WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 201: 201.
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I stood blankly among the dancers and looked around. The atmosphere was so peaceful that it was hard to believe we had been fighting just moments ago. We had clearly dealt with the Black Mage and moved on to the next story.
But I could not easily spot the other members of my group. Had I been dropped into this ballroom alone? Feeling awkward, I cautiously backed toward the wall.
A ballroom. I had never been somewhere like this before. It was also a place that did not suit someone like me, who had only been wearing a shabby robe. As I lightly adjusted my clothes, I froze in surprise.
My body, which had been covered in wounds, somehow felt incredibly light. It seemed that all traces of the previous story had disappeared as we moved on to the new one.
Even the clothes that had been covering me had completely changed. Like the others walking around the ballroom, I was dressed in extravagantly luxurious clothes.
When I lightly moved my arm, the long decorations hanging from my clothes swayed. It was obviously expensive clothing. I never thought I would end up wearing something like this.
“Oh? You do look a little better when you are dressed properly.”
It was Emery’s voice. I quickly stood up and looked around at the familiar voice, but she was nowhere to be seen. As I stood there in confusion, someone came over and began poking my chest with something.
“Can you not recognize this lady? Unlike your strange senses, it seems your eyes are not very good. They could use some improvement.”
I lowered my head and saw the fan poking my chest. The person holding it was a woman in a splendid dress. I blinked and looked at her.
Then, not long after, I flinched in surprise and bowed my head. Amber eyes carrying a faint glow, brown hair. It was definitely Emery. I secretly looked her over.
Emery looked quite different from before. Like me, she was dressed in an outfit suited for this ballroom. She had dressed up so thoroughly that I had not recognized her right away.
The look suited her very well. Was this what one would expect from the daughter of a high family? Still, she seemed deeply uncomfortable in the dress she was wearing. She lightly fiddled with it and frowned.
“To put this lady in such uncomfortable clothes. What dreadful taste. ...More importantly, your gaze is irritating, so turn your eyes elsewhere.”
Emery shot me a glare and gently waved her fan. I quickly looked around to see if anyone else was nearby, but apart from her, no one was in sight.
What was going on here? I lightly rubbed my wrist, and a small screen appeared.
--
Chapter 2. Ballroom
--
I frowned slightly. The screen contained no information at all. That meant no clear turning point had appeared before us yet.
“Emery, do you know what kind of situation this is?”
I asked Emery. She only frowned and gave a small shake of her head. She did not know what would happen here. Neither did I.
I pressed my lips together thoughtfully. The ballroom was filled with a warm, gentle atmosphere. What kind of story could unfold in a place that did not seem dangerous at all?
For a moment, I wondered if the ballroom might suddenly collapse and the Black Mage would barge in again. As I leaned against the wall and looked around, I sensed someone approaching us.
It was a young mage in robes. He was also a puppet. After politely bowing to us, he gave a calm smile. He was almost indistinguishable from a human.
“Could you please follow me? There is someone who wishes to meet the two of you.”
Someone wanted to see us. I glanced at Emery. For now, I needed to leave the decision to her. I did not even know what kind of place this was.
Emery gently waved her fan and looked at the young man for a moment. He only kept a quiet smile as he met her gaze. Soon, she lightly gestured with her chin.
“Very well. Lead us to your master.”
“Thank you. Then I will move at once.”
The young man bowed to us again and began walking slowly. Emery followed after him and signaled to me with her eyes.
“We should follow him for now and understand the situation. You should remain quiet. Nothing helpful will come from a wandering brat opening his mouth.”
I quietly nodded. As I followed behind the young man with her, I lightly placed a hand over my chest. The sensation in my chest was quietly settled.
That meant there was no threat worth mentioning on the path ahead. At least, it did not seem like we would have to run away from the start as we had when facing the Black Mage. Feeling a little more at ease, I continued walking.
