WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Editor: ChaoticRain
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 197: Episode 37: The demon realm's landscape (2)
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“Waaah! An exile!”
“What? How did he get in?”
I pushed through the shouting crowd and slipped into the city's shadows.
Ssssss...
Fable fragments fell from all over my body like blood because of the Exile Penalty. My right arm and the area around my heart were somewhat stable after absorbing new fable fragments, but the rest of my body wasn't.
The Incarnations must have realized I was an exile when they saw me like this.
“Where'd he go? Shouldn't we report him?”
“Whatever... He'll die soon enough. Let's go.”
It wasn't strange. This probably wasn't their first time seeing an exile. They feared exiles only because they didn't know what an exile might do. After I held my breath against an alley wall for a while, the people searching for me soon scattered.
A procession of Magitech Locomotives appeared at just the right moment and helped calm things down. The Incarnations who saw the locomotives coated in black paint recoiled in alarm.
“Move aside! Nobles are passing through!”
The locomotives sped toward the industrial complex's central district. I wasn't certain, but they seemed to be visitors from another industrial complex. High-ranking demonic nobles were probably aboard them. There had to be people on those locomotives as strong as Reinheit, whom I had met in Paradise.
Booooom!
Judging by how urgently they were heading for the factories, it seemed they had received urgent news. The locomotives accelerated without caring about the Incarnations in their path. The Incarnations who had hurriedly stepped aside grumbled.
“That looks like a Gilobat locomotive. Haven't they been showing up a lot lately?”
“Who cares? It's noble business.”
“This time, we should care. I've heard the 73rd Demon Realm is going to be unified.”
It was an interesting story, so I sharpened my hearing and focused on the chatter drifting around me.
“The Demon Realm is being unified? Those slow-moving dukes are actually doing something?”
“Yeah, Meledon and Berkan have joined hands. Wouldn't Seisvitz be sweating bullets over that?”
As the names of the dukes who ruled the 73rd Demon Realm came up, more Incarnations joined the conversation.
“Huh, the rumor was true? But our Demon Realm hasn't had a Demon King for thousands of years.”
“So does that mean a Demon King will appear in our Demon Realm this time?”
The Incarnation who had first brought up the subject answered the flood of questions awkwardly.
“I don't know for certain either. But word is that an oracle is circulating among the Demon Kings. Something about the appearance of a new Demon King...”
“Those dukes must think it'll be them.”
I had seen a similar conversation in the original TWSA. This was exactly the kind of time when such rumors would spread. I'd arrived at the right time.
Still, a Demon King...
I watched the Magitech Locomotives disappear into the distance.
There were classes in this industrial complex too.
The nobles, the Demon Realm forces that ruled the complex.
The industrial citizens, Incarnations brought in from dimensions across the world.
And the collection slaves, industrial citizens who had lost their fables and fallen.
There were only three classes for now, but if a Demon King appeared, everything would change.
Demon King.
No race in the Demon Realm had any way to defy a Demon King. In this Demon Realm, a Demon King's status surpassed even fabled-grade Constellations.
The dukes of the 73rd Demon Realm would surely be wary of a Demon King's appearance. Once a Demon King emerged, their power structure would collapse in no time.
But a Demon King had to be created.
That was why I had come to the Demon Realm.
“You seem to have survived. Here's your second piece of information.”
At the message, I raised my head toward the sky. I could faintly sense the Hunchbacks in the darkness. Fortunately, those Hunchbacks didn't seem completely unreasonable.
Among dokkaebis, there was even an idiom: “That bastard learned business ethics from a Hunchback.” Of course, that was only because dokkaebis disliked Hunchbacks...
“Find Clock Shop Etika. There, you will obtain what you desire.”
When I gave a slight nod, the Hunchback's presence vanished again.
Clock Shop Etika. The Hunchbacks seemed to know there was a way to acquire the Demon Realm's Scenario there. In fact, there had been information about that clock shop in the original TWSA.
Even so, I had asked the Hunchbacks for information to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. I needed to look like I was moving in a way that suited Plausibility.
