384 Death Mage V13 Chapter 311

Chapter 311
Jump in! The cursed mansion in the neighboring country!


After the retreat of the former Scylla Autonomous Territory reclamation army and the fading echoes of the now ’dead’ Bravatiyu's screams, Vandalieu's main body, along with Darcia and the others, arrived in Orbaume, the capital city of the Orbaume Kingdom.

Regardless of history, with a population of approximately five million, it is the largest city within the Orbaume Kingdom. It has a population that is over 160 times larger than Morksi, a city with a population of about thirty thousand, and is approximately five times larger than Alcrem, a city with a population of around one million.

During the founding of the Orbaume Kingdom, as a response to the threat posed by the Amid Empire, twelve small nations came together, and the independent city that served as the base for higher-ranked adventurers challenging A-Class and B-Class dungeons became the capital of the kingdom.

"Five hundred years ago, it was an independent city of about ten thousand people that developed as a base for high-ranking adventurers challenging A-Class and B-Class dungeons that were nearby. It became the capital of the Orbaume Kingdom, attracting money and people from other Duke households, and over the course of five hundred years, the city eventually reached this level of development. It's truly impressive."

"Yeah, it's amazing, Van."

As Vandalieu explained while being firmly held by Pauvina with both arms, she looked around the city and nodded in agreement.

While Talosheim, evolving (changing) day by day through Golem Architecture, is impressive, Orbaume with its large population, surpassed it in terms of scale and vibrancy.

Furthermore, the technological prowess of the human society that had built such a large city without the use of the ‘Golem Creation’ skill surpassed Pauvina's imagination.

"Yes, absolutely. At that time, it was just a small city like many others in various countries. The Telkatanis and Dolmad families, who were nothing more than celebrities in that small city, were granted noble titles in exchange for relinquishing the city's autonomy. And now they are Marquises... Kukuku, their so-called  blue blood they talk about is nothing to be impressed by, I must say."

(Note: blue blood - noble birth, or a person of noble birth)

"It can be said that the characteristics of humans multiplying in a short period of time are most apparent in a place like this."

"Kihihihii! How amusing it is to witness the self-proclaimed rulers of this country. They don't even realize that their reign continues due to the mercy of the great Vandalieu-sama..."

Surrounding Vandalieu were the light-attribute ghosts waiting nearby. Chipuras, Darock, and Bellquert, who were once Vampires and lived for tens of thousands of years, knew about the time when the Orbaume Kingdom was founded, and they wore sarcastic and mocking expressions.

"Chipuras, please refrain from putting too much sarcasm into your tour guide commentary. Darock, I've told you many times before, but I, Mom, and Pauvina are all humans. And Bellquert, you seem to be in a good mood today."

"Hahah, my apologies."

"Hahahah, Vandalieu-sama, your sense of humor is top-notch!"

"Aooon! I've been praised! Such an honor! I'm overflowing with joy!"

Chipuras sincerely apologizes, while Darock continues to not recognize Vandalieu and the others as humans no matter how many times it's mentioned. And Bellquert's words and actions become erratic with joy.

"...By the way, can I start walking on my own now?"

The reason why Vandalieu was being carried by Pauvina was not because of their close relationship, but rather as a punishment for causing trouble during the examination to confirm if his tamed monsters were properly tamed.

"Noー"

Vandalieu was rejected by Pauvina's gentle voice. Though her voice was soft, her grip was strong. If it were an ordinary person being held, their bones would have been crushed in an instant.

"But I did ask you beforehand to forcefully restrain me at the time of the examination since it seemed impossible to hold back."

"No means noー"

However, since Vandalieu is not an ordinary person, being held in Pauvina's grip didn’t even seem to cause him discomfort.

As a result, there was no sympathy for Vandalieu.

"That's right, isn't it?"

"Yes, I agree. Your mom thinks it was a bit too much for you to faint all the guards at the gate except for the captain,” Darcia lightly scolded Vandalieu with her finger.

