WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 318: Episode 60: Taste of Ruin (1)

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「Stub born brat.」

[The Fourth Wall] seemed to know that Wall as well.

It had been briefly mentioned in TWSA. Like Jang Hayoung's [Unidentified Wall], it possessed immense power, yet it was one of the Walls whose origins remained unknown.

[The Wall that Divides Good and Evil weighs your good and evil.]

[The Fourth Wall snorts.]

[The Wall that Divides Good and Evil is confused as it assesses your existence.]

The [Wall that Divides Good and Evil] was the standard that separated good and evil in this world. It was the power that distinguished good and evil within the Star Stream in response to Metatron's reasonable doubts. If that skill declared someone to be “evil,” the Constellations of the absolute good alignment gained voting rights over that decision, and the result was immediately reflected.

Jeong Huiwon's [Hour of Judgement] was also a power that shared the Plausibility of that Wall.

[You seem flustered. It isn't as if this is your first time seeing an owner of a Wall.]

"I didn't expect you to bring that out so suddenly. Are you going to define me as an evildoer? I thought that decision had been revoked long ago."

[I have no such intention. As you said, you are useful.]

I didn't know exactly what Metatron was thinking. One thing was certain, though. He intended to use me to prepare for Eden's coming Great Apocalypse.

[The Wall upon which the ■■ of every world is written. You must have read Eden's destruction there, correct?]

I was a little surprised. The Metatron of this round seemed somewhat different from the one I knew. He had some vague knowledge of TWSA's existence. And he called it the Final Wall.

Just as I was about to answer, [The Fourth Wall] spoke.

「Kim Dok ja, don't say any thing use less.」

I closed my mouth again. Metatron said,

[It seems the Wall has told you to keep quiet. As expected of the largest fragment of the Final Wall.]

"Do you know what the Final Wall is?"

Metatron's expression became inscrutable at my question.

[Are you asking because you are truly curious, or because you have another purpose?]

Instead of answering, I quietly stared into Metatron's eyes. Metatron gave a bitter smile.

[Very well. In exchange, please turn off the channel now. Everyone has likely seen enough of Eden's sights.]

Indirect Messages exploded in the air at those words.

[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband scratches his head.]

[The Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon bites his nails and rages.]

[The Constellation Bald Army General is moved by the sights of heaven.]

[Some Constellations are satisfied with their tour of Eden!]

[You have received a sponsorship of 50,000 coins.]

Just as in the underworld, quite a few Constellations seemed curious about Eden.

Baat!

I heard Biyoo close the channel.

Running his fingers over the bindings of the thickly piled books, Metatron began speaking in earnest.

[The Final Wall is the Wall that makes up the essence of this world. It has existed since ancient times, broken apart little by little, and finally collapsed.]

The binding Metatron touched was so old that flakes fell away with the slightest brush.

[The Wall that Divides Good and Evil I possess is also one fragment of that Wall.]

"How many people have these Walls?"

[I do not know for certain. I have not yet received a Revelation from that being. However.]

For a moment, I wondered who Metatron was referring to. It was a foolish concern. After all, there was only one being in Eden people could refer to that way.

Metatron continued.

[Every Wall has its own meaning. One Wall divides good and evil, another controls communication. And another Wall can change the future of a predetermined world.]

Metatron trailed off as he looked at me, then finished in a serious voice.

[I believe you could be the key to changing the predetermined destruction.]

What Metatron expected from me was so clear that it was almost burdensome. I deliberately replied in an uncertain tone.

“You must also be creating "A Single Fable."”

After a hesitation so brief it was hard to notice, Metatron answered.

[That is correct.]

"I'm only a novice hoping for Succession. Do you think I can do something like that?"

[No one knows which fable will be chosen in the end.]

Metatron turned toward the office window. Sunlight entering Eden illuminated his beautiful face. Some parts were buried in deep shadow, while others became unnaturally bright. Under that uneven light, Metatron's face looked strangely distorted for an instant.

