Chapter 11: How to Lift the Curse

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Wang Xi feigned weakness, struggling step by step until he reached the castle gate. The two guards clad in iron helmets and armor were somewhat surprised. After exchanging a glance, they raised their hands to block him.

“Lord Guy, Master Bartho has ordered that since you’re unwell, it’s best to rest inside the castle.”

“I’m just taking a casual walk around the village in the territory,” Wang Xi smiled faintly.

The guards shook their heads, not lowering their raised hands.

“…”

Taking a deep breath, Wang Xi thought to himself that he had no choice but to try his plan. At that moment, outside the archway, a young girl dressed in a simple long dress and wearing a white headscarf peeked in excitedly:

“Guy!”

Wang Xi and the guards both turned their attention. Looking at the unfamiliar girl, he hesitated briefly before beckoning her in. The guards did not stop her; as long as Lord Guy did not leave the castle, they wouldn’t interfere.

Wang Xi led the girl, who looked like a villager, to a corner of the wall.

“Guy! I heard you were captured by the Northerners and have been living in fear all this time. But I can’t get into the castle, so I can only come by to check on you… Are you alright?”

The girl spoke with genuine concern as soon as they stopped.

Wang Xi shook his head. After some deliberation, he cautiously asked:

“Who are you?”

“Huh?” The girl was momentarily stunned, then her expression turned panicked. “Guy, you don’t recognize me anymore?!”

“Since I got out of prison, I can’t remember many things clearly,” Wang Xi sighed.

The girl was shocked.

“Is it the ‘Ice Heart Curse’ acting up on you?!”

“You know about this?”

At her words, Wang Xi felt a flicker of hope. The girl stared at him for a moment, and once she was certain he truly did not remember her, her mood sank.

“We used to play together a lot when we were kids, Guy…”

She spoke softly.

The girl’s name was Godariel, Guy’s childhood playmate. However, their social statuses were vastly different, and as they grew up, their contact gradually diminished.

Godariel said that when they were very young, they once played in the outskirts near Rendall and met a wandering minstrel resting by the road. The minstrel immediately recognized the hidden “Ice Heart Curse” within young Guy and kindly warned them.

The “Ice Heart People” were extremely rare; most considered it just a legend. Naturally, the two children paid no mind.

But a few years ago, as Guy’s swordsmanship declined and his strength waned, Godariel, who had been quietly observing him, realized something was wrong.

After much investigation, she confirmed the minstrel’s original judgment.

Unfortunately, the castle was the residence of the count and the core of the territory, heavily guarded. As a commoner, Godariel had no right to trespass.

Moreover, Guy’s engagement to Lady Serra made it even harder to approach her beloved.

Now, unexpectedly meeting again, he looked haggard and no longer recognized her.

Godariel was heartbroken.

“Do you remember what the minstrel said?”

Wang Xi, as if grasping a lifeline, whispered to the girl.

“Yes,” Godariel nodded. “He said the ‘Snow Queen’ from the kingdom’s snowy mountains might have a way.”

Snow Queen?

Wang Xi was startled.

“I’ve been with the caravan to Checkfort a few times in the past two years and heard some clues… It’s said that Queen Xiana of our Stag Kingdom is the Snow Queen’s sister.”

Godariel said.

“Perhaps if I go to the capital, I can find a way to break the curse…”

“Thank you, Godariel.”

Wang Xi smiled, having secured crucial information.

He leaned close to the girl and lowered his voice:

“Don’t worry, I will definitely go.”

Godariel looked up, her cheeks flushed as she stared at the young man so close to her.

Yet she hesitated slightly before saying:

“But Guy, you and Lady Serra…”

“They could never care for an ‘Ice Heart Person’.”

Wang Xi shook his head.

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Godariel was stunned, then looked at him with tender pity. After a few moments of silence, she glanced around cautiously and whispered with firm resolve:

“Let’s leave this place together, Guy. I... I will accompany you to the capital! We’ll lift the curse on you and find a peaceful place to live.”

Wang Xi silently observed the girl before him.

She wore no makeup, her long flaxen hair a bit dry and messy, her skin roughened from long days of farming and labor. Yet her features were delicate, especially her eyes—pure and clear.

What a fine girl…

Wang Xi sighed inwardly.

He could not bring ruin upon her.

He was unwilling to get entangled emotionally, unwilling to repeat the mistakes of his past life.

So, the little schemer within him pulled out the “Shrimp Head Bible” and flipped to a page—

The “Fatherly Lecture.”

“I’m glad you want to help me, but I don’t like the idea of you coming with me.”

Wang Xi shook his head and refused coldly.

“You’re too fragile, Godariel. Instead of risking yourself with me, it’s better you stay safely in Rendall. It’s for your own good.”

“Guy, you…”

Pain flickered in Godariel’s eyes.

“You think I’m a burden!”

All these years of silent devotion, only to be met with a lecture; her grievances overflowed as tears streamed down her face.

