Wizard of the Abyss - Chapter 16

WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 16 - Adoption (7)

History was nothing more than the constant accumulation of records.

That was one of Dercia’s beliefs, or something close to it. However, she herself treated this thought as a simple fact rather than some lofty belief.

If all records that captured the life of an era vanished, how could one even begin to argue that said era ever existed?

Who would even remember it if even its name was lost?

And thus, history was only ever created through records. No more, no less.

Anyone would be able to accept it to this point… but Dercia took it even further.

Wasn’t that a terribly dreadful thing?

The thought alone of an entire era, of the miraculous inventions that once reshaped humanity’s daily life being forgotten just like that was so horrifying to her that it would steal her breath away.

Someone had to take responsibility.

And that someone had to be her kind she decided.

They, who lived far longer than any other species, should be entrusted with the role of guarding the records!

In other words, they were to abandon all worldly pleasures and completely devote themselves to gathering records.

And once death drew near, they would be tasked with writing down everything they had seen and read.

And then they would die. What life was more joyous than that?

It didn’t take long for Dercia to be cast out of Paradise after preaching these utterly deranged convictions with all seriousness, branded a madwoman.

Most elves who had been banished from Paradise would usually commit suicide not long after, but Dercia chose to live among the humans and even became the master of a Magic Tower.

That was about a hundred years ago, and yet she never once regretted her choice.

In fact, even after reflecting upon her actions and decisions countless times, she still felt that what she did was right.

Just look.

"...I’m sorry for coming at such a late hour."

This vast world was still filled with so many unknown mysteries she had yet to discover.

Things she would never have been able to see in Paradise. She smiled gently as she offered the person before her some advice.

"First you should wipe off that blood.”

* * *

Honestly, when I staggered into the library… I didn’t expect anyone to still be there.

It was already getting dark, in other words, too late for anyone to still remain here.

But it wasn’t like I had any other choice. Blood wouldn’t stop gushing from my eyes and I didn’t have things like bandages on me I might be able to use to make it stop.

This felt like hell itself. Tears of blood streamed over the already dried layers. The slightest movement made me feel as if I was suffocating, intensifying the pain.

Anyone who saw me would probably think that I was a walking corpse.

I had heard that undead monsters really existed in this world, actually, so I did my best to avoid the larger roads to not end up suspected as one. That, however, made the trip take a bit longer.

Fortunately, the guards weren’t around at this time, so I just opened the door with a lockpick, which I had gotten far too accustomed to.

My plan was to wait here for Dercia to come, which would be tomorrow.

I had come to the conclusion that this was the best option. But the moment I stepped inside the library, I heard the gentle sound of pages turning.

"...?"

At this hour?

A pair of dark eyes that had been fixed on a book slightly visible through her silver hair up until now, turned to me.

She seemed as ethereal as ever. It wasn’t because she was of another race, but because of the very presence around her.

"...I’m sorry for coming at such a late hour."

Drip, drip… Perhaps I should have first apologized for staining the floor, before awkwardly greeting Dercia. After hearing my words, she raised her right hand.

"First you should wipe off that blood."

In an instant, the sticky, half-dried blood evaporated as if it never had been there.

Thump. She closed her book with a crisp sound and fixed her gaze on me without even asking a single question.

If anything—it felt like she was waiting for me to ask my questions first.

"Uhm, I know it’s pretty rude for me to suddenly barge in here and ask stuff, but…”

As I searched my brain for the right words, I felt more blood about to drip down from my eyes again.

"Imagine that the empty space between these books is a sealed chamber inside a giant steel box.”

"...Ah, yes."

"Could anything arise from within it? Nothing was ever placed in it before, and there is no way for anyone on the outside to tamper with it.”

"No."

"Exactly. But what if something did appear inside of it?”

Dercia pushed a small candle inside the fortress made of books.

Perhaps this was a metaphorical representation of me.

"I shouldn’t have happened, and yet it did. Now pray tell, in this world where only the outcome remains, what would be the right course of action for ‘this’?”

"Escape, right?”

"Do you truly believe that this small flame could melt a wall made out of steel? Some things will forever remain impossible. This is one of those things.”

