WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 131 - Turbidity (7)

As I stepped out of Sharmia’s room, I saw Dercia leaning against the wall beside the door.

She looked at me, rolled her eyes once, and let out a sigh.

"I had a feeling you would, but as I expected, you actually chose that path.

"It’s the most rational path. You allowed it because you knew that too, right?”

If I could die, return with nothing but information, and resume from there, there was nothing more efficient than that.

Dercia frowned at my answer.

"You take death far too lightly.”

"The princess has died thousands of times. Are you saying I can’t die even once? That aside, how exactly do I revive?”

"I applied a variation of a ritual I developed. Jern, the moment you die, every memory you’ve accumulated is transmitted into the princess’ mind.”

"...What?"

"In the very next moment, the princess commits suicide with those memories intact. The memories of the returned princess are then retransmitted back into your mind. In other words, it’s a ritual that only activates if you die.”

"Is this really safe?”

"Of course it isn’t. If you do it more than once, your brain will melt and you’ll die. And there’s also a time limit. If more than a month’s worth of memories accumulate, both you and the princess will be ruined, so you must die before that.”

"..."

That method was bizarre enough that I finally understood why the princess hadn’t wanted to explain it herself.

Only after seeing my grim expression did Dercia’s mood seem to lighten slightly. She then took a step forward.

"Follow me.”

"Is there somewhere else we need to go?”

"We should check on the puppy you brought along.”

Ah.

Sunken Mire.

So much had happened that I had completely forgotten about her.

If Dercia had taken her in…surely she wouldn't be lying there with severed limbs and a shattered mind, right? Suppressing those thoughts, I followed her as she opened the door to an underground room.

"Uh, hmm? Sir Undercurrent? You’re awake!”

"...You look fine.”

Sunken Mire looked perfectly fine.

No, a bit too fine actually.

Seeing her lying on a silk bed, stuffing snacks into her mouth, I let out a sigh. Then I turned to Dercia, who was watching with a rather expectant expression.

"What did you do to her?”

"Nothing much. I just used her as a test subject.”

"I was a test subject…?”

Sunken Mire tilted her head blankly as she sat up.

"Seems like it. But you don’t feel particularly uncomfortable, right?”

"Ah, I don’t. She just drew some blood and asked me a few questions.”

She really didn’t seem to have any external wounds. After exchanging glances with Dercia, I had her sit down on a nearby chair and got straight to the point.

"So, I'm guessing you've already noticed. But just to be clear, I was actually a traitor infiltrating Scarlet Abyss on the Empire’s orders.”

"Ah, yes.”

Sunken Mire accepted it far too calmly.

I’d expected to have to convince her, so when I saw not a shred of denial in her at all, I tilted my head and asked,

"You don’t feel betrayed or anything?”

"T-to be honest, I kind of noticed partway through…”

"Getting exposed even to your own subordinates. Well done, Jern.”

"...She’s probably lying.”

I stared daggers at Sunken Mire as she poked her fingers together.

She protested with an aggrieved look.

"I’m serious. Vile Blood had a clear reason to kill the Upper Tiers, but you didn’t. And yet, whenever you had a chance to run, you kept choosing to gamble your life instead. Anyone would figure there was something else going on, right? I just didn’t know you were an imperial spy or something.”

"...”

I’d thought she lived her life without thinking, but apparently she was sharper than she looked. She blinked at me, her eyes suddenly showing unease.

"So… Am I going to die?”

"No. If you want, I’ll release you. After everything is over.”

Letting her go now would interfere with the plan. For someone like Sunken Mire, who already knew far too much, keeping her confined was the safest option.

"Until then, Dercia, my master, will keep you alive while researching you, so don’t worry.”

"Yes, erm, but…”

Sunken Mire trailed off, as if she still had something to say.

"If you’ve got something to say, say it.”

"Is there any chance I could help?”

"...? Help with what?”

"With the Scarlet Abyss rebellion. I think I might be useful…”

I exchanged a glance with Dercia.

She looked just as puzzled about where this was coming from, so I asked again.

"And how exactly would you help?”

"Well, I am kind of acting as a warehouse, right?”

"Indeed."

