Editing/Standardisation: Medicine Melancholy
Original Translation: Medicine Melancholy
Iris
As the evacuated townspeople began to return home, we left the town and headed for the mine that was the source of this incident.
Reiji-san and Saul-niisama were with me like always, but Milly-san, whose thunderous firepower greatly contributed to our victory, had to rest ahead of time due to fatigue and mild magical exhaustion.
The knights and mercenaries were busy with the post-battle cleanup, so only Zeltis-san and Philias-san accompanied us.
Leonhardt-sama, who according to him, “has a duty to see what’s happening in his territory”, Ashley-sama, whose reason was largely the same, and Aini-san, at her own request, all wished to join us. And lastly…
“…Um, I said we’d talk later, but what should we talk about…?”
“I know right, ahaha…”
Titilia-san wandered her gaze around nervously, glancing at my face briefly before immediately looking down.
She said she’d follow her lord everywhere, but since she couldn’t ride a horse, she had to share the wagon with me… The wagon, brought from the town, was very comfortable since it was designed for the mayor’s use. However, the air between its occupants (read: us) was incredibly awkward at the moment.
By the way, Rejii-san, Saul-niisama and Zeltis-san borrowed horses and joined up with the Count and Ashley-sama.
Aini-san, who could drive a wagon, took the reins of the wagon I was sitting on, with Philias-san as support.
Since there were only the two of us inside the wagon, I thought it’s a good opportunity to know her better, but…
“I’m sorry, I’ve never been alone with a girl in such a small space, so I’m quite nervous.”
“We’re both girls, right? You don’t have to worry that much…”
Titilia-san was shrinking away in her corner while blushing heavily, so I don’t think she’s in the mood to talk.
“Y-Yeah… we’re both girls… we’re both girls…”
For some reason, Titilia-san shrank and blushed even more when I said that. Strange…
I racked my brain as I tried to find another topic of conversation.
“Titilia-san, you were a player sent here from Japan as well, right?”
“…Y-Yes! My character was in the Enchanter grouping!”
She jumped at the chance to answer the question I finally managed to ask.
But her answer… I had expected it, but I was still a little taken aback. Why, you ask?
“Enchanter… There’s someone actually unlocking the tertiary reincarnation class in that grouping?”
Unlike my Priest grouping, Enchanter, who focus on offensive support, still had some demand in parties because they affect the clearing speed. But they, too, couldn’t escape the cruel fate of all support players.
At the very end, their bulletin board was in despair because no one had managed to break through.
That meant she reached the level cap and reincarnated during the time I was holed up underground leveling all by myself.
Of course, since that was the cause of me getting involved in this mess, it’s not something to be happy about.
“I mean, I didn’t think a pure healer build would be able to reincarnate either…”
“…But here I am, probably still stuck at level 1 after being reincarnated.”
“In hindsight, was all that worth the trouble?”
sighs
We sighed deeply, empathizing with each other over our common suffering.
……
………..
……………
The conversation died again! Find another topic, quick!
“…A-Anyway! How did you come to know Leonhardt-sama? You seem really close to him…”
“Is that a weird thing…?”
“No, I don’t think there’s anything weird about it. Leonhardt-sama is a kind person.”
“You think so, too? His face is a bit scary… but he’s a really nice gentleman once you get to know him.”
She was fidgeting with a large blush on her face as she said that… Oh my, could she be…
“It’s a bit of a long story… Do you want to hear it?”
“Yes, totally!… Ah.”
I blurted out without thinking, and immediately regretted it.
“Nonono, I’m not trying to force you to talk or anything! I’m fine if you don’t want to share it!”
I felt like I was being nosy about someone else’s love story, so I hastily tried to explain myself…
“Pfft, Princess, you’re so cute when you’re flustered!”
“Sorry…”
Now I’d become the laughing stock. I want to hide in a hole.
“…Phew, that was a good laugh. I’m feeling a little more relaxed now, so I’ll tell you… but it’s not a very pleasant story, you know?”
With that, she began to slowly tell the story of her arrival in this world…
According to Titilia-san, when she was transported to this world, she found herself near a small village inside Count Roland’s territory. On that note, my starting location was close to that region, but on the opposite end of the border.
“I woke up in the forest after being swallowed up in that weird magic circle. The forest was much wider than it was in the game, so it was hard for me to leave… And on top of that, I was in this body, and at first I was really at a loss…”
After wandering the forest for a while, she heard a small cry.
