Ch 221
-These pests!!!
Kwarurung!
Amidst the subsiding sandstorm, a roar like thunder echoed.
It was the fruit of the heroes’ hard-fought battle.
Thus, the age of demons would end, and their age would return.
However.
The emotion they felt now was not the joy of victory.
-How well you burn the insignificant mortal fate!!!
Similarly, the emotion it felt seemed far from the despair of defeat.
The Sand Mountain that Hides the Sky.
Awakened from its long seal, it had no time to enjoy its freedom before being captured again by the heroes and sealed.
It was a process that had been repeated many times.
And, perhaps, it was a process that would be repeated in the future.
As long as the Dark Elves do not abandon the sacrifice and will of the Great Hero.
That High-Ranking Demon would not be able to escape its pitiful fate of only being released and imprisoned repeatedly.
Nevertheless.
It was saying that.
-Oh, then this━ Sand Mountain that Hides the Sky, Verbandes, will watch carefully. Your meaningless struggles.
Struggle all you want.
Thud.
A woman standing apart from the heroes stepped forward and spoke to it.
“Which side is truly struggling.”
-You! Is that so! It was you again this time!
Kwarung!
Recognizing the woman’s face, the sandstorm expressed its intense emotion with thunder.
Labella of the Forest Night.
She calmly said to the sandstorm.
“How many times do you need to trample on such despicable pests before you’re satisfied? Verbandes. How about you give up now.”
Kwarung.
Kwarurung!
That thunderous sound echoed repeatedly, like laughter.
-Were you also a mere pest trapped in the shackles of mortality!!! I see fragments of mortality in you!!! Forest Night! Are you afraid of the passage of time! Is fate ultimately a curse of an ending for you!!!
“…”
It was certainly a last ditch effort of a loser.
No matter how one denies it.
The victory the heroes had won now did not change.
The same was true of the defeat the demon faced.
Yet, the demon’s voice caused anguish among the heroes.
As the demon said.
They were feeling anxious about this endless cycle.
How long must they dedicate themselves to a seal that will eventually break?
How long must they sacrifice themselves to seal a demon that will eventually awaken again?
The answer was predetermined.
-Mortal pests! Struggle forever!!! Your eternity will be nothing more than a moment to me!!! I, the Sand Mountain that Hides the Sky, Verbandes, am immortal!!! I will be at your end!
Forever.
Until that demon met its complete death, that sickening cycle would repeat endlessly.
They dreamed of the demon’s death.
✦✦✦
“Verbandes?”
Labella cautiously uttered that name.
“!!!”
Then, the Crybaby Spirit shook its head violently.
“No!!! I’m Verbande…ts! I said!!!”
Its eyebrows, which originally maintained a sharp angle, drew an even steeper curve.
It was a declaration filled with a strong will and anger, implying dire consequences if the name was mispronounced again.
“If you keep doing that, you know you won’t be able to be cozy with Master?!?”
“Cozy…”
Just as Labella reflexively pondered that mysterious code（?）,
“Ber!”
“!!!”
The Crybaby Spirit reacted strongly to the man’s call.
That man’s eyebrows were quite impressive.
“You can’t do that to your older sister! Spank!”
“!!!”
Spank.
At that earth-shattering remark, the Crybaby Spirit’s eyes widened.
“Then I’ll apologize!!!”
The Crybaby Spirit immediately cowered.
From its appropriately subdued eyebrows, the Crybaby Spirit’s deep remorse was felt.
“Older sister! I’m sorry!!! I’ll take back my mean words!!!”
Is not being able to be cozy such a harsh word?
Labella almost forgot her own situation and fell into contemplation.
“I’ll forgive you for changing my name!!! So, will you forgive me too!?”
The Crybaby Spirit poked its head forward.
As if offering a handshake!
It was the spirit of a valiant woman, suggesting a gesture to stroke this head and forget the past.
“…”
Labella, mesmerized, placed her hand on its head.
Then, the Crybaby Spirit shook its head vigorously, as if accepting the handshake.
Swish swish!
The strong friction felt on her palm hinted that their relationship had become stronger than before.
“Okay!”
What’s okay?
Anyway, the satisfied Crybaby Spirit removed its head.
Then, it confidently spoke to Lisir.
“Master! I apologized to my older sister!”
“Ber, do you know!?”
“!!!”
“How cozy it is to admit your mistakes and apologize first!”
“!!!!!”
