WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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SSS-CLASS HUNTER WHO DIES TO LIVE

Chapter 151: Prologue (4)

The library was instantly illuminated.

The light was like a cascade of white water, alive and moving. [■■■■■]. From Hamusutra's revelation, a ceaseless flow of light gushed out. The waves of light engulfed us and poured between the bookshelves.

The light overflowed.

[Stage Clear.]

The Revelation did not stop disgorging light. Chwaaak! Whooosh! The luminous water rose in an instant, submerging the Great Library's shelves, stacks as tall as buildings. Even the innermost depths of the Forbidden Book section, where light had not shone once in thousands of years, grew bright.

A white flood.

A pure-white pond.

[Today.]

We stood amidst the deluge of light that submerged the world.

[The 30th floor has been cleared.]

Screams of hunters echoed from afar.

"Aaaaah!"

"What, what is this?!"

Was it the sudden inundation of light that startled them? Fortunately, there were reliable companions in the library. Many of them. While some hunters were shocked and dismayed, others were there to soothe them.

Though their faces were hidden by bookshelves.

I recognized every one of their voices.

"Aigoo! This is killing me! My eyes have already been dim lately, and now my vision is going to drop below zero! Egu, egu. You little brat! When you see an elder, you should know to make a tonic and give it as a gift!"

Medicine King.

"Eh. Ha, but the medicine should be given first to those in need. Sorry, but you, Medicine King, don’t seem to need it much... Maybe you should just get new glasses...?”

Apothecary.

"Aha, this is the ‘Stage Clear’ thing. Just simple light. You guys might not have experienced this much, but I've seen it several times already. Mystery becomes mundane with familiarity. Don't overreact."

"Wow! Master!"

"I was counting on you, damn it......!"

Viper and his minions.

"Huh? Ah? Was the 30th floor meant to be cleared automatically? Ahah. It’s good we saved some time. All members of the Temple of the Omnipotent God, prepare for transfer! As soon as we return to Babylon, we’ll start catching up on our backlog!"

Heretic Inquisitor.

"This is troublesome. I have no experience in librarian work."

"I have a general understanding, Mr. Kim Yul. I'll assist you."

"......Please do."

Constellation Killer and the Director.

And there were more. The voices of the Black Dragon Witch, Countess, and Paladin were heard. Sometimes from afar, sometimes quite near. From beyond the heavily stocked bookshelves, human voices drifted.

Yes. In the library, I could hear every whisper and murmur of the people. It was as if the light's current absorbed their voices.

Next to me, the tiny Head Librarian was trembling.

[Announcing once again to everyone.]

[Today, the 30th floor has been cleared...]

Czzzzzzzt-

Noise intermingled with the Tower's voice.

The already trembling Head Librarian flinched, shrinking his shoulders.

[Warning!]

[Abnormal clearing detected.]

[A warning has been issued to the 'Holed-Up Head Librarian.']

"Uh."

The Head Librarian grabbed my sleeve.

"I-It's fine. The 30th floor is determined by ■■■■■. As the administrator overseeing stages from the 21st to the 30th floor, I vouch for this. As a Constellation ruling over ■■■■■, I acknowledge the stage clear..."

[Warning once again.]

[If the stage clear is declared, the 'Holed-Up Head Librarian' will receive significant penalties.]

[Confirming whether to proceed with stage clear.]

The grip on my sleeve tightened a bit more.

"......."

The Head Librarian was hunched over. Normally, his generously sized clothes made him appear larger than he was. Not now. He seemed small. In this world, the space the Head Librarian occupied was insignificant.

Leaning against me, the Head Librarian looked up at me.

"......It doesn’t matter."

That was a message for the Tower, as well as for me.

"This lord..."

Hamusutra spoke.

"I will live in this Tower. I ask for your favor...... Acknowledge my descent, Master of All Lives."

Silence.

[Announcing once again to everyone.]

The noise cleared from the Tower's voice.

[Today, the 30th floor has been cleared.]

Cheers erupted. Although the library was still submerged in a swirl of light, the hunters heard the declaration of stage clear. Realizing their success, they rejoiced.

There was a voice that only Hamusutra and I could hear.

[The 'Holed-Up Head Librarian' can no longer maintain his authority.]

[Initiating rank adjustment.]

It was a phrase I had heard once before.

When Preta lost the shell of the 'Demon King of Autumn Rain,' I heard the same words.

[The alias of the 'Holed-Up Head Librarian' has been revoked.]

Preta had screamed then. "No!" She was horrified at losing her status as a Constellation. She desperately resisted descending.

Hamusutra's reaction now was different.

Silently, he closed his eyes tightly.

[Announcing once again.]

[The alias of the 'Holed-Up Head Librarian' has been revoked.]

[The authority of the 'Holed-Up Head Librarian' is revoked.]

The revelation in our hands trickled down. Perhaps 'melted down' would be more accurate. Plop, plop. The book cover turned into a slime-like substance and flowed down, and the pages dripped down like candle wax.

[May fortune be with you.]

And then the Revelation turned into light and vanished.

"......."

