WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Got a Gallery in the Wild ◈
Chapter 182: Succession Ceremony (3)
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The Gallery had existed for so long that its origins were unknown.
Countless moderators had come and gone over the years, and the Gallery's rules changed whenever the moderators did.
Some were excessively strict, while others were far too lax.
Yet amid all that turmoil, one rule had never changed.
Offline fraternization. Not making friends on the Gallery, but making friends in real life.
There were many reasons why real-life fraternization remained forbidden on the Gallery, but the decisive one was a major incident.
[Post title] Title: The Best Outcome from a Gallery Meetup
[Post] (Photo of elves gathered together)
[Post] A group of beautiful and handsome elves posing for a picture.
└ Who are those people?
└ The great elven ancestors who expelled the Dark Elves.
└ They were always posting hate about Dark Elves on the Gallery, then they held a meetup and actually went through with it lol
└ Didn't the Dark Elves say anything?
└ Of course they protested. But those bastards all had connections in politics too;;
└ Once they started stirring people up, there was no stopping them.
└ There have been plenty of bastards throughout history who used meetups as an excuse to plot rebellions too.
The Dark Elf Expulsion Incident.
Originally, Dark Elves were closer to an ethnic group that had lived in a particular region for generations than a separate race.
Just as humans had countless ethnic groups, Dark Elves were one of them.
Yet elves were no different from humans, who discriminated over nothing more than skin color.
Elves in particular were a race steeped in a kind of chosen-people mentality.
At one point, hateful posts about Dark Elves appeared on the Gallery, and the elves who agreed with them held a meetup.
Up to that point, it was only a meetup, so there was no problem.
What came after they gathered was the issue.
One person had less courage than two or three. The more people there were, the bolder they became, and sometimes that courage crossed the line.
The elves who had talked about hating Dark Elves did not stop at words. They took action themselves.
The result was the Dark Elf Expulsion Incident. That was why fraternization, or rather, offline meetups, became the ultimate taboo.
└ But bans only work on registered users, right? They're useless against Anonymous Users and semi-registered users, aren't they?
└ No, no, no. That's about registered users. There are other reasons too.
└ What reasons?
└ Too many Anonymous Users and registered users went out for a meal and disappeared.
└ Damn...
└ Meetups themselves are likely to get you mixed up in crime. Who would be crazy enough to meet a stranger in a world this dangerous?
Meetups between Anonymous Users and semi-registered users came with all sorts of risks.
That was why meetups became completely taboo, and most registered users did not form real-life friendships.
Unless, like now, they discovered a shared connection and recognized one another as registered Gallery users.
‘...It really was her.’
SwordTasteMaster, Ash, quietly stared at the beautiful woman before her.
She was as beautiful as snow. Her figure looked like it had been painted into existence.
It was not just her face either. Her body was enough to stir the hearts of countless men.
Even concealed beneath a white dress, her exceptional figure could not be hidden.
‘Considering her activity, she has to be Starlight Princess.’
It was not the steady supply of Elixirs that had given her away, but Starlight Princess's past activity.
As someone who practically lived on the Gallery, Ash knew the habits of countless registered users.
Starlight Princess's defining trait was her wishes for a complete cure.
She was a registered user who had appeared on the Gallery one day and posted wishes for a complete cure every single day without fail.
And Selena, the young lady of a ducal house standing before her, was widely rumored to suffer from an incurable disease.
‘There are countless people in the world with incurable diseases, but...’
Selena had admitted it herself just now.
That she was Starlight Princess, a registered user connected to Grylls.
It did not matter much even if she had only answered in a probing manner.
The very fact that she had given that answer was practically an admission.
If Selena had answered in a way that suggested she truly had no idea what Ash meant, it would have been confusing, but she had not.
Still, why had Ash approached first and practically revealed herself?
The reason could be summed up as simple curiosity.
‘Even if someone finds out I use the Gallery, there's little chance the rumor will spread.’
