Kararagi Shinigami Incident 1

Translated by: @garmadoncar

Proofread by: King_LAO2964

※Spoilers for Volume 39 (Arc 9 Phase 1). Please read after finishing the main volume.

1

???: [――As I thought, are ya worried ‘bout Natsuki-kun?]

And, called out to from the side as he looked out the window, Julius felt ashamed of his uncertainty.

To cause one’s liege to feel apprehension and worry, was an act that any Knight ought to feel ashamed of. All the more when, it was not in regards to their own areas, but instead that of an opposing Camp.

Henceforth, Julius shook his head “No”, and,

Julius: [I sincerely apologize for causing you worry. Hereafter, I shall be more careful.]

Anastasia: [Nah, ya don’t gotta act so overserious. Even for us, we completed our original objective. He’ll probably keep on goin’ ‘til he dies, tho’ leavin’ Natsuki-kun in such a state is real darn terrifyin’.]

Julius: […Though, he and those around him all seemed to accept it as “Sparka”.]

Anastasia: [Them tryna be overly positive ‘bout it’s even more pitiful… well, anything from there on out’s not our job, so Emilia-san ‘n the others really gotta help support him.]

Elegantly placing her hand to her cheek, Anastasia expressed her thoughts.

She was his master, and her words rang true. From here on, outsiders such as Julius and Anastasia had no room to interfere, neither should they.

???: [Regardless, they helped us out quite a bit to get back on our feet. Now that the positions are reversed, perhaps he’s unable to wait for things to settle… that might be a risky position to take.]

Anastasia: [Stop with that, this little one’s gonna end up bewilderin’ Julius again…]

Having wedged its way into the conversation between the pair, the statement of the white fox scarf―― Echidna, caused Anastasia to grab the Spirit’s snout, and cast upon it words of scolding.

At the familiar interaction between the two, a slightly pleased look appeared on Julius’s face, then,

Julius: [You have no need to be concerned… what I mean to say is, while you may have your doubts based on my track record thus far, I assure you that these thoughts and concerns of Anastasia-sama and Echidna, are premature.]

Echidna: [Oya, is that so? We left Vollachia before Natsuki-kun could conclude his Sparka. Since you would have certainly been upset with that decision, I was afraid that maybe your trust in Ana had been greatly damaged.]

Julius: [Certainly, it would be a lie to say that my heart does not still ache. However, my utmost priority is Anastasia-sama. Subaru must get back up by his own strength… supported by those around him.]

Without deception, laying out his honest feelings, Julius responded to Anastasia and Echidna.

The battle against the Great Disaster concluded, Julius and Co had left Subaru’s party in the Fortified City, and departed from the Empire first. Until their final day, Subaru had been accumulating time in a ritual known as Sparka―― that which could also be called Absolution, time spent in order to punish himself.

The fact that his words had been unable to reach that pitiful figure, was an extremely great sorrow to him.

However, the reason Subaru sought Sparka―― the weighty wound he had received upon the death of Priscilla Barielle, was not something he bore alone.

Julius: [――――]

Quietly, Julius shifted his gaze to Anastasia as she scratched Echidna’s neck.

Already having regained her presence of mind, Anastasia appeared to have been acting normally, but Julius knew of her bottomless selfishness to desire all things―― a personality such that, not wanting Julius to vanish from her memories via the Authority of Gluttony, she had even sealed her own self.

For Anastasia, losing somebody she knew was a terribly difficult affair. Even if that was somebody who opposed her in the Royal Selection, with whom she bore a mutual recognition that they could not get along.

That was why――,

Echidna: [You say Ana is your utmost priority. Goodness gracious, I am relieved to hear that from your mouth. If you do your best to convince Halibel now, then supposing you fall from your seat as Knight, Julius, you may be able to garner enough prestige to still act as a substitute.]

Julius: [In regards to strength, and loyalty towards Anastasia-sama… for this example, how about we refer to it as the sentiments of holding Anastaisa-sama dear? In regards to those, I may have poor prospects against Halibel-san, but unfortunately I shan’t concede this title of mine. It rests upon my honor.]

As his gaze clashed with Echidna’s black eyes, Julius revealed where he stood.

With Anastasia as his number one, Julius and Echinda were in agreement of the same objective. It would be senseless to incur the displeasure of this Spirit, and it could easily turn into a futile conflict.