The young man crossed the wide ballroom and headed into a corridor. Then he gestured toward a huge door along one side of the corridor. The door slowly opened, filled with magical power.
“Please come inside.”
Beyond the door was obscured by faint magical power. The person looking for us was inside. Emery nodded and stepped forward without hesitation. She vanished beyond the magical power.
I carefully followed behind her. Warm magical power wrapped around me. As it settled my body comfortably, I looked around.
A spacious room came into view. A small gasp escaped me. I had never once seen such a luxurious room in my life.
Jewels that gave off brilliant light were embedded everywhere, from the floor to the ceiling, releasing magical power. The magical power soaking into my body was flowing from those jewels.
Each of those jewels was clearly worth dozens of mana stones. Yet even those jewels were only the foundation.
Various sculptures and paintings hung from the walls and shelves. They gave off deep magical power and naturally proclaimed their value.
If this room were torn apart and sold, it would surely be enough to buy an entire city of the Empire. And every decoration shone as though it existed only to adorn one person.
I looked toward the sofa placed at the center of the room. A woman sat there with her eyes closed, savoring the scent of tea. Her silver hair stood out.
I looked at her dark crimson dress. It wrapped around her body, rippling with magical power as though it were burning. The magical power spreading through the room, linked with the surrounding jewels, was enough to dye the entire space.
I swallowed hard. This was clearly a place prepared for her alone. Everything revolved around her.
There was also a strange feeling coming from her, as though she was human and yet not human. Sensing that we had entered through the waves of magical power, she slowly opened her eyes.
Her eyes crinkled into a smile at us. At the same time, magical power rippled and a sweet rose fragrance began to fill the room. Out of habit, I sniffed.
Hunting had sharpened my sense of smell, so I habitually used magical power to enhance it. Through that magic, I felt the strange rose fragrance seep into my body.
At the same time, the woman began to seem incredibly alluring. Could such a passionate, beautiful woman truly exist in this world? I slowly walked toward her, wanting a closer look.
But I had no choice but to stop soon after. A sharp pain suddenly struck the top of my head, as though someone had hit me. It snapped me back to my senses.
“You cannot even overcome such simple seductive magical power. Your training is lacking. At least hold your nose shut.”
I saw Emery lightly waving her fan. It seemed she had hit me on the head with it. Seductive magical power? That rose fragrance had contained something like that? I had not noticed at all.
Emery made a slightly sulky face and clicked her tongue. I lowered my head and rubbed my nose. I had been caught, so I had nothing to say. Slowly, I withdrew the magical power from my nose and changed the direction of the air.
The fragrance gradually faded from my body. This should be enough. I looked around. This was not something the woman was intentionally releasing. It was simply power contained within her magical power.
The fact that she could enchant me so easily also meant that she possessed that much strength. I carefully walked over to stand before her. Then the servants who had been waiting began laying out refreshments before us.
They also brought chairs for us, then returned to stand silently behind the woman. Once we sat down, the woman, who had been sipping tea, smiled at us.
“It is nice to meet you. I am Mira, the one who hosted this little ball. I should first apologize for bringing the two of you here. You must be disoriented after arriving only moments ago.”
She was right. I had no idea what flow this story would take. Still, I did not show it and quietly crossed my arms.
The Sixth Maxim, if you cannot accurately judge the situation, remain still. Acting carelessly only causes losses. It was a maxim written on the scroll.
So there was no need to speak now and expose an opening. Emery seemed to think the same, because she only sipped her tea. Mira quietly watched us, then let out a small laugh.
“Please do not worry too much. I have no intention of harming you. A treasure brought you here, so I only respect its choice. The two of you will be the final guests of this ball.”
“A treasure, you say?”
Emery spoke. Mira nodded.
“Yes. Many people came here because of the treasure. And just as you are now, they have been enjoying the ball.”
She took out a small mirror. The scene of the ballroom appeared within it. Emery stared at it and began to think. Mira gave us a bright smile.