"I had to restrain Master, and my prosthetic hand was making an unpleasant creaking sound. Even then, he was emitting a tremendous amount of bloodthirst, and it sent shivers down my spine."

"It’s good that the guards who fainted quickly regained consciousness, but I think the people who were standing behind us must have been inconvenienced."

Simon and Miriam smile wryly. However, compared to the previous examination Vandelieu went through when entering Alcrem for the first time, it has improved.

Last time, Vandalieu would attempt to attack the guards from behind without making any sound or emitting any murderous intent. It was thanks to Privel's fine play that they were able to prevent that, and without it, they would have had a hard time covering up the situation.

But this time, Vandalieu voluntarily requested to be restrained in advance. Moreover, he had actually restrained his strength and murderous intent.

If Vandalieu were to go all out, he could engage in close combat with Colossi that are over 100 meters tall and inflict serious injuries. Darcia might be an exception, but Simon and Miriam would just be tossed around like leaves if Vandalieu were to get serious. As for his murderous intent, he hadn't used the ‘Demon King's Demon Eye’ either.

However, the bigger reason is resignation.

In the future, Vandalieu might become slightly better at this kind of examination. He might become better at deceiving himself and handling it.

However, it would never be something he could completely resolve. It was because he had accepted the resignation that he needed help in restraining himself no matter what.

Thanks to the commotion at the gate, other pedestrians kept their distance from Vandelieu and the others, which made it easier for them to walk smoothly. Even so, Pauvina and Eisen attracted a lot of curious gazes, so if they had entered the city without any issues, they would have caused quite a crowd.

"This place is full of fake Barons~"

Pauvina didn’t seem to mind. Eisen, on the other hand, was captivated by the passersby, associating them with Baron Cuoco Ragdew, the gastronomic lover who was enticed by the syrup she made from her own sap.

It seems that their interactions with the Baron family have trained their tolerance towards strangers.

"We have already apologized to the people who were behind us, so I wonder if it’s okay."

"They... seemed a little nervous, but they forgave us with smiles."

Arthur and Karinia nodded. As they couldn't find a place to help in restraining Vandalieu due to his small body just now, they went to apologize to the people around them instead.

"Kuhihi. Really, I wonder?"

But as Bolzofoy said with an anxious tone, those who were lined up behind Vandalieu and were apologized to by Arthur and Karinia might feel more intimidated than relieved when being apologized to by a robust and imposing man and a beautiful woman with a somewhat eerie atmosphere.

"Well, I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I think so too."

Once Arthur and the others' personalities become more known, even small bad reputations will turn into funny stories.

More importantly, before enrolling in the Adventurer's School, Vandelieu had to accomplish his purpose for coming to Orbaume before anything else.

That purpose was the same as when he first arrived in the city of Morksi — to purchase a house to live in Orbaume.

However, this time Darcia has become an Honorary Countess, and since it's the capital city they were in rather than a trading city, it was decided that they will be purchasing a mansion for nobles instead of a detached house.

Though Honorary Nobles only retain their noble status for one generation, many of them still purchase mansions. Additionally, there were several mansions up for sale in Orbaum for various reasons.

They would purchase one of those and remodel it to serve as their base, just like their house in the city of Morksi.

For that reason, Vandalieu and the others had come to visit the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce, a company famous in Orbaume.





The Senorpa Chamber of Commerce that they visited was famous in general, but they were also famous for acquiring mansions from fallen nobles. They would buy any mansion with a bad reputation, and sell them to wealthy nobles or nouveau riche individuals at a high price after refurbishing them according to the buyer's requests.

(Note: nouveau riche - people who have recently acquired wealth, typically those perceived as ostentatious or lacking in good taste)

The secret to their business success lay in their strong connections with the Church of Alda. Not all nobles were virtuous saints, and many of the ‘mansions with bad reputation’ they sold were haunted by vengeful and evil spirits that make even the haunted mansions in ghost stories pale in comparison.