“So, I happened to pass by a child who was being attacked by a weak monster while playing in the forest from the village. I couldn’t just leave him, so I desperately chased away the monster and saved the child. The child’s parents were very grateful, and after I told them my story, they let me stay with them for a while. Maybe for about half a month?”
The village was a small, farming and hunting community. Because Titilia-san, an Enchanter, was skilled in strengthening weapons and physical abilities, and had magic that could affect the field and improve crop yields (which made Enchanter a popular job for some production players), was very useful to the village and quickly became friends with everyone.
“I was so happy. Everyone was smiling and saying that they had a lot of food to harvest and that their crops were growing well thanks to me… In real life, I was a bit of a shut-in because of my circumstances, so it was like a breath of fresh air.”
…And so, she overdid herself.
As she muttered, her eyes still held a lingering fear that had not yet healed.
“I guess I gained a bit of fame because of that… Eventually, the village was raided by a large group of bandits who had run out of food and had come from another territory… They thought the village would be a good source of money.”
She put up a bit of a fight thanks to her enhancement magic. However, she was outnumbered and had no fighting ability of her own. The bandits and the peaceful villagers were completely different in fighting strength.
While she was able to inflict some damage on the enemy, she herself was unable to repel the bandits and slowly, she became cornered.
“Everyone was able to escape to a barricaded shelter… but the bandits who attacked us said to the villagers that they would burn down the village if they didn’t hand me over. The villagers, determined to fight, would not accept such a demand, but… there were a lot of children in the shelter. I didn’t want them to get hurt…”
And so, for the sake of the villagers, she surrendered to the bandits, begging them not to do anything to the village in exchange for following them and cooperating.
“I thought I’d considered all the pros and cons. They only wanted my ability, so I thought that if I surrendered obediently and acted cooperatively on the surface, I wouldn’t suffer too much…”
Her face was turning pale as she hugged her body. I really didn’t like where this is going.
“Then I immediately regretted that I had underestimated the fact that I am now in this body and with this face.”
Her avatar must have been made with great care. The current Titilia-san was a girl whose beauty would give Nii-sama and I a run for our money.
If a girl like her fell into the hands of bandits, there’s no need to guess as to what happened next.
“…Um, you don’t have to tell me the rest if you don’t feel comfortable to. I think I can make out the last part.”
“I-It’s fine, that was a really close call, but I’m totally okay now…”
“That’s good to hear, but…”
“I mean, I guess I wanted someone to listen. But are you really okay with this, Princess? I thought a girl like you would be disgusted by such a story…”
“I understand your feeling. If you feel better by talking, please let it all out. I promise I’ll be with you until the end.”
I think Milly-san once told me something similar before.
“Thank you… Anyway, what came after was probably just as you imagined. They brought me to their hideout, stripped me naked and planned to do ‘bandit’ stuff to me… but Milord came to the rescue before it could happen.”
And as it turned out, the bandits had no intention of keeping their promise in the first place. Soon after she was taken away, they set fire to the village. However, the flames caught the attention of the Count, who happened to be on an inspection tour in that area and rushed to the scene.
There, the villagers desperately begged him to rescue Titilia-san, and he, together with several subordinates, tracked down the bandits’ hideout.
“When I came to, I was already being carried in his arms, wrapped in his cloak… When I got outside the hideout and felt safe, I suddenly felt scared again, and I couldn’t help but cling to him and cry for a long time. But he kept stroking my head until I calmed down… Now that I think about it, he’s always been such an amazing person…”
She clasped her hands and closed her eyes as she recalled the scene from that time, looking just like a maiden in love.
In the end, the bandits were either dead or captured, and the villagers were able to return and rebuild their homes. But Titilia-san couldn’t stay with them anymore for fear of a similar incident in the future. She said goodbye to the villagers, who were delighted to be reunited with her safely, even though they were reluctant to let her go. She was taken in by the Count and began to receive protection.
“But I don’t want to just sit idly and do nothing! So I decided to ask Milord to let me help with his work… That’s how I end up here, end of story!”
I didn’t think this kind of story would be so embarrassing, said Titilia-san, who was blushing and rubbing her cheeks.
To summarize, the Count to her was like Reiji-san and Saul-niisama to me.
Just like me, she was sent here all alone and powerless and suffered greatly from it… It’s no wonder that she was attracted to her savior.
“Titilia-san… You really like Leonhardt-sama, don’t you?”
“…Yes, I super, super like him. I want to be of use, and I’m really happy when he praises me. Maybe it’s just because he saved me from a grave situation… and I don’t know if I’m worthy… but I’m sure my feelings for Leonhardt-sama are genuine.”
