"Everyone get ready. From here on out, it's uncharted territory."

My brother, who was leading the expedition, stood at the front and, with a strong voice amplified by magic, reminded everyone that the real journey was about to begin.

We had spent a day and a half traveling on the flying ship, and then another half day walking, until we reached our destination: the entrance to a large valley.

I already knew this place. For now, it was uncharted territory, but that would change later. And I knew what was hidden in its deepest parts, it was something I had to secure at any cost.

..

.

"Damn... I can't take it anymore. If this continues, I'll go crazy. Why is my luck so bad?"

"Bad is an understatement. There are more than 130 people here, and they paired you with that stinky ball of fur. It's your total loss."

"I'm really going crazy. I even have to sleep near her. The only time I have peace is when we eat... Even covering my nose doesn't help with her smell. Why did they have to bring her?"

"Well, that may be true, but when it comes to poisons, there's no one better than her. And without knowing what we'll find in this place, having her is indispensable, like insurance in case of the worst-case scenario."

"I know, damn it. Still... why me? Hey, don't you want to...?"

"Nope! Don't even dream about it. Besides, we're both magicians, so it wouldn't work anyway. Did you forget? I heard that if you spend too much time around her, you even start having episodes of amnesia. Was that true? It's already affecting you... it's only been a day."

"No, well, I don't think so... Ugh, really, her scent won't let me think. The only good thing is that the beasts don't come near us, but neither does anyone else. They always stay at least ten meters away."

"Yeah, even I pretend I don't know you. You really got the worst of it, but it's necessary with this thick fog. I think that's why they left this to chance."

"If this keeps up, I'd rather go on my own. It's unfair to be forced to stay within three meters of each other when we move."

"Yes! That's your bad luck too! It's the leaders' order; they don't want anyone to suddenly disappear. That's why groups of mages and warriors must be formed to deal with any situation."

"Damn it, I know. But even if you keep repeating it to me, it doesn't change how awful she is."

"Shh! Lower your voice, she's right there. She might hear you."

"To hell with it, she must know how awful she is."

"You're really driving yourself crazy... Well, I don't know if it makes you feel any better but my partner isn't the best either. He's uncomfortable to be with; I've been trying to talk to him all day and find something in common, since it's the first time we've interacted, but he hasn't responded to me once. I had heard he was like that, but it's very frustrating. We are both unlucky. We get stuck with the weird ones.... Well, you're in a much worse situation."

"Oh, I know! Let's switch. He's a warrior, you're a wizard, I'm a warrior, and she's a wizard. That way, everything would be fine."

"Um... that's true. I really don't like being with that guy, but we can't just switch, can we?"

"Who said we can't? I've seen some people switch to be with someone they get along with better. The leaders don't mind, because that way there's better collaboration. They only did it randomly because there are fewer magicians, and they didn't want two magicians on the same team."

"Right! I'd rather be on Maya's team than yours, but at least you can talk to you. He has to agree. If he resists and draws attention, what you want will definitely not happen."

"I will definitely convince him. My mental health depends on it. No, I think even my life is in danger; I will give him such a convincing talk that he will accept without realising it. I will use everything I have, I will show what I am capable of when I am cornered. I will get to the point where even he will ask me instead to change.s".

"Yeah, yeah, very talkative. Too bad that's not really your strong suit. Okay, let's get this over with and try it, although I doubt anyone in their right mind would want to. I'll help you a little."

..

'Why don't you put up a sound barrier?'

I wondered inwardly, but I didn't quit, so it was convenient, because I wanted to listen to their conversation and see if they doubted me or my performance. Luckily, they didn't.

Since we entered the valley and started pairing up in pairs of mages and warriors, one of the guys I was listening to was my partner.

We were on a lunch break, and we were only allowed to separate if we kept an eye on our partner, so we weren't that far apart.

Although they hadn't put up a barrier, they spoke quietly, so they wouldn't be overheard. But I was paying attention to see if they were talking about me.

There was no suspicion towards me, which was good. Besides, I didn't care about their conversation... or so I thought, until they started talking about "that thing" that was ten meters away from us and everyone else at the time.

Only now did I understand from their conversation that it was a woman, because—as they said—it could only be described as a ball of hair.

Not only did her hair reach her feet, but it was also thick. If I hadn't heard them, I would have continued to think that it was some kind of trained beast belonging to someone.

