WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 605: A Wildfire Also Starts from a Small Spark - Finale

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A slash that should not have existed in this era cut diagonally through the Tree of Origin. Whether it was intentional was unclear, but Nova's flames burned away every branch where beasts grew.

The World Tree had been set ablaze for the second time. At least the flames of a star did not leave even ashes behind. Unlike the last fire, the sparks rose into the sky and vanished. Rather than scattering seeds of flame across the jungle, they became stars and embroidered the heavens.

Thanks to those merciful flames rising skyward, the people living atop the giant managed to survive.

Those who had tied themselves down and endured atop the rampaging World Tree cheered at its silence. Their present safety seemed more important than the fact that the blessed tree which had sustained them was dead.

That was only natural. Eating was simply a way to make it through another day.

The World Tree burning and falling. The tragedy repeating itself. Countless people having already slipped and come within a hair of falling to their deaths.

All of it was swept away by the immense relief of having survived.

And inside the great lotus at the World Tree's peak...

* * *

The worst way to wake up was by falling.

A fall suffered in one's most defenseless state was unbearably unpleasant. Even someone who slept so deeply they would not notice being carried away would wake up flailing their limbs in an undignified panic if they were dropped along the way.

Which was why the best way to wake up was also by falling.

Unless you were dead, you would wake up. And if you did not wake up, you were dead.

When I came to, I was falling.

Damn it. What was going on?

The lush leaves were gone. The dense branches were nowhere to be seen. Before my eyes stretched nothing but a clear sky so vast it looked as though even the clouds had been blown away.

Even as I fell, I used mind reading to grasp the situation. Fragments of information assembled themselves inside my head.

Flames had risen. Enormous flames had blown away the upper portion of the World Tree. Despite that absurd power, its direction had shifted slightly, so the level inhabited by the Lords of All Creation had remained relatively intact as it burned.

I was not sure whether "burned relatively intact" made any sense, but I was alive, so that was enough.

I could regenerate, so I would live, right? Then I should think during this short fall. Who had done something that burned the Tree of Origin to nothing, and what I should do if it had been someone's work.

...Hm. I had no idea.

What could anyone possibly do to blow away the Tree of Origin? If they had that much firepower, they should have shown up long ago.

Whatever. I should focus on falling first. After this, Nevida would not have the spare attention to chase me...

"Hughes!"

Just as I thought that, a familiar voice approached. I turned my head and, unexpectedly, found Shei flying nearby.

What? What happened? Reading her thoughts, it seemed she had caused this somehow. Maybe we were both too distracted, because I could not read them clearly.

I greeted Shei warmly.

"Oh, Shei? It's good to see you after so long. Have you been well?"

"Is this the time for greetings?! Fly, quickly!"

"People can't fly. Don't ask for the impossible."

"You always act so impressive. Tch. Just grab on!"

I took the hand she held out. Pulling me close, Shei firmly gripped my clothes and adjusted her posture so she could land safely.

Now cradled in Shei's arms, I asked, "No, Shei. What happened? I woke up, and the Tree of Origin was gone."

Shei blew out wind with Skywarbler and answered briefly.

"I burned it."

"You burned it? The Tree of Origin? How?"

"It was nothing. I've done it before. I told you I regressed before, right?"

"Yes. You mentioned it in passing."

I had read it countless times through mind reading, but I asked again as though I did not know. Unaware of that, Shei nodded.

"Hughes. This isn't the first time I've faced this situation."

"What situation? Falling from the sky?"

"No. Not that. This situation, going out to attack the Tree of Origin. I've gone through it before. You weren't there back then, and I came with a much larger force."

When? If she had memories like that, she should have told me earlier.

Well, she had been brought here with one arm torn off. Maybe she had not had the chance to remember.

"The Tree of Origin has the form of a tree, and it needs a huge amount of water to keep it wet. So there are water channels throughout it, passages that carry the water it draws in through all its roots."

"We climbed up through those at first."

"Right. Then I sent alchemical bombs into them."

"Alchemical bombs?"

Alchemical coins held magical value in themselves, and alchemical value meant changing in an intended direction. With the right processing, the coins could become gunpowder or bombs. It required considerable technical skill.

"I turned all my alchemical coins into alchemical bombs and sent them into the water channels."

"No, what kind of insane thing is that? What if it caused a fire?"

That was extreme. The entire Tree of Origin could have burned down.

"Don't worry. Alchemical bombs just before ignition are lighter than water. Once they enter the water channels, they naturally rise to the highest point. Even if I used every alchemical bomb I had, I couldn't burn the entire Tree of Origin, but I could blow away the upper part."

"So that's what you did?"

"I had no choice. Maiél happened to help as well. The air dried out, and the rivers ran dry. It was the perfect condition for a fire."

