Chapter 77

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 77

Chapter Title: I Was the Moderator

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I thought the Great Witch had read my mind, but in truth, it didn't matter.

Or more precisely, there was nothing I could do whether she had read my thoughts or not.

"The Great Witch is saying something strange. There's no way I've fallen for you."

At that moment, Otil—her face faintly flushed in a way one might not notice unless looking closely—spoke up.

I stared at her for a moment, and she raised the corner of her eye as if to ask what I was looking at, reacting sharply.

"Why?"

"...It's nothing."

Seeing her reaction sparked a fleeting suspicion, but I dismissed it as my imagination.

Honestly, we'd only exchanged words until today, our first meeting, and there was no reason for feelings to develop in that process.

'I'm not some celebrity-level handsome guy.'

Apart from that, the witches who had observed my interaction with Otil began chattering excitedly, as if enjoying the show.

"It's a good time. A perfect moment."

"I had something like that once upon a time."

"If I were just 200 years younger, I might have given him a glance."

"That kind of human is rare, for sure."

Otil, overhearing the witches' murmurs, blushed even deeper than before.

'But the Great Witch...'

Is she reading my soul's memories?

Upon checking, she sat with her eyes quietly closed, seemingly in the midst of it.

As I observed the Great Witch, Otil ignored the surrounding chatter and thanked me.

"More importantly, thank you for coming here."

"No big deal. I hope this improves Channel 5's situation."

In response, I recalled the possibility of the dimensional transfer failing.

With no telling how things would unfold, it was wise to prepare for failure as well.

'Channel 5 has been fixated on dimensional transfer, but that's not the real issue.'

The problem was that there were no men in this world, so no new witches could be born.

"......"

That brought artificial insemination to mind—impregnation via sperm injection.

Channel 3 was a mess due to zombies, but Channel 4's tech level might make it feasible.

"Otil, Channel 5's problem is that no new witches can be born, right?"

"I don't know why you're bringing it up so suddenly, but... yes. Why?"

"There's this thing called artificial insemination. Injecting sperm to achieve pregnancy—wouldn't that solve it?"

Otil gazed at me intently for a while before letting out a sigh.

"To answer you: it's impossible. Witch pregnancies aren't like what you're imagining."

"Different how?"

"Yes. A man's seed is needed, of course, but his energy is equally crucial."

Energy?

"Why the energy?"

"Because the man's energy combined with the seed determines the witch's potential."

Otil explained in detail.

"First off, witches always give birth to witches regardless of the race of the seed. Moreover, the potential is determined by the man's energy. Simply receiving seed isn't enough to conceive."

"Ah... so a man has to be present no matter what."

"Exactly. And depending on the potential, pregnancy lasts anywhere from one month short to 30 months long. Naturally, higher potential means longer gestation."

I hadn't meant to learn about witch pregnancies, but it turned out to be relevant information in a way.

Realizing artificial insemination wouldn't work, I racked my brain for alternatives, but nothing came to mind.

'Dimensional transfer really seems like the only answer.'

The options were either sending witches through or bringing men over.

"But 30 months is quite a haul."

"Actually, no witch in history has ever reached the full 30 months."

Since gestation depended on the man's energy, it implied the man had to be exceptionally strong.

'Could Brother Yoo Hyun-min from Channel 7 manage 30 months?'

As I thought of Yoo Hyun-min from Channel 7, the witches eyed me with interest, whispering among themselves.

"What do you think?"

"Around four to five months... no, about four."

"Four months? That's better than an apprentice knight."

"Hard to gauge precisely since it's just his consciousness, but close enough."

"Not bad, but given the circumstances, it's a shame."

Four months? Five?

'Are they estimating the pregnancy term based on my energy?'

From what I gathered, they had also somewhat assessed the Reistal heart I'd consumed.

'They said the shortest is one month.'

That one month was probably for an ordinary person with no abilities.

Being pegged at four months left me unsure whether to feel good or bad about it.

"Four months..."

Otil had overheard too and glanced at me, murmuring "four months."

'Good thing it was just my consciousness.'

I couldn't imagine what might have happened if my physical body had crossed over.

'Anyway, if two Reistal hearts got me to four months...'

One more might extend it a bit further.

"It seems you've been having a productive conversation."

Just then, Great Witch Moriahna's voice rang out.

Turning my head, I saw her eyes open, watching Otil and me.

'But her expression doesn't look great.'

She probably hadn't found any clues despite probing my soul's memories.

Otil seemed to think the same, her face worried as she asked.

"Great Witch, any results?"

"Unfortunately, no. Along with the dimensional transfer, several memories are obscured."

Several memories?

The phrase reminded me of not recalling my friend's name.