"Even if my role is only minor, I’ve still met quite a lot of people in the Lower Tier. I know who gets assigned which missions and by whom. For example, there's a Lower Tier organization that’s been steadily carrying out tasks given by Decay…and I know where they’re located.”

She cautiously continued.

"If you’re really planning to oppose the Upper Tier, wouldn’t it be better to know exactly what those people’s motives are? Like how Nightfall gathered Fallen in her country and made them into her family members, Decay is probably doing something similar.”

"I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t understand why you want to help.”

It was true that no matter what happened, I could redo things. Sharmia had granted me one chance.

But that didn’t mean I could act recklessly. If possible, I wanted to escape with the information they least wanted revealed.

Sunken Mire hesitated, then spoke up, her mind seemingly made up.

"I’ve spent a long time with you, Sir Undercurrent. So I’ll be honest about how I really feel.”

"Go on.”

"I have no idea how things will turn out, so I want to keep both sides as options.”

"?”

"Having spent half my life inside Scarlet Abyss, I can tell that the Empire is going to be destroyed by them. That was so obvious I never even questioned it.”

As she said that, Sunken Mire looked me straight in the eyes.

"But seeing that someone like you exists, Sir Undercurrent, and you’ve even reached the Upper Tier—I sometimes find myself thinking, ‘Maybe?’ or ‘What if?’ I still don’t know what will happen, though.”

"So?”

"If I keep acting alongside you, Sir Undercurrent, and you win, then all of Scarlet Abyss’ Fallen will become targets for execution, won’t they?”

"That’s very likely.”

"So I’ll help you in preparation for that moment. You’re the type who doesn’t forget debts, so I'm trusting that you’ll remember I risked my life to help you.”

"And if I lose?”

"Then I’ll spill everything I’ve learned and beg the Upper Tiers to spare me, just this once.”

That declaration of betrayal was so shameless that it left me speechless for a while.

Sunken Mire hurriedly added,

"But don't worry. As long as you don’t give up, Sir Undercurrent, I won’t do that stuff. I know that you’d keep striving toward the same goal even after losing your memories, after all.”

Dercia, who had been watching Sunken Mire with a puzzled expression, let out a light chuckle.

"Jern. You seem to have a strange talent for attracting lunatics.”

"I can’t really deny it when it’s you who’s saying it, Master.”

"What do you mean by that?”

"Nothing at all.”

I let out a sigh. She was being far too honest, but precisely because she openly declared her betrayal like that, I could accept it.

Someone this obsessed with self-preservation wouldn’t act recklessly while still clinging to possibilities. Strictly speaking, locking her up would be safer, but…

At least I had one use of invincibility.

"I’ll do my best! Thank you!”

"Don’t try too hard…”

I pushed Sunken Mire away with a current as she rushed toward me.

Even taking that into account, I still didn’t trust her much.

***

Sunken Mire immediately got to work.

"Actually, someone already called for you here, Sir Undercurrent!”

"Who?”

"Probably someone from the Upper Tier…And the deadline’s almost up.”

"When is it?”

"Umm…Tonight at midnight?”

"..."

Watching her look shocked as if she’d only just realized it herself, I sighed.

If they were calling me now, the reason was pretty clear. It seemed I wouldn’t have time to exchange farewells with anyone else.

"At least it’s somewhere I already left a door open.”

Dercia opened the door without another word.

"If you want, I could accompany you…”

"That’d be a disaster if you were discovered.”

"Tsk. Take care of yourself.”

That much, at least, I was confident about.

The moment I crossed through the open door—

"...Where is this?”

All I could see was an eerie ruin.

It looked like there had once been a castle here, but now only fragments of stone lay scattered everywhere. The aftermath of a battle.

The door of the abandoned house I had come through collapsed into dust the moment it closed. No matter how much I searched, there wasn’t a single person around. I turned back to Sunken Mire and asked.

"Is this really the place?”

"Y-yes…They said this was it.”

"Hmm.”

As I walked around, glancing at the bewildered Sunken Mire…

"I’ve been waiting for you. Wizard of the Abyss.”

I heard a voice coming from my side, speaking words I couldn’t really ignore.

A grown man wearing a mask and a black robe identical to mine leaned against the ruins of the castle, his arms crossed, staring at us.

