WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 110 - Choice (7)

Dercia gently dismantled my body.

I turned off Tide Sense, and refused to even look, so I didn’t know exactly what she was doing to me…but one thing was certain. Almost every part of me had been reconstructed.

Thinking I had become some sort of modified human, I stepped down from the blood-stained operating table, nearly naked, onto the floor.

The ground felt the same, and the sensations I felt were no different either.

"I don’t seem to have changed much?”

"Of course it would seem that way. On the surface at least.”

Dercia replied as if it were obvious, rubbing her own arm as she spoke.

"But now, merely feeling cold won’t make movement difficult, nor will it pose a threat to your life.”

"I see..."

To be honest, I still felt cold, but that cold didn’t feel painful anymore… not even uncomfortable.

It felt as though my constitution itself had changed. Curious, I shifted my body this way and that and asked,

"It’s only a temporary measure, so if it gets too cold, you won’t be able to endure it. Be sure to keep that in mind.”

"Yes. But what exactly did you do? This is really amazing.”

"Well, erm… I just adjusted your structure a little. Like this. Yes.”

"?"

"It’s not particularly important. I can guarantee there will be no issues.”

...That made me a bit uneasy.

Still, since she said it was fine, I just brushed it off and put on my robe, reviewing the situation again.

"Still, things seem to be going better than expected.”

From what I heard during the procedure, everyone was doing better than I had thought.

The orphanage I once lived in was now receiving a lot better treatment. It seemed like even some of the poorer families leave their kids there during the day and pick them up in the evening. It’s practically morphed into a daycare.

Aletus had no political issues whatsoever, and Elisia even made a successful debut into high society.

Linmel was…apparently a bit strange, but at least she hadn’t caused any incidents yet.

"I’d like to visit them all, but time just isn’t on my side right now.”

"I wonder if you didn’t set the schedule too tightly.”

"It couldn’t be helped. To deal with someone like Vile Blood, you have to make them misunderstand."

"Someone like Vile Blood?”

"The type who sees everyone but themselves as nothing more than swords.”

With people like that, the only way to communicate with them is by letting them try to seize you. You must never get entangled with them—and if you must, then you have to clearly show what kind of blade you are.

At the very least, Vile Blood was smart enough to understand that I was a blade meant to slaughter cattle. For his sake, I needed to handle things as quickly as possible and leave a strong impression.

Listening to me, Dercia let out an amused scoff.

"Someone like you, Jern?”

"I’m not that bad.”

I shook my head in disgust, then, before going to persuade Carose, the pain I had felt on the way here came to mind.

"By the way, Master. I think I’ve developed some sort of new burden.”

"...You always bring new problems with you. Burdens don’t just appear so easily.”

"It appeared whether I like it or not. While moving, I suddenly felt pain in my chest, and I felt like I was about to throw up. I get dizzy, too. No matter how I think about it, I can’t figure out what in the Abyssal Sea would cause this kind of burden.”

"Hmm..."

Dercia seemed to find it difficult to figure anything out from those symptoms alone, tilting her head slightly.

"In what situations does it occur?”

"At the mansion last time, and again on the way here. There were also a few instances during everyday activities.”

"And what were you doing in those moments?”

"I used my Abyssal Realm briefly before, but aside from that, nothing in particular.”

"..."

Dercia let out a low hum, then nodded.

"I understand. Based on what you told me, I’ll look into it as quickly as possible.”

"Thank you. Then, shall we go persuade Dame Carose now?”

Asking her to deliberately lose wasn’t much of a problem.

However, I also needed to check her acting skills, and if she wasn’t convincing enough, I’d have to give her a thorough lesson on how to lose miserably, so we needed to hurry.

Watching my back as I turned to leave, Dercia tilted her head again and asked,

"About that. What exactly are you planning to do?”

"Huh?"

"Surely you don’t intend to stage a solo fight where you defeat Carose by yourself? No matter how you look at it, wouldn’t that seem strange? You said they’ve mistaken your word for a puppet-type world.”

"Hmm, you think so?”

"Yes. If they don’t know exactly what your world is, giving them the wrong information might make them realize it’s something entirely different.”

