Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Witch
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[You have slain Moonlight's 'Kamar'!]
[You have obtained the achievement 'Fall of the Moon'!]
Right after the abyss devoured all space.
In a place where it was impossible to tell if it was sky or earth, Leviathan surged upward in reverse.
Along with the massive waves of the abyss, it twisted the world and tore the heavens apart.
And then.
Sss...
The rippling abyss receded, centering on me, and the world slowly returned to its original form.
I stared at it blankly, then suddenly looked up at the sky.
'...Was it always like that?'
Next to the bright sun hung a forlorn moon...
That blue moon had, at some point, been dyed blood-red.
'It's red?'
It was definitely... a nice shade of blue before...
Why had it become a red moon?
'...Or not?'
Maybe it was just my imagination?
Or perhaps my memory was fuzzy... Either way, something felt off.
It was like... a sense of dissonance, as if I were dreaming.
'Tch... More importantly.'
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【Fall of the Moon】
The false sky crumbled, and the moon fell.
The slumbering dream awoke, and the hidden truth revealed itself along the moonlight.
: All stats increase by 1.
: You have obtained the unique skill 【Forced Contract】.
The last light shone by the fallen moon... was upon you.
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'...Something's changed.'
I remembered that back during the 'Akareang' days, destroying Moonlight didn't grant any achievements.
Now... the achievement 【Fall of the Moon】 was etched onto my body.
'Is it because the situation's different?'
And what concerned me even more...
Was the newly acquired unique skill.
'...Ha.'
【Forced Contract】.
No matter how I looked at it, this was Kamar's unique skill.
Its original name was simply 【Contract】...
But after passing through the witch's hands, it had twisted into the filthy name 【Forced Contract】.
A contract overlaid with coercion and illusion.
'...I really don't want to use this.'
A power to break the opponent's will and force an unwanted contract to control them.
Powerless and pathetic.
I truly hated it.
It was just disgusting.
...That was when it happened.
Whoosh.
A massive shadow sliced through the darkness in front of me.
I twisted my body and looked up to see a dragon stretched out long like a serpent...
Leviathan, staring down at me with its round, sparkling eyes.
'What.'
At my question, Leviathan hesitated for a moment...
Then mumbled with its mouth.
And then...
"Ptooey."
"......?"
It spat something out in front of me.
Roll roll...
What tumbled down... was a single blood-soaked eyeball.
Kamar's eye.
A ghastly, repulsive fragment steeped in crimson.
'What am I supposed to do with this.'
I was genuinely baffled.
Was it suggesting we play catch or something?
Why spit out an eyeball all of a sudden?
'No...'
More than that, why had it been mumbling it in its mouth to begin with?
...That fact creeped me out even more.
'What is this?'
"......"
Before I could get an answer, Leviathan vanished into the abyss with a slurp, as if time was up.
And soon after...
[Unique skill 【Devourer of Calamities】 is now available for use.]
The system chimed with a message.
Stating that the unique skill 【Devourer of Calamities】 could now be used.
'...That works too?'
Kamar's crimson eye.
Because the witch's power had seeped into it... I could use 【Devourer of Calamities】 on it, apparently.
Without the slightest hesitation, I reached out my hand.
[Using 【Devourer of Calamities】.]
[Peering into the essence of 'Witch'.]
──────!!
Crimson magic swirled from my fingertips.
However...
[ … … … ]
[Failed!]
[Partially absorbed 【Fragment of Lust】.]
As expected, it failed.
It ended after absorbing only a portion of the 【Fragment of Lust】.
But right after...
[ ! ]
[Unique skill 【Forced Contract】 has evolved into unique skill 【Red Thread】.]
['Contractors' of 【Forced Contract】 are all bound to your 【Red Thread】.]
'...Red Thread?'
More importantly...
All the contractors become mine?
Everyone Kamar had bound with contracts?
[【Red Thread】 designates you as the 'Guide'.]
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【Red Thread: Guide】
You guide fate.
Fate begins from your fingertips.
The red thread extends toward the bound ones, in your direction alone.
: The 'bound ones' offer absolute fate to the 'Guide'.
: The 'Guide' can summon the 'bound ones' at any time.
: The 'Guide' can go to the side of the 'bound ones' at any time.
No one knows what that thread connects to.
It could be love, hatred, friendship, or a curse.
But one thing is certain...
At the end of that thread, there was always you.
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[【Red Thread】 designates all 'Contractors' of 【Forced Contract】 as 'bound ones'.]
'...What the hell is going on.'
I definitely didn't even want to use the skill called 【Forced Contract】.
