Cursed System-Chapter 130: Final Destination

RAGNA POV...

I finally stopped asking questions—not because my curiosity had been satisfied, but because I could already feel the invisible wall in front of me, the kind that tells you anything further will be ignored. Still, before that silence could fully settle, I forced out two questions, carefully chosen, deliberately restrained.

"Then my first question is this," I said, my voice steady despite the storm of unease brewing in my chest. "What exactly awaits us at our destination?"

"And second…" I hesitated for half a heartbeat, then continued, "…what is the name of that place?"

That was it. I stopped there. No pointless probing, no wasted breath. I knew better than to expect generosity from a Black Steel Knight.

The man beside me was quiet for a moment, as if tasting my questions, rolling them around on his tongue. Then he spoke, his voice low and heavy, like ancient iron dragged across stone.

"Our final destination," he said slowly, "is a world-dimension steeped in glory, myth, and legends—home to beings who neither age nor die the way fragile humans do." He paused, letting the words sink in before delivering the rest.

"The place is called Transylvania. An ancient vampire world. There, certain individuals will decide what becomes of all of you." His golden eyes flicked toward me, cold and indifferent. "Some of you may die. There is nothing to be done about that."

He took another breath and added, almost dismissively, "Everything is tied to them."

"An… ancient vampire world?"

The words hit me like a blunt weapon. For a moment, my mind went completely blank.

'What the f—

No. No, that couldn't be right. But then my thoughts spiraled uncontrollably, racing faster the more I tried to stop them. Vampires? If he really meant vampires, then what did that imply? Did that mean the captured children—the demon children—were being raised like livestock? Or worse, carved open and altered in grotesque experiments to satisfy immortal monsters who had long since lost any concept of morality?

I tried to tell myself I was overthinking it. I had to be. And yet, no matter how hard I tried to dismiss the idea, memories resurfaced—uncomfortable, ugly memories. The Black Steel Knights had always taken children around the age of ten… but this time, it had happened earlier. Much earlier.

Over the centuries, too many demon children had simply vanished after being taken away. No bodies. No explanations. Just absence. Permanent, swallowing absence.

My throat tightened.

'What if they've grown impatient?

What if they can no longer wait for the children to mature?'

The more I thought about it, the deeper my frown became. I didn't know what would happen to me if vampires laid their hands on me—but I knew one thing for certain.

I didn't want to find out.

Still, curiosity gnawed at me like a parasite. I tried asking another question, desperate for clarification, but the Black Steel Knight ignored me entirely. He lifted a small brown bottle, took a long swig of alcohol, and sighed as if I were no more than an annoying buzzing insect.

That was the end of it.

He tucked the bottle away, lowered his head, and shut his eyes. Moments later, the unmistakable sound of snoring filled the carriage.

I turned my gaze outward.

The desert stretched endlessly before us, golden and radiant under the light—but after months of staring at the same deadly beauty, its charm had long since rotted away. When every grain of sand could become your grave, beauty lost its meaning.

As the carriage rolled forward, the sea of gold gradually thinned, fading into the distance. In its place came waves of green—vast plains bending violently under relentless winds.

Then, without warning—

"We've arrived."

The Black Steel Knight's voice jolted me. He opened his golden eyes and stared straight at me. "This is our final destination."

I stiffened and followed his gaze.

What I saw… made no sense.

After traveling so far, after crossing hellish deserts and endless dangers, we had arrived at what looked like a barren wasteland. No people. No animals. No vegetation. Not even a single blade of grass dared to exist here.

The temperature dropped sharply, like the world itself had exhaled death. Dry, freezing winds descended from the surrounding mountain ranges, scraping across my skin like invisible blades.

My breath turned cloudy, spilling out in thick white puffs. The wind howled so violently that my system kept flashing notifications, forcing a thin layer of mana to form around my body as a barrier. I had to grip the carriage tightly just to avoid being blown off my seat.

Instinctively, I activated Perception.

Nothing.

Even with my Cursed Eyes, I couldn't make sense of this place. No structure. No pattern. No trace of life.

Useless.

With no other choice, I turned toward the Black Steel Knight, hoping—praying—he would explain something.

That's when I noticed it.

White steam poured from his mouth with every breath.

Before I could question it, my body suddenly felt… heavy.

My heart skipped.

'A spell?'

My eyelids fluttered violently as notification after notification bombarded my vision. I fought it with everything I had, but the drowsiness was overwhelming, like my consciousness was being dragged underwater.

Then I heard footsteps—heavy, deliberate—crunching against the ground.

My half-lidded eyes struggled to focus, just in time to see another Black Steel Knight holding a whip.

From above, the hill we stood on was the highest point within kilometers—a rugged, desolate vantage over endless barren land. Yet even here, the Black Whip Knight could sense it: dense, lingering magical energies saturated the air. This place was anything but ordinary.

This was where the demon children would be handed over.

Standing alone against the wasteland, he spoke, his voice echoing unnaturally.

"By the order of His Saint Majesty," he announced, "I have safely delivered the children. Though there were… minor accidents."

He paused, eyes scanning the emptiness.

"Come out. There is no need for caution. You already know who we are."