Chapter 125
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Vile Seed
-----------------------------------------------------------------
An unstoppable force.
Ever since Pandora entered the battlefield.
The tide of the war between the Anti-Dogwi Alliance and the Dogwiryeon could be summed up in those three words.
Dealing with Urk as he rampaged across the battlefield was difficult enough, but Pandora was on another level entirely.
To see her was to die.
To be seen by her was to die.
To touch her was to die.
To simply approach her was to die.
Faced with Pandora, a living, breathing incarnation of ruin, they were at a complete loss as to how to respond.
Ultimately, the nobles of the Dogwiryeon were forced to realize the truth.
The Paljongyungma.
The greatest talents of the demonic domain.
They had to understand why these individuals, geniuses who had surpassed the wall of transcendence at such a young age, were given special titles.
And what it truly meant to have surpassed the level of mere rising stars.
If there was any solace, it was that they could avoid Pandora’s curse as long as they remained within their territories, but…
Far from being a comfort, this only fueled everyone's anxiety.
The mere presence of Pandora caused the amount of holy water produced by the divine beasts to plummet.
For the intelligent races living in the Labyrinth, a place saturated with corrupted mana, the holy water of the divine beasts was their very lifeline.
In the end, the Dogwiryeon had only one option.
An unconditional retreat.
A massive force, comprising dozens of families and hundreds of high-ranking Awakened Ones, had tucked its tail and run, unable to stop a single person: Pandora.
But as was to be expected, the Anti-Dogwi Alliance did not simply watch them retreat.
They relentlessly pursued them, with Nakrang Fortress as their base, constantly probing for weaknesses. The Dogwiryeon was quickly cornered.
And whenever they tried to mount a counterattack, Pandora would sally forth, compounding their despair.
“Did you say another gift has arrived?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Khahaha, they must be quite impressed by Pandora’s might.”
In the heart of Nakrang Fortress.
A hulking orc sat in the largest tent.
This was why Urk was laughing, a rare look of genuine pleasure on his face.
Thanks to Pandora’s feats, not only had he regained the upper hand in a war he had been on the verge of losing…
But the other nobles, who were usually insubordinate and arrogant, flaunting even the smallest of achievements, were now watching his every move.
Such was the terrifying power of Pandora, the Vile Seed of the Paljongyungma.
And so, as he raised his cup.
Urk thought.
Taking Pandora in as his adopted daughter, against everyone’s advice, was one of the wisest decisions of his life.
In truth, without Pandora, it would have been impossible to defeat the former lord of Nakrang Fortress and seize it without suffering great losses.
This war would be no different.
‘Unless that old fossil Lar Arga steps in himself… no, even he cannot stop Pandora.’
Urk was certain.
However high the wall of transcendence might be.
Pandora’s power surpassed even that.
Just like the former lord of Nakrang Fortress, Lar Arga would be unable to stop her curse.
The only unfortunate part was that her curse did not work within territories protected by divine beasts.
Unless Lar Arga left Giam Fortress, even Pandora would find it difficult to harm him.
It was a shame for Urk, who had wanted to keep Pandora hidden as long as possible until the cornered Lar Arga was forced onto the battlefield, but…
‘It doesn’t matter. The tide has already turned.’
With a light snort.
Urk shook off his disappointment.
Since Pandora had joined the fray, the Anti-Dogwi Alliance had been scoring victory after victory, and more families were now flocking to join their cause, albeit belatedly.
In terms of sheer numbers, they were now evenly matched with the Dogwiryeon.
And when his own power and Pandora’s were added to the equation, it would be harder to lose than to win.
‘—This is only the beginning.’
And so, he thought of what would come next.
After this war was over.
Dividing the territories and wealth of the Dogwiryeon.
Remembering all that needed to be done with it, Urk’s eyes deepened.
***
A mouth-watering roasted chicken.
A salad made with fresh vegetables.
A soup simmered for hours.
A wine with a deep aroma.
And an assortment of delicate cakes.
The spread that filled the large table was a veritable feast.
A meal so extravagant that even a typical noble would salivate, crafted by a culinary Awakened One using only the finest ingredients.
And all of it had been prepared for a single person, tailored perfectly to her palate.
But at this moment, the person enjoying this solitary banquet showed no joy on her face.
Her hands moved slowly.
Her mouth chewed quietly.
Her expression remained utterly unchanged.
Her demeanor, as if this were all just a part of her daily routine, was the very picture of apathy.
One might imagine even someone eating stale, hard bread would look more pleased.
Perhaps that was why.
In the middle of scooping her soup, the spoon slipped from her grasp.
*Clang!*
The silver spoon struck the edge of the bowl, ricocheted off, and fell onto the carpeted floor.
For a moment, she gazed at it with her bandaged eyes.
Then, Pandora turned her head slightly.
“May I have a new spoon?”
“Y-Yes, my lady.”
A maid who had been standing by to serve the food and attend to her.
A maid who, in truth, stood too far away to be of any real service, now scurried forward.
With a trembling hand, she attempted to place a new silver spoon before Pandora.
…If only her arm hadn’t accidentally brushed against the hem of Pandora’s clothes.
“Eek!”
*Thud!*
Even if she had accidentally touched a venomous spider, she wouldn’t have recoiled with such horror.
The succubus maid, who had stumbled backward so hastily that she landed on her rear.
Only after feeling Pandora’s gaze on her from behind the blindfold did she realize the grave discourtesy she had committed, her face turning deathly pale.
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I have committed a sin worthy of death!”
“…There is no need to apologize. It was my hand that slipped.”
“P-Please, have mercy…”
Despite being forgiven.
The maid only trembled with greater fear.