I looked down at my left arm, which was about to break apart. Even if I went to the clock shop right away, I wouldn't be able to obtain the Scenario immediately. Still, I could probably find a way to lessen the Exile Penalty. Clock Shop Etika existed for that purpose in the first place.
Without delay, I started walking.
Not here. Not that alley either.
I pulled my collar tight to hide where my fables were breaking apart and kept running through the industrial complex's alleys.
Yet I couldn't find anything resembling a clock shop.
Maybe that was only natural. Watches had little meaning in the Demon Realm. They only mattered to beings like humans, who lived short lives.
It would've been easier if I could read TWSA.
With my smartphone gone, I had no way to read the novel. I should've asked Bihyeong to get me a smartphone in advance...
I was considering taking the risk and asking someone, “Where is Clock Shop Etika?” when someone bumped into my shoulder.
“What, don't you have eyes?”
“Ah, sorry...”
“Is sorry enough? Damn it, you made me spill all the parts! Fuck!”
They looked around fifteen. A pretty youth carrying an armful of what looked like mechanical parts glared at me with strangely frosty eyes.
“Uh... I'm sorry, but...”
I was about to say they didn't need to curse me out like that when the youth spoke before I could.
“If you're sorry, pick them up already, asshole!”
Overwhelmed by the bizarre aggression spilling from those handsome lips, I hurriedly gathered the fallen parts. For a moment, it felt like the old Kim Dokja had suddenly resurfaced.
Maybe I picked them up too diligently, because the youth snickered.
“Fuck, I'll let it slide this once. Be careful next time.”
After gathering the parts, the youth gave me one last distinctive glare and ran off again. But why? Seeing that face made me feel as though someone had hit the back of my head with a hammer. It wasn't only the belated resentment of being cursed at by someone younger than me. That youth was...
Like any fantasy novel, TWSA had plenty of beautiful and handsome characters.
Among the particularly beautiful or handsome people, TWSA used the expression, “handsome enough to rival Yu Junghyeok.”
Kyrios Lordgrime, whom I had met in peace land, was one such case.
But in this world, there were beings even more remarkable than Kyrios.
What expression did the novel use for them?
「His face was beautiful enough to slap Yu Junghyeok across the face twice.」
Only three characters in all of TWSA received that level of description.
“Found you.”
* * *
Crash!
An entire shelf in the shop shattered.
...Damn it, that was already the third one. Buying shelves was a hassle too.
Ailen, the owner of Clock Shop Etika, cursed inwardly as she handled the situation with her usual calm smile.
“What do you think you're doing?”
“What does it look like? This is the third time you've been through this. You should understand by now.”
“No, that's what I want to ask. What do you expect from a mere clock shop owner?”
Ailen tensely faced the two demons standing before her.
Demon Baron Melen.
Demon Count Sirok.
The two demons, each bearing such names, were famous nobles in Seisvitz Industrial Complex. One of them grinned at the other and stretched out a long arm.
“Urk!”
Ailen groaned as her chin was seized before she could dodge. Demon Count Sirok examined the scars scattered across Ailen's pale skin, then giggled.
“You're certainly no ordinary clock shop owner. Still, you're not impressive enough for our duke to ask three times. Three personal visits, no less. Do you think you're some Reclining Dragon?”
“I don't know whose modifier that is, but I made what you asked for last time, didn't I? I can't help you this time.”
The air inside the clock shop began to freeze. The demonic nobles were drawing on their power. Her body trembled, and just as her face turned pale...
“What are you doing, Ailen? Did you take out a loan or something?”
Someone stood at the entrance to the clock shop. Demon Count Sirok frowned when he saw the pretty youth by the door.
“So it's the foul-mouthed brat from the clock shop. Do you want to be executed?”
“I'll handle this one.”
Demon Baron Melen grabbed the pretty youth by the neck and effortlessly lifted them. The youth looked down at Melen while dangling in the air.
“I think this every time I come here, but this one is quite pretty.”
“And every time I see you, I think you're disgustingly ugly.”
