31　Everything Was Overturned.

 

　The sky brightened up.

　Yukari, who had cried herself to sleep, woke up along with the morning sun.

“Here, drink up.”

　Saying that, I gave her an abnormal status recovery potion. In a sense, this was similar to an energy drink. Thanks to it, I was able to endure being awake all night. It failed last night though…

“……I am sorry.”

　I lowered my head to Yukari.

　I got her into a dangerous situation. All because I was careless.

“…………”

　Yukari just silently stared at me.

　Then, after hesitating for a while, she finally opened her mouth.

“Me too, I’m very sorry.”

“For your attitude up until now? “

“Yes. The truth is.”

“Ah, I already know. Brainwashing, right?”

“……! “

“Probably ‘brainwashed to be wary of that who becomes your master’. It’s a skill possessed by Duchess Lucia.”

　In response to my words, Yukari’s eyes rounded in surprise. Those eyes that were still red and swollen.

“……How do you……?”

　She tried to say something, but it seemed like she hadn’t yet sorted out her emotions.

　Although it was because of the brainwashing, up until now I was considered an enemy after all. She might still be a little cautious.

“It’s okay to take it slow. Here, let’s talk while we walk.”

　Standing up, I took out a banana and an apple from my inventory and handed them over to her.

　After she received them, Yukari too began to walk a little behind.

　We walked while eating.

　We continued walking after finishing eating.

　Then, we just kept walking.

　After around two hours of walking, Yukari began to speak.

—————————-

“I’ve spent all my life as an assassin, as a pawn of Duchess Lucia Icene.”

“Pawn? “

“Yeah. Lucia-sama picked me up as an orphan, she didn’t even give me a name, and just raised me as a pawn for assassination.”

“……I see.”

　Although I have a rebuttal, I’ll keep silent for now.

“Most likely, I was brainwashed to believe that I was happy. So that I could be a good assassin serving under Lucia-sama. Truth is, until the moment when I was captured by the thieves and had fallen into despair, all my days as a ‘shadow’ were beautiful.”

“Is that so?”

“……It was all a foolish misunderstanding. No, it was all because of a cruel brainwashing. Then, I got to taste real despair after the brainwashing was undone.”

　Yukari’s voice trembled.

“I was… not loved by Lucia-sama. I was being deceived all this time. A false love was forced into this heart of mine. A respected master, a kind mother, there never was such a thing……”

　Maybe sadness, maybe frustration, or maybe something else.

　Yukari continued speaking while shedding tears.

“Let’s talk about why I was silent… no, about why I was made to remain silent by the brainwashing.”

“That’s the reason why Duchess Lucia was executed, right? “

“Yeah. Lucia-sama was executed under the crime of rebellion, but that was a blatant lie. It was all a scheme plotted by the opposite faction. Her enemy was the Queen Consort, White Castall… That I know.”

“How do you know? “

“I was a shadow. My role was to dirty my hands in place of Lucia-sama. There is no way I wouldn’t know. But……”

“Huh? “

“The fact that I was brainwashed and kept from revealing this information to my new master means, this was probably inconvenient to Lucia-sama.”

　Yukari had a troubled look.

　The master that had taken care of her until now, and whom she felt indebted to, did not love her. From there, doubts began to sprout and finally, she revealed this information to me. But even then, she still had a sense of remorse. I wonder if the roots of the brainwashing were so deep.

“…………! “

　I suddenly had a good idea.

　I was planning to ‘use something’ after the brainwashing was undone to earn her trust.

　A deal, so to speak. I remembered about Silvia’s time.

　Although I’m not sure if she’ll accept. Therefore, in order to raise the certainty of it, let’s start by telling her my ‘thoughts’.

　Only those who know of Mobius as a game would be able to do it, these little ‘thoughts’.

“Can you listen to me for a bit? “

　I asked, looking into Yukari’s eyes.

　After a little silence, she simply nodded.

“Your thoughts are certainly on target. But, Lucia Icene―― She certainly loved you, Yukari.”

“No way……That can’t be. I was just being brainwashed, remember? “

“What if that brainwashing was made in order to protect you?”

“……No, that’s impossible. If so, then why didn’t she give me a name instead of just raising me as an assassin?”

“In order to protect you, that’s why she didn’t give you a name, and that’s also why she brainwashed you so that you wouldn’t leak any information. That’s how she created the front of 『A poor slave who was forced to assassinate by orders of the Duchess’ brainwashing』.”

“That was not a front. I actually spent truly harsh days as an assassin.”

“But you were happy, right?　You thought it was good to be the Duchess’ slave, right? “

“Like I said, that was because of the brainwashing.”

“Here, listen closely―― Brainwashing Magic only works once per person.”