The Crybaby Spirit proudly raised both hands.
“What on earth…”
Thus.
Labella made a complex smile at the antics of the child（?） unfolding before her eyes.
Then she looked at Lisir.
“Child, would you explain in detail what happened?”
✦✦✦
The Crybaby Spirit frolicked among the butterflies in the flowerbed.
It was a sight Labella, who lived a lonely life in the forest, often dreamed of.
However.
Now, that peaceful and charming sight appeared quite different to Labella’s eyes.
“That spirit really…”
The Sahilla Family, which governs Caelin, the city of the Dark Elves.
The noble lady and treasure of the Sahilla Family.
Having heard the whole story from Lisir, Labella could no longer accept the Crybaby Spirit at face value.
And that’s because.
It was clearly a High-Ranking Demon, originally the Dark Elves’ archenemy and nightmare.
“Bella?”
“Yes?”
At that moment.
Lisir, carefully observing her reaction, cautiously opened his mouth.
His expression clearly showed surprise.
“You believe my story?”
It wasn’t anything else, but Labella had seriously listened to his story related to his ability.
The Dark Elf Princess implanted a demon in my body.
That’s how I became a spirit.
That insane story!
“It’s a matter of the child caring for me. Shouldn’t I naturally listen seriously?”
Lisir was moved by her kind smile that embraced the hardships he had experienced, but at the same time, he felt complex emotions.
It’s my disciple’s disciple’s story.
It was simply because of that reason that he understood how unreasonable his ability was.
In fact, how much abuse had he suffered in the process of making others understand this ability!
If one had rational thinking, it’s natural to doubt and observe!
It was a thought completed within Lisir through numerous processes.
That was why Lisir felt complex emotions about Labella’s reaction.
At that moment.
Labella meaningfully began to speak, saying that she fully understood Lisir’s anguish.
“Above all━ this is not the first time I’ve encountered an ability like the one the child mentioned.”
“…!”
Up.
Lisir was so surprised that he jumped up from the bench.
“Is, is that really true!?”
Labella gently grasped Lisir’s hand, calming him down and seating him back down.
“Of course. As the child said, this is the first time I’ve seen a demon transformed into a pure spirit.”
“Then-…”
“However. Should I say that I know of similar precedents?”
Purifying Power.
Labella repeated the name mentioned by Lisir.
“You said that’s what you call the child’s power, right?”
“Yes.”
“What a coincidence. That name is very familiar to me.”
“That means… you know someone else who uses the Purifying Power besides me━”
Her languid silver eyes created a mischievous smile as she looked at Lisir.
“Apparently, this hasn’t been recorded in history. Well, it’s a better story to simply call it a ‘miracle’.”
“Miracle…”
Lisir recalled something from that word.
Surprise appeared on his face.
“Could it be━”
“Tara Dorin. A figure more familiar to the child as the name of the first saint.”
“…!”
Lisir unconsciously covered his mouth with his hand.
A chuckle escaped from the gap.
The name mentioned was more grand than he had imagined.
The Great Hero who ended the era of chaos here-
Could it be that the legendary figure who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Hero would be mentioned?
“The first saint also wielded the Purifying Power?”
“Yes. If my memory serves me right.”
Lisir was completely engrossed in the old stories told by his Grand Master.
His ability, which he thought he would never be able to uncover its true nature.
Not only was a clue to its true nature presented, but it was also linked to a legendary figure.
Truly a Grand Master.
No, here it would be more appropriate to call her ‘Forest Night’.
Lisir felt awe at her amazing insight that encompassed the distant past.
“…”
Labella smiled, finding Lisir adorable.
The spiritualization of Verbandes.
Or rather, the ruin of the demon Verbandes.
Was it because she realized the cause of that incredible event?
Forest Night had already regained her usual composure.
Then suddenly.
“Bella…?”
Lisir cautiously spoke to her.
Her hand holding his.
Her gaze upon him.
He felt deep concern in all of it.
“Child. If you want to talk about your power, I think I have to tell you something unpleasant. And. This is something I have to tell you whether you want to hear it or not.”
“…”
Thump!
Lisir’s heart beat rapidly.
He thought.
That what was coming had finally arrived.
“Shall we get up?”
Labella stood up from her seat and faced Lisir.
“It’s ironic. Now that I know my long-held wish has been fulfilled thanks to our child. There’s something I need to prioritize over celebrating with you.”
“Is it related to my power?”
Labella nodded weakly.
