Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Comprachicos (9)
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What? What the hell was that just now?
Up until the middle of the fight, things had been dead even. For the captain of the Royal Knights, his sword aura was surprisingly crude. And with one eye lost on top of that, his openings were glaringly obvious.
But at some point, the captain's figure suddenly vanished. By the time he registered it, his own arm was already severed. Right after, his legs were chopped off too, and he tumbled to the ground.
Paradoxically, it was only after his limbs were hacked away that Comprachico regained even a shred of calm. It was still true that his guts boiled at the sight of that man.
But at least he could think now, instead of letting blind rage make him charge recklessly. Comprachico calmly swallowed his fury and slowly turned his mind to the situation.
The most pressing question.
Had the captain deliberately severed his limbs?
No, that didn't seem right. The captain had no room for such leisure right now. He was staggering like he might collapse at any moment. Meaning his energy drain was massive.
Comprachico's Blood Tide rank clearly wasn't just for show. He saw through it without much trouble and prepared his next move. Death itself didn't scare him all that much.
What terrified him was leaving nothing behind. Fading into nothingness like this. So at the very least, he'd gift them a finale that would burn itself into everyone's memories.
A stage where the hero slays the villain.
Twisting that trite "and they all lived happily ever after."
With the delicious twist that the hero had fallen.
Of course, he couldn't budge an inch. Not with his limbs gone. His limbs, that is. The flute that had fallen somewhere now touched his lips. That flute was one with Comprachico.
Even without arms or legs, playing it was easier than lying back and scarfing down rice cakes. Especially since the Royal Knights captain was too drained to even move right now.
Soon, the flute at Comprachico's lips began to sound once more. But only for a moment. The notes cut off abruptly. Someone had gripped the flute hard and yanked it away.
'No way—did the captain react?'
He hadn't looked like he had that kind of leeway. Doubting his own judgment, Comprachico craned his neck up. What he saw went beyond anything he'd imagined. It was perched right on top of him.
One leg crossed over the other, fist clenched in mid-air propping up her temple. A girl gazing down with haughty arrogance. Beneath her white hair gleamed two irises.
One was a blank white eye, utterly devoid of anything. The other, by contrast, looked like a normal human's black pupil. What... what the hell is this?
"Hi?"
"..."
"There's something I hate."
The girl smiled, flexing the fist not propping her head—the other one. Comprachico's skull shattered like a watermelon, fragments spilling out.
"One of them is being ignored."
"Gah...!!"
"Feeling like showing a little respect now?"
"S-Sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you."
It wasn't a cringing excuse; it was genuine. The sudden scene had overwhelmed his mind, leaving his voice unresponsive. And it was the same even now.
He was dead.
No lie about it.
Literally, his head had just exploded, killing him. The unforgettable agony still throbbed in his skull, tormenting him. Yet here he was, alive.
He couldn't move a muscle. But he breathed, he spoke. In this reality-defying moment, all he could do was answer the being before him with utter sincerity.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Not even a flicker of fear?"
"All I fear is ignorance and oblivion."
"Hmm, well. How to explain it... You lot seem to call me 'time'?"
"Now that's an amusing joke. So why has Lady Time graced me with her words?"
Courteous phrasing, utterly insolent tone. Overt mockery, but the girl didn't care. She actually kind of liked this thing's utter lack of fear toward death.
"You pulled the one stunt I hate most. Not once, but twice."
"The stunt you hate most?"
"I despise anyone who covets what's mine. Hate them so much I want to make them die screaming in agony."
No bluff—her black eye blazed with seething rage right now. Twice, not even once. Ah, so it was something latched onto that captain.
"But you're special. I like you. Beg forgiveness for your screw-up. I'll make it quick and painless."
"A foolish question. I harbor zero regrets for anything I've ever done."
"That's exactly why I like you. A fool who dives headfirst into the bed of nails."
The girl clenched her fist. Comprachico's remaining body crumbled to powder and vanished. Even as the torture of being ground to dust racked his whole form, he kept smiling.
What I fear most.
Is losing this smile.
Yeah. Just that.
*Cough.*
He couldn't hold it back anymore—a bloody clump erupted from his mouth. The time acceleration only lasted about a minute at best. Even trying to control it on his own terms was next to impossible.
All he could manage right now was picking a direction and going. Fine-tuning the speed or precise control? Way beyond his current limits.
Still, gaining one more card to play was nothing to sneeze at. Sure, it was just one minute before he'd be totally out of the fight.
"...What the hell was that?"
But he'd gotten up to finish the bastard for good. Comprachico was nowhere in sight. Precisely, only the dust that had once been Comprachico remained.
He silently reached out and touched the powder. Looked like lime dust. Nothing special about it. And there lay just a worn metal pendant.
Opening the locket revealed a tiny picture. Some cryptic scribble that looked like a kid's drawing. But he could tell it depicted an adult and a child.
One odd detail: the adult man wore an exaggerated grin. The child, on the other hand, showed no smile at all. What the hell did this picture symbolize?
Was it saying Comprachico had some tragic backstory of his own? No, that's not backstory—that's an excuse. He snapped the pendant shut with cold finality. The guy had crossed the line, regardless.
"But this might be worth looking into."
The biggest mystery was Comprachico's true identity. Demon lore had never been fleshed out in detail. But this pendant? He looked human as hell.
What if demons weren't from some demon realm? What if Comprachico had started out human and defected into a demon? Sure, he'd never seen any such lore.
No hints dropped in the game either. But you never knew. He pocketed the pendant. Then plopped down onto the ground. His legs had turned to jelly.
"This is insane."
"Teacher...!!!"
"Helia?"
"Are you okay?!"
Thankfully, Helia rushed over in time. Her support kept him from blacking out right there on the dirt. Though getting propped up by a scrawny 13-year-old stung a bit.
His condition was absolute trash—barely able to manage even that much. Time acceleration was best saved for a true last-ditch move. Pull it out recklessly and the enemy survives?
He'd drop dead on the spot. Anyway, with Helia's help, he rejoined the group. Cluna took one look and dove straight into healing. He lived because of it.
"This is like the trauma from getting trampled by a horse. Amazing you're even alive with a human body."
"That bad?"
"Yeah, honestly... it feels like you're forcibly clinging to life by a thread."
"...Got it. Thanks for the straight talk."
Time powers came with agony, but at least they weren't instantly fatal. He let out a deep sigh. Just one minute, and this was the backlash.
Even staying conscious was a struggle now. He stared at his hand. The one that had gripped the pendant hung limp and open. Huh, where'd the pendant...?
Beats me. Too damn sleepy to puzzle it out. He just shut his eyes. Voices shouted around him, but he was too far gone to react.
With that, he slipped into unconsciousness.