WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Irevi
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 89: Grave King Necledin (5)
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“K... Kuhut?”
My surprise confession, combined with a confession attack, had caused Alicia to malfunction.
Aren Bright and Mine were no different.
“Whaaaat?!”
“Th-this isn't the time to joke around!”
“I'm not joking.”
I knew it was crazy.
I had no idea how I was supposed to deal with the aftermath, either.
But this was the only way.
Aren Bright was impossible.
Mine's attempt had failed for some unknown reason.
That left only the princess with an Affection Level of 0.
Whether I raised it from 0 to 1 or 2, I had to at least bring it up to the minimum level needed to activate a Dual Art.
As luck would have it, I still had the Complete Collection of Love Fables I'd bought with Cecilia in my bag.
In the original game, Alicia's preferred gift wasn't the book itself. It was reciting the cringeworthy lines inside it to her in person.
I'd read it because of that, but honestly, I had no idea why she liked it. Every line of dialogue was unbearably embarrassing.
‘Looks like I'm really going to have to do this.’
“Senior.”
I met Alicia's eyes.
“The only thing that kept my heart together in this hellish place was you, Senior.”
It was a line from “Flames of the Battlefield,” a chapter in Volume 3 of the Complete Collection of Love Fables.
Fuck, I never thought I'd actually say that out loud.
“...”
Alicia's face stiffened.
She was clearly shaken.
Did it go up?
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Affection Level: 0]
It didn't.
No, why hadn't it gone up?
Wasn't it supposed to?
After falling silent for a moment, Alicia gently tucked her hair behind her ear.
She twisted her fingers in the air, kept her eyes fixed on the floor, and repeatedly tapped the ground with the tip of her shoe.
“Th-this is embarrassing.”
Her cheeks were flushed red.
What about now?
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Affection Level: 0]
Still nothing.
‘Can't be helped.’
Just as I was about to recite the second line...
“Is that what you need?”
“...Pardon?”
“In order to clear this dungeon, must I feel romantic affection for my junior?”
I'd been caught.
The cheeks that had clearly been flushed a moment ago had already returned to their usual color.
Only Alicia and I understood the situation.
Aren Bright and Mine looked back and forth between us with bewildered expressions.
“...How did you know?”
“Where there should have been romantic feelings, I saw only impatience and a sense of purpose.”
“I see.”
“So? What's your answer?”
Alicia had always loved theater.
She said she was an assistant director, but she was a woman who spent every day wearing a mask and playing a role in the den of vipers known as the Imperial Palace.
There was no way such clumsy acting would work on her.
“...It may not be romantic affection, but it's true that we need some kind of emotional bond between us.”
“Go on.”
“My Abyss Core can manifest new Arts depending on my bonds with my companions.”
Aren Bright turned to me in surprise.
She thought my ability was related to teleportation.
Cecilia and Adeline each knew something different about my abilities, too. At this rate, it'd be difficult to keep our stories straight later.
“So...”
“Wait.”
Alicia cut me off.
“I understand the general idea. You and I need to form a bond, and that bond is the key to clearing this dungeon. But why tell me now? If you had something this important, you should have told us on the first day of the assault.”
It was a mistake.
Alicia seemed to have noticed the oddness in my actions with her usual sharp eye.
Why hadn't I told them on the first day?
Because I'd only just remembered it myself.
If I hadn't died once, I probably never would've thought of it.
“If there's anything else you haven't told us, reveal it all. I'll decide what to do based on what it is.”
How much could I tell them?
Even I had to admit that everything that had happened so far was incredibly suspicious.
From the other three's perspective, right as we were about to enter the dungeon, I suddenly covered Mine's ears and summoned Rosia. Now, I was suddenly confessing to Alicia.
Looking at it that way, I really did seem insane.
Anyone with half a brain would feel something was off.
Even if this plan succeeded, once the dungeon assault was over, they were bound to ask, “How did you know in advance and act on it?”
Aren Bright already looked shocked just from learning that Renee's ability involved Dual Arts.
And now I was going to bring up rewinding time, too?
“If you truly want a bond with me, then you must show me an equivalent bond in return.”
“...”
“Trust me, as I trust my junior.”
But Alicia's next words struck right at the heart of it.
[Unique Ability - Rewind Action 2 / 3]
The message that appeared in my mind urged me on.
One chance remained.
If my final attempt failed, that was the end.
Until now, I'd somehow managed by figuring out patterns alone and giving orders.
But I wouldn't be able to clear Fake Necreddin without the party's help.
And with clumsy lies or improvised excuses, I wouldn't be able to draw out the full strength of these three.