Pandora parted her lips slightly as she looked at the maid, then closed them again before quietly rising from her seat.
“I am finished with my meal for today. Please see to the cleanup.”
Leaving the maid, who was too busy bowing to even respond properly, she walked away, thinking.
If this maid quit too, it would be difficult to find a new one.
Serving at mealtimes was usually a popular duty, as it was customary for servants to share the leftovers of a noble’s meal, but…
That was for a normal case.
In her case, no one would even touch her leftovers—they were simply thrown away. The servants even dreaded the task of waiting on her from up close.
The reactions of the servants she passed on her way were proof enough.
As if terrified of even brushing against her.
They pressed themselves against the walls, bowing their heads as low as possible to hide their faces.
But she had seen it.
Before they had lowered their heads.
She had seen the fear and… the revulsion that had flashed in their eyes upon seeing her.
‘Indeed, it seems it will be difficult to find a new maid.’
Even faced with the servants who shunned her like a plague victim, she felt no anger or disappointment.
She simply accepted it.
For her.
Such gazes were familiar.
A predator is not bothered by a rabbit's fear, and for her, these things were not even worth a second thought, let alone an emotional response.
Such was the nature of the curse Pandora carried.
And so, as always, she returned to her tent alone, without a single attendant.
And she froze, without realizing it.
“Hey, Pandora. Did you enjoy your meal?”
“…???”
A tent so shunned that even the maids were reluctant to enter.
A space that was hers and hers alone, opulent yet desolate.
For a moment, she stood frozen, staring at the all-too-familiar white-masked boy sitting on the bed in the center of the room.
Finally coming to her senses, Pandora spoke cautiously.
“…My apologies. I was not aware of your arrival, Young Master. To have kept you waiting, there must have been some mistake.”
“I doubt there was any mistake. Because, well, I snuck in here.”
“You… snuck in, you say?”
“Yep. If I came openly, it’d be a huge fuss with everyone running around to announce me and host me, especially during such a busy time. Don’t you think?”
“…”
Should she be impressed by his ability to infiltrate the heart of Nakrang Fortress, which was on high alert during a time of war?
Or should she be touched by his consideration in choosing to be an uninvited guest just to avoid troubling his host?
After staring at Dion with an indescribable expression.
Pandora thought.
“Would you care for a cup of tea?”
…Let’s just pretend this never happened.
Seeing Pandora welcome him like a normal guest, as if she hadn’t heard him say he’d snuck in at all.
Dion asked with a bright smile.
“Do you have honey tea?”
***
*Bubble, bubble.*
And so, a short while later.
Water was boiled over a small brazier.
The tea set was warmed.
Dried fruits preserved in honey were steeped in the hot water.
Watching Pandora brew the tea with such natural, practiced movements, Dion spoke casually.
“You’re quite skilled. A lot of nobles have never even brewed tea in their lives.”
“As you know, I am of common birth. I find it more comfortable to handle such small tasks myself.”
“Really? That’s unexpected.”
Hearing this.
Dion’s expression turned to one of interest.
He looked straight at Pandora and said with a grin.
“I thought you just got used to it because you didn’t have a maid to brew it for you.”
“…Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve never seen anyone waiting on you, Pandora?”
“…”
“And this tent, for instance. There’s no sign of it being managed by a servant at all.”
For a noble, servants were essential.
Even poor, fallen nobles would go into debt to keep a manservant and a maid.
But this witch, a high noble in name, was always alone. After a long pause, she finally opened her mouth.
“Please do not misunderstand. My father does not neglect me. It is just…”
“The maids are too scared of you to even serve you?”
“…My curse can harm anyone at any time.”
Pandora said softly.
Of course, as long as she didn’t unleash her curse, there was no danger in meeting her gaze or touching her.
But that was a predator’s perspective.
Only a fool would casually handle a venomous insect, and only a suicidal person would meet the eyes of a Gorgon.
It was only natural to be wary of a being who could bring ruin to anyone she saw or touched.
As she poured tea into Dion’s cup, Pandora finished her sentence in a low voice.
“So please, Young Master, be careful as well.”
“…”
“If you do not wish to be cursed, even by accident.”
If she made a small mistake.
Or acted on a momentary whim.
She could destroy Dion with a simple gesture, just like offering this cup of tea.
That was why she was called the cursed witch, and he should never forget it.
Staring at Pandora, who spoke in a voice as ominous and chilling as a witch foretelling an unavoidable tragedy.
Dion nodded.
“Alright.”
“I am glad you understand now…”
*Grab.*
“…?”
Pandora blinked.
Just moments after she had issued her warning.
The feel of the hand, whiter and more delicate than most girls’, that suddenly gripped her wrist after she had set down the teacup.
And the red eyes that stared at her from beyond the white mask made her dizzy.
“…?!”
But in the next instant.
Pandora froze completely.
The hand pulling her wrist, its grip unbelievably strong and firm for one so slender.
And the boy’s face drawing steadily closer, turning her already reeling mind completely blank.
A moment later, the white mask was pressed against her blindfold.
“I thought you looked a bit pale. You do have a fever.”
“…A fever, you say?”
“Yeah. It’s so obvious you’re not feeling well, yet no one’s taking care of you. Tsk, the servant training here is a mess.”
He pulled his forehead away from hers.
Dion led Pandora straight to the bed.
“Here, get some rest for today.”
He laid her down on the bed.
And even tucked the blanket in for her.
Dion said with a bright smile.
“—I’ll take care of you.”
“…??????”
—Special effect of [The Practitioner] activates.
[Apothecary] + [Toxicologist]
→ [Elixirist] ☆☆☆