"In that case, I don’t know.”

"I see. Then what do you think is the best way for it to survive the longest?”

"...Sitting still?”

"Very astute.”

Dercia blocked the candle completely with other books, making it impossible to be seen anymore.

"It doesn’t belong to that world. Its mind and body were shaped by this one. Survival is impossible, so sitting still and waiting for death is evidently the method to let it live the longest.”

"..."

"And yet you worked incredibly hard. Indeed, you struggled so very much—until you reached this very point…”

Dercia seemed to smile proudly as she looked at the bloody tears forming streaks across my face yet again, soaking through my servant’s uniform.

An elf was smiling brightly at a ten-year-old shedding tears of blood.

This sure was an incredibly surreal sight.

"You must have studied magic, and come to understand that world’s law, even if it was just a little. You must have come to know these things not because you had some brushes with them now and then, but because you had to live with them every day. And along the way you might have come to think that this world was something you could grasp and accept—that it wasn’t just some other world.”

"Everything you said is correct, And?”

My reply came out sharper than I wanted, but Dercia didn’t really react to them.

"Don’t be ashamed. Those bloody tears are proof of your effort. By struggling in that abyss, you slowly drew your inevitable destruction closer. Ah, please don’t misunderstand. Not doing anything doesn't promise survival until the very end. The only difference here is whether you die in pain or die after enjoying a fleeting ordinary life.”

"So there’s no way to stop it then?”

"Of course there is. Two, in fact.”

She smiled as she raised her fingers.

"As I said before, based on what you’ve heard and experienced, as well as your own intelligence I shall now present you with the most efficient option.”

Dercia folded one of her fingers.

Crack—! A book that had been lying on the floor twitched before it completely shriveled up.

What remained was a faintly smoking, purple powder. Frowning slightly, as I crouched down to touch it, I could feel that its texture was similar to that of sand.

"What is this?”

"Ranya"

"And what is Ranya?”

"Hmm, in human tongue… You’d call it a drug.”

I immediately shook out my hand, completely horrified.

“You don’t have to worry. Unlike other drugs, it is far more potent. Once you ingest it, your brain will immediately shrivel up, granting you an instant death.”

"Can you please explain to me about what part of this I don’t have to worry about?”

"There has been a time some human emperors were willing to sacrifice all they had just to obtain it. For in the seconds before death, Ranya grants one ecstasy greater than any pleasure a human would ever know.”

"Ah. Well, not too bad, I guess.”

I smiled, understanding what Dercia was suggesting here.

It was an extension of what she had said before.

I knew that this was a gift she was giving me out of consideration, so I could accept as much.

If I sat still, I’d die. If I struggled, I’d die in agony. No matter what I did, death awaited me, so she offered to at least take my pain away.

That was the most rational option.

"Thanks, but no.”

I trampled on the powder called Ranya.

Dercia didn’t get angry at my actions. Instead, she posed a question, clearly curious.

"Hmm. May I ask why?”

"I already told you last time. This whole situation is just too unfair for me to just die like that.”

I wasn’t doing my damndest to survive simply for survival’s sake.

I knew that this might sound beyond absurd, contradictory even, but it was true.

If I would have to die no matter what I did, I’d rather struggle to the very end.

This struggle is my whole purpose.

Of course, that was quite a lot to say just to explain this fact, so I shortened it a bit.

"You only get one chance to die in your lifetime. If it’s something that can’t be avoided, I’d rather it be painful.”

"..."

Dercia’s expression slowly turned completely blank.

Did she perhaps not like my joke? I could see her licking her lips slightly, holding her chin as her expression turned serious, as if she was contemplating something.

"...It’s not quite… but perhaps…”

Just what was she thinking about?

Was she actually thinking about killing me for my own good or something?

That might actually be it. I slowly started to back away, as she folded her other finger.

"There is another way.”

"What way?”

"Convince me.”

"?"

While I was trying to figure out what she was on about, Dercia straightened her back.

"Jern, as I’ve told you before, you are more than just slightly peculiar. You’re an anomaly.”

