Chapter 96 – The Lunatic Who Shares Laughter And The Old Man Who Loathes Emptiness 3
Translator: Jay_Samuel Editor: JackOFallTrades
Around the time when Kaito and Nonorik were increasing the speed of their sword fight.
Minnalis and Shuria, who were facing Fegner, also continued fighting.
「Ugh, Raaaaaaaa!!」
「Mm, ugh!!」 「Kuu」
Fegner alone is completely holding us off, even with the combination of sword strikes from me and Shuria.
Where on earth is such power coming from, even though he is only wielding a slightly shorter dagger, each and every strike feels heavy, as if he were swinging around a large sword.
Unable to withstand the weight of the sword sent my way, I got blown backwards.
Aiming at that chance, the armored doll Shuria controls swings its sword downwards, but the sword is also stopped without difficulty.
(Then, how about this!!)
「『Ice Pick Ice Needles』!!」
Pointed ice thorns with the thickness of an arm stretches from Fegner’s rear to both of his sides.
「You are so naive, you young lass!!」
With the thorns on the left and right as decoy, the ice thorns, that certainly should have extended from his blind spots, intersects smoothly without even so much as a graze.
「『Wind Shot shooting wind』! 『Extend Wind extending wind blade』」
「Mm, aaah, and that was my favorite armor!!」
Fegner’s wind magic breaks the stance of the armored doll that Shuria controls with a sideways sweep, and at the same time, Fegner’s slashing attack with a blade formed with wind magic cuts the torso into two with a single strike from the other side.
However, Shuria also isn’t so naive that she will be done in just like that.
「You this, unforgivable!!」
「Tsk!!」
The armored doll that was split into two, as a last struggle, the operation of the joints of its arms and legs are set to maximum, and proceeds to grapple Fegner’s body.
「Minnalis-san!!」
「I know! 『Poison Mist poison fog』!!」
Fuu, as she sucks in as much air as she can to her utmost limit, she blows out poisonous smoke so as to engulf Fegner and co.
「!! 『Bloom Armor wind armor』, 『Upstorm rising storm』!!」
However, Fegner shakes off the armored doll grappling him with wind magic.
My poisonous smoke was blown away by Fegner’s wind before it could take effect.
「Haa, haa, get lost, f*ck!!」
Fegner kicks off the upper body of the armored doll that fell due to gravity into his cleared field of vision.
「Kuu!!」
「!!」
The armored doll that was sent flying along with the sound of bashed metal, flew towards me.
Shuria manipulates the armored doll, and tries to kill its speed by sticking the sword into the ground.
The operational part of the armor which had become fragile reached its limit, and the parts of the arm broke away, but thanks to that, I was able to deal with Fegner who came rushing towards me at the same time.
「Haa, mm, Uraaa!!」
「Haahh!」
The sound of metallic clanks blares again.
(Mm, that’s quite an unnerving sword intent* isn’t it) [TLN: A deep understanding of the sword that is manifested through the sword]
Fegner’s overhand grip and the back-hand grip sword intent, exhibits an entirely different sword lines even though they are swung in the same way.
And, even more than that, an expert in sword intent doesn’t show any openings.
The reason I have been able to take on Fegner who utilizes a lot of skillful swordsmanship, is the accumulated result of my relentless practice with a far more superior opponent on a routine basis.
『Listen, Minnalis. First of all, above all else is the eyes. As long as you are unable to seize your opponent’s attacks, then you’re not even fit for a sand bag. And you may not be able to avoid it when you see the attack, but it will be possible to defend against an opponent of several levels higher』
Thus, is how I have been able to see through the swung sword at the last minute through visual speed during training with master.
That is how we are also able to deal with baits and decoys.
「『Puppet Possession? Neko, Kuma, Metal*』!!」 TLN: Literal translation is Cat, Bear, Metal respectively.
「Tsk, what are these guys」
It is Shuria’s servants that attack all at once.
She seems to have redistibuted the magic powers recovered to strengthen the abilities of the Armored dolls.
「There!!」
「Goddamn it!!」
However, the attacks of Shuria’s servants, as well as the strike that took advantage of that opening, were defended at the last second.
In truth, he’s indeed strong.
If he were in perfect condition, we would have surely had no chance at all.
「Ha, haa, ah」
「Fuu, Oh-ho, what’s wrong? you seem to be a little tired for some time now」
Exactly, supposing, this withered old man was really in perfect shape, is what I was contemplating.
「you, goddamn cheeky brats……, what did you do to my body」
「Kufufu, you already figured it out right? …… it’s “Poison”」
「That’s impossible!! Once we realized that you bastards make use of magic potions, we provided every possible measures against poisons to officials of the merchant association, obviously including me!!」
The face screaming reflexively, was distorted in an attempt to turn a blind eye from the situation he was vaguely aware of.