Moriahna must have seen that part too, but it wasn't particularly important.

'The key is the dimensional transfer clue.'

If even she couldn't uncover it, it was a failure.

"That said, one thing I did discern is a structural similarity to the Gallery's other channels' untranslated languages."

"Pardon? Then..."

Moriahna nodded to Otil and shared her thoughts.

"The creator of the Gallery and the one who sent the castaway via dimensional transfer are likely the same person."

I was surprised my friend had made the Gallery too, but it made sense upon reflection.

'A guy who can dimensionally transport people could probably make a Gallery.'

Dimensional transfer was an unsolved puzzle even with all of Channel 5's witches working on it.

If he'd done it effortlessly, creating a Gallery was well within reach. As I pondered, Moriahna continued.

"In any case, without a clue, I can't fully commit to cooperating with you."

She had promised full cooperation only if she found the dimensional transfer clue.

With that failing, Channel 5's full aid was off the table, and it felt disappointingly so.

'No, of course it's disappointing.'

Coming all this way for nothing was naturally frustrating.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"No need to feel bad. We'll return to square one and resume dimensional transfer research. We'll request your help if needed."

But there was nothing I could do here.

Unless I was transferring the Channel 5 witches myself, there was no reason for their full support.

"Can't be helped. I'll help in my own way."

"If we succeed in dimensional transfer, you could return to your original world as well."

Moriahna noted that success would allow me to go home too.

'Original world...'

I had thought about returning before, but the urge wasn't as strong now.

Thinking of home immediately brought Channels 3, 4, and 7 to mind.

'Not a single other channel world has been resolved.'

Even Channel 2, where I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was, had only just begun—nothing solved.

'And Channel 5 ends up the same as before.'

Of course, such worries only mattered if dimensional transfer succeeded.

Debating return now was pointless.

'Ah. Hold on?'

In that moment of reflection on my home world, my friend came to mind.

If he'd made the Gallery and handled dimensional transfer, the answer might be closer than I thought.

'What if I ask my friend to dimensionally transfer Channel 5 witches?'

Even if meeting him was uncertain, saving my Channel 2 world might yield something.

'Doom Salvation Gallery. He wouldn't name it that without reason.'

If he had any conscience, saving Channel 2 would get a reaction.

As I mulled asking then, Moriahna—still watching me—spoke.

"Do you think that friend of yours is truly your friend?"

"......"

Her words confirmed she was reading my mind.

"As Otil told you, this is my mental space. Simply put, you're inside my head, so no reason I can't read you."

Moriahna pondered briefly before continuing.

"However, if you save even one of the seven channels as you think, it might change things."

"Really?"

Though it was just my hunch, she responded positively.

"Very well. I'll assign three elder witches to you. That should handle most matters."

Three elder witches?

I had no idea how impressive that was.

But glancing at Otil, her slightly surprised expression suggested it was a big deal.

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

As I expressed gratitude, Moriahna gave a small smile.

"More personally, I'm curious. Why does someone from another world want to help worlds unrelated to you?"

"Well..."

She could detect lies and read thoughts—a Great Witch.

Deciding honesty was best, I voiced what surfaced in my mind.

"So many people have already died. The worlds are nearing doom. And I can help."

The words tumbled out messily, almost rambling.

"It seems even you haven't grasped your true feelings. Allow me to assist."

Suddenly, my cluttered mind cleared neatly under whatever she did.

Without my control, my eyes met hers, and my mouth opened on its own.

"As you said, Great Witch, the connections that came into my hands are precious. So I want to protect the worlds they belong to."

"You can't bear to let those connections die?"

"Yes. The worlds' dooms threaten them."

After that, my mind fogged again, and my body returned to normal.

She must have used some magic to forcibly draw out my true heart.

"That's your true intent."

I wondered if it really was, but the answer was clear.

"Yes. Seems like it."

From Channel 2's hero Elisicia to Ice Queen, Quick Fix Doctor, Melani, and Brother Yoo Hyun-min.

Recalling those I could no longer ignore, I accepted Moriahna's words.

'Integrated Channel Manager?'

Me?

My first thought was that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my Gallery window could read other channels' posts.

Until now, I'd conversed fine with others, so maybe it was related—but apparently not.

'My translation and Gallery abilities were separate?'

Thinking back, that seemed right.

If it were my personal power, others sharing my Gallery window shouldn't translate it.

'What did they call this in the Gallery back home?'

I recalled seeing Galleries on the internet a few times in my original world.

I'd never made one, but from those glimpses, there was a specific term for it.

'Armband? Moderator?'

Probably moderator.

Surprisingly, I'd been the moderator from the start.

Moreover, the system messages continued without end.