Author: Akashari	Original Source: Syosetu
Translator: Mui	English Source: Re:Library

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Saint, I’m here. Do you have a moment?”
“I don’t…”
“I see. Well, I’m coming in.”
“I doon’t…”

The morning after the incident, inside a tent hastily erected for emergency response, the Saint was buried in stacks of paper, along with her golem attendant.

The papers were reports from her subordinates’ investigations, damage reports from the city, and communication and approval forms for related parties. Considering how recklessly she had wielded her granted authority the previous night, it was no surprise that the consequences had caught up with her, leaving her drained.

“You could just heal your lack of sleep and fatigue, though I doubt you can prevent mental exhaustion.”
“Using magic for personal gain would go against the teachings…”
“You really are inflexible. A little compromise wouldn’t hurt, you know.”
“Hehe, aren’t we both pushing ourselves too hard?”
“……”

The Saint set down the quill she was holding, pushed aside the papers, and stretched slowly.

“Mmmm…! Phew, let’s take a little break. That said, Ms. Laika, take off your clothes.”
“What in the world are you saying out of the blue?”
“My apologies. Just your jacket will do. You’re in pain, aren’t you?”
“…This much doesn’t even qualify as a scratch.”

Reluctantly yielding to the Saint’s pressure, I removed one layer of my cold-weather gear. Although her eyes remained closed as usual, she examined me thoroughly, as if inspecting every inch of my body. After a moment, she nodded to herself, seemingly having confirmed something.

“I knew it. Ms. Laika, you’re bad at releasing magic power, aren’t you?”
“…It’s not a matter of skill. This is just something I was born with.”

To handle magecraft, it was crucial to balance the storage, control, and release of magical power. In my case, the conduit through which I release magic was thinner and more fragile than others’. Forcing excessive magic through it would cause my body to break down from the inside.

I couldn’t perform large-scale spells, nor did I have the stamina for prolonged battles. It was a shameful flaw for a wizard.

“I apologize. I should have healed you right away.”
“It’s fine, you were busy with other things… Hey, don’t go healing me on your own. I didn’t come here for treatment.”

In the midst of our conversation, the Saint had apparently offered a prayer without me noticing. The burning pain in my insides had vanished before I realized it. Though it was probably just a temporary fix, it left me feeling uneasy, as if I owed her something.

“Then, why did you come?”
“I came to ask about the ghost ship. You know what it really is, don’t you?”
“…Koutei.”
“Understood.”

At the Saint’s signal, the golem that had been buried under the paperwork stepped outside the tent. She must have been clearing the area of people. Now, it was just the two of us inside.

“Now then, you’re aware that magic is broadly divided into two categories, correct?”
“Holy and wicked. The difference lies in whether the magic offered to another is a blessing or a curse.”
“Impressive. Exactly right. The ghost ship belongs to the category of curses.”
“I figured as much… but why, and how did something like that come to be?”

What we fought was just a tiny tentacle emerging from a small breach—a mere fragment. If the whole entity was as large as the “ship” it was described as, what we saw would be no more than the tip of a toe.

Even that fragment alone carried a curse so powerful it could transform anyone who touched it into something grotesque. It was hard to believe it could have formed naturally.

Even if it were the work of a heretic, creating something on that scale would be nearly impossible through ordinary means.

To cast such a spell would require an elaborate ritual. The larger the spell, the more intricate and extensive the ritual becomes. To recreate the curse of the ghost ship, devouring an entire city as a sacrifice would still likely not be enough.

“Well… we don’t know.”
“Huh?”
“The cause of its appearance is unknown. One day, it simply popped up in the ocean, and began corrupting everyone who came across it. We don’t even know if it has a will or emotions.”
“It just appeared in the ocean out of nowhere… Wait, could the walls be—”
“Yes, they’re to avoid contact with the sea. Any coastal community would have built similar walls for protection.”
“Is it really something we have to fear to that extent?”
“Indeed. Sailing the seas has become a death sentence. It’s not an exaggeration to say that humanity has lost the oceans because of the ghost ship.”

Thinking back to last night, it’s impossible to laugh off the idea of a single ship being such a threat. If Syntu hadn’t been discovered in time, the spread of the fleshy monstrosities would have wiped out this entire city.

If a ship were attacked at sea, leaving no escape, and its cursed crew made landfall… the consequences would be unimaginable.

“But something doesn’t add up. If it’s such a dangerous enemy, why fixate on Aldebaran of all places—no, wait… Don’t tell me…”
“Hehe, sharp as ever. You’ve likely guessed correctly. Blessings and curses are opposites. Even those cursed can be neutralized with the blessing of God.”

I had seen it with my own eyes. She had healed Syntu, who had been transformed into a grotesque mass of flesh, simply by praying.

If the Saint’s magic could counteract the ghost ship’s curse to some extent, placing her at the front lines might be the only way to prevent the curse from spreading inland.

“This city is a bulwark, a final line of defense, and I… am the sacrificial offering to protect it.”

It was a conversation I had to have, yet one I wished I hadn’t. The things people plan and think about—how much more hideous they are than any curse.

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