...I hadn’t sensed him at all. Not even the slightest.

Even now, my Tide Sense still wasn’t reacting to him at all.

A chill ran down my spine as I took a step back.

"...Huh?"

Sunken Mire trembled the moment she saw him.

"S-sir Great Void?"

"Hm? Ah, you must be Sunken Mire, the keeper.”

"...Tsk."

This was bad.

Of all people, the one who had shown up from the Upper Tier was Great Void, the supposed leader of Scarlet Abyss.

"Heh, I was wondering where you’d gone after defeating Nightfall…”

Saying that, Great Void smiled gently.

And delivered my death sentence.

"I never imagined you’d be hiding in the Empire.”

"Damn it…”

A curse burst forth from the bottom of my heart.

I hadn’t expected it to end this quickly. It seemed everything had been exposed before I could even act.

I shoved the frightened Sunken Mire behind me and prepared for battle.

"You’re Great Void?”

"A terrible name, but yes.”

Watching him stroke his chin as if pondering something, I made up my mind.

If I fought, I’d die. And there was no escaping.

So at the very least, I needed to gain something from this conversation.

"How did you find me?”

"No, you came looking for me.”

"...What?"

"Sit down first."

I was pretty certain that I didn’t even blink.

And yet, suddenly, a table and chairs appeared out of thin air.

"Don’t worry too much. Only Decay and I know this much about you. The others don’t understand who you really are.”

"..."

"If you want to test your strength, I’ll indulge you anytime. I’ve long been curious what kind of place the Abyssal Sea, said to be the worst among the Three Calamities, is.”

After a brief staring contest, I sat down.

"S-sir Undercurrent…”

"It’ll be fine.”

I reassured the anxious Sunken Mire and glared at Great Void, who was smiling pleasantly.

I had no idea why the leader of this organization was trying to talk to me. No matter how much I had to learn from him, there was nothing he should need from me.

Once we sat facing each other, Great Void shrugged and spoke.

"You look rather uneasy. You probably won’t believe me, but I have no intention of harming you.”

"Well, isn’t that incredibly reassuring?”

"If you can’t trust me, you’re free to leave.”

"...What?"

"I mean exactly what I said. You can go. I won’t stop you.”

I tried to discern whether he was telling the truth, but even if I left, all that would happen was getting stabbed in the back later or surviving with my identity fully exposed.

I shook my head and asked again,

"What do you want from me?”

"Hmm, first, you should know this. We’ve already decided to accept you into the Upper Tier.”

"By force?”

"No, as I already said, you’re free to refuse and leave at any time.”

"Spare me the wordplay.”

I clicked my tongue in disbelief.

"If you know I came from the Empire, then you must know who I work under.”

"Ah, you mean the shrine maiden?”

"...Shrine maiden?”

"You’ll understand if I say ‘the princess,’ I guess. It doesn’t matter. You can enter while remaining under her command, even with a completely different agenda. The Lump doesn’t particularly agree with our ideals either, but they chose to join us for the process, not the outcome.”

"The princess wants your destruction.”

"I can’t stop her from pursuing her wishes. Act as you see fit.”

I was left speechless by how casually Great Void said that.

In other words, he was saying he’d take in a spy, who was explicitly aiming to destroy their organization, and place them in an executive position.

I knew the leader of madmen wouldn’t be sane either, but I hadn’t expected this level of madness.

Clutching my slightly dizzy head, I asked the one question that mattered most.

"...For what?”

"Hmm?”

"Nightfall, the Lump, Decay… I know you sent them to invade the Empire, devour the underworld, kidnap and kill mages, and do all sorts of other atrocities. You ordered it, didn’t you?”

"Yes. I ordered all of it. And?”

I stared at the relaxed Great Void and continued.

"What was the reason for all of that? To follow some prophecy? Are you really committing all this stuff for something as childish as that?”

If I could just get to know that.

If I could understand the true reason Scarlet Abyss followed that prophecy, then even if I died here, I would have gained something.

"It’s quite simple.”

Great Void answered again, as if it were obvious.

"To protect the world we live in. We’re merely paying an unavoidable price for it.”

...It seemed that…

The leader of Scarlet Abyss simply had no talent for jokes.

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