[We only need to sincerely choose a form of worship within the bounds of what we can understand.]

That was probably what Metatron considered a “story.”

I watched Metatron quietly before speaking. It was about time I got to the point as well.

"I don't care what you intend to use me for. But I have one condition too."

[You came here to save the Incarnation Yu Sangah, correct?]

As expected, this made things quick.

Judging by his tone, Metatron seemed to have already grasped Yu Sangah's condition through the Star Stream broadcasts.

[The flow of consciousness is an extremely dangerous illness. If one carelessly invests Plausibility, the one making the investment will suffer a great loss as well. They will be swept away by the torrent of fables flowing out.]

"Is there no solution?"

[There is. If she believes in and practices the Great Word in this garden, like the other Archangels...]

"That means she has to join Eden. Other than that."

[For now, the best option would be to strengthen the Incarnation body to its limit and ease the symptoms. It would be best to obtain an item capable of bringing about a fortuitous encounter. A Greater Restoration Pill made by Martial World humans would not even come close. It would need to be something like Star Relic Fruit or Star Relic Nectar containing the miracle of a Great Fable.]

Star Relic Fruit and Star Relic Nectar.

Perhaps he read my expression, because Metatron smiled.

[Eden does have some Star Relic Fruit left, but it cannot be used for your intended purpose. Eden's Star Relic Fruit is somewhat special.]

I knew. There was probably no one from Earth who didn't know what Eden's Star Relic Fruit was.

"Then there's no way."

I was a little disappointed. I had wondered whether Eden might be able to do something, but it seemed that was too much to hope for.

Then Metatron added,

[That only means Eden has no way.]

The office door opened with a creak. A man walked into the office, knocking over the towering stacks of books. The moment I saw the Incarnation body covered in dazzling radiance, I instinctively unleashed my full Status.

[It has been a long time, Demon King of Salvation.]

* * *

Jeong Huiwon looked around Eden, feeling almost as though she had come on a picnic. Most angels were kind, and a few asked her questions. Most of them were about Kim Dokja or Yu Junghyeok, but she thought that was only natural. The two were currently the most closely watched beings on the Korean Peninsula.

If anything bothered Huiwon, it was her Patron Constellation, who had repeatedly zoned out and come back to herself for some time.

"Uriel."

[Yes, Huiwon.]

"You know."

[Yes, Huiwon.]

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

[Yes, Huiwon... Huh?]

Startled, Uriel looked back and forth between Huiwon and the hierarchy chart carved into a stone slab in the palace, then began stammering.

[W-well... Ah, right. I was explaining the angel hierarchy. So, our hierarchy is...]

"If you're that worried about it, why don't you go see him yourself?"

When Huiwon nodded toward the palace offices, Uriel's face turned pale.

[Th-that's... No. I need to separate public matters from private ones...]

"It's fine if you explain Eden to me later. I'm already grateful that you came to greet me yourself."

Seeing the frightening Demonic Judge of Fire flustered like this, Huiwon gave a small laugh. Uriel fidgeted with her cross earrings and bit her lip before lifting her head. The voice that flowed from her was as soft as wool.

[Can I go see Kim Dokja?]

"Of course."

Uriel's face brightened at Huiwon's permission. Then, as if she had thought of something, her gaze immediately sank.

[No, I shouldn't.]

"Why not?"

[Well...]

Uriel's eyes darted around nervously as she fidgeted with her fingers. Huiwon found her so cute that she laughed softly. Uriel might have been her Patron Constellation, but Huiwon felt as if she had gained a grown-up little sister.

Looking at Uriel's gloomy face, Huiwon asked,

"If you like Dokja-ssi that much, you should hurry up and see him. What are you hesitating for?"

Uriel's face turned red at the question. She made a series of incoherent gestures, then let out a deep sigh and lowered her head.

[It's just... embarrassing.]

