Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: S1.5. Elaine and Pero's Homecoming -1
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Elaine had already stained both her hands with plenty of blood just to survive. She didn't hesitate to smash the heads of hostile nobles, spread rumors to undermine someone's authority, or resort to dirty tricks.
Most recently, she'd tried to exploit the Violet Magic Tower—which owed a debt of gratitude to Irid—using any pretext she could find. After all, that's why she'd jumped dimensions in the first place: to secure that justification.
So cutting off one boy should have been no big deal.
Yet she hesitated like this. It must have been because of the visions overlapping in her mind.
The blond boy sometimes resembled her childhood brother Irid, or even Sledo. But whenever doubt reared its head in her heart, she could hear the First Prince's laughter echoing from the boy's shadow.
She knew many old fairy tales. She'd scoured the palace library, piling up storybooks to read to her little brothers back in the day.
Among them was a tale about a suspicious emperor. It was a simple story with a moral: a king who couldn't truly trust others would one day destroy himself with that very suspicion.
The picture book she'd opened again after poisoning the First Prince had become a prophecy.
She knew it intellectually. Weak doubts like hers would eventually demand a price. But the past—when she'd smiled purely and trusted purely—felt so distant. The path back seemed far too treacherous.
So.
"Elaine."
"...Pero."
"I... I have something I want to say."
"Me too, Pero. Let me go first. I think this is where we part ways."
She declared their farewell cleanly. Traveling with the boy was too risky. His face paled. Even in the warm glow of the campfire, that pallor stood out starkly.
"......"
"I heard you're being hunted for your healing powers. And they suspect you might be infected with mutant parasites. I don't want to take those risks."
"...I'm sorry. For hiding it."
"No need to apologize. When everyone's just lying to survive... isn't that normal? We've lasted pretty long already. It was fun."
"...Me too! It was fun for me, too."
The boy's voice trailed off weakly.
"Consider the campfire my final gift. I hope you make it to paradise."
"You're leaving already? Right now?"
"They could attack even in the dead of night."
Elaine stood up. The guilt of poisoning him with mutant larvae still clawed at her ankles, but she felt she could sever it soon.
Just three steps away from the boy. Turn her back, take three steps, and it was goodbye.
The crackle of the campfire filled the space between them. It sounded like a fuse burning down—or like a tiny flame flickering out.
Step. Step.
As she took that final step to cut ties, Pero spoke up.
"What about the compass?"
"...If paradise tales are true, your risk outweighs even the Return to Paradise. Pero."
"No... Elaine. Wouldn't it be better if you took the compass?"
"It's yours."
"In the wasteland, does anything really belong to anyone...? People get taken just like that."
"......"
"If you're leaving, taking the compass would be... safer. You could even sell it to someone. And my bag has lots of other useful stuff."
Elaine drew a long breath and let out a slender sigh.
"Are you asking me to kill you and take it, Pero?"
"I'd prefer if you let me live..."
"Then why?"
"It's weird. You say you don't want to risk it, but you show no interest in grabbing survival gear that'd boost your odds."
"......"
"I have something to say. If you hear me out, I'll give you the compass. And my bag, too."
It was a no-lose deal. No—a total win. A quick chat, smooth things over, and walk away with survival supplies.
Her foot, poised to leave for survival, halted for survival. In that gap, her heart churned violently.
"First off, thank you, Elaine. These past five days were truly fun. Traveling with someone... it never even appeared in my dreams. Way better than vague fantasies? Felt like I had a big sister... made me happy."
"It was a deal. You gave me knowledge I lacked. I supplemented your lack of combat power."
"I think I got more out of it. Without you, I probably would've—"
"Survived, since no dumb girl would've force-fed you slime."
"You don't need to worry about that... It wasn't your fault. I didn't know I'd fall into the puddle, and you have amnesia, right?"
"Why are you defending me so much?"
"Because you're a good person, Elaine."
"No awareness you're being abandoned right now?"
"A real bad person would've snatched the compass long ago. Way before now. You had tons of chances to ditch me."
"That's..."
Elaine was at a loss for words.
Pero heard the parasite in his head urging him to confess quick. But he didn't want to burden the departing Elaine.
"I always thought you were pushing yourself too hard. Your eyes sometimes looked... bound by something. So I figured... maybe you're scared, like me."
He chose to share what he wanted her to hear, over what he wanted to say.
"But I realized we're a bit different. I wanted to run from fear. You... seem to have chosen thick armor. To protect yourself."
"...And?"
"It doesn't suit you, Elaine."