‘Then maybe...’
A boss full of variables.
To break through every variable and kill it...
After taking a slow breath, I looked at the three of them in turn.
They were all still confused, but there was no suspicion of me in their eyes.
Right.
‘I'll have to become the variable itself.’
I'd made my decision.
“Alright.”
I pointed at Renee.
“...My Abyss Core's ability is Conditional Regression. Up to three times, it can rewind time to a point before combat. We were wiped out twice in there.”
Silence followed.
Rewinding time. It was an ability that sounded absurd.
The power to twist space-time itself backward.
Wasn't that literally a power that defied heaven?
Gods existed in this world, and the majority of people believed in them.
Whether it was the Main Gods worshipped by the Empire and Mine, or Aren Bright's Celestial Extremity God, they were all gods that only moved forward.
Naturally, their divine powers worked the same way. Time flowed, life moved onward, and everything went forward.
Yet this was backward.
One reason I'd kept this ability hidden was because the very concept of “turning back time” went against the providence of the gods in this world.
I was afraid that if I revealed it, people might accuse me of being a spy. The original Halibal had been a spy as well.
Of course, I had my own grievance. Even I didn't know why Renee possessed this power.
Still, I'd casually revealed such an ability, so it was only natural that all three of them looked stunned.
“...Wait. Then the teleportation you mentioned...”
“I have that too.”
“What? Isn't that cheating?!”
My brow furrowed.
I never thought I'd hear Aren Bright call something cheating.
Aren Bright was far more of a cheat than I was.
Then Mine clapped her hands as if she'd remembered something.
“Ah...! I finally understand what you said on the first day of Herbology class! It had been bothering me this whole time.”
“What?”
“When we cleared the Beast Dungeon! Halibal, you weren't injured at all, right? But back then...”
“Ah.”
‘Thanks to that, I couldn't move and let a major attack through.’
When I defeated Varhatan, I hadn't actually been hit even once. The experiences of dying three times had all disappeared.
But the memories remained, so I must have made that slip without realizing it.
I couldn't believe she'd remembered it until now.
“I kept wondering whether I should ask...”
“Wait. Then what is this power that manifests new Arts?”
“I have that too.”
The three of them stiffened again.
Of course, Renee's only ability was Rewind Action, and the rest were abilities derived from turn-based combat.
But one Abyss Core only had one ability.
Yet I'd just said that I had three on my own, so they must have even considered the possibility that I had more.
“Haah... Teleportation, manifesting Arts, and rewinding time? You sound like some being that has transcended everything.”
“It's not that extreme. There are restrictions too.”
“Only now do I understand all of my junior's extraordinary actions.”
“...”
“Fine. Let's set aside the matter of your ‘abilities’ for now... What was inside? How were we wiped out? Tell us everything, without leaving out a single detail.”
I told them all about Necreddin.
“So in the end, we need overwhelming firepower capable of striking all five at once within the time limit.”
“That's why I needed a bond with you, Senior.”
Honestly, I was worried they would immediately start questioning me.
Fortunately, the three of them instead put their heads together to solve our lack of damage output.
Many ideas came up, but most were rejected.
Still...
‘This isn't bad.’
Until now, I'd agonized over strategies alone. Now, all four of us were thinking one through together.
That alone made me feel relieved.
While the three continued discussing possibilities, I took out Renee and aimed her at Alicia again.
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Affection Level: 0]
Still nothing.
“Does that measure something like the strength of a bond?”
“Something like that.”
“And has it changed?”
“Looks like my acting was too clumsy.”
“Because it was acting.”
Alicia let out a small laugh.
“But your sincerity reached me, so that's enough.”
She placed a hand on my shoulder.
“If you want a bond, then fine. I'll form one with you as much as you wish.”
[Alicia Cyrus's Affection Level has increased.]
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Affection Level: 1]
It went up.
Only by one, but still.
No, wait. Could an Affection Level really go up just because someone decided to raise it?
Noticing my confusion, Alicia gave me a strange smile.
“You needn't be so surprised. I merely shed one layer.”
[Alicia Cyrus's Affection Level has increased.]
“Didn't I tell you from the beginning that I would stake everything on you? Of course I trust you. And...”
She leaned close and whispered softly into my ear.
“...I already had more than enough affection for you.”
[Alicia Cyrus's Affection Level has increased.]
“I simply haven't had good experiences showing it in official settings.”
“...”
“Everyone connected to me has met a bad end. You could become my weakness, or I could become yours. ...It's best to avoid such relationships whenever possible.”
[Alicia Cyrus's Affection Level has increased.]
