Chapter 12
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Scene 012 Trial (4)
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Thump.
The moment I saw them, my heart began to pound rapidly.
They went by many names.
In the underworld, they were known as the Ruelverta hounds.
On the battlefield, the Saintess of Death, or the Maid of Annihilation.
But no one knew their real names.
They were the victims of inhumane experiments conducted by the Ruelverta family in pursuit of magical research in the past.
Kill... kill them!
-Gahk!?
They were dispatching the assassins one by one with movements too fast for the eye to follow.
It was truly terrifying power.
The one who blocked a maid's flying kick with both arms and was embedded into the wall.
The one whose jaw was shattered by a slender fist.
The one whose waist was snapped, meeting his end.
The unarmed maids were overwhelming the assassins armed with all sorts of hidden weapons.
They were reapers who feared not death.
The assassins desperately resisted, trying to escape the reapers' grasp.
Th-these monsters!!
Die!
They roared from the darkness.
They fired poisoned needles.
They slashed at the maids' arteries with daggers.
They struck vital points with hidden weapons.
But it was all in vain.
Even poison didn't faze them.
No matter how many times they were cut, they kept moving.
They pressed the assassins even with blades lodged in their vitals.
For they never stopped until their target was dead.
Terror spread across the assassins' faces.
And so the fight could only flow one-sidedly.
No, it could no longer be called a fight.
It was a one-sided massacre and ravaging.
Assimilation by Personality is progressing!
Your current assimilation rate is 30.
Before that gruesome sight, I was being swallowed by emotions.
Assimilation by Personality.
At first, I couldn't understand what it meant, but now I think I get it.
Assimilation by Personality is progressing!
Your current assimilation rate is 40.
The maids couldn't emerge unscathed from the fight with the assassins either.
A maid with a severed finger.
A maid sliced open to expose her ribs.
There was even a maid missing everything below her left shoulder blade.
Yet none of them bled.
Because they were corpse puppets incapable of feeling pain.
The eyepatch had come off the maid guarding me by my side.
There, the face of a young woman was revealed.
Eyes without focus.
Below them, an assassin's blood trickled down like tears.
Assimilation by Personality is progressing!
Your current assimilation rate is 50.
Millium gazed at them impassively.
His eyes held no emotion whatsoever.
No pity, no sorrow, not even a shred of fear.
That was the man named Millium.
And I realized it.
The identity of the unknown emotion boiling up from deep within me.
It was "Wrath."
Warning
Assimilation by Personality is progressing rapidly!
Your sense of self is fading!
Your current assimilation rate is 60.
...Ugh!
At that moment, a headache like my skull was splitting hit me.
I couldn't endure it and collapsed right there.
You damn bitches!
The timing couldn't have been worse.
A thick arm wrapped around my neck.
Count! If you don't want to see your son die, tell those bitches to stop right now!
It was the leader of the bloodied assassin group.
Somehow, no living assassins remained around us.
Do it quick! Before I shove this blade into your precious boy's throat!
The cold sensation at my neck.
He meant it.
Then Millium wordlessly flicked his hand.
At the same time, the maids closing in froze in place.
The assassin leader sneered.
Ha! I thought you had no blood or tears, but you do care about family after all?
One question.
What?
Millium slowly rose from his chair.
How much value do personal emotions hold?
What the hell... Count, what bullshit are you spouting right now?
As expected of an ignorant cur, you wouldn't know. Answer in his stead, Tristan.
The arrow of the question suddenly turned to me.
But I was in no state to answer.
Because of the splitting headache and the assassin choking my neck.
Then Millium spoke.
Is it difficult for you too? Then let me rephrase. How much is the love between parent and child worth?
Actually, I knew the answer to that question.
Because I already knew what kind of person Millium was.
I could easily infer the answer he desired.
Its...
I barely squeezed out a voice to answer.
...Worthless.
Correct.
At that moment, Millium pulled something from his bosom.
It wasn't the pocket watch he always carried; it gleamed silver.
Bang-!
A dry gunshot echoed through the room.
It happened in an instant.
The bullet that precisely pierced the assassin leader's head was emitting faint smoke from the wall.
Hmm... I should have the gunsmith tune it once. Seems there's an issue with the rifling.
At the same time, the leader's body slumped powerlessly.
Cough...!
Freed from his grasp, I let out dry coughs.
Even seeing that, Millium didn't offer so much as a word of concern.
But I didn't care about that.
Warning
Assimilation by Personality is progressing rapidly!
Assimilation rate is approaching 70!
Maintaining your sense of self is becoming difficult!
My consciousness was already dyed in wrath.
With a heart spewing blood, I said.
...Why did you do that?
What do you mean?
Millium paused in thought, then spoke as if realizing.
Ah, indeed. Capturing him alive and making him confess would have been more valuable, you say? As expected, you're exceptional.
Don't talk nonsense!
A shout burst out of me that surprised even myself.
But Millium didn't seem startled at all.
He merely gazed at his one and only son with those same emotionless eyes.
