"...And just like that, my ancestor was defeated by the Hero 'Dio Luden', and the Demon known as [Capital] was banished back to its birthplace, a world of nothingness."
Ryu paused for a moment, then sighed, "But perhaps as punishment for abusing the Demon's power, my ancestor and his blood descendants were inflicted with the 'Curse of Capital', unable to escape it for generations!"
"The Curse of Capital? I don't understand it, but it sounds terrifying."
"This curse has tormented our clan for hundreds of years. I don't know how many have been destroyed by it. By this generation, I am the only one left."
Ryu picked up his backpack and tossed it casually onto the deck, speaking with a tone of hatred, "The 'Curse of Capital' ensures our family never worries about food or clothing. Every generation can amass vast amounts of wealth. It is no exaggeration to say our accumulated riches rival that of nations!"
"...Eh?" Chilchuck was stunned. "This is a curse? With such good conditions?"
"Heh... Although life is wealthy and we seem to do whatever we want, the negative effect of the curse deprives us of one emotion—[Satisfaction]."
"'[Capital]' is filled with craving for everything in the world, and this hunger is not alleviated by consumption. We are constantly looking for new prey to fill the endless void in our chests... Get one, expect ten. Get ten, desire a hundred. Get a hundred, crave ten thousand!"
"Feels like ordinary people are like that too?"
"But ordinary people feel happiness after achieving their goals! They feel proud!
————We don't!"
Ryu clenched his fist and said indignantly, "Desire expands endlessly within our bodies. Even if we know this, we cannot stop it. We can only watch helplessly as we turn into monsters from the inside out!"
"Monsters... if it's just strong material desire, isn't that a bit exaggerated?"
"...Do you like eating?"
Ryu looked at Chilchuck seriously, then turned to Laios. "You definitely have a favorite food, right?
But for us, happiness is always fleeting. No matter how delicious the food is, we get thoroughly bored of it after eating it a few times, never able to find that feeling again.
So we have to constantly find new food, new stimulation. Again and again. At most less than three days, and delicacies taste like chewing wax in our mouths.
Then, naturally, we go back to trying things ordinary people avoid. Herbs, poisons, monsters... even humans, dwarves, goblins, elves... and finally, ourselves."
"!"
"!"
The Halfling and the Elf shivered in unison, leaning back slightly to distance themselves from Ryu.
Seeing this, Ryu could only smile bitterly. "I'm not that serious yet... though I have indeed seen 'capitalists' who were devoured by themselves.
I'm just giving an example. Besides appetite, sexual desire and the desire to kill are all themes that have plagued us for generations.
In short, the 'Curse of Capital' will eventually destroy oneself as well. You just need to understand this and take it as a warning—
Never make a deal with a 'Demon'!"
After speaking, Ryu let out a long breath and moved his neck, waiting for everyone to digest this huge amount of intelligence.
"In other words, Ryu, did you embark on this journey to lift the curse?" Laios, worthy of being the leader, was the first to react and ask.
"You could say that." Ryu nodded. "According to an ancient book, the Demons appearing in various parts of the world are essentially clones from the same source... I don't know how credible it is, but as long as I check them one by one, I'll eventually run into the one that cast the curse."
"What do you plan to do after you meet it?"
"I don't know... I've made quite a few preparations, but honestly, I have no confidence in defeating the Demon at all." Ryu smiled. "I'll just do my best."
"A-Amazing!"
Marcille covered her mouth, her cheeks flushing red with excitement. "This plot is just like a popular novel!"
—It seems she is a useless Elf with a maiden's heart.
But thinking about it carefully, Marcille is only twelve or thirteen in terms of Elf psychological age. It is indeed the age to like fairy tales and picture books.
It seems Ryu's heroic tragedy of "embarking on a journey alone bearing a family curse" really moves these emotional young girls.
"You're not old, but the responsibility on your shoulders is heavy." Senshi came over and patted Ryu's waist. "Much stronger than when I was young. Work hard!"
"Mn, thanks~"
"Um..."
"Laios? Do you have any other questions?"
Ryu smiled faintly, his face showing the relief of confession. "Don't be restrained. If you have questions, just ask."
"Mn, I just wanted to know... how did your ancestor cook demi-human meat?"
"..."
Laios asked with sudden interest:
"Are there any leftover notes I can borrow to read?"
"...Huh?"
Ryu blinked:
"Cooking methods?"
After listening to so much, this is the only thing you remembered?
—Marcille and Chilchuck looked at their captain with eyes that could be described as "terrified".
Falin even used her mace to hit her brother on the head. Laios immediately shut his mouth in pain.
"You can't ask that, Brother Laios!"
"W-Why?"
"Because it's very inappropriate!"
Marcille scolded him loudly,
"And that kind of question is meaningless!"
"How could it be meaningless!"
Laios suddenly jumped up and shouted righteously:
"Cooking methods are very important!"
"Eh?"
"Listen. Cannibalism is not uncommon in nature, but humans are not beasts. Normal humans process their food before eating! So, whether Ryu's ancestor ate it raw, deep-fried, or steamed implies different mental states at the time! If eaten raw, it means completely degenerating into a beast. But if cooked seriously, it means the worldview is just twisted, choosing another way of life, and there might even be guilt in the heart...
Ryu, if you can find their recipes from your ancestor's diary, then based on the changes in cooking methods, you can deduce the time required for complete degeneration and the staged signs of transformation—that way, when you explore the world in the future, you can check against it to know your own state, and you'll have some confidence in your heart, right!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
The entire room was silent!
Ryu opened his mouth slightly, closed it, then opened it again muttering unknowingly. He failed to organize his language three times.
In the end, he said very difficultly but sincerely:
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome."
Laios sat down very intimately next to Ryu. After knowing Ryu was a "cursed existence," in his eyes, Ryu seemed to be draped in a halo of non-humanity, appearing increasingly charming.
"We are best friends, after all!"
"...Mn."
Ryu looked at the large hand on his shoulder and suddenly felt that the Capital Demon was nothing more than this; ultimately, it couldn't bluff a true demon-man.
"That's right... best friends."
What to do? I'm very worried that in the future he will say, "Friend, delicious"!
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