WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 205: Easter Egg (1)

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1.

I have one particularly important task to handle.

It is completely unrelated to conquering the Tower, but it is something I must settle before moving on.

With a grave expression, I stated, “I want to introduce Uburka to Raviel.”

Right after clearing the 35th floor.

We were summoned to the usual white space.

While my companions were catching up with one another, I made a request to the Constellation [The Princess Who Strolls Through Mirages].

“No, I must introduce him. I've been delaying it, but I can’t postpone it any longer.”

“Hmm…”

The Princess stroked her chin thoughtfully.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Uburka might not be my biological son, but I consider the Earth Spirit Tribe my children. We're a married couple. It's something Raviel needs to know, and I need to tell her.”

“I understand the King of Death’s personal circumstances, but you are currently clearing floors consecutively, starting from the 30th. A resident taking part in the conquest cannot simply wander off to another floor.”

“Can’t we invite Raviel here for a while?”

“No, no!”

The Princess crossed her arms, forming an X.

“Silverheart didn’t participate in the conquest. Moreover, she hasn’t even been incorporated into your Tower yet. It’s impossible to summon her here.”

Apparently, “Silverheart” was short for [The Silver-Plated Heart]. This Constellation had a habit of turning people’s names into nicknames.

“Why? Raviel’s stage has already been cleared.”

“How should I explain this... Right. Think of Silverheart as a foreigner without a visa. Some regions permit visa-free entry, while others do not, right? It’s the same. Floor 30 or below might be another matter, but I can’t bring her here. That is a rule of the Tower. Even if you object, it is difficult to change.”

I pondered.

“...What about Uburka and I briefly visiting Raviel’s world?”

“Mm, that is difficult too. Heartbroken Pig is a Constellation, after all, so he does have the right to visit other floors...”

So Uburka was Heartbroken Pig.

Sorry, son, for not being able to support your first love….

“By rule, it’s possible, but whether it’s permitted, I'm not so sure? Because, King of Death, you're also in the middle of a conquest. Unless you drop out of the expedition, you can’t just come and go as you please.”

“Okay. Let’s do this then.”

I smiled.

“As a reward for clearing the 35th floor, grant Uburka and me a visitation permit. At the very least, allow Uburka to stay here.”

“Eh?”

Interest sparked in the Princess’s eyes.

“Why is that?”

“It would be another matter if Uburka had died at the end of his natural lifespan, but now he has become a Constellation. If we move on to the 36th floor, hundreds of years will pass again... I don’t want to abandon Uburka there alone.”

“So, it’s about [parental responsibility]?”

“You could say that.”

“Alright.”

The Princess nodded.

“If it’s for that reason, I have a valid argument to persuade the higher-ups. The Tower Master values maternal affection, parental duties, and such things! Just wait a moment.”

The Princess closed her eyes.

Suddenly, her bangs rose and bent like antennas. They swayed left and right.

…Is she communicating through that?

“Yep. Communication complete.”

The Princess opened her eyes.

“The King of Death’s request has been accepted.”

“Great.”

“But! You can't meet in the world where Raviel was born. The only place allowed for the meeting is the 29th floor. King of Death, Uburka, Raviel, only the three of you can meet there.”

"......?"

I couldn’t help but tilt my head at her words.

“Thank you for listening, but, uh. Why only the 29th floor?”

The 29th floor isn’t just any floor.

It’s Kim Yul's stage.

The floor where Shinseo High School and its surrounding commercial district are replicated.

“It's not even the real world.”

Exactly.

Named by the Head Librarian as [The Side Story] of the City of Ascension.

A city manifested as a mere fantasy, not incorporated into the main history of our world.

There’s no unique resource or tourist attraction.

Why treat only the 29th floor specially?

“---Sorry.”

Suddenly, the Princess turned expressionless.

“I can’t tell you why.”

A resolute will emanated from her face.

“I owe the King of Death a lot. I have [debts]. So, as much as possible, I want to fulfill your requests. But this, I can’t.”

