WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 217: 217

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I cautiously blended into the flow of the crowd. The waves of magical power created by the bustling people seemed to wash over the entire city. Feeling that magical power, I lightly scratched my head.

Walking through the city like this reminded me of when I had first entered the university. Back then, everything about the university had felt unfamiliar to me. This city had been the same.

I glanced around at the people nearby. I could not help it. I had never seen so many mages gathered in one place before. Still, perhaps because two years had passed, I had grown a little used to this bustle.

There was one thing I could not get used to, though.

I looked up. A bridge swaying with magical power caught my eye.

Several people were leisurely walking across it. It was the complete opposite of the first floor, where people were packed together so tightly that they could barely move.

How enviable. I was trapped among the crowd and could not even move properly.

I stared at the people passing overhead. Even the second floor looked that relaxed. What would it be like above that? I could not even imagine the view from the twelfth floor, the highest level.

As I looked up at them, a faint jealousy began to rise in my chest. I wanted that kind of leisure too. Perhaps it was the particular jealousy mages felt.

I could never grow accustomed to the sense of deprivation I felt whenever I entered this city. I almost wondered whether the people who built it had deliberately made the upper floors visible to provoke that jealousy.

Still, if time passed like this, I would eventually be able to go up there too. The results of the past two years of work were finally beginning to show. As long as I kept moving forward instead of running away, I would rise in the end.

That was what I had learned during the entrance exam.

Of course, I needed to get back quickly now. I fiddled with the pouch inside my robe. If I arrived too late, I would surely be scolded.

I checked the time on a clock carved into the building beside me and sighed. Things were taking longer than I expected. When I looked ahead, I could feel the sluggish movement of the crowd.

Recently, traffic jams like this had become far more common. There was no other reason. The number of people using the bridges had simply increased rapidly.

I glanced at someone passing beside me.

He looked like an ordinary first-floor mage. Behind him stood a woman with an expressionless face. Seeing that, I frowned slightly.

Tsk. Did he not know how to be considerate of others? Carrying his puppet around in public like that.

The roads were clearly clogged because there were too many people like him who did not care about anyone else.

I shook my head as I watched the man walk away. Puppets like that had rapidly increased over the past few months. You could call it a trend. At some point, mages had started getting themselves puppets one by one.

It made sense. They only cost one point a month. For the small price of one point, the puppets took care of all the annoying tasks for them.

You could get an even more satisfying experience by adding a few features as well.

I looked around. Neatly dressed mages caught my eye.

Mages used to look terribly shabby. They had no time to care for themselves while earning points and training. The first floor, where people like that gathered, had always looked dreary.

But after puppets became popular, the appearance of the first floor began to change. More people started taking proper care of themselves, like the mages around me now.

It was all because of puppets.

That was why I had bought one too.

Smiling slightly, I took a glass bottle from inside my robe. What was the point of being considerate by myself? The road was blocked anyway, so I decided to take out my puppet.

I tipped the bottle, and the puppet inside slipped out. It quickly grew larger and stood before me, meeting my eyes.

It was a rather pretty woman-shaped puppet.

“Come on. Tidy up my clothes.”

The puppet slowly approached at my command, gathering magical power at its fingertips. It drew a simple magic circle and quickly erased the stains from my robe.

The magic flowing from its fingers cleaned me so thoroughly that I looked as though I had just washed up. After finishing its work, the puppet stood behind me and naturally matched my pace.

I nodded in satisfaction.

When I went to buy a puppet, I had put considerable effort into choosing one. It was easier to keep something close when it looked pleasant.

In that respect, this puppet suited my tastes well. Of course, there was nothing I could do about its usual expressionless face. That was the only part I disliked.

Adding functions could not make it more natural. So the only function I had added was an extra twelve hours of operating time. There were a few other interesting options, but that was enough for now.

Still, I felt this magic was somehow familiar every time I saw it.

