WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 276: The Land of Steel and the Faceless Humans - Conclusion

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Before S could oppose me simply for the sake of opposing me, I made the first move.

"Now then. Since you say that, do you know what trick I used?"

"...As for this office's obligation to provide proof..."

"Of course you do! Anyone can claim something is a trick. But you're only talking, while I changed this card's color myself! Your claim only means something if you can at least point out how I changed it!"

The communications officers' greatest weakness was that they could not help being rational. No matter how stubbornly they avoided my gaze, they would always answer my questions.

"...Alchemy. You changed its color through alchemy!"

Wrong. Completely off base.

The deduction was so wildly incorrect that another communications officer, D, who was more familiar with alchemy, stepped forward to correct S without any prompting from me.

"Denied. Alchemy requires an incantation, a transmutation circle, and alchemical materials. None of those three were present earlier."

"If not that, then it must be a special kind of card that turned red on its own!"

D spoke coolly even while dealing with a colleague.

"Communications Officer IS. That is the same logic as before. Such a claim is meaningless."

"ID! If that wasn't a trick, then what was it? Are you saying it was a mystery?"

"This office did not say that. It only pointed out the flaw in IS's claim."

"Then are you saying you have a way to explain it?"

"This office has witnessed similar acts through the 'window.' It is called a shell game. An identical object is hidden somewhere, then the original is concealed. He must have switched it with another card hidden in his hand, sleeve, or clothing."

This one could think, at least. Far from the right answer, but very promising.

I spread my arms wide and shrugged.

"I'll give you a chance to prove it! Go on, would you like to check?"

"There is no reason to refuse."

"Hand over the card! This office will inspect it directly!"

Several communications officers, including S and D, approached me. They looked as though they were about to take me apart while I was still alive.

Haha. Unless you had exceptionally sharp eyes, you would never notice. The nine of hearts was filled with my blood.

I lightly cut my finger against the edge of the card. A skilled magician could even control when their hand got cut. I squeezed out blood without making it obvious, then let it flow inside while pretending to blow on the card. A narrow gap was the perfect place for liquid to seep through. My blood soaked into the card in an instant.

I had also used a tiny bit of Tyr's bloodcraft, just enough to make a drop of blood roll along...

But no one here could notice that.

My precious blood had been well spent. Look at that. Innocent communications officers who knew nothing were approaching a stranger unguarded, driven by pure curiosity.

D rummaged through my sleeves while S inspected the card with alchemy. M crept closer and fidgeted with my hands. Every one of them was engrossed in uncovering my secret.

'Stop...! Contact in that manner is dangerous...!'

Only IA, restrained by Historia, recognized the danger.

'He intends to mentally contaminate every communications officer! He is drawing out their curiosity with tricks and making them think for themselves!'

IA urgently activated her innate arcane, Spiderweb, which bound nearby communications officers all at once. She intended to use it to calm their excited emotions and instill wariness toward me.

'Communications Officer ID! IS! Stop paying attention to him and keep your distance! Repeat this office's words if you have heard them!'

The spiderweb shook violently, but no response followed. Faced with a situation she had never experienced before, IA grew frantic.

'Listen! Why can you not hear this office's voice...?'

Because most of your power was being used to bind Captain AB right now.

IA soon realized that as well. Startled, she checked her innate arcane again.

Then she was horrified.

Morning glory vines were pulling on the spiderweb. A fragile stem that could not rise without something to lean on had seized a sturdy web.

'Captain IB! How could you...!'

Captain AB, who had been standing like a statue, turned her head. The two spoke without a word through the spiderweb that connected them.

'IA. You have used even the power needed to bind the module in order to restrain this office. This office has become unable to properly utter a single word without your permission.'

Captain AB's innate arcane was versatile enough to cover both long and short range, while IA specialized in binding many people nearby. That was why she had become Module I's A, the strongest synchronizer in the module.

But Captain AB had been an A from the start.

'Because of that, your voice cannot reach the other communications officers either. As long as this office holds out.'

'Hold out...? How can you?! A morning glory will eventually collapse if it has nothing to lean on!'

'There is no need for anything to lean on.'

Captain AB straightened her posture.

IA groaned, struck by a shock that felt as though her mind were being pulled away. Still, Historia's hand covered her mouth, so no proper sound came out.

