Kays Translations

Chapter 1: Reincarnation, Encounter

“Burn, the brilliance of life! Pyro Burgundy!”

“Stop it… Stop it, Leonhardt… You can’t…”

I sat in front of my PC, tears streaming down my face.

The evil god that the protagonists had supposedly defeated had an infinite regeneration ability.

The one to risk his life to deliver the final blow to the evil god was the fat, villainous noble who had challenged the protagonist multiple times, only to lose miserably, become a laughingstock, and ultimately have his beloved stolen by the protagonist.

How many times have I watched this scene? Yet, I couldn’t help but cry every time.

I resonated with the heart of my favorite sub-heroine, Celestine, who Leonhardt loved unconditionally. At the moment when the protagonist was about to give up, Leonhardt threw away his young life to save her.

How could anyone not cry at this?

Due to his heroic deed, Leonhardt became known as the shadow protagonist of the PC game “The Land of Spirits ~The Boy Loved by Spirits~” and even surpassed the protagonist to take first place in a popularity poll.

Naturally, I became a huge fan of Leonhardt. I scoured every piece of information about him, official setting materials, novels, and manga.

According to these sources, Leonhardt had a secret power he never told anyone about, which allowed him to gain enough strength to annihilate the evil god.

I don’t know what that secret power was.

But I think to myself: couldn’t he have handled things better?

Why was he treated coldly by his family, ridiculed at the academy, and ended up having his beloved as a sub-heroine in the protagonist’s harem?

Despite Celestine eventually falling for the protagonist, Leonhardt continued to love her unconditionally, ultimately sacrificing his life for her.

What kind of unfulfilling life is this?

Thinking about Leonhardt’s life makes me cry. Even so, Leonhardt probably passed away satisfied that he protected Celestine.

“Damn it! This is just too much…”

At that moment, I suddenly felt my consciousness fading. Maybe staying up for five nights in a row was too much? But, having been dumped by my girlfriend, I just felt an overwhelming urge to cry.

“Staying awake for so long… Ah…?”

As I stood up, I was hit by a powerful wave of dizziness. I knocked over a stack of empty energy drink cans that were on my desk and fell.

Even though I hit my head when I fell, I didn’t feel any pain at all. It was like watching a scene where a camera had been knocked over.

“Heh…”

I couldn’t even form coherent words anymore, and my vision gradually grew darker and narrower.

I was overwhelmed by a sense of fear.

Then, everything went black, and I lost consciousness.

　◇

“What is this…?”

And so, we arrive at the present.

It was a frenzied place. People were gathered, all looking in one direction. At the focus of their gaze was a cage surrounded by iron bars, with poorly dressed individuals inside.

“Hey, you! You can see me, can’t you!?”

Suddenly, my vision was filled with a flying lizard. It looked like a red axolotl.

But I recognized that form.

“The Great Fire Spirit, Ifrit…?”

This was a character from the game “The Land of Spirits.” The Great Spirit that protected the ruined Kingdom of Lucrelle, now supposedly weakened…

“Ugh!?”

At that moment, I felt an intense pain in my head, as if a mismatched part was being forcibly attached.

Then, an immense flood of memories from the past nine years rushed in.

I… I…

“I am Leonhardt…”

I absorbed the memories of living as Leonhardt for nine years, and we became one.

It seems I had been reincarnated as Leonhardt, the villainous noble from the game “The Land of Spirits.” The shock of seeing a Great Spirit for the first time triggered the return of my previous life’s memories.

If things continue as they are, what awaits me is an unfulfilled life and a tragic death.

I’m not ready for such a fate. I refuse to accept such a future. I will change it no matter what!

“Hey, Leonhardt. If you know who I am, then this will be quick. I have a favor to ask of you.”

The red axolotl shouted in front of me. It seemed that no one else around could hear Ifrit’s voice, as no one even glanced in our direction.

But why was Ifrit here?

According to my previous life’s knowledge, Ifrit had disappeared after the fall of the Kingdom of Lucrelle…

“It’s unfortunate to ask a noble from the country that destroyed Lucrelle for help, but it can’t be helped. I want you to save a certain girl. In return, I will give you my power.”

“A girl…?”

“Yes, she is imprisoned in that cage.”

Following the direction of Ifrit and the small finger pointing, I saw a familiar girl. She had long, shining silver hair and deep crimson eyes. Despite her youth, she radiated beauty and nobility.

Celestine!

There was no way I could mistake my favorite character!

“I will tell you who she is if you make a contract with me. Please, protect her…”

“I’ll make the contract…!”

My heart, Leonhardt’s heart, was already captivated by Celestine.

This was a slave market. Celestine was a slave now. If I didn’t buy her, someone else might.

“Who is that girl?”

“She’s beautiful. She’s definitely the star item here.”

“But it’ll take a couple of years before she can be of any use.”

“True enough.”

“Isn’t there some way to get her for cheap?”

There’s no way I could let her fall into the hands of such vile men!

But what could I do?

I didn’t have any money!

Of course, there was money back at the mansion. But I didn’t have any on me.

Despite my growing anxiety, the slave trading continued smoothly, and finally, it was Celestine’s turn.

“The next item is this girl slave. Just look at her beauty. Imagine what a splendid lady she will become in the future. Don’t you think it would be a pleasure to train her from this age? Let’s start the bidding at five hundred.”

“Five hundred and ten!”

“Five hundred and twenty!”

“Five hundred and fifty!”

In the game ‘The Land of Spirits,’ Celestine was Leonhardt’s maid. That meant Leonhardt had to win this auction. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

“Six hundred!”

“Six hundred and ten!”

The voices of the men bidding made me anxious, and my chest tightened painfully.

As I clutched my chest, I felt a weight on my waist.

That’s it! If I use this!

“Seven hundred and thirty!”

“Damn it! Seven hundred and fifty!”

I removed the dagger from my waist and, raising it high, joined the bidding.

“One thousand!”

“What!?”

“Hey, look at that!”

“A child…? No, that emblem!”

“What’s he doing here!?”

“That child is… no, that person is…!”

The once fervent slave market fell silent. On the hilt of the dagger I held aloft was the emblem of the Marquisate of Clarvain, the ruling family of this land.

This dagger was one that only the heir of the Marquisate of Clarvain could possess. It was more than sufficient as collateral.

And so, no one dared to bid against the heir of the Marquisate. Celestine was safely secured.

Celestine, handed over to the slave trader, had a vacant expression as if she had lost the will to live.

I knelt down and, as if handling a delicate piece of art, carefully took Celestine’s hand.

“I am Leonhardt Clarvain. Please remember my name.”

“Cele… Ceria…”

Currently, the royal family is desperately searching for Celestine. She can’t even reveal her true name.

“Boy, you said your name was Leonhardt, right? First, let me thank you for rescuing her. But if you ever dare to do anything indecent to her, I will burn you to ashes. Be prepared”

Even after Ifrit’s warning, I couldn’t take my eyes off Celestine’s face.

She was in a state of utter despair. Her country had been destroyed, her family killed, and she had no place to return to.

I wanted to save her. I felt like I could do anything to achieve that.

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