Translator: Nox

Chapter 1

[Tinta] 100 Curses of Illestone Mansion 1-296 Complete

<Introduction>

I was possessed into a mass-produced fantasy novel.

The problem is, I'm a supporting character, the world's strongest Necromancer, destined to sacrifice my life for the protagonist.

'What a joke!'

Am I crazy enough to sacrifice my life and follow the protagonist with this power?

That's why I came here.

To the mansion of Reitans Orr Illestone, the villain in the story.

To a place where I'm needed.

To a place where I can live the best life.

"I'll lift the Mansion's Curse. In return, raise me."

To survive, it's a little scary, but I have no choice.

I must become the savior of this mansion.

---

<Illestone Mansion Guidelines>

First, entry through the mansion's entrance is prohibited. Do not approach it, and use the back road when going out.

Failure to comply will not guarantee your life.

.

.

.

One hundredth, never enter Mrs. Florie's room. Do not knock on the door or pass by it.

Also, prepare meals for two people for Mrs. Florie every meal.

---------==OO---------==

100 Curses of Illestone Mansion

1

"At least hear me out..."

"Hear you out? The words of a child whose identity we don't even know?"

"Haha..."

The butler laughed awkwardly.

"It's true that she came through the Red Tree."

Archduke Illestone's silver eyes, filled with wariness, stared at the girl before him.

'How old is she... about fifteen?'

The girl met his gaze with clear eyes, devoid of any particular emotion.

Then, with a slightly tired expression, she said.

"Archduke, I know it's rude, but how much longer do I have to wait for an answer?"

She was standing before the rumored cursed Archduke, yet her tone was bold, without a hint of fear.

The butler's face crumpled.

"Wait quietly until the master speaks first."

"Ah... yes."

A small sigh escaped the girl's lips.

But the Archduke remained silent for a long time after that.

To be honest, he didn't know what to answer.

The cursed Illestone Mansion.

Just ten minutes ago, a commoner child he had never seen before entered this place, which everyone in the Ruan Empire avoided.

Moreover, she came straight through the mansion's first curse, [The Red Tree that eats people and grows], without a single scratch.

'No matter how I think about it, it doesn't make sense.'

The main gate of the mansion, with its dense, dark red branches, had a bizarre and dangerous curse that had strictly prohibited entry since the tree suddenly appeared 300 years ago.

But this girl emerged from it unscathed, with only her clothes slightly torn.

Then, she approached the astonished Archduke Illestone and said this out of the blue.

"I'll lift the Mansion's Curse."

"...What?"

At first, he thought he had misheard.

Normally, he would have told her it was dangerous and sent her away.

But there were too many things that bothered him, such as the fact that she had passed through the Red Tree without a scratch and what she was saying, so he eventually brought the girl into the mansion.

It was an unlike action for him.

The Archduke observed the girl for a long time before asking.

"What is your name?"

"Simone."

"Surname."

"I don't have one. I'm not a noble."

"..."

'Even if she's not a noble, she should have a surname,' he thought, but decided to move on since it wasn't important right now.

First, Archduke Illestone examined Simone's appearance.

A skinny body and clothes that were shabby even for a commoner.

Even taking into account that her hair and clothes were disheveled from passing through the Red Tree, she was insignificant.

The smell emanating from the girl was also unbearably foul.

Archduke Illestone asked again.

"If you lie to me, you will die here."

A cold light flickered in his eyes.

"Will you still say that you can lift the family's curse?"

He intended to intimidate her and draw out her true intentions.

He couldn't really believe the girl's words about lifting the curse.

After all, how could this insignificant commoner child lift the curse that even the best magicians in the empire couldn't solve?

Judging by her appearance, it made more sense to think that she had simply been lucky enough to pass through the Red Tree and had come to beg for food by using him.

Of course, if that was her purpose, it would be a miscalculation for Simone.

'But how could it be possible to pass through the Red Tree by luck...'

As Archduke Illestone's energy became ominous, the butler eventually stepped forward, asking for understanding.

"Child, if you are hungry, I will give you food and money. Will you still not tell the truth?"

At the butler's words, Simone's expression changed for a moment. She pressed her lips tightly together and stared intently at Archduke Illestone before jumping up.

"Well, if you don't believe me, that's fine. I wanted to make a fair trade, not beg."

"W-what impudence!"

Simone stopped the approaching butler with a wave of her hand, as if she had nothing to lose, and headed for the door. Then, she paused, turned around, and pointed at Archduke Illestone with her finger.

The butler was horrified and grabbed Simone's hand.

"Even if you don't know the ways of the world, how dare a commoner point a finger at the master-"

"The Archduke is definitely cursed."

"...What?"

"It's clinging to his shoulder and laughing hysterically. I can't tell if it's a woman or a man because its scalp is peeled off, but blood is flowing and soaking the Archduke's shoulder."

"I guess you can't see it, Archduke."

Simone smiled meaningfully.

"It seems to have been attached for quite a while, but it says it has no intention of leaving."

"What..."

"Excuse me."

Simone did not answer the Archduke's words and turned around with a gentle smile.