In order to deal with things like red handprints continuing to ooze out no matter how much cleaning was done, dishes flying around the air, and vengeful spirits appearing to directly kill intruders, it would require a group of light-attribute mages and clergymen  from the Church of Alda trained in dealing with undeads.

The Senorpa Chamber of Commerce would pay generous donations to several Cardinals of the Church of Alda, who would then dispatch their priests, who were considered as apostles of gods, to purify the eerie mansions and turn them into ordinary second-hand properties.

Of course, if undeads were to appear within the city, it was the duty of the church to purify them, even without receiving donations from real estate agencies.

However, in most cases, the vengeful spirits that manifested within a mansion do not leave the premises. They were so-called earthbound spirits. By sealing the gates and walls with talismans, one can prevent the miasma created from such spirits from spreading outside, and prevent spirits from the outside from entering and turning into undeads. This would help contain the negative effects only within the boundaries of the mansion.

As a result, in many cases, purifying the mansions was often deemed as ‘low urgency’ and postponed.

Moreover, due to the nature of the location, they had to interact with nobles living nearby, and thus, the priests with strong faith who practiced the teachings of the gods tended not to get involved with cursed mansions. In fact, it was a matter irrelevant to ordinary people who could not afford to pay large donations, making the priests even less inclined to do so.

However, neglecting these cases would eventually lead to problems. The effect of the talismans would not last forever, and over the course of several decades to centuries, the undeads within the mansions could gain strength and numbers and eventually break the seals.

For that reason, the government of the Orbaume Kingdom would request the church to purify the old cursed mansions. But paradoxically, this created a trend where the church would not act until specifically requested by the government.

It was rumored that there were cases where certain Cardinals intentionally delayed the purification of cursed mansions to build up achievements for their children.

By the way, even adventurer mages who are not affiliated with the church can perform the purification, but it's not guaranteed that they won't be influenced by the unsavory revelations from the spirits about the previous owner of the mansion, leading them to having impure thoughts. That's why there’s an implicit understanding that only church officials would handle such cases.

That's precisely why Senorpa Chamber of Commerce's strong connections serve as a valuable asset in their business. Therefore, when Honorary Countess Darcia Zakkart appeared as one of their clients, the employees of Senorpa Chamber of Commerce were surprised. They had never expected that Darcia, who is a saint of Vida and Vida's new races, would visit their store that has a deep connection with the Church of Alda.

Through their merchant networks, they had heard that Darcia's son, Vandalieu, and his younger sister, Pauvina, would come to the kingdom's capital city, Orbaume, to enroll in the Adventurer's School. They also heard that they might purchase a mansion instead of staying in a high-class inn. If that were to happen, the real estate agent who managed to become their clients would be considered fortunate, or rather, it would be a great fortune for them.

"Here is the only property that meets your requirements."

The young employee of the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce, with a forced smile seemingly glued to his cold sweaty face, pointed to the property with his hand.

"It has a spacious layout that can comfortably accommodate individuals over three meters tall, sturdy floors and walls that can withstand even a group of Giant races jumping around, multiple floors with numerous rooms, a large bath, an attic, a basement, and a spacious garden. It’s just… as you can see."

The employee pointed to an impressive mansion. It boasted a size and amenities befitting the residence of a high-ranking noble, far beyond what a Baron or Viscount could afford.

However, it was clearly cursed.

The walls were covered full of ivy, and even the walls that weren’t covered had an eerie discoloration. Although it was supposed to be a sunny day in Orbaume, the area around the mansion felt unnaturally dim.

And beyond the expensive glass windows, figures of people could be seen where there should be none.

With all these factors combined, one would rather laugh at how absurd it was. But if they didn't enter the mansion, then it would be fine.

"However, it has become a nest for vengeful and evil spirits that even the priests of the Church of Alda couldn't purify. Moreover, the previous owner had certain issues..."

"Issues?"

