There’s an old saying, "You don't notice what's there, but you feel what's missing." It seems all those old sayings are true.

When things were normal, I never realized it. But now that I’m having trouble using my right hand, I understand just how much of a role it played in my daily life. Just keeping myself from using it, from grabbing or touching things with it, turned out to be extremely difficult.

Before I knew it, I had used my right hand again, and by the time night turned into morning, I had broken a door handle, parts of a table, the back of a chair, half of a bed, and a shelf.

Even without applying much force, just touching something by accident made it shatter with a crack or a crunch.

It's fine if it's just an object, but imagining what could happen if it were a person instead… It made me shudder.

I thought of tying my right hand down, binding it to my waist with a cord, but before I could even say oh well, the cord had snapped to pieces. And just from lying down briefly, I had ended up smashing the bed.

Sigh.

At this rate, I might never be able to leave the building again.

It's not that I have any particularly noble intention to sacrifice myself for the sake of others, but knowing that even a mere touch could crush someone's skull... it’s too much to bear.

So this is how I’ll end up, like my mother, fleeing into the woods.

To make matters worse, it’s not like I could pull off a forced marriage either. If I brought a bride along, but accidentally killed her with one finger… It's like something out of a horror movie. I almost wanted to cry.

Tatiana insisted it wasn’t a curse, but I couldn’t help but feel like it was.

Sigh.

As I sat on a still-intact chair, I let out a long sigh and covered my face with both hands. Tatiana came over and crouched next to me.

“I’m sorry... I really thought this was going to be a good thing,” Tatiana said, sniffling.

I kept my right hand clenched in a fist, trying not to use it, even by accident, and looked up.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

Tatiana had tried. At first, she had awkwardly laughed it off, but when she saw everything I touched fall apart, she realized it was serious. She immediately began reciting prayers and songs meant to soothe the spirit, casting dozens of incantations that seemed like a mix of rituals towards my arm.

Each time she did this, she exhausted herself, and by the end, she was completely drained, yet she was still desperate to try anything that might help.

None of it worked.

But I was genuinely grateful for her efforts.

Thinking back to how I had choked her when we first met, I felt a little guilty. I had been too rough. She’s actually a fragile woman.

Besides, this wasn’t Tatiana’s fault at all.

The blame lies with that damned Hans and his cursed armor. If it hadn’t been shattered, something even worse might have happened.

No, I’m sure it would have.

At the very least, I would have ended up like Hans, with mismatched arms.

I honestly think it’s thanks to Tatiana that I’m alive right now.

“Really, it’s fine.”

I said this, giving her a gentle smile.

Suddenly, I remembered the time when I first started suppressing my wind powers.

That had been tough, too.

Wind magic wasn’t something I learned—it was a power I was born with. Just like moving an arm or a leg, it felt natural to use, but it caused a whirlwind like Gulliver arriving in the land of the Lilliputians.

To me, it was such an obvious and natural power, yet it broke things around me.

This situation was very similar.

Although I don’t remember it, my father told me that when I was born, I was so dangerous that he couldn’t even hold me, let alone come near. My crying caused the winds to blow like a storm inside the house. If my mother hadn’t been so strong, she might have died.

It wasn't until I began recognizing my surroundings that this power started to calm down, or so I’ve heard. Once I started recognizing my mother and noticing objects around me, the force gradually diminished, as if it were being absorbed back into my body.

It was still difficult, though.

The heavy things my mother crafted would float, and there were constant ghostly wind sounds even at night.

Hold on, why did I only keep a small amount of wind around me until I encountered the bear?

If I had possessed the full extent of my power since I was a child, I wouldn't have lost to that bear.

Yet, I almost died then, and only afterward did the power start pouring out of me, rapidly at some point.

Now that I think about it, that’s kind of strange.

Perhaps my father did something.

Anyway, after my fight with the bear, my power gushed forth, and I had to spend a long time desperately trying to suppress it.

Thinking of it that way, it’s like I’ve gone back to that time.

So I should probably go somewhere where there aren’t any people.

Training to control my powers in the city would be difficult.

I need to understand exactly what this armor does, how it interacts with my power, or if there’s some conflict. And for that, I’ll need a spacious area.

My axe also needs repairing, but judging from the current situation, it seems like I could destroy anything with just my bare hands, so that can wait.

I let out a small sigh and stood up.

