Author: aji (あじ)
Translator: sleepingjay
It was after that.
I started to look properly at the village people and talk to them.
If it weren’t for Brad’s confession that day, then I would surely not be here now.
Honestly, even I knew.
If I died then, just like that, my life would end as nothing but a toy trampled under the feet of other people.
But even if I knew that, it was difficult to turn around when my heart was already set on the much simpler path….
It took the help of many people.
It was because of them that I could now exist here, smiling like this.
“I bet you’ll be surprised when you wake up, Brad. The benefactor who saved your life is way more normal, lame and maiden-hearted than you thought.”
His beautiful brown skin was buried in bandages.
How long had I not seen his ashy silver hair, or his ocean-blue eyes?
“Once you wake up, you must be itching to go travel again…. I’ll make sure you have all the medicine you need when you do.”
Every piece of skin I touched across the bandage brought an uncomfortable emotion.
A pressure on my chest, as if a blade was piercing it.
When Brad was still a child, he was captured by slavers who only targeted beastmen.
He returned to the village at 14 years old, and since then he had been……
Actually, I knew Jill not because he was everywhere in the town’s rumor mill, or because he was this country’s famous hero.
The real reason was because Jill—who still hadn’t attained the Commander rank yet—was the one who saved Brad and others.
Although the Federation of States extolled about the coexistence of humans and beastmen, the treatment of beastmen were actually equivalent to that of slaves.
In such a status quo, the Empire demanded the liberation of their fellow beastmen and warned them that if they refused to comply, the Empire would exert military force against them. However, that Federal state looked down on beastmen and didn’t take the Empire seriously, and perished as a result.
It may have been a small country, but the one who took it down in just one night was him—Jill.
Apparently they were all killed, without pity nor mercy.
This extremely harsh brutality reversed the impression humans previously held about beastmen.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Ca atja alwf, Alii kjr cbatlcu, jcv mfgajlcis cba j ‘tfgb’.
Lf kjr lcojwber jr atf wjc gfrqbcrlyif obg xliilcu mbecaifrr ilnfr—atf nblmfr mglalmlhlcu tlw kfgf nfgs, nfgs ibev.
Dea P kjr ugjafoei. P kjr ugjafoei obg atf vfafggfcmf tf ygbeuta—tbkfnfg oglutafclcu bg fzagfwf tlr wfjcr kfgf—ktlmt kjr wemt yfaafg atjc atbrf ktb kfgf jii ajix.
Life was never fair. But a world where even wishing for that was impossible was too sad.
From Jill’s heart was a sadness I knew, quietly spilling out. Just as Brad used to tell me, Jill really was a cool guy.
“I’ve got tons I want to tell you. Plus you still haven’t properly looked at me and called me by name, have you? Once you wake up, I’m gonna make you do it no matter what.”
If there really was a God in this world.
Please, please, save him. My first friend—
My fingertips were trembling with nervousness.
I took out the spirit drop from the cloth bag and, following what I had investigated, gingerly placed it in my mouth.
Then, once the stone melted in my mouth, I fed it to Brad through the mouth.
“……”
Slowly, carefully, I fed the liquid to Brad bit by bit so it wouldn’t cause him pain. After making sure Brad swallowed safely, I sat up.
Curbing my impatience, I waited with painful eagerness for the moment of truth—a dazzling light enveloped Brad’s body.
“—!”
But just as I thought the light would converge.
A black haze interrupted the light. It turned the light that should have been pure white into a dirty, muddy color.
“Wh–what….. What the hell is this?!”
I immediately poured in all the holy magic I could muster.
This black haze must be the root cause of the curse afflicting Brad’s body!
If only I could do something about this thing…!
“Please—please, don’t get in the way.”
My magic was added to the light that was about to be swallowed up, letting it hold its own against the black haze in the clash. At this time when even the slightest carelessness could not be allowed, the final result was something I completely couldn’t believe.
“—gh, agh!”
The magic swelled and burst.
I was blown away by the shockwave and hot air, grunting as I slammed hard against the wall.
“….No, why,”
Dazed and pained, I rushed over to Brad.
Nothing changed. His body lying on the bed was still bearing terrible burns.
“—why……why?!!!”
Wasn’t it supposed to be able to cure any illness?!
This was the gem that could bring miracles….!
So why couldn’t it heal him?
“Oi!”
I questioned the spirits who were around.
“Where are Harvey and Yomomo?! There’s no way Brad can’t be healed, right…? That should be impossible, right….?”
They usually responded immediately, but now the spirits stayed silent.
They rustled restlessly, then finally, slowly shook their heads.
“—No, it’s a lie.”
Denial spilled from my trembling lips.
That was—no. I wouldn’t allow it.
He finally got his freedom. To make up for the time that was stolen from him, to travel all around the world—that was Brad’s dream……
“Hey, please……I’m begging you, so please…”
God, devil. Anyone was fine.
Please, someone tell me how to save Brad—
As I slowly lost my spirit and was on the verge of collapsing on the spot, as if to ridicule me, things went from bad to worse.
“Everybody, get out of here—!”
Somebody’s scream rang through the institute. Bang—the whole building shook.
One after another, huge explosions that shook even the air assailed the institute.
Translator Note:
End of arc 5
So… is the black mist a curse, perhaps? They will have to find the source, destroy it and that will solve the problem? And why do I feel that it is somehow related to the witch of the ex-wife… the black mist around her and this black mist here…
And now what… someone went nuts?… a demon attack ? Like it sensed the spirit drop and decided to say hello? Either way, waiting for ark 6.
Thank you for the chapter!!! 💖
The b;tch being related to this black mist that make every thing worst is something I felt to Ben a possibility a while ago. So much chapter have passed since we were told she is coming to the country (maybe even already here) but we saw not even a strand of her hair. And since she has at least as much magical power as Lily, I can guess she is capable of cursing a whole country to simply aggravate negative energy or some sh;t
Oh boi, oh no no no no no!
Child! Lilius! Please… be safe
Thank you for your hard work