WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 215 - Rakshasa (1)

Lumia had wished for everything to end without any bloodshed.

It wasn’t something impossible to understand. If one didn’t know the future, it would be hard to fully grasp the things Sharmia had done so far. One might even come to believe that kidnapping her had been unavoidable and choose to show mercy.

But that was something that should never be allowed.

"Your Highness.”

"Uh, erm, hmm.”

After returning to the house, I bound the still-unconscious Knights with rope and left Rodran, who was wearing a conflicted expression, kneeling in the living room.

Lumia, who had woken up and was now sitting in front of him while rubbing her head, looked utterly bewildered as she whispered to me,

"What in the world is going on here?”

"That man is the ruler of this country and the one who ordered your kidnapping, Your Highness.”

"Ah, I see."

Lumia’s expression only grew more confused as she looked at me.

"But what exactly do you want me to do?”

"Princess Lumia.”

I bowed my head slightly toward her and answered in a serious tone.

"Under normal circumstances, I would have done what was required of me as a subject of the Empire. Report this to Her Highness Sharmia, and ensure that not a single person in this country could escape. I have the ability to do so.”

"..."

"However, you did not wish for that. That is why I have arranged this.”

As Lumia’s expression dimmed slightly, I gently took her head and turned it toward Rodran.

She flinched at the touch but accepted it, swallowing dryly.

"Please deliver an appropriate punishment.”

"...And if it’s not appropriate?”

"I will handle whatever is lacking.”

This wasn’t particularly for Lumia’s sake.

Foolish actions required lessons. If it were up to me, I would have reported everything to Sharmia and let her make an example of this country, showing the world what fate awaited those who dared side with Scarlet Abyss in times like these.

But the result would be the mass slaughter of innocent people.

If they had forged swords from plows, that would be one thing, but to make even ordinary citizens, who knew nothing and were simply living their lives, bear that sin—left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.

It might be arrogant, but I decided to give them a chance.

Now, it was Lumia’s turn. She wasn’t someone who would miss the meaning behind my words.

"Haah. Your name was Rodran, correct?”

"...Yes, that is correct.”

Rodran closed his eyes, as if he had no intentions to argue.

"If a heinous traitor may speak, then I believe the proper punishment would be to take my head and execute the Knights alongside me.”

"And you would be satisfied with that?”

"Yes. However, the people of this country bear no guilt.”

"You know it won’t end with just that, don’t you?”

Lumia crossed her legs lazily, frowning slightly.

"There is no way We can take a king’s head without justified cause. To do that, We would have to publicly announce that you dared to kidnap Us and that wouldn’t end with just you and your Knights. From the very beginning, you placed the lives of all your people on the table as stakes, only to slyly test the waters now and pretend to be noble. Cease this pretense at once.”

"..."

With Lumia striking straight at the heart of the matter, Rodran silently clenched his teeth and lowered his head.

"...You are absolutely correct.”

"If you admit your guilt, then there is nothing more for me to say.”

"However—”

"Enough. We are already aware.”

Lumia shook her head, refusing to hear any further argument.

"We understand your suffering and resentment well. But the Imperial family is not thoughtlessly focusing only on Scarlet Abyss. Can a victory be called a victory if only the head remains?”

"...?"

"We are but a powerless princess. We have tried, but We could not reach my sister…the Empress. Even so, there are still a few things We can do.”

She drafted a contract on the spot and held it out to Rodran.

"You said with your own mouth that you did all this to save your people. Were you truly sincere with that statement?”

"Yes."

"Then agree to this contract..."

Receiving the document, Rodran’s eyes widened.

"This is…”

"From this day forward, you and every Knight from the vassal states who took part in the rebellion will be incorporated into the Waxed Wings Unit without exception and operate as a force to eradicate the Scarlet Abyss. In return, We will guarantee you enough support so your people won’t starve.”

"...Indefintiely, I see."

"That is the scale of what you have done.”

All military power and authority would be handed over.

In essence, it was close to dissolution. Because it was framed as a contract, the matter of kidnapping the princess could be concealed, and at the same time, it was effectively a humiliating proposal to turn them into expendable forces sent to the frontlines.

Even for someone prepared to die, it was an offer worth reconsidering.

"I accept.”

"Hmm. Truly?”

"It is worse than death for me and my Knights, but better than annihilation.”

Rodran, however, just gave a bitter smile as he signed.

It seemed his claim of acting for his people hadn’t been a lie.

Watching him, Lumia glanced toward me.

It was a look that seemed to ask whether I was satisfied now. For a moment, impressed by her handling of the situation, I shrugged and stepped out of the house.

There was nothing more for me to do here. The details would be negotiated and settled between the two of them. And if anything strange happened, I could still interfere since they were in the range of my Tide Sense.

In the end, this outcome was far better than if I had intervened directly. They had turned the massive incident of kidnapping an imperial princess into an advantage.

As I stepped outside, thinking that Lumia might have done well even if she had become Empress somehow, I saw Linmel, who had been standing guard with her sword held loosely, light up the moment I entered her field of vision.

"Jern! Did everything go well?”

"Fortunately, it looks like we won’t have to kill anyone.”

"Phew…that’s a relief. My master told me to be careful with my first kill.”

"...First kill?”

"Yeah. Not killing bad people, but innocent people. Apparently, it’s something a Knight has to do eventually?”

What kind of lunatic said stuff like that to a kid?

Linmel started walking over excitedly, then stumbled, limping as she fell forward.

"Ah."

"Looks like there’s still some poison left in your system. Are you okay?”

"...Yeah. But… you’re catching me like this?”

As I caught Linmel mid-fall with the current, she hovered in place, making an oddly conflicted expression.

