The Unfortunate Girl Wants an Easy Mode in Her Second Life – Chapter 166

Chapter 166: City covered in ash
ㅤ◇???’s Perspective
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ㅤ”What… the… is this?”
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ㅤThe thief girl muttered, stunned.
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ㅤIt had been several months since she was taken in by Domotruis, the guild master of the Thieves’ Guild in this city, after escaping her good-for-nothing father.
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ㅤAt first, there were many things she was unsure of, but thanks to the support of her adoptive father, she had begun to get used to life as an adventurer.
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ㅤThe anomaly occurred right when she was starting to feel settled.
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ㅤAfter completing a request for herb gathering and simple monster extermination, the girl was on her way back to the city of Loft.
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ㅤShe noticed an eerie gray cloud spreading across the eastern sky.
ㅤNo, at first she thought it was a cloud, but upon closer inspection, it was something like fog or haze.
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ㅤFeeling an inexplicable anxiety, the girl hurried back towards Loft.
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ㅤThe gray fog reached the city of Loft faster than the wind.
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ㅤThe fog enveloped the city of Loft right before the girl’s eyes.
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ㅤFrom the outside, it looked as if the city was simply covered in ash.
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ㅤHowever, as she approached the city, she couldn’t help but notice.
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ㅤ━━The city of Loft had been petrified.
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ㅤThe girl ran through the streets lined with petrified people and rushed into the Thieves’ Guild.
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ㅤThe wooden door of the guild was stained gray, and when the girl touched it, it crumbled away as if weathered.
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ㅤThe girl entered and called out loudly.
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ㅤ”Domo-san!”
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ㅤShe still couldn’t call him “father.”
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ㅤShe was indescribably grateful to Domotruis for taking her in, a girl with no relation to him, and protecting her from her biological father’s interference.
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ㅤBut that’s precisely why she felt embarrassed.
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ㅤTo the girl, “father” still meant that drunk, washed-up adventurer.
ㅤEven if she would never see him again, the image of a parent was inevitably etched in a child’s heart.
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ㅤWould the day come when that image would be replaced by Domotruis’s kind, grandfatherly face?
ㅤThe girl hoped it would.
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ㅤEven though their relationship was delicate and complicated, having witnessed the devastation of the city, the girl’s heart was filled with anxiety.
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ㅤThe girl climbed over the guild counter and headed towards the Guild Master’s office.
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ㅤ”Domo-san!”
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ㅤAs she pushed open the office door,
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ㅤ”Oh, you’re safe.”
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ㅤDomotruis said so, holding something to his arm.
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ㅤThat “something” was all too familiar to the girl.
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ㅤ”A Cockatrice beak… I see. So that’s what it was.”
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ㅤThe girl breathed a sigh of relief.
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ㅤ”Indeed. I’m glad you’re safe, Sharion. It seems the ring Minato gave you came in handy.”
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ㅤ”Ah, that’s right. It’s thanks to the Petrification Immunity Ring.”
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ㅤThe girl, Sharion, looked at the unadorned stone ring on her left hand.
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ㅤA super rare drop item that Cockatrices drop very rarely on high difficulty.
ㅤIf it were put on the market, it would be worth several houses.
ㅤThat person gave such an incredible item to Sharion as if it were nothing.
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ㅤ（Is Onee-chan still protecting me?）
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ㅤSharion felt the warmth of the absent person in the simple stone ring.
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ㅤ”You’re all I have left now.”
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ㅤDomotruis said with a serious expression.
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ㅤ”Eh…”
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ㅤ”Thanks to this, I’m alright for now. But… look at this.”
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ㅤDomotruis showed the arm that didn’t have the beak attached to it.
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ㅤSharion gasped.
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ㅤThe skin was stained gray and beginning to harden.
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ㅤ”No way! Even though you’re using the beak…”
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ㅤ”That’s how potent the petrification poison is. It’s likely caused by that ash or fog or whatever it was that flowed in earlier.”
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ㅤDomotruis said calmly.
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ㅤ”But… why would something like that…?”
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ㅤ”Indeed. I just received some troubling information. No, it’s more than just troubling.”
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ㅤ”What is it?”
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ㅤ”It seems the royal capital, Zalbuck, has fallen.”
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ㅤ”What…? F-fallen? But we’re not at war with anyone right now, are we?”
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ㅤ”A single knight stormed in, cut down the capital’s elite troops, killed the king, and declared himself the Holy King. That knight’s name is… Cretias.”
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ㅤ”Cre… you mean, that guy from back then?”
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ㅤSharion had been taken hostage by Cretias when he was a Special Envoy Knight.
ㅤShe couldn’t forget that handsome knight with cold eyes, no matter how hard she tried.
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ㅤ”But I thought Minato-onee-chan captured Cretias in the Tree Country?”