“I’ll acknowledge that Heartbroken Pig is qualified as a Constellation. If the King of Death acts as his guardian, I’ll also permit him to visit the 29th floor. This should be sufficient compensation, right?”

I nodded slowly.

‘There’s a secret on the 29th floor.’

Seeing such a strong rejection, how could I forcefully inquire further?

The Princess is my ally. There is no reason to corner a Pillar who regards me favorably.

‘I’ve achieved what I wanted.’

Freeing Uburka from hundreds of years of waiting.

Introducing Uburka to Raviel.

I've accomplished both goals, so there's no need to rush.

‘But…’

What kind of secret could make such a powerful being so serious?

I buried my curiosity deep in my heart and replied.

“Yes. The compensation you mentioned is enough.”

“Great! Then, I’ll have those currently visiting the 29th floor exit for a while-."

[The Constellation ‘The Princess Who Strolls Through Mirages’ temporarily inherits the management authority of the 29th floor.]

[The Constellation ‘The Princess Who Strolls Through Mirages’ is expelling all hunters from the 29th floor.]

The Princess waved her hand, saying, "Yap."

“I’ll adjust the local time too.”

[Administrator Authority - ‘Lockdown’ activated.]

[The 29th floor is sealed from the City of Ascension.]

[The rank required to enter the 29th floor is upgraded.]

[You are granted the right to enter the 29th floor!]

“Good.”

The Princess smiled contentedly.

“Until the King of Death comes out, no one can enter the 29th floor. Not even the Constellations. It’s a place prepared solely for the King of Death. Enjoy a heartfelt conversation with your family!”

“Uh… Thank you?”

“You're welcome.”

I did not fully understand what measures she had taken, but I bowed anyway. The atmosphere suggested that an outrageous abuse of authority had just been committed because of me.

“Go ahead to the 29th floor. I’ll send Silverheart and Heartbroken Pig there soon. Well, consider this an extra service. Accept it without feeling burdened.”

The Princess snapped her fingers crisply.

“When you want to return, just think of my face and say ‘Return’. I won’t interfere with the 29th floor until then. Have a good trip!”

With the Princess’s beaming smile as the last sight...

[Verifying the King of Death’s eligibility.]

[Permission granted to enter ‘City of Ascension - Side Story’.]

Dark shadows enveloped my vision.

2.

When I opened my eyes, I was standing in the middle of a crosswalk.

Beeeeep!

Car horns blared at the intersection, loudly disrupting the peace. Shaken out of my post-transportation dizziness, I turned to see a driver gesticulating at me.

“Hey! Wanna die? Move it, kid!”

Rude, considering we had only just met. Still, the driver’s torrent of curses had a point. The traffic light was red, and the no-crossing signal glowed crimson.

“Sorry about that.”

“Sorry my foot, just move! These youngsters…”

I moved out of the middle of the crosswalk. Only then did the cars that had stopped because of me begin moving again. The drivers each shot me a glare, but that was all. The cars marched away two abreast, and before long, the ‘city’ became completely indifferent to my existence and flowed according to its own schedule.

Just as the city lost interest in me.

"Um."

I lost interest in them too.

Because across the crosswalk, a dearly missed face was waiting.

“Raviel!”

Dressed in a simple gown.

An attire too alien for a modern city.

Raviel stood under the red traffic light, creating a sanctuary of her own.

“......Gong-Ja?”

Seemingly still dizzy from the teleportation, Raviel lightly touched her forehead.

“Is this an illusion spell? Another Constellation’s invasion? My wife is wagging his tail right before my eyes, yet I cannot pet him and must first worry about whether he is real. What a sad predicament...”

“Are you feeling dizzy? Should we sit? No, it’s too hot here. Let’s go into any shop and rest. Just lean on me for now.”

“Mm, you hopelessly doting fool. You are indeed my love.”

Raviel relaxed her furrowed brow and finally smiled.

“I’m sorry for doubting you, even for a moment, Gong-Ja.”

