Beyond Cloudfall - Chapter 2

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Retranslation

Over 1600 years ago, after centuries of warfare with humans, the evil dragon said in legend to bring Doomsday to Philos was finally sealed by the Legion of Justitia into demon-infested lands—the Abyss beneath Tarus City.

This battle was known as “The Battle of Tarus.” People praised the Legion of Justitia, honoring their leader who had driven his longsword into the demon’s chest as the “Sacred Judicator.”

Monuments inscribed with his achievement stand throughout Philos, and after his death, his built the Sanctuary in his honor.

Every year, the Sanctuary adopts city orphans in the name of the Sacred Judicator. It is an even more revered place than the Royal Palace.

When these orphans grow to a certain age, they will be taken away by a Judicator’s Oracle dressed in magnificent robes, to become members of the Legion of Justitia.

It’s just that… the Judicator’s Oracle who came to take me away instead threw me into the Abyss

The pure white Sanctuary is solemn and grand, the marble floors pristine and reflective, the reliefs on the wall bright as new—everything is just as it was when I was arrested.

When the followers who have gathered here see me, the “sorceress” who should have been executed, they immediately flee

As for the guards that are just for show, they too were utterly defeated in an instant, with just a flick of the fingers from the dragon and myself.

Dragon: Growing up in a cage like this, no wonder you’re

Dragon: You can attack now.

MC: (Though vengeance must be fulfilled, right now staying alive is more important…)

MC: (By now, the news of the Evil Demon appearing in the Sanctuary has surely spread like wildfire throughout the city.)

MC: (Once the Legion of Justitia arrive, they’ll inevitably deal with him first. At that time, I’ll take advantage of the chaos and escape.)

I see the last guard who is on his way to report disappear from my line of sight, and pretend not to notice, turning away.

MC: Since I don’t see the Judicator’s Oracle who condemned me, I’m afraid I won’t be able to fulfill my revenge at this time. How about—

However, the dragon has no interest in my plan for revenge and just stands by himself in a beam of daylight that falls into the depths of the Sanctuary.

That silhouette is so out of harmony with the pure white building, yet also seems to be like a sculpture that should have always been here.

I stare for a moment, quickly shake my head, and then go over to his side.

Dragon: What is that.

Following the dragon’s gaze, I see the decorative mural on the ceiling of the Sanctuary.

The main character in the painting is like a , wearing a bright red cape with a longsword in his hand, in the midst of executing an evil dragon in the corner.

MC: Oh… “Painting of a Heavenly God Slaying the Evil Demon”

MC: The Heavenly god symbolizes the dragon-slaying Sacred Judicator. The evil dragon in the bottom right corner with the longsword through its chest… is probably you.

I can’t figure out why he keeps staring at it—even without saying whether or not it is humiliating, just speaking about the dragon, it was painted without any sense of beauty.

Dragon: ….

The dragon lowers his eyelashes, a faint look of assessment sweeping across my face.

MC: Of course, this is just a type of artistic expression. You’re much more handsome and imposing in person.

His gaze returns to the text beneath the mural.

Dragon: So, it turns out that 1,677 years have passed since I was sealed.

MC: You can read?

Dragon: You can’t recognize words?

MC: Those are ancient characters that have already completely become extinct. No one recognizes them now. What is written there?

The demon looks back at the Sanctuary’s ceiling.

Dragon: Here it says, demons are by nature evil and avaricious, and excel in using human desires to make them kill one another, or

Dragon: In the end, the world will descend into and march toward annihilation. So the Evil Demon’s appearance is a harbinger of Doomsday.

Dragon: During “The Battle of Tarus,” this Sacred Judicator resisted the corruption of evil with an unwavering will.

Dragon: The battle was so brutal, in the end he was the only glorious survivor.

Dragon: He sealed the demon who symbolized Doomsday within the planet’s fissure, breaking the curse of Doomsday, bringing hope to the planet of Philos.

MC: I heard that the demon—that’s you—has a nemesis I think they were talking about this Sacred Judicator.

Dragon: As if he’s worthy.

MC: Mm, I also think this story sounds very fake.

Sunlight spills across the entrance of the Sanctuary. The silence is

MC: (It’s been so long, but the Legion of Justitia still hasn’t come… If there’s no one to hold him back, I have no way to escape…)

I consider other ways to buy time, then change the subject.

MC: Oh right, this Sanctuary is also the place of your enemy’s eternal rest.

