Chapter 2: The Smiling Curse
[Risk Mission]
This was also part of Gideon's ability.
Every so often, a mission would randomly appear.
Completing one would reward him with an item—each with a specific function.
Take those bells tied to the church fence, for instance.
They were a reward from a previous mission.
When placed in specific arrangements, they could form a demon-repelling array, something that had proven incredibly useful in the past.
As for this mission's content… it reminded Gideon of a horror film from his original world—"Smile".
He vividly recalled the mechanics of the curse from the film.
It behaved like a viral chain:
When someone afflicted by the curse committed suicide,
Anyone who witnessed the act would become the next victim.
The curse had an incubation period of around 4 to 7 days.
During that time, the victim would experience terrifying hallucinations, gradually losing the ability to distinguish reality from illusion… until their mind completely shattered.
There were only two ways to break the curse:
1. Commit suicide, thereby ending the curse with them.
2. Kill someone else—in front of a witness. The curse would then transfer to the bystander, and the killer would be freed.
It was a horrifying cycle—subtle, insidious, and often undetectable.
After all, the hallucinations could only be seen by the cursed.
No one else could understand… or believe.
---
"That should do it."
Gideon zipped up his bag after carefully packing a few vials of holy water.
He was now fully armed.
Along with the crucifix around his neck, both his wrists and ankles were wrapped with miniature crosses—a precaution based on all the horror footage he'd reviewed in his past life, where evil entities loved to strike vulnerable joints.
Beneath his robe, pressed close to his chest, he had hidden a pocket-sized Bible.
The church had a full-sized one, but this smaller version carried just the essential scripture.
To anyone else, it was simply a miniature Bible.
But under the effects of his skill [Scripture Reading], the words he read carried a trace of holy power.
---
Having geared up, Gideon finally stepped out of the church.
Jarl and Judy had been waiting outside for a while.
They looked him up and down. Despite his black priest's robe, Gideon was carrying a travel backpack, making him look more like a strange backpacking monk than a traditional exorcist.
Gideon locked the church door, then tucked a strand of hair into the doorframe—another protective ward.
Only then did he turn to them and say,
"Let's go."
---
Destination: Miss Rose's home.
Distance: Approximately 3 kilometers from the church.
On the way, Gideon probed Jarl further.
Besides Miss Rose's strange behavior, there had been a series of suicides in the neighborhood over the past two weeks.
"So far, all the incidents have occurred within this area," Gideon murmured, studying a map thoughtfully.
---
The three of them stopped at the side of a road.
Miss Rose's house was just on the other side, barely 300 meters away.
In fact, they had already arrived here twenty minutes ago—but Gideon hadn't taken another step forward.
Jarl glanced at him, confused.
"Is there… something wrong? Can we still go on?"
Judy tilted her head too. She hadn't sensed any spiritual disturbance.
Could it be… that the priest was just… scared?
That had to be it!
After all, her mother would have charged straight into danger, living with cursed victims, facing down spirits head-on, and banishing them without hesitation.
This is what a real exorcist looks like!
That was the only thought in Judy's mind as she looked up at Gideon with doubt.
She had the guts to wander into her family's creepy horror memorabilia room back home—this was nothing!
Of course, Gideon had no idea what the two kids were thinking.
His mind was focused on another problem.
"There might be more than one person cursed. If I let the spirit escape mid-way, I could get dragged into this too... Better play it safe."
With that, Gideon set down his travel bag and pulled out a handful of bells, handing them to Jarl and Judy.
Then he called them over to a map he had unfolded and marked several key locations.
"I need your help. Place the bells at these points. It's crucial for Miss Rose's safety."
He spoke with seriousness, and his tone left no room for doubt.
"Me? Alright!"
Jarl was more than eager.
Judy blinked in surprise.
At school, the two of them were usually treated like outsiders—this was probably the first time someone had trusted them with real responsibility.
Time was tight, and by the time they were done, both kids were drenched in sweat from running around.
Gideon, meanwhile, stood by the roadside calmly licking a popsicle.
"Nice work! You've done well," he said warmly when they returned, handing them each a bottle of water.
Kids shouldn't eat too much sugar, after all.
