The Unaware Atelier Meister

You're excommunicated,

former Sister Marlefiss.

Excommunicated? Me?

That party you belonged to,

the Flaming Dragon Fang,

not only has it shown many failures and violence to others,

but now I hear its leader has become a wanted man.

None of that has been my fault, Bishop Tristan!

It may be true that I unleashed lightning magic in a restaurant in the royal capital,

but that was punishment for the venue serving us food worse than pig slop!

Enough prattle!

The ill repute you've earned will become a stain upon the reputation of the Polan Church.

Even though I've been doing more than anyone else

to raise the reputation of the church

by joining common adventurers and performing miracles for others!

However, it's also true that we acknowledge your capability with magic.

Because of that,

if you're able to perform a simple job for us,

then we promise to write off your trivial sins

and grant you the rank of Priest.

Priest?!

This is wine from the Polan Empire's enemy, the Gurumaku Empire,

but its taste is certainly good.

Don't hold back, and drink up.

I knew I wasn't wrong!

Please, ask for anything you wish.

Anything...

Kur often said that too.

Wonderful!

Then I hereby order you,

Marlefiss,

to aid us in assassinating the third princess, Liselotte!

Huh?!

Assassinate the princess?!

I forgot to mention this,

but that wine you drank

was poisoned with a curse.

It will make your body unable accept anything other than water.

In a month you'll likely die of starvation.

This is a trial!

If you succeed in your task,

you'll be freed from your suffering

and rise to Priesthood!

A trial?!

I will offer my life up to you, Bishop Tristan.

Very good,

soon-to-be Priest Marlefiss!

A demon lord?!

The Unaware

ATELIER MEISTER

~A Common Tale About the Former Head of Chores for a Party of Heroes That Turned Out to be SSS-Rank in Everything Except Combat Skills~

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A Frontier Town With Enemies at All Sides

There haven't been any changes in Lise's body after Kurt erased the wards against curses.

Maybe our enemies still haven't figured out where Lise is?

Or is there some other reason they aren't able to get to her?

Today's was as delicious as ever, Sir Kurt!

There's more where that came from, too!

Yay!

Or perhaps...

Kurt's cooking has been neutralizing the curses with us none the wiser?

No, that couldn't be it.

Either way,

Mimico has already arrived in the city and set up her web,

so if our enemies try anything, we'll know immediately.

So good!

Sir Kurt?

This cake has a different texture than usual.

Today I challenged myself to make a cake using rice flour.

You did?

Your meals with rice are always the best, Sir Kurt!

The rice porridge you served me before was delicious too,

so please make some for me if I ever fall under a curse again!

I'm happy to hear you say that.

Though you don't need to worry about getting cursed anymore.

How can you say that with certainty?

I thought you said it would be difficult to create a barrier warding against curses.

Yes.

I certainly couldn't make a barrier to ward against curses.

In that case—

Because...

Failure will not be tolerated any longer.

Yes.

It's taken great time to prepare, but this time I shall curse that third princess to death!

Feast on my ultimate curse!

Whoa!

...this entire mansion serves as a barrier that reflects curses,

so I can't create another barrier inside of it.

The entire mansion... reflects curses?

Yes!

Oh, though I did tweak it a little bit.

The curse vanished and I'm glowing?

What on earth is going on here!

O-Ohh! T-This is bad!

Instead of having the curse attack them back,

it makes them glow!

If I let them strike back as-is,

then I'd feel bad for the person who got cursed by accident.

Cursed by accident?

I should at least tell Mimico and the others about this.

Sorry, but I'm heading out for a bit.

Right, shall we go shopping in town together?

Huh?

Lise, you haven't set foot outside the atelier since the moment we arrived, have you?

T-That's right.

I know this is a fortress town,

but the market has plenty of fresh vegetables...

Umm...

I'm sorry, not today.

The fog is growing thicker, General Alraid.

Generic, is that you?

Yes.

I have a bad feeling about this.

A monster assault?

But the repair work on the ramparts should have been completed by now.

I can't believe you served as the site foreman yourself.

I had no choice.

Considering how important this city is,

we were concerned about enemy spies slipping in to work on it.

Even so, there wasn't anyone like that.

The walls are all properly repaired too,

so I don't think you need to worry.

They were already in this state when Phantom found them.

They likely failed to inflict their curse,

and once they decided this light would make it easy to track him,

he was killed by his allies.

They still glow, even after death?

He's created such a powerful curse reflector.

If Kurt were to fully cooperate with us,

then couldn't we resolve this within the day?

Please don't do that.

I know it's a little late to ask after getting him this involved already,

but I don't want to plunge that boy into even worse danger.

I'll investigate the rest myself later.

Please make sure Lady Liselotte knows not to leave the atelier.

And of course, I'll have Phantom guard the atelier.

What?!

It's a monster assault!

What?!

Magic squad!

Light them up with magic!

Skeletons?!

There's so many of them!

They say there are several thousand skeletons marching toward this city.

No way...

Are they after Lise?!

First Platoon and I will defend this spot to the death!

Yes, sir!

Generic, finish evacuating our citizens!

General,

I'm fighting too.

They can only come rushing straight at us.

If we focus our soldiers here on this spot,

then we could exterminate them.

You fool!

What would we do if there was another enemy poised to attack?

You go protect our people!

But—

At any rate, I'm heading to the atelier!

A huge horde of skeletons?!

W-What's all this?!

They're being drawn into the western wall

and disappearing?!

The western wall?

They said he finished repairing both the northern and western walls by himself.

General, what's going on with this wall?

I don't know either.

Could it be that boy?!

Site foreman!

Hey, don't die yet.

The first wave has failed,

but for the second and third wave

we'll be using your magic power to summon them!

How could this be?

A Bishop of the Church

has forged a pact with an advanced demon,

and placed it in his service,

all to kill the princess?!

These Lapita Ruins

were once used for summoning demons,

so they're a perfect monster production area.

It seems you don't have as much magic energy as that shiny, gold barrel said you did,

but if you use your soul as fuel,

that should be enough to make up the difference!

This is no trial!

Have I been setup by the church?!

How's the city doing right now?

It's surrounded by monsters on all sides,

and even if we wanted to call for reinforcements,

the flying monsters interfere, so we can't.

I'm worried about everyone in Sakura, since they're still gone after leaving to go hunt trolls.

According to the information we received from Phantom,

the monsters are originating from the Lapita Ruins to the west.

Apparently the knights are working on a strategy,

but they can't act without great caution against numbers like these.

I heard there was a skeleton attack last night.

Yeah.

Though the instant they touched the walls,

it was like they were purified.

I heard even the knights were surprised by that.