MC: Although the Sacred Judicator in the painting is already dead, but his ashes still remain, they are held here. In the inner hall, there’s also a statue.

I swing myself onto the armrest of a bench in the Sanctuary and feign interest as I prop my chin in my hand and look at the demon.

MC: Smash it, spill ink on it, spread curses all over it, or perhaps, pull out his ashes and scatter them—if it’s revenge, which do you prefer more?

Once again, he doesn’t say anything. I look over, but that face is shrouded in soft light, making it difficult to discern his emotions.

MC: This guy caused you to be locked up in the Abyss for over a thousand years, but during that time, he himself was praised by everyone, glorified endlessly—

Dragon: Are you referring to glory built upon ignorant faith? This kind of foolish thing, do you really think I should envy it?

MC: But—

A sharp whistle of air arises as a Justitia feathered arrow made from metal and stone, trailing electric currents, slices through the air, brushing past my words in its arrival.

MC: (They’re finally here!)

The demon beside me raises his hand and lightly pinches the air, and the arrow dissolves into particles mid-flight.

Dragon: Boring.

Before the next wave of attacks can come, the Sanctuary is suddenly flooded with brilliant light, so piercing it’s impossible to keep one’s eyes open.

Dragon: ….!

MC: (Now is the time…!)

From behind the silver light, sword blades accompanied by the sound of many footsteps rush before the demon. I take some steps back, looking for the right opportunity to rush out—

Dragon: You

From behind me comes the sound of a finger snap. A sharp pain surges from deep inside my chest. It’s like my soul has been seized, and I can’t take another step.

My limbs stiffen and turn back against my will, and when I clearly see the scene before me, I take a sharp breath.

Slashing, tearing—as though they are puppets controlled by an invisible force, all of the guards who had rushed in are slaughtering each other.

The reliefs on the wall are splashed and dyed dark red; fallen candlesticks ignite the gauze curtains. Stained glass windows project an ominous red light, reflecting the image of purgatory upon them.

Howls of agony and screams of despair weave into a melody. The demon quietly watches the Sanctuary turn into a blood-red inferno, and lets out a scoff after a moment.

Dragon: So many years have passed, but this is still just as laughably foolish.

Against the colorful light of the stained glass windows, I clearly see his bloodstained lashes and the corner of his lips tilting up into a cold curve.

Dragon: Come here.

MC: …!

MC: (His eye…. It’s his eye that’s controlling everything…!)

Dragon: You have some brains, but not much.

Dragon: If you want to , you should see if that blade is sharp enough.

A familiar piercing pain tears open flesh and skin, as pale golden light mixed with black mist is once again pulled from my body.

MC: (His eye…. It should be mine…)

Dragon: On the verge of death, and yet you still have the time to covet my eye.

Dragon: You’re greedy enough.

Dragon: What a pity—

MC: Wait! It’s very easy to kill me, but if you keep me, perhaps I can help you do a few things! And also—

I fiercely bite down on my lower lip, trying my best to speak with him in a clear-headed and calm manner.

MC: I want to live, and I also want your eye, like the way you want my soul, is that so wrong? I’m just not as powerful as you!

Dragon: ….

The shackles around my neck suddenly loosen.

Dragon: You just said you can still help me do a few things. Like what?

I take two steps back, holding my neck to steady myself, quickly searching for something a dragon might need.

MC: I… can help you accumulate wealth, and can also help you collect many souls—whatever you want, I can do it all.

In the next moment, my body rises into the air as he carries me, wings beating, and soars towards the stratosphere.

MC: What are you doing now—?!

Dragon: Ask again, and I’ll immediately devour you.

With a crisp snap of his fingers, energy explodes within the flames, the surging flames licking the clouds and dyeing them a magnificent blood red.

Amidst the thunderous tremors, the majestic, solemn Sanctuary at the center of the royal city swiftly crumbles into ruins.

Dragon: As for an act as boring as revenge, this is enough. There’s no need to

The wind carries screams and cries of terror to us. The demon holds me in his arms and beats his wings, flying against the glow of the setting sun into the distance.

Before sunset is over, we chase the last trace of twilight and arrive at a lair perched at the summit of a steep cliff.

Looking down from the sky, the spectacular scenery formed by the cliff and lair resembles the skeleton of a giant dragon spreading its wings about to take flight, standing between the mountain peaks.

He brings me to land on the other side. Here, the light is even better and there are no blood-soaked stone platforms.

MC: ….this place… is your home?

Dragon: Have you ever met a demon with a home?

