WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈
Chapter 59: The Moonshadow Mausoleum (1)
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Narak's First Zone was also known as the Moonshadow Mausoleum.
It was the graveyard of a forgotten ancient race. Beings cursed by the moon and corrupted by it were buried here.
Whenever the full moon approached, they began to convulse.
They gazed at the moon they resented and scratched madly at their coffins.
Their horrible cries echoed throughout the entire gorge.
Creeeak, screeeech, craaack.
Beneath the full moon, the red-stained gorge overflowed with ghostly energy.
The wails of the dead rang out without end, and chilling cries filled every valley.
The mist blanketing the gorge was Demonic Energy. Yin energy, clotted with resentment and jealousy, rose from every corner.
A nest of hatred and malice.
Death Gorge filled his view.
Mapheltan folded his wings and landed on a massive cliff.
A pitch-black abyss spread beneath his feet. Screams continued to rise from the deep valley.
Raguel trembled and stepped back. The countless horrible cries and waves of malice drove the blind boy into terror.
Mapheltan spoke calmly.
“One step behind you is a cliff. Unless you want to throw yourself into Narak, stay where you are.”
Raguel froze stiff.
He would rather die than fall down there.
He muttered in a tense voice.
“...This is Narak.”
He could not see it, but every sense other than sight trembled in fear.
If he had come here alone, he truly would have gone mad with terror.
In contrast, Zalkarin's face was full of exhilaration.
“I sense malice beyond all measure! Where could such deep hatred and resentment possibly come from? Great End! Narak's energy is seeping into this evil one's body!”
To demons, Narak was no different from heaven.
Just breathing here was enough for an Imp to grow.
Mapheltan opened his mouth.
“What are you two talking about? We haven't even crossed Narak's threshold yet.”
Only then did Zalkarin and Raguel wear the same expressions.
Both looked confused.
“Great End, then where is this place, so steeped in wickedness?”
“Death Gorge. It is the passage connected to Narak.”
Commonly called Death Gorge, this was the place where Johan had nearly been abandoned by Gaf during the early days of his Possession.
Raguel flinched.
“...It's this bad, and we aren't even in Narak yet?”
Even the path leading to Narak was an unforgiving environment for humans.
Mapheltan spoke in an even tone.
“If you want to turn back, this is your last chance. Once we enter Narak, you will not be able to leave for two weeks. If you want to give up, say so now.”
Raguel bit his lip and clenched both fists tightly.
His fear of Narak was nothing compared to the terror of having to live like this forever.
Being blind was bad enough. He could not spend the rest of his life crippled with a limp as well.
He wanted a new, healthy body.
He did not want to betray Mapheltan's expectations either.
Raguel spoke in a trembling but firm voice.
“I'll never give up. I've already made up my mind.”
Zalkarin let out an admiring cry.
“For a human brat, that was quite a spirited answer! No wonder you were chosen by the End!”
Raguel spoke in disbelief.
“What do you mean, brat? You're much younger than I am.”
Zalkarin was still an Imp.
Apparently struck where it hurt, the creature flew into a rage.
“W-what nonsense are you spouting? I am a demon more than fifteen years old! I remain an Imp because I have not had the opportunity to grow, but before long, I shall be reborn as the Hellfire of Narak!”
A demon's growth was not proportional to time. They could evolve only when they encountered a special opportunity.
Raguel shook his head.
“Forget Hellfire. You're smaller than a campfire.”
“You fool! Even a great blaze begins as a small spark!”
“Yes, yes. Lord Small Spark Demon.”
“You limping blind fool!”
“That doesn't bother me at all. As of today, I'm saying goodbye to that life too, idiot.”
Zalkarin's red face grew even redder.
The two continued bickering for quite some time.
Mapheltan left them alone for a while.
‘His anxiety has eased considerably.’
It was a positive effect. Too much fear was bound to ruin things.
They only needed to maintain an appropriate amount of tension.
Mapheltan spoke.
“That is enough.”
The moment they heard his voice, Zalkarin hiccupped.
“I-I apologize. I have made a disgrace of myself.”
Raguel scratched his head, seemingly embarrassed as well.
“...I forgot where we were for a moment. I'm sorry.”
Mapheltan snickered.
“If you know that, shouldn't you start getting ready? You should have something Ilea gave you.”
Raguel rummaged through his pack and took something out.
A mask made of pure white leather emerged.
The Spirit-Demon Barrier Mask.
It was an artifact that blocked Demonic Energy and spiritual influence.
For short, it was called a Barrier Mask.
Without it, an ordinary human would have difficulty even breathing in Narak.
Long ago, the Watchers of Narak had also entered and left Narak while wearing Barrier Masks.
Raguel put one on as they had. More than half of his small face was hidden.
He also wrapped himself in a pure white cloak.
The Spirit-Demon Barrier Cloak would protect his skin from Demonic Energy.
With that, his preparations were mostly complete.
“I'm ready.”
Resolve filled Raguel's voice.
“Then let's go.”
Mapheltan picked Raguel up and leaped into the valley.
The black demon glided through the gorge. Red light trailed behind his path like a heat haze.
Countless screams and shrieks greeted Mapheltan.
An immense amount of malice convulsed at the sight of the visitors.
* * *
In the deepest part of the gorge, underground where not even moonlight reached, two patches of red light flickered.