I hadn't even wanted to look at that disgusting thing.
But...
The system arbitrarily evolved the skill and even connected all of Kamar's contractors to my thread.
'...Should I be happy about this?'
I now held the threads of their fates in my hand.
...Even though I never asked for it.
'But...'
As I skimmed the description of 【Red Thread: Guide】, my eyes stopped on one line.
......'I can summon the bound ones or move to their side?'
Movement possible without any risk or cost...
'...That's good.'
I scolded myself for cursing the system just moments ago.
If it had a skill this good, it should have told me.
Next time I see it, I'll give it a pat.
'Alright then...'
Forcing my broken body to move, I stretched languidly.
And then...
Step.
"......"
Something felt off somewhere.
It felt like... someone had just brushed past me.
But when I turned my head... there was nothing.
'...Imagination?'
It could be.
Today, even after using 【Moonblood Ghostification】, I'd spoken several times and abused 【Word of Command】 too.
In short... my body's condition was such that dropping dead wouldn't be surprising.
'...Gotta hurry.'
Swoosh.
I raised one arm.
A deep purple rift spread along my arm from the backlash of forcibly tearing open space to send Neru.
'...This one's gonna linger.'
I was struck once again by just how insane Veronica was.
No, I'd realized it multiple times already...
But to do this kind of thing so casually.
As expected... Veronica was a mad dragon.
Whoosh...!
Red threads wrapped around my body.
The threads that ensnared fate covered my vision...
"......"
When I opened my eyes again, I stood at the dead-end wall of that alley where I'd confronted Beru before.
'...Not right next to them?'
Or maybe not.
Perhaps I'd unconsciously thought of this place.
Tap tap.
I knocked on the wall here and there.
I definitely remembered... a door opening somewhere.
And then...
Rrrumble.
With an unpleasant sound, the wall slid open...
And a familiar face poked its head out from beyond.
"Uh, huh!? Mask...!"
Caramel's eyes widened in shock, unable to hide her panic.
***
"......Adel."
[Yes]
"......You okay?"
Uncle Beru looked at my blood-soaked body... and asked in a worried tone.
[I'm fine]
It wasn't a lie.
My body felt a bit... no, quite heavy, and there was pain...
But it was bearable.
...Or maybe I'd just grown numb to the pain.
"Yeah...... I see."
Uncle Beru muttered briefly, and I turned my gaze to survey the surroundings.
Unfamiliar faces surrounded me.
They hugged each other or eyed me warily while bandaging wounds.
And...
[Uncle, time for some explanations]
"......"
[What is this place?]
The crescent moon mark etched on the back of every hand.
...The symbol of Moonlight.
"......This is."
"Beru, let me handle this."
Uncle Beru opened his mouth... but soon, a burly man stepped forward from behind with a heavy voice.
"Since you've come this far... you must have some idea."
He stopped in front of me and showed the crescent mark on the back of his hand.
The man continued flatly, pointing at the mark.
"We're Moonlight."
"......"
"But... we're traitors who betrayed Moonlight."
Swoosh.
A crude dagger popped out from the man's fingertip, aimed at my throat.
"P-Pergon...!"
"Caramel, I suspect this one."
Pergon.
Hearing that name, I was a little surprised.
I hadn't expected... this man to be here.
"I'm certain you're the one they call Puppet."
Puppet... Puppet again.
Every time that name came up, my face burned.
Why did my dark history keep surfacing like this?
I swallowed a sigh and picked up the whiteboard.
[Yes]
"......"
[I'm Puppet]
"...As I thought."
[So what now?]
"......"
The dagger still pointed at my throat... but his hand didn't move.
[Uncle Beru]
"......Adel."
[Can you gather everyone?]
"......Everyone here's already all of us."
Got it.
I nodded and tucked the whiteboard under my arm, walking to a spot where everyone could see me well.
And then...
[Hello]
"......H-Hello, Mask."
[I'll get straight to the point]
Gulp.
They swallowed nervously.
[Moonlight's leader]
"......"
[Kamar is dead]
Silence.
Brief... but a silence that felt heavy and endless.
"Wh-What...?"
"Adel... what do you mean...?"
[I killed him myself]
Thud.
I tossed something to the floor.
What rolled along... was Kamar's crimson eye.
"Th-This is...!!"
It would be familiar to them.
The eye that held countless contracts.
"D-Does that mean... it's really...?!"
[Yes, so you're all free now]
"Ahh......"
[But there's a problem]
Something...
I felt bad for ruining their faces, flushed with the joy of liberation...
