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TL, ED: Pascal’s Wager

Expect slower updates on this series, especially since I work on another (Mayoi Neko) when I get burned out on this one and picked up typesetting for Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence. Email me at pascalswagerofficial@gmail.com w/ comments, or just comment down below. Also join the NeoSekai TL Discord and help me cover raw costs on Ko-Fi if you want. We’re also looking for new translators (MTL or not) and editors for web/light novels, as well as translators/cleaners/redrawers/editors/proofreaders for manga, so if you’re interested, please join the Discord and ask. We’re willing to teach translators how to MTL, and editors only need to have a good grasp of how to correct grammar and flow in the English translations. There’s also way more LN/WN series that people have suggested than we can TL with our current group, in case you’re not sure on what to start on. I’m not setting the bar very high for manga, and someone here can teach how to clean/redraw/typeset. Anyway, enjoy!

『…………、──cannot────Sid──』

A deformed girl caved in.

『──World──────────』

The Code Holder, which she grabbed and refused to let go, finally fell to the floor with a rattle.

Her body crumbled before Kai’s eyes. It became particles as clear as glass powder, and melted and disappeared in the sunlight like light snowflakes.

「……I was able to……defeat？」

「I want to think so.」

In response to Rinne approaching, Kai picked up the Code Holder from the floor.

When. Behind me, I heard the footsteps of a large man.

「I thought the creepiest creatures in the world were the sidhes.」

The Lion King walked alone, leaving his men waiting outside.

「But, there are some very strange creatures out there, aren’t there? Jeanne-dono, was this the monster you were talking about?」

「Yes. The individuals seem to be different, but they should be the same race.」

Jeanne and Farin followed cautiously.

Each tightened her mouth in front of the wall where the rasterizer had just disappeared.

──Nothing’s left.

Like after a dream.

There was no evidence that the monster was here. It would be difficult for even the Lion King to make people believe this story.

「So there’s a sixth race?」

「We don’t know that much. I don’t think there are enough individuals to call them a race. The only ones I’ve seen are Heavenly Lord Alfrejya’s attacker and this one.」

Jeanne’s face turned.

「What about Kai?」

「Ah. Rinne and I have seen three of them so far, but the only remaining one is Heavenly Lord Alfrejya’s attacker. The other two should have disappeared.」

The first one──the watchdog for the imprisoned Rinne. The same individual who attacked Heavenly Lord Alfrejya.

The second one──disappeared after being defeated by the Dark Empress Vanessa.

The third one──defeated by Kai and disappeared.

It was the first one.

I’m sure the individual who watched Rinne in that other space is still there. (TL: remember, first person = Kai POV. It just makes sense to leave it as first here.)

「By the way, Kai. I can’t seem to find that hero.」

Reiren looked around, leaving the statue of Heavenly Lord Alfreyja behind. It was something Jeanne, Farin, and more than anyone else, the Lion King, was concerned about.

「This magic power floating in the air. It seemed like there was an explosion.」

「…………」

「Kai?」

「……She……aimed to trade her life with the rasterizer’s.」

I only had to say one word.

I’m not sure why I’m struggling to get my voice out like this and making my throat hoarse.

She is not human.

A human enemy. If I think about it calmly, it should be good news that one of the threats has disappeared.

「She was caught by the rasterizer and couldn’t do anything. She didn’t think she had the strength to escape……so she chose to do it.」

The technique of a companion.

The explosion had nearly killed the rasterizer. And because it was slowed, it had been hit by the light ray of the Yurun Resistance Army’s weapon.

「And Reiren.」

「What?」

「I’m not the one who brought this statue here. It was Rikugen Kyoko’s wit. That’s all I’m saying, but please remember.」

「……really?」Reiren looked behind in surprise.

The statue of the sidhe’s hero. It’s still unclear if this is Heavenly Lord Alfrejya himself, but the rasterizer definitely did not want this to be taken out.

「It’s not done yet……」

The Lion King Balmung gave a low growl.

He squinted at the remains of the viscous slime that had stuck to the walls everywhere.

「That Rikugen Kyoko girl was the greatest enemy of our federation. At the same time, she was the greatest challenge I had to overcome. Someday I would settle it with my own hands. That’s what I thought……」

The commander, who was raised as a soldier, closed his eyes.

He exhales deeply.

「I will defeat the cryptids that we have a mutual grudge with. I don’t know her last will is……so I guess the only thing I can do is defeat the cryptids instead of her.」

『Does Rikugen Kyoko have to do anything?』

「Ah, yes. Look at my fight in the other world.」(TL: can also be read “afterlife”)

『All right. By the way, where is the「other world」. 』

「It’s already──……hmm？」

The large man with a beard frowned.

