I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills

Chapter 126

Talk to Me About Curses!

***

Curse Master Dorma Lacroix.

At 17 this year, she was fidgeting with her shoulders hunched.

Despite entering Rahelrn Academy with excellent grades, her shy nature had left her friendless for half a year.

She had always struggled to socialize.

After half a year, however, she joined a group.

That group was led by none other than Sigrid Ephania, the third princess of the Ephania Empire.

As a result, she no longer lived as a loner at the academy.

Although she was secretly happy about this, she was sensitive to others’ feelings and knew.

Sigrid’s group didn’t fully welcome her.

While Sigrid was always kind, Dorma couldn’t quite blend in with the other strong personalities.

But she didn’t mind.

She was more accustomed to the shadows.

‘It was better when I was with my elder brothers and sisters.’

She was the youngest of the twelve disciples of Veltoa Lacroix, the world’s greatest curse master.

Her days spent with those deeply invested in curse research were joyful.

Veltoa had found her as an orphan wandering outside the city walls and taken her in.

He had raised her and even given her the name Lacroix.

But when Dorma turned ten, Veltoa abruptly left her with his disciples and disappeared.

She cried for days, but Veltoa didn’t return.

Even the other disciples didn’t know why their master had left.

They only vaguely guessed it was related to curses, as always.

Though Veltoa was gone, her growth wasn’t hindered.

Her senior brothers and sisters doted on her as the youngest.

But this affection built barriers, making it harder to relate to peers.

She got along well with adults but didn’t know how to talk to kids her age.

So she missed her senior brothers and sisters.

If not for her eldest brother insisting she broaden her horizons and join Rahelrn Academy, she would still be happily researching curses.

However, someone recently caught her attention.

‘Kraush Balheim.’

The direct descendant of the famous Balheim family and the most talked-about person at the academy.

Rumors about him reached even her, who rarely spoke to others.

To be clear, it wasn’t for romantic reasons.

Though she often overheard girls talking about Kraush while resting on her desk, she lacked such girlish feelings.

She was a gloomy figure, far from a princess in a carriage.

Why, then, did she care about Kraush?

‘Curses.’

To her eyes, Kraush was a mass of curses.

He seemed covered in so many curses that he might be their very source.

That alone was enough to attract her, a curse master.

Because she couldn’t even identify the types of curses on Kraush.

But there was something else.

‘The way he handles curses is just like Master’s.’

On the entrance exam day for the second-year students at Rahelrn Academy.

She had reluctantly attended the exam with Sigrid’s group.

Watching disinterestedly from a corner.

She was shocked.

Kraush was certainly using curses.

And his method was exactly like Veltoa’s.

Veltoa, though called the world’s greatest curse master, was more accurately a curse user.

He could handle thousands of curses and used them in extraordinary ways in battle.

Entering World Erosion to obtain curses, he chose to fight Erosion Species with curses.

Kraush was using Veltoa’s curse techniques.

Noticing this, she barely restrained herself from running out.

‘He must be connected to Master.’

She wanted to ask where her master was and how he used those curse techniques.

But her timid nature held her back again.

While she hesitated, time passed.

Today.

She found herself in the same curse class as him.

He had come because Special Arts was his sub-major.

Her heart was restless.

She had so many questions about Veltoa.

But her natural hesitance kept her from asking.

‘There might not be another chance.’

Though he was using curses, he might actually be suffering from them.

If so, couldn’t she help lift the curses and then ask about Master?

Thinking this, she clenched her small fist.

‘I must do it. Dorma.’

Today, she would speak to Kraush.

She steeled her resolve.

***

“That’s it for today’s class.”

The professor ended the class and left.

Unsurprisingly, Kraush paid little attention to the lecture.

His knowledge of curses surpassed the professor’s.

Meanwhile, the students packed up to leave.

Kraush and Aslan also stood up.

“Um, excuse me!”

At that moment.

Kraush turned, thinking she had taken the bait.

There stood a girl with unkempt light-colored hair.

She stood there, shaking nervously and darting her eyes around.

After a long pause, she finally spoke.

“Could you talk to me about curses!”

She lowered her head in embarrassment, her legs trembling like an aspen tree.

All she could think to talk about was curses.

It was the only thing she knew well.

“Kraush, you’re quite popular.”

Aslan whistled lightly.

“No, it’s not like that.”

She waved her hands vigorously, trying to dispel any misunderstanding.

Then, with a flushed face, she lowered her head again.

Kraush, knowing why she approached, decided to get straight to the point.

“You want to ask about Veltoa Lacroix, right?”

Her head shot up at his words.

With sparkling eyes, she nodded energetically.

Like an eager puppy with unkempt fur.

If she had a tail, it would be wagging like a motor by now.

“I know a good place to talk. Want to go there?”

“Yes, please!”

She responded brightly.

[Don’t lure the kid in. Are you some guy giving out candy? If her other disciples find out, they’ll want to kill you. Do you know how much they cherish her?]

Although Kraush’s physical age was younger than Dorma’s.

To Crimson Garden, it didn’t matter.

“Aslan, you?”

“You two talk comfortably. I’ll be in my room.”

Aslan stepped aside.

“And be careful not to let Lirina catch you.”

For some reason, Kraush rubbed his neck when Lirina was mentioned.