「Ah, what a nice expression, that face. If you think there’s no poison in it, you can take a look at your status」
「Th、……that’s, how’s this possible!? How did you!!」
Fegner’s face who seemed to have confirmed his status on Shuria’s words is distorted in surprise.
And then, getting impatient, he opened his bloodshot eyes wide, turns towards us and screams.
「Hehehe, finally the end of the faker is near」
Happily, Shuria laughs cheerfully.
I’m sure I also have such a face right now.
「Kufufu, As expected of master. It had been confirmed through Chuusuke, but that’s quite a wonderful toxicity」
「Haa, Ugh, Haa, just answer me!!」
Fegner who says that, was breathing in a considerably painfully state.。
「I have no obligation to tell you anything, but……, fine, I’ll answer you」
……Because that way, it would be a humiliation to this guy.
「Do you know the shiny Silver Aqua*? It is a metal that is used as a catalyst for alchemy, and dissolves even with the heat of a human body temperature. That thing,
Apparently is a metal called Mercury」
I took out a small bottle I received from master, and displayed the silver liquid contained inside it.
「What is contained inside this is dimethyl mercury. This letters written on the invitation letter from before were written with this」
「Dime……, Mer, cury……? Haa, Ugh, so what the hell is that」
「That is, the identity of the poison that is afflicting you right now」
「Don’t fuck with me, even if it’s in a liquid state, that thing is just a mineral, and there is no way minerals are poisonous!!」
Exactly, that is the common sense of this world.
A mineral is not a living thing, and things without life do not mix with living things.
If it is not ingested, then it cannot act as poison.
『In other words, the poisons that exist in this world are nothing more than magic power source generated by humans and flora and fauna』thus, Shuria said.
I myself have never heard of metal being used as poison, but the stuff master gathered up with the 【Absorption Sword】, contained sufficient toxicity that even a small amount is enough to kill a low level monster.
「All the words that were written in that letter, were written with that poison. It evaporated by coming in contact with air, and you inhaled it, didn’t you?」
I continued talking, leaving Fegner’s claim that minerals are not supposed to be poisonous.
「The words in the letter, minerals……as poison? Impossible…… and with just that amount of poison……」
「It is a poison that destroys the internal organs thoroughly by a small amount that is tasteless and odorless and with almost no weight at all. Kufufu, Wasn’t your measure against poison flawless?」
I made a big laugh in the way that deliberately rubbed on the opponent’s nerves.
「So, do you have a technique against poison that does not depend on magic power?」
「…… Ugh」
I stared at the Fegner, who stiffened his face upon hearing those words, and I made another profound smile.
☆
「Dammit…… how underhanded…… damn brat」
「You who do the Grond merchant association’s dirty bidding, can you really say that. As I thought, you’re just a sham, did you think that only you are able to force a frontal attack?」
「Aargh, Haa…… ugh, Gohon」
After the poison began to spread, it became a one-sided development.
Even now, the cluster of blood which he vomited in conjunction with his violent cough is being wiped from his mouth.
We stopped attacking, and switched only to defense, we were then able to carefully observe as Fegner continue to weaken bit by bit.
The state where his face is gradually distorted from impatience and agony, was a very pleasant spectacle.
But, it seems it will be over soon.
「Argh, Gehon, gehon!!」
After a more intense vomiting of blood, Fegner fell on his knees.
「Hmm, is it over already? I wanted you to try a little harder」
The armored doll made a rustle and lowered its sword.
Instead of the Broken armor doll and Shuria’s servants, it is the second armored doll that Shuria brought out.
「Shuria, do you mind leaving the finishing touches to me?」
「………… Then you’ll owe me one huge favor?」
After thinking about it a little, Shuria said so a little bit regretfully.
「You have my gratitude, Shuria」
I slowly walked up to Fegner.
「Ugh, don’t look at me with those eyessssszzz」
「Kufufu, at that rate, you can’t reach me anymore」
Fegner’s sword that was swung with his right hand mustering all his strength in a last-ditch effort, is knocked into the air as if scooping.
The sword which danced in the air loudly pierced the ground in a far-flung location.
「Argh, Haa, fucking bitch……」
「Ah, finally, our positions just like the day we first spoke is now reversed isn’t it」
That day I met this old man for the first time.
That day, he willfully looked down on us, and spoke to us with pitiful eyes.
When he doesn’t even know a damn thing.
With a smug face as if he knows everything about us.
Throwing around his egotistical good deeds and words so condescendingly in order to protect his perceived ideal self.
So thoughtlessly, and hypocritical, with words that thoroughly made fun of us.
「…… For all your good guy acts, you do not hesitate to carry out evil. It really makes me sick to my stomach. And that poorly executed unrelated victim pretension, is extremely unpleasant.
When she cast those words, whether he gave up, or he longer had the leeway to keep up the act, vigor started vanishing as if melting from his expression.
「Oh, please, shut up*……, even the mighty you, you’re the same kind as me」 TLN: A polite manner of speaking is used here, as opposed to his usual expression of F*ck, damn, shit…
And Fegner’s speech pattern after he had lost strength from his whole body, returns to its original state.