「Maybe it’s my imagination. I thought I heard a voice that sounded as if Rikugen Kyoko had come back to life……」

『I haven’t come back to life. I’m not dead.』

「I see. Good, then────────that’s not possible!」

The lion king looked around in a panic.

Kai, as well as Rinne and Jeannne, could clearly hear it, but the voice’s source did not appear.

「Umm, show yourself! Where are you?！」

『Here.』

「Where is here!?」

Behind the shouting Balmung.

Jeanne, who was watching him, suddenly made a small jump.

「Kyaa!?」

A girl screams.

She screamed in a very cute and adorable way, as if she forgot she was dressed as a man.

「Wait, what……eh? Fa, Farin help me！It’s moving under the armor?!」

「Jeanne-sama?!」

「Ah, for real, what is it！Come out！」

At the same time as Jeanne’s angry declaration, something fell from the gap in her armor.

A bright blue viscous slime. Although it looked like a girl, its size was small enough to fit in Kai’s palm. [1]

「Uh……Umm……」

『Rikugen Kyoko. Don’t you understand?』

A small bird-like figure, Rikugen Kyoko, looked up at humans and elves in the crowd. I’m not sure if it’s the effect of a smaller size or just that her voice sounds younger.

……I mean.

……It’s, real. Definitely. [2]

「I know this is a strange question, but aren’t you dead?」

『Why?』

「Why……you blew yourself up in such a destructive way. It’s hard to believe that only the nucleus survived that explosion.」(TL: I put core vital in the previous part, but nucleus makes more sense as you’ll soon see why)

『The core vital was destroyed.』

The hero of the holy spirit tribe readily affirmed this. (TL: See my note at the end about this)

However, for Kai and the others, the mystery was only deepening. The core of the holy spirit is like a human vital. Regeneration is not possible. If it is destroyed, it will lead to death.

『Rikugen Kyoko didn’t say there was only one nucleus. There is one, but it can split. 』

「Wow!?」

Rikugen Kyoko jumped and landed on the Knight of Spiritual Light’s shoulder.

『The same thing happened when I fought Fang Lord Rath=IE. I made him think I had self-destructed and ran away. This time, I figured it would be safe to hide in this person.』

「……When did you get into my armor?」

Jeanne asked in a calm, masculine manner.

「We were the first ones sent back from that other space. After that, we must have been separate……」

『So I split the nucleus at that moment.』

Jeanne, Farin, Reirin, and the Lion King were all sent back from the other space.

Kai and Rinne were left in the other space.

Rikugen Kyoko existed in both dimensions.

『At the time, I wasn’t sure whether to stay in the other space or return the graveyard. I wasn’t sure which would give the better chance of survival. That’s why Rikugen Kyoko decided splitting her body into two was correct.』

「Sneaky!?」

『It’s not sneaky. I lose a lot of strength. And now this is the body.』

Rikugen Kyoko sighs while sitting on Jeanne’s shoulder.

She pointed to Kai in front of her.

『So I leave it to you.』

「……To me? What?」

『Fighting Fang Emperor Rath=IE.』

The hero of the holy ghosts affirmed.

『Because he should know how to restore Heavenly Lord Alfreyja and how he tampered with the world.』

Footnotes

[1] introducing slime lolis

[2] no typo on the comma, taken as is

TL Note: regarding “The hero of the holy spirit tribe readily affirmed this.”

I’ve been wondering since I started translating this series about whether the “spirit/ghost tribe” should really have been translated as “holy spirit/ghost tribe” instead. The name of the tribe is 聖霊族, or 圣灵族 in Chinese, that literally translates to “holy spirit/ghost tribe.” I’ve talked with my friend, who unlike me is fluent in Japanese, and he said that it was a bit unclear as to whether this was really talking about a “holy spirit” as opposed to a “spirit.” I do recall the previous TL leaving a note about the ambiguity of how he interpreted this name as well. This is where I’m going to have to exercise my assumptions based on Kei Sazane’s past and current works and say that he has referenced Christian elements far more than enough for me to feel safe about translating this as “holy ghost tribe/race” instead. Don’t believe me? Well, go read Our Last Crusade or Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden. Heck, even this story has Jeanne alluded to as the “Spiritual Knight of Light,” probably in reference to Jeanne d’Arc. Naze Boku also revolves heavily around a plot of “prophecy.” At any rate, that’s my thinking on how I’m going to translate that from now on, hopefully you can see why I didn’t put it directly in the chapter now.