“Let’s go.”

“Y-Yes!”

Walking with Dorma, Kraush drew occasional glances.

Being tall for his age and walking with the much smaller Dorma.

They naturally stood out.

As Dorma shrank shyly, Kraush led her into the Special Arts building.

They walked further to Darling’s alchemy room.

Darling wasn’t around.

Though she had said she’d be here today, it seemed she had gone to get something to eat since it was nearing lunchtime.

“Take a seat. It’s a friend’s alchemy room.”

“O-Okay.”

Dorma sat down awkwardly.

She looked even smaller, hunched over.

As she looked around the alchemy room, she blinked in surprise.

There were several curse-infused vials, unusual for an alchemy room.

“I’m researching curses. Recently, I’ve been working on curse neutralization theory.”

Hearing this, Dorma’s eyes widened.

“Curse neutralization theory?”

“Yes. The one Veltoa Lacroix developed.”

The traditional method of curse removal used the curse master’s aura to dispel curses.

But curse neutralization was different.

It used a higher-level curse to offset a lower-level curse.

That was curse neutralization.

Before Kraush’s return, two people had established this theory.

Darling Danphelion, the Alchemy Saint.

And Veltoa Lacroix.

The world’s greatest curse master, often ridiculed for the impracticality of his theory.

Higher-level curses typically caused instant death, often before a curse master could arrive.

So Veltoa’s theory existed only on paper, untested.

Kraush would prove it.

For now, Darling was still drafting her thesis on it.

Currently, Veltoa was the sole advocate of the theory.

“You do have a connection with Master Veltoa, Mr. Kraush!”

“Just a bit.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

If you considered their connection before his return.

“But curses only work if they’re cast on a target. That’s why curse neutralization theory hasn’t been proven…”

The biggest flaw in the theory was the inability to test it on people.

Higher-level curses often caused instant death.

So Veltoa had only proposed the theory without detailing which curses offset each other.

“I’m here.”

But Kraush was different.

Stealing curses allowed him to avoid becoming a direct target.

Thus, he survived the reduced effects of curses and could actively test curse neutralization theory.

Kraush had become a living proof of the theory.

Dorma froze.

Then slowly turned to Kraush with wide eyes.

“On you, Mr. Kraush?”

“Dorma, you know what’s inside me.”

Dorma flinched.

Being close, she felt it clearly.

Kraush emitted curses so dense they almost choked her.

“And you came to ask about that, didn’t you?”

With a smile, Kraush crossed his legs.

Seeing this, Dorma hesitated before closing her eyes and shouting.

“Yes! The way you handle curses is so similar to Master’s!”

“Of course. I learned it directly from your master.”

Kraush’s secret technique, Extreme Blood Poison.

Enhanced by Ignis, Annihilation Erosion was based on Veltoa’s curse techniques.

Kraush’s swift mastery of Annihilation Erosion came from experience.

“Really!”

She nearly jumped with excitement.

“I’ve been searching for Master for so long! He disappeared when I was ten, and there’s been no news since. I’ve been so worried!”

She spoke rapidly, then paused, catching her breath.

“But you use Master’s techniques, so I hoped… Do you know where he is?”

She finished, looking parched.

Kraush poured a cup of water and handed it to her.

“Thank you.”

She held the cup with both hands and drank deeply with her small mouth.

Finally calming down.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes, much.”

Seeing the now calmer Dorma, Kraush smiled.

“Veltoa Lacroix is wandering around the Forbidden Zone.”

That old man was obsessed with curses.

So once he deemed Dorma grown, he headed straight for the Forbidden Zone.

Not telling Dorma or the disciples where he went was likely for their sake.

To prevent Dorma from following him to the dangerous area.

“…The Forbidden Zone.”

Dorma muttered, her face pale.

She knew how dangerous the Forbidden Zone was.

Dorma was a skilled curse master.

Taught by Veltoa himself, her knowledge and skills in curses were top-notch among the twelve disciples.

‘I owe a lot to her.’

But she had almost no combat ability.

Her small frame and weak body were unsuitable for handling curses in battle.

So hearing about the Forbidden Zone left her breathless.

It was a place she couldn’t possibly go.

“Do you want my help finding Veltoa Lacroix?”

Kraush’s offer made her look up sharply.

She believed Kraush knew Veltoa.

Being a Balheim, he would likely enter the Forbidden Zone.

He could certainly find Veltoa.

“Is that okay?”

“I’ll go to the Forbidden Zone eventually. Might as well.”

“Really? Thank you so much, Mr. Kraush! You’re so kind, despite the rumors!”

She stood up and shook Kraush’s hand vigorously.

For someone desperate to reunite with her master, Kraush’s offer was deeply appreciated.

“Rumors?”

Kraush questioned the rumors she mentioned, making her avert her gaze.

“Well, they say…”

“It’s fine. My actions have contributed to that.”

He had somewhat intended it.

He never wanted to be underestimated at Rahelrn Academy.

So he acted more aggressively at times.

[Isn’t that your usual behavior?]

He ignored Crimson Garden’s remark.

“No, that’s not true! You’re so kind to someone like me! The rumors are misunderstandings! Those who spread bad rumors about you keeping many women are wrong!”

But her next words made Kraush’s expression harden.

“…I keep women?”