"Yes, I can't disclose the name, but the younger brother of a certain Duke lived here until about a hundred years ago... He had a rather questionable hobby that wasn’t very noble-like."

The explanation continued, audible only to Darcia, Simon, and the others, making sure it couldn't be heard by the underage Vandalieu and Pauvina.

"He engaged in not only enslaving criminal slaves but also illegally acquiring slaves, kidnapping street children from slums, and bringing prostitutes to the mansion, torturing and killing them in the basement. The crime was supposedly covered up by authorities, but in the end, he went so far as to harm the children of other noble families. He was disowned by his own family, falling from nobility to commoners, and eventually beheaded on the guillotine... But the mansion that remained has somehow started to become infested with undead."

"But that happened a hundred years ago, right? Why didn't they ask the church to cleanse it?"

Natania, who took over Pauvina and carried Vandalieu, asked the employee. Surprisingly, she was not fond of scary stories.

"Yes. It’s been about thirty years since the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce acquired this property, but before that, it seemed that priests and clergymen of the Churches of Alda, Peria, and Ricklent had tried to purify it many times. However, the previous owner had built many hidden rooms and secret passages inside the mansion, and even set traps... The interior of the mansion is in a dangerous condition, like a real dungeon. As a result, the purification work has been very difficult... and it seems that they still haven't found the core where evil and vengeful spirits are generated."

"Ah, that's troublesome. Dungeon traps are often simple, but traps set by humans... It's especially difficult to discern and disable traps built to conceal something," agreed Miriam.

Traps set in dungeons are usually simple traps set for the simple purpose of hindering or eliminating intruders.

Things like booby traps, pitfalls, and treasure chests that release poisonous gas when opened are relatively elaborate examples.

Hidden rooms designed to remain undiscovered by intruders, or secret passages that require manipulation of furniture or certain parts of the walls to open are almost nonexistent in regular dungeons.

Adventurers and priests are not accustomed to deciphering such traps. They are more suited for thieves.

However, it is impossible for mere thieves to survive against the undead in the mansion. Even if adventurers and priests were to escort them, it would be meaningless without the courage to investigate the mansion while ignoring the battles of their comrades nearby.

"Yes, and what's more, the undeads become stronger each time they revive, to the point where ordinary light-attribute magic has no effect," the employee added.

"Is that so... Vandalieu, is it mostly accurate?" Darcia asked.

"Yes Mom, it's more or less accurate," Vandalieu replied.

The employee looked at him confused, but for Vandalieu, it was an explanation he had already heard.

He had heard it directly from the evil and vengeful spirits themselves.

"This mansion is a terrifying place~ I was just trying to steal something, and then I was killed by an evil spirit! Be sure to watch out for the stairs!"

"As for me, I was killed for coming to bury a corpse in the garden. I thought if I buried it there, even if the body was found, it would be blamed on the mansion's evil spirits! I was hiding in the well in the garden, and then monsters ate and killed me! Ahahaha!"

"It's because of those buried corpses! I'm about to turn into a monster soon! I'll possess the trees in the garden! Give me your blood! Just a little bit is fine!"

"Hihihi, don't be fooled by these guys. This real estate agency kills people who are inconvenient when they're alive and dumps them in this mansion. Beware of the folks from the Pomadell Chamber of Commerce! ...Eh? It’s by the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce? Oh, come to think of it, the president of the Pomadell Chamber of Commerce died ten years ago. And this mansion has been handled by the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce for thirty years?”

In front of the iron gate adorned with talismans, countless spirits that had not yet turned into undead had gathered. Most of them were spirits who had died only a few years ago, but there were also spirits that had been floating around for a hundred years. They told Vandalieu about their own experiences.

The employees, with fearful expressions, looked towards the mansion beyond the gate, but Vandalieu could hear the voices of the spirits rushing from the inside of the gate, so he already knew before the employee started his explanation.