But there seemed to be a misunderstanding.
[The contracts you had with Kamar are all mine now]
Snap.
In simple terms...
You're all 'mine' now.
"......"
"......"
Faces froze in an instant.
It was... quite the sight.
But... I didn't want to keep watching, so I quickly pulled out my trump card.
[So I'll make you a proposal]
"Wh-What kind of proposal...!"
"Yeah... you're just gonna use us like that bastard...!"
At that moment...
Swoosh.
Pergon.
The burly man raised his arm.
"...Let's hear it first."
I lightly bowed my head in thanks to him, then picked up the whiteboard again.
[I have no intention of doing whatever I want with you]
"Th-Then...?"
[In exchange, you'll work for me]
"......Huh?"
...Uh.
That didn't come out right?
After saying 'I won't do whatever I want'...
'But you have to work'...
[Just think of it as a part-time job]
"...Please explain in detail."
[With Moonlight's leader gone, I'm going to take that position]
Moonlight had no one left anyway.
All those puppets had found rest.
So?
I'd swallow the empty shell called 'Moonlight'.
Just slipping a spoon into a ready meal.
[Of course, you'll get paid]
Money.
Of course, not my money, but Kamar's.
No wonder the throne was lavishly decorated—there was money to spare.
"But... that's not quite... enough...."
Some weren't easily convinced...
But this wasn't the end.
[Everyone]
"......"
[Don't you want to come into the light?]
The light.
For those hidden in the shadows of shadows...
A word they desired more than anything.
[I happen to be on good terms with the crown prince]
Of course, just the crown prince?
I was the one who beat Duke Delbar.
Sure, it was a judgment victory...
But the world only sees results.
"......!!"
"...I think it's a good offer."
Pergon had sheathed his dagger so naturally I hadn't even noticed, switching sides seamlessly.
And at that moment...
"Y-Yes, Neru? You're awake...!?"
Uncle Beru's urgent voice from the corner room.
[We'll continue this later]
"...Hold on."
I hurriedly set down the whiteboard and was about to move when.
Pergon grabbed me.
"...I don't want to use the name 'Moonlight'."
That meant he'd accept my proposal.
I smiled briefly and wrote a name on the whiteboard.
[Fallen Moon]
"...I like it."
He laughed heartily.
The hanging moon had fallen, and atop its remnants rose the new name 'Fallen Moon'.
"......"
I turned my head again.
Toward the room with that damn cat... Neru.
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[ Neru ]
Unique Trait
: 【Red Thread: Bound】
: 【…】
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First, I'll rip off that tail.
Making me go through all this trouble, while it lounged comfortably on the bed?
I'll pluck every last hair.
'You damn cat.'
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【Red Thread: Bound】
Your fate stretches straight toward one person.
That thread sometimes chokes you, but you do not let it go.
: You offer your fate to the 'Guide' 「Adel」.
You know.
That you are not the only one grasping the thread.
That person... has never once let go of their hand either.
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***
"Where is this...?"
Sunlight poured down, yet for some reason, blue moonlight mingled in this dissonant place.
Klaus looked around, holding paper etched with a magic circle.
"Hmm... it should be here..."
A magic circle on the paper.
The white circle engraved at its center kept pointing here.
No matter how Klaus moved... the circle always indicated just one step ahead.
"What is it...?"
And then...
"Huh?!"
Poof.
Suddenly, the white circle jumped far away.
"What the..."
He'd finally arrived... but Adel's position had changed.
Klaus let out a hollow chuckle, lowered the paper, and turned around.
But then...
"Ahh......"
"......!!"
A seductive voice suddenly from behind.
Klaus startled and nearly fell...
But barely regained his balance and turned his head.
"Finally......"
A silhouette slowly entered his view.
Light purple hair.
Eyes as vivid as fresh blood.
"Um... who are you?"
Klaus swallowed and asked cautiously.
She tilted her head slightly and asked back.
"Are you talking about me?"
"...Yes."
"Fufu......"
Moonlight spread from her feet.
Countless corrupted spirits rose like nightmares, clustering in her shadow.
"My name is... Bellamir."
Under the moonlight, corrupted spirits crouched at her feet...
Guided by the moonlight, they sang.
"The calamity of lust, as you humans call it...."
Klaus's face hardened.
Instinctively... his hand was already on his sword hilt.
"The 'Witch' Bellamir, that's me."
Calamity of lust.
Witch.
That name...
That brutal reality drilled into Klaus's ears.
"Then... what is your name?"
Moonlight flowed...
And the 「Witch」 awoke from her dream.