Damned Transmigration - Chapter 134

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Chen

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Damned Transmigration ◈

Chapter 134: Communication 4

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When Yuri told Haryeong and Estor about the people he had spoken to, both looked as though they could not believe it.

“Miss Elena is really wearing the hairpin, and staying at the Ascard mansion instead of her own estate?”

“Are you really that close with Moonlit Reveller?”

Their expressions were the same, but for different reasons.

“That is very strange. Even if she received a letter from you, Yuri, I do not think Miss Elena would do such a thing.”

“Neither I nor my grandfather have any connection to Moonlit Reveller. Still, setting aside his eccentricities, I have heard much about Moonlit Reveller’s martial art, the Full Moon Killing Kick. It is said to be both bizarre and powerful.”

Which one was Yuri supposed to answer first? He blinked quietly as he looked back and forth between Estor and Haryeong.

“Well, that happened. Let’s eat.”

He was hungry after talking for so long.

Estor ate fried noodles as a side dish with his fried rice, then had thin noodles in broth as soup.

Contrary to appearances, Haryeong generally ate quite a lot. However, she was barely touching her food as she sat lost in thought.

No matter how much she considered it, she could not understand.

Haryeong had cared for Elena in Rutlan for two years. She knew what kind of person Elena Heinderga was.

If Elena had truly brightened the shadow in her heart because of Yuri’s letter, she would have gone to find Yuri without a backward glance.

‘The hairpin.’

The last gift she had received from Yuri was a symbol of deep affection and resentment for Elena.

As far as Haryeong knew, Elena had never used that hairpin even once. It had remained buried in a drawer, still wrapped as it had been in Logos.

Something she could not bear to throw away, yet could not bring herself to hide completely out of sight.

Every time she opened the drawer, it would faintly catch her eye, steadily wearing away at her heart and emotions. It was little different from an instrument of torture.

That blue hairpin, carved with flowers, was an object that reminded Elena not of her childhood friend, but of Yuri.

‘She moved out of the estate?’

That was just as surprising as Elena leaving the estate itself. Haryeong had repeatedly told her that if the place held nothing but painful memories, it would be better to move.

‘I have no intention of moving anyway. This place is more... comfortable.’

That had been their conversation before Haryeong left Elena. Though she only stayed there a few times a month, Elena still clung dearly to the estate where she had lived together with Yuri.

Whenever she returned to stay at the estate, Elena, who had become more spoiled and dependent since Logos, would keep Haryeong there until she was satisfied.

They did not talk without pause. It was not much different from before. Elena would sit or lie on the sofa and read, while Haryeong sat at the desk maintaining her throwing knives.

Then, when the night grew late and Haryeong turned her head, she would find Elena asleep on the sofa.

Haryeong left her that way deliberately. She knew the young lady was lonely. She knew Elena wanted her to remain beside her until she fell asleep.

It was Haryeong’s role to carefully pick up the sleeping Elena and carry her to her room on the second floor.

Of course, Haryeong also knew Elena had already woken up the moment she picked her up.

There was one room on the second floor that was always shut and never opened. Whenever Haryeong passed by it, she would feel a faint tremor from the grown girl pretending to sleep in her arms.

And now, that Elena had left the estate entirely and was staying at the Ascard Family’s grand mansion.

Had she sorted out her feelings and let go of her attachment? Why was she using the hairpin now? Why was she not coming here?

“The timid and pathetic Yuri is probably agonising over whether the letter went missing, whether Miss Elena deliberately chose not to reply, and whether sending another letter would seem like pressuring her.”

Haryeong finally spoke after sitting with her arms crossed, glaring at the increasingly empty plates.

“N-No, I’m not.”

What was this? Did the Scripture of Reversing Taiji Intent have some kind of mind-reading ability? Were his thoughts written all over his face or floating above his head?

Yuri immediately put on a serious expression at how accurately she had seen through him, but embarrassingly, his voice still stuttered.