I was a little curious, especially because her hair was black, and that kind of hair caused problems in this kingdom. But looking closer, it was just a very dark green, although from a distance it looked black.

Well, anyway, I'm glad their conversation wasn't because I was acting strange, but it seems that, somehow, I'll be involved in another way. They both finished eating and came towards me.

"You're David, right?"

"Yes."

It was time to act. I had to behave like him: be as antisocial as possible. In fact, from what I knew, last night he talked like never before because he was drunk and a girl approached him. Normally, he didn't say anything, and if he did, it was only short answers.

"I wanted to ask you if you're up for a swap. Actually, your partner is my best friend, and I'd feel more comfortable with him."

"Okay."

"Huh? Just like that? I mean, aren't you going to hear what I have to—?"

"Hey, stop. He already said yes. "Well, thanks for agreeing. She's your partner from now on. Bye, it was nice working with you."

Given my quick acceptance, the warrior seemed incredulous, but the mage—whose name I think I heard but have already forgotten—stopped him, thanked me, and dragged his friend away as if fleeing before I could change my mind.

To be honest, they were very timely, which made things more convenient. The guy who had been my partner was a compulsive talker.

He kept talking even when I answered with short, simple sentences, as if he needed to keep the conversation going at all costs and wouldn't stop.

The more I talked, the more I risked exposing myself, so I didn't hesitate at all to accept the change.

In fact, it was a relief that he wanted to switch. Now that I'm with someone who seems as lonely and isolated as David, I feel like everything will be easier and simpler.

My alternate self didn't know her, she was too peculiar to forget after seeing her, and she had some characteristics that made her recognizable. Which meant that he had probably never had contact with her and that she was one of the victims of this expedition.

Anyway, the important thing is that I am now more confident that I can go unnoticed, considering that everyone naturally stays away from her.

If the problem was that she stank, I would simply cast a purification spell on her.

I don't understand why I hadn't done so before. If she was so smelly, that's what those spells are for.

And being me, the last thing I cared about was her smell, so I finished eating quietly and the expedition continued, this time with a new companion... a less annoying one.

..

.

"Ugh."

"What the hell is this? Why is it like this?"

I am the highest authority on the concept of purification in the mortal world. I am, basically, the embodiment of purity.

So, in the mortal world, there should be nothing that I cannot purify.

If I wanted to, I could make something in an advanced state of decay edible and safe. There is no poison or adverse effect that I cannot eliminate. That is what purity means.

But I've been discreetly casting several purification spells on that woman, and the smell just won't go away.

Yes, it's just a bad smell and it's not dangerous, but it's damn stinky, and persistent enough to irritate me. Honestly, I'm regretting making the trade.

That I can't purify that smell with my own purification means only one thing: this chick is blessed by some god.

And considering that I have six metamorphoses and she has eight, it means that it's not because of a big difference in ranks, but rather that it's not just any god... it must be on the level of Aeloria or higher.

While I was only using simple spells with my blessing, since I didn't want to attract attention, it doesn't change the fact that it would be enough for anything ordinary.

That smell had something to do with divinity, yet I believed I could purify it if I put enough effort into it, but that would draw too much attention, and I'm supposed to be a warrior.

I tried other methods, such as putting a discreet barrier around my body also imbued with my blessing, but after a while the smell seemed to penetrate it.

In my memories, there was no record of any user with a similar blessing.

But I have three candidates: erosion, poison, and corruption.

Of these three gods, they are equal to or more powerful than Aeloria, and there are many who have received or inherited their blessing, with aspects of their divinities that are very curious and unknown to me; she could be one of them.

Really, being around her is a kind of bad luck that's hard to explain in words alone. I even wanted to break out of my antisocial role and talk to her, to see if I could do something about that smell...

But I thought that if she could, she would have already done so. Maybe she can't control it, or it got out of control.

And she didn't say a word, and all she did from time to time was pick some curious plants or mushrooms.

Every now and then I felt her gaze, but the smell prevented me from looking at her favorably.

I guess I must have looked disgusted every time I looked at her, and yet she didn't say anything, which, I think, is the only good thing.

That, and the beasts didn't come near her, so I didn't have to fight.

'Ugh... why don't I have any spells that kill my sense of smell? What a misfortune.'

All I could do was keep trying to block the smell in different ways. There had to be something that worked.

With how desperate I am, maybe I can awaken some other function of my blessing that I don't know about yet.

..

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