“If someday he who has a kind heart appears in front of me, requesting for help, then I will aid him the best I can. This curse does not allow me to just go away from someone in need.”

“Do you really think that?” I asked him. “If your curse doesn’t allow you to live your life, then I will take it” My words clearly demonstrated my calmness, my expression showed that I was serious about this. I couldn’t just let an opportunity to save someone in need like this go away. I want to be of help to other people, even if that means I’ll have to go out of my way to do so. ‘That's usually how it is, but in this case it was different.’

“You, do you really understand what you're saying?” This person didn't look like he was taking me seriously. “No. Don´t you see that no matter what you do, you'll never be able to leave someone in help?” My hand touched his shoulder and I crouched so I could talk to him, face to face, looking at his eyes intently. The room in which we were didn’t have anything else than windows. Windows that didn't allow one to see what was happening outside of the room, but instead windows that would allow for light to illuminate the room.

“I mean it” I answered. My motives were something I couldn't just go and reveal, even if this person asked me, I wouldn´t answer. I´m of the kind that won´t tell the truth unless it benefits me later. But at the same time I´m of those who dislike telling lies, so I hope he won't ask me about it.

The old man´s hands started to move by themselves, and he finally showed his stomach.

“Are you serious? You won't change of opinion?” This old man is wrong in something, he didn't understand my motives clearly, but even so, this worked for me.

“No, I won't change” I answered, completely lifting any responsibility from his shoulders. I prepared my naginata in my hands. The only way to break a curse is by either granting the curse´s wish, or by transferring it from one body to another. Usually, people would have trouble understanding what a curse wants, this was an absolute rule that neither curses nor humans understood, but it was that curses will only disappear one´s body by luck. Be it that the human did something like killing someone the curse despised in its earlier life, or whatever. But in my case, I can make that even easier to understand. “Don't worry, I can communicate with curses and I'm also protected, they won't do me any harm. The curses are just one side of the coin that reflects life itself. One side is the death, one of the outcomes of living enough, the other side of the coin though, is curse. How horrible, isn't it?” I prepared myself to do the ritual.

The old man’s stomach was visible and here I could see a symbol that marked the place in which the curse was. My naginata was an enchanted weapon that could purify the curses before they entered my body, and that is the reason why curses didn't do anything to me. If I don´t use my naginata before they enter, then those curses will try to invade my body and try to order me around. How horrible.

“If for any reason I were to manage to completely disagree with the terms of the curse, then it will take toll on me and won´t let me eat until I agree to do as it says. Are you sure do you want to handle this burden?” Informed the old man.

“That´s quite the dilemma you've got there” I answered before thrusting the blade of my naginata inside this person´s stomach. The thrust did not penetrate his body, but the curse instead. The problem with breaking a curse by this method is that it would install itself in the body of he who broke it. An individual would not be able to break a curse by himself in most cases because he wouldn't be able to understand the curse´s wish. My naginata purifies curses, but what if I don't use it? That´s easy, I'm also being protected by an enchantment. I and my naginata both are enchanted individuals that won't get affected by curses, and I can even talk with them.

A great growl could be heard coming from the old man’s stomach. The curse was both thanking me and moving to my body. The symbol in his stomach became a gas substance and slowly started to fly in the air before introducing itself into my own stomach. Finally a symbol like the one before could be seen but on my body instead. I finally did it, it was over. I extracted the blade from his stomach and with a sharp movement I backed it onto my shoulder as always. Even though I supposedly thrust his stomach, there was no sight of any wound.

“Are you better now?” I asked him, but didn't get any answer. The man was just crying in the floor. He could finally sense hunger, and could eat, but most than anything he wouldn't need to worry about anyone else besides him. I´m sure he must be thinking this was a blessing, but to me the situation he was in now… was really bad. This man has been surviving up until now because of the curse, it´s possible that because he just recovered his sense of hunger he isn't feeling any secondary effect, but sooner or later the starvation he has been in for a lot of time will take a toll on him, and sooner or later he'll die. Even if he starts eating now, his body has already took the punishment for not obeying the curse. Yes, exactly, the obligation of some curses are very tricky.

“I see then, I've finished here, I'll be going” I said, parting with him. I got out of the cabin in which the man was being confined so he wouldn't need to suffer more than the necessary. Outside, there were many people anxious about hearing the news. Almost everyone asked the same thing: “What happened?” “Did he recover?” and other things. In the middle of all this noise, there, I was, waiting for the silence to finally come so I could talk. After this silence reached my ears I opened my mouth and said the words that everyone was waiting for. “Yes, everything´s fine now” I answered while I saw the bright sun. It was obvious that my lie wouldn't be discovered soon. Everything wasn't exactly fine, but even so I didn't want to tell them the truth, even if it hurts me to do so.

