Chapter 429
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 429
Chapter Title: I've Got a Plan
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Time manipulation.
The most mysterious power among the seven psionics.
Even if used merely to accelerate time, its utility and potency surpassed all other psionics.
That was why the Silver Dragon Clan alone could rival the Gold Dragon Clan.
But the White Dragon Princess had withered away emotionally due to her precognition.
The Black Dragon Princess couldn't trust anyone because of her mind-reading.
The Green Dragon Princess's lifespan was gnawed away by her toxicity.
Even the Silver Dragon Clan, born with the power of time manipulation, had side effects they could never overcome.
It was that the more they manipulated time, the more their sense of time and sense of self deteriorated.
"We live time differently from ordinary people."
By accelerating time dozens or hundreds of times, they could accomplish in a single day what others would need months for.
But put another way, it meant living months in a single day by themselves.
Yesterday's memories turned into distant reminiscences.
The face seen a week ago became unfamiliar.
A place passed a month ago felt as alien as if visiting after decades.
The more they manipulated time, the greater the sense of disconnection, as if living in a different world alone.
It was useless not to use psionics.
Like other clans, the Silver Dragons couldn't fully control their own psionics either.
No matter how much they restrained themselves, they would instinctively or reflexively use time manipulation.
"That's why we go mad."
A month, a year, a decade.
As the discrepancy accumulated, their sense of who they were grew vague, while emotions piled up.
Like water overflowing from a bucket that's only filled.
The myriad emotions that accumulated without release in accelerated time made them feel decades of memories, solitude, joy all at once in any event.
The end was collapse of the self.
Forgetting themselves, reacting emotionally to everything, acting on momentary impulses.
Ultimately, a rampage of madness that destroyed everything and sought self-destruction.
"To prevent that, our clan turns ourselves into machines."
"......"
"By creating rules that won't change even after a thousand or ten thousand years and strictly adhering to them, we protect our ego."
The minor habits they usually have.
The rules they must absolutely keep.
What they like.
What they hate.
Even the priorities.
Defining everything about themselves as a person.
Thus building ramparts of super-ego made of morals, ethics, and beliefs.
Strictly controlling the id of emotions and impulses.
Maintaining actions and emotions true to themselves to preserve identity.
Even if impulses rampage, classifying them as insanity if uncharacteristic and blocking them themselves.
If replacing innate traits artificially makes a cyborg, then all Silver Dragons were mental cyborgs.
"For the others, it's easy. They just revere and pledge loyalty to me."
"......"
"But it's a bit harder for me."
Yekaterina giggled.
Other clan members could maintain their egos by converting madness into fanaticism toward the princess.
But with no one to entrust such madness to.
And as the Silver Dragon Princess, born with powerful psionics, she had to wander far vaster times than anyone, making ego maintenance difficult.
Her heart froze from suppressing impulses too rigorously with the Inscribed Jade Heart-Protecting Style.
She dispersed overflowing emotions by attaching to a nonexistent little sister.
No matter how strictly she followed the rules.
Eventually cracks formed in her ego, letting madness overflow.
"You're the same, right, Oppa?"
"......What do you mean, the same?"
"Maintaining your ego by keeping the lines you've drawn yourself."
The immortal Sword Master who could live infinite time.
A cursed being inevitably染ed with madness beyond even the Silver Dragons.
Yet gazing at the monstrous man who had lived longer than any Sword Master yet kept his sanity, Yekaterina wore a deep smile.
"Honestly, I was curious. What line you've drawn that let you live those long years without going mad."
"But now I get it."
"Protecting the world."
"That's the first line you've set to maintain your ego, right?"
Not out of sense of justice.
Not morals or mercy.
Not beliefs or duty.
To avoid going mad like the Sword Demon, Sword Person, Sword Ghost.
Or to avoid self-destruction after ruining everything like the Sword Empress.
She meaningfully asked if that's why he protected the world and lived as humanity's guardian deity.
Rimon didn't answer the girl.
He merely swung his sword to cleave the shadow.
Watching him, Yekaterina's smile deepened further.
"Not interfering in politics as much as possible, or not compromising in hostage situations—those are some of your lines too."
Catch thieves on sight.
Ignore soldiers killing.
But if a nation commits massacre, crush the nation itself.
Utterly contradictory actions that became rational depending on whether they crossed his lines.
"But Oppa, do you know what they call someone who lives strictly by the lines they've set?"
"......"
"A madman."
No one can always make perfect choices.
Acting out of character or making mistakes due to momentary mood, growth, situations—that's human, that's life.
Yet if someone sets priorities and lives strictly by their own rules?
People usually say this.
"Sword Duke, you're already mad."
They can only pretend to be plausibly normal because the direction of their madness differs.
You're no different from me.
