Breaking the curse (I)

"Yes! I achieved so much today!" Lux said to himself, excitement clear in his voice.

He never thought he would complete a hidden quest. They were incredibly rare, even in the game. The rewards from these hidden quests were always generous. From his current weak position, they were extremely important to him.

He rubbed the towel against his wet hair and jumped onto his bed. His head sank into the soft, cloud-like pillow. His whole body was in pain, but tomorrow would be the last day he had to go through this torture.

As Lux got lost in his thoughts, a knock suddenly came from the door. It brought him back to reality.

"Who could that be at this time?" he wondered, limping toward the door.

He opened it to find Mira standing there in a nightgown.

"What the..." Lux stared at her with annoyance. "Why are you at my door this late?"

His voice was thick with anger. Mira felt a shiver run up her spine when she heard his tone. Her body shook slightly.

"I-I... Sir Maskl said I should watch you at all times," Mira blurted out, her face turning red.

Lux stood in the doorway, staring at her with confusion. He looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"What is she talking about?" he thought, eyeing her up and down for a second.

She looked stunning in her nightgown. For a moment, Lux found himself staring. But he quickly shook his head and focused.

"So? You could have just stayed outside and done your job without telling me!" Lux said, frowning deeply.

He was extremely annoyed. She had disturbed him just when he was about to sleep. Worse, he had to limp to the door in his battered state just to listen to this nonsense.

"I-I'm supposed to keep an eye on you at all times! How can I do that from behind a door? I have to be inside," Mira argued.

Lux stared at her with sharp eyes. It felt like he could see right through her lies. But she nervously stood her ground.

"Tsk," Lux clicked his tongue and stepped away from the door, letting her in.

He shut the door and walked back to his bed.

"I'm taking the bed. You take the floor," Lux said as he climbed onto the bed and let his body sink into the soft surface.

Mira bit her lip but didn't argue. She nodded softly and spread a bedsheet on the floor.

"Um, young master Lux..." she called after lying down, seeming like she wanted to ask him something.

But he was already fast asleep.

"Tsk!" Mira clicked her tongue in annoyance before closing her eyes and falling asleep herself.

The next morning, Lux lay on the bed with a calm expression. His body was in a straight, peaceful position. Beside him was a beautiful blonde girl with her arms wrapped around him like he was some lost prince.

"Hmm," Lux grunted as he rubbed his eyes with his wrist.

He had just woken up, but immediately felt pressure on his body. Something was hugging him tightly.

He opened his eyes and saw the beautifully decorated ceiling above him.

"I still can't believe I'm stuck in this crazy world," Lux mumbled to himself.

Then he turned to the side and saw Mira on the bed, hugging his arm tightly in her sleep.

"MIRA?!" he shouted.

One hour and thirty minutes later

Lux and Mira stood in the courtyard again. This time, Lux was using the first fang technique with perfect accuracy. It would be nearly impossible for someone to achieve such results in under a day.

At the side, Maskl watched with a growing smile of delight on his face. He couldn't help but smile every time he looked at Lux, who swung his sword with complete focus and dedication.

Near a garden close to where Lux was training, Hel could be seen without a shirt, doing his own exercises. With every movement, he shot a quick glance at Lux before continuing his workout.

His muscles were more developed than Lux's, and sweat dripped down his chest as he pushed himself harder. There was determination in his eyes, but also something darker.

"I'll be waiting for you, brother," Hel muttered under his breath, his hands clenching into fists.

The tension between the two brothers was growing stronger each day. While Lux focused on improving himself, Hel was preparing for something else entirely. The calm morning training session felt like the quiet before a storm.

Maskl noticed Hel's intense stares but said nothing. He had seen this kind of rivalry before in noble families. It rarely ended well for anyone involved.

"Young master Lux," Maskl called out, "try adding more power to your final strike. Let your whole body flow with the movement."

Lux nodded and adjusted his stance. As he brought the sword down, there was more force behind it than before. The wooden blade cut through the air with a sharp whistle.

"Excellent," Maskl said with approval. "You're learning faster than I expected."

From across the garden, Hel's jaw tightened as he heard the praise. His exercises became more violent, as if he was imagining fighting someone specific.

The peaceful morning continued, but everyone could feel that change was coming soon.