WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer

[Translator – Aren]

◈Chapter 263 If it Exist (1)

“So we’re finally leaving?”

There hadn’t been another city where they had stayed this long during their journey, yet all that remained of it was nothing but catastrophic memories. So Deathbringer felt quite joyful when he heard that they would be leaving Bemurchen.

“Probably. There’s no further reason to remain here.”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t that there was completely no reason. This city, which had been razed to the ground only months ago would magically recover all of a sudden. The wounds caused by this disaster would likely take at least a decade to fully heal.

“The people of the city won’t say much about it.”

“They’d better not. After all, we’ve done for them……”

Still, even if it hadn’t completely recovered, the city was no longer teetering on the edge of complete collapse. It had passed the point where it would fall to ruin if they left. Reinforcements sent from several other cities had remained there and were steadily making progress in their efforts to restore the city. So, wasn’t this much enough for them to get back on their feet?

With that sentiment in mind, Deathbringer snorted and grumbled. The fact that his overall contribution to the ‘all they did for them’ he mentioned wasn’t actually that big didn’t really matter.

At the very least, the Inquisitor had dedicated enough effort to justify that statement. As her companion, Deathbringer had the right to grumble on her behalf.

“…Are you really bringing him along with us?”

Likewise, this kind of grumbling, still falling short of strong rejection, was still within acceptable bounds. If this small show of rebellion ever grew into something that led to a desperate situation or outright sabotage, that would be a different story, though.

“He wanted to come along, and the parish approved it, so what more can I say?”

“Tsk……”

If you didn’t like the rules, it was you who should leave, or so they say. However, if you couldn’t leave, then all you could do was accept it. Deathbringer eventually came to terms with the fact that Daniel would be joining them.

“…I know the two of you aren’t on good terms, but don’t be too harsh. Even if it wasn’t him, we still needed to find someone to fill the gap in our group.”

That was true. With the Demon Knight and Berserk, the two with the most combat strength within their group gone, replenishing their numbers had become inevitable. Especially considering that both of them had been melee fighters as well as individuals with a lot of strength.

What they needed were new fighters. Fighters who could take care of close-quarters combat.

“I get that much.”

In that sense, Daniel wasn’t a bad choice. Even if he couldn’t fully replace those two, as a skilled inquisitor, he could at least meet the minimum expectations they had for the role.

“I just… don’t like the fact that it had to be him. That’s all.”

However, feelings didn’t just fold up and disappear simply because something was deemed necessary. Deathbringer scratched his head before quickly standing up again.

The Archmage, understanding that he didn’t mean ‘he absolutely couldn’t accept this’ with what he said, simply shrugged.

“Where are you going?”

“We should at least prepare some things before we leave.”

They hadn’t opened a market yet, but there were now more ways now to get their hands on supplies. Even if it would be more difficult for them to restock compared to other cities, anything was better than going somewhere unprepared.

“Besides, our ironwall seems even gloomier today as well……”

There was also someone he had to go check on. The Archmage, who was familiar with Deathbringer’s choices of words, lowered her gaze.

“…It would be nice if she at least told us what’s bothering her so much.”

Deathbringer closed his eyes, as if showing his frustration. This gesture definitely wasn’t meant to indicate that he blamed the Archmage. His face instinctively contorted at the thought about how the ironwall had been like lately.

His tail flicked irritably, tapping against his cloak and thigh.

“…It’s probably because of the oracle.”

“It seems like it……”

It was obvious what the ironwall was so concerned about. Was there truly no way to save the Demon Knight? How should she interpret that oracle? If not for these matters, there probably wasn’t anything else that could trouble someone as straightforward and simple as her.

“Anyway, I’m really going now.”

However, since she was someone who usually decisively sought answers to her troubles, this riddle must weigh even more heavily on her. Even he, who was used to struggling with failure and defeat, would find it difficult; so she, who had only faced her first real loss now, must have an even harder time.

『If the oracle really refers to him, and if its interpretation is truly that I must kill him, do I really have to do it then?』

No, perhaps… it wasn’t because this was her first loss……

『With this life saved by him, with these limbs that only still move because of him?』

Deathbringer lowered his eyelids, holding his breath.

