WeTried Translations
Translator: Joy
Editor: Joy
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Damned Transmigration ◈
Chapter 67: Six seven
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Yuri and Haryeong were each given an empty room in the mansion.
The Orsia Family was said to possess power surpassing even the Five Great Eastern Families and major sects, and even its butler was no ordinary person.
His body was well-trained, and his disciplined movements were without a single opening.
Biren, the butler, had even appeared in the game as a named NPC. Unlike the other named NPCs, he had no particular title, but he had been a high-level NPC above level seventy.
Considering that more than thirty years had passed, Biren was likely a seventh-tier powerhouse by now.
One could only become an apprentice in the Orsia Knights upon reaching the fourth tier. The average knight was at the fifth tier, with many at the sixth, while the officers would be at least seventh tier.
The known powerhouses of this world were not limited to Martial Apex Venerables and Mage Tower Masters. The minimum requirement for becoming a Martial Apex Venerable was the seventh tier, so masters who had preserved those titles for a long time must have crossed the wall of the seventh tier long ago.
‘Even Heavenly Thunder Orca must be at the eighth tier.’
Yuri did not know Moonlit Reveller’s tier. They were probably not at the eighth tier. Even within the same tier, the difference could be vast, so Yuri guessed they were somewhere in the late seventh tier.
Yuri could not help thinking about the seventh tier because of the Art of Corpse Dissolution he had found at the Withered Crone’s house. Thanks to the Heavenly Art of Annihilating Evil, he had been able to enter a higher tier in martial arts earlier than usual, but he did not know whether magic could work the same way.
Magic and martial arts were different. A martial artist’s tier was not determined by the amount of internal energy accumulated in the dantian, but a mage’s tier depended heavily on something called Soul Power.
That was because Soul Power was entirely different from internal energy or mana. Soul Power was a mage’s soul. It was similar to a martial artist’s Intent, but not identical.
A mage’s tier was determined by how much they had honed their soul, united it with magic, and brought it to completion.
His transmigrator talent was specialized for magic. Thanks to that, Yuri had been able to use magic as a supplement while focusing on martial arts. However, to properly use the Art of Corpse Dissolution’s Eternal Thirst, he needed to train in magic diligently and increase his Soul Power.
‘Magic...’
Was it really worth it for the sake of one spell formula? No, that was not how he should think about it. The Art of Corpse Dissolution’s Eternal Thirst was a spell formula well worth investing time and effort into. If Yuri reached the seventh tier and could use Eternal Thirst perfectly, he would become a true zombie on top of already being difficult to kill. He would gain the upper hand against most opponents, whether mage or martial artist.
‘It would be difficult to remake Eternal Thirst into a martial art with my current ability.’
The transmigrator did have talent for magic, but even an uncut diamond needed to be polished before it could shine. The late Pointing Flame had not stopped at the fifth tier solely because of a lack of talent.
In the end, environment was important. Yuri had been able to reach the fifth tier at his age because he had learned the Heavenly Art of Annihilating Evil when he transmigrated, because he had taken one Azure Heaven Pill, and because he had learned the Fist of the Rending Cloud and the Art of the Violet Lightning Flash.
Yuri had laid his foundation by learning martial arts above the peak level and receiving instruction from the Fist Wolf.
But he lacked instruction when it came to magic.
“Ah.”
As Yuri sat in a plush chair thinking about magic, something suddenly came to mind.
Crimson Wing Harabel Ushia.
Two years ago, Crimson Wing had asked Yuri whether he wanted to come with her.
“If you follow me, I will make sure you are not disappointed.”
She had said she would teach him, and if he did not meet her standards, she would not take him as a disciple but would at least use him for odd jobs.
He could not bring himself to seek magical instruction from Orca, but perhaps he could make a deal with Crimson Wing over magic.
‘Let’s keep that in mind for now.’
He would dig into the Art of Corpse Dissolution on his own first. If it proved too difficult, he could seek advice from Crimson Wing or another great mage then. Yuri came to that conclusion.
“Why did you suddenly say that?”
Haryeong asked as she raised her upper body from where she had been sprawled across the large bed.
Though she had been given the room right next door, she was naturally in Yuri’s room now.
“Do you know anything about Crimson Wing’s recent whereabouts?”
“You are suddenly asking something rather out of the blue.”
“It is because of the magic I found at the Withered Crone’s house.”
“Surely you are not planning to sell it to Crimson Wing?”
“No. I thought I would try learning it on my own first. If it does not work out, I might ask Crimson Wing for instruction.”
“Huh.”
Haryeong looked surprised.
“If you truly need instruction, couldn’t you ask Orca or Miss Elena?”