Titilia-san looked so dazzling as she let out her honest feelings. I felt a little envious of her, actually.
“Now that I’ve told you my story, I’m looking forward to yours… Um, maybe some other time, Princess.”
“…Yes, whenever you’re up for it.”
Apparently, the story had gone on for quite a long time, and we had just arrived at our destination, since the wagon had stopped moving.
“Here. The place. You’re looking for.”
Gantz-san guided us to a resting area once used by miners when the mine was still active.
On the outside, it’s just a closed, ordinary door. However, the intense otherworldly presence within was all too apparent, indicated by my growing headache from just approaching it.
“…Is that the one?”
“It is, without a doubt. I’m going to open the door.”
“Her Highness Irisria, let me do it for you…”
As I reached for the doorknob, the Count offered to do it for me. However, I stopped him.
“I appreciate the thought, but only I have resistance to this kind of stuff… I’ll let everyone know if anything happens, so let me do it.”
With trepidation, I touched the doorknob with my fingertips… it didn’t seem to have any effect.
I gently grasped it and turned the doorknob open.
“Wow…”
“This is rather… bizarre to look at.”
Zeltis-san and Philias-san behind me murmured in amazement.
The room inside was covered in crystals, creating a fantastical space resembling a kaleidoscope.
“So this is the ‘Wound of the World’ everyone talks about…”
“It looks beautiful, but stay alert. This is a demonic space that will cause mental and physical disorders if you stay too long.”
“I’ve been feeling sick since I entered here. If these crystals have the same nature as those on the monsters we fought, it’s best to assume they’re cursed.”
The Count and Saul-niisama warned Aini-san, who was captivated by the sight.
“Princess, are you alright? Should I cast anti-magic beforehand?”
“Titilia-san, I said I have resistance to this space, didn’t I? I’m going to be alright, so rest assured.”
It might be a characteristic of my race, but aside from the headache, I didn’t feel any adverse reaction like everyone else described.
“I see… Just let me know if anything happens, okay?”
“Hehe, I definitely will.”
Saying that, I smiled reassuringly at her, who was still worried but reluctantly backed down.
“Since when are you guys such close friends?”
“You think so, Reiji-san? We did get to know each other better when we were together on the wagon.”
“Oh… Well, it’s certainly nice that you made more friends here.”
…Friends?
I guess being friends is a nice way to put it. Come to think of it, the only person I considered a friend from the bottom of my heart was Reiji-san… It’s strange, isn’t it…?
…Let’s stop this train of thought. I can’t afford to get distracted when I have such an important work to do now.
“…I’m going to start, then.”
Taking a deep breath, I gently reached out to the center of this space, and a rift visualized itself.
“Huh…?”
“What’s wrong, Iris?”
“The shape of this ‘Wound’, it’s…”
The “Wound” I purified before was shaped like a crack in the glass, but this one was shaped like…
“It’s like a stab wound someone made with a sharp object, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Could it be a coincidence?”
…Or was it someone’s doing? I wouldn’t want to think about it, but there were things pointing toward it that I couldn’t deny.
“…There’s no point in thinking about it, I’ll just finish it quickly.”
After telling everyone that, I stepped into the crystal-infested room. This was my third time, and I was already getting used to it.
I gently wrapped my wings around the Wound.
The next moment, my body reeled back from the sheer negative emotions that flowed in.
“Augh…. Aaaaah…!”
A scream of agony escaped my mouth, as the intense emotions kept flowing in.
Anger.
Resentment.
Mixed with a bit of… sorrow.
“Iris?!”
“I’m… alright! Just… hold on… a little longer…!”
This “Wound” didn’t seek comfort. It didn’t wish for salvation.
It hated the world, despised it. It’s a violent will that sought only to destroy the world.
Therefore, I must take it upon myself to absorb and suppress it. I could not let something like this run wild.
The will of resentment that continued to resist in my arms gradually, gradually shrank… and eventually, it disappeared.
“Hrah! Hah… hah…”
My vision blurred from intense fatigue. But more than that…
I’d always had a feeling that this would be the case.
In hindsight, I should have been prepared for it.
But when I came face to face with it like this… the shock caused my knees to buckle, and I collapsed.
“Why… Why does it have to be you?! WHY?!”
At the same time, I started to understand why I felt like the “Wound” was calling me.
The person who caused this “Wound”…
The person who transformed that troll into a monster, the mastermind behind this incident…
The person I faintly remembered in that dream, who always treated “her” with kindness despite putting up a cynical front…
Perhaps, as of right now, he was my only remaining kin in this world… a Lightwing.
APM - Translation 