“Yes. Since Yuri has said he is not, I shall write a letter to Miss Elena. I have not contacted her since leaving her side either, so this is a good opportunity.”

It had been well over a year since Haryeong left Rutlan. Though her departure had looked one-sided, that did not mean she had cut ties with Elena.

If anything, Haryeong wanted Elena to stop agonising over such pathetic concerns and leave Rutlan. If she had not been trapped on Uicheon Mountain for a year, she would have sent at least one letter.

Now, she had a reason to send one.

No matter how much she thought about it, she could not accept Elena’s behaviour.

* * *

“Calamity Star was spotted along the coast of Gunyang.”

Sau, their face covered in hazy mist, spoke. Looking around the round table, where quite a few seats remained vacant, Sau continued.

“I have not heard that the mad cleric acquired a ship, but several sailors reported seeing the same thing. It seems Calamity Star set out into the Central Sea with nothing but her own body.”

Among the Transmigrators who had joined the Sect of Chaos, Calamity Star’s name was a symbol of fear. The Saints were no exception.

Because they had once killed a cleric of the Sect of Order, the Saints were especially wary of Calamity Star’s name.

“...She went into the Central Sea.”

The Saints seated at the round table could not see one another’s faces. Yet from the moment Calamity Star was mentioned, everyone noticed Gwimyeon’s mood stiffen.

Gwimyeon swallowed hard before speaking.

“Are you certain? Calamity Star truly entered the Central Sea?”

When word first arose that Calamity Star had emerged into the world after several years, Gwimyeon had forgotten even a Saint’s dignity and let out a shriek.

If Agwi had been at the round table then, Agwi might have understood Gwimyeon’s terror and screaming. Unfortunately, Agwi had not attended the round table once in the year since Alderan.

“Ha ha, why would I lie? It is certainly true that Calamity Star entered the Central Sea.”

Sau smiled warmly and shrugged.

“Who knows what that mad cleric intends to do in the Central Sea, but it is certain that she is no longer in the East.”

“She cannot be planning to cross to another continent, can she?”

Haewol, who had been listening while seated with perfect posture, joined in.

“Even if the Sect of Order is struggling and Calamity Star is insane, would she truly try to cross to another continent with nothing but her own body? If she wished, she could board an airship or passenger ship without spending a single coin.”

“She is likely searching for a Sacred Domain.”

A young man answered. He was a Saint who had joined the meeting for the first time in quite a while, and his baptismal name was Baekra.

“Is it not a famous rumour that one of our Sect’s Sacred Domains lies somewhere in the Central Sea? A gigantic eye that appears somewhere over the Central Sea or hangs in the sky, driving all who see it mad. They say that is actually our god’s eye.”

“Baekra, have you seen that eye before?”

“No, I have not.”

Baekra smiled broadly and shrugged.

“Then what is the truth? Does our Sect truly have a Sacred Domain somewhere in the Central Sea? If so, we should prepare some countermeasure.”

“A countermeasure?”

“If Calamity Star actually finds the Sect’s Sacred Domain and attacks it, would that not be quite troublesome? I am willing to fight her, so call for me whenever you need.”

Baekra demonstratively swept out an arm and bowed deeply. Gwimyeon, who had been glaring at Baekra with obvious displeasure, spoke.

“It seems the Vernoc conflict is wrapping up, so you can move freely now.”

Baekra was one of the Saints who had stopped attending meetings after the Vernoc conflict began.

“Ah, since you mention it, that year I spent there was truly horrible.”

Baekra answered in a joking tone, without bothering to make excuses. Dropping his shoulders exaggeratedly, he continued.

“It became even worse when the Sect of War barged in. Those hunting dogs fought as though everyone outside their Sect was an enemy.”

“How was Battle Saint? Battle Saint suffered serious injuries after losing to Calamity Star.”

“The Sect of War’s holy water is famed for its extraordinary effects, is it not? Yet Battle Saint was still wrapped in bandages from head to toe. It was quite impressive. In the end, no one gained ownership of the Eterium mine, so I think Battle Saint and the Sect of War profited most from that year-long conflict. They fought to their hearts’ content, exactly as they wished.”

