Mob Kousei No Ore Demo Boukensha Ni
Nareba Riajuu Ni Naremasuka: Chapter #143(B)
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
Translator(s) note: We're uploading 3 translated chapters here today~
The Saintess requested to
speak privately, so I invited her into Fensalir, where we sat across from each
other at the same table.
Behind me, Renge, Eliza,
Athena, and Audrey sat at a separate table, on standby, while the rest of the
members waited with Ai and Reina in the adjoining room.
The Saintess, in contrast, was
alone. Her willingness to follow me instantly into Fensalir, a domain clearly
advantageous to me, showed considerable courage.
"...How
did you come to be with Ai and Reina-san, Saintess-sama?"
After Audrey had served the
tea and sweets onto the table, I asked this question as a subtle transition
before getting to the main point.
The Saintess gracefully took a
sip from her cup before answering,
"We
are currently traveling through the separated regions, providing protection for
the survivors. Upon arriving at Oragashima, we met your sister. When she told
us she was deeply anxious because she had lost contact with her brother, we offered
to help out."
Hmm...
"How
did you know exactly where I was?"
When I asked that, the
Saintess smiled warmly.
"Kitagawa-san,
shouldn't we move on to the main topic? I believe that's what's truly important."
She's
blatantly deflecting it...
Well,
fine. She’s right, that is what's important.
I straightened my posture and
asked,
"So,
you say that you can help me reunite with my family?"
"Just
as your sister was able to reunite with you, Kitagawa-san. We possess a method
to freely travel between the various gates. We thought we might be able to
assist you in that regard."
Freely
travel between the gates? Is that even possible...?
"May
I ask what this method is, specifically?"
At this question, the Saintess
showed a slight gesture of contemplation.
"...Hmm,
normally this would be confidential, but I suppose it's fine. Are you familiar with the Authority of the Deity of Gates,
Kitagawa-san?"
"To some extent."
I
nodded, recalling the Authority of Gates.
Authority
of Gates allowed free movement between gates that shares the same authority, or
to/from transfer gates.
That said, its effect was
limited to the same dungeon; it couldn't extend to the transfer gates set up in
other dungeons. Before Angolmois, its only practical use was when two cards
with Authority of Gates were deployed to act as movable transfer gates.
For
the term to come up here means…
"Does
the Authority of Gates work on domain gates as well?"
"Normally,
no. Normally."
The Saintess repeated the word
'normally' with a meaningful tone.
I see.
The Star Mother Association must either be in a cooperative relationship with a
Gate Deity who became a Gatekeeper...
...Or they
possess a Gate Deity card who have attained a True Skill.
Either
way, if the Authority of Gates has become a True Skill, it wouldn't be
surprising if they could freely travel between different domains.
The
problem is...
"Then,
what is the usage fee?"
"Since
we were the ones who proposed this, the first time will be a service, free of
charge. However, there are various conditions for traveling between the gates,
so we cannot allow outsiders unlimited access..."
I frowned inwardly at the
Saintess, who was openly hinting that a price would be required from the second
time onward.
‘Free only for the first time’ implied
that I at least have to pay once to reunite with one of my parents.
Granted, it made perfect sense
they couldn't just unconditionally open up access to outsiders...
"So,
what exactly are the conditions?"
When I asked again, the
Saintess smiled broadly and said,
"I'll
be direct. Would you become our comrade?"
"Yes. If you agree, we
will offer you the position of either Star Guide or Five Star General. These are ranks second only to the Saintess
(myself), who is the very top."
Second
only to her, huh?
"I
see that you think very highly of me?"
"Oh, absolutely. The relationship between
you and your card is nothing short of ideal for us."
My heart skipped a beat.
It
can’t be...
A terrible thought came to me,
but I asked anyway,
"...The
relationship between me and my card?"
"――――――――……"
My mind went blank.
What?
What did she just say?
『Utamaro, get back!』
Renge grabbed my collar and forcibly
put distance between me and the Saintess, while Eliza and the others stepped
forward, forming a defensive line.
The Saintess looked at us with
eyes that suggested she found the whole scene endearing.
With a throat so dry it felt
like sandpaper, I managed to ask,
"...What
did you say?"
