Chapter 9
This chapter is the longest chapter so far, and honestly speaking, it made me lose motivation like twice lol. I was somehow able to finish it, but it really makes me wonder how people that translate arifureta or world teacher can commit to it. Anyone got any tips for staying motivated? or do I just continue to chug caffeinated drinks? (Exaggeration, but like seriously, I was just looking at my screen for like 30 minutes in total, just looking through so many of those moon runes and shaking my head while sipping on some milk tea.) Anyways, enough of my complaints, thanks for reading~
When I opened my my eyes, I noticed that I was in a white room. Then, I looked around the room, until the old man from before came into view. (TL Note: I’m reading through this for the second time, and I just realized that this sounds like the common reincarnation setting, where the old man is a G.o.d or something lol)
"Wha-" (Keare)
I instinctively raise my voice in surprise when I saw him.
"What is it!?" (Old Man)
After I raised my voice, he raised a stupid voice in return. Lets calm down, for now, let’s a.n.a.lyse the situation. I remember now, while I was pretending to have fainted, I had truly lost consciousness in the middle of it.
I had experienced the h.e.l.lish road that Kureha had gone through to get to her level in such a short period of time, all in one moment. And because of that, I had received a considerable amount of mental damage.
And I remember this room as well. This is a hospital room and the old man in front of me is the supervisor of magic research. He's probably not just treating me, but also checking if there are any problems with my magic circuits.
"Hero of healing, it seems that you've finally woken up. Are there any problems with your body?" (Old Man)
Now then, how should I reply? To say the truth, there are no problems to my body as of now because different from the first time, I had put up my guard before using it, so I was able to survive without breaking. However, if I want to fulfill my revenge, then I can't say that there are no problems.
'I have no problems, so keep bringing in the people that need healing so I can heal them'. If I said that, then history will obviously change, making it harder to achieve my revenge, which is not what I'm aiming for. To definitely fulfill my revenge, I need to properly follow my past life so that I don't mess up.
"Hii-, don't come, don't come, I hate it, that sort of pain and fear, I hate it!!" (Keare) (TL Note: Couldn't find a good replacement for 'hii-' so I kept it as it is, but just in case you don't know, it is kind of like a scream that small fry do when they get beaten.)
While remembering what happened the first time round, I act accordingly.
If I remember correctly, I had gotten a trauma from using it once, and ran away to protect myself from using it. I decide to just randomly throw things that are near my hands while shouting out, so I'll start with this pillow.
"Calm down, calm down, no one will forcibly make you use recovery heal. Please just hear me out for now." (Old Man)
"Really?" (Keare)
I act as if I've somewhat regressed back to an infant. Although it seems like I'm over exaggerating my act, if a normal person experienced the h.e.l.lish road that the sword saint went through in one moment, they would definitely become like this. That was just how fierce her life was.
"It's true, it really is true. So, let's talk for a bit?" (Old Man)
I put on the act of slowly but steadily relaxing and gaining my composure as I talk with him, to the point where I think this supervisor of magic research has gone through a lot of trouble to soothe me.
"To start with, why don't you tell me why you had collapsed after healing her." (Old Man)
I should answer this one truthfully.
"The moment I used recovery heal, information about the sword saint flowed into my head such as her injuries and pains that she got until now. Even her training and battles, everything flowed into me, and when I realized it, I was like that." (Keare)
The supervisor's eye shone suspiciously after hearing my story.
"I see, so it wasn't a normal healing magician's process which amplifies the body’s natural healing process. For that reason, you need to know about the body's circ.u.mstances huh. So to do a perfect recreation like the hero of healing, you need to use that process it seems. That seems to be quite intriguing." (Old Man)
I became a bit surprised as he had figured out quite accurately, what my power could do. Because of this, he seemed to be quite the talented magician, but when I found a gap to look at him with my jade eyes, both his talent values and levels were the standard values.
He's probably the type that is really smart, and gets absorbed into his research really well. To satisfy his intellectual curiosity, he has been asking questions about as much details as possible and after a while, I visitor had come while I had been talking with him.
"Since I heard that Keare-san had woken up, I've come to greet you. I had worried you know, after all, you did suddenly fall over like that. I just couldn't stay calm after seeing you like that." (Flare)
I praise her for being able to emit words that are completely different from her inner thoughts, and both her behavior and expression is perfect. Even I can only see a girl that worried for me from the bottom of her heart.
"Thanks for worrying about me Flare." (Keare)
"I'm glad you aren't hurt, because it seemed that the hero of healing's power is quite terrific. It could even heal the sword saint who wasn't even able to be healed by an elixir after all. Even my father was in great joy after hearing my report about you." (Flare)
While sweetly smiling at me, Flare tells me those words.