After a short rest, the trio finally made their way toward Miss Rose's home.
---
Before knocking on the door, Gideon carefully circled the property once to plan an escape route—just in case.
At the entrance, there were a few colorful streamers hanging on the door.
Knock knock
The door was answered by a young man with a wary expression.
"Who are you looking for?" he asked cautiously.
"Trevor! We're here to see Miss Rose!"
Jarl poked his head out from behind Gideon, and Judy gave a shy little wave.
"Oh, it's you two."
Trevor relaxed. He recognized them as Rose's students—they'd been over many times before.
"And this guy is…?" he asked, eyeing Gideon.
Before anyone could answer, a shriek came from inside the house.
"Aaaaahhh!"
Trevor and the two kids immediately rushed inside.
Gideon took his time, calmly picking up a stone and using it to prop the door open—then stepped in.
---
Inside the Living Room
"Rose! How could you do something like this?"
"That's disgusting. This isn't funny at all!"
When Gideon entered, the room was packed with people.
Judging by the decorations, it looked like a birthday party was taking place.
But now, the guests were staring at Rose with a mixture of anger, confusion, and disgust.
All eyes were locked on one woman—Rose.
She stood frozen, shaking her head in panic.
"It wasn't me. I didn't do it…"
In her hands was the rotting body of a dead cat, wrapped in a birthday ribbon like a gift.
It was Rose's only pet-Mustache—that had mysteriously gone missing days earlier.
And now… it had shown up like this.
Seeing her boyfriend arrive, Rose's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope.
She rushed toward Trevor, trying to explain herself.
But he only looked at her in stunned silence… and instinctively took a step back.
Then, shaking his head, he turned to the guests and said,
"I'm sorry, Rose has… not been well lately."
That one sentence—from someone she trusted most—crushed her.
"Miss Rose…"
Jarl stepped forward, trying to comfort her.
Judy stood behind, quietly trembling.
"Relax," came a calm, steady voice from behind.
"Did you… see something?"
Judy turned. It was that strange priest again.
"I… this place…"
She began, then suddenly stopped herself.
She had indeed seen something—something wrong with this place.
But her past experiences taught her: telling others only led to disbelief and ridicule.
"This place is thick with malevolent energy," Gideon said, gently calming Judy.
"There's definitely something dark here."
As he spoke, a message flashed across his mind:
---
[Psychological Counseling +1]
Progress: Tier 0 (12/100)
Ability Unlocked: Empathy
Your words carry a calming effect. Others are more likely to trust you during conversations.
---
Judy's eyes widened.
That… was exactly what she felt!
Could this strange man really be… a true exorcist?
Gideon's words had caught the attention of others in the room.
"Who's the priest?"
"Is this some kind of joke?"
"An exorcist? Are you saying we're possessed?"
The crowd quickly turned hostile.
"A con artist pulling tricks. We're not buying it!"
"With that get-up, you'd be better off at a circus!"
Trevor stepped up too, clearly annoyed.
"Look, I don't know what scam you're trying to pull, but you're not welcome here."
Then he turned to Jarl and Judy.
"If you're just here to hang out with Rose, fine. But if you ever bring this kind of weirdo again, don't bother coming at all!"
The words were harsh—and both kids froze, not knowing how to respond.
Gideon stepped in front of them.
"Hey—watch your mouth. They're just kids."
Trevor knew he had gone too far, but didn't want to back down in front of everyone.
"Just leave. All of you."
The three were being ushered out.
"Can't you see she's suffering?!"
Jarl shouted in frustration.
Judy kept her head down. She knew exactly how it felt to be dismissed and ignored.
Gideon, however, remained composed.
He had seen this same scene play out many times before.
Just as Trevor reached to close the door, a loud crash came from the living room.
They all turned and ran back inside.
Gideon followed behind, this time locking the door behind him.
---
Inside, Rose lay on the floor in a twisted, unnatural pose.
Her body was rigid, her mouth wide open in silent terror.
The reactions varied:
"Rose! Are you okay?! We need to get her to a hospital!"
"Stop acting! You think faking an illness will save you?"
"You've really let me down…"
As Trevor stared in shock…
Gideon saw much, much more.