It could have been a problem if Ash alone had revealed herself, but Selena had responded as well.
The Gallery was one of those things nobles avoided mentioning among themselves.
Simply being exposed as a registered Gallery user could leave a huge stain on one's reputation.
Though that was only if their activity was exposed.
Most nobles used the Gallery because they could not stand being bored, so everyone simply pretended not to know.
It was strictly private business.
Even if Selena stabbed Ash in the back, it would be fine.
Everyone would realize Selena used the Gallery too. It would be a spectacular self-destruct button.
Besides, Ash had only posted useful swordsmanship tips. She had never done anything particularly shameful.
‘...I did sometimes ask someone to marry me.’
It was embarrassing even as a joke, but if it came out, she would probably just cringe about it in bed a few times.
‘She’d kept her Gallery activity fairly tame too.’
Starlight Princess's activity as a registered user had been mild as well.
Just look at Heavenly Demon. Wasn't she always running around with that bizarre persona?
It was not just Heavenly Demon. The other registered users were far from normal too.
Since it did not seem so bad for them to know each other, Ash had made the first move, and Selena understood her intentions.
This was a secret between the two of them. Even if one tried to betray the other, they would hurt themselves too.
Still, they could talk a little about Grylls.
“Have you also found precious people in your life, Lady Selena?”
“Of course. My parents, and even my younger sister Mary. They are people I could never separate from my life.”
“Sounds like we're alike. If it would not be rude, would you be willing to speak with me privately?”
“I apologize, but I would like to spend today with my family. Please visit our territory when you have time. My parents would gladly welcome a visit from you, Count.”
“That may be difficult for me. I've been busy lately.”
Busy with the Gallery, most likely. Selena realized it instinctively.
Heavenly Demon and SwordTasteMaster always commented on Grylls's posts.
SwordTasteMaster was especially known for regularly posting swordsmanship tips.
Selena was no different. She read every one of Grylls's posts without missing a single one.
She even wrote about what she read in her diary. On top of that, she supported him with all sorts of supplies.
‘It would be better for both of us to keep our distance.’
It was fine to become friendly with SwordTasteMaster. Ash was another matter.
Who was Ash? She was one of the people always named as the strongest on the continent.
Getting close to someone like that would inevitably make Selena the subject of gossip.
At worst, both of them could be exposed as registered users.
It was best to quietly keep each other at a distance and continue with their own lives.
“Come to think of it, what kind of exercise do you usually do, Count?”
“I keep it simple and exercise every day. Do you exercise as well, Lady Selena?”
“Yes. I've become completely absorbed in it since recovering from my illness. But I'm not an expert, so I've been struggling.”
“If I may offer some advice...”
Keeping their distance was one thing, but Selena received plenty of practical tips.
Ash also made sure to explain some of them as though she wanted Mary to hear.
In truth, that was a kind of smokescreen too. They were passing time with pointless chatter.
Neither wanted to deal with other people, so it was easier for both of them to speak with someone they got along with.
“Then I hope you enjoy the rest of your time here.”
“I had a lovely time.”
They could not stay together forever. After spending a suitable amount of time together, the two parted ways.
The moment Ash left, countless young noblewomen flocked to Selena.
They asked what Selena's relationship with Ash was and whether they had known each other before.
Selena had expected it, so she answered without being flustered.
‘Come to think of it, wasn't it said that Lady Mercedes had been a great help to her family with her extraordinary intelligence?’
As Ash left, she thought about Selena.
Selena always gifted Elixirs to Grylls, but Ash had never imagined she made them herself.
During their brief conversation, Selena said she had made all kinds of medicine to cure her disease.
In the process, she had “coincidentally” discovered an excellent medicine and completely cured herself.
Grylls was surely part of that coincidence. It was highly likely to have been an Adult Mandrake.
‘There is no need to be wary of her.’
Considering Selena's nature, she would have no intention of using Grylls.
If anything, the opposite was true. From their conversation, Ash could tell Selena regarded Grylls as her benefactor.