“From now on, I’m going to investigate various materials. Since it was so long ago, and I’ve forgotten about it, I think I need to retrace my steps slowly.”
She gently grasped Lisir’s hand once more.
It was a very delicate and soft touch compared to the presence that the name Forest Night possessed.
“I’ll warn you in advance. It could be a very difficult conversation for both of us. So please. Be prepared.”
“Understood.”
“…”
She smiled wearily and stroked Lisir’s head.
Thus, the dawn conversation abruptly ended.
✦✦✦
A giant tree located near the hut.
Entering through the windows and doors, a vast space unfolds, distinctly different from what is seen from the outside.
Formally, it’s Forest Night’s study-
but considering its size, it was a place that could be called a library without any problem.
Now.
Labella was sitting in front of a desk in the center of the study, browsing through several books.
“Ah.”
A deep sigh escaped her lips.
Tara Dorin, the first saint.
Labella spent time carefully reflecting on the life of the great Great Hero.
In the process, her achievements were re-examined-
and her abilities were re-examined.
And above all.
Her ultimate fate due to that ability was re-examined.
Dedication.
Sacrifice.
And purification.
The first saint met her end after overusing that Purifying Power.
Suddenly.
The High-Ranking Demon who had become a spirit came to Labella’s mind.
“…”
Labella quietly closed the book and fell into thought.
Her languid expression gradually turned to anguish.
✦✦✦
“Child, I have something to tell you.”
“Bella?”
Breakfast time.
Labella subtly began to speak at a gathering where Lisir and his party were gathered.
“I think your friends should know this as well, so I’ve made arrangements for this gathering.”
Labella, standing alone, looked around at those seated.
“If you don’t mind me asking, child. Has your power been used solely by your own will until now? Has anyone ever forced you to use that power?”
Lisir’s party unconsciously focused their eyes or lowered their gaze.
The sorrowful anger of the night was heavily present in the air, weighing them down.
“…Yes, Bella. I have used this power entirely by my own will.”
“Then. Then it’s-… fortunate.”
Huff.
Labella gasped for breath before speaking.
“Lisir. To get to the point, you must never use that power again.”
Then she spoke of the miraculous power wielded by the first saint and the price she paid for it.
“As you know. She performed countless acts of ‘purification’. That power to ‘destroy’ unholy power was certainly a power worthy of being called a ‘miracle’.”
However.
She added in a grave tone.
“Such an unreasonable power comes with a price.”
The first saint had to pay a great price every time she used the Purifying Power.
The saint’s originally great status was degraded as she used the Purifying Power-
and in the end, she lost all her status and eventually disappeared.
That was.
The end of those who wielded the Purifying Power.
Labella recalled the saint’s countless achievements.
No matter how much Lisir had misused the Purifying Power, it would not compare to that number.
However.
The scale.
The purification of the High-Ranking Demon Verbandes.
Among the countless achievements of the saint, there was nothing comparable to it.
For example.
Lisir had used a power on a scale that even the saint had never experienced, and he had paid the price.
How unstable his existence, which appears perfectly fine on the surface, actually is-
Labella’s expression was filled with deep worry as she considered this.
“Child.”
Labella closed her eyes tightly and continued with difficulty.
“Something unusual must have happened to you every time you used the Purifying Power.”
“…That’s right.”
Lisir said with a tense expression.
“Every time I used the Purifying Power… I experienced an abnormal increase in status.”
“Yes. When you use the Purifying Power, as a price━”
Wait.
Something’s wrong with what I’m saying.
“You said your status was degraded…?”
“Yes? No, I said my status increased.”
“…”
Hmm.
Forest Night.
Her expression, which had been infinitely serious, became serious in a different way.
“…”
Lisir’s party cautiously looked up at her.
They began to feel a sense of friendliness towards that transcendent being whom they had never dared to approach.
✦✦✦
Translator’s Blog
Blog
- My Early 20s Emo Profile: A Journey Back to Myspace (And Why It Still Haunts Me)
- Feeling like a lazy Naruto? This is How You Stop Procrastinating and Conquer Your To-Do List Like a True Hokage
- Lost in Translation: When Your Brain Goes on a Tangent While Reading Light Novels
- How to Stop Your Friends From Thinking You’re a Weeb: A Guide for the Anime-Obsessed
- Light Novel Addiction: How One Hour of Sleep Loss Can Ruin Your Day (and Your Life)
Leave a Reply