Shei spoke with complete certainty. The strangely dry sky, the lack of moisture, the blessing of the Holy Maiden of Heaven, and Shei's enormous treasure. It was certainly possible. Shei had done it once before, too.

...But I could not tell whether what had surfaced in Shei's mind was a memory from the previous regression or this one. Was it because she was a regressor?

And could that method really burn it this thoroughly?

I did not know. Either way, that was not important now.

"Is there anything else to see here? No, right?"

"Yeah. I've done enough."

"The druids will use this confusion to escape too. They have trained owls. This is our chance while Nevida's attention is focused elsewhere. Let's run!"

Neither Shei nor I could handle Nevida. It went beyond simply being unable to defeat her. The moment she discovered us, it was over.

"You're right. We should get out of here first. But where is Nevida?"

"Where else? With the King of Humanity she loves so much! Oh, Hughes. What happened to the King of Humanity?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. Everyone got what they wished for."

"What?"

"My sister will wake up. Nevida will get my sister back."

"Uh, what? Why?"

"What else could I do? Tell my sister to kill herself there? That would be kin-slaying. And I would be the one dying. The best thing was for me to come out of it in one piece."

"Your sister...?"

Coming out unharmed was exactly what I wanted. I had to protect my own life too.

And my sister had to protect hers.

My sister did not need to judge humanity. Humanity would try to judge her. As she responded to that, she would naturally form standards of her own.

That was how standards were made. They were not handed to someone.

It probably would not resonate much with the King of Humanity, who had been born with everything given to her from the start.

"I used too much power. I can't fly for long! I'll land first!"

Shei held me in a bridal carry and prepared to land by raising wind. Somehow recovered, Skywarbler struggled to blow out wind and push Shei and me upward.

At least with Shei holding me, I would not be smashed apart when we landed... Just as I relaxed, I suddenly felt something unstable.

"Wait, Shei. Your arms are shaking."

"Don't worry about it."

"How can I not worry?! My body is shaking like it's caught in turbulence!"

"My arm hasn't been attached for long. It's fine. I can move it with my strength."

Taking a closer look, her arms were shaking simply because she lacked the strength to hold me. The trembling began at the shoulder she had hidden beneath her clothes, precisely where Nevida had torn off her arm.

"Hey! Let go! This makes me even more nervous!"

"You're the one making it unstable! Stay still!"

"How can I stay still? At this rate, your arm is going to fall off with me!"

I did not trust her. Bickering with Shei, I shifted our positions in midair. Instead of being held by her, I held her as we waited for the ground to approach.

"Hup!"

Even if my body regenerated, the pain remained. I braced my legs and waist for the coming impact.

Boom!

My feet dug deep into the ground. Maybe because we had lost some speed, I landed without much trouble. No, it was not just that I had slowed down. Even carrying Shei, my body felt lighter than I expected.

"There. Get down now!"

"...Uh."

Though I tilted slightly, Shei did not seem to intend to get down. She only hung frozen, her hands neatly folded together, like an animal caught by the scruff of its neck. Unable to throw aside the stiffened Shei, I looked down at her and asked, "Why are you staying still? Get down. Did your legs get cut off too?"

When our eyes met, Shei opened hers wide, then flailed her limbs and pushed me away.

"I-It's nothing! Put me down!"

"I'm telling you to get down, so why are you saying something so random? Anyone would think I hadn't put you down!"

Shei jumped down and covered her mouth, looking confused. Was she motion sick? Why was she suddenly acting like that?

'What? What's happening? Her reaction is strange...'

"You said we should run. Aren't we running?"

"...Right. Let's go."

"What about the druids?"

"They decided to survive on their own. None of them can afford to look after someone else's life."

"That's good. Everyone should take care of their own life."

Better than gathering together and being wiped out at once.

...And Nevida would not have the spare attention to catch them. No, nobody here would even be able to care about something so trivial.

My sister was about to wake up.

"Let's run!"

"Yeah..."

Shei answered and tried to run, but immediately staggered and collapsed toward the ground. Just before she could slam her head into the earth, I grabbed the back of her neck with remarkable reflexes.

"See? I said something felt off. You were already exhausted, so what were you thinking? Where did you use all your strength?"

"...Ugh. Right before I set the fire, I pulled Skywarbler and Jizan out of Nevida's innermost depths."

Mind reading only read people. Shei believed she could still move, but in truth, she was nearly exhausted from spending all her strength somewhere. Was it because she was a regressor? The gap between her will and her physical condition was severe.

"You're already injured, and you pushed yourself too hard. You'll die like that."

"It's fine. I'm a regressor. Even if I die... I return."

"I don't fully understand what you mean, but you won't return with me, will you?"

Shei paused for a moment, then quietly agreed.

"...Right."

