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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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For a moment, his mind went blank. Eilly, who had been smiling brightly and full of energy just yesterday, was now gloomy and talking about resigning.
In short, he was so bewildered that he couldn’t think straight.
“I apologize, Master… I think I have to quit working today.”
He became even more concerned, wondering what had happened to her.
“Why are you quitting?”
When he asked Eilly for the reason, she lowered her head with a troubled expression.
“Ugh… It’s -”
What had happened that made it so difficult for her to speak? She fidgeted with her thumbs, unable to utter a word.
“Actually… something came up with my family.”
Finally, she seemed to have gathered her courage, and with some hesitation, revealed everything.
“I have a younger sister who is a year younger than me -”
As she decided to tell her story, her voice became choked with emotion.
“Hmm….”
He listened intently as Eilly recounted what had happened in detail.
“And, sniff….”
Her voice wavered at times, as if she was saddened by her desperate situation.
“That’s… what happened….”
“Hmm, I see.”
He finally understood Eilly’s circumstances and why she wanted to quit.
“So, your sister is seriously ill?”
“… Yes.”
He knew she had a frail younger sister. He vaguely remembered her mentioning her during the incident in the kitchen last week.
“Hmm….”
But he hadn’t realized how serious her condition was.
“We can’t afford the medicine yet, and my sister is in critical condition right now, so we’ve agreed that I’ll take care of her until she gets better.”
He understood exactly why she wanted to quit.
“Therefore, Master…. I, Eilly, will be leaving your side for a while.”
“Of course, it won’t be a problem without an insignificant maid like me. I’m hoping that my absence won’t cause any inconvenience.”
“I promise it won’t be for long, and I will definitely return to your side someday.”
Eilly bowed deeply, as if bidding a bitter farewell.
It’s an unavoidable choice for her sister –
As if she wanted to say those words, when she raised her head, her face was contorted with frustration and unwillingness.
“Eilly.”
Seeing that, he closed his eyes for a moment and thought. Then, he stood up with a determined look.
“Yes…?”
Perhaps an ordinary nobleman, even after hearing her story, would only feel pity… and readily accept her resignation.
However –
“Can I see your sister?”
He thought differently.
◇ ◇ ◇
“This… This is but a humble place, so please take no offence…”
A small slum located east of the Stenman mansion’s main gate.
“Excuse me.”
Eilly’s house was a shabby, small dwelling.
A damp smell stung his nose as he entered, and
“Please wait a moment, Master! I’ll get you some tea right away….”
the sound of rotting wood creaking under his feet filled the air.
“It’s alright. Where’s your sister?”
The old house felt like it would collapse like a matchbox with a single touch…. Did Eilly’s family live in a place like this?
“Yes… Then, my sister is in the room at the back. Mother usually comes over in the evenings to look after her.”
He followed her guidance and headed towards the back of the house.
Creak…
Unlike the well-maintained doors of the mansion, the door here made a sound like something out of a horror movie.
“Ugh… Sister…?”
Entering the room, he saw a girl lying in bed, emaciated like a skeleton.
“Julie…!”
Eilly’s sister, Julie.
Seeing her sick sister, Eilly’s eyes welled up with tears.
“Julie, I’m here.”
Eilly went to her sister’s side and gently stroked her forehead.
“Ugh…… Sorry, hehe… I need to get better soon.”
Julie’s breathing was faint, as if it could fade away at any moment.
“Ugh….”
It was like watching a rose withering, its petals falling, its life force fading.
“No, no…. Sister will stay by your side from now on….”
Eilly held her sister’s hands tightly, watching her wither away.
“Are you sure…? What about work….”
“I’m taking a break, don’t worry!”
Her grip tightened.
“Sorry… because of me….”
“You don’t have to apologize!”
He could see her firm resolve, as if she wouldn’t let go of her sister’s hand even if she lost her life.
“……….”
It was like watching a tragic play.
A sickly younger sister and her caring older sister, a story of two sisters trying to live positively despite their desperate reality.
