I Was Told, “I Can’t Leave the Territory Management to You, Brother-in-law!!”, So I Restarted My Adventurer Life in My Mother’s Homeland – Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Results of the Goddess’s Investigation and Contract Termination
  Eld had arrived at the boundary line set by the Goddess’s contract. If he took even one step outside, the Goddess’s contract would be voided, and the curse would fall upon him and his younger siblings again.
 
  Tohlight’s report after returning from Faniaal territory was far beyond his imagination. A black haze filled the town, yet no one seemed to care. Sandrea was burdened with debt, and her husband, Rufus, had disappeared. He couldn’t understand how things could have gotten so bad.
 
  Eld believed that Sandrea was entirely responsible for her own actions. However, even if she was only his stepsister, they had lived together for many years. He couldn’t help but feel familial affection for her.
 
  “D*mn it…… what should I do……”
 
  Eld’s murmur was carried away by the wind. His younger siblings called out to him from behind.
 
  “Eld-nii-sama…… please don’t worry about us.”
 
  Eld turned around.
 
  “Even if the curse falls on us, it seems like it won’t be that bad. It’s worse that we’re not by Sandrea-onee-sama’s side when she’s in trouble.”
 
  Eld knelt down and hugged his younger siblings. In the end, he chose the two who were close to him over the hated person far away.
 
  Marie watched the scene from a distance. She didn’t know what to say in this situation.
 
  Marie looked up at the sky and saw a white light descending upon the three of them. She didn’t know what it was, but she couldn’t say it wasn’t dangerous, so she approached them. As Marie got closer, the white light enveloped all four of them.
 
  The next thing she saw was a pale blue, vast space. The four of them were standing there.
 
  “Wh-where are we?”
 
  Eld looked around at the familiar place. As expected, a floating figure approached them.
 
  “Goddess Aleamia! Did you call us here?”
 
  The other three turned to face the direction Eld had spoken.
 
  “That’s right. I wanted to let you know about some things I’ve learned, so I called everyone here at the same time.”
 
  Eld looked at Millenia, Jaylot, and Marie.
 
  “So, what did you find out?”
 
  “First of all, your non-blood-related younger sister has been cursed again.”
 
  “Eh, you’re saying that so casually?”
 
  Everyone agreed with Jaylot’s murmur.
 
  “However, it’s a much weaker curse than the one you guys had, so it doesn’t seem like she’ll d*e. Of course, it’s not impossible that she might weaken due to the curse and commit suicide, though.”
 
  Annoyed by Aleamia’s lighthearted tone, Eld tried to grab her by the collar. However, his hand passed through her body.
 
  “Huh?”
 
  “Oh, I didn’t tell you, did I? When Goddesses descend to the ground, only their spirit forms descend. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to do our jobs.”
 
  Aleamia touched each of their bodies to let them confirm that she had no physical form.
 
  “Well, that doesn’t matter. More importantly, I found out what the curse is. Or rather, I’ve suspected it for a while now.”
 
  “W-what is the true nature of the curse?”
 
  Millenia asked fearfully.
 
  “These two curses are Goddess curses. I told you about it a little while ago, didn’t I? There are Goddesses whose hearts break when humans vent their frustrations on them.”
 
  Eld recalled that she had told him such a story when they first met.
 
  “Such Goddesses either end up disappearing or descend to the ground and become evil gods who inflict curses. Someone must have contacted the Goddess of Curses and asked her to cast the curse.”
 
  Aleamia said, nodding while resting her hand on her chin.
 
  “Don’t you know who requested the curse?”
 
  Marie said, placing her hands on Millenia and Jaylot’s shoulders.
 
  “It’s outside my jurisdiction, so I don’t know who requested it. Unfortunately, I don’t have any more information.”
 
  Hearing that, Eld snorted.
 
  “Who asked for the curse? There’s only one person who would do that.”
 
  Eld understood who was involved. Putting Tohlight’s story together, only one person would do such a thing.
 
  “But a Goddess’s curse…… how can we defend against something like that……”
 
  Marie looked at Aleamia.
 
  “If we make another contract, can we prevent the new curse?”
 
  “Hmm…… unfortunately, no. Your Onii-san already has a contract, and the price would be too high for your children. And with you, the redhead, the connection is too weak. No one can make a contract.”
 
  Aleamia said with genuine regret.
 
  “So there’s nothing we can do?”
 
  “Eh, Eld-nii-sama……”
 
  Eld slumped to the ground. Jaylot went to his side.
 
  “It’s not like there’s no way at all.”
 
  “Is there?”
 
  Eld looked up.
 
  “If we k*ll the Goddess of Curses, the curse itself should disappear. Even if it remains, I can manage it with my Goddess power.”
 
  Hearing that, Millenia and Jaylot’s expressions brightened.
 
  “Wait a minute. You said that Goddesses descend to the ground as spirit forms. How can we defeat a spirit form……”
 
  Marie voiced her doubts.
 
  “That’s okay too. Like I said before, the Goddess of Curses is a Goddess whose heart is broken. She’s descended to the ground with her main body, not just her spirit form. Evil gods can’t stay in the heavens.”
 
  “S-so then…… no, but can we fight a Goddess? And our fighting strength……”
 
  Marie looked at Eld. Eld understood what Marie was trying to say. He stood up and turned to Millenia and Jaylot.
 
  “……If we break the Goddess’s contract, the curse will return to us. It seems like it won’t be fatal, but are you okay with that?”
 
  Hearing that, the two nodded.
 
  “……I understand.”
 
  Eld turned back to Aleamia.
 
  “Goddess Aleamia, I’m sorry, but I’m going to break the contract. I have to go and help my foolish younger sister.”
 
  Hearing that, Aleamia smiled.
 
  “I understand. I’ll break the contract from my side……With this, the contract with you has been terminated.”
 
  Eld activated Record and confirmed that the Goddess’s contract was gone.
 
  “Now, I’ll return you to the ground. From there, it’s up to you.”
 
  With that, their vision was enveloped in white light, and they returned to their original location.
 
  “Well, shall we go home? To Faniaal territory.”
 
  Eld braced himself and headed towards his family home, a place he thought he would never return to.