"That’s true…”

As I pondered, another idea came to mind.

"What about this, then?”

After hearing my proposal, Dercia frowned.

"That…could work probably. It certainly is an interesting idea.”

"Then let’s do it that way. I guess we'll have to visit two people. Hmm…”

"Is there still something bothering you?”

"No, not really.”

Ever since I had arrived in the capital…

I had this feeling like I had forgotten something.

I didn’t know exactly what it was though…

"Well, let’s just do what we need to do first.”

If it was something I forgot, it probably wasn’t important anyway.

* * *

At that moment.

The one who had been forgotten, Sunken Mire, was left behind alone.

Among these monsters.

"..."

"..."

"...Hic."

If there was any silver lining, it was that Vile Blood’s assassination squad had no particular interest in a mere warehouse keeper like Sunken Mire. They weren’t in a situation relaxed enough to worry about someone they could kill at any time.

Most of the members were watching Vile Blood closely, his face dark and brooding.

As Sunken Mire slowly tried to back away without drawing their attention, Vile Blood, who had remained silent, finally opened his mouth, his tone bewildered.

"Just what kind of confidence is that?”

"...I’m not sure.”

There was no way he wouldn’t know the princess’ escort Knight.

Even if he somehow didn’t, barging into the Empire and saying he’d bring her out within three days made no sense at all.

It was no different from sneaking into another country and declaring, ‘Wait here. I’ll lead their entire army here and eliminate all of them in front of you in three days.’

"Could he have run away?”

"It’s hard to believe he’d just hand over that many World-Sealing Elixirs and leave. And judging by his world, he’s got the kind of power that can always extract at least his own body. He wouldn’t flee in such a foolish way…”

In the end, the conclusion pointed in only one direction.

He was confident.

Confident enough to enter that place. An environment bordering on hell for a Fallen.

"Hmm… There’s still no disturbance…”

"It seems like he hasn’t been discovered yet. How strange. Fallen who infiltrate the capital usually get caught within a day, don’t they?”

"Exactly. So it really must be Puppet.”

Even within Scarlet Abyss, the capital had long since become a forbidden zone. An area no one should ever enter.

No matter how well one hid, no matter what disguise was used—they’d be exposed within a day for some strange reason. And with Carose in the capital, discovery meant only one thing. Death.

The only world that could overturn that rule was Puppet. Without a world of that caliber, it was impossible to explain.

Of course, even so, nothing really changed.

His courage was admirable, but his opponent was just unfavorable. Carose was among the most formidable Knights even when judged on a global scale.

And so the conversation circled back to the beginning.

"Just what kind of confidence is that…?”

He had prepared every possible way to push Undercurrent into confronting Carose, but with things unfolding the way they did, all of it had become completely meaningless.

Should he proceed as planned, or should he at least wait to confirm the bastard’s execution? That was Vile Blood’s only real worry.

"Should we wait for now? It probably won’t take long. Even if he has the Puppet Realm, once he’s inside the capital, it’s only a matter of time.”

"Hmm, then…”

Vile Blood was just about to nod in agreement when…

"Ugh...!"

One of the members sitting nearby with their eyes closed suddenly clutched his mouth.

"Khgm bleugh…!”

"What is it? What’s happening?!”

The man who vomited blood trembled violently as he stared at the sky.

"Th-the mist dispersed.”

"...What?"

"Someone has entered the area!”

"Everyone, prepare.”

Vile Blood didn’t panic.

There was no shortage of people who coveted his faction’s World Sealing Elixirs. Even if another group had followed them, it wouldn’t be seen as unusual.

Or perhaps it was the imperial family that had gotten wind of something, given their proximity to the capital. Either way, he was confident they could respond.

The moment Vile Blood gave the order, each member raised their hands, ready to use their powers.

And then they lowered them.

"...What the fuck?"

"She actually came?”

She was still quite far away across the plains, but that dreadfully familiar black armor was not something one could ever forget.

The first to give up upon seeing that figure slowly approaching was Vile Blood.

"Tsk, looks like the bastard spilled. We should retreat.”