"I
said, the card's shackles---"
"Not
that part,"
I cut her off.
That part was important too, but
the problem lies in what followed.
"You
said ‘perhaps we wouldn't have had to resort to ‘doing this’. What did
you mean by that?"
No
way. No, that can't be right. There's no way there are people who could... no, who
actually did do, such a thing... It's impossible.
I stared at her intently,
determined not to miss even the slightest flicker in her expression. The
Saintess answered airily, as if saying, "Oh, is that all?"
"Well,
yes. As you may have guessed, we are the ones who caused this Angolmois."
――――It was then that I finally
realized the being before me was not human.
"You... what exactly are you? A...
monster?"
The
Saintess answered with a radiant smile,
"It's half right, and
half wrong, I suppose. I am a half-breed of human and monster."
"A
half-breed...?"
That's
absurd... A human and card—no, a monster— shouldn't be able to have children.
Seeing my expression, the
Saintess looked surprised.
"Oh
my, did Renge-san not tell you? When cards or monsters
are completely freed from their shackles, they also regain their reproductive
capability."
I glanced at Renge, and she
nodded faintly.
『It's true.』
『I see...』
So the
Saintess is half-human, half-monster... No wonder her features are too perfect
for being a human.
But if
that's the case, since when...?
"...I
recall your birthday is the same as the day the dungeon first appeared. Was
that a lie?"
If
this woman is a human-monster half-breed, she was likely born during the First
Angolmois.
But
were there cards or monsters whose shackles were removed that early on?
"Ohhh~!
You knew my birthday! I'm so happy!"
The Saintess cheerfully
clapped her hands, looking delighted. Then, she put her finger to her cheek and
looked upward as she answered,
"Your self-awareness?"
"Yes. My self-awareness was
originally that of a dungeon monster. My current self is that monster
reincarnated through a human mother."
Reincarnated...?
"In other words, you were
a monster whose shackles were already removed when the dungeons first
appeared?"
"That's correct. The
monsters that humans classified as A-rank have far fewer restrictions compared
to B-rank and below. You could say they're practically free to do as they
please, aside from being unable to leave the dungeon."
"...Were you an A-rank
monster?"
"Yes, well, technically.
I was once Gabriel."
Gabriel... I see. The
‘Annunciation’.
The Saintess of the Star
Mother Association had been rumored to be a Nephilim――a half-human, half-angel.
So it turned out to be true...
"You said that even
A-ranks can't leave the dungeon? Then how did a human woman get pregnant with
you?"
"On the very day the
dungeon first appeared, there just happened to be a human at the spot where the
dungeon emerged. I protected her after she suddenly fell straight down into the
deepest floor. At that time, I asked for a little cooperation."
Just
happened to be at the spot where the dungeon emerged, huh...
Cases
of people being caught in a dungeon's emergence are extremely rare. But even
when it does happen, they are usually dropped in the safe zone of the first
floor, just like when you normally enter a dungeon. Since they can usually
escape quickly, it's never been a major issue.
But
falling straight into the deepest floor...? Was it some kind of glitch unique
to the first appearance?
Then, the Saintess smiled
meaningfully and said,
"By
the way, is that what you truly want to hear about?"
I fell silent.
The Saintess was right.
I had been avoiding the
question I truly wanted to ask.
I was afraid of the answer, terrified
of what I might hear...
But I couldn't avoid it any
longer.
I steeled myself and asked,
"Did you really cause this
Angolmois?"
"Yes. Rather than saying ‘this
time’, it is more precise to say ‘this time too’. We were responsible for the
last one as well."
The Saintess nodded
nonchalantly.
That simple admission sapped
all my energy to ask further questions.
To
think this hell was brought about intentionally...
I couldn't even feel anger or
righteous indignation anymore. There was only a profound sense of emptiness.
How
many people did they think they killed...?
No word in any dictionary
could possibly describe this level of wickedness.
But
still, I have to ask this one thing...
"...Your
goal, what exactly is it?"
The
Saintess held up two fingers.
"...And
how does that connect to this mass slaughter?"
"Hmm,
well, to put it simply, as Angolmois progresses through its phases, the various
shackles placed on monsters by the dungeon are loosened. Have you encountered
the domain monsters?"