“Wait, can I see her face?”
He didn’t want to interrupt their moment, but… he had to intervene to check her condition.
“Oh? Yes….”
“Then, excuse me for a moment.”
As Eilly nodded, he immediately began to examine her sister’s complexion, wasting no time.
“Sister, who is this…?”
“Ah…! He’s my Master. He’s a very kind person.”
While Eilly and Julie were talking, he quickly checked Julie’s condition.
“Hmm?”
He discovered something quite easily.
“Master? What’s wrong…?”
“Wait a moment -”
Purple skin tissue extending below her collarbone.
“Is it alright if I pull down your top a little?”
“Yes……? Oh, yes!”
He gently pulled down the neckline of her clothes to get a closer look.
“This is….”
He saw that part of her skin was discolored a deep purple, as if it had been contaminated by something, and a horribly disfigured yellow tumor.
“……….”
To be honest, at first, he just intended to check her condition. And if possible, he planned to call a good doctor or pay for her medicine.
“…….”
But as soon as he saw Julie’s symptoms, something came to mind.
“Eilly, I have somewhere to go.”
“Yes? Where are you going?”
That skin tissue, the yellow tumor… If his memory served him correctly, he was certain.
“It won’t take long. I’ll get some ‘medicine’ quickly.”
He knew this symptom very well.
“Yes?!!”
Because it was a debuff that also appeared in the game.
“Uh…?”
The gloomy atmosphere instantly brightened at his words. Eilly and her sister widened their eyes and looked at him with puzzled expressions.
Eilly, in particular, seemed to have a mixture of apology and anticipation in her eyes.
“But Master…!!”
“It’s alright. Don’t worry and wait.”
Finally, he could put his knowledge to good use.
“I need to go catch a snake.”
◇ ◇ ◇
“Boss…. Are you sure this is the right place?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Stop whining and follow me.”
A mountainside untouched by human hands.
A bandit leader was leading his group somewhere.
A ruthless group who plundered regardless of race if there was profit to be made, and true to their nature as cruel bandits, they didn’t hesitate to commit murder and kidnapping if necessary.
“And Boss…. Did you hear? There’s a wanted poster for you in the royal capital….”
Their leader, Jack, was a notorious criminal who was a headache for the nation.
“Boss Jack! That’s amazing. Does that mean the guards are starting to fear you?!”
“Hmph! They don’t have the guts to catch me, so they resort to such petty tricks. It’s nothing. Wahahahaha!”
His bounty was quite high, posted on village and guild association bulletin boards.
His wickedness aside, his skill as a renowned bandit was the biggest problem.
“Alright, It should be around here…”
Jack was currently searching for something with as many of his subordinates as possible.
“But Boss…. What are you looking for? You’ve brought so many of us….”
“Hold on…… Aha! There it is!”
He was looking for the trail left by several ‘giant snakes’.
“Now, all we have to do is follow this!”
“What is this?”
“Can’t you see?! It’s the trail left by those ‘Lamias’!”
He answered his subordinate’s question impatiently and followed the trail left by the Lamias.
The Lamia race.
A half-human, half-snake race with a human upper body and snake scales on the lower body, living in groups inside large caves, generally deep within forests or mountains.
“The Lamias?”
“Yeah~! Don’t you know they settle in huge caves and live like humans?!”
“When winter approaches, the Lamias stockpile food and various valuable resources in their nests.”
“They should have accumulated quite a bit by now.”
Jack explained his grand plan to his subordinates with a sinister smile.
“So, if we raid their lair and take it over, we can get our hands on incredibly valuable goods!”
At his words, his subordinates began to express their admiration, understanding his intentions.
“Ooh! Then we could earn enough to eat for several months?!”
“That’s right~! So, everyone, stop dawdling and work hard if you want to sleep with a full stomach!”
““Yes -!! ””
Jack grinned even more sinisterly at his subordinates’ motivated voices.
