SSS-Class Revival Hunter - Chapter 96

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 96: The Villainess (3)

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Three days after falling into the Apocalypse, Lady Silver Lily was absent from the academy.

"She's bedridden due to illness, they say."

"Is that so..."

"Yes. She has always been prone to sickness. Moreover, she must have been exhausted from interrogating the servants all night."

The Heretic Inquisitor delicately sipped her sodium-rich healthy tea.

"Physical strength is national power! No matter how great a cause one carries in one’s heart, it is difficult to achieve with a sick body. Mm, what a pity. Lady Silver Lily has the talent to set her sights on the empire itself...”

"The Crown Prince has also been absent, I heard."

"Ahaha, yes, all thanks to you, Butler. The shock must have been considerable, would you not say? He may even apply for a leave of absence at this rate.”

In a corner of the garden, under the fully bloomed magnolias, we enjoyed our tea time. Other students who passed by were startled upon noticing us.

"Crazy master and servant!"

"It’s the delinquent lady!”

"Don’t get too close!"

Ladies clutched their dresses and young masters rolled up their trousers as they hurried away.

Thanks to that, we had the vast garden to ourselves. Sweet.

"Heretic Inquisitor, you just called me [Butler] instead of [King of Death]. Be careful."

"Ah! My apologies. It was a mistake. With my immersion rate over 20%, things are not going as I wish. Oh, this salted tea is surprisingly charming! Another cup, please, Butler."

"There you go, calling me Butler again..."

Sighing, I still refilled her cup with tea.

Trickle.

"Hmm."

Humming, I realized the depth of the tea ceremony after taking on the role of a butler. The way the tea drops from the pot and settles into the cup, each droplet creating ripples, was beautiful. Truly a culture befitting the lady...

[Immersion into your character is intensifying.]

[Your immersion rate is currently 10%.]

"Eeeek?!”

The Heretic Inquisitor jumped.

"Butler, why did you suddenly spill tea on me! It's hot! You've damaged my delicate hair!"

"[Eeeek]?! You never used to scream like that! Have you truly become Lady Goldencup in both body and mind? Say it. When spring comes!”

"The magnolias fall, and so does the butler’s hair!”

"Aaaaah!"

We experienced a moment of terror over hair loss.

We calmed down and ceased our quarrel. As a servant, I combed the Heretic Inquisitor's hair.

In just a few days, the back of her hair had grown a bit. Was it the effect of the Holy Technique, God of Transformation, or was she growing more and more like Lady Goldencup?

"Your emotional expressions have become much more varied, Heretic Inquisitor."

My fingers passed through the golden strands. I had never combed someone else’s hair or had anyone comb mine, yet my hands moved correctly on their own.

"Before, you always smiled. But thinking about it, that's the same as never smiling. It felt more like smiling was just your default expression."

"Ah, has it changed now?"

"Yes, there's more emotion. It feels more vivid. Now, when you smile, I feel like I understand why. Whether you're genuinely happy or mocking."

"That's interesting. I'm aware of it too. Do you think this is a good trend, King of Death?"

I quietly looked down at the Heretic Inquisitor's small head, small body, small shoulders, small arms. How many had this small figure killed?

Heretic Inquisitor.

Originating from Bulgaria in Europe, a 1st-generation hunter.

Age unknown.

Number of killings unknown.

"Yes. I think it's a good trend."

I opened up.

"Honestly, I was wondering what to do with you."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"You're a psychopathic mass murderer."

I gently tied her hair back, recalling how I cared for younger siblings in the orphanage.

"But I couldn't just kill you outright. Even the Black Dragon Master, who probably hates someone like you the most, and even the Sword Saint kept you alive. There must be a reason not to kill you."

The Heretic Inquisitor smiled. Even when told I contemplated killing her, she wasn't shocked. She found it amusing.

"Accurate insight!"

"Why do you kill people?"

At last, I asked the question I had wanted to ask for so long.

"You are a psychopath, but you are one who can listen to reason. You know how to understand other people in your own way. So why do you kill them?”

"Hmm."

The Heretic Inquisitor tapped her chin, deep in thought. Laughter from students beyond the flower bushes softly reached us.

She turned to me and began whispering, audible only to me.

"First, I must tell you that I'm competent."

The Heretic Inquisitor formed a hand seal.