“I’ll go into the nearby forest for a bit. I’ll be back in a day or two, maybe a bit longer if necessary.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Uh…”

Tatiana looked worried.

“Don’t worry. I just need space to test this power.”

“But… Are you sure you’ll be alright alone?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m used to being alone in the woods.”

“Well, yes, but… Even if it’s not exactly a curse, something might happen. It might be dangerous for you to go alone…”

Tatiana’s eyes darted around as she spoke hesitantly.

“….”

Was she right?

She didn’t think it was a curse, but perhaps she suspected that it might be something else.

Maybe it wasn’t a curse, but still something as troubling as a curse.

The thought made my shoulders slump again.

In the end, we decided to go together just in case.

Tatiana quickly went to a corner shelf and began packing a bag. The bag looked rather large on her small frame, and she packed it with items that looked like toys for pretend play.

Several small cloth pouches, a palm-sized wooden mask that looked a bit like a traditional puppet, and a few dolls made of straw and wood that seemed like they could be used in curses.

No matter how I looked at it, they all seemed like tools for curses.

I couldn’t help but look at her face.

“What are all those?”

“Oh, these are things that witches often use. I need all of them.”

“Is that… for curses, by any chance?”

“How did you know?”

Uh, I mean, it’s kind of obvious.

They looked exactly like things one would use for a curse.

After putting all the items into her bag, Tatiana carefully tied the opening shut.

“Do you actually curse people?”

When I asked that, Tatiana widened her eyes, then smiled and shook her head.

“No, I don’t do curses. These are to protect against curses. They’re things like masks to deflect curses onto dolls instead of people, or dolls that take on danger in someone’s place. I learned that sometimes these figures can absorb misfortune on our behalf. I brought these to help you, Rafa, in case anything dangerous happens.”

“….”

One of the dolls she had packed earlier had something written on it.

From what I glimpsed, it seemed like the first few letters of my name. Was it my name?

“Thank you.”

Tatiana’s cheeks flushed at my words.

“You’re very welcome.”

“….”

Hmm, seeing Tatiana embarrassed felt a bit strange.

Could this be a sign of affection?

Maybe she wanted to accompany me because she liked me…

Thinking this, I shook my head.

If I were my past self, maybe there would be a possibility.

While I wasn’t exceptionally good-looking back then, I was at least average.

But in this life… I mean, come on, even I was scared of my mother’s face when I was a kid.

Would she develop feelings for a face like this after just a short time traveling together?

Ha, if that happened, now that would be a real fantasy.

I’m far from being a lovestruck teenager.

I know my place.

Without mountains of money or power, falling in love is impossible for someone like me.

Sure, pure love is ideal. But even if it’s not that clean, I’d be content if I could find someone who would love me for the money I bring in.

I watched Tatiana moving around the room, nodding to myself.

A beautiful woman like her—right, it’s impossible for her to have genuine feelings for me in this situation.

The best course is to build a strong camaraderie as part of the same party and make some serious money. Then, using a combination of that money and the bonds we’ve formed, I could aim for marriage.

Yes, that’s it.

I have high hopes, but I don’t dream the impossible.

I am a realist.

After buying extra stew and bread from the innkeeper, Tatiana and I left the city.

In this world, cities are surrounded by lush nature, so as soon as you step outside, you’re usually greeted by a forest or a field overgrown with weeds.

Endes was no different. Though there were extensive fields near the city walls, a change in direction would quickly lead to the forest.

I led Tatiana into the woods.

The moment you step into a forest, even if it’s part of the same land, the temperature drops noticeably.

Tatiana was dressed appropriately for the season, but unlike me, her body was smaller, and her skin was thinner.

She shivered a bit from the cold.

“Are you okay?”

I had a woolen blanket in my backpack. I was about to offer it to her, but Tatiana, after insisting she was fine, glanced around the forest as if in thought.

“This might sound like superstition, but I don’t feel comfortable here. This forest gives me an eerie feeling.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

It felt like something even deeper than superstition. Maybe she just felt uneasy.

Tatiana looked around the woods, muttering to herself.

“But it doesn’t feel like an immediate danger or that we need to run away. Just a foreboding sensation. I think we’ll be alright for now.”

It sounded like she was answering my question, but I couldn’t really understand the mind of a witch.

The answer felt strange.

I mostly ignored her mutterings and found a suitable spot to drop our packs.

Since she seemed cold, I started by lighting a campfire.

