WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 570: Cross-Dressing Is the Most Feminine Act

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"---!"

"Catch her!"

"Ow! My nose!"

"You've got a hooked nose now. You look more like a witch."

When we returned to the World Tree's Layer of Sapience, chaos had broken out. Witches groaned and screamed as brooms flew about frantically.

Nevida raised a hand. Thick white hair moss immediately grew, and a witch came flying through the air above it. Walpurgis landed safely on the soft moss, then grimaced.

"Great Druid. The one you entrusted to us was more violent than expected."

Wow. She tried to escape the instant Nevida left? Even without both arms? Nevida seemed impressed as well.

"To think she wouldn't give up even after losing her arms. What a pleasant miscalculation."

"You may find it pleasant. I don't like such unexpected situations."

Walpurgis furrowed her brow, pulled bats from her robes, and scattered them into the air. The bats flew like stones before opening their eyes all at once and spreading their wings. Their green eyes flashed as they released ultrasonic cries and flew into the tree hollow.

Witches were secret societies that had inherited black magic and sorcery from ancient times. They naturally appeared wherever humans lived, sometimes passing down knowledge and magical power through one-on-one instruction.

Witches possessed many powers, but their most famous was their familiars. Controlling small animals like bats, frogs, and field mice and using them as magical mediums was a witch's power.

Walpurgis linked her mind to the bats. Their green eyes flashed as their senses flowed into her. Ordinary humans could never comprehend the bats' complex perceptions, but Walpurgis interpreted them through instinct and experience alone.

"Wait a moment. I'll assess the situation."

The bats' ultrasonic cries reflected through the tree hollow. A corridor of slanted lines, devoid of color or texture, appeared in Walpurgis's mind. Someone was running through the deep, twisting passageways. The figure was unclear, but anyone could tell from its unsteady form that it was the regressor.

Seriously, why was she running away without arms? She should get her strength back first. Was that like a regressor, or just foolish?

As Walpurgis pursued the regressor through the bats, she suddenly noticed something.

"...Hm. There's no problem. It's been resolved."

"You did it?"

"No. The bats couldn't manage that."

Witches were certainly useful, and they could be powerful depending on the person, but familiars were not meant for combat. Even if frogs or bats were strong, how strong could they possibly be?

They could make larger beasts into familiars, but controlling an intelligent animal of that level would cause its mind to flow back into theirs. Usually, a cat or crow was considered the limit for familiars, and even those were avoided because of the danger. Stories of senile witches wandering the forest while cawing like crows were not mere rumors.

But.

"An elephant will handle it."

Those who overcame that limitation were called Great Witches.

Prrrrroooooo!

An elephant's cry sounded from far away. At the same time, Walpurgis's connection to the bats was severed. Through the twisting tree hollow, winding like an anthill, a violent sound raced. A storm of sound surged through the tunnels.

The Layer of Sapience shook heavily. Nevida silently shook the small World Tree. The hollow in the tree gradually widened, as if welcoming someone.

What emerged through the enlarged opening was a young elephant. Even if it was young, it was far too large and intelligent a beast to emerge from a tree hollow. The young elephant slowly came out, holding the regressor in its trunk.

Unfortunately, the regressor had run into the Great Witch's elephant while trying to send Walpurgis flying with only her legs and escape.

Walpurgis removed her hat and bowed toward the witch riding atop the baby elephant.

"Greetings, Master. Your unworthy disciple greets the Great Witch."

"Y-yes. Walpurgis. You've worked hard."

The gloomy-looking witch atop the elephant spoke in a faint voice.

"N-Nevida... W-who is this man?"

A deep, dark mystery hidden in the World Tree's jungle, holding all knowledge in her mind, all mysteries in her embrace, and all wealth in her hands.

An Elder and Great Witch who had gained the Progenitor's blood through a contract with darkness, becoming immortal.

And the direct heir of the Warrior who had once ruled the Kingdom of Ten Thousand.

Great Witch Hexia Agartha. The teacher of all witches.

The Great Witch pointed at the regressor she had subdued with her elephant familiar.

"Th-this... Where did you find this...?"

"If you mean the one who lost her arms, she entered the jungle of her own accord with His Majesty."

"N-no. Not that one... This."

The Great Witch slowly approached the regressor. The regressor struggled with the strength she had left, but without arms, it was nothing more than flailing. Pointing a finger at the regressor's face, the Great Witch asked,

"My mask. Why does... she have it?"

"A mask?"

Nevida asked, not understanding what the Great Witch meant. I felt the same way, but after reading the regressor's thoughts, something came to mind.

Hexia Agartha. A direct descendant of Agartha, the Warrior of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand.

And what the regressor was wearing was...

"Heh, heh. You took it without knowing, too... Right. Y-you are insensitive..."

Muttering to herself, the Great Witch suddenly extended her nails and slashed across the regressor's face. Her sharp hand cut across it as though she meant to tear it apart. Blood sprayed, and an ugly wound appeared on the regressor's face...

Or so it seemed. A thin layer of facial skin tore away. The Great Witch waved the "mask" she had ripped off with her nails. A distinct mole marked the thin mask that covered the chin, cheeks, and area beneath the eyes.

"One of Agartha's Three Masks, Truth. The greatest fragment of the Warrior, one that changes what I appear to be..."

The Great Witch casually put on the mask. When she patted her skin, Agartha's mask became one with her as if it had always been part of her.

Then the Great Witch's entire impression changed. It remained the same to me because I had mind reading, but Nevida and Walpurgis noticed the change at once.

Walpurgis gasped.

"...! The Great Witch is a man...?!"