Back when she had said these words to him, she didn’t even expect an answer. And he, who also didn’t have the confidence to give her a clear one, had simply pretended as if he didn’t hear anything… But looking back, it had been a really cruel moment.

It was easy for him to just scold her, telling her to repay kindness with enmity would be wrong, but she didn’t even have the luxury to think like that.

“…Damn it.”

A lifetime of faith or a rather short, albeit deep, bond – even if it had been merely one-sided – which one would win?

He didn’t particularly worship any gods, so if he were forced to compare the two, he would undoubtedly choose the latter. However, if he were to place Emmitte in the role of a god, that would change things. He would agonize over it just as much.

And no matter what he chose… he would end up with regrets. Emmitte or the Mister, they both held immense value to him, and the moment he had to abandon one of them, he would never be able to return to how things had been before.

“Damn it.”

So Deathbringer said nothing about the Inquisitor’s inability to choose; she was already suffering more than enough, so he should at least not open his mouth carelessly if it wasn’t to ease her pain.

His knees, which had been outside the tent, folded again, and his hands covered his head.

It was just that kind of miserable day.

* * *

“Oh my, you’re eating well, young man! Want me to give you another bowl?”

I lowered the spoonful of soup I had just lifted, hearing the laughing innkeeper and restaurant owner approaching me all of a sudden.

Pat, pat! 

I had a bad feeling about the way she was approaching, and as I had expected, her thick hand smacked my back.

“It’s nice seeing someone eat so well.”

“Hahaha……”

I wasn’t really the type who liked being touched so casually, especially by someone I wasn’t even close to, trying to express their friendliness so awkwardly… But I just laughed it off as best I could. In these rough times, reacting too seriously to something like this would just make me seem like an overly sensitive person – to be honest, that was still how it was in modern times as well.

Rather, the fact that someone could casually pat me like that was oddly comforting. It wasn’t that I enjoyed getting hit or something. It just showed that they didn’t feel any fear towards me.

At the very least, I wouldn’t be standing out awkwardly or making people uncomfortable anymore. While it felt rather awkward, that was a small price to pay for the benefit it brought.

Smack, smack!

“Eat up, eat up……!”

“W-wait– Urgh.”

It wasn’t unbearable, but this body, already burdened with countless debuffs, couldn't handle these amounts of smacks without coughing up some blood.

Spurt. The moment blood gushed from my mouth, the innkeeper blinked a few times.

“Uwaaargh!? Young man, are you okay?!”

“I-I’m fine.”

No matter how brutal these debuffs were, for it to still end up like this. Wasn’t it a bit much for me to spit out blood just from a few pats on my backs from a civilian?

Swallowing my grumblings, I wiped away the blood with a handkerchief. Thanks to the owner quickly bringing over a clean rag, I was able to properly wipe it away.

“Erm, you’re not sick or something like that, right……?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. I was just born with a weak body……”

Naturally, I made sure to wipe down the table where my blood had splattered as well. I couldn't tell whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that none of it had gotten on my food. I mean, I might have been able to reclaim some of that iron I had just lost if I had eaten it along with the food.

“Oh my, is that so……?”

Anyway, I managed to avoid being mistaken for someone carrying an infectious disease. I could be glad about that fact at least – in this world, the moment I was suspected of carrying an infectious disease in me I could get kicked out of the city – so I just continued to eat my meal.

The innkeeper stopped bothering me after that, so I could finally eat in peace.

“Would you like some more of this as well?”

“Ah, if you don’t mind, I would appreciate it.”

Instead, a little bit of sympathy and charity took its place. It gave me some complex and subtle feelings, but if I had to classify it, I guess it wasn’t a bad thing.

I gratefully accepted the newly offered potato salad and stuffed it into my mouth. Mashed potatoes mixed with corn kernels and seasoned with salt made for a decent palate cleanser.

“Heey, Mister. Can you really go around travelling in a body that’s making you cough up blood like that?”

However, just as I was about to finish eating, I found myself with new visitors. A bunch of arrogant adventurers.