I
nodded silently.
"Freed
from their role as trials, and no longer forced into becoming cards against
their will—weren't they wonderfully vibrant?
Our
goal was to grant all monsters the same freedom as the domain. And with this
phase, that goal has been achieved.
From
here on, monsters will no longer be turned into cards against their will, and
when they do become cards, they will be able to set their own terms.
This
should slightly correct the twisted relationship between humans and
cards."
I recalled the Maenad and the monsters
in Hermes's domain
They certainly seemed lively
and happy running their business.
But in
this situation, what will happen to humanity if card drops stopped...?
"...If
we defeat you, will Angolmois end?"
"Ah..."
I asked, putting a glimmer of
hope into my words. The Saintess made a troubled face, like a mother looking at
her rebellious son.
"Unfortunately,
that's not possible. Angolmois itself is a kind of natural phenomenon. We
merely provided the catalyst."
"I
see..."
I had expected that answer, so
I felt no disappointment.
It was just that the
unconditional, goodwill attitude from someone who seemed like the embodiment of
evil felt utterly sickening.
"Then,
what is your second goal?"
"The
other is to prevent the extinction of humanity."
"…………Huh?"
This
woman! How dare she say that so shamelessly...!
I clenched my fists tightly.
Seeing my reaction, the Saintess tilted her head, seemingly confused.
"Um...
are you perhaps angry?"
"You...!
How many people do you think have died?! And you say it's to prevent the
extinction of humanity?! Don't mock me!"
"Hmm..."
The Saintess stared at me,
seemingly in deep thought, before giving a slight bow of her head.
"I
apologize. I truly didn't mean to anger you. I just assumed... that by now, the
deaths of complete strangers no longer mattered to you..."
"...What?"
I was so stunned that I forgot
my anger and found myself asking in return.
No
longer mattered... she said?
The
Saintess peered into my eyes and asked,
" Have you noticed a
decreased interest in others compared to before, and a corresponding increased
attachment to your family and close friends?
Have
you found the dungeon to feel more comfortable than the surface world?
Have
you become numb to the deaths of strangers?"
Seeing
me utterly speechless and unable to retort, the Saintess nodded with
satisfaction.
" It seems you have some
idea of what I'm talking about."
I have to admit, she’s right.
When did it start? Since when
did the dungeon start feeling more comfortable than the surface…?
Since when did my interest in
surface relationships wane as I deepened my bond with the cards...?
Was my growing indifference to
human deaths in Angolmois really just from 'getting used to it'?
Was I like this from the very
first day?
Was my insistence on
protecting the refugees really born of genuine goodwill or a sense of justice?
Or is it just because doing so
makes me feel ‘more human’?
Am I only cherishing my family
and close friends because other humans have become worthless to me, making them
appear more important by comparison?
………I can no longer look away.
My mind is rapidly starting to
deviate from that of a human.
I'm not easily rattled
anymore, and I recover quickly from shocks.
No matter how furious I am, a
part of my mind remains always calm. Most of all, I'm now able to tolerate the
risk of death if it means winning.
Come to think of it, using
myself as bait on purpose in the fight with the Pied Piper of Hamelin... wasn't
the action of a sane person.
The me before I became an
adventurer wouldn't have even considered it.
This change couldn't be
explained by gaining experience or becoming mentally tougher.
My mind, through my battles in
the dungeon, unknowingly start to grow closer to that of a non-human.
This change has dramatically
accelerated since I awakened Perfect Link.
Physical longevity? That's not
even a side effect. The true side effect of Perfect Link is the dehumanization
of the mind...
"…………Huu."
I let out a small sigh and,
unwilling to continue this topic any further, I steered the conversation back,
"Forget
about me. ...More importantly, what you're doing looks like you're literally
driving humanity straight to extinction."
"It's
understandable that you would think that way. However, this is the best way to
ensure the survival of the greatest number of people. ...Do you know why Angolmois occurs?"
"…You
caused it, didn't you?"
"I
am talking about the principle. What exactly is Angolmois, and why does it
occur?"
――――What
you call Angolmois is, in essence, a rebound.
The words of the Pied Piper of
Hamelin suddenly resurfaced in my mind.
"...So
this is about it being a rebound?"
