Chapter 281
Chapter 281
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Abomination 0
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Thud.
You came to a complete halt, your already sluggish steps grinding to a stop.
Thud.
Not satisfied with that, you even took a step back.
It wasn't an illusion.
Something had moved in the darkness.
-Hey, you there!
Soon, a child's voice echoed from beyond the gloom.
It was the kind of innocent tone that made you want to pull out a piece of candy and hand it over.
But in this ominous darkness, that clear ring only amplified the dread.
Damn it.
The self-loathing surged at the thought of cowering to a mere child's voice.
You wanted to light a fire right then and reveal the source of that damned voice.
Absolutely not.
You recalled the rules.
Lighting a fire now would be like painting a target on your back for the abominations.
You recalled the rules.
Everything encountered here warranted suspicion and caution, but there was no need to shrink back excessively.
You recalled the rules.
As long as you followed the rules properly—
"Step back."
Above all, a reliable member of the Sword Pavilion was with you.
She confidently stepped in front of you.
-You, yeah you! Didn't you hear me? If you're ignoring me on purpose, I'll think you're scared of me!?
It drew even closer.
Your eyes, accustomed to the dark, began to make out its form.
"..."
Damn it. Curses welled up like bile.
Its appearance was grotesquely at odds with its voice.
A rag doll the size of a child.
Its facial features weren't rendered with buttons or stitches like a normal doll.
Ears.
Ears brazenly claimed the spots for eyes, nose, and mouth, perfectly positioned.
The only silver lining was that they weren't real ears, perhaps.
"I'll handle it, so don't worry."
-Ah! You made eye contact! You! You can definitely see me! Now you can't escape! We're going to play a riddle game!
Riddle Doll.
Muttering to itself, she promptly checked the manual.
Got it.
Having checked the rules, she confidently engaged in the game.
"What will you give me if I win the game?"
The Riddle Doll fell into serious contemplation.
Ponder all you want. My answer won't change.
She sneered inwardly at the doll, preparing her scripted line.
-I'll let you meet your little sister, the one you abandoned and fled from, leaving her to be eaten alive by monsters!
"..."
Her mouth froze unnaturally.
You recalled the rules.
[No one except the designated play partner may intervene in the game.]
"Sure."
That was why. You couldn't stop her in time.
The game began.
-Too easy!!!
The Riddle Doll answered correctly the instant she posed her riddle, as if it had been waiting.
-Wrong!
Conversely, her hard-thought answer missed the mark.
The process repeated, and the game dragged on.
The Riddle Doll gradually closed in on her.
-Last riddle! What was your little sister thinking while being eaten alive by monsters!?
Delivered in that innocent voice, it was no longer a riddle at all.
She couldn't answer.
Her mouth, which had only uttered wrong answers, was now replaced by an ear.
Even her eyes and nose.
Ears can't speak, see, or breathe. Naturally.
She clawed at her throat and collapsed.
-What's this? So boring!!!
The Riddle Doll gleefully mocked the loser.
-I want to play more!!!
It turned its gaze to you.
-No fun...!!!
The Riddle Doll whined like a spoiled child.
-You're cheating!!!
"Cheating? How is this cheating?"
-Obviously cheating!!! How can a human be a wizard and a swordsman, a priest and a black mage all at once! Humans can't do that!!! You're wrong! My answer is right! The answer is a book!
"I never said the answer wasn't human."
-What!?
"I said the answer is me."
-Th-that's the same thing! You are human!
"But as I said, I'm a wizard and a swordsman, a priest and a black mage."
-Prove it!!!
Rishir proved it.
-Wh-what was that—you're weird!!!
"Says you?"
-Th-this isn't a riddle!!!
"Then what is a riddle?"
Rishir approached the doll.
The doll startled and backed away.
-N-now it's my turn!? It's my turn to give a riddle!
"Go ahead."
-What is darker than darkness in the morning, but brighter than light at night!?
"You?"
-Yes!!! As the great master said, I am darker than darkness in the morning but brighter than light at night— the White Flame Dangaleon!!! Once a Black Flame that devoured even darkness, now reborn as a White Flame illuminating even light!!!
A grayish fireball had appeared, proudly displaying its pure white brilliance(?).
-Wrong! The answer is tomorrow!
"Looks like Dangaleon to me."
-Stop cheating, you pest!!! Tomorrow shines brilliantly from morning for the great master—how do you explain that!!!
-Y-you're the ones cheating!!! This isn't a riddle!!!