“I hate you, Guy!”

She said this, then lifted her skirt and turned to run out of the castle toward the fields and village.

Wang Xi did not chase after her. He stood still, calmly watching her retreating figure.

‘Sorry, I only want to be a good man right now.’

…

The next morning.

At the outskirts of the Rendall Count’s territory, near the castle.

Two kilometers from the village, in a forested area.

Seven or eight tall figures strolled among the trees.

They wore leather or chain mail armor, with blue-and-white cross surcoats symbolizing Rendall, swords sheathed at their waists.

These were the count’s guards.

“Called out by the steward this early, I thought it was something urgent, but it’s just to accompany someone hunting…”

A scarred soldier spat, clearly annoyed.

He looked ahead.

Not far off, a young man also in standard-issue leather armor held a hunting bow, scanning through the woods.

“Heh, still don’t get it?”

Another burly, bearded guard chuckled.

“Lord Guy refuses to accept reality, thinking he’s still the former duel champion. He wants to prove himself to the master and missy this way…”

Just then, the young man drew his bow and loosed an arrow.

Thwack—

The arrow flew crookedly for a dozen meters and lodged in a bush. A fat gray rabbit darted out, ran off, then stopped and looked back.

The youth panted with trembling hands, frozen in place.

“Pathetic.”

Several guards shook their heads at the sight.

An older guard withdrew his gaze and said calmly:

“Don’t bother with him. The steward’s orders are only that he not get hurt or lost… Let’s just consider this Lord Guy’s entertainment.”

Wang Xi watched the rabbit disappear and sighed.

Though partly an act, he truly could not shoot well.

His face still carried a hint of disappointment as he turned toward the guards.

“Lord Guy, shall we continue?”

The scarred guard grinned, patting the hunting crossbow slung over his shoulder.

“Why don’t you rest and let us take over?”

“No!” Wang Xi frowned and refused. “I can hit the target myself. That was just a slip!”

Seeing his show of bravado, the guards looked down on him even more.

Wang Xi glanced toward the distance.

Through sparse branches, a cluster of square wooden houses encircled a hill. At the summit stood a majestic castle.

That was the count’s fortress he had come from.

‘This distance should be about right…’

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Wang Xi thought silently.

Retracting his gaze, he looked at the guards.

Above their heads, tags slowly appeared.

“Rendall Guard Captain Rich (Light Green/One Star)”

“Rendall Guard Tomaso (Light Green)”

“Rendall Guard Evan (Light Green)”

“…”

Among the eight guards, only Captain Rich had one star; the others had none.

The faint green tags indicated they were friendly units.

Wang Xi took in the tags carefully.

He accepted a leather water pouch from one guard, opened it, and took a sip to moisten his cracked lips. Then he casually asked:

“Since I woke up, I’ve forgotten many things. Captain Rich, what is the nearest town to Rendall?”

The middle-aged guard frowned slightly.

The scarred one pointed in a direction.

“About twenty kilometers that way, there’s Buchanan town…”

“Are there caravans in that town?”

Wang Xi handed back the pouch and wiped his mouth.

The burly guard chuckled.

“Of course. Without caravans, how would the people there get food and clothes… Lord Guy, seems you’ve forgotten quite a lot.”

Wang Xi appeared not to catch the sarcasm and simply said thank you.

Then the middle-aged guard spoke solemnly.

“Lord Guy, why do you ask these things?”

Why?

Of course to run away!

Otherwise, why wait for the tanks to come?

Wang Xi smiled politely amid their puzzled looks.

Then, suddenly, he punched the captain’s face.

Bang!!

The punch was premeditated and fierce; before anyone could react, the middle-aged captain collapsed unconscious.

“Lord Guy?!”

The other guards were bewildered.

Why did Lord Guy suddenly attack someone?

And he knocked Captain Rich out with one punch!

There was no sign of weakness—he looked every bit the former duel champion!

Bang bang bang!!

Without hesitation, Wang Xi threw three punches and two kicks, knocking out the nearest guards.

Only the scarred one and the bearded guard remained.

“Lord Guy! What are you doing?!” the bearded man shouted angrily.

The scarred guard realized the truth and paled.

“He’s trying to escape!”

“Correct. Here’s a punch for you.”

Wang Xi stepped forward, swiftly delivering a powerful iron fist to the scarred man’s chin.

Thud.

The scarred guard’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed stiffly.

The last bearded guard roared and lunged.

He dared not draw his sword, attempting to subdue Wang Xi with hand-to-hand combat.

But with Wang Xi’s mastery of the “Iris Body Technique: Battlefield Combat,” he was fearless.

Dodging the grapple, Wang Xi’s right fist shot up, striking the bearded guard’s abdomen.

“Ugh!”

The powerful punch penetrated leather armor and padded clothing, twisting the man’s face as stomach acid spilled out.

Wang Xi followed with a palm strike to the back of his head.

Splat!

The man fell face-first, kicking up dust.