The man wished for me to take his curse out, so I did that, but no matter how I see it, this was only one step towards death.

‘It would be a long way from this village to the next so it would be for the best to prepare myself as soon as possible’ That´s what I thought for a moment, but soon I was getting involved in a situation a little bit complex.

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‘How bothersome’ I thought. I could see many kids coming my way with –what seems to be at least– their parents. If the situation required it, then I would try to escape as soon as possible so they wouldn´t think I was actually escaping… but that wasn't possible anymore. Well then, looks like I'll have to endure the talking of some stupid children. This was really annoying for me, who hated to waste much more time than the necessary, and more than that, I hate kids, I just don't get them.

“Sir, will you be departing soon?” Asked one of the kids. They were two, a girl and a boy of at least ten years each. I´m sure they suddenly thought about a great idea and so they wanted to tell me it. “You should stay tonight! You won't be able to travel without any energy or rest!”

‘What are the chances of me returning to this village? Taking in consideration that the articles sold here are of very good quality, when I return I may be obligated to come back here. That means I can't just go and run away. Even so, that option seems very tempting right now’ I started calculating inside my mind.

“Yeah, I think that´s a good idea, haha. What´s your name, kiddo?” I asked so I could add more credibility to my act. Laughing while I talked to these kids would help for people to believe in me much more. I had already said it, I hate kids, I don´t get them at all but that´s the exact reason why I have strategies to fight with them! Know your enemy!

“Leri!” And the girl beside him answered Meri. I'll remember that name, Leri, you damn…!

***

I was lying down, but even if the bed was quite comfortable and the night was one of those that were very silent, like not many I've had, I just couldn't get myself to sleep soundly, let alone even close my eyes for five minutes straight. Instead of that I started to think about many things, one of them was this bothersome feeling I´ve been having since I arrived here, the East. I come from the West, a traveler who doesn't like adventures. I’m a person who was an objective and will travel for that objective in order to fulfill it.

‘But it's of course not so easy to do that’ I thought while doing a vague try of sleeping. I'm sure I would be better of lying on an uncomfortable ground, something like a rocky surface. That way I wouldn't have to think that much. The bothersome feeling I talked about earlier isn't the same one I'm putting as an example now though. That feeling is the one you'd have when you reach a place that is totally different from the one you used to be living in. If this feeling didn't exist then I wouldn't have so many troubles getting used to this place. That said, the process of entering the society in this area is pretty simple too. If you're a traveler then I'm sure people will treat you well, if you do something for them they will treat you even better. In the west they'd probably make you take the trash out regardless of your achievements.

I got up from the bed I was using in the hut, a free room thanks to my services to the village. Did I even do anything? I mean, the man is going to die in a few days anyways.

This night feels like it would continue eternally, I don't like that feeling. This feeling of not being able to end something, to always keep on, eternally, that´s something I hate with all of me. In the past I have already felt this, and I kept living it for a long time, that´s exactly why I understand it so much… and that´s why every time I feel it I usually frustrate. At least I’m not as bad as I used to be before.

I moved towards the window, opening it and leaning my back on it. As I started to ask a few things unrelated to the former topic, I started to look at the moon. Suddenly, I fell asleep in this same way.

***

“Sir, have you slept well?” Asked the manager of the hut as he saw me going down the stairs. My presence here was not necessary any further and I had rested enough. This was my last day here, and I wanted to at least get as much resources from this village as I could.

After answering with a “Yes, I did sleep well” to the manager’s question, I approached him and asked about things that wouldn't need to be cooked, in this case I asked him about fruits, the only vegetable I can really endure is the lettuce, probably.

“If you are searching for fruits, then the public market is where you will find them. The prices are very cheap and people are always nice towards others, they will surely make you a discount thanks to your efforts. They are very nice indeed” These guys sure are nice, it was almost enough to make me think about using that for my own self. I had to stop myself from laughing.

“Thank you very much. It was nice. If I feel like I don’t have much to do and my plans allow me to, then I will surely return to this village someday” I added before parting with him.

The sun was very bright that day and there was almost no clouds in the skies, actually, it seems like there aren’t any, not even one. Looks like for some people you could probably call this a “perfect day.”

I prefer rainy days as long as I can shelter myself from the rain, it always brings me a feeling of loneliness that I quite enjoy… usually. Even so, saying that I’m always alone is quite a flaw on the one who thinks about me in that way.

Just as the manager of the hut had indicated, the public market was very active and lively voices of people selling and buying could be heard, it was a very joy-like atmosphere.

I went towards the markets and started to look around. After thirty minutes or so I had finished getting everything I needed, I included some other utensils like a hunting knife, a few bandages and yeah, yeah. Basically, everything I would need to travel in the forests.

After getting everything, I went towards the exit of the village. I wonder when I will actually return. That doesn’t matter that much anyways.