Translator(s): DCThanatos, flowingcloud Editor(s): N/A Proofreader(s): DCThanatos TLC(s): ShimizuA, flowingcloud
Note: Now, there’s a lot of things I’d like to say, but first I’d like to give a light shout out to Immortal Dreamer from Zenith & Aura Realm for helping out, even if it was only a little. Next, this is also a teaser, just like Son of Destruction. Although I actually like the concept a lot and would like to work on it more, it took a long while(alone) to translate this chapter, although… maybe I could do it in parts. Lastly, I was thinking of doing more Son of Destruction chapters, but they are also long, and I’m busy with other stuff, so I can’t say if there will actually be anymore, and when they’d be.
P.s. There are some sentences in here which I am highly uncertain about, and I implore you to go and try and find a correction for whatever sounds wrong(so that I can fix it).
Without further ado(>.>), Enjoy~
Rose’s Name
Shion didn't understand how the human body could appear in such a way.
There was a small shrine that was built at the foot of the second most steepest peak of all peaks, Mt. Ishgar. Within the depths of the small and modest shrine, there was a saint enshrined. The man had fasted severely to cleanse his body, and became the body of the Buddha[1], and looked down upon Shion. Despite that it was a corpse, Shion did not feel any repugnance. Rather, they felt awe towards the monk who had held his head high and sacrificed himself for a noble ideal. Even charity was felt in the eyes of the deceased man.
The Night Demon Lord——One of the true ancestors, Archduke Gazelleron——the domain of Skullberg Bellioni Gazelleron, was at the foot of Mt. Ishgar, tracing the border of the country, while at the same time, it was also the hunting ground for demons in the evening. The wild hunt happened repeatedly every night, the prey being an unlucky traveller, as well as a hunter who roamed chasing after precious poultry.
By no means was it a place for human beings. But in order to enlighten or pray for the peace of the land, the monk set foot onto this foreign ground alone. They may not have known of the risks.
And, there was another man who was enumerated to be a saint from different belief, now faintly breathing, as his head lay upon Shion's lap. She attentively watched over the person's body.
Lugine Radius Paldini. That was the man's name. Up until a few years ago, you could see his name as a candidate for the cardinal of the Ickx religion. He was a devout, and genuine clergyman adored by the populace. However, he was excommunicated as a heretic, and was currently being targeted by Inquisitors. He had sinned by having a joint struggle with Shion, in order to bury one of the tyrannical Night Lords.
"You seem to have been surrounded," Lugine spoke. His bandage was drenched with blood and covered both of his eyes, but he heard a voice from somewhere that was cheerful and buoyant.
"They don't have the courage to step within the sanctuary……. Thou should sleep a little." Because I am watching over you. Shion unconsciously pulled back Lugine's hair.
"I'm already useless." Said Lugine in a tone similar of that of speaking about tomorrow's weather. The voice was too relaxed, Shion almost unintentionally agreed.
Lugine continued.
"Several important organs have been torn, as well as received poison. The precious gemstones in my wounds have been used up, and there is no miraculous medicinal elixir either. I can't even turn the 《Spindle》 either. I'm helpless." If anyone were to analyze the matter indifferently without it being themselves, they would comment he was composed man. Shion was at a loss for words. Her voice chest felt tight, and no words escaped.
This was the first time to happen in over three hundred years.
"What happened to Shion Za Phil, the Princess well known as a ruthless Night Lord? Are you feeling compassionate?" Lugine displayed a wounded smile. Shion finally realized it was her who was apprehensive.
"I'm certain that thou were born from a mouth"
"Preaching is my only merit. Even if I was a bishop……"
Shion laughed at the frivolous talk of Lugine.
It was pleasant. Lugine murmured. She gave him a hand. Shion didn't attempt to avoid Lugine's fingers as they touched her cheeks. She personally showed him how to hold onto something important.
"Sleep now."
"I want to talk to you. If I fall asleep again…… I have a feeling that I won't awaken again." Shion believed that her analysis was correct. A night demon's analysis is something like an evaluation of the current situation where personal emotions are not included. And, as Lugine said, Shion was a night demon princess. Daughter of Skullberg = The first princess of Gazelleron. Gender is irrelevant to night demons, in order to succeed the throne, one must be an unmistakably legitimate child. In the thorough system of meritocracy[2], the incarnation of the princess of night demons shook their reality[3].
I don't want to lose this man. Shion's trembled from the shock that had pierced her chest. Aside from that, It was her who had tried to bury her fangs into the nape Luguine's neck.
"It's useless." With his eyes and the like which couldn't see, Lugine said. The voice was gentle, filled with sympathy. With that, Shion was able to come to her senses.
"Sorry. …… Forgive me."
"Undead Immortal, didn't you say you wanted to save your people from suffering. Shion, if that's the case, don't take the same steps as your old man."
Shion, this is the first time someone called her that, and was called by a dying man. Immediately afterwards, large tears spilled from Shion's eyes. Those tears endlessly overflowed, Shion muffled her voice but she couldn't stop.
"Sorry."
Once again, that was the best I could do.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't stand until the very end."
There was a roaring noise from the wind. It will be a stormy evening. It is as if the scent of the beeswax confined in the basket in the Hokora seems to be mourning for the man who is about to begin his trip to Hades.
Shion looked up to the sky. In that way she tried to stop the tears.
It was because of her feelings of Lugine.
That man laughed while talking.
Sorry for the dark deathbed, and.
She wanted to respond.
"Any regrets?" So she tried to ask calmly. Lugine's reply came.
"Too many."