“And, since the Lamias are all female, if we capture them alive, we can sell them as slaves to those with peculiar tastes.”
He planned his dirty schemes, imagining the vast wealth he would gain, already savoring his victory.
“Awooo -!!”
Suddenly, a chilling howl echoed through the forest.
“U-Uwaah?!”
“What?!”
“Boss! It’s a pack of Dire Wolves!”
“Kyaaaang!!”
A pack of Dire Wolves emerged, disrupting the bandits and charging towards them.
“Boss! There are quite a few of them!”
“Don’t be scared! They’re just wild beasts!”
Jack and the bandits drew their weapons and swung at the ferociously approaching monsters.
Slash –
“Keeeng -”
The Dire Wolves’ surprise attack was short-lived; the tide quickly turned in favor of the bandits.
Slash –
“You lowly mutts!”
Crack –!!
Especially for Jack, who had been living a life of banditry amidst brutal fights, Dire Wolves were nothing more than weaklings he could easily dispose of.
“Grrr…..!”
“Keeeng, Keeeng!”
After a brief skirmish, the Dire Wolves, sensing the difference in strength, began to flee.
“We’re done, Boss!”
“Hmph…. Wasting our energy.”
Just as they were about to catch their breath and regroup after driving away the monsters,
Whoosh -!
“G-Guh!”
As if a follow-up attack, arrows flew towards them.
“What -?!”
Unlike the beast-type monsters, human weapons were flying towards them, making Jack a bit nervous.
“…..!”
He looked around with a bad feeling.
“Hiss….”
“L-Lamias!!”
Half-snake, half-human creatures emerged from their ambush.
“You dare trespass on our territory?”
“Tsk, are the Dire Wolves your pets? That would explain the surprise attack.”
He clicked his tongue and drew his sword again.
“Good timing. I’ll make one of you tell me the location of your lair!”
He kicked off the ground and charged towards the Lamia patrol at high speed.
“Hmph!”
“Did you think we’d be afraid of fire?”
Two Lamia soldiers, armed with a trident and a sword, blocked Jack’s path.
“Out of my way!!”
Clang -!
However, with a single blow, he broke their weapons and incapacitated them.
“Ugh?!”
“Kuh..!”
“Hahahaha! If this is their level, their lair should be no problem!”
Checking the Lamias’ strength, he burst into laughter, brimming with confidence.
Whoosh –
Just then.
Whoosh —!!!
““Uwaaaah!!””
His subordinates were swept away by a massive firestorm –
“What?!”
Jack was stunned by the sudden intermediate-level magic.
“Ooh, is that so~?”
As if mocking his bewildered expression, a relaxed and elegant voice echoed in his ears.
“Are you that confident~?”
A Lamia with red scales, red hair, and red eyes appeared.
“Your courage is admirable.”
She held a large staff, seemingly the one who had cast the previous spell.
“Tsk! Who are you?!”
Jack frowned and glared at the Lamia, who exuded a strange and dangerous aura.
“Why should I tell that to insignificant humans like you?”
But the red Lamia chuckled, her eyes narrowed in disdain.
“However, I’ll tell you this much.”
She slowly pointed her staff at Jack.
“I am the Queen of this forest, the judge who will punish you.”
And like a final kiss, she whispered words of doom in a cunning and sweet voice.
“Lend me the power of fire magic -”
As she chanted the powerful spell, flames began to surge like waves.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaa —-
“Uwaaaah -!”
“Kyaah! S-Somebody save -”
“Boss!! Help us!!!”
The bandits screamed in agony, like sinners burning in the fiery pits of hell.
“Ugh….!”
Witnessing the scene, Jack gritted his teeth, trying to think of a solution.
“……….”
But he soon instinctively realized that he couldn’t handle that magic no matter what he did.
“Ah… Aaah….”
He let out a frustrated groan, staring at the massive flames.
“A… Aaaaaaaaaah –!!!!”
The fiery death sentence engulfed him –
and that was his last scream.
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
I’m new to translating so if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.
