I Woke Up In A Completely Different World! 23 Cursed Part Iii

I'm getting used to waking up early; which means that I could do a lot more than usual!

Getting up to see everyone, Dai-tai, Niroja, and Young Mi in the living room, sound asleep. This home is starting to feel like a lounge now that everyone is back and staying over more often.

It's actually fun and everyone loved the cookies I made!

Noting that Lilith's futon was empty, I searched the likely place where she'd be, Steven's room. She's been secretive to him about it, but she's been nursing him while he slept.

I find her, as expected, gently combing his hair with her right-hand fingers while using her other hand that was glowing a deep purple to keep his health in shape. After noticing me, she puts her finger to her lip as to ask me to keep quiet.

Choosing to sit across from her, she finishes up by checking his temperature by hand.

Lilith: "He's still burning, but I think he shouldn't be as fatigued as before. I know he'll be feeling better in a couple more days."

Madelyn: "That's good."

That's one weight off of everyone's shoulders.

Lilith: "He looks really peaceful."

She smiles.

Lilith: "What do you think?"

He looks like someone that's indulging in the fact that he's being coddled by so many women. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up faking it later on.

Madelyn: "I guess he is."

I'll make sure that doesn't happen.

A minute of silence between us and a slight curiosity begs me to ask about the 2 of them.

Madelyn: "Why did you fight with Steven?"

Lilith: "I guess I was blind. I wanted… wanted to impress my dad so much that… I didn't think about how I was affecting him. Then I realized that dad pa.s.sed away, and since, it made me think. I… don't think sorry would be enough for him."

She struggles to get the words out.

Madelyn: "I'll help you in any way I can."

Lilith: "I lied to him. I told him that I was actually curious about how he'd adapt to a different society. He might think I'm pathetic if I told him the truth."

I reach out and pat her on the head and she gives me a bittersweet smile.

Young Mi: "Madelyn, you need to see this!"

I immediately go and investigate what was going on. Young Mi was peeking out the window as the other 2 get dressed and run outside. I slip into my shoes to see what was going on. Which could be anything; what could be happening early in the morning?

Young Mi: "Everyone, wait!"

Standing down the street was the evil Elf, Wilburt, and Biyu from the Royal Family. We stood in shock when Young Mi calmly walks out and stands in front of us acting as a body s.h.i.+eld. Biyu, preparing for a fight, pulls her hood up and enters a fighting stance.

Wilburt: "Ah, I recognize you. You're past due for execution. Where is the other one and Lady Lilith?"

Steven: "I'm right—right here."

He exits the house, using the walls to keep himself standing. Slowly making his way besides all of us and finally standing on his own. Wilburt noticed his weakened state and laughs.

Wilburt: "And what are you going to do? Limp towards me? You wouldn't last a minute against me!"

Steven: "Maybe, but I won't sit around and let you hurt these people."

Wilburt: "We'll see about that."

He slowly raises his hand and with a quick downward thrust, a knife is thrown at Steven. Before he was able to react, Lilith jumps in the way, taking the knife in the right side of her chest and collapsing to the floor, letting out a loud painful scream.

It happened so fast!

Madelyn: "Lilith!"

Biyu: "Wilburt, you moron!"

She berates him when she realizes Lilith took the blade.

Steven: "Li-lith?"

He stands there, shocked before gritting his teeth.

Steven: "Holy Warrior!"

He explodes in a flash of light, moving as fast as the wind. He moved so quickly that the dirt kicked up and a small wind blew in the direction he went. Appearing in front of Wilburt and using a sword made of pure light to pierce him in the chest, with such a force that he falls back hard on the floor as blood rushed out of his wound.

He then jumps behind all of us before the light surrounding him faded and he drops to the floor like a ragdoll.

Biyu: "d.a.m.n it!"

Young Mi: "Dai-tai, Niroja, grab Lilith and Steven and take them inside, now!"

She demanded.

Young Mi: "Lady Biyu, you annoyed the wrong person."

Young Mi removes the new coat that Steven and the others bought for everyone and pa.s.ses it to me. Her hair faded into an ice white, and eyes become a pale blue, like the color of her hands when she uses magic. A small blue diamond-shaped marking materializes just below her left eye and the rest of her body is enveloped in a thin layer of ice that continuously boils into a small mist.

Biyu: "Impossible… Ice?!"

Young Mi: "I'll give you a choice; leave, and never come back, or, be used as a target for my Iced Spears."

Biyu: "And by what—"

She's interrupted by a shard of ice grazing her neck and cutting through her hair."

Biyu: "I… I'll leave, Wight, but don't think I'll be gone forever."

Another shard of ice zips through the air and hits Biyu in the leg, making her fall and scream in pain.

Young Mi: "Try it, and you won't live to see another day."

Biyu: "d.a.m.n you!"

Young Mi: "Be thankful that your sister wishes you to still be alive! Now leave and never come back!"

She shouted; her voice echoes throughout the small road in the village.

More and more of the villagers start coming out investigating the commotion. Seeing that she'll have little to no chance against so many villagers and a Wight, she hurriedly grabs what's left of Wilburt and disappears behind the nearby treeline.

Villager #1: "What's all the commotion, Young Mi?"

Villager #2: "Were the people that ran into the trees bandits?"

Young Mi: "Could you ask Nikita to come to the house, please? It's important."

Villager #2: "I'll do it."

Young Mi: "Thank you."

Before being able to fully understand what just happened, Young Mi gently pushes me back inside. Sighing when she sees Lilith silently up against the wall trying to heal herself with magic and Steven knocked out on one of the futons.

Young Mi: "I told you all to wait. Lilith and Steven wouldn't have been injured."

Niroja: "I'm sorry, mama."