After the dragon puts me down—though to me it feels more like being thrown down—he drags his tail and ascends a stone staircase to the upper level of the cave.

Seeing as he has no intention of restraining me, I turn and run toward the cave entrance.

Pebbles roll off the cliff; I can’t hear the sound of them falling. My footsteps stop just in time, and with a heart as dead as ashes, I look out toward the precipice.

MC: (...Fine. I can’t go back to Ivory City anyway. This dragon’s cave is also not uninhabitable.)

The cave is illuminated with lights at intervals, and I follow the faint glow up the winding stone stairs, catching up to the figure ahead.

MC: It seems…. For the time being, you won’t be eating my soul, right?

Dragon: If I still wanted to eat you, why waste energy to bring you back here?

Dragon: Behave yourself and stay put.

I naturally don’t believe that this dragon spared my life due to a thing as trivial as “I can help you accumulate wealth.”

Not knowing what he’s planning, I hurriedly take two steps and continue speaking with him.

MC: Since I have to live here, I should at least have somewhere decent to stay. This cave of yours, isn’t it a little crude?

Following the winding staircase to the highest level of the cave, the surroundings are completely pitch black, as if it’s another world.

The dragon stops walking. His tail coils around my waist and lifts me up to the final step, and he lowers his eyes to stare at me coldly.

Dragon: Choose for yourself.

Unspoken words catch in my throat. I watch him snap his fingers, sending an orb of energy floating into the depths of the cave.

From nearby into the distance, red flames light up one by one, treasures scintillating. There are… tens of thousands upon thousands of treasures that the dragon has accumulated here.

MC: …

Dragon: What, you don’t want anything?

MC: …You’re willing to let me have them?

Dragon: What is there to be unwilling about? You are also mine now.

His tail winds around me again, turning me around and pushing me toward the treasure.

The dragon’s cave has not had any visitors for a long time. I approach a mountain of gold coins, push aside thick cobwebs, and behind it, discover a fallen weapon rack.

I prop up the nearly rotten wooden rack, and pull down a dagger that reflects a cold light.

Dragon: The Demon Sealing Blade. Legend says that if you stab it into a dragon’s heart and turn it three times, you can completely shatter a dragon’s soul.

MC: ….

I put down the dagger. To my right, there is an open box, inside is a blade that looks like a concealed weapon.

Dragon: The Feather, specifically made to gouge out a dragon’s eyes.

Dragon: Your human weapons, it seems the longer the name, the stronger it is. But, this little thing isn’t even good for trimming fingernails.

I turn and look around at this enormous treasure vault.

MC: I never imagined that everything you collected would all be weapons. Do dragons have hobbies too?

Dragon: These are all things you humans willingly delivered to my doorstep.

MC: Then I think…. The methods used must not have been very polite.

Dragon: Exactly. It’s such a shame that the ones who delivered these are all already dead, while I’m still alive.

MC: Then, the sword that sealed you… was it really “delivered” to you by the Sacred Judicator in the mural?

Dragon: He merely was lucky enough to obtain that sword, and to thrust it into my chest.

Dragon: But only its true master can wield its power.

MC: (And now that sword is inside my body… could it be this “true master”....is me?)

I clench my fist tightly, but perhaps it isn’t the right time. There is no phantom of a greatsword that reappears like I imagine.

Turning past a thick stone pillar, before my eyes weapons turn into endless treasures, fine clothing, paintings, and musical instruments.

. It takes me a long moment to realize I’ve swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Dragon: If you want it, then just reach for it yourself.

In the firelight, intertwined shadows gradually cast themselves onto the dim cave walls.

Dragon: Just like this—just a little more greed and desire…

His tail gently brushes up my calf, and the demon leans in with a smile and whispers in my ear—

Dragon: Now this is worthy of being my sustenance.

My hand tightens its grip around the jewel and I turn my head, but he immediately coils his tail tightly around me, laughing mockingly as he sees me immobilized.

MC: …no wonder you were willing to spare my life. Turns out you want to fatten me up before killing me.

Dragon: Even knowing you’ll die, you still refuse to let go of the jewel. You really do bring me no small amount of entertainment.

MC: Then take advantage of this moment and enjoy my entertainment even more. Perhaps next time, what I bring you will be death.

Dragon: Who says death isn’t a form of entertainment?

Firelight casts shadows beneath his lashes as he leans in extremely close. His breath, which smells of strong liquor, envelops me.

Dragon: I…

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