Akatsuki Translations

The day after the clash with the Sun Knights was about to occur. Having somehow managed to control the confusion among the attendants and forcibly finished treating everyone, Ur and the others gathered to discuss future countermeasures.

“Alright, let’s start the strategy meeting. We don’t have much time, so let’s be quick about it.” -Ur

Using a corner of the conference room in the temporary temple, Ur and the others gathered. The conference room was too large for the small guild, the 【Walkers】. They pushed together some suitable tables and arranged chairs around them, and each took their seats. Then, Rock immediately raised his hand.

『Hey, Ur. Is that okay? 』-Rock

“What is it, Rock?” -Ur

『Is it okay with that ‘right arm’ of yours? 』-Rock

Ur looked at his right arm. He made eye contact with Echelle.

“…” -Echelle

She was silent.

She was holding onto Ur’s arm as if hugging it, clinging tightly and not letting go. It was already a state of close contact. Sitting down like that was way too cramped and stupid-looking, but she wouldn’t let go.

This had become a constant since she had calmed down for the time being. It was dangerous when she almost followed him into the bath.

“…She seems to be most at ease like this, so we’ll go with it.” -Ur

『Well, I find it amusing, and if you’re okay with it, I don’t mind. 』-Rock

“Don’t be amused by it.” -Ur

Rock laughed at Ur’s protest.

It was a carefree scene. To the point where it was hard to believe that the Sun Knights were approaching and trying to kill them all.

“Is there something we should talk about? I’d like to proceed with the evacuation preparations.” -Diz

The one who said that was Diz, who was sitting with Ur and the others. They had forced her to attend despite her being busy with interrogating Kalan and gathering information. At this point, the survival of the attendants and Nameless residents gathered in the temporary city depended on her, so to speak.

As the 【Hero】 who protected the people, it was understandable that she was extremely busy, but Shizuku bowed her head.

“I would like to have the backing of Lynne-sama’s judgment. Please lend us your experience as the Hero.” -Shizuku

“Hmm…” -Diz

“It won’t take long. Lynne, is that okay?” -Ur

“I don’t mind, but what do you want to ask? There are many parts of that familiar ritual that are beyond my knowledge.” -Lynne

Ur nodded at Lynne’s warning. No matter how much of a prodigy she was at the magic academy, he understood that there were many things she couldn’t comprehend about such an abnormally scaled magical technique. However, in this case, it wasn’t a problem. It wasn’t that complicated of a topic.

“The construction of the familiar, it’s already too late to stop it, right?” -Ur

“That’s right. It has already entered the ’emergence’ stage. A technique that is about to be completed cannot be stopped. More precisely, if we try to stop it, it will break down, and the magical power will overflow and collapse. If a collapse of that scale occurs, this entire area will be wiped out, and we’ll die.”

“Is it also impossible to rewrite or modify the technique?” -Ur

“That’s synonymous with obstruction. It will still break down and explode. We’ll be blown to smithereens.” -Lynne

Imagine that there’s a huge time bomb that can’t be tampered with, let alone stopped. That’s the image you should have, Lynne said. Even Ur, with his shallow understanding of magic, could understand what she was saying.

“We can’t interfere with the technique that’s about to be completed.” -Ur

“It’s like trying to stick your finger into a 【Fireball】 spell just before it’s fired and expecting to stop the magic, right? That’s what you’re saying.” -Lynne

“Then, let me confirm.” -Ur

Ur asked further. That was the main point of this gathering.

“Is it possible to usurp the control rights of the familiar once it’s completed?” -Ur

“Something like th—” -Lynne

She probably intended to continue by saying it was impossible. However, those words didn’t continue to the end. She looked a bit dumbfounded, then hung her head and muttered something small over and over.

Ur waited for her answer. In any case, the only one here who could give Ur an answer was Lynne, who had directly observed the site, even if only a little, and had the deepest knowledge of magic.

Instead, it was Diz who spoke to Ur.

“Hey, Ur, you can’t possibly be thinking…” -Diz

“The idea originally came from Rock.” -Ur

“Me?” Rock pointed at himself. Ur continued.

“Originally, Rock was a necromancer’s familiar, but Shizuku re-established a contract with him and made him her familiar. Of course, the situation is different from that time, but it shouldn’t be impossible.” -Ur

In other words,

“We’ll steal the completed 【Dragon-Devoured City, Uuga】 and make it ours.” -Ur

Diz fell silent at that answer. As if asking if Ur hadn’t heard her, he spoke that answer once more.

“We’ll make 【Uuga】 ours.” -Ur

Everyone except Shizuku focused their gazes on Ur, as if asking what the hell he was talking about.

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Some time passed, in the office of the temporary temple. Meeting with Jain, the White Python.

“…Who came up with that dumbass plan?” -Jain

“I did.” -Ur

“You out of yer damn mind?” -Jain

“A straight insult.” -Ur

After concluding a secret magic contract and hearing Ur’s entire plan, Jain directly insulted him. It was understandable to feel that way. Jain had intended to ask for a plan to escape from this deadly situation.

He certainly didn’t expect a plan to seize control of the unprecedented 【Calamity】 created by the enemy.

“I believe I’m sane.” -Ur

“That’s ain’t the thinking of a sane person…” -Jain

Jain let out a deep sigh and organized the information. As expected, the information he obtained was extensive. Too much. An unbelievable bomb had been thrown at him.

