The Dark Mage Of The Magus World-Chapter 69: The Cursed Doll

"This one’s interesting. I’ll set it aside for now."

Hutson gestured toward the crimson eyeballs, his voice casual.

Count Huen let out a relieved chuckle. "Sir Hutson, you have quite an eye for rare artifacts. Those Kuruta Tribe eyes have been extinct for generations."

He was genuinely pleased with Hutson’s selection—not because the relic was valuable, but because it wasn’t.

The truth was, only certain eccentric nobles—those with a morbid fascination for human remains—would collect such things. The blood-red hue of the Kuruta eyes had been a symbol of prestige two centuries ago, when aristocrats had obsessed over their beauty, driving the tribe to extinction in the process.

But now?

That craze had long passed. The value of such relics had plummeted, and no one particularly cared that an entire race had perished for their vanity.

"So, wizards really do have strange tastes," Huen mused, confirming his assumptions about Hutson’s kind.

Hutson, however, had already moved on, continuing his survey of the vault.

He marked a few interesting items in his mind, determined to examine everything before making his final choice.

The Queen’s Necklace

Eventually, something else caught his attention—a necklace glimmering beneath the vault’s dim torchlight.

Suspended from the golden chain was a magnificent blue gemstone, massive and pristine, adorned with delicate golden engravings forming the shape of two intricately sculpted flowers. Tiny precious gems sparkled along the floral designs, making it a piece of unquestionable artistry.

"This necklace is exquisite," Hutson remarked.

Count Huen hesitated for a fraction of a second before forcing a smile.

"Ah, that is the Heart of the Ocean, once belonging to Queen Milani. It is one of the most coveted necklaces in history, a treasure beyond compare. Many women have dreamed of possessing it."

Hutson’s brows lifted slightly. Even he had heard of Queen Milani—a legendary beauty from a thousand years ago, once hailed as the greatest beauty of the Northlands.

Her portraits were considered priceless artifacts, with noble houses waging extravagant bidding wars just to acquire them.

Hutson narrowed his eyes. "I never expected her necklace to be in your possession. Is it real?"

His voice was calm, yet carried an underlying weight, making Huen’s heart skip a beat.

"Y-Yes! Of course, it’s real!" Huen hurriedly reassured him. "My father acquired it at great expense in his youth."

Hutson nodded.

"This will do."

He made a mental note to give it to Lilian—a fitting repayment for the many favors he had received from her.

Count Huen’s forced smile stiffened slightly. He had hoped Hutson would select items of lesser worth, but now that the wizard had set his eyes on the Heart of the Ocean, there was no taking it back.

Well... at least he’s not trying to rob me outright.

The Violet Kingdom was under the protection of wizarding organizations, meaning that most nobles didn’t have to worry about sorcerers raiding their lands.

But if a powerful wizard like Hutson chose to exploit his position to extort a few artifacts, there wasn’t much that could be done about it.

Unless Hutson pillaged the entire vault, no one from the kingdom’s upper circles would care enough to intervene.

Hutson caught the flicker of distress on Huen’s face and smirked before continuing his exploration.

The Cursed Doll

Most of the vault contained mundane treasures—gold, precious gemstones, ceremonial artifacts, and other symbols of wealth.

But then...

Something out of place caught his eye.

There, resting atop a pile of gold, lay a small pink doll—seemingly made of ordinary cloth, its presence strikingly out of place amidst the opulence surrounding it.

Hutson’s expression darkened.

"...AI chip," he muttered. "Scan the doll."

A soft humming filled his mind as AI chip’s analysis activated.

"Scanning... Searching database..."

"Match found. Estimated 97.89% probability—classified as a ’Curse Effigy.’"

Hutson’s eyes narrowed.

AI chip continued:

"Curse Effigies—also known as ’Wraith Dolls’—are extremely rare and highly potent materials used in advanced curse magic. Unlike common hexes, these artifacts are only compatible with First-Tier spells, meaning they can only be utilized by fully recognized sorcerers."

A deep frown settled across Hutson’s face.

"Didn’t expect to find something like this here..." he murmured.