Whenever Ash casually brought up Grylls, joy seeped into Selena's voice.
‘He cured her incurable disease. It makes sense.’
Only Grylls, a survivor of the Forest of Four Seasons, could have done such a thing.
Grylls himself did not know it, but he had had a huge impact on the Messiah Empire.
Selena was not some ordinary noblewoman. She was the daughter of the ducal House of Mercedes.
The fact that there was no chance of this becoming known, combined with her meeting with Starlight Princess, changed Ash's mind.
‘It would be best to help the lady continue supporting Grylls.’
Starlight Princess was supplying Grylls with Elixirs.
That directly affected his chances of survival.
Pretending not to know each other was best, but if something happened to Selena, Grylls's survival would be affected too.
And besides...
‘I finally found a promising talent. I can't just let this pass.’
So the sprout could grow strong and healthy, and so that sprout could bear sweet fruit.
And so, before long, Ash herself could harvest that fruit.
It was a tiny desire, yet also her greatest wish.
“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor is arriving!”
First, though, the succession ceremony had to end.
Ash turned toward the booming voice.
Emperor Arnold strode confidently through the grand doors of the audience chamber.
Count Gorgon and several other attendants followed behind him.
Before long, Arnold approached the throne reserved for the Emperor alone.
Count Gorgon stood beside him like a close confidant.
Anyone could see that Arnold trusted him.
When Ash and the other nobles began to wonder about it, Arnold opened his mouth.
“I thank you all for attending this succession ceremony. It has once again shown me how bright the Empire's future is.”
It was a formal greeting. Ash, Selena, and the nobles listened closely.
These were Arnold's first words now that he could proudly sit upon the throne.
They were the most important, because they would determine the direction the Empire would take.
“The Empire...”
Arnold's words could be summarized simply.
The Empire itself stood firm, but its surroundings did not.
Just as a landslide could sweep away everything around it, the Empire could suffer harm if it was not careful.
Therefore, it would pay attention to diplomacy with neighboring nations from now on. Do not do anything foolish.
Since it was a textbook direction considering the current state of affairs, Ash leisurely drank her wine.
“And from now on...”
Thud.
Arnold placed a hand on Count Gorgon's shoulder.
Count Gorgon lifted his chin at the gesture. He looked quite proud too.
“Count Gorgon here will be able to offer the Empire both great and small assistance. When Father was gravely ill, he stepped forward to help. Thanks to him, Father was able to pass the imperial crown to me.”
“Count Gorgon?”
“Didn't they say the former emperor’s illness could not be cured?”
Count Gorgon had cured Robert, the previous Emperor.
The nobles began whispering at the startling revelation.
Ash was no different. As questions arose in her mind, she muttered inwardly.
‘Surely not...?’
Perhaps it was because she had just encountered Selena, an example of sorts. Ash felt a little suspicious.
When she glanced toward Selena...
Selena met Ash's eyes directly, apparently having had the same thought.
They could read each other's thoughts through their gazes alone.
It seemed the situation was about to become a little complicated.
* * *
While the succession ceremony was in full swing in the Messiah Empire, Grylls headed to the Arena the moment he woke up.
He wanted to see what was happening there and enter Kkobong as well.
“Woooo!”
“That’s it! Good job, Kkobong!”
He enthusiastically cheered Kkobong on during the morning tournament.
He had bet three whole Fasting Pills.
The moment he bet three pills, Fast Sloth stared at him, but Grylls cried out.
“I’ll win and pay you back. And Kkobong just has to win, right?”
“...”
In the end, Fast Sloth had no choice but to reluctantly cheer for Kkobong too.
While Grylls passionately cheered for Kkobong in the Arena...
“...Is this the place?”
A holy knight riding a giraffe arrived at Grylls's shelter.
Just as a strange connection had formed at the Empire's succession ceremony, the Forest of Four Seasons was preparing to forge another connection as well.
Footnotes:
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