Aiden was bored. He couldn't rest all day, so he came out of the room. The house was a brick cottage with wooden flooring. He couldn't find Zave. Leorna said he had gone to the nearest town for some business and might arrive tonight. From Leorna, he learned that Zave was a sorcerer. It gave him a shock. He believed Zave was not bad like that old man.

Later, he went to his room. He noticed a mirror at the end of the room and looked at it. His figure had lost some weight and looked lean. He noticed a black tattoo on his neck. "What is this? This looks like... a centipede!" He remembered something like a centipede biting him. A sudden realization came in. Only after this centipede's bite, he could understand the language of that old man. "Then how did Zave understand my English...?" he pondered. "Holy... did I speak in the language of this world all the time? So this is the function of this tattoo." He was astonished. He closed the door, removed his pants, and began to uncover his bandage to see how much his injury had healed. He found numerous scars. Luckily, that ghost was not cruel enough to bite his pride. He turned around and looked at his back. A big tattoo covering his entire back came into his vision. "Holy shit, where did this big tattoo come from?" he was baffled. The tattoo looked like the face of a devil.

Zave came to the house late at night. He noticed the burning wood in the chimney and Aiden sitting on the couch.

"Aiden, did you not sleep?" Zave asked.

"No, Mr. Zave! I was waiting for you," Aiden said.

"Did anything happen?" inquired Zave, as he put his coat on the coat stand.

"Nothing, but I want to ask you a question," replied Aiden.

"Ask!" Zave sat on the adjacent couch.

"Zave, are you a sorcerer?" Aiden asked.

"Yes," Zave replied.

"Why doesn't Leorna remember me or the whole incident of her abduction?" he asked.

"I erased her memories," Zave said with a serious expression.

"But why?" Aiden pressed.

"Aiden, you don't know what Leorna went through at such a young age! That monster treated her like an experiment. He tested many harmful potions on her," Zave explained, clenching his fist and grinding his teeth. "Look!" He rolled up his sleeves, revealing skin that was fully burned. Aiden was shocked. "This is what happened to her. I used sorcery to switch our health conditions. Could you imagine a young girl enduring that? She was mentally scarred by the incident. That's why I did it!" he said emotionally.

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Aiden was silent. He couldn't even think about a young girl like her enduring this condition. Aiden felt a sudden ache in his heart. He grabbed his chest and fell unconscious.

"Aiden! Aiden!"

Aiden regained consciousness in Zave's lab, finding himself lying on a table.

"What happened? What was that sudden pain?" Aiden asked weakly.

"Aiden, I have bad news for you," Zave said grimly.

"What is it?" Aiden inquired.

"You are dying," Zave stated solemnly.

"What? Zave, please tell me you're joking!" Aiden exclaimed.

"I wish I were. Have you noticed your back?" Zave asked.

"Yeah, I discovered an unknown tattoo appeared magically," Aiden replied.

"A tattoo! It's a curse, damn it," Zave muttered, his frustration evident.

"What? Zave, don't play games with me," Aiden said, his tone tinged with fear.

"I'm not playing. I've encountered many curses, but yours is unique. I don't know its true purpose, but it's draining your life force," Zave explained in a grave tone.

Aiden's complexion turned pale. "Are you sure?" He couldn't believe it.

"Yes. You mentioned losing weight. I believe it's because of the curse," Zave replied.

"But how did I acquire it?" Aiden was perplexed. Who had cursed him to die? Could it be the old man's doing? Aiden wondered.

"Is there any way to cure it?" he asked hopefully.

"If there were, I would have attempted it already. To counter a curse, we must first understand its nature. I searched through the encyclopedia of curses but found none quite like yours," Zave explained.

"Is there truly no solution?" Aiden's concern deepened.

"I do know where you might find a clue," Zave said after a moment's thought. "The Grimoire of Worldly Laws. It's the source of much of our sorcery knowledge. However, gaining access to it is nearly impossible. Even I haven't seen it in my lifetime," Zave admitted.

Aiden fell silent. "Where can I find it?" he asked earnestly.

"The Sorcia Sanctum. They keep it in a secretive location known only to the eight Circle Leaders. But there's one way to reach it," Zave revealed.

"They hold a grand sorcery tournament every five years. The winner not only becomes a personal disciple of the eight Circle Leaders but also receives one wish from them," Zave elaborated.

Mr.Zave, I've come from afar and have just learned about the existence of magic. please explain to me in detail " Aiden said, overwhelmed. "What exactly is this Sanctum? Who are these eight Circle Leaders?" he inquired.

"The Sorcia Sanctum is the governing body that oversees our society of sorcerers. The Circle comprises the most powerful sorcerers, each overseeing different aspects of the Sanctum's operations," Zave clarified.

Aiden absorbed the information. "So, I have to learn sorcery, compete in the tournaments, and use the wish to seek out clues from the Grimoire of Worldly Laws," he summarized.

Zave nodded solemnly. He was excited that he was going to learn magic but at the same time, he worried about his curse.

"Then where do I learn sorcery? Will you teach me?" Aiden asked.