As if seeing a fellow... no, rather smiling faintly as if pleased to see someone even more severely mad than herself.
Rimon didn't deny the girl's observation.
He merely asked softly.
"So what?"
For the world's sake, he'd use even enemies.
If harmful to humanity, he'd cut down even disciples.
To save more, he'd unhesitatingly decide to kill millions—humanity's guardian deity.
Yet whether mad or not, what did it matter? Seeing Rimon brush it off calmly, Yekaterina giggled.
"Nothing much, just wanted to say it once."
A bit disappointed he took it too calmly when she'd hoped for a more extreme reaction.
Her playful smile lasted only a moment.
Yekaterina said brightly.
"The important thing is, just as you have lines to keep, I have things to protect too."
She spun around.
Twirling the dagger in her hand.
Gripping it lightly in reverse grip.
Gazing at Rimon.
The craziest princess of the Seven Dragon Society declared with an innocent smile.
"If you start a massacre for the greater good...... I'll stop you."
Perhaps because the words were so unexpected.
He stopped even swinging his sword and stared at Yekaterina for a moment.
In that brief gap, Rimon sliced the mountain-like shadow trying to grow into chunks with a complete severing cut, then opened his mouth.
"You'll stand against me to protect Moscow's citizens?"
"Yeah."
"That's insane."
"I know. Honestly, your method is the best option."
She was mad, but not stupid.
She knew well that entrusting the Demon God to Rimon caused the least casualties rationally.
That she couldn't match him.
Better than anyone.
"And yet you'll throw your life away?"
"This country is mine."
Still, Yekaterina answered without hesitation.
With her usual playful face, but without a shred of wavering, she declared firmly.
"Only I can mess with my stuff."
Torment the citizens.
Ruin the country.
Or even commit massacre.
Only she was allowed in this nation.
She couldn't forgive anyone daring to touch what was hers, be it Demon God or Sword Master.
After staring intently at the girl spouting madness no dictator would dare.
Rimon asked.
"If you stop me, then what? You'll just watch the Demon God destroy the world?"
"Of course not."
"Or slaughter Moscow's citizens yourself before the Demon God or I do?"
"Hmm, tempting option, but... on hold for now."
"Then what the hell are you planning?"
Subduing her with the sword would be faster.
Yet seeing Rimon ask her intentions anyway, Yekaterina smiled faintly.
"That's simple, isn't it?"
As if wondering why he asked something so obvious, with a playful smile.
Yekaterina declared.
"I'll stop the Demon God myself."
"......You think that's possible?"
She claimed she'd defeat the Demon God without casualties.
If not, don't interfere and scram.
Rimon furrowed his brow at Yekaterina stating the madness so confidently.
"No Light Dragon Corps to help, and with that curse making it hard to even use your sword properly in your current state?"
It was a sharp point.
The black pattern starting from her left arm had spread past shoulder and neck to left cheek and chest.
Suppressing the curse alone consumed considerable psionics, so she wasn't at full strength.
Even without the curse, same story.
The Demon God was what the Seven Dragon Society's top one-on-one fighter, Blue Dragon Princess, couldn't beat even with full clan mobilization.
Not fully revived yet, but facing it without the Seven Dragon Corps to resonate psionics?
Maybe Gold Dragon Princess.
For other princesses, attempting it was suicide, pure madness.
But Yekaterina didn't flinch at Rimon's point.
She just smiled faintly.
"Don't worry about that. I've got a plan."
"A plan?"
"Yeah."
He only narrowed his brow more at her answer.
Showing no sign of belief.
To the utterly skeptical Rimon, the silver-haired girl said mischievously.
"Forgot something important, Oppa? We don't absolutely need the Seven Dragon Corps to perform at full power."
"What do you......"
Rimon froze.
The moment he saw the smile lingering on Yekaterina's lips.
He realized what her "plan" was.
"You don't mean......!"
He moved reflexively.
To stop what she was about to do.
Unfortunately, the Seven Dragon Society's fastest princess, faster than even the Sword Master, thrust one arm forward before Rimon could restrain her.
The moment her fully extended right arm snapped back.
Puuk!
Flesh tore.
Blood droplets sprayed.
The grotesque dagger gripped backward in her jade-white hand plunged into her chest.
"......You're truly out of your mind."
"Ahaha...... That's, really, the highest praise."
It was expected.
But the act she committed to the end.
An atrocity no other clan's princess, nor any past Silver Dragon Princess, had attempted.
As Rimon looked at her in bewilderment.
Yekaterina thought.
Just seeing Rimon's face like that made it worth it.
The girl, wearing the most joyful smile, pushed the dagger deeper into her heart.
Thump.
The dragon's instinct awakened sensing life's crisis.
Her silver pupils.
Split vertically.