Cursed Title.
We don't call it a title of glory or of anomaly. The "curse" points to humanity's rejection of and anxiety toward unearned kindness.
The exact origin of the Cursed Title is impossible to pinpoint, but its first recorded appearance was with a dustman nad Sugwara.
He obtained the Cursed Title "Gravedigger," and his title spread among those who knew his na.
— Gravedigger
— You dig a grave that holds your own corpse. The earth is piled several ters high, and an irresolvable black mist swirls at your feet. In that mont, you hear whispers from the abyss, and malicious glares ignite behind you. You spin around and swing your shovel, clumps of dirt flying through the void—but there is nothing there.
— When your hand clenches, you briefly feel them.
The Cursed Title of the Gravedigger materialized in the students' minds, and the hourglass that had begun counting down at the start of Professor Haig's lecture was now half empty.
People believe that Sugwara was the first, and that he must have been the first. This is due to a peculiar feature of Cursed Titles: anyone who knows its na also learns of its power, making it difficult to conceal.
The first bearer could not have been a sullen, withdrawn, or selfish person.
"I know that many of you are hiding incredible talents and potential, and that is precisely why you are here," Professor Haig paused his lecture, his eyes sweeping over the hundreds of junior-year students.
"Out of anxiety and caution, you hide your unknown talents for self-preservation. In truth, only by revealing them can the academy train and protect you. You will beco stronger and safer."
Professor Haig's words galvanized the students—or at least one of them. He stood up and declared loudly:
"Professor Haig, I... I have a Cursed Title. It's called Edge Wanderer."
— Edge Wanderer
— You walk the edge. The edge of civilization, the edge of order, the edge of the abyss, the edge of everything—including death.
— No one can kill you in a single blow. No one.
— What about a second ti?
"I know, Mr. Bentler. You obtained it from the abyss zone, correct?" Professor Haig asked, seeming to know already.
"As I said before, the talent and potential you have demonstrated is the reason you are here."
Bentler's Cursed Title was quite powerful. Could it really save him from a single fatal wound?
"Idiot," Fudot muttered contemptuously, crossing her arms.
"Why?"
Dogat, who had sharp hearing, turned his head, his voice growing louder.
"If I had an amazing power like that, I'd definitely tell everyone!"
"Don't underestimate yourself, Mr. Dogat. Your sense of sll will make you an excellent hunter or alchemist," Professor Haig said with a smile.
"Everyone will learn about your ability, and then they'll find its weakness and defeat you."
After that digression, he gestured for the excited Bentler to sit down and was about to continue the lecture when Fudot's voice ca again from behind Lu Li.
"The one who shows their fangs first is usually the weak one."
"Mr. Lu Li, would you be willing to share the Cursed Titles you possess?" Professor Haig asked Lu Li encouragingly.
Under the gazes of the other students, Lu Li gave a slight nod.
"Beacon, Bloodied, Treewhisperer, Dreamwalker."
The knowledge of those Cursed Titles flooded the minds of everyone in the classroom.
Professor Haig quickly recovered from his montary stupor and spoke with respect.
"If I'm not mistaken, you acquired these titles after you awakened two months ago."
"Mm-hmm."
"So this is the legendary exorcist."
Professor Haig was practically ready to start recounting Lu Li's legendary history. And if the subject at hand hadn't been Lu Li's own expertise with Cursed Titles, he might have.
"Is Lu Li an idiot too?"
Dogat muttered quietly during Professor Haig's lecture.
"Hmph... perhaps he's hiding other Cursed Titles," Fudot retorted, unwilling to concede, and tossed her brilliant golden hair.
"Those are all of them," Lu Li replied calmly.
"See... Lu Li said so himself," Dogat seized the opportunity to defend himself.
Fudot fell silent. Lu Li thought he could feel a sense of grievance from behind him, which then morphed into a curse:
"Bug-eating pig!"
"Why are you only cursing ..."
Dogat felt wronged.
"Professor Haig, is it possible to have multiple Cursed Titles?" one of the students asked, raising a hand.
"Yes, and that's not all. Three years ago, the Academy of Giant Trees discovered that Cursed Titles can be obtained repeatedly. That is, the sa Cursed Title can be acquired by different people."
"And, to our credit, such a place exists here at the Academy of Giant Trees."
Professor Haig waited for the students to raise their hands and ask where it was, then answered:
"The acquisition zone for Cursed Titles lies deep within the Swamps and the Mysterious Forest. If you pass the trials there, you have a high probability of obtaining a Cursed Title."
"Which Cursed Titles!"
"You'll find out when you reach the middle courses," Professor Haig said with a playful wink, ignoring the students' disappointed groans.
The Academy of Giant Trees was undoubtedly the leader in the study of Cursed Titles.
They didn't just study Cursed Titles; they even used their properties to create trial zones for mass-producing them.
Nurous theories existed about their origin. The faculties of the Academy of Giant Trees were divided: the mysticism departnt believed Cursed Titles might be a primordial power of the world itself; the alchemy departnt posited they were a reward to humanity from the power of anomalies, since only humans could receive them; and the divination departnt thought they were the world's reward to humanity for fighting external enemies.
This reminded Lu Li of the words of the devil's daughter.
"They are the most natural source of power."
"Go to the Academy of Giant Trees. There, you can learn how to use that power."
"I think it might be a gift to those who protect the world, a reward for the brave, the world's way of saving itself."
It was unclear whether the devil's daughter's conclusion was based on her own understanding or on a summary of the Academy of Giant Trees' findings.
On the lowest floor of the Academy of Giant Trees' library is the "Vault of Cursed Titles."
Every Cursed Title that has ever existed is recorded in the vault. But for the junior-year students, any contact with it was still a long way off.
Thump.
Professor Haig flipped the hourglass, in which only a thin layer of sand remained.
"Tomorrow, I will introduce the 'release of a Cursed Title.' Since the hourglass is now full, after class I will inform the other professors that there will be no classes today that might lead to contamination."
A faint sigh of regret went through the classroom. Lu Li heard the student nad Seng, sitting in front of him, complain that he wouldn't get to see the combat skills class.
Before the class ended, Lu Li asked:
"What are the prerequisites for learning that?"
"Level seven in mysticism, level three in alchemy, level one in divination, and level two in knowledge of anomalies, the In-Between, and botany," Professor Haig replied with a smile.
eting these conditions would grant one access to the knowledge of "releasing a Cursed Title."
If they followed the curriculum, most students could et these conditions by the end of their first year—with the exception of level seven in mysticism.
The real difficulty lay in reaching level seven in mysticism. The trials grew progressively harder, especially in that field. Level seven was sothing senior-year students struggled with.
Lu Li had a lot to do.
He needed to understand the trials, and he had a eting with Professor Kris tomorrow.
But before any of that, Lu Li needed to visit the library first.
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