WE TRIED TLS
Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer
Chapter 252 | Is There Meaning? (6)
> [Anyway, let’s get back to the main point. Because of everything I just mentioned, you pretty much have no way of concealing your Demonic Energy anymore. And concealment through ignorance isn’t something you can just turn back on again.]
Had I been mulling things over for too long? As if somehow sensing how I truly felt inside—I couldn’t say how it’d noticed, though. I was fairly confident I’d concealed it well, you know?—the Land Turtle changed the subject.
Either way, that was rather helpful for me as well, considering I didn’t really have much time. I shouldn’t be wasting my time here. If it hadn’t been for the Land Turtle, I might’ve been stuck here, pondering things over and over.
“Then…”
That said, I was a bit disappointed about losing such a useful method as concealment through ignorance. However, just because I regretted losing it didn’t mean I regretted my decision—to listen—at all.
Of course, no matter how chaotic the situation might be, as long as I understood what was going on, I could at least prepare accordingly. Even if it meant I had to work a lot harder, it was still a hundred times better than stumbling around blindly. A thousand times, no, ten thousand times better!
“Is it impossible to convert Demonic Energy into Arcane Power like the Mountain Lord does?”
So, instead of regretting having lost a useful card, I looked for new ones to play.
> [That’s even harder.]
Of course, it wasn’t going to be that easy.
> [As I said earlier, your body is now more Demon than person. That doesn’t just mean that the Demon’s influence became stronger.]
“…?”
> [In other words… Your body is now made up of Demonic Energy instead of Arcane Power. And you’re saying you want to get rid of all that Demonic Energy? Do you think that’s even possible?]
“…You mean, there’d be problems?”
> [I don’t think ‘problems’ adequately describes its extent, but to summarize it in simple words, yes. That would be the gist of it.]
The Land Turtle explained further using another analogy: It was like making bread (my body) using coal (Demonic Energy), then trying to swap it all out with flour (Arcane Power).
> [By the way, you and that brat aren’t in the same position. The strange things he does are only possible because of how he was born. It’s a special trait. Regardless of effort or talent, it’s just because his body itself has the property of swapping between Arcane Power and Demonic Energy without breaking down.]
Before I could even voice my thoughts, the Land Turtle beat me to it. Not that it was unwelcome. It was the kind of question I could’ve answered myself with a little thought.
> [On the other hand, your body doesn’t have any of those traits. So, if your Demonic Energy were turned into Arcane Power, there’d definitely be side effects. From minor things, like your bones twisting, to larger ones, like developing physical deformities.]
It didn’t stop there. It was as if the Land Turtle wanted to cut off any path I might eventually start considering, listing off every single one.
> [And think about other beings made up of Demonic Energy. Have you noticed how annoyingly tenacious they are?]
“…I’m not sure.”
I mean… were they? Most of the ones I’d fought died in a single hit. If you included me as one of those beings, I suppose you could say they were somewhat tenacious, though.
> [I don’t know what you’ve experienced, but let me tell you, they are incredibly durable. Those infused with Demonic Energy have ridiculous regeneration. And in your case, it’s probably even worse. Your body will constantly regenerate itself, you know? That’s because your body isn’t just filled with the stuff, but you even have a core inside you that’s endlessly generating more of it.]
“Then…”
> [Of course, if you had some overwhelming power to suppress that Demonic core and stop it from generating more, you could probably change your body however you wanted. But like I said at the start, if you could do that, you wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with.]
So, did that mean there really was no way out? Really?
…Would I really have to live like a criminal on the run from now on?
“So in the end, sealing is the only viable method.”
I tried not to let my gloomy mood show as I reviewed my options again. Even after groping around the darkness of my mind for days, trying to find a way to illuminate the way ahead, I still couldn’t find anything. I felt my breathing grow ragged.
> [That’s how it seems.]
Still, I had to keep moving forward.
I gritted my teeth without showing it and briefly closed my eyes. Suddenly, a memory of Legend of Heroes floated up in my mind.