I tilted my head as I felt the lingering magical power on my body.

Did I know a puppeteer? I was sure I had seen this somewhere before, but I could not remember.

As I thought about it, I eventually arrived at my destination.

The Arcana General Tavern stood at the center of the first floor.

I was a little late, but I had come as quickly as I could. After quietly clearing my throat, I walked into the tavern.

The noisy commotion inside struck my ears.

I scanned the room. A single table caught my eye. A woman sat there, gently fanning herself. She gave off a strange air that made her seem entirely separate from the surrounding noise.

She had an air of dignity. She looked out of place in a tavern like this.

I quickly approached and bowed.

“Lady Emery, I apologize for being late. The roads were terribly crowded. Still, I brought the item!”

She turned to look at me. Then she folded her fan and lightly tapped my head with it.

“To think you would make this lady wait so long. How truly insolent. Still, I shall forgive you in light of the effort you put into this matter.”

Emery held out her hand to me. She was telling me to take out the item.

I pulled the pouch from my robe and handed it to her. She looked inside and smiled with satisfaction.

“Hmm, it is genuine. This should satisfy them as well.”

I scratched my head.

Inside the pouch was a drake’s claw, a piece of stolen property. Apparently, something an upper-floor mage had lost had somehow made its way down here. Of course, it was probably not carelessness. Someone must have taken it.

We had accepted a request to retrieve the drake’s claw. Emery made the plan, and I followed it. We had faced many dangers along the way, but we had finally resolved the matter.

I let out a small sigh. I had finally gathered all the points I needed.

I touched the ring on my finger. My points appeared in the air before me.

Four thousand points.

It was a huge amount. I had saved for the past two years to buy a place in a lecture. The payment for resolving this matter would come in soon as well, so I had enough points.

A lecture suited to me was scheduled to open this year. It was apparently a survival-focused lecture.

Surviving was my specialty. My magic would light the path ahead.

It was Emery who had told me that such a lecture would be opening.

I glanced at her. She would probably attend the same lecture as me. She had also steadily collected points over the past two years.

Would I be tied to Emery for another five years?

I let out a small sigh, but I could not refuse. I placed a hand over my chest.

The Sapling inside me swayed. At the same time, a faint path appeared before my eyes.

The path overlapping with Emery’s still stretched far ahead.

That was why I had not left her side for the past two years. This path had always led me in a helpful direction. Since it continued ahead like this, taking the same lecture as her would surely not be a loss.

Besides, Emery had already reached the second floor. Her advancement notice had arrived while we were handling this matter, and she had passed it in one try.

That was a speed rarely seen even at the university. Perhaps because of that, she had received many offers. The Arcana General Trading Company, in particular, seemed eager to recruit her.

How could I abandon someone like that?

I recalled the words of the scroll.

The eleventh maxim: Do not be arrogant. If you cling to others, you can make it halfway.

I needed to follow the only maxim that had ever led to success.

Emery filled her fan with magical power and waved it. One of the jewels embedded in it began to shine, swallowing the pouch. It was a jewel engraved with space magic.

Now that it was inside there, she would keep it safe. I could finally relax.

I glanced at my puppet and nodded toward the table.

“Make some room.”

The puppet slowly moved at my command. It straightened a chair, cast magic over it, and presented it to me. I sat down after it stepped back.

I nodded faintly.

Yes, this really was excellent magic. The spell engraved in the cheap chair softly wrapped around my body. Feeling that comfort, I lightly patted the puppet’s shoulder.

As expected of a puppet made by the Arcana General Trading Company. Buying such a cheap and useful puppet for one point was well worth it.

Then I heard Emery click her tongue.

She was frowning as though she disliked the sight of me.

“Have I not repeatedly told you to refrain from using that puppet? Yet you show me such a sight... It seems you need further education.”

A murderous glint appeared in Emery’s eyes.

Education. At that frightening word, I quickly raised both hands.