“It's alright. We are each other's greatest weakness, so we always need to be cautious. I also encountered a dream demon imitating you while conquering the 35th floor.”

“Oh? That sounds intriguing. Did you see through its disguise in seconds?”

“In one second. I realized it wasn’t you even before I finished exhaling.”

I beamed.

“That foolish demon didn’t even bother wearing a wedding ring.”

“Indeed. A critical mistake.”

Raviel chuckled softly.

Before her laughter faded, I took her left hand gently, caressed the wedding ring on her ring finger, gently pulled her towards me, and kissed her.

“I missed you.”

“I’m happy to see you.”

“Is everything okay at the manor?”

“Ah, yes. With the mistress and even the Goldencup maid suddenly gone, there have been serious disruptions in the manor’s operations. Had the head of the house been any less capable, our fortunes might have dwindled.”

“That’s unfortunate. Whoever married such a competent person must have saved a country at least three times in a past life.”

“From what I’ve heard, he saved the world a few times over.”

This time, Raviel leaned in for a kiss.

We spent a moment exploring each other’s eyes.

“...But what’s going on, Gong-Ja? I was in the middle of my morning duties when suddenly a blonde child popped out of the floor, saying, [Hello? Sorry. The King of Death asked for a favor, so I need to take you to the 29th floor for a bit!].”

“Ah, that person… is a Pillar.”

“A Pillar?”

“Yes. A Constellation above Constellations, you might say. One of the people managing the Tower. I asked her to let me meet you briefly as a reward for conquering the 35th floor, and she agreed. Though, I didn’t expect such a blunt method of transportation.”

“Ah.”

Raviel caressed my cheek.

To reiterate, this is an intersection.

Cars pass by, and naturally, pedestrians roam around.

“Kids these days…”

“Education is in serious trouble…”

“Classroom collapse isn’t just a rumor…”

Bystanders stopped one after another, looking our way and murmuring. Understandable, given a beauty like Raviel openly displaying affection in broad daylight. Anyone sane would be captivated.

Of course, we paid them no mind.

Why would I offer even an inch of my consciousness to others when I’m reunited with Raviel after months? My mind is busy capturing and storing every detail of her face and smile.

[City of Ascension - Side Story] might as well be a world created for me, so such behavior should be excused.

“A cute request. You missed me that much?”

“Actually, Raviel. I have something important to tell you…”

“Daddy?”

At that moment, the world stopped.

“That’s definitely daddy.”

Raviel and I slowly turned our gazes.

There, Uburka stood with arms crossed, glaring at me.

Raviel tilted her head.

“...[Daddy]?”

My heart sank.

"Uh. Wait. Raviel, about that…"

“Oh my!”

Uburka scowled.

"Disappointing! Just recently, you were giggling with a colleague, and now you’re kissing and sharing love with someone else. I'm losing hope in you as a father!”

Raviel’s eyebrows lowered by approximately eleven degrees.

"...Colleague? Giggling?"

Raviel stared at me intently.

“Gong-Ja. That suspicious stranger has uttered some interesting words and sentences. Unless I have been neglecting my study of linguistics all this time, it seems difficult to stop my suspicions and deductions from converging in one particular direction.”

“No. No. No! Raviel! It's not like that!”

“Truly shameless daddy. After boldly confessing to having a ‘special relationship’ with the Black Dragon Master, how do you have the audacity to meet another? I can't comprehend!”

"......."

Aha.

Raviel's lips curved into a smile.

“If you mean the Black Dragon Master, that must be the person who attended the formal meeting between our families.”

Raviel reached out and grasped my neck.

Her grip was not strong.

But even if a Demon King had seized me by the throat, it would not have been this frightening.

“Of course, I trust your love. Surely words such as cheating and adultery will never be introduced into your life. But for some reason, I find myself wanting an explanation from you. For some reason. Gong-Ja, I will give you exactly sixty seconds, so speak, for the sake of your life and my peace.”

I’m innocent!

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