　That was a restriction of Mobius’ 《Brainwashing Magic》. It might be the same in this world. That’s why I felt a sense of discomfort and then noticed this possibility.

“……Eh……? “

“In your case, the one brainwashing was the one to keep you alert against me. In other words, you truly thought you were happy in your days as a shadow.”

“But, that……”

　Is hard to believe―― she might think. Yukari’s expressions are really easy to understand.

　Half of those thoughts were my true feelings, and the other half, a ‘sweet bait’.

　A sweet bait you really want to take, that she really wants to believe.

　Yukari was troubled.

　There’s no way. No. But, what if……she was troubled because she gradually ‘wanted to believe’. Something like ‘How happy would I be if this was really the case’.

　And then, as I waited for the right moment.

　I brought that ‘something’ I had prepared to the table in order to earn her ‘trust’.

“Yukari. Do you want to break out from slavery? “

　　＊　＊　＊

 

---

Cheat sheet

Stats details

＜Status Details＞

• HP　Hit Points
• MP　Magic Points
• SP　Stamina Points
• STR　Short range attack skill power, strength, physical power.
• DEX　Long range attack skill power, dexterity, hit rate.
• AGI　Quickness, avoidance rate.
• INT　Attack Magic skill power.
• LUK　Good luck, critical rate.
• VIT　Simple defense.
• MGR　Magic defense.

Types of combat skills

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

1. Pawn/Soldier (Fuhyou)
2. Lance(Kyousha)
3. Knight (Keima)
4. Silver General (Ginshou)
5. Gold General (Kinshou)
6. Bishop (Kakugyou)
7. Rook (Hisha)
8. Promoted Bishop/Dragon Horse(Ryuuma)
9. Promoted Rook/Dragon King (Ryuuou).

List of Swordsmanship skills

Swordsmanship

1. 《Soldier Swordsmanship》　                  Normal attack.
2. 《Lance Swordsmanship》　                    Piercing attack.
3. 《Knight Swordsmanship》　                   Precision attack.
4. 《Silver Swordsmanship》　                     Strong single-target attack.
5. 《Gold Swordsmanship》                           Small-range attack to all directions.
6. 《Bishop Swordsmanship》                       ???
7. 《Rook Swordsmanship》　                      ???
8. 《Dragon Horse Swordsmanship》　    ???
9. 《Dragon King Swordsmanship》　       ???

List of Shieldmanship skills

Shieldmanship

1. 《Soldier Shieldmanship》　                  Normal defense.
2. 《Lance Shieldmanship》　                    Piercing deflection.
3. 《Knight Shieldmanship》　                   Defense + knockback.
4. 《Silver Shieldmanship》　                     ???
5. 《Gold Shieldmanship》                           Ranged guided defense + knockback.
6. 《Bishop Shieldmanship》                       Reinforced defense (Temporarily boosts VIT and MGR)
7. 《Rook Shieldmanship》　                      ???
8. 《Dragon Horse Shieldmanship》　    ???
9. 《Dragon King Shieldmanship》　       ???

List of Archery skills

Archery

1. 《Soldier Archery》　                  Normal range attack.
2. 《Lance Archery》　                    Piercing range attack.
3. 《Knight Archery》　                   Precise sniping range attack.
4. 《Silver Archery》　                     Strong single-target range attack.
5. 《Gold Archery》                           Weaker range attack with added knockback.
6. 《Bishop Archery》                       Strong piercing range attack.
7. 《Rook Archery》　                      Very strong single-target range attack with scaling % damage.
8. 《Dragon Horse Archery》　    Powerful piercing range attack.
9. 《Dragon King Archery》　       Powerful on-impact range attack.

Types of Magic skills

They use the “Form” or “step” system of martial arts. From lower to higher.

1. First Form　      　      Regular attack
2. Second Form　      　 Extended range attack
3. Third Form　      　    Strong single target attack
4. Fourth Form　      　  Strong extended range attack
5. Fifth Form　      　      Extremely powerful extended range attack

• Their cast time becomes longer in this order First→Third→Second→Fourth→Fifth.

Ranking of the skills

From lower to higher, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade.

1. 16th class
2. 15th class
3. 14th class
4. 13th class
5. 12h class
6. 11th class
7. 10th class
8. 9th class
9. 8th class
10. 7th class
11. 6th class
12. 5th class
13. 4th class
14. 3rd class
15. 2nd class
16. 1st class
17. Grade 1
18. Grade 2
19. Grade 3
20. Grade 4
21. Grade 5
22. Grade 6
23. Grade 7
24. Grade 8
25. Grade 9
26. Title

---

 ToC    

If you enjoy the translations, you can support me by donations or read ahead via Patreon

---