naked eye, but based on its size and coverage of the island...

"Just need one good punch," Nate thought to himself.

He started channeling his magic, focusing it into his right fist. A soft, milky-white glow enveloped his hand, and the villagers, uncertain of what was happening, exchanged confused glances.

The village chief was about to say something when Nate suddenly struck the air with his fist.

"Air shock!"

Boom!

A deep, resonant sound echoed through the sky, and then, cracks began to form in the very atmosphere, as if the sky itself were shattering like glass.

The villagers gasped in awe, looking up.

"What's happening?"

"What's going to happen?"

"It seems like… nothing?"

Knight kept his gaze fixed on the sun's direction, counting down in his head: "Three... two... one..."

Crack, crack.

The cracks rapidly expanded, spreading across the sky in the blink of an eye. The villagers stared in shock.

"The sky... it's breaking?" someone exclaimed.

As the fractures multiplied, they reached a critical point. With a deafening shatter, the evil barrier that had enveloped the island exploded into countless shimmering fragments, which scattered in the wind.

"I... I remember now!"

"Yes, that's it! I understand!"

"We... we were demons all along!"

As the barrier dissipated, the villagers began to regain their memories. They stood stunned for a few moments, then erupted into cheers of relief and joy.

"It's gone! I remember everything now!"

One by one, the villagers removed their gray robes, revealing their demon forms. In no time, a village full of demons stood before Nate's eyes.

The village chief, now in his demon form as well, approached Nate, shaking his hand fervently.

"Thank you so much! I didn't think the curse that plagued us for so long could be solved this easily! You truly are a Fairy Tail wizard!"

"No need for the flattery," Nate said, slightly uncomfortable with the demons' appearance as he discreetly pulled his hand away. "Now, what about the reward?"

True to his word, the village chief didn't break the agreement. He immediately instructed the villagers to gather the promised payment.

"This curse has haunted us for three years. At first, we thought it was some kind of infectious disease, transforming us into monsters by night."

"We consulted dozens of doctors, but none could help us."

"Looking back, it was because we mistook our human forms for our true selves," some villagers remarked while trying to piece together their memories.

"All the same, we're deeply grateful to you!"

Nate smiled. Despite their fearsome appearances, these demons were, at heart, no different from regular villagers.

Soon enough, Nate received his payment: a magic bank card with 7 million J on it, and a golden Zodiac Key.

"Well, my job here is done. Goodbye," Nate said, turning to leave.

"Wait, Mr. Knight! You've come all this way. Why not stay for the banquet?" one villager called out.

Without looking back, Nate waved his hand. "Thanks, but no thanks. If the curse returns, feel free to request me for after-sales service."

The Moon Drop ritual was still ongoing, and Nate wasn't entirely sure if the evil barrier would reappear.

Back at the coast, Bobo was waiting, just as promised. When Nate returned, Bobo asked in confusion, "What… what happened?"

"It's done. Take me back," Nate said simply.

"Huh?"

Bobo blinked, dumbfounded. It had only been an hour. Could the curse really be broken that quickly?

But then he remembered seeing the sky shatter earlier. Rubbing his head, he murmured, "The discomfort seems to be gone. Did you really lift the curse of that demon?"

"Once you drop me off, go back to the village and see for yourself," Nate chuckled as he boarded the boat.

…

Just as Nate left, a figure sat high atop a tree near the village. A floating magic crystal hovered beside them.

"Amazing… magic powerful enough to shatter the sky," the figure murmured.

The figure reached up and removed a mask, revealing that they were, in fact, a woman. Her voice shifted accordingly.

"Interesting… the Fairy Tail wizard didn't investigate the temple and just left? Ha, quite the interesting bunch."

…

By the time Nate returned to Hargeon, it was already two in the afternoon.

Now considerably wealthier, he promptly purchased a ticket for the next train. While waiting, he wandered into a magic shop.

"Here you go, sir, the magic glasses you requested," the shopkeeper said, pulling out a pair from behind the counter.

"Magic glasses," Nate confirmed as he tried them on.

These magic glasses allowed the wearer to read books at incredible speeds. He had always wanted them but could never afford them.

After confirming they worked, Nate asked, "How much?"

"One hundred fifty thousand J."

Expensive.

Nate couldn't help but think about how, in the past, he had worked tirelessly for a whole month, earning just over 100,000 J. But now that he was flush with cash, he bought them without hesitation.

With his new glasses and the train ride ahead, Nate was thrilled. As soon as he boarded, he finished reading the second half of his magic book in just one hour.

The rest of the journey was spent planning out the new enhancements for his personal magical library.

By nine that night, the train arrived at Magnolia.

Nate didn't head to the guild right away. Instead, he returned directly to his apartment. Upon reaching the door, he was surprised to see someone moving in next door.

"Nate?"

Lucy, in the midst of unpacking, looked up with wide eyes.

Nate raised an eyebrow. "Well, what a coincidence. You're moving in here too?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Please support me on patreon.com/ihatesakura

To read Chapters in Advance go to patreon.com/ihatesakura

All Advance chapters in just $6