WeTried Translations
Translator: Coughing Baby
Editor: Coughing Baby
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 73: Lunar Eclipse (11)
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Those days had been precious.
The foundation of her life.
Memories that had become vivid scenery, building the happiness she had now.
Though they had been torn to shreds, she sometimes leaned on those memories and found rest.
-Princess.
-I put lots of chocolate chips in today's cookies, especially for you.
But.
-They seem to suit your taste.
-Ahem. I'm so pleased that I want to give you even more.
-Of course, Sir Lefil might scold me if I give you any more snacks...
Lies.
She had been told it was all lies.
They said even he had merely been someone else's pawn.
-A full fifteen years.
-Thank you for being foolish enough to fall for it.
Those lips, once so kind, mocked her, saying she had only ever been used.
Though she hated and resented him, there was something precious she had kept in a corner of her heart.
Now, she understood even that had been a fantasy.
‘If only.’
If only she could have remained unaware for longer.
She had wanted at least those broken memories to remain.
“...”
How much time had passed?
Carmilla opened her eyes.
Her vision was hazy, caught between sleep and waking.
Far ahead, she saw someone's back.
A boy in a pure white mask, always smiling like a clown.
‘Viktor.’
The girl knew.
Lies.
A world filled with lies.
The memories of the past were not the only things deceiving her.
Carmilla was foolish and naive, but she was not completely stupid.
Her heart ached at the kindness that rang in her ears.
-Princess.
The girl knew one more thing.
She knew who had been lying to her.
She had vaguely realized it long ago, yet kept pretending not to know.
-My name is Viktor.
-By order of the late king, I am the knight assigned to protect the princess.
Carmilla Blandir.
The girl's world was filled with every kind of lie.
* * *
I stood still at the center of the plaza.
A message appeared before my eyes.
Ding!
[You have cleared a sub quest!]
-Title: Lunar Eclipse
-Details: Defeat the boss monster, ‘The Corrupted Black Knight.’
[You have achieved an impossible accomplishment!]
[You have defeated an enemy that could not be defeated!]
[A special reward will be provided. Please check your inventory.]
The apostle had been summoned using vampires and ghouls as sacrifices.
The Black Knight vanished before it could cause any trouble.
The massive stake I had prepared pierced clean through its upper body.
The apostle crumbled into ash.
“Phew... It really is over.”
One-hit kill.
There wasn't much left to clean up.
The vampires and ghouls had all been consumed as sacrifices to summon the apostle.
Only one pureblood vampire, whose vitality had run dry, lay sprawled on the ground.
‘Perfect.’
The village was safe.
No danger remained.
“...”
Jersian had worn a dazed expression the whole time.
I wasn't sure whether to call it emptiness or shock.
He looked like a car-poor owner whose fully financed sports car had been half-wrecked.
With his limbs severed and his body reduced to skin and bones, he looked less ugly than pitiful.
‘He used up all his vitality. If I leave him like that, he'll die on his own.’
Let's rest.
I put away the Godslaying Crossbow now that it had served its purpose.
I'd used my only stake, but it might come in handy again if I held on to it.
‘My whole body is aching.’
I lightly rubbed my arm.
As I caught my breath, a voice suddenly came from behind me.
“Viktor...!”
“Ah.”
It was Alice.
Her voice was more excited than usual.
Her face was bright, as if she had safely completed her role.
“Miss Alice.”
“H-how did it go over here?”
“It ended safely. From the looks of it, things wrapped up well at the cathedral too.”
“Yes...!”
Alice came running over.
Filled with excitement, she looked around.
Her reaction made me smile without meaning to.
“Something rose up from the cathedral earlier! Like that bright red knight we encountered during practical training...!”
“The Black Knight? We handled it over here.”
“I knew it...! I thought it had to be you, Viktor!”
“I'm happy you trusted me that much.”
“Of course I did. You're Viktor.”
Her blue eyes sparkled.
Her waving hands seemed to show just how excited she was.
Alice didn't seem to realize it, though. She simply poured out words in a high-pitched voice.
“You know...! I've gotten better at controlling nightmares! I can control far more soldiers now! Earlier, I was surrounded by ghouls and nearly put in danger, but I was able to protect everyone safely...!”
“I was right to leave the cathedral to you, Miss Alice.”
“I didn't lose control either! The soldiers all listened to me...!”
“Well done, well done. I'm truly delighted by your growth, Miss Alice.”
“That's right, I've grown!”
She had become remarkably cheerful.
No, perhaps this had always been her personality.
Alice had lived crushed beneath nightmares and trauma for so long.
If she had grown up in a normal environment, maybe she would have always been like this.
“You worked hard.”
Feeling oddly tender, I stroked her head.
Her soft hair slipped between my fingers.
“Miss Alice.”
“Ah...”
It was only a light touch.
Had she only just come to her senses?
Alice, who had been bouncing in place, froze.
A moment later, heat rushed to her pale cheeks.
“Ahk... U-uh...”
She lowered her head.
She began stammering again.
“I-I'm sorry... I got a little, e-excited...”
“You don't need to shrink back. You should be proud. We wouldn't have been able to save the villagers without you. You deserve praise, Miss Alice.”
“...I-is that so?”
“Of course.”
“Hehe...”
Stroke, stroke.
I stroked her head a few more times.
Alice had done more than her share during this quest.
