WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 658: Moths Gathering to the Flame - Finale

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How was I supposed to take the Demon King's declaration?

In the end, the Demon King had set the stage. He had offered a clear reward and created a goal. Countless people would flock after that sweet prize, but no one could really blame the Demon King for it.

He was not trying to hinder us. Still, I could sense that he intended to dispose of several troublesome matters at once.

As someone who had suddenly become one of those troublesome matters, I said,

"He's giving us a major task and promising whoever clears it a chance to encounter the Demon God. It really sounds like Lord Demon King wants to test us."

Lord Johannes, who had come after hearing that Babel had descended, agreed with me.

"Master is cheering us on. He has always tested his disciples and taught them magic suited to their results."

"Then this just got incredibly easy!"

The Temple of the Demon God was a group of mages who could not be judged by ordinary standards. There were Tower Masters, elders with even more experience than Tower Masters, mages who had climbed the Dragon Gate before, and now even the King of Humanity and a regressor.

And we were supposed to compete with that rabble? There might be a few dangerous people among them, but the ordinary members of the Temple of the Demon God were stronger. If the Temple of the Demon God's all-star team entered, Babel was practically ours already.

"We just have to climb it together and bring back the Demon God!"

This test had a guaranteed winning strategy: crush every competitor with overwhelming force.

I declared that triumphantly, but Lord Johannes objected.

"What are you talking about? How could we, mages of the floating castle, participate in the Dragon Gate?"

Huh? What was that supposed to mean?

"The Dragon Gate is the single opportunity granted to the foolish people of the lower realm. Even among those lowborn, poorly educated fools, there are occasionally brilliant uncut gems. How could we enter a test meant to find a single gem buried in mud?"

"What? Is this really the time to worry about appearances? There's a Demon God up there!"

"That is uncertain as well. What lies above is not the Demon God, but a lesson Master prepared. Trusting Master's words alone and sending all our strength toward Babel would be the foolishness of those lower-realm idiots."

At first glance, Lord Johannes's words sounded reasonable. It could be a trap, so we should keep some strength in reserve. It was the sort of strategy cautious tacticians would love.

Except...

"What? Then who's climbing it? Me?"

"It has come to that. Still, if you are the King of Humanity, who knows everything about humans, you should be able to pass the tower's tests easily."

When strength was needed, you used someone strong. He was sending a thinker like me to the front lines?

"Then what about all of you?"

"Those whose faces are well known, like myself and the Red Tower Master, would have trouble entering. Appearances aside, the other Tower Masters may keep us in check. Besides, no one knows I am part of the Temple of the Demon God. If I climb the Dragon Gate alongside you while seeking the Demon God, it will stir up all sorts of rumors."

Lankart, who had been listening to Lord Johannes, asked with sincere curiosity,

"You aren't famous enough for that. No one knows who you are because they just aren't interested in you."

"...That is still better than having infamy for a reputation."

After clearing his throat to compose himself, Lord Johannes began giving orders no one had asked for.

"If the Red Tower Master, her disciples, and the Cyan Tower, including me, move, the other Towers will move as well. It would be better for us to respond from within the floating castle. So you should climb Babel."

"Um..."

Just me, Lankart, and Shei? It was not exactly a fitting group. Lankart and Shei especially were not the kind of pair with any synergy.

In terms of strength, though, we had more than enough. Who could defeat Shei and Lankart if a Tower Master was not involved? It would be better if those people joined forces among themselves and stayed out of this. It was hard to reject Lord Johannes's proposal outright.

"And Hwaran Fahrenheit agrees with this as well."

‘...That is a lie, but she will accept it if only you go up. We need to keep watch on the Green Tower Master and the Black Tower Master.’

You spying bastard. Your goal was to keep us in check too. Hmm, how should I screw this spy over...

Wait. Did I have to screw him over?

If it was better for me that he stayed out, and better for him too, then our interests aligned, did they not?

Fine. I would accept it for now.

"True. For a secret society, your movements are far too well known. The moment you move, everyone will notice."

"A few disciples besides me have not been exposed. If they climbed the tower with you, though, they would be discovered immediately."

"All right."

