Kays Translations

Chapter 143: Poison that Eats Away at the Heart

The Saligari Festival Begins!

One would expect to declare this with high spirits, but compared to previous years, the excitement was lacking.

The meals that were supposed to be all-you-can-eat had restrictions placed on them, limiting the portions per person. Many families had sold their extravagant costumes for gold, and many young girls were dressed plainly.

It wasn't the uproarious feasting and revelry that allowed people to forget their daily struggles. Instead, there were people who seemed preoccupied with work they had left unfinished even during the festival.

The music bands that played flutes and drums were tired and weary, not enjoying it at all. There's nothing more painful than performing when nobody is listening, or worse, receiving cold stares.

Amidst this lackluster festive atmosphere, the village chief ascended a platform to make a significant announcement.

"Starting at sunset today, a duel will be held for the position of tribe chief! The opponent will be my daughter, Melty!"

A wave of agitation spread through the crowd. While rumors about a duel had circulated, nobody knew it would involve Melty.

Among the chief's children, Melty was one of the most popular among the people. She had likely stood up to save the village from its hardships, but victory was far from guaranteed.

In the past few years, three duels had taken place, and each time, Tribe Chief Vritra had emerged victorious in a perplexing manner. No one could defeat Vritra anymore, and people had resigned themselves to his oppressive rule. Then, this duel announcement came.

Anxious and perhaps drawn by the commotion, hundreds of villagers swarmed Melty's house. Meeting them at the doorstep, Melty wore a wry smile. While she appreciated their concern, dealing with such a massive crowd was daunting.

"Don't fret. You're all warriors of the village as well. The exchange of lives should be commonplace for us. If I win, there will be a change of chief; if I lose, I'll die. That's all there is to it."

"Did they deceive you?"

An elderly villager peeked past Melty's shoulder into the house. There were unfamiliar faces, non-villagers, congregated inside.

The villagers glared at them with flames of hatred in their eyes. These outsiders were the ones who had misguided Melty, they thought.

"That's right. I met them and had a dream. Regardless of the outcome of the duel, I don't intend to have regrets," 

Melty calmly said, leaving the villagers flabbergasted. She used the opportunity to push the elderly man out and closed the door, latching it securely.

The crowd was still making a commotion, but someone pointed out that further disturbance would interfere with the mental preparation before the life-and-death battle, and the others agreed. One by one, the crowd dispersed, some casting reluctant glances back at Melty's house.

Perhaps it was typical of the Saligari village, proud of being warriors, to quickly understand and accept this sort of explanation. Obstructing warriors on the brink of death was uncouth and shameful.

"If Melty loses, won't they come after us as well?" 

Gwen said with a half-joking, half-serious expression.

"I have no obligation to die quietly. I'll put up a fight," 

Ricardo replied with a defiant grin, stroking the scabbard at his waist with his fingertip. Due to the nature of his sword, it might be possible for him to crush an entire village.

"Well, well, the responsibility is heavy..." 

Melty whispered to the sword that would be her secret weapon this time. Though she had received it only a few days ago, the sword named 'Silver Thread Princess' already felt like a partner she had fought alongside for a decade.

As the sun set, bonfires were lit within the fenced-off dueling area.

The flames seemed to have absorbed an extraordinary amount of oil, transforming into towering pillars of fire that seemed to scorch the heavens. In the light of the thirteen flames, an elderly swordsman wielding a blade with an enigmatic design appeared. Opposite him stood a silver-haired female swordsman with an ethereal sword.

In a matter of minutes, one of them would die. Most of the crowd assumed that Melty would end up in a sea of blood.

This wasn't a matter of strength; it was the sword wielded by the chief that dictated it. Melty's brothers, who had been seen as the village's future hope, had been killed by that sword.

While it might be inappropriate, if there were bets, the odds would be heavily skewed.

Fear, apprehension, and a hint of cruel anticipation flickered in the eyes of the crowd. They feared the demon Vritra, but they also gleamed with excitement at the prospect of witnessing the gruesome death of the beautiful swordsman.

In this era, executions were the most common form of entertainment. It was precisely because the condemned was beautiful and seemingly kind to the people that many took perverse pleasure in it.

Melty briefly glanced at the crowd. It didn't take long for her to spot them.

Lutz, Claudia, and Ricardo were there. Her eyes met Gwen's, and they exchanged a deep nod. Among all of them, these were the ones who truly believed in her victory.

Gathering her resolve, Melty turned to face the front. Through the flickering flames, she could clearly see her father's face.

He wore the countenance of an ugly person who believed the power he possessed was his own, thinking of himself as a special existence, and looking down on others.

Her father wasn't always like this. The Vritra in Melty's memories was strict yet gentle, a proud warrior.

Whether killing enemies or cutting down allies, he always fought with his life on the line. And he showed respect even to fallen opponents.

Everything changed after he obtained that sword. Believing himself to be special became the worst poison eating away at his heart.

The Saligari village wasn't prosperous. Yet Vritra paid a dubious merchant hundreds of gold coins to obtain that sword.

At the time, his advisors and mistresses desperately tried to dissuade him, but Vritra ignored their counsel and even discarded them, killing some in the process. Melty's mother was among them. Vritra had even forgotten that he had killed her.

Why did it come to this? She didn't know. One thing was certain: they couldn't return to those nostalgic times.

"Father, I will grant you release," 

Melty said in a sorrowful, strained voice. Vritra scoffed in response.

"Hmph, you'll grant me release, you say? What a worthless jest. I should have given you time to consider your will, but...!?"

As Vritra sneered, he quickly waved his hand.

"Let the death fight begin!"

Along with the referee's announcement, a loud and resounding drumbeat filled the air.

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