WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 190: Prima Donna (2)

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"So."

The Gill Fish tribesperson's splashing was fierce.

The bathtub water drained in an instant, and Black Dragon Master had to refill it, following Paladin's order.

"Anyone would think I did something wrong. I even helped with the quest clearance," grumbled Black Dragon Master.

The Paladin merely sighed, evidently accustomed to Black Dragon Master's shamelessness.

"Why have you brought me here? Do you need a [Lie Detector] or something?"

"No, that's not it. I don’t need your skill. I need your musical talent."

"...My musical talent?"

The Paladin furrowed her brow.

Black Dragon Master nodded.

"Yes. You used to play a lot before joining the Vigilante Corps, right? You earned way more than you do now with your Vigilante salary, right? To exaggerate a bit, you practically raked in the money, didn’t you?"

"That’s ancient history... Before I even got my Alias, a story from a very long time ago."

I was perplexed, listening quietly.

Paladin. Ranked seventh.

The Vice-Captain of the Vigilante Corps, responsible for the security of the City of Ascension.

With Sword Saint declaring retirement, Paladin effectively took over the duties of the Corps leader.

I knew the Paladin was a refugee from Venezuela and had graduated from music college, but that was all.

Like the other comrades, Paladin seldom talked about her past, so I knew almost nothing about the deputy commander.

"Raking in money? What’s this about, you two?"

"It’s nothing. Just a worthless past..."

"An untold story. This person used to earn by playing in jazz concerts."

Despite the Paladin's attempt to brush off the subject, Black Dragon Master stated it bluntly. The Paladin glared at her, but Black Dragon Master merely shrugged.

"When we first entered the Tower, there really wasn't much to enjoy. Most people just drank or used drugs for fun. But when Paladin held a concert, hunters flocked..."

"Black Dragon Master!"

"For some reason, she gets angry whenever I bring up those days. So fussy. Ah, what was the Paladin's nickname back then? Something ‘of the Night Sky...’"

"Speak one more word, and it’s a declaration of war!"

"Alright, alright. Sorry."

Huh.

This was news to me.

Before regressing, I was quite a fan of famous hunters, though not as much as Flame Emperor. I collected every magazine with Black Dragon Master, Saintess, or Heretic Inquisitor on the cover. But...

‘There was hardly any information about the early days of the Tower.’

There are stories I don't know, like this one.

I tried to recall.

‘Right, Paladin never appeared in any photo books...’

Not even as a magazine cover model.

Despite being one of the hunters considered the conscience of the Tower, along with Saintess and Master Alchemist.

‘A secret backstory? Could it be that wearing a helmet all the time isn’t just a fashion statement but hides some secret?’

My heart as a ten-year veteran hunter fan began pounding again after a long absence.

I was on the verge of intruding on privacy, so I held back.

"......."

Paladin, noticing our gazes meeting, cleared her throat loudly.

"...I haven't heard why I was called here yet. Black Dragon Master. If you just wanted to show the King of Death my mermaid form, then I'm willing to expose your dark history too."

"Oh my. What dark history could I possibly have?"

“What you write anonymously and publish in your spare time......"

“King of Death! Show the performance to the Paladin too.”

Black Dragon Master hurriedly interrupted.

What secret? Why am I the only one left out of these secrets? It's so intriguing.

“What do you write anonymously?”

“Sir Gong-ja.”

Black Dragon Master grabbed my shoulder.

This was no joke. Murky Aura was rising from Black Dragon Master's body, and an ominous smile twitched at the corners of her mouth.

“Everyone has a secret they don’t tell others. Isn’t that right, King of Death? You often brush things off with excuses like being a prophet or something.”

"Uh."

Did she know that was a bluff!?

“But I don’t pry too deeply. Because you are my comrade and fellow warrior. True friendship is proven not by what we say to each other, but by what we don’t say to each other.”

“That's well said.”

“Sir Gong-ja. We're friends, right?”

I nodded awkwardly. If only the fingers digging into my shoulder were a bit gentler, I would have nodded easily.

“Yes, yes. Of course, we're friends.”

“Yes. My most cherished close friend.”

Suddenly, I became close friends with Black Dragon Master.

“I would be so happy if our King of Death showed the Paladin the blood-and-fire drama too.”

I complied with my friend's request.

How could I ignore it?

"......."

Throughout the performance, Paladin remained silent.