The Great Witch was a woman. Yet to their senses, the Great Witch's face gave the impression of a man. The disconnect between reason and feeling muddled their thoughts. If they had not known the Great Witch so well, they truly would have been mistaken.

Seemingly delighted, the Great Witch stroked her face and muttered,

"Heh... Disguising yourself as a man. She was using such a precious thing for something so pointless... No wonder I couldn't smell that disgusting scent unique to males..."

The regressor's appearance changed as well once the mask was gone.

Her face had always shown a few signs. But now that the mask was gone, there was no way to misunderstand. Her messy hair, grown long during the journey, now simply looked like a bob cut, and the long eyelashes hidden beneath her fierce eyes were finally visible.

Humans did not view facial features separately. They took them in as a whole and remembered the resulting impression. Agartha's mask manipulated that very impression. Once it was gone, everyone's impression of the regressor returned to normal.

"...Tch, damn it!"

With her gender exposed to the world, the regressor bit her lip in frustration.

The Great Witch, delighted by her unexpected windfall, spoke to the regressor.

"Hehe, thank you... Why hide the fact that you're a woman?"

"She must have wished to hide that she is a harlot. I see. There was a reason the harlot kept her eye on her."

If it came out like this, there was no denying it! Of all people, did she have to be exposed before Nevida, the Holy Maiden's greatest enemy?

I'd planned to reveal everything eventually! But I never wanted it to be revealed this way! What should I do? Should I say that I already knew she was a woman, or pretend I'd only just found out?

Whose rhythm was I supposed to follow? Should I read the regressor's thoughts first?

'...The worst. This is the worst. Both my arms were torn off, and I was captured in the enemy's base. I have no strength, and they're treating me like a toy. And now my mask has been taken too...'

Normally, if someone had both arms torn off, bled profusely, and was captured, they would despair. Even more so if there was no hope of survival.

But death was not even the end for the regressor. No, in a situation like this, death was an excellent way out.

'Before moving on to the next iteration, I only wanted to find out what happened to Hughes... Without both arms, this iteration is effectively over. I probably won't have a chance to reattach them, so before I grow any weaker, I should kill myself with the Heaven-Reversing Boundary...'

Ironically, the regressor considered suicide with perfect rationality and hope. I almost agreed after reading her thoughts, then hurriedly pulled myself together.

No! If you die, it's over. The world goes back!

What should I do? I'll play along for now! Pretending to know nothing, I asked,

"What? What are you talking about? Agartha's mask? What's that?"

"It is power that the wicked woman Agartha dared to seize by tearing away Your Majesty's face. Like a servant of the harlot, she tempted, misled, and deceived humans with countless faces. That harlot used Your Majesty's power to conceal her identity."

"Um... Nevida, those are a little harsh... She is still my ancestor..."

Ignoring the Great Witch, whose voice gradually grew quieter, Nevida revealed vicious killing intent.

"If I had known she was a harlot, I would have disposed of her by any means when we met in the military state... It may be late, but even now."

"W-wait! Hold on! Shei was really a woman...? I had no idea!"

I knew. How could I not? She practically advertised it. Honestly, even without mind reading, I would have suspected it eventually.

But I couldn't tell the truth in this situation! I had to pretend I didn't know!

"She did say that she liked men for some reason! Shei, did you mean that in that sense when you said you liked men?"

Bound as she was, the regressor could neither run away nor evade an answer. Trembling with shame and pain, she avoided my gaze.

"...Ugh, what does that matter?"

"And the way you looked at me was strange, too?"

"What are you talking about?! I never... did that!"

"And the time you secretly climbed into my bed at night?"

"When did I ever...?! Th-that was an accident!"

I knew. I'd read it through mind reading. But even if the regressor told the truth, it would sound like a different story to those listening.

I hardened my expression and stepped in front of Nevida.

"Nevida. Do you remember what you said up there earlier?"

"By up there, you mean?"

You clearly said it. If I needed a woman, you would provide one whenever I wished. I hadn't expected this, but another woman had appeared. Someone with deep ties to me, at that.

"Let Shei go. No, give her to me."

"..."

Remembering our conversation above, Nevida understood what I meant. No, she misunderstood it, to be precise. She realized I intended to save the regressor, but she was mistaken about why.

'His Majesty seems quite interested in that thing... Its existence is deeply unpleasant, but I am in a position to serve and honor His Majesty. I should give His Majesty what he desires.'

Of course, I had no particular interest in the regressor. What was there to like about a PTSD-riddled regressor who threw fists before words?

But if the regressor died, the world would go back. I had to prevent that as much as possible while I was living in this moment. At least until I met the Demon God connected to time.

"Without arms, she'll be easy enough to make into a toy."

"...Huh? What are you talking about?"

Nevida summoned thorny vines. Vines growing from the ceiling crawled like snakes and wrapped around the regressor's neck.

"Ugh, aaah!"

Sharp thorns dug into the regressor's skin, absorbing her blood as they slowly grew. The blood that ran down bloomed into a single red rose. Nevida coldly watched the regressor writhe in pain.

"If you wish to keep your neck intact, you would do well to serve His Majesty with all your heart. If His Majesty closes this rose, those thorns will tighten around your neck."

After speaking coldly, Nevida plucked the rose from the vine and handed it to me. I accepted it with a conflicted expression.

I didn't mean she needed a collar too... This made it seem like I was doing something awful. I only wanted to save the regressor.

Well, at least both the regressor and I had survived for now. Should I call the operation a success?

'Just lay a hand on me! I'll kill you...!'

...Maybe not yet?

Footnotes:

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