Lys kept his fingers wrapped around the hilt, the cool metal already warming against his palm like it recognized him. He looked straight at Vesper and said, "I'll take it."
Vesper raised an eyebrow, arms still crossed. "You sure about that, Lys? It's got a nasty curse on it. It drains a man's fertility the second he swings it wrong. I figured you'd spot that right away. And seeing your reaction, it seems you have picked up on it. Are you sure you really want to risk it?"
"Absolutely," Lys said, voice steady even though his pulse hammered in his ears, his eyes still on the hidden properties from the system. This blade wasn't a death sentence for him. If he can use it right, then it might just become a goddamn cheat code for him.
Sara's eyes went wide, hearing the word curse. She stepped closer, shoulder bumping his. "Wait, what? It has a curse? Lys, you can't be serious."
He glanced at her, eyes bright with that same eager spark he couldn't hide. The sword felt right in his hand, like it had been waiting for him since the goddess dropped him in this world.
He tried to lift the sword, but Sara grabbed his wrist before he could lift the blade any higher. Her fingers dug in tight. "No. Stop it. You heard her, it drains fertility, right? That's not some joke, Lys. We can find you something else, something normal. Leave it. And Madam Vesper, why did you show this cursed thing to him, knowing fully well about it?" She looked at Vesper for once before looking at Lys again without expecting any answer from her.
Lys met her gaze, calm on the outside even though excitement buzzed under his skin. "Trust me, Sara. I know exactly what kind of curse it has. It won't touch me."
She still didn't let go. "Huh, what are you talking about? How can you know that? You don't know that. Let's not gamble with serious stuff, Lys."
He pulled his hand free from her with a quick yank, then swung the sword in a clean, flowing arc like he'd done it a thousand times. Before she could react, he swung it. The black blade cut through the air with a low, resonant hum that vibrated up his arm and into his chest. Sara and Vesper both froze, staring at the way the runes caught the light and seemed to pulse once. They were more shocked at its unique sound than at him doing it so suddenly.
Lys lowered the sword and grinned. "See? Nothing happened. I'll take it. How much for this, Madam Vesper?"
Sara and Vesper both leaned in at the same time, eyes scanning him up and down like they expected him to keel over any second. Sara touched his shoulder, voice tight. "Are you feeling anything? Dizzy? Weak? Anything at all? Madam Vesper, what should we look for? What type of curse is it?"
Vesper squinted at his face, then at his hands. "Hmm, let me see. Skin's not graying. No sweat breaking out. Lys, most men who touch that thing start puking after three seconds. Why would you be this reckless? At least you could have warned us about it."
Lys rolled his shoulders and held his arms out to the sides so they could get a good look at him. "See, I'm fine. Really. For some reason, this sword just… fits in my hand. You can rest assured, it won't mess me up. I can feel it, somehow."
The two women stared at him like he'd grown a second head. Sara's mouth opened and closed twice. Vesper's usual sharp smirk had completely dropped.
Vesper recovered first, shaking her head slowly. "What nonsense are you saying?! I've heard this sword was sold to at least three different idiots who swore they could handle it, too. But rumor has it that all three ended up sterile or dead within a year. And here you are swinging it like it's a damn practice stick and telling me it won't touch you. How do you expect someone to believe that?"
Lys just shrugged, still holding the hilt loose and easy. As if showing it to her that he is still in perfect condition, ain't he.
Seeing his confidence, Vesper let out a long breath, then waved her hand like she was done arguing with facts. "Fine. You can take it. Although I thought you would keep it as just a home decoration or something, but seeing how you want to use it makes me feel guilty for just showing it to you. No money. Take it. Free gift from me. I know it's a rumor that this thing has killed people who thought they were smarter than the curse, but the way you handled it… I want to see what you do with it. Keep me posted, wolf-pelt kid. Don't make me regret it."
Lys smiled, with a unique confidence booming in his face. He expected her to ask for some fortune for it or something, but now he felt he just won the lottery or something. "Thanks, Madam Vesper. I won't forget it. And don't worry, I definitely won't die from using this. Mark my words."
"Yeah, you better not be."
Sara still looked half-worried, half-impressed, her hand hovering near his arm like she might grab him again if the sword so much as twitched in his hand. She opened her mouth to say something but didn't say anything.