By Zephyria =======
Wolf continued to mutter, rubbing his chin.
“Besides, the commonalities? I can see them. A distortion, perhaps? Abilities that weren’t there suddenly appearing, footprints appearing before the step is taken, one’s own shadow attacking, being tested in a place that should be impossible to reach… it’s playful yet dangerous. In a broad sense, it’s similar to the situation we’re in… and…”
The words that followed were naturally converted into ●∩♣ as they passed through Silver’s ears. He wondered what the boy was twisting this time… but, he’s actually quite capable.
“Right, since it’s ♣▶, and because it’s ×⌒⊥, it has to be that way. It’s definitely reflecting the ♥♥ trait…”
≪●★⊙, Wolf suddenly snapped his head up.
“Prince, fill your stomach. Silver, too! Uncle and Aunt as well!”
“What is this brat talking about? Can’t you see this?”
The Eyepatch Woman gestured with her chin toward her stomach. It was bulging as if she were harboring two baby goats. Black Weasel had three.
“But you, kid, why are you interfering? Is there a reason?”
“When we found the fairy, the voice said, ‘Extra points will be awarded according to the regulations.’ Between setting a time limit with the Jester and the skeleton wraith’s love for rules, it seems the skeleton wraith likes order. And it’s unkind. It didn’t tell us what kind of punishment there would be before making us form teams. If that’s the case, we need to eat as much as possible right now. There must be some reason why the skeleton wraith prepared a mountain of food.”
“And here I thought… you’re slow, kid. We already knew and stuffed ourselves. You and the Prince should be the ones eating diligently.”
Wolf’s cheeks flushed at the Eyepatch Woman’s rebuke. Black Weasel, already full, was rolling his shoulders back and forth. Silver swallowed a sneer as he gulped down his drink. Just when he thought the boy was finally being straightforward, he went and circled back again. That’s a talent in itself, a real talent.
Around them, the warriors were talking loudly. Listening closely, Silver noticed most of them were the ones who had waited until the end to open the second chest. Occasionally, he spotted a warrior drinking alone. That was someone who had sacrificed their comrades to the finger monsters and emerged as the sole survivor. Regardless, everyone was gorging themselves. They knew perfectly well. The next task would be a grueling exercise in futility. No dog survives that kind of training.
Even so, everyone prepared for battle. Unable to abandon a futile hope. ‘You never know, right?’
Silver wrinkled his nose. The Eyepatch Woman sitting next to him suddenly tapped his leg with her crutch. When he glanced at her, she moved her lips silently. ‘Knife.’
Silver didn’t hesitate. It took only a moment for a dagger to be placed in the Eyepatch Woman’s hand. She put her arm around Silver’s shoulder and whispered.
“Good job, kid.”
It felt as if black water was filling his chest. Silver drained his glass to the bottom and slammed it down.
〔Did you enjoy your meal?〕
The voice drifted in. Wolf flinched and looked up. The crowd fell silent instantly, like an execution ground after the spectators had left.
〔I will tell you the exit. Head left from the entrance.〕
The warriors headed for the entrance without hesitation. The wine glasses they had held moments ago were now replaced by axes. The sound of orderly footsteps echoed through the dark cavern.
Black Weasel also stood up with a gesture.
“Let’s go. Everyone follow this Captain.”
‘Captain’…
Silver flipped the middle finger at Black Weasel’s back. The Eyepatch Woman, following him, also looked displeased. He had realized it during the chest task. This man was a pirate captain in appearance only; in reality, he was a sunfish who habitually bumped into ships and tore nets.
By now, the Prince and the Attendant must have understood why Silver called Black Weasel the ‘Ice Armor Warrior.’ A phrase Black Weasel often used passed by Silver’s ears.
‘Persistence? Patience? Willpower? Why do I need those? Those are weapons used by the weak.’
Tch, I really did give him a great nickname.
They continued walking left from the dining area entrance. The rock wall that had stretched on suddenly bent. A door appeared. A fairy appeared as well.