"It's not such a big deal." (Keare)
"It is such a big deal." (Flare)
While leaning her body towards me, she grasps both my hands.
"Sword saint-sama's strength is equal to more than a thousand soldiers, and she will most likely continue to fight monsters and demons from now on. She is only able to continue to fight because you healed her, in other words, the achievements she gets from now are your achievements as well. As expected of the hero of healing!" (Flare)
She praised me to a disgusting level, and if I think about the meaning behind her calculative words, I can basically predict what she'll say next.
"No way, the person working hard is the sword saint Kureha." (Keare)
"You don't need to be so humble…" (Flare)
Flare smiles as if she's crazy, and then she opens her mouth. I muttered on the inside "see, it came".
"There is a continuation to that story. The truth is, it's not just the sword saint who is strong yet cannot fight who is in this country. Keare-san, could you please help them all using your power as the hero of healing? The people that get healed by you, the hero of healing, are people that can save many other people as well. I have already healed the bow G.o.d here, so could you please heal him/her with your power?" (Flare)
(TL Note: Wasn't sure if the bow G.o.d was a guy or girl so I put it there, and I also wasn't sure how I should translate 弓神, but I ended up with bow G.o.d so yeah… idk, it might be wrong.)
Yes, Flare started off by praising me all just to say this, her true objective. By appealing to my conscience, she blocked off my escape route; truly something that Flare would pull. But I don't go with the flow and choose not to accept it.
"Please wait!" (Keare)
I raise a voice which is partly a scream.
"I hate it, I hate using recovery heal anymore. It's scary, and it hurts. If I keep on using that kind of thing, I will, I will either break, or I will stop being able to be myself." (Keare)
Facing Flare, I let out a miserable and feeble complaint. Hearing that, Flare purposely and exaggeratedly puts on a surprised face.
"So that power had that sort of side-effect… but even then, as much as the people that get healed by your power work hard, that much more people will be saved. Thousands, and even tens of thousands. For that reason, can't you work a bit harder for them?" (Flare)
She said that with the smile of a holy mother, and a gentle tone of voice.
"I don't want to. Flare can only say that because she doesn't know what it's like to experience it. It really is impossible for me. I definitely won't use recovery heal anymore!" (Keare)
I strongly declare it, but even then, Flare's smile doesn't break.
"Is that
After saying those words, we just had a short chatting session, and she then left soon after. Good grief, she was with me just before, so she'll probably be with me afterwards as well. (TL Note: Not too sure about this last sentence, here are the raws if you want to read them. まったく、こんなところまで一緒か。 それなら、そのあとも一緒だろう。)
The next day, after I finished my cla.s.sroom learning, the attendants brought me a light snack with some first-cla.s.s black tea to go with it.
After the incident from yesterday, Flare hadn't said a word about recovery heal, which I thought was because she was looking out for me the first time. I had even decided that I would one day try and overcome my pain, so that I can heal people for her sake. I truly was an idiot back then wasn't I.
"I need courage to drink this black tea don't I." (Keare)
I laugh at myself, since I know what is inside this black tea. The reason why Flare stopped talking about recovery heal is because she gave up on persuading me. However, that was not giving up on her objective, and she simply picked a method that is easier than persuading me.
Her answer is this poisoned black tea. Making up my mind, I drink it all up, and an sudden drowsiness a.s.saults me. Now, this is the start of h.e.l.l.
I wake up and notice that my body is strapped tightly to a chair. The only things that I can see is a stone wall with iron bars, illuminated by a candle's flame.
I recognise this place, it is the underground prison; the second most hardest place to escape from in the castle.
"What's happening, and where exactly is this!?" (Keare)
I start shouting and make a commotion, because that would be the normal reaction.
A metallic sound makes a clinking sound, and when I look in that direction, I see a man with a large build who is covering his face, and the supervisor of magic research from before, who is now covered in a whole body robe.
The giant of a man comes into the prison room, and seriously bashes me who is strapped in a chair. It hurts, my cheek is so hot that it feels like it's burning.
"This brat was speaking all cheekily wasn't he! What an idiotic guy, if only he just knew how to stay quiet." (Old Man?)
And then another hit; this situation is a truly simple one.
Flare became tired of persuading me, so she decided to trap me in this underground prison so that they could drug me and make me into someone that follows every order. That woman doesn't have the kind of kindness to try a second time to persuade me. The thought that I was thinking of the first time, "even if I can't do anything now, I want to be of power to her someday", was very simply stepped on like nothing.
"It hurts, stop, stop hitting me. What exactly are you saying I did to deserve this!?" (Keare)
"What did you do? The fact that you didn't do anything is the problem, you useless existence." (Old Man?)
The giant man hits me once again. Even though this guy seems so wild and violent, he is actually the captain of the Flare's elite guards and is intoxicated with Flare from the bottom of his heart.