Even without AI chip’s analysis, he could already sense the negative energy coiling around the doll. The very air around it felt thick, pulsing with lingering malice.

This wasn’t just some ominous artifact—it was a relic brimming with true power.

Hutson’s instincts sharpened as he realized the full implications.

Curse Effigies couldn’t be artificially created.

They only formed naturally in places of extreme suffering, death, or magic contamination. Rare. Dangerous. Invaluable.

Sorcerers actively sought locations that produced such materials—often sites of ancient tragedies, massacres, or magical anomalies.

Yet this one...

It was just sitting in a noble’s treasury.

Hutson’s fingers tightened around the doll, his expression now deadly serious.

He turned sharply toward Huen, his voice carrying an edge of suspicion.

"Where did you get this?"

Count Huen visibly stiffened.

He opened his mouth to answer, but hesitated—his confidence waning under Hutson’s piercing stare.

Hutson’s patience thinned.

"I asked you a question," he said, his tone growing sharper.

Huen fumbled for a response. "T-This doll... it’s an ill omen, Sir Hutson. You would be wise not to take it—"

"Ill omen?" Hutson scoffed, stepping forward. "Then why is it in your vault?"

He took another step closer, the weight of his presence pressing down like an iron force.

"I know exactly what this is," he said coldly. "You, however, should not. Tell me where you got it."

Sweat beaded along Huen’s forehead.

He stammered, attempting to divert the conversation, but Hutson was unrelenting.

The room grew tense, the once casual treasure hunt now shifting into something far more sinister.

Because this wasn’t just about wealth anymore.

It was about something far worse.

Chapter 70: The Thief’s Gift

Count Huen wiped the sweat from his forehead, his unease evident. "That doll... it was brought to me by a thief. He claimed it had mysterious powers, so I bought it and stored it in the vault. Honestly, I’d almost forgotten about it."

Hutson’s gaze remained sharp, unyielding.

"A thief?" His voice was calm, yet there was a weight behind it. "What’s his name? Where can I find him?"

Huen hesitated, but under Hutson’s piercing stare, he knew better than to lie.

"His name is Robert. He’s a Grand Knight-ranked thief—a rather infamous one. I don’t know where he is now, but you can check with the Adventurers’ Guild. He’s well known there."

Hutson’s brows furrowed slightly.

Robert...

That name sparked something familiar.

A Grand Knight-ranked thief wasn’t common. In fact, Hutson had recently encountered one such individual—the assassin who had been tailing him in the forest.

Could it be the same person?

It seemed unlikely that two high-level thieves would appear in the same region at the same time.

Hutson nodded. "Understood."

Without hesitation, he turned back toward the vault’s treasures.

"I’ll take these three," he declared.

The Cursed Doll.

The Heart of the Ocean Necklace.

The Crimson Eyes.

The words weren’t a request—they were a statement.

Without waiting for acknowledgment, Hutson reached out and secured the cursed doll into his storage, then moved to collect the necklace and the preserved eyes.

Huen simply nodded along, forcing a smile, not daring to voice any objection.

Because Hutson wasn’t asking for permission—he was merely informing him of his choices.

Leaving the Vault

Once his selections were made, Hutson strode toward the exit.

Behind him, Huen struggled, his breath coming in short gasps as he pushed the heavy vault doors shut. Despite their size, they seemed heavier than expected, and his face reddened from exertion before the doors finally sealed.

Hutson couldn’t help but smirk as he watched.

Huen was clearly uneasy—rushing to secure his remaining wealth as if afraid the sorcerer might change his mind and plunder the entire treasury.

Hutson had considered it, if only for a moment.

The temptation of such a vast fortune was undeniable.

However, he was not reckless.

The Violet Kingdom fell under the influence of Aruf Swamp, one of the most powerful wizarding organizations.

These nobles, despite their arrogance, were not without power. If he overstepped, they could easily call upon their wizarding allies, and that would lead to unwanted complications.

In the end, it simply wasn’t worth the trouble.

Hutson moved through the outer corridors of the underground vault, his mind now focused on his next steps.

There were still questions left unanswered.

And it all started with the thief, Robert.