"Holy Technique, God of Cloaking!"

One of her gloves disappeared.

"This is one of the Holy Techniques I can use. It can make anything vanish from this world. Naturally, that includes murder evidence and corpses."

Her bare fingers danced in the air.

"If those in power do not readily kill people, it is not because they are good, King of Death! It is simply because hiding a corpse is troublesome and because they fear being discovered later. I have no need to suffer either inconvenience or fear!”

"..."

"The tower was chaotic during the 1st-generation era."

The Heretic Inquisitor's face remained cheerfully bright.

"Resurgence of slavery. Racial and ethnic discrimination. Terrorism. Puppet forces. Massacres. Propaganda and fabrications. Ideological conflicts. It was like compressing all of human history and letting it melt in your mouth. The sense of crisis, 'If we continue like this, we'll all perish,' spread among the minor warlords, now the 5 great guilds."

Black Dragon. Sang-Ryun. Pantheon. Celestial Martial Clan. Vigilante Corps.

"Five people gathered.”

It was like a recitation of a hero's epic.

"The Black Dragon Master spoke first!"

[Let's skip the nonsense. Let's form an eternal non-aggression pact.]

"The Countess set a condition."

[Guarantee exclusive rights to external world goods for Sang-Ryun.]

"I added!"

[It would be best if every guild had an exclusive domain of its own! That is my condition for cooperating in concealing the incident!]

"The Viper grumbled."

[Of all people, the craziest bastards are the most trustworthy. Tsk, tsk. These truly are the end times. ...But why is this coffee so bitter? Who gave me coffee I never even ordered? Hey. You there? Hey?]

"The Sword Saint concluded!"

[I will not say, ‘We are doing what must be done.’ I will say, ‘We are doing what we want to do.’ Tonight, we will kill people according to our beliefs, our judgment, and our methods.]

"That night, 4653 people died."

The Heretic Inquisitor's smile remained unchangingly bright.

"The next night, 10171 died. The night after, 8275. Then 7412, and the next night, 23781."

Died.

Died. Reciting this, the Heretic Inquisitor suddenly spoke cheerfully.

"And then,"

That day came unexpectedly, she said.

"That night, nobody died."

The end of the long cleanup operation.

That night, the Black Dragon Master sobbed her heart out.

And the Sword Saint.

[I will take responsibility and resign.]

The Sword Saint was the leader of the Vigilante Corps then.

[And never mention this incident again. I endorsed the massacre. Participated. I did it knowing I shouldn't. I'll hate you forever. And hate myself a little more.]

Separation.

After that day, the position of the guild master of the Vigilante Corps remained eternally vacant.

"After that, the Paladin took charge of the Vigilante Corps.”

The Paladin.

The Vice-Captain of the Vigilante Corps. Always introducing herself as such, and always referred to as such.

"The Paladin regretted it."

I suddenly remembered the night the Paladin and the Apothecary confronted the Sword Saint. Was that subtle tension because of this?

"I didn't regret it! It was a necessary sacrifice!"

The Heretic Inquisitor grinned brightly.

"But, maybe it's the influence of being immersed in Lady Goldencup, I now have a slightly odd thought."

"What is it?"

"King of Death. If you were there in those times, maybe things would have been different."

“It's fascinating. I've never been immersed in such feelings before.”

The Heretic Inquisitor lifted her head. The whispers had ceased. Above her, the magnolias bloomed in the sky.

“Is this how you always feel? Living adrift in thoughts of what could have been done differently then, or what might have been done at that moment. Wandering through such reflections, yet still managing to go on living.”

“That's impressive.”

The Heretic Inquisitor sighed deeply.

“Therefore,”

The 5th-ranked hunter spoke as if lamenting.

“That's probably why you all are so beautiful, and so endearing.”

“Heretic Inquisitor..."

“If only I were like you..."

The Heretic Inquisitor’s words paused momentarily.

“Hmm.”

They resumed.

"Umm."

And then.

“It’s difficult, Butler. I find myself increasingly wanting to stay in this world.”

The moment the Heretic Inquisitor smiled, a voice echoed.

[Immersion into your character is intensifying.]

[Your immersion rate is currently 11%.]

I realized something.

I probably won't be able to kill this person.

I can't kill someone who knows regret.

“Lady."

“Yes."