For a while…

Hamusutra said nothing. Hamusutra merely breathed out quietly, then exhaled calmly. As that small upper body repeatedly rose and fell, the fear-filled trembling gradually subsided.

"Ah..."

Hamusutra sprang up in place.

"Look at this, King of Death."

The long sleeves fluttered. They were so long that they could not leave the floor. Each time Hamusutra hopped in place, the sleeves lifted ever so slightly, then flopped back onto the floor.

"I can't fly anymore."

Hamusutra turned to me, smiling.

"I can no longer fly through the air. This lord enjoyed looking down upon worlds from high places. All day long. Sometimes I would gaze motionlessly at the horizon for dozens of days. That hobby is gone..."

"Yes."

"So much has disappeared."

"Yes."

"I've achieved my dream. The dream of appearing in a story, but it’s bittersweet. I'm scared. Afraid. I love you all. I cherish you. I'm scared you won't love me back. I want to be loved by everyone..."

"Hamusutra."

I placed my hand on Hamusutra's shoulder.

"Forget about that. It’s impossible."

"......."

"Let's take it step by step. If your hobby is gone, let's find a new one. How about it? Want to do something to commemorate your descent from a Constellation?"

"In fact, I have two wishes."

"Tell me. If I can, I'll grant them."

"Firstly, stop speaking formally to me..."

That was a wish I could grant.

"Okay. I'll stop. What's the other wish?"

"My second wish is a bit extravagant... It's such an incredible luxury that you, King of Death, will shudder in astonishment..."

"What is it?"

Hamusutra wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Sniffles were heard. After a while, when the sleeve dropped, Hamusutra's face was smiling.

"I want to try a venti White Mocha Frappuccino with four shots, Java chips half and half, and extra chocolate drizzle..."

It was indeed a tremendous luxury.

And fortunately, also a wish I could grant.

6.

There is something I should mention by way of an epilogue.

"Indeed. So that's why my consort died."

Raviel, dressed in a school uniform, said while drinking cider.

See.

In that one sentence, an incredible collaboration took place.

Look. Raviel, [in a school uniform], drank [cider].

Not even the epic of the universe’s creation and destruction could match the sublimity of this sentence. With the emotion of a believer witnessing the creation of heaven and earth, I share this moment with you…

"Gong-ja. You are trembling."

"I'm n-not trembling."

"Is that so?"

Cradled in my arms like a princess, Raviel tilted her head in puzzlement. By the way, I've been holding this pose for over three hours now. No aura allowed. No skills allowed. Purely relying on muscle and posture.

"It definitely looks like you're trembling."

Raviel smiled slightly.

"Ah. Is my body too heavy?"

"Not at all. Raviel, you're light as a feather!"

"Which feather? A dinosaur's? An archaeopteryx's?"

"You're lighter than a freshly hatched chick's feather!"

"Then I'm relieved. I was about to get down from my love's embrace worrying I was too heavy. Since there’s no problem, I’ll continue to enjoy the excellent ride."

Raviel touched her lips to the cider can. A drop of clear cider clung to her lips. Ah, how I hate that drop of cider. Evaporate. Hurry up and evaporate, then return to the embrace of nature...

Let me explain the situation. We’re on the 29th floor, in the world of [City of Ascension - Side Story].

As Hamusutra predicted, the [Side Story] did not alter the history of the real outside world. It was not incorporated into the official history. Only this city, centered on Shinseo Middle and High School, was cut away and made into an isolated, island-like stage.

'Strangely, the residents of this world don’t seem to notice anything odd.'

When hunters like us enter the 29th floor, we're automatically registered as middle or high school students. As if we've always lived in this world, we experience school life. There’s a university too, but that's all.

A literal school city.

So, apart from the chance to attend school, it's a completely useless stage, but...

"Public education is beautiful."

It turns out to be surprisingly helpful.

"A place where even the less fortunate can learn to their heart's content. Isn’t it like a dream? From now on, our empire plans to send talents here to study. Indeed, my love is worthy of calling himself the Moon of the Ivansia Ducal Family."

"Uh. You might not learn much good here...?"

"It doesn't matter. The purpose of education is to share common sense. A nation is an abstraction that can degenerate into delusion with just one misstep, so it's necessary to ensure that its citizens always dream the same dream."

"The same dream..."

"Hmm. I was pondering how to naturally integrate the people of the Tower and the empire's citizens. The empire's citizens educated here will eventually bridge the two forces."

Raviel occasionally speaks about difficult things. So cool.

So why have I been holding Raviel for over three hours?

"Let's set aside political talk for now. Right now, I want to savor the sight of you being punished."

Right. I'm currently being punished...

The reason for the punishment is quite clear.

"I was truly surprised, Gong-Ja. I was working in the office, and suddenly, I returned 24 hours back in time. I hesitated for a moment but soon realized the situation. Ah, indeed. My consort must have died somewhere again," she said.

Raviel took out a golden card.

+

[A Certain Returner's Love]

Rank: EX

Effect: For a returner, love is like poison. No matter how fiercely they struggle, they cannot share time with the one they love. Thus, a certain returner made an earnest wish: 'Please preserve my lover's memories.' That wish reached the Tower and was granted.