Do you think... do you think atrocities like this can be forgiven?
Ah... indeed. You mean 'this.'
Millium pointed at the maids standing stock-still.
It was worth the heavy investment. They don't tire, they obey orders without fail. Truly excellent inventions
They are women!
Warning
Assimilation by Personality is progressing rapidly!
Assimilation rate is approaching 80!
Maintaining your sense of self is becoming difficult!
Damn it.
Clutching my head burning with wrath, I said.
They are... women.
...Is that so.
Millium tilted his head as if he didn't quite get it.
His black hair, bound like mine, swayed.
Strange. They have no emotions. They can't even think. No different from dolls. And yet you call them 'women'?
Disgusting. Your way of thinking. Revolting. Makes me want to vomit.
I see... Noted.
Millium nodded.
Seeing that made anger surge again.
Are you even human?
I am undoubtedly human.
Don't make me laugh! You're not human!
Is that so.
Moonlight poured through the window.
My fist clenched tight, bathed in cold light.
If I didn't, I felt like I'd punch the man before me.
Millium opened his mouth.
Humans... don't remember most of their childhood. Do you know why?
I didn't answer.
Millium didn't expect one and continued alone.
Because it's unimportant. That's why they forget.
Millium approached the window.
I too have forgotten the events of long ago.
His face in the moonlight was the same as always.
With a mechanical, unflappable voice, he said to me.
You're still young, Tristan. So...
I swallowed hard.
You'll forget everything that happened today too.
...Don't make me laugh. Who are you to decide that?
Millium shook his head at my question.
You really are young.
What...?
You've already forgotten. Your past.
...What do you mean?
I asked again, a bad feeling rising.
Millium sighed and pointed at the maids beside him.
You just called these 'women.'
...?
Myuri, Rika, Cynthia, and Beth.
Names listed one by one.
The number matched the maids at my side.
But something felt off.
'I' should be hearing these names for the first time.
Why did each one ignite uncontrollable rage in me?
Millium flicked his hand, and the tallest maid removed her eyepatch.
The face of a woman with an innocent look was revealed.
Myuri was the one who changed your diapers.
Thump.
The next maid removed her eyepatch.
A young maid with her arm severed.
Rika was the one who prepared snacks for you in the kitchen.
Thump.
The next maid removed her eyepatch.
She too was young, missing everything below her shoulder blade.
Cynthia was the one in charge of your education.
Thump.
And the last maid was the one beside me.
The youngest-looking among them.
Millium looked at her and said.
And Beth... was the girl who foolishly fell for the 'young master' she served, despite knowing her place.
Stop.
Warning
Assimilation by Personality is progressing rapidly!
Assimilation rate is approaching 90!
Maintaining your sense of self is becoming impossible!
....
....
Millium looked at me pitifully.
You've even forgotten the names of the nannies who raised you.
I screamed silently.
Conditions have been met!
Tristan's submerged memories flow in!
Memories Tristan desperately tried to forget.
Memories he couldn't endure unless forgotten flowed into me.
I lunged at Millium.
Myuri...! Myuri was like a gentle mother to me!
Smack!
I swung my fist with all my might at his face.
Rika was always smiling, even in the busy kitchen! Smack!
Cynthia was my one and only teacher!
Smack!
I looked at the girl beside me, once named Beth, and sighed.
Beth.... Beth was the first girl to ever tell me she liked me.
My fist trembled.
My fist hurt.
But my heart hurt far more.
My eyes burned as if I'd poured out boiling wrath.
You...! You took it all away! Everything!
Tears fell.
Because their voices came back to me.
These weren't 'my' memories.
Memories Tristan had forgotten, wanted to forget.
By the time I realized, I was already gripping Millium's throat.
Even then, Millium merely gazed at me without disturbance.
His mouth opened.
...Be wrathful, Tristan.
Assimilation rate is approaching 95!
Just as I was to my predecessors, accept the wrath passed down in the Ruelverta family.
Assimilation rate is approaching 99!
As he spoke, Millium placed something in my hand.
I felt a cold, heavy metal.
The revolver's barrel pointed at his chest.
Click.
Shoot. This is your wrath.
My index finger touched the trigger.
The Ruelverta history stained in tragedy.
Witnessing that dark side, I despaired and raged.
I could not forgive my father, Millium, or the Ruelverta family.
But....
I released my finger from the trigger.
Swallowing the wrath rising to my throat with effort.
The curse passed down in this Ruelverta family ends here.
It was too early to give in to wrath.
Not until I witnessed all the truths hidden in this family.
Not until I saved the world doomed by the players' hands.
I would endure.
......Is that your answer.
My eyes met Millium's.
That gaze was different from usual.
Not the usual empty eyes, but ones straightly facing his son.
I see....
Millium grasped the revolver in my hand and said.
You don't need to forgive me.
Bang-!
A mist of blood sprayed.
The Trial has ended!
You have endured the Trial of the Personality 'Wrath'!
Setting alteration occurs!
You have awakened to a new Personality!
Acquired Personality 'Patience'!