She had rescued everyone without losing a single person.
Thanks to that, my status window was practically bursting.
Ding!
[You have obtained 20 Merit Points.]
[Remaining Merit Points: 1860p]
Ding!
[You have completed a hidden quest.]
-Title: The Saint's Path
-Details: Stop the New Kingdom's plan, [Lunar Eclipse]. Clear the quest without a single death.
[Through your remarkable efforts, you have saved every villager!]
-A special reward will be granted. Please check your status window.
My status window was piled high with rewards to claim.
I'd have to open them one by one after returning to the dormitory.
As I got distracted for a moment, I heard a weak shuffling sound.
“Ugh, haa...”
Carmilla was getting to her feet. I didn't know when she had regained consciousness.
Thanks to drinking enough blood packs, her wounds had healed considerably.
She staggered forward.
She looked ready to collapse at any moment.
“Princess? You shouldn't push yourself yet.”
“...Vik, tor.”
I hurried over and supported her.
Even then, Carmilla refused to stop walking.
In the end, I had no choice but to help her along the path she wanted to take.
“...”
“...”
Carmilla stopped before her former retainer.
Jersian lay there, brutally mutilated.
Even his stubborn hold on life seemed to be ending.
His body was falling apart, gradually turning to ash.
“...Jersian.”
Her frail voice called for her retainer.
She did not cry, but her exhausted breath seemed to carry tears.
Jersian's dimming eyes looked up at Carmilla.
“...”
He did not answer.
Or perhaps he no longer had the strength to answer.
“You really...”
What did she want to say?
Carmilla began to speak, but could not bring herself to finish.
Countless words passed through her mind, yet none could be woven together.
“...”
So she spent a long time speaking and swallowing back her words.
At last, she closed her mouth without saying anything more.
The princess simply gazed at her former retainer.
Jersian, who was dying, finally spoke to Carmilla.
“Stupid... princess...”
“...”
“Long live... the New Kingdom...”
“...”
That was the end.
Leaving only those words behind, Jersian's ragged breathing stopped.
His crumbling body turned completely to ash and scattered away.
Carmilla did not speak, even then.
“...”
“...”
She simply stood there.
Amid the drifting bone dust, the barrier that had surrounded the entire village was lifted.
Cracks spread across the bright red ceiling, revealing the dark night sky beyond.
The world was waking up.
Ding!
[You have cleared the main quest!]
-Title: The Hidden Messages in Water
-Details: Secure the New Kingdom vampire, ‘Jersian.’ Make him submit through various methods of persuasion.
[Through your remarkable efforts, you have eliminated the target!]
-A reward will be granted. Please check your status window.
The night had ended.
A lunar eclipse.
The day when the continent's shadow covered the moon.
Even that darkness was torn apart by a faint handful of sunlight.
“...It's morning.”
Dawn broke over the distant horizon.
I broke the silence and whispered in Carmilla's ear.
“It's time to go back, Princess.”
“...”
Carmilla did not answer.
She only leaned her shoulder against my chest as if exhausted.
Her gaze had sunk into deep withdrawal, and I couldn't tell what she was thinking.
“You worked hard.”
“...”
Morning continued to dawn regardless.
And so, that long, long night came to an end.
* * *
After we, the Slayers, successfully stopped [Lunar Eclipse], we returned to the academy for the time being.
Everyone looked like they needed rest.
Carmilla, especially, lost consciousness during the trip back.
It seemed she was still recovering from internal injuries, and exhaustion had finally caught up with her.
‘It must have been far too long a night for Carmilla...’
A bitter taste lingered in my mouth.
I covered the peacefully sleeping girl with a blanket.
Then I left the bedroom, her soft breathing behind me.
“I'm tired...”
I stretched as I entered the living room.
She wasn't the only one with fatigue piling up.
I'd put my body through quite a lot too, and my eyes felt ready to close at any moment.
“Still, I should take care of what I need to do first.”
I fought off my drowsiness.
Then, leaning against one side of the sofa, I opened my status window.
The blue screen was filled with windows I'd put off checking.
Ding!
[You have cleared a hidden quest!]
-Title: Endless Growth! Endless Balloons!
-Details: Perform 500 parries with the growth-type weapon, ‘Balloon Sword+.’
[Through remarkable persistence, you have fulfilled the conditions!]
-As a reward, this weapon's rank will increase.
Ding!
[You have cleared a hidden quest.]
-Title: The Saint's Path
-Details: Stop the New Kingdom's plan, [Lunar Eclipse]. Clear the quest without a single death.
[Through your remarkable efforts, you have saved every villager!]
-A special reward will be granted. Please check your status window.
Ding!
[You have cleared a sub quest!]
-Title: Lunar Eclipse
-Details: Defeat the boss monster, ‘The Corrupted Black Knight.’
[You have defeated an enemy that could not be defeated!]
[A special reward will be provided. Please check your inventory.]
Ding!
[You have cleared the main quest!]
-Title: The Hidden Messages in Water
-Details: Secure the New Kingdom vampire, ‘Jersian.’ Make him submit through various methods of persuasion.
[Through your remarkable efforts, you have eliminated the target!]
-A reward will be granted. Please check your status window.
All right, then.
Shall I open all the rewards first?
Footnotes:
The quest title references Masaru Emoto's The Hidden Messages in Water.
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