“…Thank you for confirming.”
The game had two advancement paths for the Demon Knight.
One was the Ruin route, in which he’d become a twisted avenger utterly blinded by vengeance who joined hands with the Demons. The other was the Vanquisher route, in which he’d sacrifice his life to seal the Demon.
Of the two, the Demon Knight had already walked the Ruin route. I didn’t know whether it was fate or a coincidence, but at the very least, that was the title he’d come to be called by.
So was the Vanquisher route the only option left for me?
To be sealed away from the world, completely isolated from everything, completely suppressing the Demon at the cost of losing all five senses?
To exist, yet not exist, forgotten so thoroughly that even time wouldn’t be able to find me. Trapped in a body that could neither age nor die. Existing eternally as nothing more as a wedge?
A slow descent into collapse while calling it “overcoming”?
I pursed my lips, thinking of those memories that might as well be the answer sheet I’d been handed.
B-but I just wanted to go home. That singular desire was quietly added to that answer sheet. It completely overlaid and covered up the existing answers.
> […Are you really leaving?]
The Land Turtle asked, gauging my movement. I didn’t bother answering. This hour-long question-and-answer game should’ve been more than enough.
Swish.
Instead, I reached for my Zweihänder, which I’d yet to strap to my back. Gripping the ricasso instead of the hilt gave me enough reach to put it on my back. The long blade settled into place.
> [Going out there won’t suddenly give you an answer that doesn’t exist, you know?]
“But someone out there might know a way.”
> [No idea. Even if they do, do you actually think they’ll tell you? It’s more likely that you’ll needlessly end up getting hunted down.]
“I’ve already made up my mind.”
> [You, have you really taken into account that you’ve become much closer to a Demon than a person since coming here?]
“I’m aware of that now.”
Okay, was there anything else I needed to pack or prepare? I’d already sorted through my Inventory and recovered my stamina after getting plenty of rest, so was there anything else?
> […Just to be clear, the Demonic Energy you’re giving off is still weak enough for even that brat to Purify. In other words, you can still safely search for an answer from here in this Forest.]
There shouldn’t be anything. At least not right now.
I’d already gotten all the information I needed through the previous Q&A, and stuff like food, water, medicine, or clothing would have to be acquired outside—I mean, I already felt guilty enough for accepting the help of the people here, so I couldn’t possibly steal from them like that. And if I tried to ask them, they’d probably latch on to my leg and beg me to stay.
“I should be the only person stepping up to the gallows.”
Then it really was over. After concluding as such, I took my first step to leave. Where should I go now? Where could I stop by to continue my thoughts without being discovered? Unsolvable questions took root in the back of my mind, tormenting me to no end.
> [Listen to that cheeky punk.]
And just as I’d taken my second step, the Land Turtle piped up again.
> [Hey, Descendant!!! That guy’s trying to run!!!]
“…!?”
> [Urgh… What? Wh-what’s going on?]
An act of betrayal I’d never seen coming.
* * *
WE TRIED TLS
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> [Hehe.]
In the end, I got caught.
> [Hehehehe.]
Of course, it wasn’t like I gave up on escaping when I saw the Mountain Lord waking up. In fact, I actually took off running right then, fairly confident I could get away if I put my mind to it.
“…Don’t laugh.”
But then the Mountain Lord suddenly stopped chasing me and shed tears. Adding on to that fatal blow, it said something like, “If you wanted to leave that badly, you could have just said so. Do you really hate us that much?” while crying bitterly.
So I approached it, intending to clear up this misunderstanding before leaving for good…
> [But if I didn’t do this, you’d leave, right?]
…So this was how it ended up.
I looked at the Mountain Lord coiling around me tight, a headache making itself known. Just how much had this guy seen me to have gotten so attached to me? What had I ever done to deserve this kind of affection?
> [Or do you really hate me…?]
“…If you keep this up, I might actually end up feeling that way.”
> [Liar. You’re just trying to move elsewhere so we won’t get branded as Demon Worshipers.]
