Gently closing the carriage window, separating the Hero's charming, rosy face, the Sergeant had the Chocobo slow down a bit to join the Military Mage Corps and the Cruising Bishop behind them.
"About the curse, do you all have any thoughts?" the Sergeant asked solemnly.
The group consisted of the best in the military, including the Cruising Bishop, and the rugged mountain path coupled with the Chocobo's bumpy run did not hinder their conversation.
Leading the way was the Military Mage skilled in Mind Magic, who had "advised" the Hero to see the sea, spending a night on watch because of it, though he showed no sign of exhaustion, only shaking his head helplessly.
"No progress for now..."
The remaining Military Mages and the Cruising Bishop also expressed their embarrassment, giving similar responses.
"If even you have no idea, then even upon returning to the city…" the Sergeant frowned, not intending to blame them but seemingly a bit surprised and disappointed.
Although these Military Mages were soldiers tasked with combat, it did not mean they were ignorant brutes.
For Professionals, especially the powerful ones, knowledge was not only a source of strength; sometimes, knowledge was the power itself, a weapon, and even destructive force. Furthermore, some knowledge transcending human intelligence bore its own life, becoming the enemy and hunter of those who tried to learn it.
For Mages and other Professionals, mastering this knowledge meant possessing unparalleled power. Conversely, a powerful Mage would not possess a lack of knowledge.
Unlike the Hero, most Professionals became stronger through continuous accumulation, learning and training, step by step.
Therefore, the soldiers who came to this plateau, especially the Military Mage Corps, though perhaps lacking compared to scholars from the Knowledge Hall or the Royal Capital Academy in theoretical knowledge, were certainly not inferior and perhaps even superior in practical work and handling complex situations.
Like the Sergeant, even if he lost all his strength and had to retire, his proficiency in Yin Yang Technique would also suffice for a professorship at the Royal Capital Academy.
Hence, if these Mages could not resolve the curse issue, seeking others not necessarily stronger than them might not yield any breakthroughs in a short time.
"Could there be any factors we've overlooked?" The Sergeant pondered for a moment and then spoke, "Although it's not entirely logical, since we managed to slay the living Corrupted Phoenix, there's no reason we can't handle the curse it left behind."
A curse left in exchange for life, more troublesome than when the caster was alive, was not uncommon. However, judging by the Hero's current situation, the curse was dangerous yet not directly life-threatening.
The Sergeant's words sparked reflection, and everyone began discussing it, attempting to find new ideas and directions.
[Discussion Result (Extreme Failure~)]
1. Purification Ritual Removal
2. Hunting Knowledge Curse
4. Cannot be Removed (Temporarily)
5. Mastery of Corruption
7. —Perhaps just head to the sea quietly first.
8. Beast Spirit: Cursed Object
10. Critical Success/Extreme Failure♛
During the discussion, many naturally directed their questions toward the Cruising Bishop.
It wasn't due to any extra respect for the Bishop himself, but the Church's Professionals were well-known for their expertise in expelling evil and removing curses.
Yet, while ponderously thinking and responding to everyone's questions, the Cruising Bishop revealed a wry smile.
He couldn't help but recall meeting Miss Hero for the first time before she even completed her first transition, relying solely on her Innate Profession, and he had helped her finish off the Goblin in the sewers.
Unexpectedly, within merely half a year, her problems had escalated beyond his ability to cope.
"Apologies, I am inadequate. Perhaps if the Pope's subordinates or the current Lady Saintess were here, there might be a solution..."
Faced with a question from a Military Mage, the Cruising Bishop pondered for a while, ultimately apologizing reluctantly.
"It's all right, everyone is considering the Hero... our Holy Maiden," the Military Mage waved his hand, expressing understanding, but then asked curiously, "However, hasn't the Church ever dealt with similar cases?"
The Cruising Bishop sighed helplessly, "A curse left by an Ancient Great Demon... to live to become a case... I suppose one would scour the entire archives and find only the Hero yet to be written down."
His reply made the Military Mage realize the impracticality of his question, leaving him somewhat embarrassed.
"And you know," the Cruising Bishop continued explaining, "Although the Church is widely distributed within the Kingdom, we rarely participate in the elimination of powerful magic creatures, except... hmm, except for the current Lady Saintess."
The Military Mage nodded in agreement.
Each profession had its specialization. Although the Church held a solid position among the Six Major Professional Guilds in terms of strength, it didn't mean the Church Court could handle all affairs.
Take the Outer Court where the Snow Woman was: The Outer Court focused on eradicating evil magic creatures, ghosts, corpse ghosts, and even Necromancers who tread the path of dead spirits.
The Hunters exclusive to the Outer Court, despite their rich experience in dealing with these evil beings, had relatively limited capabilities when confronting large or group-dwelling magic creatures.