I felt wronged. How could I avoid using something so convenient? Besides, I was not the only one using one.

“I am still showing restraint. You would know if you looked at the others.”

I quickly pointed around the tavern. Emery followed my hand with her gaze. Her eyes widened before she clicked her tongue.

As if to prove my point, some people in the tavern were even using puppets to feed them food. That was the result of removing every last bit of inconvenience from their lives.

Still, I was not that bad.

Emery crossed her arms with an unimpressed expression. She seemed deeply displeased by the sight of people using puppets.

“Tsk. I truly do not like those Trading Company bastards. To treat people so carelessly.”

I scratched my head at Emery’s words.

It had been nearly a month since she reached the second floor. The Trading Company had approached her around that time. They had promised her extensive sponsorship and tried to persuade her to join one of their organizations.

It was an attractive offer. If it had been me, I would have accepted immediately.

But Emery had refused their offer. I could not understand why.

If she had accepted their offer, she could have gone up to the upper floors and lived leisurely instead of wandering through shabby taverns like this. Yet whenever I asked, she only said that she did not like the Trading Company.

Since I had decided to stay by Emery’s side as long as the path formed by my magic overlapped with hers, all I could do was trust and follow her.

Still, after spending so much time with her, I had begun to understand some of her thoughts.

There were probably many reasons Emery disliked the Trading Company, but these puppets surely played a major role.

I glanced at the puppet beside me.

When I had first begun using a puppet, Emery had frowned at it. Apparently, these things were made from human corpses. As I continued using one, I had noticed traces of human characteristics in it as well.

“But they say they purchase them fairly.”

I spoke carefully as I watched Emery’s reaction.

Perhaps because so many people had asked about the puppets, the Trading Company had made an official announcement. They said the materials were purchased from outside the university at fair prices.

Weeds had lives no better than flies. If someone offered to turn their bodies into gold, who would refuse?

As the Trading Company said, it was an entirely reasonable transaction. In fact, paying money to obtain them could be called kind. At least they had not killed anyone to acquire them.

Emery struck my head with her fan.

“I am saying that is wrong as well. Buying and selling people? What do they think the Empire’s ideals are? Mages truly are... Even this sort of willful ignorance and evasion should be forbidden.”

The power of mages was far too great, Emery lamented as she shook her head.

I rubbed my stinging head and looked at her.

What Emery said resembled the views of some sword-users, no, swordsmen. They also refused to use the puppets after learning what they were made from.

Was that because she was a guardian?

I smacked my lips lightly.

After hearing during the last entrance exam that Emery was a guardian, I had looked into it. If I planned to remain by her side, I needed to know properly what she was.

Even when I asked Emery directly, she gave no clear answer. I had tried buying information, but it was extremely expensive. Even spending all my points would not have been enough.

Still, after lowering the price as much as possible, I managed to obtain a vague bundle of information.

They were beings created by gathering people in the borderlands who had no hope of survival and concentrating everything into a single person through an offering ritual.

They said such power was only given to those who wanted to protect the Empire.

Perhaps that was why she was so sensitive about treating life carelessly.

Could I not just use the puppet comfortably?

As I grumbled quietly, my body stiffened. Emery was glaring at me.

Avoiding her gaze, I looked around and saw someone approaching us.

It was a freckled woman. She lightly bowed to Emery and smiled.

“You are absolutely right. May I sit beside you for a moment? There do not seem to be any seats left.”

I looked around. As she said, every seat was occupied. Emery must have seen that as well, because she readily nodded.

“I shall permit it.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

The woman bowed again. At the same time, the puppet beside her began to release magical power. It arranged a seat for her and created a soundproofing spell around the area.

The woman naturally sat down under her puppet’s escort. The puppet spread a luxurious cloth before her, apparently a tablecloth, then silently pushed in her chair.

I blinked as I watched.

What smooth movements. How many functions had been added to that thing?