I gathered a few large rocks and set a pot of stew on top, then I moved to a slightly more distant spot.

Rella, who had enjoyed diving into my arm and getting launched into the air for a while, now seemed tired. She stayed near Tatiana and the campfire.

When I looked back at them, Rella was sitting like an otter, with her legs tucked under her, staring blankly at the flames.

Was it because she was a phoenix that she liked the fire?

As the flames flickered and sparks flew, Rella twitched in that direction.

Though she seemed tired earlier, now she looked energized.

She started leaping as if trying to catch the dancing fire.

I opened my clenched fist, holding my hand out into the empty air.

The wind enveloping my skin still flowed from my arm to my fingers.

I wasn’t sure how the elemental armor was structured, but it didn’t feel blocked.

It seemed like there was nothing there, but when I touched it, I could still sense something in that place.

Still, the wind flowed through it freely, with no resistance.

How strange.

Should I treat it like it’s simply my wind?

Thinking this, I focused my mind, but I couldn’t feel the armor that encased my hand.

It felt different from the power I was born with.

This might take longer than I thought.

I let out something like a sigh.

When I touched a tree nearby, it shattered with a loud crack.

I repeated this several times, and I realized that this power was very different from my own.

My power is wind, but this armor seemed to be just that—an actual suit of armor.

Though I couldn’t see it or feel it, it was like a solid material—something sturdy enough to break anything it touched—that was wrapped around my hand.

With this in mind, I approached a tree with the feeling that I was wearing thick gloves.

“Ah!”

The tree shattered and fell to the side again, but it was different this time.

Earlier, the tree had completely disintegrated the moment I touched it. But just now, it felt as if I had lightly bumped into it, and then it broke.

It was as if something was incredibly tough, causing the tree to crack just from a mere brush.

“Is that it? It’s like I’m wearing armor made of razors.”

An incredibly tough, razor-sharp substance that shatters everything I touch—be it diamonds or concrete.

My strength hadn’t increased; rather, a tough layer had been added to my skin.

Not knowing this, I had destroyed everything I touched.

“….”

Well, I understood what was happening, but nothing was solved.

The fact that I couldn’t touch anything remained the same.

Thinking this, I absentmindedly looked down at my arm.

“Wait.”

Hold on a second.

If I’m wearing something, then maybe I can take it off.

I grabbed the invisible armor with my left hand and gently pulled.

Nothing happened.

Guess not.

As expected.

It wouldn’t be that easy to solve.

I murmured to myself in disappointment.

“Damn it. I didn’t ask for any damn armor. I just want to take it off.”

At that moment, I felt something strange pass over my skin.

Nothing had changed, but it felt like something was rippling across the surface of my skin.

When I touched my hand, there was nothing there.

The hard armor that had covered my skin was gone—there was nothing to touch.

Was it gone?

I touched the tree again to test it, and nothing happened.

Seriously? It was that easy to solve?

So, all I had to do was say I wanted it off?

Thinking this, I remembered Tatiana’s words.

She had said the spirit contract had been completed.

When I said I wanted to take it off, it disappeared.

Then, perhaps…

After a moment’s thought, I said quietly,

“Armor…”

I was about to say, I want to wear it, but as soon as the word armor left my lips, I felt a ripple on my right hand’s skin.

It was a literal ripple.

It felt like air was bouncing off, or like an invisible surface of water was trembling.

When I touched it, the invisible armor that had vanished moments ago had returned to my right arm.

Voice-activated, huh?

I now knew how to put it on and take it off, but I still needed to train.

Like learning how to grab something without crushing it—things like that.

After that, I spent some time practicing holding branches or stones without breaking them.

The motion itself wasn’t difficult, but since everything shattered the moment I touched it, it wasn’t easy to get used to.

It felt like fighting was much simpler.

Tatiana, perhaps to avoid getting in the way, watched me from a distance.

Pip-pip, pip-pip.

Rella, who had regained her energy, began running around.

The stew was finally beginning to boil.

The fragrant aroma reached where I stood.

It was about time to eat. I walked towards the campfire, thinking about dinner, when Rella, who had been bouncing around, suddenly froze.

Pip?

Maybe she had spotted a bug because she was spinning in place, pecking at the ground.

“Rella, come over here for dinner.”

Just as I said that, the ground beneath Rella suddenly caved in, and a cloud of dust rose in the air.