The troupe members were slightly bewildered to arrive for work early in the morning and immediately find themselves practicing before a vampire and a member of the Gill-Fin Tribe. They could hardly ignore the huge bathtub in the audience with its occupant splashing a tail inside it.

“......Indeed.”

Unperturbed by the troupe members' glares, Paladin murmured.

“Remarkable. King of Death, did you invent this yourself?”

“No. Blood-and-fire dramas already existed.”

“Really? A play combining dance and music has always been there?”

"Ah. Not exactly. Choreography and music like this... I thought it would be good to introduce them...”

Paladin's eyes sparkled.

“Why did you think so?”

“Blood-and-fire drama began as an art of Aura. If the performers learned choreography based on martial forms, they would grow more accustomed to Aura, and teaching them to create music with Aura would make the art even more inventive....”

“Ah, I see. A completely different concept!”

Paladin’s mermaid tail fluttered on the water's surface.

Judging by the usual method for reading a dog's tail, the Paladin was probably excited.

“King of Death. Do you realize how exciting your discovery is?”

Paladin looked at me with sparkling eyes.

This was the first time I’d seen Paladin like this.

“What, what is it?”

“You’ve founded a comprehensive art form through Aura.”

Paladin spoke with excited breath.

“Usually, operas and musicals are considered comprehensive art forms. But among these, [music] has always been an unresolved issue. No matter how naturally it's inserted, no matter how much effort is put into making it seem natural, music fundamentally remains detached from the actors.”

“Uh….”

What was the Paladin talking about?

“It means the actors can’t interfere directly with the music.”

Paladin explained excitedly.

“Whether you play background music or hire an orchestra, the music that fills the theater isn’t created by the actors. In musicals, they can sing, but it's limited.”

“Hmm…”

I just nodded along.

“Audiences, knowing that the music they hear is actually coming from speakers, still forcibly accept the illusion that it's part of the story unfolding on stage. It's a tacit agreement. But in your fire drama... the actors themselves perform the music! Through Aura!”

Paladin raised her hand.

“This is a significant advancement!”

Paladin flicked her fingers.

Complex and agile melodies infused with Aura resonated in the air.

"Wow."

I was honestly amazed.

Is this what a specialist is capable of?

“Oh, right. I want to learn music from Paladin. I want to play for Raviel...”

“No! That's not the point right now!”

The Paladin thumped her chest in frustration.

“That sort of thing,” huh.

That was a bit harsh.

"You need to understand what a fantastic discovery you've made! King of Death! People immersing themselves in music recorded by someone else and dancing or acting is meaningful, but being able to pull music, dance, and acting directly from within themselves is amazing! It's innovative! Imagine figure skaters not only performing but also creating music with Aura. How incredible would that be...!"

"Could you summarize that in a sentence, please...?"

"It's freaking awesome! Are you satisfied now?"

So it was a compliment after all.

Then just say that.

"Thank you. It was nothing much."

I grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of my head.

“…Unbelievable."

As though deeply aggrieved, the Paladin beat her chest and looked upward.

"The very person who made this discovery doesn’t understand its significance... King of Death. This could potentially spark a trend in [Aura Art]. It's a tremendous thing."

"Come on. It’s not that big a deal."

I thought Paladin was exaggerating.

"Aura is commonly used to enhance voices for singing, right?"

"I'm not saying you created something that didn't exist in the world. I'm saying you connected things that existed but were never paid attention to."

Paladin sighed deeply.

"Everyone saw Aura only as [for combat] or [for physical enhancement], but you discovered Aura can also be a [transparent instrument]. Now actors can bring forth inner music without relying on props or devices. Not just actors, but musicians, dancers, singers, everyone......."

“And.”

Black Dragon Master naturally joined the conversation, grabbing Paladin's shoulder.

“We've got something to boast about to the outside world now."

Black Dragon Master smirked.

"People in the outside world always criticize us. When we fight, we're seen as barbarians who know nothing but fighting. If we don’t earn money, we're beggars. When we start earning, we're labeled as crude beings who only care about money. Now, if we achieve incredible success in art, I wonder what they'll call us? Wealthy artists? Would that be an insult?"

"Black Dragon Master..."

I had mixed feelings.

"I shouldn’t be the one to say this, but you're too competitive with the outside world. It's sometimes pitiable."