Furthermore, from the moment he reached Orbaume, the spirits within Orbaume flocked around Vandalieu and started talking to him.

Unlike when he visited the Hartner Duchy when he was seven years old, he now had skills like ‘Super High-speed Thought Processing’, ‘Group Thought Processing’, and ‘Perfect Record Technique’, allowing him to compile and analyze information from countless spirits if he took the time.

(The previous owner of this mansion was the younger brother of Duke Jahan... I’m glad it's not Alcrem.)

It seemed to be the mansion of the Duke Jahan family, known for the fact that the head of their family was a titan.

Duke Jahan’s family has a lineage of titans, and the current head of the family is a full-fledged titan because of atavism. However, the previous head of the family a hundred years ago was merely a human who was large in stature and relatively long-lived, so he has already passed away.

(Note: atavism - recurrence of traits of an ancestor in a subsequent generation.)

But he punished his younger brother without hiding his deeds, and executed him by beheading. And afterwards, it was not allowed for him to be buried in the Duke family's tomb, so he already paid for his crimes sufficiently. Therefore, Vandalieu had no intention of doing anything to the current head of the family.

The fact that the employee of Senorpa Chamber of Commerce did not mention Duke Jahan family's name was the result of their voluntary silence. In both the Amid Empire and the Orbaume Kingdom, royalty and nobles, and commoners, were considered different beings. The idea that "all people are equal" was only held by priests who devoted their lives to training and faith, detached from the world.

(My own country also follows a noble system… But I would like to make the social hierarchy more moderate and gentle.)

It's quite complicated because Vandelieu himself is an absolute monarch, so it makes complete equality for all of his people difficult. While thinking about such things, Vandalieu asked Natania, who was carrying him, to approach the gate.

“ “ "Heeeee!?" ” ”

As soon as they did, the windows and doors of the mansion visible from the back of the garden made loud noises. The overgrown trees and grass that hadn’t been tended to writhed like animals, and the supposedly sealed gate trembled, producing a grating metallic sound.

Natania, Miriam, and the employees involuntarily let out screams, while Simon and Arthur reflexively assumed defensive stances, whereas Darcia smiled.

"It’s cute that it gets so happy just from Vandelieu getting closer.”

"Yes, this doesn’t feel so bad."

“Despite the lack of sunlight, it seems lively.”

However, both Darcia and Vandalieu seemed to interpret it as a gesture of joy and welcome from the cursed mansion. Since Vandalieu believed so, it must be true.

As for Eisen, she was fascinated by the movements of the ominous-looking plants in the garden.

"Ah, I see, if that's the case..."

"Those doors and windows that are repeatedly opening and closing resemble a friendly dog wagging its tail."

"Indeed, brother. When a dog is happy, it wags its tail like that."

Simon, Arthur, and the others released their tense postures with relieved expressions, retracting their hands that reflexively reached for their weapons. Arthur and Karinia especially seemed to associate the cursed mansion with the image of a friendly dog, as they relaxed and smiled.

"Oh, it’s just happy."

"Ah, what a surprise."

Natania and Miriam also let out relieved sighs.

"Why would you think that!? Can't you see it's a terrifying cursed mansion!?"

The employee of Senorpa Chamber of Commerce couldn't understand or find relief. His face turned pale, and his knees trembled like a newborn deer trying to stand on its feet for the first time.

"This place is dangerous! Let's leave here right now! That's the only option!"

"Oh, what a splendid silver tongue and lung capacity you have."

(Silver tongue: a tendency to be eloquent and persuasive in speaking.)

Vandalieu was impressed by the employee's silver tongue and lung capacity, but in the next moment, the gate that should have been sealed swung open as if pushed. Then, the vines that extended like snakes entwined around Natania, who was carrying Vandalieu, dragging them both inside.

"Gyaaaaaaah!?"

"Natania, in a situation like this, it would be more exciting if you let out a more spirited scream, you know?"

And with that, they were pulled further into the depths of the mansion.

"Oh no!"