"Since the deal didn't go through, there's nothing more to talk about, right?"

The Archduke's expression hardened.

Because for a brief moment, Simone's gaze had reached his left shoulder.

"Wait..."

How did she know that?

His left shoulder had been unable to move for nearly 20 years for an unknown reason.

"Wait."

Despite the Archduke's call, Simone continued to walk towards the door.

The Archduke urgently called the butler.

"Kelle!"

His voice echoed loudly in the wide space.

"Yes, Master."

At Archduke Illestone's call, the butler Kelle quickly moved to block Simone's path.

Kelle also knew about Archduke Illestone's shoulder condition, so his attitude was somewhat different from before.

Simone suppressed the corners of her mouth from rising and answered with a pout instead.

"What is it?"

Archduke Illestone, whom Simone faced again, had a rather embarrassed expression. He didn't realize it, but unlike before, Simone had a rather arrogant posture.

"I want to... hear more of your story."

Simone smiled. And she just stared at the Archduke as before before throwing out a word.

"I will lift the Mansion's Curse. I swear there is no lie in my words."

At Simone's words, the Archduke, who was frowning with wrinkles all over his forehead, looked at her with a scowl.

The still young girl had the appearance of a typical merchant.

"...What are the conditions?"

At Archduke Illestone's question, Simone's smile deepened even more. As expected of the master of the Illestone family, who still holds the title of Archduke even after being cursed for 300 years, he is very quick-witted.

Simone slowly opened her mouth.

"Raise me."

"...What?"

Archduke Illestone asked back at the unexpected answer, and Simone repeated it once more, clearly.

"That's the condition. In exchange for lifting the Mansion's Curse, you will raise me until I come of age. Of course, you can run away with the money-"

"...Run away with the money?"

"I'll slowly lift the curse according to the age of majority. It's not an easy task. But you will definitely feel the effects. If we don't like each other in the middle, we can agree to quit, and we can write a contract if you want."

"..."

He didn't know what "run away with the money" meant, but she had very good business skills for a child.

"Of course, since I'm the weaker party, I'll review the final contract. As you know, it doesn't mean just raising me any old way. The room should be large, and the meals should be the same as what the Archduke eats."

Archduke Illestone put aside his strangely uneasy feelings and continued to listen to Simone's words. She was a little excited.

She would live in luxury like that, and when she became an adult, she would take the money and hair dye and quietly live in some corner.

If she could afford that expensive dyeing, she could always cover up her black hair and work.

Of course, it would be even better if she could return to her original world before that.

"..."

Meanwhile, Archduke Illestone was silent.

This girl. Is the girl in front of him, who is letting out a silly smile, a pitiful girl who lived in poverty all her life and eventually went crazy?

Even though the Illestone family is a family that is alienated by the emperor outside the castle walls, the Illestone family is a great noble family with the title of Archduke.

She must know that, but Simone, who makes such arrogant, confident, and brazen demands, is simply... an act that she couldn't do without being crazy.

However, Archduke Illestone suppressed his doubts once again. For now, it's worth listening to the girl's words.

Archduke Illestone calmly asked Simone.

"You can quit if you don't like it in the middle?"

"Of course. You don't trust me, do you? If either of us doesn't like each other's actions, we can just quit."

Even if she's an uninvited guest, there's no need to be overly wary. This person smells like a really young and fearless con artist, but Simone's offer was definitely a deal that wouldn't hurt either side.

Also, Archduke Illestone was really running out of time. It was time to hold on to even a lie.

The expression on Archduke Illestone's face as he looked at her was sharp.

"Okay, I'll do as you say. But if everything you said turns out to be a lie."

Simone answered nonchalantly before Archduke Illestone could finish speaking.

"Yes, I will bet my life on this deal."

The curse that had slowly brought down the Illestone family over 300 years.

Because of this, even the emperor of the empire was wary of the Illestone family.

As she had touched it, Simone knew that she had to take responsibility for her words with death.

"Give the child clean clothes and bring her to me."

"Yes, Master."

The deal was made.

Watching Archduke Illestone, who spoke briefly and turned around, Simone, or rather, Seo Hyun-jeong, 25, who was possessed by Simone, cheered inwardly.

'It's done!'

She was someone who had been possessed by a character in a mass-produced fantasy novel called [I Was Hiding My Power When I Opened My Eyes] this year.

Simone.

She was destined to become the world's strongest Necromancer, but she was abandoned by her parents due to the negative perception of Necromancers in the world, and she was a tragic child who never saw the light of day.

Originally, she lived in an orphanage where she was discriminated against, but after being rescued by the protagonist who recognized her talent, she was a character who sacrificed her life for her companions.

Moreover, she couldn't even properly awaken her abilities in the early stages.

But.

'Sacrifice route? What a joke.'

Seo Hyun-jeong knows Simone's dark future. But would she be crazy enough to take a life-threatening adventure?

That's why she came here.

The third destination of the protagonist's party and the stage where the first episode with Simone will unfold.

To the mansion of Reitans Orr Illestone, the villain of the Ruan Empire episode.