"Quiet. You have no idea how much our Tower is underestimated."

Her words were harsh, but her expression looked bright and untroubled.

Black Dragon Master’s gaze at me was like looking at a treasure.

She placed a hand on both Paladin's and my shoulders, wearing a contented smile.

"King of Death."

"Yes?"

"Paladin."

"What is it, so ominous."

"I want to push this as a national project."

Black Dragon Master smiled like an angel.

A smile she never showed to comrades, only in interviews or for magazine photos.

"I did some checking, and King of Death here adapted his experiences into Fire Dramas. Isn’t he our Tower’s proud rookie and top star?"

"......."

"If we take this, perform it at Babel Tower, film it, and distribute the footage outside, it would be perfect. Wouldn't artists outside be so shocked that they rush to enter the Tower and learn Aura themselves?"

"Umm......."

The Paladin had initially looked reluctant, but her expression gradually changed.

"It's true that I've received several movie offers, but I rejected them all. I was afraid they’d distort our King of Death’s image."

Movie offers?

That happened too?

"Now that I see it, Fire Dramas seem much better than movies. Right. Our own art form from the Tower, telling the story of our top star. How good is that?"

I was bewildered.

The conversation was becoming too big, beyond my imagination!

"Wait, just a moment. I didn’t really..."

"Certainly."

Paladin slowly nodded.

The Paladin's mermaid tail fluttered as well.

"Our Tower is poor in terms of art. There's some entertainment in jazz concerts and novels, but there's hardly any large-scale performances."

"That's exactly what I mean. I tried pushing support for it several times, but every attempt failed. We keep importing movies from outside to screen here, and the royalties are astronomical. They deliberately charge more whenever they deal with our Tower. Isn't that infuriating?"

"Hmm."

"Let's strike back. Aura is unique to us, the hunters in the Tower. Now we'll move from being a cultural importer to an exporter."

"Not bad..."

Wait.

Black Dragon Master and Paladin were both staring at me.

"......."

"......."

They nodded to each other, then grinned.

"King of Death, you're amazing."

"Right. It's clear you're a genius for thinking of this."

Wait, what?

"W-what's with this all of a sudden? You're embarrassing me...."

"No. We mean it. In martial arts you rival the Sword Saint, and in Aura you match me. Now you're venturing into art too. I used to be ranked second, but I truly can't compete with you."

"King of Death.... Just how far does your talent intend to reach?"

No.

"The Tower's greatest genius! The greatest rookie of all time! Ah, perhaps the word talent was invented for the King of Death. Whenever I look at you, that thought simply occurs to me...."

"Damn it. Why did heaven create the King of Death and then create me...."

My head spun.

"Wait, everyone.... Just wait...."

"Without the King of Death, we'd still be dawdling below the tenth floor!"

"Is that true.... How awful.... Thanks to the King of Death, we practically leaped straight past the thirtieth floor."

"Exactly! Of course I lost second place to you. What good would it do for someone like me to remain second?"

"As an original member of the Tower, I feel ashamed.... King of Death, your very existence shames me. If I am a shadow, you are the sun. When you rise, I can only hide behind someone else...."

This is insane.

"Please, everyone, wait...."

I was seriously dizzy.

"King of Death! So glad you're my comrade. I’m so proud!"

"Right. I'll be remembered as a legend just for climbing the Tower with you."

"Please......"

"Amazing!"

"Incredible."

"Absolutely phenomenal!"

"King of Death. He's a legend…"

"I always knew it!"

"I can't believe it!"

I can't breathe.

"Thank you. I appreciate the compliments... but that's enough..."

"We’re thinking of creating a separate art guild and appointing you as the guild leader. Would it be okay if we just borrow your illustrious name for a while?"

"Sure... as long as you stop... I think I’m going to die..."

"Don’t worry, I’m planning to join as vice-guild leader. Just lend your name, and we'll handle the rest. We can’t trouble someone as great as you."

"I’m really dying……."

"Yeah. Put your seal here, please."

Guild leader?

I stamped the seal Black Dragon Master handed me, not fully understanding.

"Thanks. King of Death. You might suddenly see a lot of money in your account, but don’t be surprised."

"I'll use it well."

As my head spun, I heard my Guardian Spirit sigh somewhere in the distance.

-Tsk, tsk. What a fucking easy mark....

-.......

And Ssonia looked at us with an unreadable expression.

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