“Hmph. It is all because of that old man Zenith.”

Gwimyeon sneered.

“You may be laughing while you say it, but is your heart not burning? I do not know exactly who you are, but you must be one of the Martial Apex Venerables or great mages who were in Vernoc. You must have wanted Eterium or something else, yet after suffering for a year, you are about to leave empty-handed.”

“No matter how severe and painful my hardships may be, they cannot compare to the suffering you've endured from losing a friend.”

Gwimyeon frowned at the reply.

“A friend? What are you talking about?”

“Agwi! Agwi is not present at today’s meeting either. Has Agwi attended a single meeting since the tragedy at Alderan?”

“You crazy bastard, why would Agwi and I be friends...?!”

Gwimyeon sprang up in anger, but Sau stretched out a hand to restrain Gwimyeon.

“It has been over a year since Alderan, yet Agwi has not attended any of the meetings.”

Sau let out a deep sigh and shook his head. Gwimyeon, whose breathing had grown heavy, dropped back into the seat.

“Agwi went ahead with it despite objections, then failed. And not just failed. Agwi barely escaped before being captured alive, without gaining a single thing... It is too shameful to even hold one’s head up. If it were me, I would have bitten my tongue and died. Since Agwi has not shown up for a year, perhaps that bastard has some backbone after all.”

“Do not say that.”

Haewol clicked her tongue from her distant seat.

“Agwi must be terribly troubled and distressed as well. Do you think Agwi wanted to fail?”

“I think it serves Agwi right. Do you not?”

Gwimyeon’s eyes curved into crescents. The Saints’ faces around the table were covered in white mist, but it was obvious that Gwimyeon was sincerely smiling.

Haewol did not openly laugh. Maintaining her expression, she shrugged.

“I find it unfortunate. It is true that I tried to dissuade Agwi at the meeting before Alderan, but according to what is known, Agwi’s plan had nearly succeeded, had it not?”

Agwi had successfully isolated the exhibition hall with a Pseudo-Sacred Domain.

It had been unexpected that the Mabeld side had Cruel Mayhem with them, but even with Iron Fortress and Cruel Mayhem’s firepower, they could not immediately destroy the Pseudo-Sacred Domain.

“If Agwi had only been given a few dozen more minutes, it would not have ended in such a disastrous failure. Agwi might have failed to open the Rift, but would have succeeded in killing all the hostages.”

“Hmph. Would that have even required a few dozen minutes? If Agwi had not been obsessed with devouring souls and simply killed them all, it would have taken only minutes. Agwi failed because that pig bastard was too greedy.”

Gwimyeon sneered derisively.

“Who could have imagined Heavenly Thunder of Rutlan would intervene that way? If Heavenly Thunder had not come, Agwi would have succeeded.”

Sau still sounded as though he were defending Agwi, but Gwimyeon did not stop sneering.

“Giving Heavenly Thunder time to come was Agwi’s arrogance. Agwi has already lost the diocese in Panteleon and failed in Alderan. Agwi has disgraced the Sect’s name.”

“Then should we not strip Agwi of Saint status?”

Baekra, who had been listening with a broad smile, interjected.

“As I said before, I can move freely now. I could not attend meetings or work for the Sect for a year, so if you order me to, I will personally capture Agwi. Or perhaps there is no need to capture Agwi?”

“Agwi may already be dead. Agwi escaped using a Geas, did they not? I heard all their items spilled out and their body was split in half. Agwi had already been burdened with several Geases, so perhaps they could not endure the backlash.”

“Agwi’s punishment is for the Pope to decide.”

Sau shook his head.

“Agwi is still a fellow believer who serves the same god. Let us not rebuke Agwi too harshly, and discuss another matter. Gwimyeon, how are things in the Demonic Cult?”

“The Seven Evils dispatched to Seonryeong recently returned.”

Gwimyeon, who oversaw the area around the Demon Subjugation Palace, answered.