Eliminating those numerous difficulties, he would support Anastasia.

Julius: [Extolled as the Finest, that is the duty I must fulfill as a Knight.]

2

With a sidelong glance to the quarreling exchange of gazes between Julius and Echidna, Anastasia became troubled, but maintained her smile as she felt perplexed.

The two people talking beside her, she had fully intended on understanding their intent and worries.

Having entered Vollachia as a special emissary from Kararagi, Anastasia was returning amidst feelings of loss―― fearing the situation, those two were showing consideration for her.

But, had the two of them not grasped Anastasia’s mental state a little too deeply?

Anastasia: [Look, with that princess dyin’, I ain’t tryna say that I ain’t shaken.]

Someone who would not die even if killed; Priscilla seemed to fit that evaluation more than anybody else.

For her to scorch her life away in order to defend her homeland, and then to leave those final words behind to Anastasia and Emilia there, there was no way that her heart would be left engraved with nothing.

But, much more susceptible to feeling hurt, likely without having prepared her heart, Emilia had also been present. ――She had not told anybody about this, but Emilia’s presence had largely saved her.

That was because the presence of someone who was more disturbed than her, had graced Anastasia with the ability to think in a composed manner. Thanks to that, Anastasia had nullified her inner turmoil in regards to Priscilla’s death.

Thus, Julius and Echidna’s concern was little overbearing, but――,

Anastasia: [Well, maybe it’s best for those two if I let ‘em worry ‘bout me for now.]

If one tripped on something and scraped their knee, the blood from the wound would eventually stop, become a scab, and after enough time elapsed for it to heal, that person would take care so as to not trip again.

Right now, Julius and Echidna were in the midst of that process, waiting for it to become a scab.

For that purpose――,

Anastasia: [For now, I’d like to quickly deal with the job at hand, but… seems like they’re takin’ quite a bit of time to greet us.]

Caressing Echidna’s fur at her neck, Anastasia muttered so.

――Anastasia’s group, having departed from the Vollachian Empire and crossed the border back into the Kararagi City-States, had entered the Third City, Ivada, in order to report on their results as emissaries.

They had already verified their identity, and had been ushered into the mansion of Ivada’s mayor, Orgo Hayata, but they had yet to be given permission to meet with Orgo himself. They understood that he was a busy man, but the business they were here on also ought to have been quite important.

Anastasia: […Don’t tell me, ‘s there some sorta problem happenin’?]

???: [――As expected, ya’ve got darn fantastic intuition, lil’ Ana.]

As Anastasia pondered the reason for which the other party might not be right, the one who impolitely listened to that, and called out after, was the tall figure who had appeared in the empty room―― Halibel.

Unlike Anastasia and the rest, who were being treated as guests, Halibel was treated as a Kararagi insider, and thus had already appeared before Orgo, but――,

Anastasia: [What’s this, ya know it’s bad manners to eavesdrop when people’re talkin’ to themselves, right?]

Halibel: [Sorry sorry. But I ain’t eavesdroppin’ or anythin’ like that. My ears just happen ta be really darn good, thaaat’s all. They’re done gettin’ ready back there, so they told me ta “go give ‘em a hollar~”.]

Julius: [Though, I find it difficult to believe that Mayor Orgo used his jaw in the manner you just did.]

Halibel: [Well that’s ya know, words are flexible. Well now, hurry hurry. Remember lil’ Ana’s favorite phrase?]

Anastasia: [“Time is money”, the Hoshin proverb. Really now.]

Being hastened by Halibel’s unabashed attitude, Anastasia took Julius’s gently proffered hand and stood up, before turning to face Halibel with a “So then?”

Anastasia: [When ya praised my intuition, ya meant that there was actually some sorta problem, right?]

Halibel: [Yeah, tho’ I think it’s prolly best ya hear it directly from Orgo insteada from me. I ain’t got that firm of a grasp on the whole thing after all.]

Anastasia: [Don’t frighten me.]

Putting on airs, or rather, not wanting to give them superfluous preconceptions, Halibel’s manner of speech was somewhat reminiscent of the meeting with the mayors before they set out to the Empire. Back then, the topic of conversation was the cataclysm brought about by the large-scale resurrection of undead that had occurred along the border with the Vollachian Empire.

The fact that Halibel’s demeanor reminded her of that, was more than enough of a sinister omen.

