Akatsuki Translations

 Fortress of Canaan, Third Floor, the “Former” Command Room

During the Great Dungeon Flood, this place, within the abandoned fortress, was the only one that had suffered minimal damage. It had now become a workshop for the necromancer. What was once a gathering place for those tasked with guarding their country had become a space filled with sinister magical circles, potions, and countless corpses, exuding an unmistakable air of evil.

“……”

The master of this room, the necromancer, was standing before the magical circle at the center of the room. He was a man wrapped in a robe with pallid skin, neither looking young nor old, his eyes vacant, appearing so fragile that he might collapse if touched.

The commotion caused by the invaders downstairs did not disturb him at all. He repeatedly murmured incantations, occasionally scribbling something on the nearby wall or floor, deep in thought.

At first glance, he looked like a magician engrossed in his research. However, there was a bound girl in the middle of the magical circle before him.

“The knights have come. It’s over for you guys,” the girl, Rose, boldly declared. Despite the numerous marks of beating on her face, her bravado against the man who seemed to be the leader of the bandits was impressive.

“…na…ya…ku” -Necromancer            

But her words did not reach him. He continued to murmur, working on completing the magical circle where Rose was being held, without even glancing at her.

She had to stop him somehow.

Rose was the head of the Luckbird firm, which also dealt in magical potions. She had a basic understanding of magic, enough to know that this man was about to do something incredibly dangerous. The sheer number of magic stones evenly placed around the magical circle and his attempt to use the ones originally meant to be distributed to the satellite cities around Greed were clear indicators of the impending danger.

Driven by a sense of duty and urgency, she knew that whatever the necromancer was about to unleash was something that everyone living in the Isralia continent must reject.

“…ku” -Rose

Bound as she was, she twisted her body slightly, aiming her hands at the ground. The magical circle was intricate. Perhaps using infusing magic into her toenails, she could delay the ritual by tampe―――

“Don’t move, sacrifice.” -Necromancer

“Wha-?!” -Rose

In the next moment, the necromancer, who had been ignoring her, suddenly appeared in front of her, his hand around her throat. His grip was incredibly strong, uncharacteristic of his frail appearance.

“For what reason do you resist? You will “soon” be bestowed upon the honor of becoming the foundation for our great god.” -Necromancer

“I’m not crazy enough to consider becoming a sacrifice to an evil god an honor…!” -Rose

As she provocatively spoke, saying the words ‘evil god,’ the necromancer’s already bad expression worsened. His ageless face twisted hideously, and his grip on her neck tightened.

“You sure do talk a lot for a sacrifice. These bandits are careless. They should have ripped your tongue out.” -Necromancer

“…ga…ha…” -Rose

Rose’s neck was entwined by the necromancer’s bony fingers. In her struggle, she noticed a necklace hanging from his black robe, bearing the emblem of the Sun, the one and only, the Sun God. But within the symbol of the sun that illuminates the world, a pitch-black snake seemed to swallow it like an egg.

As her consciousness faded, ominous images flooded her mind.

“Ah, but perhaps, if there’s an untainted vessel, there’s no need for a cage of flesh and blood. Yes, indeed.” -Necromancer

Guess I’ll kill her.

A brief declaration. And the power in those fingertips grew even stronger. Breathing became impossible, and Rose’s awareness plunged into darkness. The imminent danger before her, the pain in her body, the trading company she was duty-bound to protect, her loyal subordinates, her sworn enemies, the concerned relatives who had been worrying about her, her beloved parents who had passed away—everything dissolved into the abyss, and her life was on the brink of fading away entirely.

“…Guh?!” -Necromancer

Suddenly, the pressure around her neck loosened, and her consciousness rapidly resurfaced.

“Ga-ha!! Cough!! Hack!!” -Rose

She gasped for breath, coughing, tears in her eyes as she looked forward. The necromancer who had tried to kill her was now crouching, frozen in shock.

“W-what…?” -Rose                                

“……wha.” -Necromancer

Then, right before Rose’s eyes, the necromancer’s head “slid.”

And it fell to the ground beside him.

Rose was stunned, backing away, unable to understand the phenomenon before her. She didn’t know what was happening, but if this was something even the necromancer hadn’t anticipated, she had to escape n――

“Ah, don’t move. It’s not over yet.”

But before she could act on that thought, a voice sounded in her ear.

She looked around. No one was there. But she recognized the voice.

And then she realized what the advice meant.

“How dare you interfere――!!” -Necromancer

The severed head had opened its mouth.

Rose screamed silently. The head, without spilling blood, moved its bulging eyes, searching for the one who had cut it off, and then opened its mouth aga―――

“【I shal―?!” -Necromancer

It began to chant a spell, but a crimson sword suddenly appeared from the void and struck it. It pierced the mouth that was chanting and two more daggers were thrust into its eyes.

“……!!” -Rose

It was an utterly relentless assault. But now the necromancer could neither speak nor see. Rose was relieved. Surely, it could do no more harm now.

However, she did not notice the headless body of the necromancer beginning to rise from the ground outside her field of vision.