For this reason, he probably can't forgive me I'm guessing. He hates me who made her beautiful princess sad.
I get bashed over and over again by him, and I count each and every hit. Even I don't remember how many times I got hit the first time round, that's why I'm counting this time. Because this time, I've decided that I will send this pain back to him without fail
The beating finally finished, and I am on the ground with my chair knocked down. My mouth is completely filled with blood and it's all I can taste. The giant man forcibly pulls on my bangs, and pulls my face up.
"With this, I'm sure you've at least tasted 1% of princess Flare's pain in her heart." (Guard Captain?)
"Twenty hits." (Keare)
"What are you…" (Guard Captain?)
"Twenty hits, I won't forget it." (Keare)
I stay persistent, and decide that I will absolutely return these twenty hits.
"You're quite an unpleasant man. Oi, old man, you're going to use some kind of magic right? Hurry up and do it." (Guard Captain)
"Really, you're such a violent man, what were you going to do if he broke? He's a research material that we obtained with great pains after all." (Old Man)
"Do you think I care?" (Guard Captain)
"Seriously, even though we said that you are only allowed to break his mind, what are you going to do if he got damage to his brain?" (Old Man)
I feel a bit relieved after hearing that, because although Flare thinks that as long as I heal the warriors that can't be healed using other methods, she doesn't need me afterwards, but this researcher thinks otherwise. For him, although my mind doesn't matter, he still needs my functions for his research, so he definitely doesn't want any damage to my brain.
Although it's an ironic story, because he had concern for my brain, I was able to live with just my mind being broken. Thanks to that, I can have a piece of mind while repeating the same history.
The supervisor of magic research puts a suspicious magic tool next to my eye, and lets it flicker in my eye. It's a tool that forcibly makes you fall into a hypnotised state.
I would probably be able to resist it if I try to, but for now, I leave my body to it. Then, a liquid with a very thick texture starts flowing in my mouth, it's opium.
My consciousness starts to fade, no it's getting painted over.
Now then, I'll be parting with my ego for a while. The drug that was registered in my body was too powerful for me to resist. I'll probably start going crazy after this. I slowly become unable to properly think, until all I am able to think about is this drug.
However, I will definitely open my eyes someday, since I've already raked in quite a considerable amount of proficiency for my drug resistance. And also, my soul has the intent to resist against this drug, so as I continue to resist against this drug, I'll definitely be able to get the drug resistance skill. Once I obtain it, I will be able to regain myself. While thinking about this, my consciousness slowly get sucked up into darkness.
~One month after Keare got trapped in the underground prison~
"DRUUUUGS, GIVE ME MORE DRUUUUGS!!" (Keare) (TL Note: I'm translating this at school… hopefully no one sees what I'm writing lol.)
Once man was clinging to some iron prison bars and was shouting out loudly. He didn't just shout out once or twice, he had been doing it for the few hours since morning. His withdrawal symptoms were pouring out as he was a very heavy drug user and was severely addicted to it.
His nails on his hands were all teared off, and because he had been pulling out a lot of hair, parts of his head had become bare. However, apart from that, his body itself was in good condition.
This was because each time he got filth on him, the guard who was keeping on watch next to him knocked him out and properly cleaned him. Every night, he releases his sperm into the knights, and get their levels raised. The knights don't want something to happen, even if there is only a chance for it happening, so they make sure to clean him whenever they notice it.
"He truly is a dirty-looking stray mutt. Drugs, drugs, does he not even have an inch of pride in him?" (Flare)
In this closed cage, one girl comes over. She has peach-coloured hair, her body is overflowing with a womanly charm and on her face that is always covered in an expression of kindness, there is an expression of utmost scorn.
The hero of magic, who is also the princess Flare was standing there.
"If you administer that drug to someone, it naturally becomes like that. That man probably can't even remember his own name." (Old Man)
The old man who was accompanying her, the supervisor of magic research, reproved Flare.
"Telling me to take care of that thing, it seems even father says quite horrible things. It really is unpleasant after doing it for a while." (Flare)
"Well well, don't say those things." (Old Man)
Flare finally pulls out her key, and the prison bar's door open.
Immediately after she opened it, the man who was trapped in the cage leaped at Flare. However, the collar that was chained to the wall stops him from advancing, and he falls miserably.
Flare then kicks the face of the man who was lying on the ground with all her might, hurling his body away.
"Disgusting! This is just repulsive." (Flare)
While saying those words, she walks towards the man who is on the ground.
"It's time for work now. Here, this is the drug that you love so much, if you want it, start begging like an animal." (Flare)
"Ha-, ha-, chinchin, chinchin." (TL Note: Sorry, I can't think of anything for begging noises, so I just did the romaji.)
