I read it carefully.
Then, absentmindedly, I scratched myself, feeling a faint warmth spread through my body. My thoughts suddenly felt clearer, faster—almost sharper.
Alright then…
Let's see what this cultivation technique can really do.
A sudden thought popped into my mind.
Was this lightness I'm feeling because I became a Cursed One… or because of the system?
And more importantly—how do I even activate or confirm the use of the system?
Almost immediately, a notification surfaced in my thoughts, appearing just above the panel displaying my bloodline, abilities, and skills.
[To activate a skill, Cursed One must call out the skill or ability name mentally]
I slowly read the message to myself.
Absentmindedly, I shifted and scratched nyself a little, and a faint warmth spread through my body. Strangely, my thoughts felt smoother—faster—as if my mind itself had become clearer.
Two hours later
What had begun as a calm day, then spiraled into panic and fear, finally returned to a fragile sense of peace once everyone was sure I was safe.
Though night was meant for sleeping, no one in the family could bring themselves to rest.
Elina and John wanted my sisters to go to bed early, but they refused, insisting on seeing me one last time before sleeping.
The same went for my parents.
After everything they had endured, sleep felt almost sinful. No one even had the appetite to eat properly.
Eventually, after about two hours, they decided to check on me together. One by one, they gathered at the doorway. After taking a deep breath, they entered the room with forced smiles.
That was when they noticed—I was already awake.
The moment their eyes landed on me, the air shifted.
I could feel it.
Their hearts raced, their bodies stiffened, and they simply stood there, staring. The silence stretched on, heavy and unsettling.
I stared back at them, confused.
Something was clearly wrong.
I could tell from their expressions that I looked… different.
Not wanting to be the cause of their fear, I did my best to act like a normal baby. I giggled, made strange noises, waved my arms, even blew raspberries—anything to ease the tension.
But as I did, I noticed something else.
My vision felt… wider.
Much wider.
It was as if my field of view had expanded—almost doubled.
What's going on?
Why does it feel like I can see more than I should?
For someone who had just evolved and should've been excited to test new abilities, all I felt was unease.
The way they were staring at me wasn't relief.
It was bewilderment.
Suddenly, realization hit me like a brick.
Don't tell me…
Did I grow an extra pair of eyes? Fuck!
If I weren't afraid of drawing even more attention, I would've screamed. I instinctively leaned back, nearly hitting the wooden edge of the cradle behind me.
They had been staring for nearly a full minute, mouths slightly open, eyes wide with shock.
Then, as if snapping out of a trance, they realized their expressions might be frightening me.
Elina—her eyes already brimming with tears—stepped forward slowly, carefully. She lifted me into her arms as gently as she could and held me close.
"I'm sorry,"
She whispered, her voice trembling
"I'm sorry for being a bad mother, my child."
Warm drops fell onto her clothes as she cried.
From her perspective, her baby had fallen gravely ill—and now, somehow, had grown an extra pair of pitch-black eyes. No matter how she tried to reason it out, it felt unreal. Impossible.
The room fell silent and heavy.
Everyone tried their best to soften their expressions, to make me feel safe after nearly scaring me.
What kind of family would make their child feel like a monster just because he had four eyes?
Guilt filled their hearts.
Cursed One or not, they didn't care. All they saw was their child—alive and healthy.
Elina gently caressed my extra eyes, smiling through her tears.
"Worry not, my child," she said softly.
"Mother, father, and your sisters will keep you safe."
Then, as if to calm both me and herself, she began to sing—quietly, tenderly.
As I listened, I couldn't help but marvel at her voice. It was gentle, warm, and filled with love.
From within her embrace, I glanced around the room. It was small but solidly built—wooden ceiling, thick brick walls, simple yet comforting.
More than that, I could see it clearly now.
The love and warmth in their eyes.
The affection they all held for me.
After a while, Elina stopped singing and looked around, letting out a tired sigh. Eventually, she and John decided it was time for everyone to sleep.
The day had been far too exhausting—emotionally and physically.
This time, no one objected.
No one wanted to think about what had happened earlier.
They simply wanted the day to end.