Pero continued carefully. No misunderstandings—he wanted to convey his true thoughts fully.
"We hid our wounds, turned our backs, and journeyed five days like that. But you know, Elaine... we could do better. Be free. Just a vague sentiment..."
"......"
"I want you to set down the armor and be happy. In a good place without worrying about food or mutants... peaceful. Free from attachments."
The boy's words were vague ramblings. But his feelings came through.
"I don't know what torments you, what saddens you."
Cracks formed in her colorless world, light seeping through the fissures.
"But I'd tell you it's okay, over and over. Elaine."
It felt like light was dawning.
"I'd shout over and over that we can move forward. Elaine, so...!"
Just before the boy's words reached their end.
BOOM──!!
"......!!"
"What in the world...?!"
Suddenly, a massive rumble shook the ground. The earth trembled, winds howled. Elaine looked up, toward the source beyond.
-Rooooaaarrr.
A colossal mutant was rising.
Elaine whipped her head to the opposite direction. No more bait to lure it away. But with distance still between them, if they sprinted full speed now, she and Pero might both survive.
However.
-Rooooaaarrr!
Another colossal mutant—from that side.
I quite liked the Magic Tower Master's Pero RP.
Is this really a newbie's skill...!
I watched the scene warmly, then timed it perfectly. I'd laid out solid foreshadowing up to now. Not intentionally, but the key is being able to use it.
1) Prairie colossal mutants pursuing the party unusually.
2) Pero drinking the slime (adopting mutant larva setting).
3) Bait of Pero staring blankly at some prairie spot.
4) That purple glow bursting out earlier for some reason.
5) Pero's movements creaking like he was possessed.
All the threads clicked in my head, painting a brilliant picture.
The mutant larva planted in Pero's head was subtly manipulating him, summoning colossal mutants here.
-GRRROOOOAAARRR!!
-GRRROOOO!!
From the Tower Master's moves, she seemed headed for a quiet happy ending. But even happy routes need protagonist hurdles. So I made one: round two with colossal mutants. Doubled the numbers!
Somewhere, a boy's voice rang out.
"You bastard—!!"
Ah, that's the Tower Master.
She seemed a bit pissed... but whatever. I just wanted to make their finale epic. Elaine felt one step short.
Elaine's issue wasn't survival instinct, poison trauma, or human distrust. All stemmed from one trait.
In my view, it's responsibility.
When crisis hits, instead of reaching out, she tries to handle everything alone. That 'I must do it' mindset. Blindly pursuing goals, breaking herself in the process.
A mere eleven-year-old deciding on imperial fratricide for her siblings and executing it solo—an immense sense of responsibility.
No one around Elaine believed 'the culprit is the First Prince.' That experience synergized twistedly with her innate duty... hypothesis.
With only herself as the variable, she sees only discard options. Individuals always have limits.
But widen the view: see the small boy not as baggage or threat, but ally—and full survival ending unlocks. That's this battlefield's design.
Call it a simple gimmick fight.
Info provided: Esper's infected, mutant aggro pulls to the boy. Boy has enviable healing. Aggro + heal = tank.
Boy tanks, smash mutants. Simple.
Pre-briefed Tower Master on this gimmick. Pain sensitivity lowered to kitten-punch levels, too.
Will Elaine see the boy as tank or bait? That's the spectator highlight.
Or recall Lea, seemingly erased from her mind...? Lea's sub-DPS position. Both assaulted victims, right? Short plea to cooperate for mutual survival would work. Simple persuasion unlocks her support DPS.
Now, first colossal mutant attack incoming.
Flee or fight? Use Pero or not? Forgot Lea or remember...?
KUAAAAA──!!
"?"
The First Princess shredded the mutant's arm.
Metamorphosis was the process of changing a soul's color.
Intense emotions—like shocking experiences, firm resolve, overflowing affection—染 the soul with color. Magic drawn from burning that colored soul gains special effects.
The reason First Princess Elaine racked up results on the eastern front was her mastery of metamorphosis. She'd restrained its extreme nature... but now was the time.
Elaine extended her arm and chanted the activation word.
"Wind Gauntlet of the Overture."
⟨ Metamorphosis - 'Bloodwind' ⟩
Wind began swirling around Elaine's scarred hands.
A versatile spell enveloping hands like gauntlet blades for offense and defense. But imbue it with color once more.
The sharp winds accelerated, humming—then fell silent. Beyond human hearing.
Slash.
Blood sprayed.
The ferocious winds sliced the caster's own skin. Wounds traced wind paths, blood flowed, becoming part of the gale.
