WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 120 - Using One Evil to Fight Another (10)

The shoe-shining boy noticed that I was wearing boots, not shoes.

But that shouldn't have been possible. Unless one became part of Nightfall’s family, her puppets were nothing more than mindless consumables. That was something I had known long before infiltrating this place.

So was this boy a special case? Someone who had somehow regained self-awareness?

No, that couldn’t be the case. He had simply been given the command to repeat actions fitting a shoe shiner.

Under that command, the boy could distinguish between shoes and boots.

"Huh?"

Nightfall looked at me as if asking what I was talking about, but I calmly continued.

"If I’m allowed to unlock the memories of those I've already bound, I’ll be able to use that to bring in far more Fallen.”

"I see. How many are we talking about?”

"I believe at least half of the Lower Tiers.”

It was slightly exaggerated, but I wasn’t lying.

For reasons I didn’t fully understand, the Lower Tiers feared becoming Nightfall’s puppets to an extreme degree. If they were simply made aware that their memories would remain intact, the problem would disappear.

They would truly come of their own will, convinced that serving Nightfall was paradise.

And Nightfall would want that—

"Hmm, big brother.”

Instead of answering my request, Nightfall suddenly looked down from the terrace with a strangely affectionate gaze and said something rather unexpected.

"You’ve been helping out a lot lately. It makes me really happy. You’ve been moving around so much.”

"...I’m only repaying what I’ve been given.”

"Still, praise where praise is due. Have you walked around this area much?”

What was she going on about all of a sudden?

"Yes. To get a grasp of the terrain.”

"Then you’ve probably felt the atmosphere.”

"Pardon?"

"This country. The place we live in. What do you think it’s like?”

I frowned slightly.

Nightfall was under a major misconception. This place couldn’t be called a country, let alone a nation. What kind of nation existed without any citizens?

Honestly, it felt like nothing more than a massive miniature garden made entirely of dolls. But I couldn’t really say that, now could I? I chose my words very carefully.

"It felt, well, very peaceful.”

"Hm. It’s strange, isn’t it?”

"..."

Wait, so she knew?

I had assumed Nightfall thought of this place as some sort of utopia, but it seemed she understood that something was off about all this.

"But it’s an ideal country.”

No, I guess I expected a bit too much.

Gripping the railing, Nightfall gazed lovingly at the people laughing and chatting along the streets below.

"Big brother, have you ever thought about this? If you became the king of a country, how would you rule it?”

"A few times.”

"Really? Then in that imagination of yours, how did you govern your people?”

"I would eliminate the worst outcomes.”

"Huh?"

I calmly explained to Nightfall, who looked rather puzzled.

"People are constantly acting. Even sitting still and doing nothing is an action, so long as one is alive. And every action, before its outcome appears, is tested by something called luck. I would act for those whose lives were tilted not toward fortune, but misfortune.”

She looked quite awkward, struggling to find the correct words.

"Hmmm, that’s quite complicated… You must’ve thought about it quite seriously?”

"I have nothing but time left after all. Then how do you govern your country, Lady Nightfall?”

"I fundamentally changed the law.”

"Huh?"

"Did you know? Laws are, by nature, something that oppresses everyone to some degree.”

She traced her finger along the railing as she spoke those terrifying words.

"When you’re hungry, you want to steal someone else’s food. When you're angry, you want to hit someone. Even if you have no money, you want to live in a nice house. Everyone has those thoughts. They suppress them, but when circumstances push them far enough, those thoughts resurface. That’s only natural. It’s human nature.”

"But if everyone acted on their instincts without restraint, we wouldn't be humans anymore, but beasts. That’s why laws exist, right? To hold ourselves back. Not for others, but for ourselves.”

"But did crime disappear just because laws were made?”

"It did not.”

At my answer, Nightfall smiled with satisfaction.