"What's embarrassing? You send him Indirect Messages all the time."

[Sending fan letters and meeting in person are different.]

"You said you met him last time too. At that shooting-star banquet or whatever it was."

[That time, I only sent an Incarnation body. This is different. Meeting through an online game avatar and meeting in person are different.]

It was an analogy that suited a Constellation perfectly.

[Th-that doesn't mean I thought of all the time I spent with you as a game! This is only... only an analogy...]

Huiwon smiled bitterly as she watched Uriel flounder. That was probably the difference between her Patron Constellation and the other Constellations. Perhaps it was also why Dokja cared for Uriel in particular.

Huiwon's lips froze just as she was about to answer.

A bad feeling ran down her spine. Someone was coming around the palace corridor in the distance, heading toward the Scribe's office. It was precisely where Dokja was. Despite Surya's tightly reined-in Status, Huiwon got goosebumps the moment she saw that passing figure.

"Uriel. That Constellation!"

Huiwon knew that being. How could she not? That being was the one who had turned the previous Demon King Selection into a nightmare.

When she turned her head, Uriel was staring in that direction with a hardened expression as well.

"We should go over there now."

Uriel nodded.

* * *

The phantom sound of a gigantic train derailing filled my ears.

Merely seeing him again made it seem as though several memories had come back to life.

This was Eden, and that Constellation wouldn't attack me here. Even so, my fable reacted this violently because of an instinct rooted in memory.

A noble voice reminiscent of sunlight rang out.

[You're ruder than I expected. Are you still dwelling on what happened before?]

"If I don't dwell on it, I'll get stabbed in the back in the Star Stream."

[Even after becoming a Constellation, you have not escaped the mindset of a mortal. The stars do not cling to such trivial histories.]

Four arms were attached to the man's torso. The third eye embedded in his forehead looked down at me with a haughty gaze. The desperate battle during the Demon King Selection came back to me, chilling my heart.

[Surya. Did your demon hunt go well?]

At Metatron's words, Surya passed by me as though he weren't interested. The heads of demon archdukes hung from Surya's waist. Surya pulled out those heads and placed them on Metatron's table.

After examining their condition, Metatron said,

[The reward for your support will be sent through your nebula.]

Surya seemed to have accepted a subcontracted Scenario through Eden. Like Michael and Uriel, the Exalted God of Light was practically a nightmare to demonic species.

[I would prefer it now. My relationship with my nebula has not been very good lately.]

As he said that, Surya shot me a sidelong glare.

Metatron replied,

[Why not come to Eden while you are here...]

[Enough jokes. My business is finished, so I will be leaving.]

Leaving those words behind, Surya accepted his payment and headed for the office exit. Metatron watched Surya's retreating back with a faint smile.

I felt strangely deflated. I had tensed up for nothing. He had come here on business unrelated to me. But just as Surya was making his way forward unimpeded, he abruptly stopped before the door.

[Demon King of Salvation, I heard one of your Companions has contracted a special illness.]

Without turning around, Surya continued.

[If you wish, I could help.]

Information from TWSA raced through my mind.

「Surya is one of Veda's eight Lokapalas.」

「He is one of the origins of Soma, Veda's Star Relic Nectar and another Lokapala.」

Veda's Star Relic Nectar, Soma. If it was that, there was certainly a chance it could improve Yu Sangah's condition.

When I glanced at Metatron, he smiled at me with an unreadable expression. The Scribe had known from the beginning that Surya would come here.

Even with a strategist like this in Eden, they couldn't prevent its destruction. Once again, I realized just how cruel the Fate of the Star Stream was.

Without turning toward Surya, I asked,

"What do you want?"

Soma was a drink only Veda's privileged gods could consume. There was no way he would offer something so precious without conditions.

The Exalted God of Light slowly turned his head. A demon-like smile hung on Surya's lips.

[I want the destruction of Olympus.]

Footnotes:

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