WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 158: Conscience Box

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It took less than a few minutes for the food to arrive.

"Here! Enjoy!"

With that cheerful cry, Anna set down a lumpy stir-fried dish that looked much like what everyone else was eating.

It resembled no food in the world. The faint sheen of oil was the only indication that it had been stir-fried.

The captain stared silently at her bowl.

It was a familiar reaction. Anna burst into laughter and spoke to her.

"It looks a little strange, doesn't it? But this is that kind of restaurant. Canned beans are the only thing we have to fill our bellies, but if you eat nothing but that awful food, sometimes you feel like cutting out your own tongue. That's when people come here, bringing canned beans and an extra ingredient to add."

Anna ladled out some soup and set it before us as well. The nameless soup gave off all sorts of complex aromas. It must have contained at least ten different ingredients.

The fact that such a baffling scent could whet one's appetite was entirely thanks to Anna's skill.

"Then I gather everything together and roughly stir-fry or boil it into a new dish. You could call it mutual aid, I suppose? Everyone helps each other and creates a new flavor that's different from canned beans. It may look like a mixed stir-fry, but it tastes fine, so don't worry..."

"Slurp. Hup!"

The captain was one of the people in the world who had eaten the most canned beans. It wasn't the food's appearance that kept her from eating. Her attention was already fixed entirely on the bowl before her. Drool dripped from her slightly open mouth.

"I thought you weren't eating. Then why are you only staring at... Ah."

Only then did Anna realize the captain had no utensils. She rummaged through the cupboard for spare cutlery.

"Normally, the rule is that you bring your own utensils. You can make a bowl by flattening a can, but it's hard to make a spoon or fork that way."

"A rule, you say?"

The captain reacted to the word rule and vehemently declined.

"If that is the rule, this officer will go out and obtain some separately."

"But I keep one or two spares for people who come here without knowing that rule. Here, take it."

"But rules are rules, are they not?"

"Providing utensils to first-time visitors is my own rule. My arm hurts, so take it quickly. I feel like my arms are about to fall off after all that cooking."

The captain startled and quickly accepted it. Anna smiled kindly as she watched the flustered captain.

"What a good girl."

Having suddenly received praise, the captain gripped the spoon tightly and sank into thought.

'That is not true. This officer is delaying her mission. I cannot make a decision and am only hesitating, while gradually breaking the rules. And besides... If this officer is to remain faithful to her mission, this officer...'

Even such complicated thoughts quickly vanished before a human's primal appetite. The captain let the last trace of her thoughts slip out in a single word.

"...Negative."

Her spoon moved slowly and laboriously toward the mixed stir-fry. After hesitating several times, the captain finally couldn't endure it any longer. She scooped up the food and put it in her mouth.

The instant it touched her tongue, the captain's expression stretched wide as if it had been pulled taut.

'...It is exceedingly delicious! This is a flavor I have not found even among the ninety-nine recipes of the military state's special cooking methods!'

They say even shoes taste good when stir-fried. This was canned beans, which were edible to begin with, so how bad could it be?

Besides, Anna had once encountered all kinds of dishes. Fine-tuning flavors was easy for her.

No, it was something nobody but her could do.

Anyway.

"Anna. Where's my spoon?"

"You've come here before. Why are you looking for utensils? If you don't have one, stuff your face with your hands."

"Tch. Everyone's only harsh on me."

I had no choice but to use my own spoon. I hadn't wanted to take it out because washing it would be annoying. After pulling my personal spoon from my bag, I began shoveling down the mixed stir-fry.

Seeing me holding a spoon all by myself, Anna looked at me coldly.

"You kept your own all along. What did that girl use to eat until now?"

"With a slightly bent can lid."

"You let her eat like that while keeping a spoon all to yourself? You're quite the cruel boy."

"Hey, you don't have to praise me."

"Your shamelessness is truly impressive..."

Anna sighed and calmly watched the captain wolf down her food. She must have been quite hungry, because her bowl was already nearly empty.