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ㅤ”I don’t know. But according to the thief who barely escaped the capital, it was definitely him, judging from his appearance.”
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ㅤ”And this ash came right after that… I don’t know, but I can’t imagine it’s unrelated.”
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ㅤ”Indeed. But even if I try to escape now, it’ll be too late.”
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ㅤ”D-don’t say that…”
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ㅤ”Even the Cockatrice beak can only do this much. I’m certain I’ll be petrified before I can escape the petrification ash.
ㅤDamn it. If I had known this would happen, I would have asked for more.”
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ㅤ”I-if you use my ring…”
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ㅤ”Fool. What parent would want to survive by sacrificing their child?”
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ㅤ”Domo-san isn’t my real parent. It’s better for you to survive, Domo-san, with your connections and abilities, than for someone like me to.”
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ㅤ”What good would it be for an old man nearing the end of his life to survive by sacrificing a young girl?
ㅤIndeed, if you truly want to help me, you can search for a way to undo the petrification of this city after you escape.”
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ㅤ”Is there… such a thing?”
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ㅤ”It’s not impossible. In fact, as you can see, the beak can heal my arm that’s on the verge of petrification.”
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ㅤ”But if your lungs or heart are affected, you won’t make it.”
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ㅤ”There have been a few reports of people surviving complete petrification. In any case, I’m not leaving this place.”
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ㅤSharion’s shoulders slumped at Domotruis’s stubbornness.
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ㅤ”…I understand. Where should I go after leaving here?”
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ㅤ”The fact that you can ask that question so readily is a testament to your growth as a thief.”
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ㅤDomotruis smiled with satisfaction.
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ㅤ”Do you know anyone who might be able to do something about this situation?”
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ㅤ”Well…”
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ㅤ”I don’t know anyone who can definitely fix it, but I do know someone who might be able to work a miracle. I’m sure you and Sharion will agree on this.”
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ㅤ”Onee-chan, huh?”
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ㅤSharion recalled her thief Senpai, who seemed to have a surprisingly large back despite her small stature.
ㅤBack then, she saved Sharion from the depths of despair. Without asking for anything in return.
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ㅤ”Indeed. I’ve heard rumors that she’s being called the Demon King.
ㅤBut that girl, no matter what position she attains, will never compromise her true nature.
ㅤHowever, it would be too much to entrust everything to you alone, a girl who has never left this city. You should head to the dungeon first and join up with Shizu and Arne, who are in charge of the guild outpost. Judging by the direction the ash came from, the dungeon should still be safe.”
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ㅤ”O-okay.”
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ㅤ”Be extremely cautious on your way. We can’t rule out the possibility that Cretias has dispatched troops in this direction. You’ll inevitably stand out if you’re the only one moving around in the ash.
ㅤIf the dungeon has also been affected, you should escape into the Mist Forest. The thick fog and dense trees might be able to hold back the ash to some extent.”
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ㅤ”Y-yes.”
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ㅤDomotruis gave Sharion all the maps the guild had in its possession.
ㅤHe not only explained the route to the Mist Forest but also briefly explained the routes leading west and north, and the geography around the royal capital.
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ㅤSharion repeated what she had been taught.
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ㅤ”North is the route across the Icy Sea, but there are few ships, so you’ll have to pay a large sum to charter one. West is over the mountains. If you climb the steep mountains, you might be able to escape the ash, but be careful not to enter the dragon’s territory.”
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ㅤ”Indeed. You truly are suited to be a thief.”
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ㅤDomotruis nodded at Sharion as she counted on her fingers to confirm.
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ㅤ”Then go. We don’t have much time.”
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ㅤ”…Okay. I’ll definitely come back to save you. With Onee-chan.”
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ㅤ”If you see Shizu, don’t forget to tell her that I’ve entrusted her with full authority over the Loft Thieves’ Guild. Along with the letter I gave you earlier.”
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ㅤ”Don’t worry. I remember everything.”
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ㅤ”Give my regards to that girl. Knowing her, she’ll probably feel like this is her responsibility. But tell her that if she has time to worry about such things, she should be doing what needs to be done. Tell her I said so.”
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ㅤ”Yes, I will.
ㅤUm, Domo-san.”
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ㅤ”What is it?”
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ㅤ”Thank you. I don’t want to say it like it’s the end, but I might not have another chance.”
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ㅤ”Ah, yes. It was a valuable experience for me to have a daughter at this age. You don’t need to say anything.”
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ㅤ”Thank you… O-Otou-san.”
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ㅤSharion said in a small voice, then ran out of the room without looking back.
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ㅤDomotruis closed his eyes, clasped his hands, and recited a prayer.
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ㅤ”Oh, great Grandmaster, Endo・Hayao. Please protect our daughter.”
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ㅤUnaware of the irony of his prayer, Domotruis turned to stone in that very posture.