"Really? Then another one. What is not a riddle, but is a riddle?"
-Stop!!!
That childish voice swelled like the surface of rotting meat.
The ears replacing eyes, nose, and mouth gaped wide, spewing blood.
The rag soaked in blood.
"Wrong."
Rishir answered.
"The answer wasn't 'stop'—it was my riddle."
The backlash from unleashing four powers at once made blood pour from every orifice on his face.
His face soaked in blood.
-As expected! Just as I predicted!!!
"Oh, Dangaleon. Got it right?"
-Too straightforward for me!!! Anyone with intellect would know!
-H-heek...!!! G-get away!!! You're no fun!!! I won't play with you!
The Riddle Doll tried to flee.
As Abomination 0, it was both matter and phenomenon.
The end of the game it demanded acted like a law.
The doll's body began to fade.
With the game over, no reason remained for it to linger.
"So the game's over, and I won?"
But Rishir seized it.
The doll's body sharpened again.
-Wh-what!?! Let go!!! I said the game is over! Over!!!
"I know. Game's over, I won, now it's time to settle up."
-Se-settle up!?
"Winner gets a prize, or loser pays a penalty."
-Pr-prize! I'll give you one!!! What do you want!? What do I have to give to make you let go!?
"You."
-What?
The doll's gaze shifted sideways.
-!!!
The baby spirit that had appeared stared at the doll with its characteristically spirited eyes.
Smack!
The baby spirit smacked its lips with great relish.
-N-no...!!!
The doll thrashed.
But the impossible force binding both doll and play partner no longer existed.
At this moment,
it was just an ordinary doll, as it appeared.
A bit large, grotesque, and—
-I'll eat well!?!
Appetizing.
"How was it, Bel? Tasty?"
-!!!
The baby spirit, having finished its meal, squatted and gathered its strength.
Then, explosively, it thrust both arms skyward.
-Not as tasty as it looked!!!
Pfft.
An adorable burp escaped its tiny mouth.
-Gaaah!!! What ultimate deception!!! That pest!!! Luring noble Bel with its delicious appearance and then!!!
Lighting fires or otherwise illuminating the warehouse interior was strictly forbidden.
It could provoke the abominations.
Making loud noises inside the warehouse was strictly forbidden.
It could also provoke the abominations.
Basic rules.
Those basic rules were being utterly ignored.
This was the scene unfolding before Bolton, leader of the Sword Pavilion.
Though only at the warehouse entrance, it was a powder keg where any mishap could erupt.
"..."
Yet for some reason,
Bolton couldn't bring himself to stop them.
"The Riddle Doll..."
The events from moments ago still lingered vividly in his eyes.
"...Sir. Sir Bolton?"
"Yes...? Ah!"
Bolton snapped out of it only after Rishir called him several times.
"What now?"
Rishir pointed inside the warehouse.
Whenever Bolton gazed into the warehouse, it always felt like something in the darkness was ceaselessly writhing and shrieking.
But now,
the darkness felt endlessly still.
"You did say that Kort caused an issue inside while removing the succession tome."
Yes.
Even though the warehouse was unprecedentedly unstable, as those words implied.
"What should we do? Retreat for now?"
"..."
Bolton slowly turned to look at Rishir.
"What do you think, Sir Rishir?"
"Normally, we'd return, consult with the others, prepare thoroughly, and come back. But—"
"But?"
Rishir glanced at the succession tome tucked under his arm.
"!!!"
Then at the baby spirit, its brows furrowed in dissatisfaction from its subpar meal.
A moment later,
he scratched the back of his head and said,
"Shall we keep going for now?"
He peered under a rock with a defenseless posture, face practically shoved in.
"Let's keep going!"
Bolton felt infinite trust in that attitude.
The Sword Pavilion members, led by Delron.
The expedition members, led by Karoer.
Now, they gathered together, bracing for any contingency.
Their expressions were complicated as they waited endlessly.
In the awkward atmosphere, Ratsil suddenly spoke up.
"It'll be fine, right? It's Rishir."
Lunadien answered.
"Yeah. Probably. But don't let your guard down. From what they've said, that place holds 'succession tomes' and other off-spec abominations."
"L-Lady Lunadien, I assure you again, it'll be fine."
Delron said leisurely.
"It's a place that gathers abominations, sure. But the warehouse essentially 'contains' them. Most are isolated under strict rules. As long as the rules are followed, they won't break containment and attack visitors."
"As long as the rules are followed..."