The moment the Demon King lowered the tower, Babel had opened. Mages who had been waiting for the Dragon Gate from the beginning were gathering after hearing the news. No one had climbed Babel yet because they were still watching one another, but...

"Great King of All Magic! I shall accept this trial! I will climb Babel, obtain Rene's teachings, and become a proud mage of the floating castle!"

Not anymore! Mages trying to get even a moment's head start were already stepping forward!

It felt as though I was being dragged into this, but I had no choice. Pretending to be in a hurry, I said,

"Lankart. Shei. We don't need anything else before we go, right?"

"I am always ready."

Lankart answered at once, but Shei narrowed her eyes as though something bothered her.

‘Casual speech all of a sudden? What's gotten into you?’

I was grouping you together with Lankart, that was all! Why were you narrowing your eyes just because I spoke casually once? We had been traveling together for so long. Couldn't you let something like that slide?

‘...It feels nice. Like we're a little closer now that you're speaking casually. Hehe.’

Shei nodded and said,

"I'm ready too."

I could never get a handle on her emotions. Humans could be fickle, but this was practically like becoming a completely different person.

Sigh. The Demon God came first right now. Let us go.

"All right. We'll leave first. Lord Johannes, leave a message for the Red Tower Master. If she has a resonance crystal, we should be able to contact her..."

"Babel is a tower cut off from the outside world by space. A resonance crystal will not work. Leave a message through Rene's Attic."

"That only connects if the building has a fireplace."

"Babel is also a building. It must have a fireplace or two inside. Besides, what other method do we have?"

"Well, that is true."

I had no idea what sort of test awaited us in Babel, but it was obvious that whoever entered first would have an advantage. I immediately stepped forward.

The floating castle cast a vast shadow overhead. The enormous tower that had descended from it stretched its roots toward the earth. There were eight entrances alone. The destination might be one, but there were many paths to reach it. Countless trials likely waited within, created by spatial magic.

"Let's hurry up, grab the Demon God, and get out."

Shei, Lankart, and I stepped forward together. We passed several mages who still could not bring themselves to attempt the challenge and entered Babel with our heads held high.

Unexpectedly, it was a tower built brick by brick. A small door stood at the top of three steps, as though inviting us inside. From outside, it looked as though we would have to lower our heads slightly to enter, but when we climbed the stairs, the ceiling was high enough that we had to look up.

"Spatial distortion. We have not even entered the tower, yet the spatial depth is already different."

Lankart gave a simple assessment. I drew a card and threw it. The spinning card traced a perfect path before wedging itself between the bricks. There was no difference from throwing it on the ground.

Yet the card had struck an entirely different spot. Its flight path had not changed, but it had landed elsewhere. The same process had led to a different result. It was a strangeness beyond explanation.

"I'm a little scared."

I made my living by reading minds, so mechanisms like this, where mind reading did not work, were my weakness. I usually avoided trials that did not involve people whenever possible.

Still, I could not retreat now.

‘Everyone is setting out, as expected. There will be no time to chat comfortably. Climb, King of Humanity. I do not know whether you will obtain the Demon God, but if possible, I hope you fail to find it until the very end.’

Lord Johannes, the Cyan Tower's spy who had infiltrated the Temple of the Demon God. After pushing me onward, he watched my back and strengthened his resolve.

‘Hwaran Fahrenheit must never obtain the Demon God. That witch, who could not control her own talent and burned her territory, will burn the Arcane Federation too!’

Lord Johannes had been a member of the Temple of the Demon God when the Cyan Tower Master was its leader. Even after she left, he remained with the Temple of the Demon God as a tenth-floor mage.

After the Cyan Tower Master withdrew from the Temple of the Demon God, he had continued acting as an ardent seeker of the Demon God. In truth, though, he was also a spy who remained in frequent contact with the Cyan Tower Master and delivered information about the Temple of the Demon God to her.

Lord Johannes was a spy. His true purpose was to infiltrate the Temple of the Demon God and hinder Hwaran Fahrenheit.

Yet there was something far more important than the simple fact that he was a spy.

Why he was hindering us, why he was trying to hide the Demon God, and who had sent him.

‘Elisha. I leave what comes next to you. Seal Rene's magic within the crystal!’

Footnotes:

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