“Please say something sensible.”
“Perhaps not Orca, but I don’t think Miss Elena would refuse.”
“How could I possibly go to Elena and ask for that?”
Yuri replied with a frown. Haryeong stared at that expression for a moment before shrugging.
“If you don’t want to, then don’t. As for Crimson Wing’s whereabouts, I may be a well-informed assassin, but I don’t know everything in the world.”
“So you don’t know?”
“It’s not that I don’t know. I’ve heard quite a few rumours. Crimson Wing causes so much trouble wherever she goes, after all. As far as I know, Crimson Wing was last seen at Surtr Volcano.”
“Is she after the Essence of Fire Energy again? I heard it only appears once every hundred years.”
“Probably not. Surtr Volcano, where lava flows like rivers, is a hell of fire where an ordinary person could not last even a day. But because it overflows with fire energy, it is sacred ground to mages who control flames. Crimson Wing is likely there to advance her cultivation.”
Knock, knock.
Not long after Haryeong finished answering, there was a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
Yuri had sensed the presences outside, so he was not surprised by who entered.
Sword Dragon and the Sword Emperor entered Yuri’s room together.
It seemed their conversation as grandfather and grandson had ended. Yuri and Haryeong rose from their seats to greet the two members of the Orsia Family.
“You were together.”
The Sword Emperor’s eyes lit up at the sight of them standing side by side.
“Are you two lovers, by any chance?”
If Yuri had been drinking tea at that moment, he might have committed the disgraceful act of spraying it at the Sword Emperor’s face. Fortunately, he was not drinking anything.
“No.”
“It is a secret.”
The answers came at the same time.
Yuri openly scowled and glared at Haryeong. It was not true, so what was supposed to be secret about it?
[I did not say it was true.]
[Please do not make statements that could be misunderstood.]
[A person needs a few secrets to seem mysterious, like me.]
Yuri already had many secrets. He did not want any more.
“Which is it?”
The Sword Emperor tilted his head at the conflicting answers. Yuri gave Haryeong another look to stop her from saying anything unnecessary before answering again.
“We are not in that sort of relationship.”
“Hmm. I see.”
The Sword Emperor nodded slightly. He had only asked out of curiosity. The question held no great meaning.
“Estor.”
“Yes.”
Sword Dragon held a large box that was extraordinary even at a glance. Covered in gold and decorated with beautifully cut jewels, the box alone looked as though it would comfortably be worth more than one hundred million. Complex magic had been placed upon it to protect the box itself.
Sword Dragon stepped forward and grinned at Yuri and Haryeong.
Click.
When Sword Dragon pressed the side of the box, the decorative jewels shifted slightly and the lock came undone.
Whoosh...
The air in the room changed as the box opened. A brilliant fragrance drifted through the room, as though they stood in the middle of a flower garden in full bloom, and the mana dissolved in the air became so dense it could only be described as sticky.
“Do you know what this is?”
Sword Dragon asked with a confident smile, but Yuri and Haryeong could not say anything.
As if entranced, they stared inside the box.
There were two vials decorated with gold and cut jewels, much like the box itself. However, the magic placed upon the vials was far more complex than the magic on the box.
It was magic meant to perfectly protect and preserve their contents.
“W-What is this?”
Yuri stammered as he stared blankly at the vials. It was the expected reaction.
“It is an Elixir from the Ascard Family.”
Sword Dragon answered with a grin, and Yuri’s mouth fell open.
The Ascard Family’s artificial spiritual elixir, the Elixir.
Among artificially created spiritual elixirs, it was considered the finest. Even among natural spiritual elixirs, it was said that nothing short of one aged thousands of years could compare to it.
It was difficult to obtain even in the game, and since it could increase stats even after reaching the maximum level, it was an item players absolutely had to grind for.
“An... Elixir?”
Even Moonlit Reveller had carried out requests for the Ascard Family in exchange for an Elixir. It was a spiritual elixir of enormous value.
Yuri stammered again because he could not believe it.
An Elixir that he would only have been able to see in the later stages of the game was right before his eyes.
“This is too much.”
Haryeong was the one who spoke. She regained her composure and looked at the Sword Emperor and Sword Dragon.
“Isn’t an Elixir from the Ascard Family a treasure among treasures, something money cannot buy no matter how much one has?”
Even the Ascard Family considered it a successful year if it produced one Elixir. In severe cases, years could pass without them producing even a single vial.
The Elixirs made with such care and difficulty were strictly controlled and never released onto the market. No matter how much money one carried to the Ascard Family’s door, it was impossible to purchase an Elixir from a family counted among the wealthiest on the continent.