You share a timeline with your beloved. If your lover goes back a day, you go back a day. If you go back a day, so does your lover. This is the vow of a ring. This is a marriage of time.

May fortune be with both of you.

*However, it only activates when you and your lover mutually love each other.

+

Indeed.

Because of [A Certain Returner's Love], when I die, Raviel also returns 24 hours back in time. Raviel experienced this return when I was killed by the Constellation Killer.

Naturally, Raviel could only be aware that 'I had died'.

According to Goldencup, who serves the Ivansia ducal family, Raviel quietly murmured the moment she returned, "I don't know what godforsaken bastard did it, but someone laid a hand on my consort."

With an expressionless face.

Goldencup reportedly felt cosmic horror that day.

"I'm sorry..."

"No need to apologize."

Raviel spoke calmly.

"From what I heard, didn’t you make enough effort? Didn’t you desperately try not to die? If you still died despite that, it can't be helped."

"Right?"

"Yes. Even if you rashly jumped from the 29th to the 50th floor, challenged one of the strongest there, and finally attracted the aggro of an entire floor, it's unavoidable. My love, what you did was perfectly rational. There’s no recklessness to be found. I understand."

"I'm really sorry..."

"Do you truly regret it? Do you realize your mistake?"

Raviel pinched my cheek. Jwooook. My cheek stretched like freshly made glutinous rice cake.

I was moved.

'Ah, Raviel is pinching my cheek.'

Raviel is wearing a school uniform right before my eyes. Raviel in a school uniform is nestled in my arms. Is this really a punishment? Is it not a reward instead? Could Raviel, my goddess, be praising me for doing well, merely using punishment as a pretext...?

"This man is hopeless..."

Raviel sighed.

"His eyes have gone crazy. His slightly crazy eyes were charming, but this is too much."

"I love you. Raviel."

"I love you, Gong-Ja."

Ah. The scent of cider.

Nice...

Happy...

-Damn it.

An uninvited guest grumbled from behind.

-Seriously, do I have to watch this shit every time I meet these two? Huh? No, right? This is too much, isn't it? They say love is just hormones at work, but are these two fucking insane all the way down to the hormonal level? What did I do in my past life to deserve this hell?!

[Shiny points out that you probably committed many sins in your past life.]

-Sh-, damn...

A true hero knows to ignore the peanut gallery.

As she listened to my story, Raviel looked around Shinseo Middle and High School. Who had killed me, what past that person had carried, lost, and regained. With me as her guide, Raviel committed each classroom and rooftop to memory.

"Hmm."

Raviel nodded.

"Well done, Gong-Ja. It was worth the time you spent."

She was convinced. Although I had to endure the hell of my arms and the heaven of my brain for a full 3 hours, considering what’s more important between arms and brain, it seems like I came out ahead. A total win.

"Now, I must see the scum who killed you for myself."

"Raviel. As I mentioned earlier, that person is probably also one of your ancestors..."

"Even more despicable. An ancestor should entrust work to their descendants gracefully, not dare to touch the moon of the family. Today's Ivansia is mine. I'll punish him according to family law."

Sorry, Constellation Killer.

Sorry, Kim Yul.

You’re done for.

"And also."

Raviel smiled. On the rooftop of Shinseo Middle and High School, the sunset reddened the corner of her mouth.

"I’d like to greet the person who raised you."

"......"

"Will you guide me, Gong-Ja?"

I nodded.

"Yes."

And whispered while holding Raviel.

"Transfer."

Light enveloped us.

The next moment, we were in the 30th-floor library.

In just a few days, the library had changed somewhat. First, there were strict divisions between accessible and restricted areas. Ordinary books adorned the shelves in the accessible area, and hunters leisurely enjoyed reading at tables.

A peaceful scene.

On the tables where hunters sat, there were coffee cups and beverage cups.

"Ah."

Hamusutra, wandering between the tables, spotted us and hurried over. Instead of his usual loose-fitting clothes, Hamusutra was now dressed in a neat employee uniform.

"Welcome, King of Death. Oh? The Heart Plated with Silver has come with you as well. What a delight to have such distinguished guests visit all at once!"

The library café.

For now, Hamusutra decided to work here. He wasn't yet ready to live in the 1st-floor city, but he was slowly mingling with hunters and getting used to life as a human.

"Hmm. Is Kim Yul around? Raviel wants to see his face..."

"Mug, my consort."

"......Raviel wants to see Kim Yul's mug."

Hamusutra grinned widely.

"Kim Yul's face is worth coming a long way to see. Got it. He might be organizing children's books now, but I'll call him."

There's still much to tell.

Who took over the Great Library after Hamusutra's descent. Why Medicine King almost single-handedly funded the café's creation. Hence, even now, Medicine King is behind the café counter in bartender attire, brewing coffee, and so on.

There's much to talk about.

But there will be a time for that story.

"Then I'll guide both of you to your seats!"

As always.

That story will continue on a stage a little higher than this one.

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