The man starts imitating a dog, and desperately pleads for the drugs. Looking at that, Flare then kicks his nether regions, which results in the man writhing in pain on the ground.
"Kyan, kyan, kuuun, kuuun." (Keare)
Even though the man has already been broken by the drugs, he still understands that if he stops his dog act here, he won't get his drugs. Because he only remembers that, while clutching his nether regions, he desperately continues his dog act.
"Yeah, as a dog you are quite smart aren't you. Here, it's your drugs." (Flare)
Flare purposely drops the high in viscosity drug on the floor, and the man then frantically licks it all up.
The man continues to lick the filthy floor even when the drug has completely been licked up by him. Even then, Flare doesn't have an inch of pity towards him.
They are pus.h.i.+ng back his withdrawal by giving him a tiny amount at a time, because if not, he will refuse to go outside. By just giving him a small dose, he doesn't act crazy anymore, as he protects their rule of not going all crazy after getting his drugs.
"Hey dog, just like always, don't say a word after getting out of the cage. You are only allowed to say recovery heal when it is time to do it, and if you don't follow those rules, I won't give you any drugs when we come back." (Flare)
"Kyan! Kyan!" (Keare)
While still lying down on the ground, the man raises his face happily, but Flare tramples his face with her foot after seeing that.
"You reaaally are a disgusting man!!" (Flare)
The man is only seeing drugs, which is why he is still happily smiling even after getting trampled on. His mind is filled with the thought of 'I'm happy because I'm going to get a lot of drugs soon'.
Flare then takes off the collar which is chained up by iron chains, because for the few tens of minutes after relieving his withdrawal symptoms, he properly listens to her orders. That being said, Flare was still quite scared because there still was the chance that this guy might start thras.h.i.+ng around. While unlocking the chains, Flare thinks to herself that she needs to hurry up and make him heal the next person, so that she can quickly trap him back in the cage.
"Follow me." (Flare)
After turning her back to him, Flare immediately felt a terrifying chill course through her body.
An extremely dense killing intent, and the premonition of her death. Although she turned around, all she could see is a piece of trash that can't even reach the level of a mutt. Just as she ordered, it is following along with it's mouth shut. While telling herself that it was just her imagination, she continued walking forward.
Anger wells up inside of me; that's right, it's anger. It slowly enhances inside of my brain, and albeit being only a bit by bit, my reasoning power is slowly coming back to me.
"You reaaally are a disgusting man aren't you!" (Flare)
While being looked at with eyes that look like they are looking at trash, I get my face trampled by one girl. Who is that girl? Although I can't think too much with my reason lost from my brain, my soul is raising a voice of deeply held resentment towards her. Even while my mind had died, my soul kept shouting out loudly. That thing is the woman that stole my everything, the ringleader of the people that made me taste h.e.l.l.
Unforgivable. I swear that I will absolutely not forgive her. Even if my memories disappear or I lose my mind, I still remember this pain engraved into my soul. That's why, right now the pain that is overflowing from my soul is waking up my rusted mind and purpose. My mind is rapidly coming back to me.
With my raging anger, I lit a fire to the small ruins of my mind, and resisted against the drug. The drug that contaminated my mind are almost like chains to me. However, as big as the chains that are binding you get, if I resist to it, the proficiency that I get increase in proportion to the size.
And finally, the time has come. The proficiency that I got from diligently increasing it in the forest, and the proficiency that I gained from my anger, has finally unlocked the drug resistance skill.
Ah, that's right, my name was Keare. I am, myself.
My mind suddenly became all clear and the mist that enveloped my mind disappeared. Because of the effects from the drug resistance skill, I was able to recover myself!
In this state, I turn and face forward. Flare, who is my arch-enemy is facing her back to me, and a crazy amount of killing intent seethes out from inside of me. Facing that killing intent, Flare's should twitches as it starts trembling.
Oh no, I should hold down my killing intent. Flare turns around and looks at my face with cautious eyes, and once again faces forward. It seems that somehow, I was able to feign staying normal for a moment. It seems that she thought the killing intent that I accidentally spilled out was just her imagination, and was able to ignore it.
My memories of when I had lost myself begin to return to me, and it seems she really just did as she pleased with me.
Well, thanks to that, I had gained pain resistance, and the amount of abilities that I could use had increased. On top of that, my level increased as well, which means I probably had been using looting heal unconsciously.
Well then, Flare, I'll have you taste the same amount of disgrace and humiliation I had to go through. Everything I suffered through my first life and my current life. It's fine if you still think that you hold the collar on me, but you know what Flare? This collar on my neck has already been completely taken off.
Even while I'm scorching my mind with this blazing hatred, my brain is cold and composed, and I'm currently thinking of a method to escape while kidnapping Flare after breaking her. The day that I'm going to carry out this plan is close.