Anna scooped more mixed stir-fry from the griddle, intending to give her another bowl.

"She looks rather pitiful. Still, I'm glad she seems to trust and follow you. It looks like you've treated her fairly well."

"Cough! Cough!"

Ah, wait. That went down the wrong way.

As I coughed, Anna looked at me even more coldly.

"You didn't tease a girl like that, did you? I believe you have at least that much sense."

"Ahem. Of course not. I helped her with various things so she could stay healthy."

It wasn't a lie. It might have been reckless disregard, but the captain had been able to stretch thanks to me. Wasn't whatever health she had maintained ultimately thanks to me?

"Did you really help her? You didn't play with her?"

"Ahahaha."

Still, this was the communications officers' fault. No, the military state's fault. When you heard someone was a captain, you imagined them living lavishly and drinking beer with ice floating in it. Who would imagine they were shut in a tiny room doing nothing but communications work?

Anna's gaze grew even more suspicious. I felt like the food would sit poorly if I kept eating like this, so I pulled out what I had hidden in my bag to divert her attention.

"Ah, Anna. This. I should've given it to you earlier, but I forgot."

"What is it?"

"What do you mean, what? The rule is that whenever you come here, you bring one ingredient to add to the mixed stir-fry or stew."

"Out of the blue..."

What I discreetly held out was some of the regressor's spice that I had pocketed. Anna furrowed her brow as she examined it, then startled and quickly hid it in her clothes.

Recognizing its value, Anna lowered her voice and asked again.

"...Sprinkled gold dust. How did you get this?"

"A distinguished guest from far away gave it to me."

"What on earth have you been doing while I haven't seen you...?"

After thinking for a moment, Anna shook her head.

"No. It's too expensive, especially for the people here to eat."

"Who said anything about eating gold dust? Sell it, take a reasonable commission, and give me the rest."

Anna had once been a maid recognized even in the kingdom. Knight nobles, whose martial power was their authority, always gathered reliable retainers around themselves. Capable, loyal retainers were precious talents that couldn't be obtained even with a thousand gold coins.

Anna had worked beneath an influential knight noble, handling both food tasting and cooking. She had put all that aside and now cooked for everyone, but she was still one of the few people who understood the value of this spice.

Now that the military state held the country firmly in its grip and placed high prices on luxury goods, someone like Anna could sell it at a fair price somewhere that could afford it.

After a long moment of thought, Anna spoke.

"I'll take only ten percent. Is that alright?"

"Ten percent? Come on. You're too modest. How will you feed the children like that?"

"...You have a natural talent for making people angry. Fine, I'll take only a little, so you keep the rest. Consider it payment for looking after that girl."

Just then, another order came in from behind us. Anna turned toward it and placed a bowl full of mixed stir-fry before the captain.

"Still, you've always picked up pitiful children here and there. I trust you. So take good care of that girl."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure she gets a proper tour of the military state's back alleys."

After we filled our stomachs, I walked through the streets while exchanging greetings with several people who recognized me.

Having lived in the back alleys for quite some time, I was on friendly terms with all sorts of people, and those who knew me treated me without reserve as well.

The captain had initially looked at them with suspicion, but as more and more people greeted me, she grew puzzled.

'It is impossible. How can a person like this have public support?'

How about questioning your prejudice before questioning my popularity? Why were you so certain I wouldn't be well-liked?

Before I knew it, it was seven o'clock. It was a little early, but we needed rest after our long journey. I led the captain to my nest.

Now it was time for the inspection I'd put off for so long. What state would my home be in after I'd been away?

"Ah, my heart is pounding so hard right now. Even a child about to open a gift box wouldn't be this excited."

"Didn't you say you were taking this officer to your home? Why are you excited?"

"Ah, you don't know. It's a story you often hear in the back alleys."