"Then it's no different from dying to me. Seriously. I sent you off to live, and you came back to die again."

"Hmph. I came to save you. You can't even say thank you."

"Come on. You came to deal with the King of Sin."

"...That too!"

"Enough. Fold your arms and stay still like before. You're hard to carry."

"What? How am I supposed to stay?"

She had been so composed earlier, but now that I told her to do it, she became prickly. Pointing at the hem of Shei's shirt, slightly dirtied from battle, I said, "Pull your shirt closed."

"...! This is!"

"Fine. Up you go."

The moment Shei crossed her arms and curled up, I lifted her. It seemed better for me to carry someone who could not move and run. Unlike Shei, I had rested well for several days, so my body was fine.

"Mmph...!"

"...You're light. What? You weren't this light before."

"I was always light!"

Shei shouted, her face turning red, then tightly shut her mouth. Being carried, it was better for her to stay still like this. Holding Shei, I hurried toward the edge of the jungle.

"Can we really escape just by running? If Nevida takes even a moment to look for us, she'll catch us."

"..."

"What? She's not answering."

'Is the Heaven-Reversing Boundary the problem...? Why, why doesn't the Heaven-Reversing Boundary react even when Hughes picks me up? Does that mean it's fine now...?'

Hiss. Her attitude seemed to have changed a little. Had she undergone some change of heart?

Whatever. I would think while running. Getting out of the jungle had to be my first priority. With a fire this large, Nevida and the other members of the Lords of All Creation would be too distracted.

After we had run for a while, Shei stared upward with eyes shining in seven colors. Then yellow light filled her eyes, and she opened them wide.

Three colors of the Seven-Colored Eyes. Golden eyes that saw the unseen. With the Fiery Eyes, Golden Pupils, Shei saw the sky peeking through gaps in the leaves and shouted.

"Hughes! Above us!"

"Above?"

I looked up along Shei's gaze. Nothing was visible in the blue sky seen between the leaves. The empty sky filled the void with its usual blue light.

But Shei's golden eyes clearly saw something. A trace that could not be seen, yet undoubtedly existed and occupied a corner of the world. The Fiery Eyes, Golden Pupils showed Shei even what should not have been visible.

And because of that, I could see it too.

Within Shei's field of vision, through the sparse leaves, was a beautiful curve gleaming with a torrent of golden power.

And someone was "falling" along that curve.

"The Orbit of the Heavenly Pivot...!"

Shei muttered.

The Arcane Federation's floating castle had a golden trajectory. An unknown power that held an enormous structure, large enough to resemble a city, in midair. The Orbit of the Heavenly Pivot, guided by that solemn power which held the world in place, could settle anywhere in this world.

It was an instant and swift means of travel that only the Arcane Federation's mages could use...

And one that could never be stopped.

"Hughes, be careful! I don't know what that is or why it's coming here, but... the opponent is a mage of the Arcane Federation! One trained in combat arcane arts and innate magic!"

Shei warned me quickly, but even that was already too late. The rule the mage had created arrived before the mage himself.

My steps suddenly faltered. No, I was walking perfectly fine. The direction I moved in was reversed. Nobody shoved or pulled me, yet I was suddenly walking straight back along the path I had just run.

I felt like a fish trapped in an aquarium.

There was nothing wrong with me. The world had become strange, and I had become a traveler lost in that strange land.

I had experienced this a few times before. When was it?

As I stopped with a sense of déjà vu and placed a hand on a tree...

"You ignorant fool. I'll explain it kindly enough that even an idiot can understand, so listen without panicking."

A voice I found both nostalgic and sickeningly familiar came from above me. I raised my head and saw the mage landing while stirring up a storm around him.

"I am a Federal Investigator of the Arcane Federation. I found evidence of the massive attack that occurred here, as well as magical traces, and I am gathering information. Tell me everything you know, and I will pay you. Answer as quickly as possible. The time I allow you to live is also part of that payment..."

It was an unexpected encounter, but not a strange one.

The Arcane Federation was an organization formed by countless mages, one that studied magic itself.

And to mages, the Demon God who had pierced the principles of the world was an object of longing... and a power that had to be studied.

For the Arcane Federation, which built temples to the Demon God and studied it, the Tree of Origin was also something to investigate and observe. Of course they would come when the Tree of Origin had burned so completely.

Still, it was unexpected that this Federal Investigator was someone I knew.

"Lankart?"

"You know my name, ignorant fool? ...No, wait."

A man who shared the same past with me, but not someone I wanted to share the same future with. He had graduated second from the military state's secondary military academy and become a mage recorded as the military state's disgrace.

Lankart Spendry, once my friend and now a mage who had become the military state's shame.

He furrowed his brow deeply, studied my face from every angle, and asked again.

"Are you really Hui?"

Footnotes:

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