“…Just the mention of creating a ‘supergiant class’ familiar made me pass out, and you wanna steal it? Make it your own? Stop multiplying stupidity with stupidity.” -Jain

“Taking control of a familiar, that itself is a thing. There are such magical techniques.” -Ur

“The scale is way too different.” -Jain

Yes, the scale was different. Because it was different, it had slipped everyone’s minds. Probably even the masterminds behind the creation of the 【Dragon-Devoured City, Uuga】 wouldn’t have imagined that someone would actually do it.

That’s why, if you say it’s a loophole, it might certainly be one… but,

“There’s no way ya can do something like that… Ya can’t do it, right?” -Jain

Jain asked with a strange expression, as if trying to gauge the timing to laugh at a joke at a drinking party. However, Ur neither laughed nor shrugged his shoulders as if it were a joke, maintaining a serious face.

Ur then raised three fingers.

“There are three conditions. First, grasping the core of the familiar.” -Ur

“…You’ve already pinpointed the location, right?”

“Second, constructing a command formula to change the control rights in a way that ‘overlaps without breaking’ the familiar construction formula.” -Ur

“Someone capable of creating a formula that further overlaps the construction formula of a giant-class familiar—” -Jain

“We have one.” -Ur

“…Why do ya have one…? What’s the third?” -Jain

“Seizing the 【control formula】 from the person currently controlling the familiar.” -Ur

At that point, Jain finally wiped his unpleasant sweat and laughed.

“That’s impossible. From what I’ve heard, the one holding that 【control formula】 is that Aesula, right? The king of Gradol. Yer gonna seize it from him? How are ya gonna do that? Are you saying yer master, the 【Hero】, can do it?” -Jain

Jain certainly knew of the authority and power of the 【Seven Heavens】. The strongest Sun Knights operating under the world-traveled Wise Heavenly King. Jain had directly witnessed the 【Heavenly Sword】, the guardian of the Wise Heavenly King, slicing through the 【Dragon of Vanity】 descending from the 【City of Sin, Proudia】 in a single slash. There was no way he would underestimate them.

However, he also knew the power of Aesula, the king of Gradol.

Aesula. The 【Adamantine Aesula】, blessed by the【Spirit of the Earth, Urigandin】, the strongest priest of Gradol. The next head of the Caraleigh family. It was still a topic of conversation today that he single-handedly repelled the 【One-Eyed Titan】 that had attacked when it invaded Gradol.

In other words, the Seven Heavens were monsters, but Aesula was also a monster. Even if the Seven Heavens were allies, that didn’t guarantee anything.

Ur seemed to acknowledge that as well, nodding in agreement.

“The Hero is multi-talented, but not omniscient or omnipotent. Transplanting the control seal through magic takes time. If there’s resistance or if he escapes, it’s over.” -Ur

“Then it’s impossible. How could ya restrain a man protected by the blessing of the Earth Spirit?” -Jain

“That’s why we won’t use magic.” -Ur

Jain tilted his head, as if to say, “Hm?” Ur continued.

“We’ll use the power of spirits.” -Ur

The supernatural power that ignores all the various constraints and processes of magic.

If it can’t be done with proper magic, then we should use improper power. His logic was at least consistent, if you could call it that. The problem was whether there was anyone who could actually do it.

There was certainly a priest. Kalkara, who had apparently been a traitor, was there. If they could bring her to their side, they could certainly handle the power of spirits.

However, being a priest didn’t mean one could manipulate the power of all spirits.

“Kalkara’s rank is Nuu, the lowest, right? She shouldn’t be able to handle the power of many spirits.” -Jain

“That’s right. She can only use the【Blessing of Stone】 and 【Blessing of Hardening】 granted by the【Rock Spirit】. And even that is limited to the basics.” -Ur

“That ain’t even worth discussing.” -Jain

Spirits are not omnipotent. They certainly wielded power that transcended humans, and they also granted it to humans, but being just beyond puny humans was far from omnipotence. There was a hierarchy, a distinction, and a possibility or impossibility to the power of spirits.

“Moreover, what we’re doing is ‘usurpation.’ Spirits that violate human laws and are associated with vice are shunned as 【Evil Spirits】 and managed by the Temple. There’s no way there’s a priest who possesses that pow—” -Jain

“There is.” -Ur

“—What?” -Jain

Jain had lost count of how many times his train of thought had been interrupted today. But this time, he doubted his own ears. There just happened to be a priest here who was blessed with the power of an 【Evil Spirit】 capable of usurpation, and they would help them?

He was about to laugh it off as nonsense, but Ur didn’t laugh as if it were a joke.

He touched the cheek of Echelle, who was clinging to his arm. While soothing her, his former employer who had only thrown tantrums and had changed so much in a short time, Ur told him.

“The 【Beloved Child of the Mirror】, the 【Favored One of the Usurper Spirit】, is here.” -Ur

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The wind fluttered, and the cloaks worn by the attendants who had fallen and were being protected by the Hero were torn off. If Aesula had been vigilant and had directed his attention not only to the Hero but also to his surroundings, he might have noticed it.

The cloaks were blown away by the wind. And what emerged from among them was a small-statured beastperson with red hair.

“【Miralphyne】.” -Echelle

The Beloved Child of the Mirror quietly, softly, and sharply spoke the name of the Mirror Spirit.

She held out her palm towards her brother, Aesula, who was glaring at the 【Hero】 as if he hadn’t noticed her. Emotions that had boiled up from the depths of her stomach swirled within her. Putting her raging hatred into words, she declared,

“【Reflection Steal】.” -Echelle

The usurpation began.