The puppet, shaped like a slender man, stood by the woman’s side and quietly watched her. It somehow gave off an atmosphere different from my own puppet.

I carefully looked at Emery. I wondered whether she might be uncomfortable around that puppet.

Contrary to my expectations, though, she was studying it with a faint sparkle in her eyes.

“Oh? This was not made using a person as its base.”

“Yes, that is right. The puppet I use is not one the Trading Company sells.”

The woman looked at the puppet. It nodded, then headed deeper into the tavern. Shortly after, it returned holding a tray.

On it was a common tavern combination of ham and beer. It was what I had ordered too.

But it looked different from the food placed in front of me.

I soon understood why. The woman’s puppet was infusing the food with magical power and cooking it again. The puppet’s hands moved magical power with extraordinary delicacy.

“Jang, thank you.”

The woman smiled at the puppet. Jang returned a faint smile, then placed the prepared food before her.

“Oh, I have introduced myself rather late. My name is Repo. This child is my puppet, Jang.”

“I am Ivrio. This is Lady Emery.”

I lightly bowed to Repo. Then I glanced at the puppet.

She had given the puppet a human name. The puppet’s gentle smile made it look remarkably human.

I rubbed my chin as I looked at it. I was sure I had seen a puppet like this before. Where had it been?

Then I clapped my hands.

Right. The entrance exam. I remembered a puppet there giving off this sort of feeling.

I looked at Repo and spoke.

“Is that perhaps a puppet made by Evron?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

Repo nodded as she paused in the middle of sipping her beer. A little foam clung to the corner of her mouth. The puppet called Jang gently wiped it away.

It was an entirely natural movement.

The puppet acting without even being given an order left a strong impression.

“I met him once before.”

How could I forget such naturalness? The memories of the entrance exam were still vivid.

Looking at the puppet, I continued.

“More importantly, I did not know Evron sold puppets.”

“That makes sense. His shop is not very large. Besides, the Trading Company stole his methods and swallowed the whole market, so it is even harder to notice.”

Repo narrowed her eyes at the puppet beside me. I could sense faint hostility from her.

Seeing that hostility, she clearly disliked this puppet, or rather, the Trading Company that had made it.

I followed Repo’s gaze and looked at my puppet. Its expressionless face stared blankly into the air, as though it were waiting for my order.

I smacked my lips quietly.

My puppet suddenly seemed far too quiet.

Of course, Jang was not speaking either. But Jang’s movements carried a sense of breath and life.

Even now, Jang was tidying the table and stirring magical power while we talked. It was using magic to keep the food in ideal condition, considering that it might grow cold while we focused on our conversation.

The puppet’s actions clearly contained its own initiative. Rather than merely carrying out orders, it was finding things it could do for Repo.

How was something like that possible?

Then I recalled something from the entrance exam. Gang had said something while being evaluated.

They had said that all puppets possessed egos. That was why they considered them alive.

Right. That puppet was alive.

Meanwhile, my puppet was dead.

That was something no amount of added functions could fill.

“How much did you pay for your puppet? This lady has become somewhat interested.”

Emery looked at Repo as she lightly waved her fan. She seemed to have noticed the difference between the two puppets as well.

Repo lightly rubbed her chin.

“Hmm, around seventy points a month, I suppose. Fifty points went toward extending Jang’s activity time, and the rest was spent improving Jang’s appearance.”

I swallowed lightly.

Seventy points. It was an unexpected price.

I looked at my puppet. Extending its activity time cost twenty points. Was Jang really priced at more than double that?

Still, seeing Jang made the price somewhat understandable.

Repo held out her hand slightly. Jang gently wiped her hand, then kissed the back of it.

“Well, it is a little expensive compared to the puppets you use. But I am very satisfied. Jang moves only for me.”

In Jang’s quiet movements, I could see respect for Repo.

That was something that could not be added as a function. It was a trace of emotion that only something alive could possess.