Undercurrent must have been captured and, in an attempt to save his own life, revealed their location. That was the only way he could explain what he was seeing here.

The only answer to this situation was flight. Of course, escaping without any sacrifice against a monster like her was impossible.

At that moment, Vile Blood’s gaze slid toward Sunken Mire, who had been slowly backing away.

"If we throw that to her, we can buy ourselves a little time.”

"...What?"

"Bring her.”

"Yes!"

"Gyaaaaah!!”

As Sunken Mire screamed, cursing the world and Undercurrent for abandoning her, something changed within Carose.

She scanned her surroundings, then pointed her sword not toward where Vile Blood was, but somewhere else entirely.

And in a deeply weary voice, she muttered,

"I know you’re there. Come out.”

"..."

-Rustle

A Knight stepped forward from the high grass.

He wasn’t wearing a helmet, his bare face clearly visible. It was a face Vile Blood recognized.

He hurriedly flipped open the mission list.

"Brimdal? I heard he retired, so why…?”

He knew Brimdal was a strong Knight, but that was a long time ago.

Still, as someone who had been a Knight for centuries, his strength was more than predictable.

Could it be—As Vile Blood fell into shock, considering another possibility, the face that appeared behind Brimdal confirmed it for him.

"Hmm, to notice so quickly. As expected of the princess’ escort Knight.”

For some reason, Undercurrent looked incredibly excited.

"I’m being controlled. It’s frustrating, but there’s nothing I can do.”

Brimdal, also looking oddly excited, raised his sword toward Carose.

"...Release Sir Brimdal at once. Otherwise, I will tear you to pieces.”

That threat was filled to the brim with killing intent, to the point that even those who merely listened felt a chill run down their spines. However, Undercurrent replied casually, placing Brimdal in front of him.

"I can’t just make it that easy. Draw your blade.”

"Haah…”

Carose let out a deep sigh, bent forward slightly, and thrust her sword.

Brimdal, watching her with admiration, twisted his lips into a grin and advanced.

“I must be certain…! Give it everything you have!”

-Crack!

A metallic shriek far too savage to be described rang across the plain as their blades clashed.

The shockwave reached even Vile Blood’s hiding place, and those sword strikes were repeated dozens of times in rapid succession.

"...Th-this is..."

Vile Blood had already forgotten any thought of escape, staring blankly at the battle unfolding before him.

It was dazzling. More than that, it was a fight.

Against Carose.

"So he really did have a chance…”

Vile Blood focused less on the fact that Undercurrent somehow managed to manipulate a Knight capable of fighting Carose, and more on the fact that he had escaped the capital without incident while drawing Carose all the way here.

No matter how powerful Puppet might be, producing such a result required more than simply using his world’s power.

The deepest quagmire a Fallen could reach.

An erosion that those who had not become a phenomenon could still reach.

"The deepest…”

Even as Vile Blood muttered to himself, the battle continued.

"Hmm, good!”

"This isn’t good for me!”

-Claaang!

Each blow twisted bizarrely, every single strike aiming for vital points without the slightest bit of mercy.

At the sight of such unwavering exchanges, several members couldn’t help but swallow hard.

They were thinking things like, ‘Perhaps now is our opportunity.’

"Sh-should we join in?”

"You think we could? Just stay put.”

He dismissed them lightly. Entering a fight like that would not be helpful. It would only increase the casualties.

Fallen could partially nullify a Knight’s Arcane Strengthening, allowing them to fight far more favorably against them than ordinary wizards.

However, against a Knight who had reached that level, no matter how powerful a fallen might be, they would instantly die.

"And even if we brought her down, we won’t gain anything from it.”

"Ah…right.”

Even if they helped kill Carose, they wouldn’t receive a single World-Sealing Elixir for it.

For a gamble that risked their lives, the return simply wasn’t worth it.

But…

Vile Blood rubbed his chin as he watched that close battle.

"Perhaps…”

He started to think that if they backed that man, he might truly reach the Upper Tier.

"Haaaaah..."

For some reason, Carose’s sigh sounded unusually deep.

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