"So what do you say Arnos, up for a duel?" Marcus questioned with visible enthusiasm.

  "I mean, it’s not like losing has any penalty… wait, it doesn’t have any penalty now, does it?" Arnos questioned.

  "Nope," Marcus added, shaking his head in reply.

  "Without a penalty, it won’t be much fun though, but whatever you both like is good, I think," Emily said. She then turned to look at Arnos and added, "You should also go and see Alisa, she was looking for you in the afternoon," she added.

  Alisa… Arnos repeated in his mind. Oh, the cursed bracelet, he immediately remembered. "Do you know where she is right now?" Arnos questioned Emily.

  "In the library or her room, I am pretty sure. Last time I saw her, she went to the library," Emily added. She turned her gaze towards Marcus immediately after, who nodded at the words Emily said.

  "Are you getting excited for checking out the bracelet you are getting from her?" Marcus asked Arnos with raised eyebrows.

  "I am…" Arnos admitted.

  "Wait, bracelet???" Emily added, as she looked at both Marcus and Arnos with a dumbfounded look.

  Arnos nodded at it. "It’s to uhh… remove the pain I feel whenever I use my ability," Arnos replied as he started to hastily eat the food at great pace.

  Emily had an unsure look on her face as she turned her gaze towards Marcus, looking at him as if she was demanding an explanation.

  Letting out a sigh, Marcus spoke up, "If you recall properly, Arnos had told us about his special ability yesterday, Envelop, which allows him to cover parts of his body with fire that increases their destructive and physical capabilities."

  "Yes, I do remember it. So where does this bracelet come into picture in this situation?" Emily asked.

  "It’s supposed to take away his sense of pain. It’s technically a type of curse, but in Arnos' situation, it helps him greatly," Marcus added.

  "Using curse as enchantment… hmm, that’s really unorthodox, I must say," Emily admitted. "Though I would be interested in seeing how it works," she said as she looked towards Marcus and Arnos. "I will be watching your duel to get a better view if you both don’t mind," she added.

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  Arnos stood from his chair, taking the empty plate in his hand as he did. "I don’t see any problem in it," he added. "About another issue, do you both have any idea where I am supposed to wash this?" Arnos asked, while looking at the plate in his hand.

  "Seras told us we just have to place it in the right corner of the kitchen counter, so just place it there and go find Alisa," Marcus stated.

  To which Arnos nodded. He walked into the kitchen and placed the dirty dish on the counter, after which he washed his hand with the sink present next to the counter. Immediately after, he quickly moved, walking towards the library.

  Standing outside the library, he knocked twice on the door. "It’s me, Arnos," he spoke loudly, announcing his presence.

  And as he did so, the words "Come in," came from inside, to which he obliged.

  Would it have worked? Maybe she wasn’t able to integrate curse with the bracelet, or maybe it just didn’t work, Arnos thought to himself as he walked in, doubting whether or not his special abilities' limitations would finally be overcome today.

  As Arnos walked inside the room, he looked at Alisa, who was sat in front of the table, reading a book. The bracelet box was kept next to her on the table.

  "So, I tried my best to make the bracelet, but it didn’t work," Alisa spoke in a disappointed tone, averting her eyes from Arnos.

  "It didn’t, huh," Arnos added. It didn’t work after all. It seems as if I am not meant to use the ability I possess, Arnos thought to himself as he looked at the floor. "Thanks nonetheless," he added in a depressed tone.

  "Yeah, I tried my best, and it seems like I won’t be able to completely suppress the pain, though it should work in reducing the pain drastically," Alisa added.

  Yeah, it didn’t work… wait… completely suppress the pain… Arnos thought in his mind. "So it worked out?" he spoke out.

  "It did."

  Arnos, being overwhelmed by the emotions, unconsciously got his eyes filled with tears. He rubbed his eyes from his right hand as he looked at Alisa. "Thanks… thanks a lot. I really didn’t think I would ever be able to use my ability," he added, his voice stammering as he spoke his words.

  Alisa stood from the chair, a slight concern visible in her face. "Sorry for messing with you, I really wanted to see your reaction," she added, passing a handkerchief from her pocket to Arnos.

  Arnos shook his head. "It will be fine," he added with a smile. "The fact that it worked is good enough. And messing with juniors this much isn’t that bad, I guess," he added.

  Alisa smiled at this. She moved back to the table, picking up the bracelet’s box. She opened it, grabbing the black metallic bracelet in her hand.

  Arnos noticed how the crystal glowed dark violet. If I am not wrong, it was transparent previously. Did its color change because of curse or mana she used? he questioned himself.

  "Wear this in whichever hand you prefer," Alisa said as she handed out the bracelet to Arnos.

  Taking it in his hand, Arnos looked at the bracelet for a moment, noticing the sinister-looking purple glow in the crystal. He gulped down the air in his throat.

  "Are you getting scared, Arnos?" Alisa questioned, looking at his face.

  She went out of her way to make it for me, and this is how I am reacting? Arnos mentally scolded himself. In the next moment, he slid down the bracelet in his right hand.