The employee could only watch helplessly, enduring the feeling of fainting.

Senorpa Chamber of Commerce certainly had connections with the Church of Alda and paid generous amounts of donations to them. They also frequently attended sermons.

However, most of the members of the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce, including Senorpa himself, were not fervent believers of Alda. They only maintained a strong connection with the Church of Alda because it was beneficial for their business.

Therefore, they had no intention of antagonizing Darcia and Vandalieu. They simply introduced the most troublesome cursed mansion as a pose towards the Church of Alda.

(At this rate, my... no, our future!)

If it were to be known that the son of an Honorary Countess was injured... or worse, died because of the property they introduced, it would become a serious liability issue.

While Alda believers with extremist views might applaud, they wouldn't come to the defense of Senorpa Chamber of Commerce and its employee who carelessly harmed a noble's child. The Chamber of Commerce head might protect him, but in the end, he would likely be dismissed.

The employee seemed to have seen his future, fleeing Orbaum with their families, and relying on the small amount of cash and a letter of introduction given to him by the Head of the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce.

"We've never had the seals broken before, why now...?"

“Maybe the reason is that if the cursed mansion gets serious, it could break the seals at any time. It just didn't have a reason to do so until now.”

"B-but... we've confirmed evil spirits trying and failing to break the seals to escape..."

“Those were probably the spirits of priests who challenged the mansion and were defeated, or thieves who infiltrated and became evil spirits after dying. They probably wanted to escape from the mansion that killed them. However, they are not under the mansion's control, so they have nothing to do to the will of the mansion.”

"Why, the will of the mansion, you say? You’re quite knowledgeable about un... deads..."

The employee turned around and realized that the person he had been conversing with wasn't Darcia or Karinia, but Eisen wearing a collar for tamed monsters. He was at a loss for words. Even though he had thought she was a highly intelligent monster based on her appearance, he was still shocked to discover that Eisen had more insight than himself.

"Indeed, the mansion cannot move regardless of whether it is sealed or not. Furthermore, even if it is sealed, it doesn't prevent thieves or criminals from sneaking in. It just ensures that there are no victims."

"Fufufu, in that case, the mansion has no reason to break the seal. In fact, it prevents the entry of intruders who would be too powerful for the mansion to handle... adventurers of high rank who could potentially clear the mansion from the outside."

"W-What!? Does that mean we were being used all along!?"

"Kukuku, it seems you were deceived quite easily. Don't worry, it's not your fault. This is just like a little accident."

"Ah, aah, aaaah!"

"No need to make that face, Mr. Employee. Arthur and Karinia were just adding to Eisen-oneesan’s conjecture, and Bolzofoy was only trying to reassure you since you seemed shocked. They didn't mean to stir up any feelings of guilt or anything like that."

Simon hurriedly tried to calm down the employee, who had begun screaming in despair. By the way, it's easy to forget when he's with Arthur and the others, but Simon himself has a rather intimidating appearance. He has improved his consciousness and lifestyle over the past year and has been shaving his beard, so he looks much better now.

"But it seems the mansion has taken a liking to Vandalieu, so let's stay here. Employee, can you show me the contract? Is it okay to make the payment here?"

"Darcia, I think it would be better to return to Senorpa Chamber of Commerce for that. It probably costs millions of baums, so it will be too heavy for one person to carry."

Darcia and Miriam were determined to proceed with the purchase of the terrifying cursed mansion, seemingly unconcerned about the well-being of her son and Natania.

The emotionally overwhelmed employee shook his head from side to side like a broken doll. This property was not intended to be sold. Thus, they had no contract to show.

"Is that so? Well, in that case, it can’t be helped. I will go with... Simon to the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce and buy this mansion. Eisen is treated as a tamed monster of Vandalieu, so she should wait in the mansion. Miriam and the others should wait in front of the gate outside of the mansion and explain that the seal has been broken if anyone comes to prevent anyone from making a fuss."