Anastasia: [Even tho’ we just got back, there’s always gotta be somethin’… Really, we ain’t even got any time to get some rest.]

3

The Kararagi City-States was a country made up of ten enrolled large cities, and the mayors entrusted with each city were all distinguished individuals of brilliant talents.

Hence, the mayor of the Third City, Ivada, Orgo Hayata, was also a competent individual.

As he received the report of Anastasia and the others after they had returned from Vollachia, Orgo tightly clasped the fan in his hand while the rounded tips of his characteristic mustache quivered.

Orgo: [In other words, the incident that got its impetus in the Empire was safely resolved while those dead folk were still squirmin’ all ’bout. Did the Empire send any gratitude the way of us City-States?]

Anastasia: [Bingo. I was talkin’ with their Prime Minister ‘n secured a definite agreement. I’ve also got a full promissory note, so ya can rest assured.]

Orgo: [I see, I see. Then, the fact that y’all made it back safely, ‘n even incurred a debt from Vollachia to Kararagi, is truly a matter for great~ celebration. My deepest gratitude.]

Anastasia: […Considerin’ all that, Orgo-san, yer face doesn’t make it seem like it’s time for “great celebrations” in the slightest.]

Having received a report that was naught but positive, Orgo showed great delight in his words. However, as Anastasia had pointed out, that delight was not reflected in his voice or facial expression whatsoever.

Just as Halibel had prefaced earlier in the empty room, some sort of disheartening problem was occurring; Echidna also perceived as much. And so, that was likely something that Anastasia would also poke her beak into.

Echidna: [――Goodness gracious, I am beat.]

Before the atmosphere of the conversation could clearly grow weighty, Echidna sighed.

If possible, after giving her all to the job of emissary, she had wanted Anastasia to rest for a bit without needing to think about anything―― in this case, she wanted to give her time for something relaxing, along the lines of working the abacus for the first time in a while as the representative of the Hoshin Trading Company.

Of course, there was also the fact that Anastasia saw this as Echidna and Julius worrying too much about her, but in Echidna’s opinion, Anastasia was mistaken.

Echidna, having been the closest to Anastasia both physically and emotionally for ten years already, was proud to clearly understand that the events of the Empire were weighing on Anastasia more than she herself was aware of.

That was why, it was not her intent to get involved in yet another problem before Anastasia could get proper rest, but.

Orgo: [――. Truth be told, there’s a teeny bit of a problem that’s stirred up in Banan.]

And, as Orgo disclosed that in a feeble voice, Echidna narrowed her black eyes.

It was not as though Orgo’s attitude was actually a weak one, but instead, he was employing a method to incur the other party’s sympathy. Of course, it was not something that would be effective against Anastasia, a big time merchant who had been through hundreds of battles, but――,

Anastasia: [A problem in Banan… what’ this about? Given that you were waitin’ for our report, perhaps it’s tied to those dead folk?]

However, in such a manner, Anastasia prompted Orgo to continue.

Anastasia: [Well, it’d be a quick chat if that was the case, but it’s kinda troublin’ that it don’t seem to be the case. The origin of all the issues with dead folk were done ‘n dealt with back in Vollachia. Based on the locations, too, I think it’d be rather difficult for the two to be connected.]

Julius: [Banan, that is the the Second City, correct? It is located to the west of Kyou, which is right in the center of Kararagi… quite the distance from the border with the Empire.]

Anastasia: [There’re some zombies that remained unfinished, but based on the distance this’d be unrelated.]

Julius and Anastasia conversed at length, pointing to the map they had envisioned in their heads. At that exchange referencing a mental map he could not see, Orgo gripped his fan and nodded.

In short, it was a matter of the following.

Halibel: [With the problem in Vollachia settled, here on out’d be negotiations for our reward… even tho’ that’d be the ideal, someone’s doin’ somethin’ ta stir up trouble in Kararagi so we can’t for now, that about the gist of it?]

Orgo: […Regardless of your phrasing, Halibel-han’s thinking is not mistaken.]

As Orgo glared at him with a bitter phase, Halibel bobbed the kiseru in his mouth up and down in a perfunctory response.

Whatever the case, if it was as Halibel had summed up, then Orgo’s fears could be presumed to be unrelated to Vollachia, instead being something brought about by a third party. The only problem was the question of, why was this being regarded with such importance?