“…”
> [Huh, was I actually right?]
> [Yeah.]
It was the truth, but why would someone fully aware of that still take the Mountain Lord’s side? And why would they say it out loud here? If they knew, they should just shut up and help me leave.
> [Brat, just admit it. You need help right now, and you’re in no position to worry about others.]
“…I-I’ve only been thinking of myself, though, in—”
> [If you’re about to say you’re being selfish because you fled the gallows, then let me stop you right there. That’s not selfish. It’s natural.]
But all the logic I was about to bombard them with was shut down before I could even start. The Land Turtle, who’d been sitting on the end of the Mountain Lord’s tail, crawled up and settled right by my head.
> [You might not know it since you’re still young, but in this world, the only person who can truly look out for you is yourself. Even this forest, which seems to be siding with you now, and I, as well, could all turn on you in an instant and take everything from you.]
Tap. Its turtle head gently tapped my forehead. For some reason, its lukewarm warmth made me feel a strange sorrow.
> [There’s a perfect example right here, isn’t there? I cherished and treasured someone more than myself, and all I got in return was betrayal. So don’t think there’s no way you won’t end up like that. The world doesn’t work that way.]
“…So what, you’re saying not to trust anyone?”
> [No. I’m saying you should use people while you still can. Don’t hoard goodwill until it rots. You need to do that to survive.]
I felt such sorrow that I had to bite the edge of my lip.
“I don’t want to cause trouble after all the help I’ve received.”
Still, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
“I don’t want to see you, the only ones who welcomed me, suffer because of me.”
I’d always been like this.
“I don’t want to know how you’ll view me after I cause you to get hurt.”
Kind people were the ones who always left me shackled to my miserable life.
“That’s why, I…”
“Then all we have to do is hide our connection so no one can link their misfortune with you.”
“…!”
I waited for that misery to wash away.
“Isn’t that right?”
A boy, having evidently rushed here, judging by his disheveled clothes, smiled brightly at me.
“That’s not something so easily…”
“It is. As long as we eliminate any evidence they could use against us.”
“…Do you think all the priests of the swamp can stay silent?”
“Hmm. I trust them… but I can’t be sure. There are those who, regrettably, don’t view the Black Thunder Snake fondly.”
Of course, the reason they were wary of me, the Black Thunder Snake, was simply because they didn’t like someone with a mortal form being seen as equal to the Mountain Lord. The boy added this lightheartedly, as if to avoid any misunderstandings.
“But if they all believe the Thunder Snake has already left, wouldn’t that problem be solved?”
“…?”
“There are some areas within the Great Forest where people only rarely enter. If you move there, and we tell everyone that you just left, wouldn’t that work?”
“…It’ll still cause problems.”
“Well. If questioned, we can always just say, ‘We didn’t know. We just welcomed him because he’s our benefactor.’ That would be the end of it. We’ve never actually heard anything regarding Black Thunder Snake’s circumstances or why you’re being pursued, aside from what you’ve told us directly.”
And so—the Warchief added.
“If they’re sensible enough, that would be the end of it. Anyone who pushes further is basically picking a fight with us. If worst comes to worst, we can just threaten to cut ties with them.”
That did… sound pretty… convincing, right?
I wasn’t sure. I opened and closed my mouth several times before finally poking at the only hole in this plan that I could barely think of.
“…What if someone finds out I’m hiding in that remote area?”
“We’ll just have to insist we had no idea. And that wouldn’t be unreasonable since we can’t possibly know every inch of this vast forest. If they press any further, asking how we couldn’t even know this much, they’d just be picking a fight again…”
Surprisingly, that was something the Warchief had already accounted for.
“So rest easy and stay a bit longer. Unless you have very urgent business elsewhere, there’s no need for you to leave for the sake of the Forest’s safety.”
At that, the Mountain Lord happily thumped its tail on the ground, while the Land Turtle gave a satisfied nod.
“You’ve already saved this forest. Now it’s our turn to become your home.”
It seemed this was my defeat.
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