An Extra’s POV

[Later That Day]

"Huu…"

Releasing visible breaths from his pursed lips as he sighed, Rey dropped the book he just finished reading on his desk as he rose from the chair where he sat.

'It's been months since I last read, but it takes me a few minutes to finish a whole book now. And that's even when I'm being slow.' He proceeded to his bed and collapsed on it, covering his face with his hand.

'How am I supposed to read with Alicia if I'm just faster than her by such a degree?'

Rey knew his worries were misplaced. Rather than agonizing about these thoughts, he ought to think about ways to lift her curse first.

'Curse, huh? Who would have thought it would become such a troublesome thing…' Closing his eyes, he remembered what Brutus told him and his classmates earlier that day.

—The brutal consequence for breaking the Binding Vow.

'A curse befalling all of the Alliance… Is something of that scale even possible by humans?'

There were millions of humans living in the Western Continent. It was difficult to estimate their numbers, due to many factors, but based on the last recorded census, and the events that Rey just caught up on after reading a few books just now, he placed the number at five to six million.

'The Capital itself houses over a hundred thousand people. Some regions have a higher population, and recently the South has been saturated with higher numbers than before.'

From what Brutus said, this curse would be inflicted randomly on the people of the Alliance. Rey didn't know the details of what that meant, and it seemed Brutus was also unsure of it.

'Could it be that less than the total number of people in the Alliance will be affected, but those chosen will be random, or maybe everyone will be affected.'

He wasn't even sure if he and his classmates—as Otherworlders—would be targeted by this Curse or not.

'I know I'm safe from it, but what of the others?' It seemed like a careless deal to be made over some unity between nations, especially since it had to do with wagering the lives of unsuspecting people.

'Those were desperate times, so I can see how it might have seemed like a good deal back then.' After all, the Royal Council had to unanimously act, using the resources of the Alliance at their disposal, before the Binding Vow could be broken.

in the group wasn't stupid, everyone was safe. Besides, even fools valued their lives,

under the Alliance was being held hostage by the Binding Vow, and most didn't know it existed

this is what happens when you give someone the power to

major issue on Rey's mind when all of these questions

were you able to make such

it was due to a device—similar to the Oculus—which was able to record and enforce binding vows with a

Ater told me. Even humans can bring about powerful curses in

it would be pretty much irreversible by Rey with

a Skill that deals with this

to that search.

could help me, but apparently—in order to preserve the vow—it was

there was no real way to determine

the Royal Council acts in the same way

could stop the curse

is operating on some heavy presupposition and assumptions, but… it's my only clue at the

of the Royal Council—while the others were split among the most powerful Nobles in the

them should take a while,

~VWUUSH~

Rey's door, causing the boy to sit upright in order to see who was making their entry into

instantly knew as soon as

you been?" Rey asked, a slight smile tugging at his lips the moment he

as he smiled at Rey, swiftly making a slight

two. I thought a little about a current problem, so I had to go fetch a

things?" Rey raised an

before his eyes, six shards—pieces of a construct of

'No way! Is that—?!'

Familiar, resonating with each other while being shrouded by some form of darkness. Ater raised his

that look on your face it seems you already know what it

expected of my