A familiar two-story house in District 15-5. It wasn't a very tall building, but an old structure where a design flaw prevented any additional floors from being built on top. My home was in this building, whose quality of life had improved dramatically thanks to that flaw.

I continued explaining as I climbed the stairs.

"People who slipped up... Ahem. People who were unjustly arrested, sent away for labor, and then returned fold their hands and pray before entering their homes, even if they're apostates who don't believe in God. They pray that nobody robbed their home while they were gone."

The third room down the right-hand hallway on the second floor. My nest, and a vacant house for the past several months.

"In this paradise for petty criminals, an empty house is basically a treasure chest where you stop by when bored and take anything worth money. So the things left in an empty house are the conscience of this military state. An empty house is a conscience box, you see."

And the conscience box of these military-state back alleys...

There was no need to inspect it. The door was wide open.

"The military state's conscience has all been stolen. Well, I was gone for months. There was no way it would still be intact."

The military state didn't retrieve lost property.

That didn't mean it neglected public safety. If a thief was caught in the act, they were usually saddled with the blame for other things that had been stolen before. Even theft required serious resolve. You had to stake your life on every coin you stole.

It just didn't apply to empty homes left behind when someone was dragged off to a labor camp.

There was nobody to report it.

"Wow, it looks like a new home. In the sense that there's nothing in it."

My home was a mess and clean at the same time. Every possession except a few pieces of furniture too large to carry away had disappeared.

Those bastards. They cleaned me out nicely.

"It looks difficult to stay here tonight."

As I muttered while looking at the pathetic traces left in the room, the captain tilted her head and asked.

"...? I did not hear you properly. What is difficult?"

"Pardon?"

"I believe it should be possible to stay here with a single blanket. This officer will go out and buy one."

Stay here? This was practically no different from sleeping rough. How could she?

'It is larger than the windowless room this officer lived in. That could not be helped due to the nature of this officer's profession, but this place... has a window. That alone is enough for this officer.'

Please stop suddenly turning your life into a tragic drama now and then. It made me feel too sorry for you to say anything. Without the title of military-state captain, she would just be a disadvantaged neighbor.

I thought I was a heartless con artist, a cold-hearted magician who toyed with people's minds. But apparently not.

Someone who could move hearts was more impressive than someone who could read them...

I sighed and headed toward one wall of the disordered room.

"You don't need to buy one."

I fiddled with the alarm clock on the wall. Once to the left, six times to the right, then twice to the left. Something clicked into place, and the latch came loose.

When I pushed the wall, the false wall that had looked like concrete slowly swung open. A hidden empty space appeared, revealing my real home.

"This is my real home."

"?! Have you been assigned two residences? That is beyond illegal, it is administratively impossible!"

"There are rooms that aren't registered as residences. This building gained one extra room because of a design flaw."

Fortunately, this was a land of petty criminals. They could steal from an empty room whose owner had disappeared, but they didn't dare demolish a house. The military state didn't pursue minor thefts, but it hunted down anyone who damaged buildings or property with its eyes ablaze.

Unauthorized renovations weren't a crime as long as you didn't get caught.

Beyond the door was a room distinguished by its armchair and lamp. Cold air filled it after so long without anyone living there, but the moment I lit the lamp, its warm light and cozy heat embraced the room.

It wasn't spacious, but it was more than enough for one person. Several books sat on the low bookshelf, the lamp in the center of the room was a luxury item not easily found, and the carpet and blankets were laid out neatly, softly welcoming their owner after a long absence.

Put simply, it was a room luxurious enough to be difficult to find in the military state.

'It is better than this officer's windowless room...! That cannot be helped, but it even looks better than the headquarters dormitory this officer lived in! This officer is a Level 3 captain! Th-this is unfair! It is luxury!'

The captain apparently had the same thought.

"This is luxury! This officer questions the assets you have accumulated!"

"Are you jealous?"

"Jealous...! This officer is not! This officer is a soldier of the military state! This officer is only questioning items that appear to have been accumulated through improper means!"