"Thou hath had many wicked thoughts, and yet are a priest." Shion smiled. And then he said.
"If it's one request, I think I can grant it though." If there was or not. Shion listened. Lugine wore a serious face. He answered with a serious, depraved tone.
"Shion……It would be nice if you held me in your embrace." For a moment, Shion was struck dumb. After that, to the point where her face was on fire, her face turned red. She couldn't hit a seriously injured man, nor could she remove him off the lap pillow; flustered and being upset, she cut emptiness[4] with her hands.
"I'm joking." Immediately after telling her, Lugine began to vomit blood. He nearly drowned in his blood as he writhed in pain. While doing so, he called out to Shion.
"When I die, I'd like to leave you my sword." While saying that, Lugine pointed towards his sword which was leaning against the wall.
Shion felt all of the hairs on her body stand up.
It was a different awe she felt from the small shrine head, namely the monk that had become a Buddha. It was genuine fear.
There, was a dangerous weapon which could cause the skin of those who were kin[5] of the night demons to fester.
Holy Sword: [Absolute Rose]. The true rose was more complete in comparison to a noble rose.
Contradictory to its sweet name, there laid a heinous silhouette which one could not imagine. The large sword spread wide to the point that it's tip looked like a drifting rose petal, as it's name would suggest. It was made in the form of a single sword, jointing together by several other swords. The blade had begun to visibly crack and break, however, in fact, the blade had been calculated to be exclusively used in opposition against the undead.
In a fight against an immortal, one must abandon the common sense of struggles that occur between mortals. Even if someone immortal were to be penetrated by a sharp blade in a vital point, they wouldn't be stopped. Whether one thrusts a sword so far that they reach their brain, or even stab them through bowels, and into their heart, they are not wounded by any degree, even if one tore their aorta. However, to bury the immortal, it's meaningless to cleave their body in half.
No, even then, it's half hearted if it becomes an advanced level night demon. Unless one has some method to inhibit the incredible restoration of their bodies, it's impossible to destroy their body. Since Shion was one herself, she understood this. In order to slaughter the royalty of the night demons, preparations were necessary.
However, with the sacred sword: [Absolute Rose], it made the difficulty very easy.
It was a blade with a petal-like tip the was broad like a hatchet, that as soon as it came into contact with a night demons body, it cut through it like a hot knife through butter[6]. It would be possible if the blade was still excellent, and there was a user who excelled in using it.
But this is the true terror of [Absolute Rose]. It is easy to break-off the sword, similar to it's ease of cutting. No, not exactly break. A blade is actively left within the other party's body.
The blade left then continues to destroy tissue. It's not possible to extract it from a night demon. In order to remove fragments of the holy sword, which melt when touched, one requires help from someone whom was not affected by holy articles. For example, a human. In this way, that is how the holy blade consigns the immortals to oblivion. The broken blades all come out at once.
.Therefore, Shion's previous lines were a lie. It is said that they(the demons) do not dare set foot and tread upon this sacred ground.
The truth was that they feared [Absolute Rose] and it's user.
And there was the fear of Shion as well.
"I…I can't…"
"Once they find out that I've died, they will come and break in quickly. There's no time!"
Lugine shouted.
Shion shook her head.
"I can't touch it!"
Shion's body instinctively trembled in fear. No, Shion wouldn't show fear, even if she confronted [Absolute Rose] as an enemy before her eyes. She wouldn't have thought that the day where she would be holding the blade would come.
And then, even she was wise enough to arrive at the truth behind Lugine proposal, and what would come after that.
Lugine did just as what Shion thought as expected.
A white right hand similar to an icefish was on Shion's chest. The left hand held a sharpened white dagger. Then he said.
"I make it. With the flesh of my body. With my skin. Gloves. Armor to hold the sacred sword!" His raw skin peeled off. While he was still alive. His scream would show them that he was still alive.
"Hurry! Shion!"
I won't acknowledge it. Shion shook her head in disapproval.
"Thou who is suffering, thou who is humiliated——inflicted with torture, dost thou have a command?"
"Live! Shion! Save your people!"
I refuse. Shion shook her head with disapproval.
"I'd rather die together with thou then do such a thing!"
How much power remained? In response to Shion, Lugine grabbed his bandage and removed it. There were no eyeballs in his sockets, and the dark blood that had coagulated began to flow out in a pool of blood. He asked with a humble request.
"Do as I say Shion… Let me protect you――to the very end."
Aren't thou have promised?
Shion began to wail.
For the first time in my life.
Probably also the last.
I don't care if my heart is broken.
I will fulfill my promise.
I swear it.
To those who have passed away.
I will save my people.
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Footnotes:
1. TL: It uses 即身仏(Sokushinbutsu) in this sentence, which is when a monk practices austerity to the point of death. 即 can mean "adapt", 身 can mean "one's station in life", and 仏 can mean "Buddha". This could read it as "Adapting one's station in life to the Buddha's" or something like that( or so I figure).↩
3. TL: For those who don’t understand, it’s basically saying that for the night demons who have lived by meritocracy, when the princess was born(who is presumably incapable or such), their ideals from the system that they had lived by were shaken.↩
5. TL: Here, 眷族(Kenzoku) is used, which means family, household, underling, etc, but I felt that family or household would be misinterpreted, so I used "kin" as a substitute.↩
6. TL: It was actually hard for me to describe this blade, so to figure out what even remotely looked like, I jumped some chapters ahead and found . Hope it helped your understanding of the weapon, because it sure didn't help me. Reads a few sentences later OH SH*T! This blade is like a tapeworm!↩