Anastasia: [I told ya to get to the point, Orgo-san. What’s happenin’, and what’s the extent of the damage? ‘N finally, why’re ya bringin’ it up to us?]

Julius: [Anastasia-sama? I believe it is because the information we returned with may factor into Mayor Orgo’s decision making…]

Anastasia: [Nah, it ain’t just that. It’s ‘bout Orgo-san ‘n the rest. For the most part, we’ve generally grasped that it ain’t related to the Empire. But then, the fact that he called us here means――]

Pausing her words there, the glint in Anastasia’s pale-turquoise eyes grew intense.

In order to get the upper hand on her opponent in negotiations, Anastasia deemed it appropriate to prevent herself from becoming emotional; thus, this was a scarcely seen gaze of clearly defined anger.

At that demeanor of Anastasia’s, the thoughts of Julius and Echidna lagged half a step behind. However, the response from Orgo that followed, clearly informed them of the reason behind that anger.

The fan held in Orgo’s hand grated, and he continued with a sorrowful expression.

That was――,

Orgo: […Large-scale wind damage’s broken out in Banan. The city’s in a state of partial destruction, ‘n as a precaution, we’d sent many people from the surrounding area inside. Among them were the Iron Fang from y’all’s place.]

Anastasia: [――Hk! Ricardo ‘n the rest… are they alright?]

Orgo: [We can’t contact them… Right now, Banan’s been completely enveloped by wind, ‘n ain’t nobody can leave.]

4

Amidst the thunderous, overpowering gusts of feral wind, Ricardo leaned against his great cleaver, and held his ground.

The surrounding area, the townscape of Kararagi he had been acquainted with for many years, was devastated and ravaged by wind; roofs and pillars, anything and everything had been blown away, things were left in a miserable state.

Ricardo: [What’s this, reminds me of that time there was that darn huge fire.]

In Kararagi, where most buildings were made of wood, if a fire was started by something it would immediately blaze its way through the town. When that happened, they would demolish all the houses in order to prevent the flames from spreading further, and the result was the similar empty feeling that was now present in the town.

But then again, the people of Kararagi were not so soft as to have their hearts broken at that.

In the past, when the tenement that Ricardo and Anastasia lived in burned down, a mother who had lost every last one of her household belongings laughed “I guess I shoulda prepared some yams”; and afterwards, Ricardo witnessed her and her children get back on their feet stronger than ever.

The strength to smile even in those depressing times, was certainly present in Kararagi.

Ricardo: [That’s why, we ain’t got no choice but to deal with this ‘n make it so everyone can smile again. Our employer’s gonna be comin’ home soon, after all.]

Saying that, he endured to keep his eyelids open, as the wind verged on forcing them shut, Ricardo glared to his fore.

As gusts of fierce wind danced, seeming as if they could sweep up Ricardo’s large body, towering over two meters tall, at any moment, he glared at at the silhouette approaching him with calm steps.

Captured in Ricardo’s sharp gaze, the siloutette―― the slender, white-haired woman, clad in waso clothing, tilted her head,

Woman: [Hmm? Why, don’t you just talk a lot with that loud mouth of yours? That large body of yours is just that and nothing more. You weren’t blown to bits by my wind, so I will praise you… Who in their right mind would praise you!?]

Ricardo: [Well ain’t ya a vibrant young lady. If you’re gonna put on a performance, I think ya’d earn more profit by doin’ so at a playhouse.]

Woman: [Silence, impudent thief. ――Do as you’re told, and return my Light Sphere.]

He had tried to ascertain if it was someone who he could converse with, however, Ricardo wrinkled his snout at the unfamiliar phrase spoken by the woman with the hostile attitude.

He could presume that the woman before him had lost something, and was now searching for it. The problem was, her method of searching was a bit over the top and grandiose, having enshrouded the entire city in one large tornado.

At the center of the incident that would later go on to be called the Shinigami Cataclysm, Ricardo grit his fangs. ――All the while, thinking about how it did not seem like this would simply end with a severe scolding Anastasia once she got back. [1]

《End》

Translation Note:

[1] – Shinigami (死神, kami of death) are kami that invite humans toward death in certain aspects of Japanese religion and culture. Shinigami have been described as monsters, helpers, and creatures of darkness. Shinigami are used for tales and religions in Japanese culture. Read more.