The body without a head moved its fingers as if alive, using them in place of a voice to conjure a new spell.

“!?” -Necromancer

But in the next instant, it was cut into pieces by a crimson sword that once again appeared from thin air.

As Rose noticed that the necromancer’s body was still moving, it had already scattered across the ground. Limbs, fingertips, everything that composed the necromancer’s physical form had been thoroughly obliterated.

“Phew, did I make it in time?” -Diz

Then, a familiar voice reached Rose’s ears from right beside her. When she turned around, the space that had appeared to be empty now seemed distorted. Was it an illusion, invisibility magic, or someone who had concealed their presence finally revealing themselves?

A golden-haired girl, wearing a peculiar suit of armor adorned in crimson and gold.

“Yoo-hoo, Rose, glad you’re still alive. Did I make it in time?” -Diz

“Di…Diz?!” -Rose

The despised woman who had stolen her family heirloom was smiling as if nothing had happened.

　　　　　　　　　　　　◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

“Ah, you, why…” -Rose

“Okay, take off your clothes. Show me your injuries. I’ll splash a healing potion on them.” -Diz

Diz, with her peculiar appearance, remained as nonchalant as ever, tearing off the tattered dress without hesitation. She splashed a healing potion on the places where violence had been inflicted by the bandits and then handed over another bottle.

“Here you go. I guarantee the quality. After all, it’s from your shop.” -Diz

Looking at it, it indeed was a bottle from her own store. She drank it down in one gulp. It was bitter and had a strong smell. It was supposed to be easier to drink, but she thought maybe the herbs that were supposed to be transported during the Island-Eating Turtle incident were lacking. This trivial thought swirled in Rose’s head.

However, the effect seemed to be definite. The dull pain disappeared, and she felt relieved. Her head cleared, and questions about the incomprehensible situation bubbled up again.

“Akane, destroy the catalyst over there. The order is right, left, then center.” -Diz

《Can’t I just destroy ‘em all at once?》-Akane

“No, because it’ll explode.” -Diz

《Scary》-Akane

Why was the woman who stole her family’s treasure here?

“Why did you save me?” -Rose

In an attempt to calm her chaotic mind, she asked. Diz, who had been casually breaking the remnants of the room’s ritual, turned around and shrugged as if it were nothing.

“Eh, well, you know, I was asked to, and I thought you wouldn’t die.” -Diz

What is that?

That all-too-usual “trivialness” brought Rose’s heart to a boiling point.

“What… what’s the matter with you? Why are you always so nonchalant about everything!” -Rose

Why was this woman so carefree?

Even the gratitude for being saved just now was burned by anger, and Rose yelled.

When her parents had died, and she had been burdened with an enormous debt, her shop teetering on the brink, not a single soul had come to her aid. But this woman had appeared before her as if it were nothing, extended a helping hand, and then took everything!

In truth, Rose didn’t hold any grudge against her for taking their family heirloom. It had been a fair trade, and it was her own fault for not being able to repay it.

However, the fact that this woman had saved her, taken from her, and tossed her life around so casually, as if it were inconsequential, as if she were nothing more than a pebble on the roadside, was unforgivable. To Rose, it was infuriating how insignificant she seemed to be in Diz’s eyes.

Saving her, taking from her, what’s with that casual attitude!?

“You must enjoy toying with people’s lives!! You—” -Rose

“Wait.” -Diz

In her passionate rage, just as she was about to unleash her irrational anger, Diz suddenly stopped Rose with her hand. When asked what it was, Diz stared intently at the center of the room, or rather, at the top shelf where several magical tools were displayed.

　　　　　　　　　　　 　*GU-GEH*

Something was there.

In the gap between the shelf and the ceiling, something small was wriggling. Probably half the size of Rose’s body.

But why did her heart beat so fast? Why was it hard to breathe? She felt a pressure she hadn’t felt even when facing the eerie, disgusting necromancer. What is it? What’s there?

　　　　　　　　　　　　* GU-GEH GU-GEH *

The small thing squirmed. Rose saw it move for a moment. And then,

“Uh-oh.” -Diz

In front of her eyes, Diz’s arm was extended. And a giant, wriggling, soft, snake-like object “pierced” through it.

“……Wha!?” -Rose

Something warm splattered on her face. It took her a moment to realize it was blood spurting from Diz’s arm.

“A-ka-n-e~, you were careless. You gotta protect me properly as armor.” -Diz

《Uu~ Sorry…》-Akane

The snake-like thing writhed as it withdrew. A gaping hole was left in Diz’s arm, and a large amount of blood spilled from it. Without glancing at the speechless Rose, Diz didn’t take her eyes off the “small thing.”

“So, I was ‘too late’ after all, huh?” -Diz

Something hidden on the shelf landed on the ground with a splash, and then wriggled to stand up. It had slimy skin, a massive mouth that seemed to split its head in half, fangs protruding from it, small wings, a swollen belly like a well-fed human, small arms and legs, and two large, dull, shining eyes.

『GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH GU-GEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!』

The baby dragon cackled madly.