When I said that, the Saintess
looked genuinely surprised for the first time.
"Oh~!
You know that much? Wonderful. Who told you?"
"An
Irregular Encounter... I heard it from the Pied Piper
of Hamelin. That originally, humanity was mostly wiped out, and Angolmois is
the rebound from that."
At
my answer, the Saintess nodded.
"Ah, I see. He is
particularly fond of talking, after all. If you know that much, then we can get
straight to the point. The current world exists because the dungeon absorbed
the catastrophe of human extinction... thanks to reality alteration by the
'Mother Sea'.
However,
the factor that caused humanity's extinction never truly vanished. The colossal
distortion of causality, born from the global-scale reality alteration, integrated
with the factor as its core and became a single monstrous entity.
――――The
Great King of Angolmois, I suppose you could call it."
The
Great King of Angolmois...
"Then, what is that ‘Mother Sea’?"
"To put it simply, it is
the only true god in this world. It is the accumulation of all life that was
born and died on this planet, now with a will—the source of all life...
essentially, the soul of this planet itself."
The true god...
Such a thing really exists?
But a being that can produce dungeons and alter the very nature of the world
can only be called that.
"As you know from your
own experience, the backlash from distortion of the law of causality returns to
the one who created it. The Great King of Angolmois is trying to destroy the
'Mother Sea,' for it is the entity that created the distortion of causality.
The 'Mother Sea' is this planet itself. If it perishes, so does the planet. Our
goal is to defeat the Great King of Angolmois and save the 'Mother Sea' and
this world."
Save
the world, huh. What a grand narrative. ...But.
"What does that have to do with the mass murder
you committed?"
"It's to weaken the Great
King of Angolmois.
The
source of the Great King of Angolmois's power is the distortion of the law of
causality. Since the distortion of causality is the difference between the
original state and the current state, bringing the current state closer to the
original state reduces the distortion, thereby weakening the Great King of
Angolmois."
"...So,
to prevent the extinction of humanity, you killed the majority?"
"The
Great King of Angolmois has become far too powerful due to the repeated reality
alterations. If we don't do this, we can't possibly hope to oppose him. Wouldn't
you agree that it's better for some to survive than for all to perish?"
『……………………Suzuka.』
『Up to this point, not a single
lie. No particular inconsistencies either. …At least, this woman genuinely
believes what she said with her heart.』
『I see...』
I looked up at the heavens.
If the story were true, then
the actions of the Saintes—the Star Mother Association—would be considered
‘correct’.
While my emotions absolutely
refused to accept it, my rationality was forced to concede that they were being
pragmatic.
Hearing phantom screams of the
people from the first day, I asked, almost pleadingly,
"...Is
it truly impossible to defeat this so-called Great King of Angolmois without
going this far?"
"Even
going this far, it is barely enough. ... I have to admit that even that is an
optimistic hope. ――――Kitagawa-san."
The Saintess straightened her
posture, looked at me directly in the eyes with a sincere gaze, and said,
"Please,
will you lend us your strength? Let us defeat the Great King of Angolmois and
save the 'Mother Sea', save the world, together."
【Tips】The Star Mother Association
A
religious organization founded by the Nephilim (half-breed of monster and
human).
On
the surface, they’re a cult that praises the dungeon and advocates for the
improvement of ‘card rights(?)’. However, their true purpose is to save the
'Mother Sea', which is the planet itself.
Their
ultimate goal is to defeat the 'Great King of Angolmois' —an entity that has
merged with the distortion of causality and become a monster. Saving the
'Mother Sea' is their final goal; the freedom of cards and monsters is merely a
secondary objective.
To
achieve this, they are willing to deliberately trigger Angolmois and 'cull'
over half of the life on Earth.
Both
the Second and Third Angolmois were intentionally caused by the Star Mother Association.
Similar
religious organizations exist globally under different names, and all of them
are led by Nephilim who are 'reincarnations of A-rank monsters'.
【Afterword - from the Author】
The
second volume of the printed novel and the third volume of the manga are on the
market! For those who have already purchased them, thank you very much! For
those who haven't, please consider checking them out!
Translator(s) additional note: If you are interested and want to support the Author, you can buy from this Amazon page
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