Chapter 41
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Comprachicos (3)
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It was supposed to be counseling to care for the mental health of my squad members.
But lately, I'd been focusing on Bayard. The reason was simple: out of all the squad members, her mental state was the most unstable. Clara and Ruby weren't doing great either.
But they didn't show symptoms as visibly as Bayard did. That's why I'd been counseling her more frequently. Fortunately, Bayard loved the training we did here.
Especially Helia's tenacity—she praised it highly, even though Helia always got knocked down and beaten black and blue, only to charge back in without tiring. In my eyes, there seemed to be other reasons too.
Apart from that, she was showing gradual signs of improvement as time passed. But there was one thing that never changed, no matter how much time went by: her nightmares.
"Every night, the nightmares come. M-Me... killing my grotesquely transformed comrades with my own hands... And in the end..."
Bayard said she had nightmares every night. Nightmares where she killed her own grotesquely transformed comrades with her own hands. Truly horrific dreams. Her mind was that frayed.
I figured it was only natural, so I consulted with Cluna and prescribed medication suited to her. It wasn't much—just something to help shift her mood a bit. But hey, something was better than nothing.
Thankfully, Bayard's condition improved dramatically over time. I'd all but forgotten about it. So why was I suddenly recalling Bayard's nightmares now?
Black hair swayed, tracing a line through the air, as if caught in a nightmare. Her tightly shut eyes snapped open. Soon, bloodshot red pupils revealed themselves.
It was obvious at a glance that she wasn't in her right state. But in that instant, time stopped. Everything around me turned gray. I knew time had frozen.
"Shit."
And then I saw it. Her palm, right in front of my face. I urgently dodged out of the way. At the same moment, time stop released, and her body resumed moving.
Kwaaaang!!!
A massive crater formed where I'd been standing, as if a meteor had crashed down. I got flung back hard by the debris, but at least I managed to create some distance.
The current captain backs off to assess the situation! But not immediately beheading the former captain? That's practically showing respect to a senior, isn't it?!
That annoying voice echoed from inside the tent. I was planning to kill her right away anyway. Restoring that thing to normal? Not even a pipe dream for me right now.
I kicked off the ground and charged. Closing the distance in an instant, her gaze locked onto me. Her movements were more beast than knight. It felt like her mind was being controlled.
If I were a hero, maybe I could save her. But unfortunately, I'm no hero. So instead, let's just end this cleanly right here. And then, everything around me turned gray again.
"Right now!"
Thanks to time stopping at just the right moment, I could strike at the former captain's neck, right in front of me. Over the past two months, I hadn't been slacking. I'd trained hard.
And I'd gotten my hands on the best weapon available on short notice. Proof? When it clashed against the former captain's scale-covered neck, the immense impact didn't break it.
Creeeeeng.
No joke—it felt like striking steel with a sword. Cluna had said it was a famed blade that could cut steel. In other words, that neck was tougher than steel?
No, this wasn't the time for that.
I quickly released time stop. Lingering longer would make the cooldown too long. I'd used 3 seconds just now. Meaning I had to endure 6 seconds.
Kwajik!
At the same time, the former captain's hand gripped my head and slammed it into the ground. I nearly blacked out. But before I could recover, my instincts moved my body first.
If I hadn't rolled aside, my head would've been crushed under her foot, spilling my brains everywhere. I gritted my teeth. My vision tinged red. What the hell was this?
Oh! What a fun twist! The current captain's sword stops right next to the former captain's neck! Looks like he figured it out!
"That fucking bastard."
Exactly! Unlike the other hateful Royal Knights squad members, the captain is a special guest! Of course he's fully alive and kicking!
"......"
Still, noticing it before getting killed! That's the caliber befitting a captain! Doesn't that make it even more entertaining?!
Anyone would think it was a sports broadcast. I staggered to my feet. That last attack confirmed it: without time stop, I couldn't fight properly.
I hadn't even noticed until the moment she grabbed my head and smashed it into the ground. That was the gap in skill. Well, she was the former Royal Knights captain. Makes sense.
No chance in a straight fight. I'd have to rely on time stop tricks. Then look for an opening to either escape or kill her.
At least, compared to being toyed with endlessly by the trash who turned her squad into that, dying by my hand would be salvation for her. That's when she moved.
I froze time immediately. Her movements were straightforward and predictable, making timing easy. With time stopped, I aimed for her eye this time, thrusting my sword tip forward.
Couldn't decapitate her.
But an eye without scales should pierce easily.
Kaaang!!
There was a time when I thought that way too.
It was a full-force thrust, strong enough to push back the dirt. Yet it bounced off like hitting steel. Not even a scratch on the eye. Huh?
For real? Fuck.
You might think I'm just saying it,
but I like humans.
I genuinely respect the literature they create. I truly admire the grit and love they show. Even though other demonkin dismiss them as the weakest race,
that's just ignorant stupidity from those who know nothing about them. If they'd only read their literature once. If they'd witnessed their love even once.
Then surely they'd have no choice but to love even their foolishness? Look at it now! That desperate struggle to save his hopeless former comrade...!!
Look at those awkward movements.
Hardly befitting a Royal Knights captain.
But I understand.
Because his comrade is alive.
Just brainwashed.
He must think there's still a way to bring her back.
Magnificent. Truly magnificent! It's just like the noble, heroic knights from classic literature! Yes! If your comrade is alive, you have to save them no matter what!!
That futile flailing is the ultimate pleasure! The audience is satisfied too, with the foolish current captain's choices! Behold that noble yet meaningless struggle!
Movements that truly believe he can save his comrade! Otherwise, he wouldn't swing that sword like some mere guard!
Having her killed by the comrade he desperately tried to save? Not bad. But something was missing. The audience wasn't fully satisfied. Just a run-of-the-mill scene you could see anywhere.
So how should I end it? How to wrap up this tale for the best response? Taking a gamble wouldn't be bad. But adventuring for the audience's sake was tough.
They came here, spending their precious time, to enjoy this delightful stage. As the director, providing an entertaining show in return is the perfect reward, isn't it?
So,
let's go with the classic here.
I snapped my fingers. Instantly, she—who'd been rampaging like a beast—regained her senses. She was a dragon, the strongest race, one I couldn't fully dominate mentally even in her weakened state.
All I could do was make her attack everything around her like a beast. At least that was something. The experiment I'd done on that bear earlier was paying off handsomely here.
Thanks to that, we had a proper buildup. First, send out the corpse-like comrades to heat up the stage. Then, for the highlight, send the relatively intact captain to turn up the heat even more.
Now, all that's left is the climax.
I snapped my fingers again, and her beastly rampage stopped as if by magic. Her mind returned to normal. Seeing this, the current captain's movements halted. Yes, right now.
Kwajik.
A gruesome sound. The sound of a heart bursting. The sound of her collapsing while bleeding. This is the finale. The person he worked so hard to save dies mercilessly before his eyes.
You might think I'm just saying it,
but I like humans.
I especially love human tragedy.
Humans turn their pathetic lives into magnificent art through tragedy.
How could I not love that?
Now, show me that face drenched in despair and sorrow.
But I couldn't see it.
At some point, he had vanished along with her collapsed form.