“I can at least take care of myself……”

I offered these three a vague smile. That was the third option I chose, seeing that I couldn’t exactly claim I was strong, nor admit I was weak.

Of course, just because I was pretending like I didn’t carry a sword to avoid being linked to the Demon KNight didn’t mean all my power vanished, right? And even if I was using Disguise, it wasn’t like I had been weakened to the point that I couldn’t even take down a cat.

“Heey, come on. Don’t you need an escort or something?”

But these people didn’t know that. They didn’t know, and that was why they were acting like that.

What a shame.

“I don’t know.”

I quickly adjusted my glasses, which were sitting on my nose, as I watched what they were doing.

When I acted as the Demon Knight, pests like these never even dared to come buzzing around me. I guess it also caused problems when a disguise worked too well and made me look like a normal, harmless civilian. It was both kind of funny and sad.

“I haven’t needed one so far.”

So, how should I get out of this in a way that could be considered a win? I lightly tapped the table, as I thought about the best way to make them go away.

“Just because you haven’t needed one so far doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. So, how about hiring us? If you do it now, we’ll even do it at half price this time.”

“Yeeeah, deals like this don’t come often, you know?”

“Also, if you don’t have any cash, goods work too! Like that earring or those glasses.”

One of the adventurers, who had been trying to negotiate with me, slid into a seat across from me.

I hadn’t given him permission to sit there though. Also, did he have selective hearing disorder or something? A snide remark almost slipped out of my mouth, completely out of character in my current state.

“Come on, yeah? We’ll do it for half price so–”

Ah, it seemed like I had acted the quick-tempered bastard for too long. A sharp retort almost shot out of my mouth like a reflex. A bit longer and my leg probably would have moved on its own to–

Bam!

“Uwaargh!”

“Hey, bro!”

But just as that thought passed through my mind, the table I had been sitting at flipped over toward them. All the dishes laid out on it went flying, crashing down on the adventurer.

Flying food – mashed potatoes – and the airborne wooden bowls passed by my eyes in slow motion.

…What? I didn’t kick the table. Seriously, okay? I didn’t even use my hands! Could it be that I somehow flipped it over with my mind? Is that what this was?!

“How amazing. Life somehow manages to be so vulgar and filthy sometimes.”

Thank goodness the table wasn’t flipped by my feet or some unconscious reflex. Hair colored aquamarine, or maybe even pure Tiffany blue, gently swayed in a breeze.

“How praiseworthy. You rank among the top three filthiest things I’ve ever seen.”

It was as if a bunch of fine jades had been turned into thread, softly swaying to and fro.

“And who the hell ar─”

“Innkeeper.”

The one who had flipped the table in my place completely ignored the seething adventurers who were now standing and smoothly turning. In the process, the hem of her white garment fluttered.

It couldn’t be called a dress, since the lower part wasn’t skirt-like, and it had far too many ornaments to be called a uniform. No commoner would ever wear such clothes. At the very least, this person was of nobility, or at least someone with wealth comparable to nobles.

“I’ll cover the damages. Take this.”

She tossed a coin toward the innkeeper with a nonchalance that matched her clothes. Handing over silver like that without hesitation made it clear that she at least wasn’t someone tight on money.

“Tha-thank you very much. If you’ll just wait a moment, I’ll get the change……”

“Keep the rest.”

“Y-yes.”

The only thing I didn’t understand was why she was helping me……

I stared at her silently, watching as she stood there without a word. Eventually, she seemed to have noticed my gaze and turned to face me.

Her face, seemingly untouched by sun or labor, was pale. Her eyes were a peculiar bluish green, like cracked ice or emeralds that strangely reflected light.

“Erm, thank you.”

Still, regardless of my curiosity, I also felt grateful.

Before I could even guess at her intentions, I bowed my head. Then, this person who had been smiling as beautifully as a porcelain doll, with not a single trace of warmth, turned away again.

“No need for gratitude. I didn’t do it to help you.”

Whether decorative or natural, a streak of black hair woven into the Curaçao-blue fringe swayed slightly as she nodded.

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