"That’s right. Laws aren’t perfect. In the end, they’re always reactive. They don’t stop the impulse itself. Someone breaks the law, someone becomes a victim. Even the perpetrator is a victim too. Because the system is incomplete, a single moment of impulse hurts others and oneself.”

I stepped beside her and looked down over the railing.

"So that’s why you did this.”

"People misunderstand. They think I’m controlling others with threads.”

Indeed. A great misunderstanding.

The strings descended from the sky and wrapped around my body, even indoors. At first, I had thought, ‘That’s just how it is,’ but when I really thought about it, that couldn’t be right.

This wasn’t a Thread world, but a Puppet world.

The threads didn’t restrain or seal their target. They were lifelines that allowed the puppets to move.

Thus, puppets. My grip on the railing tightened unconsciously.

"Pretty, isn’t it?”

The transparent threads refracted the sunset. Before long, the city sparkled with tens, no, hundreds of thousands of razor-thin strands of light.

Nightfall gazed at the sight with rapture and whispered.

"I’m going to make everyone in this world my family. Then no one will have to fight their impulses anymore. No one will be victimized by them. We, who live in hell, will create heaven.”

"..."

"Of course, they’ll have to sacrifice their freedom. But in return, I can guarantee perfect safety. And—”

"Family is something that sacrifices itself for one another.”

"Ah, you really do understand.”

As she smiled softly, I finally understood what Number 1 had meant.

This was true madness. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of experiences had shaped this world.

"I actually wanted to ask you something, big brother. While you’re gathering Fallen, if you ever discover a world called the Grand Sea, contact me immediately.”

"...The Grand Sea?”

"Yes, an oceanic world.”

I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Forgive me, but may I ask why you’re searching for someone with that world?”

"I’m working on a plan together with the other Upper Tiers. To be honest, everything we’ve done, like abducting wizards, mass-producing Fallen, and bringing them here, was all to find the Grand Sea. I need to find it before I can move to the next stage.”

So it wasn’t me they were searching for after all.

That wasn’t something to be relieved about. After all, the Sea and the Abyssal Sea were fundamentally similar. One could easily be used as a substitute for the other.

Still, why were they searching for the Sea, but not the Abyssal Sea? For now, I nodded in agreement.

"I understand. If someone claims their world is related to the sea, I will capture them by any means necessary.”

"Good, then…”

Nightfall nodded in satisfaction, then clapped her hands.

"You want to be able to handle the children’s memories, right?”

"Yes."

"Hmm, I can do it, but it’ll be troublesome, you know? Returning memories means granting some degree of freedom. The children might betray you.”

"I will manage it somehow.”

I met her eyes with an unyielding gaze, radiating trust, to which she sighed and nodded, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

"In that case, since I trust you now, come tomorrow morning. I’ll need to prepare.”

"Yes."

I bowed, carefully hiding my smile.

I had known for a long time that Nightfall was insane.

What mattered was that I had received a clear answer.

It had been a long time.

But now, I could finally begin.

* * *

The next morning inside the castle.

I headed to Nightfall’s chambers to receive what she called a baptism.

"Ah, you’re here?”

"Yes. Are your preparations complete?”

She was waiting, wearing a simple attire, winding what few threads remained around her finger.

"There’s nothing special to prepare. It just takes a night to extract this much, that’s all.”

"I see.”

"It won’t take long. Just kneel here and wait.”

Judging by her casual tone, the baptism didn’t seem like much.

Just when I was feeling somewhat relieved and waiting.

"Please wait a moment.”

—the door suddenly opened, and someone entered.

It was Number 1. He was smiling for some reason.

"Mom? What is it?”

"My apologies for the early visit. But I believe there’s something you should know, Lady Nightfall.”

He walked in without any hesitation and then turned toward me with a vile smile.

Anxiety washed over me. He wore the face of someone who had already concluded their victory.

"Number 33."

"Yes."

"Remove your mask.”

"..."