"Evidence?"

"Ah, this officer has not found any yet, but... There must certainly be something wrong!"

I knew this would happen.

Still, ever since ancient times, what tempted officials were favor and wealth. I decided to cook the captain into submission first. In the literal sense.

"Excuse me, but you smell too strongly for me to face you. Why don't you wash up first?"

"Smell? This officer cannot detect any..."

"You can't smell your own scent. Go wash up quickly."

I shoved a towel and soap into the captain's arms and pushed her toward the bathroom. Doubtfully, the captain sniffed herself.

Not long after entering the bathroom, she screamed.

"Emergency! Emergency!"

"What is it now?"

"The water is hot! A fire is suspected!"

Did this captain even know what a hot bath was? I sighed and shouted toward the inside.

"You won't die. Think of it as hardship, fill the bathtub, soak in it, and wash yourself."

"Hot water in a bathtub?! Do you intend to boil this officer?"

"I was planning to cook you into submission, but looking at you now, that was a pointless thought. I wash with hot water too, so Bbi should try it."

Perhaps hearing that I did it gave her courage, because the sound of water splashing came from inside. Then, soon after.

"Haaah."

The captain let out an exclamation after washing herself with hot water for the first time in her life.

"It is hot, very hot. But..."

"Bearable, right?"

"...Affirmative..."

Her languid voice echoed for a long time.

This wasn't the life of an ordinary military-state citizen, but the captain had lived worse than most of them. She could have an opportunity like this.

The water sounds stopped. The captain immersed herself in a bathtub full of warm water.

'...This officer must remain faithful to her duty, but now I do not know anymore.'

What she had experienced today was everyday life for the citizens of District 15, but it was an overwhelming stimulus for the captain.

Attention and kindness poured upon her, things utterly unfamiliar to a communications officer who had spent so much time shut away.

'He seems to have many people who support him. If he dies, surely many people will grieve. Compared to him, this officer has... only the few communications officers from the same class. Then perhaps it would be better if this officer disappeared instead? Even without this officer, another communications officer can simply fill the position...'

Just wait a little longer, military state. I don't know how you turned communications officers into things like this.

I'll thoroughly corrupt her and return her to you.

'...But this feels strange. As though my flesh is cooking, as though my body is loosening...'

Ah, wait. No, right? Surely not?

'...Like this, I do not want to wake up after falling asleep...'

"Excuse me, Captain Bbi?"

'Zzz...'

She was asleep! This crazy captain!

"Bbi! Wake up!"

"..."

"Was your first hot bath really that stimulating?! Wake up already!"

"..."

"Waaaaaah!"

"..."

"You woke me up like that, so why won't you wake up yourself?!"

Damn it, this was bad. I couldn't hear any thoughts. She really must be asleep. She wasn't dead, was she?

I had no choice. I kicked open the bathroom door and rushed in. Amid the cloudy steam filling the bathtub, the captain slept soundly while submerged in the tub. Bubbles burbled around her face.

"Ugh, you fool!"

I pulled the captain's limp body from the bathtub. I draped her over the edge, crouched in front of her, pulled her arms over my shoulders, and carried her on my back. Soft skin pressed against my back. A scent like grass soaked with dew washed over me from behind.

Ah, damn. It was dangerous when I couldn't hear her thoughts. Pure thoughts, pure thoughts.

"...Hehe. Piggy... back..."

Thank you. That completely cleared away my stray thoughts.

After quickly laying her on the bed, I felt around her wrist and slipped on the pajama packet I'd prepared. Alchemical threads took shape over her pale skin, untouched by sunlight, then soon transformed into pajamas that warmly wrapped around her body. The captain slept obliviously, her innocent face completely devoid of any sense of danger.

With a deep sigh, I pulled the blanket up to her chest.

"Good grief, you really need a lot of care. It's like raising a younger sister."

Whew. Now that she was asleep.

Should I go do my own work now?

Footnotes:

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