“Sword Shadow, the Rakshasa Witch, and Black Ghost. Those are the three Seven Evils who have been confirmed, and I understand the Young Cult Leader returned with them.”

“Black Ghost!”

Baekra raised his voice in response.

“I am very curious about her. Rumour says she is a Demihuman from the Central Sea. Is that true?”

“I do not know whether she is from the Central Sea, but her appearance is certainly unusual. She has horns on her head.”

Gwimyeon answered indifferently.

“The Demonic Cult’s Seven Evils often kill one another and are infamous enough that little is known of them. Black Ghost in particular suddenly became one of the Seven Evils three years ago and was sent to Seonryeong early, so I know nothing about that bitch. If you are so curious, ask Hwajo.”

“Unfortunately, Hwajo is not here.”

Baekra snickered as he looked around the round table. Including himself, only Sau, Gwimyeon, and Haewol were attending this meeting.

“Perhaps Hwajo was in Vernoc as I was. Could Hwajo be one of the Death Realm’s members? Chuk-sin-doo, Tide of Carnage, Zenith Star. Ha ha, it was quite a sight to see every member of the Death Realm except Cruel Mayhem gathered together.”

“Do not obsess too much over the identities of the other Saints.”

Sau smiled, and Baekra shrugged.

“To be honest, the person I am most curious about is you, Sau. You have enjoyed the Pope’s trust for a long time. Someone like you must occupy a high position in either the East or the West.”

Sau laughed heartily and shook his head at the direct question.

“You think too highly of me. A position that is too high only draws too much attention, so I conduct myself appropriately.”

“Huh, is that so?”

“Thanks to that, I have lived a long time and contributed to the Sect. I hope all of you will do the same.”

“Ahem.”

Haewol cleared her throat.

“I think Aphion’s Juhon Stronghold and Bellad’s Buyeon Stronghold are ready to be incorporated into the Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds. How about this? Do we truly need to limit the number of strongholds to eighteen?”

“You want to change the Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds into the Twenty Green Forest Strongholds?”

“They have produced enough results. Bringing them firmly under our command would make them easier to control.”

“I think it would be better to retain the name Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds. Even if it is only the name of some bandits, it has symbolic value.”

Sau answered.

“Which of the two strongholds is better?”

“In my judgment, Juhon Stronghold is better. Its leader is also approaching the sixth tier.”

“Then I'll contact Mountain King Stronghold and tell them to incorporate Juhon Stronghold.”

“Will you leave it to Mountain King Stronghold to decide which existing stronghold to remove?”

“No. Red Wolf Stronghold has been destroyed, so there is no need to remove one.”

“What?”

Haewol’s eyes widened behind the mist.

“Red Wolf Stronghold... You mean the stronghold on Gakmyeong Mountain in the East, led by Bloodied Wolf Fang?”

“That is right.”

Sau slowly nodded.

“I have not heard that a subjugation force was assembled.”

“They were unlucky. It seems they harassed a traveller passing through Gakmyeong Mountain and were subjugated instead.”

“What? A traveller? Bloodied Wolf Fang is sixth tier, even if only at the beginning.”

Haewol tilted her head in confusion. It was difficult to understand how a stronghold possessing the military strength of a respectable sect or family could be subjugated by a traveller crossing the mountain.

“The Three Heroes.”

Sau smiled.

“The three who came down from Uicheon Mountain subjugated Red Wolf Stronghold.”

“...The Three Heroes are fifth tier, are they not?”

“Whatever Calamity Star did, they seem to have grown strong enough to subjugate Red Wolf Stronghold.”

“Cloud Dragon again?”

Gwimyeon spat.

“Calamity Star has entered the Central Sea too. Would it not be better to kill that bastard this time?”

“If you wish to punish someone, do you need to seek agreement? If you want to do it, then do it.”

Sau was still smiling. Looking directly at Gwimyeon, Sau asked.

“Gwimyeon, will you punish him?”

“...Gakmyeong Mountain is too far.”