The thing I had been anxious about became reality. When I stared back at him without reacting, Nightfall cut in with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

"Didn't he say he still feels repulsed by burdens? Why are you suddenly doing this?”

"Lady Nightfall. Number 33 infiltrated our family with ulterior motives.”

"...What?"

"You were deceived by his empty words. From the start, he was a spy. Remove your mask at once. If you refuse, you will be executed on the spot.”

I silently stared at the triumphant Number 1, then removed my mask.

My height shrank in an instant, revealing my true self. A young boy.

Nightfall gasped and reached out to pat my head.

"What? So you weren’t an older brother but a younger one?”

I had no idea why she was petting me. She turned to Number 1, as if demanding further explanation.

"Mom, lying about his age isn’t really a problem though, right?”

If only it had ended there.

"Yes. Number 33 is an imperial spy.”

The situation immediately plunged into the worst possible direction.

"...!"

"It may be hard to believe, but he is the disciple of Dercia and the Imperial envoy acting directly on the princess’ behalf. These are the relevant documents.”

"That was once the case."

As Number 1 handed over a booklet, I calmly added,

"But not anymore. I was betrayed by my master, imprisoned due to the princess’ machinations, and escaped with the help of Decay. I have no remaining ties to the Empire.”

"Nonsense!”

Number 1 roared, staring straight at me.

"Then why did you hide that fact and become part of our family? There can be no other explanation than ulterior motives!”

"...Big brother."

The most important thing was Nightfall’s reaction.

Hmm, she seemed shaken.

I could clearly see betrayal flickering in her dull eyes.

"Explain. Why did you hide the fact that you were Dercia’s disciple?”

"...I’m sorry. I was afraid you wouldn’t look upon me favorably.”

How Number 1 uncovered my past—well, I had no clue.

Sunken Mire should have been well hidden. And if they had found her, they would have dragged her here and forced her to speak herself.

The problem was that aside from her, no one else knew about my past. I had no idea what method he used.

But that wasn’t what mattered right now. What mattered was that I could see Nightfall’s trust draining in real time.

Whatever decision I made, it had to be fast.

"We must immediately expel him from the family and imprison him for judgement…”

There was just one thing. One thing that Number 1 hadn’t accounted for.

I always planned for the worst.

"However, Lady Nightfall. Please believe me.”

I knelt and looked up at her.

"I chose this place because I was truly drawn to you. I never had any other thoughts.”

"..."

Nightfall blankly stared down at me for a long time, then tossed out a single question.

"Can you prove it?”

"Yes."

"How?”

"Please seal my memories from before I came here.”

"...What?"

The one who questioned my decision wasn’t Nightfall, but Number 1.

He froze, staring at me with eyes full of disbelief.

"...Wh-what are you asking for?”

"Exactly what I just said. Please erase every memory I had up until meeting Lady Nightfall, and leave only what came after.”

"D-do you even understand what you’re saying right now?”

I did.

Memories were what made a person who they were. Their essence.

If someone were asked whether they would choose to be reborn into a wealthy family at the cost of losing all their memories, no one would answer yes. Losing one’s memories is the same as dying.

In other words, what I had just said was no different from choosing death.

"I truly admire you, Lady Nightfall. Whatever memories I had before that, I believe they hold no value.”

I looked up at her, who still remained silent, and spoke in an earnest voice.

"Please, grant me just one more chance.”

"...If I seal your memories..."

Nightfall spoke up, her expression showing her confusion.

"You’ll be left with nothing but the ability to speak. The only memory you’ll have is meeting me in this castle. You’ll either panic or go mad.”

"Th-that’s right! He’s just trying to extricate himself from this situation—”

"Then please do it right here and now.”

"..."

There was no resolve in me.

She met my calm eyes, silently approached me, and placed her hand on my head.

"I don’t usually do things like this…”

"This is just—”

"But for some reason, I want to. I’ll trust you this once.”

Along with Number 1’s incredulous groan...

I died.

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