Still, there was no way I could physically catch her while she was wearing that heavy armor. I helped her back to her feet, concern showing on my face.

"Rakshasa—you called them that, right? Anyway, they're dangerous. There’s no way you’d be fine after being poisoned by someone like that.”

"Ah, it’s fine. Really. I’ve built up resistance.”

"Even if you have poison resistance…”

"Look!”

Linmel rummaged inside her armor and pulled out several small vials.

Each one was filled with unsettling liquid, either red, green, or purple in color. Even without knowing what they were, it was quite obvious.

"...Poison?”

"Yeah. I drink a drop every day. My master told me to. Most Knights end up dying from poison anyway, so you have to build a resistance to them no matter what. She said these five bottles contain every kind of poison in the world, so if I keep drinking them, I’ll develop immunity.”

What kind of lunatic does that to a kid?

As I tried to confiscate them, Linmel flinched and quickly tucked them away again.

"It’s okay. She’s doing it for my sake. And it helped this time too.”

"Even so, if you don’t want to do something, say so. Becoming a Knight is important—but there are things more important than that.”

"Yeah!"

Linmel nodded vigorously, as if she understood 100%.

"There is something more important than becoming a Knight. That’s why I asked my master. I told her I want to become the strongest Knight in the world, who can do anything, no matter the situation.”

"Really? Why?”

I looked at her as she spoke with pride, asking out of pure curiosity.

The Linmel I remembered from the orphanage wasn’t someone driven by some grand dream of becoming a Knight. Rather, she was just an ordinary girl, chasing whatever brought her joy in the moment.

Even becoming a Knight had felt less like a choice and more like something she was pushed into because of her talent. She didn’t seem like someone who would aim to become the strongest in the world.

As I thought that and asked, Linmel narrowed her eyes into crescents and glared at me.

"...Jern, you’re smart, kind, good at magic, handsome, and strong, but you seriously lack awareness.”

"What are you talking about?”

-Creak.

As we talked, the door opened, and Lumia stepped out alongside Rodran, who wore an exhausted expression.

"The details have been settled. We should be heading back soon. The palace must be in chaos by now…Hm, maybe I’ll just say I ran away from home.”

"Are you satisfied with that?”

Lumia turned to take in the view of the beautiful lake and smiled faintly.

"Well, it’s enough."

A carriage prepared for Lumia was already waiting.

I intended to have Linmel accompany her as well. Since I still had things to take care of, I decided to send them off first.

Lumia turned back for a moment, her lips parting slightly before she let out a small sigh.

"...Jern Aspandil. Thank you. Well…for everything.”

"I only did what was to be expected from me.”

I gave a slight bow, following the etiquette of the Empire I had learned. At that, she clenched her teeth.

"Uugh, I’m seriously thanking you here. Try to take it a bit more seriously.”

"I am taking it seriously.”

"Is there anything you want to ask me?”

"Hmm..."

After thinking for a moment, I shook my head.

"I don’t think so."

"That’s strange. I feel like you asked me for something before…”

"A request?"

"Yes. Well, if you don’t remember, it must not have been important.”

Lumia climbed into the carriage, then gave a mischievous smile as she pulled the window shut.

"When I inherit the throne, I’ll make sure to find you a suitable position.”

"I’ll pass."

I kept quiet about the absurd position her sister had already given me and simply watched the carriage depart.

As I turned back toward the lake—Rodran was still standing there.

"Do you still have something to say?”

"...Nothing particularly important."

He wore a strangely refreshed expression.

A king stripped of his army. A man whose authority was now little more than a formality. There was nothing left for him to fear. I shrugged and moved to pass him.

"Then step aside.”

"There is something I should tell you about Rakshasa—and more specifically, about Scarlet Abyss.”

That was enough to catch my interest.

I stopped. Rodran slowly opened his mouth and began to speak.

"The reason I was able to plan all of this began with contact with an assassin organization known as Rakshasa. Their abilities were enough to make one dream of glory far beyond their station.”

"What exactly are they?”

"An assassin group that has wandered battlefields since ancient times. However, there's something that sets them apart from other groups that simply worship the Absolute Assassin.”

"...Absolute Assassin?”

"Yes. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it seems they believe they will one day create them. That’s why they constantly reach for any means of becoming stronger. First, they cooperated to obtain techniques of Knights. And those who possess both the techniques of Rakshasa and a Knight’s body came to be called Knights of Heavenly Retribution. Knights who kill Knights.”

"..."

It was something I already knew, but it confirmed that this was no ordinary assassin organization.

Rodran continued.

"And—just as they reached out to Knights, this time, it seems they’ve reached out to the Fallen.”

"Tsk."

As expected.

I let out a quiet sigh, recalling the abilities Aksha had displayed.

"If it’s them, they’re likely connected to Scarlet Abyss. You’d do well to be cautious.”

"Thanks. Still, it’d be more accurate to hear it from them directly.”

Rodran blinked in confusion.

Ignoring him, I approached the lake where I had fought Aksha, boarded a boat, and headed toward a secluded area where no one was around.

When I felt like I reached the right spot, I stopped the boat and waited.

-Blubblub...

I waited until bubbles began to rise from the depth of the lake.

"...Puhah!"

Soon, something burst up through the water.

Our eyes met.

"?"

"You’re persistent. Seriously. Even in that state, you still want to live?”

Resting my chin on my hand, I looked down at Aksha, whose head was floating on the surface of the water.

After taking a moment to grasp the situation—

He let out a sigh and ground his teeth.

"You’re the last one who should be saying that, you lunatic..."

He looked deeply aggrieved.

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