“Everyone is waiting for the moment of choice. Since you have arrived here, the treasure will reveal itself as well. That is why I called you. So I can tell you whom you should choose when the treasure asks.”
“...I do not fully understand the situation, but you are saying we should choose you.”
Emery narrowed her eyes as she waved her fan. Mira gave a small laugh and shrugged.
“I would only be grateful if you saw it that way. Well, that is all I have to say. Please enjoy the ball for now. Tonight will be a long one.”
“Very well. I shall consider it carefully. You have my thanks for your consideration.”
“Hehe, you are an interesting person. I look forward to seeing what choice you make.”
Mira lightly gestured with her hand. The people standing behind her quietly approached us and bowed. It was clearly a dismissal.
Emery nodded and rose from her seat. She followed the servants’ guidance out of the room. I followed her in confusion.
Once we stepped outside, the huge door began to close slowly. I felt a little dazed. A choice? I did not properly understand what that meant.
I glanced at Emery. It seemed we needed to talk more. Before I could open my mouth, though, I sensed someone approaching.
Looking down the corridor, I saw a large group of people slowly walking toward us. At the front stood a woman wearing a pure white dress.
She came to a stop in front of us. The woman wore a gentle smile. Without meaning to, I looked back at the closed door.
The soft atmosphere she gave off felt somehow completely opposite to Mira, who was inside. The woman raised a finger and released magical power into the air.
[Did your conversation with Mira inside go well?]
The magical power engraved itself into the air and took the form of words. Then it slowly melted away and flowed toward us. Her will was conveyed directly to us.
My body stiffened at the strong magical power contained within it. She was not as strong as Mira, whom we had met inside, but she was still a formidable person. Her magical power seemed even stronger than that of the Black Mage man we had faced before.
[I should ask you to excuse me for conveying my will this way, as I cannot speak. I am Isabella. I came to meet you.]
Isabella glanced at the door. Then she clicked her tongue softly.
[She got ahead of me again. Still, that is a relief. It seems you were not bewitched by her magical power. Those without enough strength are bound to be enchanted the moment they meet her.]
Was she talking about the magical power that had enchanted me? I quietly nodded. If Emery had not stopped me, Mira surely would have bewitched me.
Isabella looked at my face and gave a gentle smile. Then she lightly bowed to us.
[She must have told you about the treasure’s choice. I also came because I want to receive your choice. To prevent the treasure from falling into her hands.]
Isabella was about to say something more. Before she could, magical power began to bloom beyond the closed door. It was a warning of some kind. Isabella gave a bitter smile and took a step back.
[Yes. You should enjoy the ball for now. I will take my leave as well, so please have a pleasant time.]
After leaving those final words with magical power, Isabella politely paid her respects. Her followers bowed to us as well, then slowly began to leave.
Emery watched Isabella with a thoughtful expression. I approached her, somewhat confused.
“Could you give me some advice as well?”
I spoke in a whisper near Emery’s ear. She immediately frowned and glared at me. She lifted my chin with her fan and clicked her tongue.
“Do not stand so close to this lady. Must this lady teach you proper manners as well?”
I hurriedly bowed my head. The surroundings had just been rather noisy, so I had spoken from close by. Still, she seemed uncomfortable, so I needed to be more careful.
When I lowered my head, Emery nodded as though satisfied. Then she slowly began walking. It seemed she was headed somewhere. She glanced back at me and lightly gestured with her chin.
“Leave magical power behind as you walk. We cannot be the only ones who came here. The others must have slipped in somewhere nearby too. Let us gather them first. They will be gathering information separately right now as well.”
I quietly nodded. As she said, gathering our companions first was urgent. I slowly poured magical power into the floor and left marks behind.
After wandering through the corridor, Emery soon looked into a small room. It was like a simple reception room. She checked inside with magical power and nodded.
“This will do.”
