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Odovish watched the elf for a long moment, then looked away only after confirming that she was not putting on a brave front. "Let's go find where the candy came from."

Elufiel led the mage to look for the old woman who sold the candy, but the moment they reached the main street, they sensed panic spreading through the crowd. People gathered in twos and threes, talking about "candy" and a "witch." A middle-aged man holding a child was shouting at a group clad in knightly armor. "Please save my child."

The elf and the mage exchanged a glance. The curse had been discovered.

Elufiel was still holding the bag of candy when a knight walked over and said to her, "Did you purchase candy from an evil arcanist? Hand it over."

Elufiel handed him the bag, and the knight took it before turning to leave.

"Wait." Elufiel stopped him. "Who can resolve the curse?"

The knight frowned and said coldly, "Who told you this is a curse? Do not spread rumors."

"This isn't a curse?" Elufiel could not believe something so obvious could be misunderstood—or rather, covered up.

"Do not interfere with official business, or the church has the right to arrest you. And do not keep mentioning curses, or I will have reason to determine that you are one of the evil arcanist's accomplices," the knight said.

After he turned back, Elufiel saw the middle-aged man clutching his child rush before him again. "Sir Knight Commander, please save my child. I am the Light God's most devout believer. Why has my child suffered such a calamity? The physician said it was not ordinary poisoning. Could it be some evil spell?"

The Knight Commander did not even spare him a proper look before ordering someone to block him. "He should not have eaten an arcanist's candy."

Under the Knight Commander's lead, the other knights had already arrested the old woman selling candy. The little cart piled high with sweets had been left alone in the middle of the road, and everyone kept their distance from it.

More and more people joined the middle-aged man. They begged the knights to save their children, yet received no response.

Elufiel watched it all coldly, as though it were a farce playing out on the roadside. "Can humans not even face a curse? Followers of a god? Has their god saved them?"

"Miracles have always existed only in the Holy See's proclamations and praises." Odovish answered the elf, his gaze piercing through the crowd to settle on the old woman detained by the knights.

There was not the slightest sign of panic or fear on her aged face. Instead, she wore a strange smile. She meekly accepted her arrest, put on shackles, and was dragged down the road. A knight pushed the little cart behind her as the procession slowly made its way toward the small square ahead.

A high platform of dry firewood had already been built in the square. Knights in silver-white uniforms took custody of the old woman, tying her to a cross and placing the cart beside the woodpile.

Torches were lit, and oil was splashed over the kindling.

When the first tongue of flame licked at the woodpile, the old woman's frantic laughter rang out alongside her hoarse, dry voice. "You self-proclaimed righteous people took my son's life, branded him a demon, and drained him of his blood. Today, I will repay you with vengeance. I curse your children to die in weakness, beyond the reach of medicine and healers. I want you to feel my pain. And your church, your god—no one will save you. Hahahaha, no one will save you!"

Her body was swallowed by the flames, and thick black smoke drifted out—not the soot of an ordinary fire, but the cursed aura of ill omen.

The black curse lingered above the square. People began screaming and fleeing in panic. After a brief moment of confusion, the silver-clad knights formed a circle back to back. They loudly praised the Light God, and a faint halo spread outward from them. The terrified crowd instinctively moved closer to the silver-clad knights, only to be shouted at.

Amid the chaos, Elufiel and Odovish stood out in particular. With a wave of her hand, the elf raised a Power Word: Shield around them. Beneath the sky choked with black smoke, its pale golden glow outshone even the halo formed collectively by the silver-clad knights.

The mage pointed at the silver-clad knights and quietly told Elufiel, "They are Paladins of the church."

Elufiel gave them a glance before looking away. "I saw none of the humility and compassion a Paladin should possess."

The mage remained silent. Should he tell the elf? Modern Paladins were merely weapons of the Holy See. The Eight Virtues of Knighthood in their code—humility, honesty, compassion, courage, justice, sacrifice, honor, and spirituality—had long been cast into some neglected corner, left silent beneath layers of dust.

When the black aura representing the curse dispersed, the flames consumed the old woman's body, and the burning firewood crackled. It was as if the people had found their courage again. They sang hymns of praise aloud, seeking comfort for their hearts.

Elufiel turned to ask the mage, "The curse has already spread. Are we still staying in this city?"

Odovish did not answer her immediately. Instead, he led Elufiel swiftly away from the square.

The mage walked so quickly that Elufiel had no choice but to jog.

"What is it?" Elufiel asked in confusion.

Odovish glanced back at her. "As you saw, more than half the city's commoners have been infected by the curse. In a situation like this, they can dispatch high-ranking divine casters. The Paladins will soon order the city sealed. We need to get out before then. You should know that my little trinket is only a crude imitation; it cannot fool a high priest's True Sight."

Hearing this, Elufiel touched her pointed ear hidden beneath her hat. She had not expected the mage to be thinking of her.

The two soon arrived at the city gate. Thanks to the mage's quick reaction, no restrictions had yet been put in place, and people could still come and go freely.

Odovish led Elufiel eastward, leaving the flat road and entering a small forest. "Once we pass through these woods, we will reach Ata Town. It's a shortcut, but few commoners take it. Many aggressive beasts live in the forest, and because of that, junior students from the nearby warrior academy often come here for training. But it is Frostmoon now, so we will not run into any students. We only need to watch out for beasts that might pounce from the shadows at any moment."