“When spring comes.”

The Heretic Inquisitor waved her hand. The glove that had disappeared earlier had returned, covering her bare hand. A white glove with a petal pattern. She smiled brightly.

“Spring is nice. Shall we go for a walk, Butler?”

It felt as if time had stopped.

I wasn’t sure what expression I wore. The Heretic Inquisitor looked at my face, chuckled softly, then burst into laughter.

“Ahahaha! Ha! You look so pale, King of Death! You turned blue in an instant! You look like a corpse!”

“You... even your pranks..."

“I am sorry. Gaining emotions seems to have made me rather mischievous! Ah, now I understand what I have always felt toward you, King of Death! It is like looking at a dependable older brother!”

“Older brother? You’re a 1st-generation. Aren’t you actually older than me?”

“No comment on that!”

But, the Heretic Inquisitor continued.

“It’s clear I'm rapidly immersing into Lady Goldencup! While we talk, my rate has increased by 1%. Currently, my immersion rate is 32%. Perhaps it will exceed 50% by tomorrow! That's how addicted I am to experiencing these ‘emotions’.”

She fiddled with the hair I had tied up.

“I'm the protagonist of this Apocalypse’s story. But the end of the story belongs to you, King of Death. Before I drown in the identity of Lady Goldencup, swept away by emotions, please save the ending.”

“Yes."

I nodded.

“I promise.”

The Heretic Inquisitor smiled.

“I trust you. My Butler.”

That night, the Heretic Inquisitor’s immersion rate exceeded 50%.

‘The one who ultimately brings about the end of this world is Lady Silver Lily.’

I headed to Lady Silver Lily's residence, using the excuse of a sick visit.

‘She is the key. I have to understand her love, jealousy, tolerance, pride, possessiveness... I have to understand all of it to bring this Apocalypse to an end. That must be it.’

The Lady’s residence was bustling with servants, unlike yesterday.

“Excuse me.”

I spoke politely.

“May I see the Lady?”

“Who are you?”

“I’m here on behalf of Lady Goldencup for a sick visit.”

The servants' faces hardened. They were well aware of the bad blood between their mistress and Lady Goldencup. “Please wait a moment!” a servant shouted, rushing into the residence.

Shortly after, the servant returned with a reluctant face.

“...This way, please. The Lady has granted your request for a visit.”

“Thank you.”

I followed the servant's lead. The destination wasn’t the Lady’s bedroom or reception room, but her office. Many servants were coming in and out with reports.

“Letters from Lepanor region have arrived, Lady.”

“Put them on the left side of my desk.”

“My lady. Viscount Blue Waxflower’s daughter has sent a letter on behalf of the head of her house. Given the season, it appears to be a request concerning the grain-loan system...”

“Send it to the finance department for review, then bring it to me.”

“Lady.”

"Hm."

As Lady Silver Lily looked through documents at her desk, she lifted her head. Her red eyes briefly scanned me. Indifferently, she spoke.

“A guest has arrived. Everyone, leave.”

Lady Silver Lily flipped an hourglass on her desk.

“I’ll give you a 15-minute break.”

The servants hurried out.

In the spacious office, only Lady Silver Lily and I remained.

“So.”

She put down her quill.

“Lady Goldencup has sent a sick visit? That’s commendable. Just a few days ago, she would grind her teeth at the mere sight of me. People change so quickly.”

“I heard that illness had left you bedridden. Yet you look well. I am surprised.”

“I’m a student, after all. Skipping classes requires a proper excuse. Not that I’d say I’m in good health, mind you.”

Lady Silver Lily coughed lightly.

"I have watched your performance closely. You did well to notice so quickly that spies had infiltrated my ranks. It is not only Lady Goldencup who has changed. The [Actor] chosen this time has a reasonably quick mind. It is a blessing for the empire.”

"Had you not been that intelligent, I would not even have accepted your visit.”

Suddenly, I didn’t understand.

"Excuse me?"

"Hm."

Lady Silver Lily narrowed her eyes.

"I thought you were smart, but you have some dull moments."

"What do you mean...?"

"I'm on my 14th round."

Her voice flowed calmly.

"Still, I’m just a returner repeating the last ten days of life. This is my 13th time facing an [Actor] like you.”

Then, a voice sounded.

I was speechless upon hearing it.