"Didn’t you say there were several other wizards who’ve fallen into the Abyss like me?”

She firmly shook her head.

"Those cases are completely different. There were heretical groups in the past that went around shattering other mage’s inner worlds, claiming that only by falling into the Abyss could one ascend. However, thanks to them we have quite extensive knowledge about the inner worlds of mages. Yet among all these records, there hasn’t been a single one about one being directly born in the Abyss Realm.”

"Is that so?"

"Indeed. I’m honestly quite curious. I’d like to know a lot more about you, Jern. You could say I am quite addicted to the act of recording matters in my mind.”

...Her phrasing was a bit weird.

"But, I do possess a conscience.”

"Huh?? Seriously???”

"...Indeed. Analysis, naturally, means recording the circumstances of your death. How would a human born into the Abyss suffer and perish? What drives them? What will they leave behind? It is quite the cruel study. Even more so when the subject is just a ten-year-old.”

Dercia cleared her through before adding “Moreover, there is Ciel to consider…” which I thought was quite strange.

"If you can show me something that’s interesting enough to completely abandon my conscience, I will accept you as my disciple.”

"And what would that change?”

"Everything. To have me, a nine-star archmage as your mentor, enables you to attempt things far beyond your current reach. Even while your death remains inevitable, you’ll be able to struggle and thrash about even more fiercely at least.”

That was quite the tempting offer actually.

That would solve my money problems at least. I couldn’t exactly resort to conning gambling dens every time I ran out of cash after all.

"Rise above. I hear you’ve been lurking around in the Academy. Let rumors about some abnormal natural-born wielding strange magic reach all the way to my, an Archmage’s, ears by any means you deem necessary. The moment they reach me…”

Dercia spoke wearing her usual creepy smile.

"I shall come to you myself.”

"...Alright."

It wasn’t like I had much of a choice. After staring at each other for a short while, I rubbed my eyes, annoyed by the constant stream of blood flowing from them.

"So, can’t we do anything about this? I feel like I might bleed to death before I even get the chance to try anything.”

"Since I already anticipated this to happen, I prepared for it.”

Dercia floated a small pouch over to me.

Looking inside, I found a gathering of blood-red pills.

"Taking one every two days should suffice. On days you need to use your magic more, take one each day. Think of it as hemostatic tablets and painkillers….I’ll relieve your headaches. Unfortunately I don’t have a countermeasure against the other side effects, so, I’m afraid, you have to endure on your own.”

"That’s more than enough. Thank you.”

It just slightly felt like I was underwater and my vision was slightly reduced.

Still, she could have told me sooner if she had this stuff on her… I popped one into my mouth immediately, and soon after, as if by magic, the bleeding stopped.

It was quite fast-acting.

...But what the hell was going on over there?

I pointed past Dercia’s shoulder, who was looking at me like I was a juicy steak.

"Is that supposed to be some kind of special effect?”

The candle that she had trapped in the steel box had broken free.

To be precise—it was burning all the books it was surrounded by.

"...Indeed."

Dercia nonchalantly snapped her fingers, extinguishing the flames as if nothing had happened.

"That is what I expect you to become.”

"..."

I just stared at her shameless face in silence.

Well, It was only magic lessons anyway.

* * *

"Haah..."

By the time I finally got to return to the orphanage, night had already fallen.

There had been so much going on that all I wanted right now was get some rest, but I couldn’t do that. The director was probably worried sick, so I figured it would be best if I went to see him first and let him know that I was safe—

But when I checked I saw that the lights in the director’s office were out and no one was inside.

"?"

Next I went to check the dormitories, but I couldn’t find anyone there either.

A chill ran down my spine.

Could this be those guys' retaliation? Did they somehow still come after me?

"Tsk...!"

I had to confirm it. Just as I was about to kick the door open and leave, I ran into someone holding a lantern, our eyes meeting.

"...Jern? So you’re alright.”

It was the director, drenched in sweat.

Had he been looking for me? Judging that his unease didn’t disappear now that he found me, it felt like that wasn’t the case.

"What’s going on here? There’s no one around.”

"Ri-right! We’re in trouble, Jern!”