Emery entered the room and settled onto a sofa. Then she slowly released magical power and began creating a simple magic circle. Soon, several small snakes made of flame appeared within the magic circle.
The snakes vanished like smoke and quietly left the room. I clicked my tongue. It was a form of tracking magic. It was also magic inscribed with far more varied knowledge than anything I could use.
After some time passed, the door to the room suddenly opened. Evron stood there with a small flaming snake perched on his head. When he saw Emery, his eyes shone as he approached.
“I am glad you are safe. I have been worried the whole time. It seems sending Ivrio to you was helpful after all. Thank you again for fulfilling your duty as a guardian.”
Evron looked genuinely moved. Just as he had before, he clasped both hands in front of his chest. Perhaps feeling burdened by it, Emery waved a hand.
“Thank you for your concern.”
She looked rather pleased with Evron’s behavior. I could only find it a little absurd. I had clearly heard Evron say that he intended to abandon her.
As I stood there with a somewhat dumbfounded expression, Evron winked at me. I cleared my throat and looked away.
I had no intention of exposing his two-faced side either. He had even given me advice. I rubbed my chin. Thinking about it now, it was a little suspicious. Why had he tried to send me away?
Still, it felt uncomfortable to ask him directly. Every time I looked at him, my senses left a warning. There was no need to provoke such a suspicious person.
When I quietly nodded, Evron gave a knowing smile. After sharing that small secret, we waited for the others to arrive. Before long, the others came to find us as well, each with a snake on their head.
I quietly looked them over. Evron, who stood beside Emery and began pouring her tea, was dressed as a servant, fitting his actions. Gang and Jaun wore outfits that mixed armor and robes.
I felt around my own body. I could feel the soft, uncomfortable clothes. Unlike them, Emery and I were clearly dressed differently at a glance. Emery looked at them and spoke.
“From the looks of it, everyone was dropped somewhere different.”
Evron nodded. Then he lightly shuddered.
“Ugh, I woke up among the servants. I ended up cleaning along with them without even knowing what was going on. If not for this little friend, I would have been suffering for much longer.”
“So, did you learn anything?”
Emery waved her fan. Evron rubbed his chin, then snapped his fingers.
“Ah, the servants did say something. They said this ballroom is a battlefield. They told me to be careful how I act.”
Hearing that, Emery furrowed her brow and let out a sigh. Evron gave a small nod as well. It seemed they had both understood something.
I glanced outside. The faces of those passing through the wide ballroom were filled only with smiles. There was not the slightest ominous sign.
That place was a battlefield? I quietly scratched my head. I could not see it at all. It made me keenly feel the difference in insight between them and me.
Once Evron finished speaking, Jaun opened his mouth.
“Gang and I were with the guards. They had gathered to serve nobles. Those people were also talking about their respective masters. They said they would follow their respective masters’ decisions.”
“Mm, it looked like they were roughly divided into two groups.”
Gang spoke as though adding to Jaun’s words. Two groups. Something came to mind. Mira and Isabella, the two people we had met as soon as we arrived here. They were clearly at the center of this choice.
Then what would they be chosen for? They had called it a treasure, but I had no idea what it was.
My question was quickly answered. A door on one side of the ballroom opened, and Small Axe appeared. It gave off horrifying magical power.
I staggered back. I knew its magical power was not aimed at me, but my senses were giving off an incredibly fierce warning.
If that thing so much as released magical power toward me, I would surely melt away on the spot. What in the world was that? I tightly shut my eyes, which were already beginning to ache with exhaustion.
“So that is the treasure they spoke of.”
Emery muttered. At the same time, a curtain surrounded us and a screen appeared.
--
Chapter 2. Ballroom
You have encountered two women waiting for a choice. Discuss how you will act and submit your opinion.
--
I looked over the screen. Was this the turning point of this story? Choosing one of the two women. That seemed to be the direction this story would take.
Footnotes:
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