Melen's left fist slammed into the youth's stomach. Despite the sound like a drum bursting, the youth's eyes never wavered. Melen smiled as though he liked that look.
“With looks like those, they'd make a fine concubine for our duke.”
“How much do they pay per hour there? If it's more than here, I might not mind going...”
Thud!
Another blow rang out. Ailen's expression steadily hardened as she watched blood run from the youth's lips.
“Taking them hostage won't do you any good.”
As if it had only been a joke, the demon released his grip.
“Who said we were doing that? We're gentlemen.”
The pretty youth fell through the air, landed hard, and groaned.
“So you're rejecting the offer? Should I report that to the duke?”
“I'm sorry, but...”
They seemed surprisingly willing to leave, and Ailen sighed inwardly in relief. She had no intention of taking this job, no matter what. If she did, she had no idea how many industrial citizens would be sacrificed again. Then Sirok nodded as if he understood.
“Then we'll collect the taxes you've fallen behind on. The duke told us to bring them.”
“Taxes? Until now, I had a tax exemption...”
“You did until now. Not anymore.”
So they weren't going to leave quietly after all. Ailen bit her lip and asked,
“How much?”
“Fifty thousand coins.”
Fifty thousand coins. Ailen was stunned by the enormous amount. Coins might not be much in other Scenario regions, but they were valuable currency here in Seisvitz Industrial Complex.
“There are barely any Constellations here! There's no way I have that much money...”
“If you don't pay, we'll take this little brat. We can get around fifty thousand coins by making them a concubine.”
At the casual threat, the pretty youth whistled.
“Wow! Fifty thousand coins! Ailen, if you get that much, don't pay the taxes. Let's run.”
“I'll make screams come out of that insolent mouth soon enough.”
“Really? Fuck, I can't wait.”
Despite the youth's bravado, Ailen's expression grew noticeably darker. Having been their mentor for so long, she knew that even if they sounded carefree, they didn't truly feel that way.
Demon Count Sirok gave his final ultimatum.
“Ailen Makefield. Accept the duke's offer. This is your last chance.”
Ailen was the chair of the Workers' Council. If they were acting this forcefully toward her, they had come prepared too.
Ailen hesitated before opening her mouth.
“I...”
Just as she finally managed to speak, someone entered the clock shop.
* * *
“What is this?”
The person who greeted me when I opened the clock shop door wasn't the owner. Demonic nobles with openly displeased expressions glared at me, threatening auras pouring from them. I had heard enough of their conversation outside to understand what was happening.
The pretty youth, glaring at the demons with burning hatred, was sprawled on the floor. I studied them closely and said,
“I'm a customer.”
Despite my polite answer, the demonic nobles' expressions darkened.
“An industrial citizen? I don't know where you crawled out of, but get lost while we're asking nicely. We're collecting taxes.”
“Taxes... The thing where you pay a lot if you earn a lot, and still pay a lot if you earn little?”
“What?”
I walked past the demonic nobles and approached the shop owner.
“Hey! Wait!”
A startled demonic noble reached out to grab me, but his hand didn't touch me. Shock crossed the noble's face as I brushed aside his movement with ease.
Broken clocks from the shattered shelf lay scattered at my feet. I quietly picked one up.
“You have a lot of good things here.”
The moment she seemed to realize something, Ailen approached me.
“There are always good things. Good owners are just hard to find.”
I almost laughed. Her way of speaking was exactly like it had been in TWSA.
Ailen Makefield, magitechnician of the planet Lindberg.
Tension filled Ailen's eyes as she looked at me. The hands of a clock must have been turning inside her mind as she judged whether the mysterious customer who had suddenly appeared would be the move that turned this situation around or a blunder that sent it spiraling into the abyss. I decided to ease her worries a little.
“I'd like to order a unique item. Can you make one for me?”
Ailen's eyes widened. Only one kind of customer came here to commission a unique item. After glancing warily at the demonic nobles, Ailen asked carefully,
“And the payment?”
I grinned, looked once at Ailen, then at the nobles glaring at me.
“Fifty thousand coins.”
Footnotes:
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