「Ah……, as I thought, you are a ugly sham to the bitter end 」
Did he become senile as he got older, did he pretend too much that his personality got corrupted, or were they all lies that were superimposed on each other from the very beginning.
At any rate, he is just a bloody sham, who couldn’t even imitate properly.
His crude manner of speaking, his angry disposition, are all just pretense.
「…… It really makes me irritated. That’s why you’re a sham」
So naturally, that’s why the voice that leaks out of my mouth are dark, heavy and cold like the quiet grave soil.
「Much less the same kind, you cannot even be a copycat properly. You better don’t get too cocky」
「Guaaah, ugh, Gahaa!!」
I crushed the hand that Fegner had on the ground to break a bone.
「There is nothing in common between you and us. For instance, even though you couldn’t care less about relatives, your poorly executed angry appearance. On the contrary, you, ……were pleased weren’t you. Though I do not know how you ended up with such thought process」
「Ughhhhhhhh!?」
And just like that, I kept trampling his hand.
「I seem to recall you telling me to give up my revenge didn’t you. It is a word that someone who really knows this feeling cannot possibly say. If there’s someone who can say it, then no matter what anger and hatred that is etched deep inside its flesh, we cannot call it the same kind as us」
Fegner’s vacant eyes look at me while spitting blood from the poison torture and pain in the hand.
「Well then, Mr. Fegner. Here’s one problem」
「Pro……blem……?」
「Yea. that’s right. Just now, you were on your way to this place carrying a lot of money right. We are going to dispose of it along with your corpse after you’re dead. Then, how do you suppose your assessment will spread around town?」
「……That, is」
It seems his consciousness has already begun to become faint, but he seems to have arrived at the answer after a few moments.
The eyes which had been narrowed from the pain are widely opened slightly.
「That’s right, you’re so spot-on. 『Mr. Fegner, the traitor who ran away with money during the merchant associations’ crisis』?」
「Stop…… Kahaa, that, anything but that!!」
Fegner finally reveals his real expression while spitting out splash of blood.
「Ah, thank goodness. You’re really obsessed with that, aren’t you」
I was starting to think what I was going to do, if he had said he couldn’t care less about this too.
「Fuuu, ugh, Gaa, GOHAA」
Fegner loses the last sword remaining in his left hand to the blood he had threw up most vigorously until now, and then laid his body on the ground.
Still, Fegner screams as though he had forgotten the pain.
「Yet akain, eberyding will be ober, Gehaa Gahaa!! I am guing tu luse eberyding!!」
「Kufuu, Ah, finally the end has come near」
The ever-so confident good person faker.
An angry pretentious faker overflowing with kindness.
What is left after it is peeled off.
「Come on, please show me. What are you hiding beneath that paper bottom, after piling more and more of the same on top of it? What is your wish that lies at the bottom?」
「GuuuuuuUgh, No, I’m guing bacg, tu tawn, I wull……」
From the poison having overspread, his consciousness seemed to have already began turning delirious.
As if talking in delirium Fegner uttered the words, turning the the body lying face up upside-down, and then begins to crawl on the ground.
「Argh, Ha, the, meaning beehind ma laifu, mai reazon for living……I finally faund it, to make the Grond merchant association graate, just, that……」
Fegner ushered out the words as if struggling for air from the bottom of the sea.
「No way, even mee, can become like my brother, even exceed my brother……, just, just begause I waz born, a liddle earlier……, if at the same time, I……」
「…………」
「Always empty……, Gahaa, Gehoo, I hate it……. I dun’t, wunt tu stay empty…….」
He may not even be seeing the reality before his eyes anymore.
The things spilling from his mouth at the bottom of his delirious consciousness, are words that loathes emptiness.
「I, I just wanted to be given the meaning to my life……, just when, I finally got it……」
All the pretensions were peeled off, and the last thing that appeared was a hollow dead tree that is empty inside.
「Oh, I see, so the inside of the faker, is just empty and hollow huh. So, you have piled up a lot of corpses by continuing stacking up the pretensions that you borrowed from others」
So ……, I laugh scornfully.
「That’s great then. I am sure there are people who are burning with huge negative emotions, from the many seeds of misfortune you sowed while you lived. Well, even after that, it seems you were only capable of becoming an outward clown, and a third-rate at that for a copycat」
「Argh……, Ugh……」
How half-baked, I am quite certain the last words that spilled out of my mouth, seemed to have reached the old man whose light has gone out of his eyes.
Only the tears which flowed down at the end were surely authentic.
And in front of the old man who took his last breath, I put both of my hands together and offer a prayer to God or whatnot who apparently truly exists.
「……Ah, at the end, I am really glad to have seen your tears. Even in the afterlife if possible, I wish you the same suffering as the number of tears you caused」
Above all else, I made the wish in earnest.