"Yes! Exactly! That's why the Pavilion leader went along! He's more versed in the rules than any of us—no, anyone in the world! At least for the abominations in that warehouse! Undeniable fact! They won't run into trouble there!"
Stone Heart and the other Pavilion members smiled leisurely, trying to reassure them.
-Hey, humans.
"...!"
That's when a voice thick with malice echoed from somewhere.
Rishir's demonic sword placed in the corner: Curse.
The purple blade emanated an ominous aura.
Of course, that aura posed no threat, having been thoroughly exploited by someone.
-That guy went into the 'abyss warehouse'—you'd better hurry and help...
But that meaningful tone.
Tension swept the room instantly.
"Wh-what do you mean, demonic sword!?"
Delron, most on edge, pressed it.
-You remember Kort... that bastard taking the 'succession tome' from the warehouse. But think. Would that greedy pig have entered the abyss warehouse on his own? No way. The bastard groveled on all fours like a pig, begging to borrow my power... I sent my familiar as requested and retrieved the succession tome.
Kukukuk.
The sword let out a wrathful chuckle.
-Now, use your imagination. Do you think I entered that warehouse and meekly just took the succession tome?
"Wh-what did you—"
Delron paled.
The sword, pleased at his reaction, continued.
-Two possibilities. If they got hit before closing the door, abominations are probably wandering outside by now. If deeper inside, they're fighting for their lives in there. Or maybe already dead. Here's my proposal.
-Curse...
Then,
a voice interrupting Curse.
Beast.
She called her brother's name worriedly.
Curse replied.
-Don't worry, Beast. The plan is perfect.
-Please...
-Yeah. You can look forward to it. I'll definitely get us out of that guy's hands.
-Please, don't do anything stupid... If your stunt backfires on me... how do you plan to take responsibility...
Gaaah!!!
The sword spewed roars and curses.
-Here's my proposal! Promise our freedom! Then I'll help extract those trapped in the warehouse! With my curse's power!
"..."
Delron and the others urgently exchanged glances.
They carefully gathered the two demonic swords and headed to the warehouse.
"M-my god...!"
"Oh, Lord—"
The moment they arrived at the annex called the warehouse.
The Sword Pavilion members collapsed to their knees, dumbfounded.
The warehouse.
Not only was the abyss warehouse door ajar, but the entrance was piled with all sorts of junk.
The true bodies of the contained abominations.
The worst possibility had become reality.
Rishir and Bolton.
The moment they entered, they were ambushed, and the abominations Curse unleashed had escaped outside.
-Hey. Humans. Stay calm. Shouldn't you seal those abominations back up now? My power—precisely, my familiars—are relatively free from their strength. Entrust your power to me. Then I'll clean up that mess.
Conversely, for Curse, the best possibility had materialized.
She boasted triumphantly to them.
"N-no..."
Delron muttered blankly.
He thought of Bolton.
Abominations running rampant, rules useless.
Rishir might survive.
But Bolton?
What could he do in such chaos?
It wasn't an exaggeration to say Bolton was already dead in Delron's mind.
Just as Stone Heart's face began to twist in grief—
"...Huh?"
Delron sensed something off about the piled objects at the entrance.
His gaze fell on a certain frame.
The abomination called [The Expressionless], which kidnaps rule-breakers into the frame, assimilating them.
"That one..."
Was it his imagination?
The Expressionless seemed to have expressions.
And the emotion in those expressions was—
"Hey, everyone?"
At the same time, Rishir staggered out from beyond the dark door.
Wiping sweat from his brow with his hand, he looked like a laborer in the midst of grueling work.
In each hand, he clutched objects like luggage.
Behind him, Bolton dragged out a wooden chair.
All of them, objects that became abomination bodies.
"Ri-Rishir!? What are you doing!?"
Delron shouted in shock.
He couldn't fathom why Rishir was voluntarily hauling out abominations that should be contained inside.
"Oh, well—how to put it. Cleaning(?)."
"...Pardon?"
"Separating the cooperative ones from the uncooperative ones, something like that."
As everyone stared in shock,
Beast spoke to her brother.
-I definitely warned you... This has nothing to do with me...
Afterward,
Beast explained the full story to Rishir faster than anyone.
-I said it again... Sir... I actively tried to stop it... You must know this clearly...
"Ah. Of course. I know. I never thought you'd be involved."
Whether sincere or not, Rishir replied soullessly.
That was why Curse's despair deepened another layer.
-Ah...
To that soulless, meaningless word, Beast exhaled a trembling breath.