"Okayyy."

"Leave it to us!"

Both groups went their separate ways. The employee found himself sitting alongside Simon on the coach driver's seat of the carriage, heading back to the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce.

At the Senorpa Chamber of Commerce, the head of the Chamber of Commerce protested, saying, "We can’t sell such a dangerous property." However, Darcia managed to persuade them by displaying a large amount of platinum coins stuffed in a leather bag, as well as gold bars, gemstones, and various treasures that seemed to amount to around ten million Baums.

However, Darcia managed to convince him, showing a large amount of platinum coins stuffed in leather bags, as well as gold bars, gemstones, and various treasures that seemed to amount to around ten million baums, and declaring, "It's all right, there's no danger anymore. I swear by Goddess Vida and Champion Zakkart." Her display was so convincing that it made the head wonder how she managed to load so much onto a carriage.

Thus, they managed to purchase the three-story mansion with a large garden, historic paintings and furniture at an incredibly low price of three hundred thousand baums.

And so, the news spread among the nobles, official merchants, and church officials of Orbaume: "Darcia Zakkart, the Honorary Countess of Alcrem Duchy, has purchased that cursed mansion."





Monster Explanation: Cursed Mansion (From the Adventurer's Guild Archives)

Accurately speaking, the cursed mansion is not a monster itself, but a term used for a building inhabited by undeads that manipulates doors, staircases, and furniture. However, for convenience sake, it is often referred to as a monster.

In many cases, these mansions were the residences of nobles or wealthy merchants that became the setting for gruesome incidents, such as the entire family of owners being slaughtered, or owners torturing and killing their servants or lovers.

Within the grounds of the mansion, there are countless undeads, forming a collective entity centered around the mansion. Thus, they are collectively referred to as the "cursed mansion," rather than counting them individually.

The difficulty of subjugating the cursed mansion depends on the size of the mansion, the traps set within it, and the strength of the undeads residing inside it.

Merchants’ mansions usually have hidden rooms to protect their hidden properties, while nobles’ mansions have more traps, including escape routes for emergencies. Among them, there were some that even set up traps that they would never use in their daily lives.

The monsters that appear in such mansions are often undeads of former servants, prostitutes, kidnapped children, etc. So there are very few undeads in cursed mansions that can use magic like Liches.

However, one must remain vigilant of ghosts that are difficult to attack with physical attacks, as well as Living Armor, Cursed Paintings, and Cursed Weapons that may attack from blind spots.

In addition, if the mansion has been abandoned for hundreds of years, this results in severe contamination by miasma, and the mansion would become similar to a genuine Devil's Nest. Plants in the garden, insects, and mice that inhabit the mansion may also transform into monsters, increasing the danger even further.

In the case of a mansion of a baron or noble of a lower-class, the mansion is smaller and has fewer traps. It can be purified by five priests equivalent to D-Class adventurers. However, for a duke's mansion, it often requires a High Priest equivalent to an A-Class adventurer.

In Orbaume, the subjugation of cursed mansions is often not entrusted to the Adventurer's Guild, whereas in other duchies, adventurers are the ones responsible for dealing with them rather than church officials.

In such cases, it is recommended to have a thorough discussion with the client regarding whether or not compensation will be demanded for destroying paintings that became monsters or if it is acceptable to break walls and doors during the subjugation.

By the way, if it is permissible to barrage the mansion with offensive magic from outside until it collapses, or to douse the mansion in oil and set it ablaze, the difficulty of subjugation significantly decreases.

However, in most cases, permission is not granted by clients, so it is best to give up on such methods. Even if permission is obtained, there is a risk of stray projectiles hitting neighboring mansions of other nobles or the flames spreading. In the worst-case scenario, the subjugators would be executed alongside the client. Even if the situation didn’t turn out to be as bad, it could still lead to paying a substantial amount in compensation, so it is crucial to exercise caution.

According to Champion Farmoun Gold, "Living humans are scarier."