〔Please exit through that door. Rewards will be presented outside. Congratulations to everyone! Everyone, can you hear this sound?〕
The sound of enthusiastic applause could be heard.
However, there were no cheers.
There was no laughter.
* * *
They were so stunned they forgot to speak. At least, Silver was. Others likely felt no different.
Light. No light source could be found. Yet, things were visible.
A cube? A rectangular prism? In any case, a large, smooth rectangular box stretched out. Its height was similar to the dark cavern.
The problem was the width. It was vast. The end was not in sight.
The door was visible. In the very far distance. Roughly half a day’s journey by horse?
Realistically, at that distance, even a giant stone statue should be invisible. Yet, it was visible.
Silver let out a dry laugh. Wolf had pointed it out accurately. The skeleton wraith had its own order, its own rules. And…
Hey, this joke is going too far! There’s no need to distort things to this extent!
“…Wow. Sick taste.”
Silver looked down at his hands. He was flat, like a paper boat floating on a river under a full moon. Compared to this, the face of Black Weasel, who had fallen asleep after draining the last bottle, looked like a pretty cat.
“Si-Silver?”
Black Weasel turned around, stammering.
“Silver… you, you too?”
A drawing spoke. However, the voice was the same as before. Only the voice.
Silver touched his cheek. He could feel the sensation of his fingers. Along with his voice, his sense of touch was intact. As for how his face looked to the Ice Armor Warrior… it would be better not to know until the end, right?
“Fu-fuck, my body turned into a rug…”
The drawing of the Eyepatch Woman trembled, wrapping her arms around her body. The drawing of the Red Eagle shed a few teardrops. The drawing of Wolf… was clenching his fists so hard it looked as if the paper might tear. He seemed furious in his own way, but because of his appearance, he looked more like a toddler’s first-ever scribble.
The group of warriors also looked devastated. From their expressions, they looked like farmers watching their farmland be raided by a swarm of locusts. Several drawings of warriors dropped their axes. Clangs and crashes followed one after another. The same question was etched onto all their crumpled faces: ‘Why have we suddenly turned into drawings?’
“Everyone, please don’t panic.”
The drawing of Wolf whispered. Silver stopped touching his nose and looked up.
“This is a space without shadows. If you don’t understand what I mean, look at your feet.”
As if their pants had suddenly fallen, everyone looked down and gasped. The shadows that always clung to their toes were gone.
“Our bodies are fine. We just look like illustrations from a children’s book to the eye. Shadows are created when an object blocks light, but here, that relationship has been distorted.”
“…Dammit.”
Black Weasel cursed, his eyes twitching.
“I thought I’d turned into paper. In this state, even if I go outside, I’d either be incinerated or spend the rest of my life as a circus clown. But hey, you?”
Black Weasel gestured with his chin toward Silver’s shoulder. Silver looked down at his shoulder and paused. A mantis fairy was perched there softly. Large eyes beneath a bonnet stared back at him intently. What? Even as a drawing, this little guy is cute?
“Hurry up and send it away. Quickly.”
Wolf whispered in a tiny voice, gesturing. However, with the dexterity of a twenty-year pickpocket, Silver swiftly snatched the fairy and stuffed it into his belt pouch. It was an action driven entirely by instinct.
“Silver, you can’t just…”
Wolf’s eyes grew round like full moons. Silver shrugged.
“It followed me all the way here. Doesn’t that mean it’s asking to be kidnapped? Look, it’s quiet even though it’s trapped in the pouch.”
“But, Silver. If you steal it recklessly…”
“What’s the problem? There are hundreds of fairies here.”
Silver grinned and pointed toward the air with his chin.
〔Go home! Your family is waiting!〕
〔The babies are waiting for their mommy and daddy!〕
Numerous fairies were surrounding the male and female warriors like a swarm of moths, shouting. This time, the fairies were white baby foxes fluttering butterfly wings. Large, translucent tails. Pink bell ribbons around their necks.
Silver swallowed hard. If he had been wearing a backpack, he would have stolen a fox fairy as well. The skeleton wraith has some kind of… taste for cute things.
49 – Hell Execution Order