It was hard to believe that behavior had not been added as a function at all.

I looked at my puppet again. The puppet I had been so satisfied with moments ago now felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Seventy points.

I lightly tapped the table, then unconsciously opened my mouth.

“Where is Evron’s shop?”

“Oh my, are you thinking of buying a new puppet?”

Repo asked with smiling eyes.

I cleared my throat softly.

Well... Would it not be fine to at least look at the basic model? It only cost one point, after all.

--

I quietly closed my eyes.

A signal had arrived from Repo’s puppet. It was letting me know that it was bringing new people.

I sent my will into the shadow domain. It flowed into the starlight held by Repo’s puppet. Through the puppet’s eyes, I could see the surroundings.

Then I saw familiar faces.

Ivrio and Emery were approaching our shop under Repo’s guidance.

I smiled faintly as I watched them. To think we would meet again like this.

[New customers are coming, so we should prepare to welcome them. This should make up for everyone who left earlier.]

Isabella wrote as she prepared tea.

I nodded at her words.

About a month had passed since Jegang left his warning. During that time, many customers had left my shop.

But the number of new customers had steadily increased as well. That was all thanks to Repo and the others working hard.

I rubbed my chin as another signal arrived.

They were scattered throughout the city, showing puppets to people. Rather than openly advertising, they naturally struck up conversations. People were drawn in by them.

“I see. It was worth being a little clever.”

When I had turned the inconvenience no one had sold before into a product and sold functions through it, I had revealed a kind of lack.

You could call it desire.

The Trading Company had quickly dug into that new field. They swallowed every part of it before I even noticed. Their method of taking control of the market was certainly impressive.

The structure created by the Trading Company was nearly perfect. They understood very well how to use capital.

I could not defeat them that way.

Then I needed to change my thinking.

Price competition was certainly a problem for me. But it was not the only deciding factor.

Why would I try to win on a battlefield where they had the advantage? If they preempted that field and prevented me from expanding any further, I only needed to take another approach.

If puppets that removed inconvenience had become common, I needed to show what came next.

I needed to give people a new lack. And I knew exactly how to do that.

The relationship between Cassian and the bear puppet had been my example for raising puppets when I began this business. I wanted to create an environment where puppets and mages could deeply interact.

That was why I had been reluctant to expand the shop. If too many people came, managing the puppets would become difficult.

But now, puppets were invading the market in my place.

They were cheap and useful, certainly. But they had one problem.

Unlike my puppets, they only possessed faint egos.

Of course, that was enough to use the magic contained within them. But egos created by forcibly tearing souls apart could no longer grow.

Because of that, they could not share the emotional exchanges my puppets showed.

I intended to turn that into a product.

Normally, it could not have held a clear value. My puppets had once been the only ones in the market. But now, I had an opportunity to make even a puppet’s emotions into something people lacked.

It was certainly impressive that they had secured the market. But that kind of consumption was not an ending. It was a beginning.

Puppets would always remain beside their owners.

When someone else possessed something they lacked, mages would eventually desire it.

That was why I could go beyond the structure that turned inconvenience into a commodity. I could sell puppet emotions as well.

If I raised value instead of competing on price and sold customers the experience of being with their puppets, I had more than enough chance to attract people too.

The customers they secured would instead be led to me.

People who experienced and were satisfied with the Trading Company’s puppets would stop at using simple functions. But those who wanted better puppets would inevitably gather around me.

In that sense, it was better for them to take over the market.

They could serve as a filter. The customers they acquired would naturally flow to us.

So the larger they became, the better. I would climb onto the cart they made and roll along with it.

As one very small wheel.

What a beautiful structure.

I nodded lightly.

Of course, they would not sit still and watch the current situation. They would surely react somehow.

Then I needed to respond thoroughly to their movements.

The smaller I was, the sharper I had to move.

That was how I would survive this fight.

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