There was only one way for an outsider to obtain an Elixir. They had to build enough rapport for the Ascard Family to gift one to them, or perform a service great enough to receive one as a reward. No matter how capable or strong one was, someone at the fifth tier could never obtain an Elixir.
“Too much? I do not think so,” the Sword Emperor said.
“You played a decisive role in resolving Panteleon’s long-standing problem, and you saved the life of my sole heir, the future of the Orsia Family.”
“But...”
“And this is an investment as well.”
A faint smile spread over the Sword Emperor’s lips.
“You are young and overflowing with talent. Most people in the world are ordinary. The gifted are common, while geniuses are rare. In my eyes, you seem exceptional even among those rare geniuses.”
“...”
“Before I am the Sword Emperor, I am the head of the Orsia Family. Therefore, I wish to build a relationship with young geniuses who will certainly make their names known throughout the world one day. What I hope is that you do not forget today’s gift, that you think favourably of the Orsia Family in the future, and that you continue your relationship with my foolish grandson, who will succeed me as head of the Orsia Family someday.”
His words made it clear that he intended to give them the Elixirs no matter what. In the end, Haryeong could only nod slightly and back down.
The reward was so excessive that it burdened her, but it was not as though she truly disliked being given an Elixir. If she had been alone with Yuri without the Sword Emperor or Sword Dragon present, Haryeong would have sincerely shouted, “Woohoo!”
“The Ascard Family has made alchemy its trade for generations. Its current head, Alfreon, is considered the greatest alchemist among all of its past heads.”
When farming Elixirs in the game, the most important thing was not to kill Alfreon Ascard. If the player killed him, NPCs would no longer respawn in the Ascard Family field, and Elixirs would no longer drop.
Since Alfreon Ascard was treated as a boss NPC, he had to be killed eventually to reach the hidden boss route. Lee Su-hyeok had killed Alfreon dozens of times in the game.
His level was seventy. It was quite high, but he rarely used attack magic, and the magic he did use was neither strong nor troublesome, so he was not a particularly difficult NPC to deal with.
“As the Elixir is the artificial spiritual elixir that symbolizes the Ascard Family, it has been improved with every passing age. The Elixirs I am giving you were personally improved by Alfreon.”
The Sword Emperor took the two Elixirs from the box himself and handed them to Yuri and Haryeong.
“They are entirely different from the spiritual elixirs you have taken so far. When I took one before, my impression was that the Elixir itself was alive.”
“That was my impression as well.”
Sword Dragon nodded.
“It will be quicker to drink one and experience it than to explain it in words. Let me offer some advice in advance. There is no need to forcefully guide the Elixir’s energy. Its energy will settle into you on its own.”
Yuri swallowed as he stared at the Elixir in his hand. The beautiful jewelled vial carried a warmth similar to body heat.
“And about the sparring match my grandson wants.”
“Yes.”
“Let us set it for one month from now. How does that sound?”
“I would be fine even if it were right now, but...”
“That is impossible right now. Even at the shortest estimate, it will take three or four days for the Elixir to settle into your body.”
“Yes?”
“Did I not say that the Elixir is different from other spiritual elixirs? It took both my grandson and me three days for the Elixir to settle completely. You will also need time to adapt afterward...”
The Sword Emperor’s eyes turned to Sword Dragon.
“And I need time to prepare my grandson.”
“What do you mean, prepare?”
“My grandson says that if he fights you now, he might lose. I am someone who believes one can learn from defeat, but if possible, victory is better than defeat.”
The Sword Emperor smiled and patted his grandson’s shoulder.
“Even if he loses, I do not want him to lose easily. I would like to train my grandson in swordsmanship for a month. Will you permit it?”
“If that is the Sword Emperor’s wish, I understand.”
They would be staying with the Orsia Family for a month, but what did that matter when they were receiving free Elixirs?
“And one more thing. We need to make a formal statement about the subjugation of the heretics who had settled in the Foul Village. Would that be acceptable?”
“I am not sure what you mean.”
“I mean breaking up their gathering and killing the Bishop.”
From the Orsia Family’s perspective, there was no need to hide it. On the contrary, if it became known that the young Sword Dragon had subjugated a Bishop of the Sect of Chaos, the standing of both Sword Dragon and the Orsia Family would rise greatly.
“Will you mention the Demonic Cult’s Young Cult Leader as well?”
“It is true that the Young Cult Leader helped.”
The Sword Emperor answered before chuckling quietly.
“Of course, I will draw a line. You did not fight as allies. And it would be better to clearly mention the Demonic Cult, as that would pressure the heretics. Until now, the Demonic Cult has never openly clashed with the heretics. Even the heretics who hide like cockroaches have not dared to encroach upon the Demon Subjugation Palace.”