Elaine's hands, ragged with scars, bore the marks of this technique. Enhancing specific motions with soul-colored magic.
From afar, she looked cloaked in crimson storms on both hands.
-GRRROOOO!!
The colossal mutant's arm scraped the ground, flying in. Dust clouds billowed, rocks scattered.
Even as a massive wall bore down, Elaine just assumed her stance.
Then, with a advancing step, she slammed the storm home.
KUAAAAA──!!
KRRRGGGRRRK!
Along the spiraling storm's path, the mutant's arm shredded literally. The backlash flung its shoulder wide. Bloodwind painted the sky.
Overwhelming destructive power, even compared to other metamorphoses.
But Elaine's face paled rapidly. Maintaining it caused massive bleeding; on the eastern front, priestess backup enabled it.
No priests now—five minutes to blood loss death.
Choose within five: butcher two colossals? Tough. Not that durable, but so vast.
Presumed core heads loomed dizzyingly high. Chisel from legs for head hits: at least four. Five with regen. Two foes.
Dodge or parry massive mass attacks, total ten. More time? Maybe. Five minutes? Tight.
Then. Breakthrough—flee.
"I need to flee—!"
KWAAAAANG──!!
Elaine parried another colossal attack in place. Why wouldn't her feet move?
She hadn't realized her exhaustion. Sick of all the doubt, survival groveling.
Pathetic for rejecting even the boy's kindness, vomiting it back.
Maybe his unheard final words anchored her.
Her mind echoed: Flee. Discard memories, feelings, everything—like that day—and survive.
As the mutant's palm cleaved the sky again, prepping her third parry.
"Over here—! You rotten mutants, here—!! Your spawn's inside me—!!"
"...Pero?!"
Pero shouted. Somehow, purple glows burst from both hands.
The colossals turned to the small boy. Toward whatever screamed look here from his head. Reaching out.
A giant hand plummeted to crush the boy.
"Y-You idiot...!!"
Elaine launched diagonally, slashing ground-down at angle. With bloodwind, acceleration flung her uncontrollably.
Instantly beside him, snatching him up.
KUUNG-!
Where Elaine and Pero tumbled embracing, the hand crashed just shy. Meanwhile, she released Bloodwind.
Elaine grabbed Pero's collar, yelling.
"You're an idiot, Pero?! When someone's buying time, you don't dawdle—you run—!!"
"...You stayed too!"
Elaine's face twisted.
Was this boy saying he'd sacrifice his life to save her, shoulder everything and die?
Just like Elaine, caught in the First Prince's game, deciding in agony.
As fury rose to spit that thought.
"I have healing... Heard from Lea? So, as long as I don't insta-die, I can hold. Even for the mutant in my head—they won't go violent!"
"......"
"Then you finish the colossal while I tank! Before I'm smashed!"
Elaine blinked in bewilderment. The boy had a full plan.
"...Not self-sacrifice?"
"Uh, w-well... C-Can't we all team up... and survive...?"
Elaine's expression went blank.
It hit her anew: the boy trusted her. Believed teaming up meant no deaths, breakthrough possible.
Like hearing 1+1=3, she froze stunned. Then burst into laughter.
Maybe she'd misunderstood something. Puzzle pieces clicked into place.
How long since she'd trusted anyone?
Since the Drawing Palace incident, Elaine hadn't fully trusted another soul. Not even herself.
Detour at slightest risk, always watch for betrayal in meetings.悩 only 'can I handle it?' Her inner world: barren wasteland.
If ironclad conviction safety-first, no anguish needed.
As Pero said, it didn't suit her temperament. Each choice dried her heart to dust.
Use Pero as bait: sure escape.
Sacrifice self: save Pero surely.
Save both? Failure means nothing... but heart would feel unburdened.
So.
Elaine chose to trust.
Herself, and Esper.
The winds carving her flesh halted. Existing wounds oozed sticky blood unavoidably—no new cuts.
From fingertips. Wind. Not bound spirals, but free release. Unfettered.
Elaine sensed intuitively: No more Bloodwind.
But this new power. Lower destruction maybe—but possibilities abounded. She gazed wondrously at rippling winds, naming the impulse.
The small realization shifted her heart's direction. Not full transcendence to sublimation, but clear progress.
Winds lightly enveloped her body. Extend hand—a wind strand swirled around Pero.
"...Wh-whoa?!"
"Please, Pero. Gonna sever both colossal necks at once. Can you draw their eyes?"
First trust received—shaky, anxious... but sparkling. Esper nodded vigorously.
"...Yes!"
Time for counterattack.