Dai-tai: "Sorry, mom."

Madelyn: "Now wait, it happened so fast. Besides, we didn't know Lilith and Steven would end up like this. I'm still trying to understand what happened."

I came to everyone's defense.

Lilith: "I, ow, Madelyn's right, Miss Young Mi."

She grunted.

Young Mi: "Well, maybe so, just listen to me next time. When Nikita asks what happened we all tell him Madelyn and Steven chased off Biyu, understood?"

Madelyn: "But I didn't—"

Young Mi: "I said, understood?"

Madelyn: "Yes."

Young Mi: "Good, I'll be tending to Lilith."

Dai-tai: "What about Steven?"

Young Mi: "He used all his Magic Power, let him rest and keep an eye on him, please. I'll have to talk to him later."

To be exerting himself as he did, and with magic! I should ask him if he'll teach me.

…

(Steven's POV)

(3 hours later.)

The sweet smell of bakery treats wake me up.

Slowly sitting up to notice I was in the living room and not my own room. It obviously means what happened wasn't a dream and Biyu discovered the location of the village. n.o.body was nearby to help me figure out what exactly happened either.

Feeling disappointed, I lay back down into the futon. I actually killed someone I wasn't supposed to. The Elven-slave-servant from the palace.

Steven: "Madelyn?"

No response from the kitchen, so she's not there.

Madelyn might tell me what I want and she's probably in her room. My body feels weak, but it's not as bad as before. The door to her door was slightly cracked open and a.s.suming that I wouldn't intrude on her, I opened the door completely.

Lilith stood in front of me, topless with her chest wrapped in bandages. She notices me and screams before I slam the door shut.

Lilith: "Why the h.e.l.l did you not knock?! Do you want me to kill you?!"

Steven: "The door was open!"

Lilith: "That doesn't mean you can just walk in!"

I sigh deeply.

She actually took the knife for me.

The kitchen smells sweet even though n.o.body is home. Laying back down on the futon to rest, I immediately notice the small pile of fresh cookies in the kitchen was responsible for the sweet smell.

I just sat down and don't want to get back up.

Lilith: "Be glad I don't have my Grimoire with me."

She comes out, visibly irritated and now fully clothed as usual.

I had forgotten that I took her Grimoire from her.

Steven: "Did you ever get it back?"

Lilith: "My sister, Mei, took it when you were at your Academy. She still has it."

I'm not sure if that's good or bad that they have it back.

Lilith: "So, I, uh, saw what you did to Wilburt."

He has to be dead from a strike from the Holy element. Especially since I got him dead-on in the chest. Will Lilith be upset with me? She might finally have a reason to attack me.

Lilith: "But it's fine, I never liked him. He'd berate and hit the other servants just because he was the Head Servant. And his ego! I hope you knocked him down a bit a.s.suming he's alive."

Steven: "I… oh, alright."

I don't enjoy being uncouth, but this whole Wilburt and Biyu situation is f.u.c.ked. What if they come back with an army?

Lilith sees the cookies and grabs one, breaking them apart and eating it piece by piece. It's making me crave one right now.

Steven: "Could you get me one?"

Lilith: "Mm~ you should try one of these, Steven!"

She sits in front of me and offers me a bite by putting a piece in front of my face. Before I was able to decide if I should, Young Mi walks in. Looking at us slightly surprised that we're actually next to each other.

Young Mi: "Getting along is important and all but you should be doing things one step at a time."

Lilith: "His loss."

She eats the rest of the cookie much to my dismay.

Young Mi: "On a serious note, I never thanked you properly for saving Niroja, Steven."

Steven: "It's not necessary, Young Mi."

I already got a chest full of money and a really beautiful necklace.

Young Mi: "At least hear me out."

Steven: "Alright."

Lilith and I give her our full attention.

Young Mi: "I want to teach you magic. The Ice element, specifically."

Steven: "Ice?"

Lilith: "Ice?"

We both said in unison.

Ice should be extinct.

Young Mi: "Yes, it shouldn't be a surprise, I am 885 years old."

Lilith: "And the last known use of the Ice element was just over 500 years ago."

Ice magic obviously sounds like a great element to use, but I'm not in a good condition to move on my own. Using Holy magic wears me down considerably, so what would Ice do to me? Does Young Mi even know Ice magic?

Young Mi: "The only issue I could see is how long it would take you to properly use it."

Steven: "I have to use it properly?"

Lilith: "You have to use all magic carefully, but Ice was most known for being dangerous to the person using it."

Young Mi: "Do it wrong and you could freeze your hand. Do it right, and you have a very powerful element. It comes down to remaining calm at all times."

Lilith: "Like you?"

Young Mi: "Yes, in a way. I've witnessed enough in my life to hide how my emotions. It's apart of my philosophy. Though, I may be a Wight, I was once a person."

She just confirmed that she's a stoic. I can't imagine what someone who's almost a thousand years old has been through. It's admirable that she's so strong, mentally and physically.

Young Mi: "Oh, I'm sorry."

She covers her mouth with her hand.

Young Mi: "I lost my focus and started rambling about myself. Ahaha~"

She's laughing as if she's pleased with herself. Both Lilith and I look at each other trying to confirm if we're not going crazy.

Young Mi: "What I'm trying to tell you is that you have to be calm and collected to be using Ice magic."

Steven: "So you'll teach me Ice magic?"

Young Mi: "Yes, it'll be rigorous and there will be a test."

Steven: "What kind of test?"

Young Mi: "One that will test your morality and some others, but I have faith that you will be an excellent disciple."

I'm not exactly in a good shape to be doing anything magic related right now. My focus should be on getting better, but I now have more things to be thinking about because of it.

Steven: "Thank you, Young Mi."