'Morning glory... No! You are, no, you...!'

A tall sunflower stalk stood firm. Something as insignificant as a spiderweb could not bend a sturdy flower that faced the sun.

'This office can stand alone and exist entirely on its own. In doing so, it has weakened its interference with the other communications officers. Still, this office can defy you.'

'You, the one closest to A... You have already been mentally contaminated!'

IA thrashed about. She lashed out both mentally and physically, but Captain AB firmly held her mind while Historia restrained her body, so she could affect neither.

An enormous fear suddenly came over IA. Alienation that made her feel truly alone. Helplessness, as though the situation had slipped beyond her control.

'This cannot happen! If this continues, there will be no meaning in taking responsibility for Module I...! Before he contaminates the other communications officers, the module must be discarded instead...!'

Driven into a corner, IA gambled. She intended to release the restraint binding Captain AB and command the other communications officers.

'This office will not allow it!'

Something caught the spiderweb as it tried to retreat.

Ordinarily, that should have been impossible. A spiderweb was also something unstable that could not retain its shape unless it clung to something.

All communications officers' innate arcanes worked that way. Their structure would collapse if they could not connect with one another, which was why communications officers always had to remain connected.

Yet now, morning glory vines grasped the end of that fragile spiderweb.

'Let go, Captain IB!'

'These people are not guilty. Therefore, there is no reason for them to be discarded!'

'They must kill themselves before being mentally contaminated! That is the principle! To protect the military state!'

'Then who will protect them?'

IA flared up and shouted.

'The military state comes before communications officers! Captain AB! Do you intend to endanger the military state?!'

'This office does not know what the military state is! If it is to protect something, it wishes to protect them both!'

'Convenient words! Since when could you decide what to protect?! We have neither the authority nor the ability to do that! The only thing we can protect is principle, and that alone protects this country! Let go, Captain AB!'

No matter how much IA shouted or pressed her with forceful resolve, Captain AB did not budge. The steadfast sunflower neither bowed its head nor closed its eyes.

'This office believes it can.'

'Belief. Uncertain and foolish belief! That is what it means to be mentally contaminated!!'

While that was happening, the communications officers became even more confused as they looked at another card I had taken from my palm. Some desperately denied it, yet others could not overcome their curiosity and kept asking what it was.

Most of their rigid, inhuman qualities had vanished by now. Only girls full of curiosity remained.

IA had finally realized that the disaster she had desperately tried to avoid was right before her. In her helplessness, she cried out.

'Ah, ah...! Please, someone give an order! I wish someone would do something about this place...!'

But the military state had no god. Even its angels were artificial mysteries summoned with communications officers as sacrifices, so who could possibly answer her call...?

[I have heard your prayer.]

Just then.

[The day has finally arrived. The fateful day upon which destiny hangs.]

Something 'came out' of IA's body.

Her innate arcane, Spiderweb. A manifestation of the mind that should not have been visible or touchable to anyone else suddenly wrapped itself around IA's body, then covered her like pure white clothing.

Right afterward, IA moved.

"Ugh...!"

Even though Historia was holding her from behind.

A white hand seized Historia's grip. Crack. A sound that should never have come from her hand rang out. The sound of bones splitting, flesh tearing, and a human body rupturing came from Historia's hand.

"What strength...!"

It was power that far surpassed Historia's grip, which could crush even steel and transform it into something else.

A miracle impossible for IA's frail body manifested within this cramped building amid a white radiance. IA herself shuddered in shock at what she had done.

'The military state's voice...!'

『That is correct, communications officer. You who are more diligent and faithful than anyone. I have risen in answer to your call.』

'This office has failed. It could not properly manage the module and allowed a hostile entity to mentally contaminate it. The current situation is...'

『I know.』

'...!'

『All of you are connected to me. It was also my will that they be accepted. Leave it to me now and rest.』

Someone's voice echoed inside IA's head. I could not read the thoughts of the being speaking. I could only barely infer its meaning indirectly by reading IA's thoughts.

Haha. Look at this. One mountain after another.

As expected, there had been one more besides the communications officers.

'I will correct it... Please.'

IA accepted the unknown energy trying to take control of her whole body without resistance. The moment IA's consciousness vanished beyond the curtain,

the real Eimeder spread six pairs of radiant wings and hurled Historia away.

Footnotes:

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