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Affection Level: 4]
I doubted my eyes.
From 1 to 4 with just a few lines of conversation?
When I looked at Alicia, her expression had somehow become gentler than before.
Her cheeks were tinged red.
There was no sign that she was acting like before.
It didn't feel like a lie, either.
‘Had she been deliberately hiding her Affection Level?’
Thinking back, her Affection Level might have already been Level 4 or higher for some time.
It hadn't just risen now. She had hidden it thoroughly behind her mask, so even Renee couldn't detect it.
That made sense.
“How is it now?”
“I'll check.”
[Dual Arts - Halibal & Alicia]
[Available]
‘Phew.’
With this, I had gained a chance to break through that damned wall of ten turns.
Now that I had a sure move in Alicia, I had to bet everything on her.
“It worked.”
I put Renee away and explained the strategy to the three of them.
All three listened to me more seriously than before. I no longer needed to speak vaguely and beat around the bush.
That wasn't all.
“Wait. If they gather together, wouldn't it be better to use Deathblow immediately?”
“I'll focus on using my Crimson Curtain to bind the wraiths' feet.”
All three knew their own limits and potential better than I did.
They pointed out details I hadn't considered and proposed strategies based on the roles they could fill.
Once I incorporated their feedback, the plan became far more complete.
“If everyone's ready, let's go.”
When we stood before the door, Alicia quietly asked.
“Junior... aren't you worried?”
“I am. I'm worried about fighting a boss battle that has already failed twice, and about new Arts activating differently from what I expect. All of it.”
“That's not what I mean.”
Her gaze fell on the side of my face.
“I mean, aren't you worried that the secret you revealed to us will leak to others?”
I looked at her for a moment.
“I have an obligation to answer His Majesty's questions truthfully. Mine won't be able to ignore the Pope's authority, and Aren Bright will have to report to Master Jin as well. In the end, it's only a matter of time before your secret becomes known to others.”
“...”
“Your safety could be put at risk.”
“I've already prepared myself for that.”
“I'm worried. Perhaps it's because of my position as a princess. If I'd known this would happen, I would've preferred not to know.”
“I'm not worried.”
“Why not?”
“Because the only thing I worry about is variables.”
I answered calmly.
“Now that I've revealed it to the three of you, whatever happens because of this has become a constant. There isn't enough time to worry about unforeseen events, so why worry about things that have already happened?”
The corners of Alicia's eyes curved slightly.
Her gaze was filled with an indescribable emotion.
“You said there was one final chance left?”
“Yes.”
“If...”
After hesitating for a moment, she leaned closer to me. A secret whisper that nearly brushed my ear reached me.
“If this attempt fails and you rewind time once more, tell me this.”
Her lips, now so close, whispered a few words.
“With those words alone, the ‘next’ me won't need to tediously question or doubt your secret.”
⁎⁎⁎
[Why...]
Shhk!
This was the third time.
Before it could even finish speaking, I fired the sword energy I had prepared and cut off its words.
Rosia blocked Necreddin's attack.
My turn.
I gripped Renee.
“Are you ready?”
“Anytime.”
With Alicia's short answer, the air beneath our feet twisted.
Wooooong!
My ashen energy collided with her crimson Mana, producing a roar so loud that space itself seemed to tremble.
Fwaaaash!
A red magic circle was etched into the sky.
As crimson thunder covered the entire battlefield, its colors slowly began to change.
Before long, everything slowed.
Sound reached my ears a beat late, and the afterimages of movement failed to catch up with reality, layering themselves through the air.
With a sharp flash, the magic circle fully settled onto the ground.
That was it.
‘Wasn't it an offensive Art?’
It was disappointing. It would've been nice if bombs had fallen from above and swept them all away.
Still, with a magic circle that large, it had to do something.
Either way, Alicia's and my turns were now skipped.
“Is that enough?”
“Yes. From here on, everyone should move according to the plan.”
Mine's turn.
“Holy Calling!”
Mine fired a sphere of holy power at the wraiths clustered around Rosia.
Boom!
Light exploded, and the wraiths screamed.
That was when it happened.
Another sphere followed directly along the path of the sphere Mine had fired.
An afterimage of Holy Calling, copied in crimson Mana.
The afterimage struck the point where the first Holy Calling had exploded.
Boooom!
With a thunderous blast, a wider explosion than the original Holy Calling swallowed the wraiths.
‘This is...!’
[Dual Arts - Halibal & Alicia]
[Crimson Flame Array]
[Deploys a field. Within the field, every attack by an ally copies the preceding attack, and splash damage occurs around the point of impact.]
Footnotes:
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