The Sword Emperor did not know what the Heavenly Demon intended by sending the Young Cult Leader, but he wanted to use the statement to clearly establish the Sect of Chaos and the Demonic Cult as enemies.
“What do you think? May I mention your names and contributions in the statement?”
It was a question about fame.
Yuri considered it briefly. He had used the alias Crimson Foot when entering the Foul Village, but that alias had only been meant for contacting the Sect of Chaos.
Now that the Bishop was dead and the dissolution of the parish had been decided, there was no reason to use an alias.
For a transmigrator, fame was a double-edged sword, but Yuri had several safeguards against the edge pointed at him. If it was officially recognized that he had subjugated heretics alongside Sword Dragon, it could serve as a mitigating act even if the Sect of War discovered that he was a transmigrator.
‘If my name becomes known... Lorelia will learn of me too.’
Yuri also wanted to meet Lorelia again.
The only thing worth worrying about was whether the heretics would attempt retaliation over the parish’s destruction.
If anything, that was what Yuri wanted. Since he had set his goal on killing the Evil God, he needed to kill as many heretics as possible.
“I do not mind.”
“I do not mind either.”
Haryeong’s face, which Yuri glanced at, held a crooked curve similar to a smile. It was a smile that seemed slightly distorted, unlike her.
After hearing their answers, the Sword Emperor and Sword Dragon left the room.
Normally, one needed guards nearby when taking a spiritual elixir like this, but this was the Orsia mansion. There were few places in the world safer than this.
“Why did you make that expression earlier?”
“What do you mean?”
“You smiled strangely.”
“Now you’re criticizing people’s expressions? Yuri, you have a truly shitty personality.”
Haryeong answered like that and dropped onto the bed.
“I did smile, but I didn’t smile strangely.”
“Why were you smiling?”
“If my name and reputation become known to the world alongside Sword Dragon’s, the Dang Family will hear the rumours, will they not?”
“...”
“And Miss Elena in Rutlan will learn that I’m with Yuri. When I imagined that, I couldn’t help smiling.”
Hearing Elena’s name was painful and uncomfortable for Yuri. He did not want to ask more.
Haryeong knew that Yuri felt that way. If anything, she found it rather enjoyable.
“The Elixir. Will you drink it here?”
“We received them together, so we should drink them together. Don’t you want to?”
“It’s not that I don’t.”
Click.
Yuri twisted open the cap. Without being tilted or shaken, the bright red liquid floated up out of the vial. The brilliant fragrance grew stronger, and the mana in the air became heavy beyond merely sticky.
The clear red liquid was a droplet that squirmed in midair, like the slime children played with on Earth.
Because the Sword Emperor had explained it in advance, Yuri was not flustered. The wriggling Elixir slowly approached him.
The owner of the Elixir had been fixed as Yuri the moment he held the vial and opened its cap. Yuri looked at the Elixir that had stopped before his face for a moment, then opened his mouth.
The Elixir entered his mouth. Just as the Sword Emperor had said, there was no need to swallow. The Elixir wriggled as it went down Yuri’s throat.
Though a wriggling, slime-like mass slightly smaller than a fist was moving down his throat, there was no discomfort at all. It felt as though he were inhaling smoke rather than drinking liquid, but his throat did not feel constricted and he did not feel like coughing.
Thump.
The Elixir that passed down his esophagus roamed through his meridians of its own accord and rushed toward his dantian.
* * *
Light filtering through the gap between the thick blackout curtains pricked at Elena’s eyelids.
It seemed she had not closed them properly yesterday. Elena, sprawled across the sofa like a corpse, felt irritated by the throbbing headache and the orange glow spreading beyond her eyelids.
‘Should I replace them with magic altogether...’
Most mages who lived on coffee while clinging to spell formulas and papers had terrible daily routines. As such, there were plenty of spells that prevented sunlight from entering through windows.
The reason Elena had not placed such magic on the windows until now was that there had been a woman who occasionally came into the living room, nagged her, and pulled the curtains open.
But even that woman had left now.
“Ugh...”
Her headache throbbed. Elena groaned and moved her hand. The hand that had hung limply over the edge of the sofa trembled as it struggled upward.
Tap.
Her hand bumped the table in front of the sofa. It only shook slightly, but the liquor bottle that had been placed precariously toppled to the floor.
Thud.
An annoying sound rang out. Elena frowned, forced her eyes open, and looked to the side.
The messy living room came into view. From the liquor bottle she had just dropped, the liquor she had not finished before going to sleep was pouring out with a glug, glug, glug.
The blood-red, sticky liquor spread across the carpet.
Footnotes:
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