They were Mapheltan's eyes.
Blood-red light flashed in the darkness.
He was searching for the entrance to Narak.
The surroundings were as black as night, but that was not a problem.
A demon's vision was sharper at night.
Mapheltan raised the corner of his mouth.
“I found it. Zalkarin, come over here.”
They had split up to search for the entrance.
Zalkarin only looked around from afar and did not return to Mapheltan.
Raguel spoke in a trembling voice.
“I-I don't think Zalkarin can hear you. It's too loud around us.”
After descending into the gorge, the ghostly wails had become far louder. Now, they shook so violently that the ground itself seemed ready to collapse.
Mapheltan clicked his tongue.
“They are truly having fits.”
“...Who is?”
“The evil spirits buried beneath your feet.”
The shaking was caused by them scratching and pounding against the ceiling of the mausoleum.
Goosebumps rose across Raguel's body. He jumped back in horror.
For someone with a limp, he had not bad jumping ability.
“W-why are they acting like that?”
“They hate the moon. That is why, whenever there is a full moon, they look to the sky and rage like that.”
The moon symbolized the Great Saint Marziel.
“...Were they punished by the Great Saint?”
“Something like that. More precisely, they are beings cursed by the Great Saint.”
Raguel swallowed dryly.
“If they earned the moon's anger, they must be sinners among sinners. And we are about to meet them.”
Mapheltan shrugged.
“You will find out when we get there. Who knows? They may be more pitiful than you think.”
“What? Pitiful? What do you mean by that...”
“Experience it for yourself and decide.”
Mapheltan turned his head.
Within his sight stood an ancient tree of grotesque shape.
Its massive trunk was twisted like a body that had hardened under torture, and its bark was covered in marks like bruises.
There were no branches or leaves.
Only the base of the enormous tree remained.
It was the World Tree.
It was also the gate to Narak's First Zone.
Mapheltan quietly looked at the enormous tree.
Even with only its base remaining, the World Tree was overwhelmingly huge.
It stood well over twenty meters tall, and its width filled one section of the valley.
‘Five hundred years ago, it must have actually reached the clouds.’
That was how it had been described in the original work, and Mapheltan fully agreed.
As he was briefly lost in thought, Zalkarin approached and spoke.
“Great End, you have found the entrance!”
“Bring the key.”
The creature pulled something from a pack larger than its own body.
“Here it is.”
The item handed to Mapheltan was a wooden slab.
It was commonly known as the Heartwood Core Slab.
It was an artifact made by tearing out the World Tree's heartwood.
The World Tree still remembered the pain of that day.
The moment the Heartwood Core Slab appeared, green sap began dripping from the World Tree's bark.
It looked as though it were shedding tears of blood.
Without concern, Mapheltan pressed the Heartwood Core Slab against the World Tree.
At once, the surface of the ancient tree began to split open.
Its bark wrinkled and twisted into a bizarre shape.
A screaming face was embedded in the center of the World Tree.
Its drooping eyelids poured out sap sorrowfully. A sharp scream burst from its gaping mouth.
Kieeeeeek────!
Raguel immediately covered his ears.
It was a meaningless gesture.
The terrible cry pierced his eardrums and rang through his mind.
Raguel collapsed to the ground in panic.
“S-stop. Please, stop. Stop it, please!”
The tender boy began to empathize with the World Tree's sorrow and pain.
He had never heard such a desperate scream in his life.
He could not endure it while remaining sane.
“No, stop. Stop crying. Please, please.”
In contrast, Zalkarin could not contain his delight.
Its eyes shone as it filled with joy.
“Cry more! Suffer until you vomit blood! The Great End is watching! Kneel before them and beg for mercy!”
Mapheltan felt pleasure as well.
He too was a demon, and he found exhilaration in the suffering of others.
‘...Fuck.’
But he resisted.
He bit down on his tongue and clawed at his chest with his nails.
The moment he surrendered himself to this excitement, it felt as though there would truly be no turning back.
‘This won't do.’
Mapheltan hurriedly picked Raguel up.
He intended to leave this place.
He immediately jumped into the World Tree's mouth.
He entered Narak's First Zone, the Moonshadow Mausoleum.
* * *
A mournful melody drifted into his ears.
『 Children who roam the forest, when the pale moon rises, hide yourselves in Mother's shadow. 』
Raguel turned his head toward the sound.
『 For hunters will be hiding in the moon's shadow, waiting to prey upon you. 』
The grotesque voice gradually drew closer.
『 They will snare you with traps woven from torn pieces of Mother. 』
The blind boy could see nothing.
『 They will wring your tears out with skewers carved from Mother. 』
In the extreme darkness, fear slowly consumed Raguel.
『 Be careful, for they are beasts that remain hungry even with full bellies. 』
The song closed in from all directions.
There was nowhere to run.
『 They are thieves blinded by greed, stealing our forest and our breath. 』
No matter how often he turned his head, only impenetrable darkness greeted the blind boy.
『 Before they grow even stronger, let us starve their bellies. 』
Just as Raguel was about to scream, the song abruptly stopped.
Something cold seized his cheek tightly.
Raguel froze in shock.
A shout almost like a scream erupted directly before him.
“Watcher of Narak! I smell those hateful things!”
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