Discordant Duet on the Black Snowfield · Chapter 9
Discordant Duet
Coachman
Ugh... What are they doing to make this much noise?
Hey. Have you heard anything about this?
Looks like Candle Square maids and Saviors...
Is there some kind of event happening in the square today?
Suspicious Merchant
Who knows? I haven't heard anything.
Coachman
Then what's all this supposed to be?
Just my luck...
Come to think of it, hasn't Kalaid felt a little strange these past few days?
People snap over nothing, and the snow hasn't stopped falling for even a day.
Yesterday I went into town for a bit, and I saw some young people just standing there blankly, holding those black stones.
Huh? Yeah! They were the same stones those maids are piling up over there!
Suspicious Merchant
Fufu. Is that so?
Coachman
This isn't the time to just chuckle!
Something about all this gives me the creeps. The moment this snow lets up, I'm getting out of here...
Suspicious Merchant
Hmm... Looks like it's about to begin.
Coachman
Huh? What's with those dark clouds...?
Merchant
Hey! This is going too far.
How am I supposed to run my business if you block the whole street while I'm taking customers?
And what are those rocks? If you don't move them right now, I'll bury you in complaints!
Ptooey! Business is bad enough already. This is really ticking me off.
W-what? Is this how you folks at Candle Square treat people?
Chubby Maid
Ah... Uh... Er...
Senior Maid
...It doesn't matter. They'll soon be nothing more than discarded shells anyway.
Starting a little early shouldn't be a problem.
Merchant
Start? Start what?
Senior Maid
Haha. Can't you already feel it?
The blessing of the Void.
You've ripened just enough.
Merchant
The hell are you talking about—
...Huh? Ugh... My body... I feel weak...
Senior Maid
Now, cast off your shell and be born anew.
Coachman
W-what is that...?!
Quick-Witted Savior
Tch...! Something's wrong. I need to get out of here!
Senior Maid
My. I'm afraid I can't allow that.
Quick-Witted Savior
W-when did you...?
Senior Maid
Accept the blessing of the Void. Everything will become peaceful.
People
R-run!
Senior Maid
It's no use.
People
Aaargh!
Senior Maid
Ah... What a beautiful sight.
The blessing bestowed by the merciful Void...
The cries of joy from those being saved...
Truly...
Trish
What a horrible sight!
Emily
Looks like we were right to hurry, Trish.
Senior Maid
You...
Haha, you must've embraced the grand will of the Void and become Executors—
Trish
Of course not!
Senior Maid
...Then how did you escape?
I'm certain the blessing of the Void had already seeped into you...
Emily
We had a protective charm!
Senior Maid
A charm...? A charm that rejects the Void Force? There's no possible way—
Trish
Ah! Enough, enough! Quit going on about the Void already!
I've been thinking about what you said, and you know what? You were right.
We humans really do end up doing stupid things because we're too busy chasing what we want.
Emily
We turn simple things into a mess by doing something foolish...
And make everything fall apart because we can't trust each other.
Even when we're on the same team, we refuse to trust each other, do whatever we want, and end up paying for it.
Trish
But you know what?
So what?
Of course people argue and clash! We're all different!
You say it's the natural order of the universe to just accept the Void waiting at the end of chaos and despair?
Cut the crap!
Emily
We may be foolish...
But we can admit our foolishness and still move forward.
Trish
So...
Don't dress up some twisted plan to drag everyone down with you as some grand "natural order"!
Senior Maid
Fools...
Do you truly believe the two of you alone can stand against the Void Force?
Emily
Well... we won't know until we try, will we?
Trish
Mm-hmm! Exactly!
Senior Maid
...How ridiculous.
Very well. Those who reject the path of salvation offered to them deserve only merciless punishment.
I'll make you nourishment for the Void, so it may take root in this land, even if by force.
Now! Child of the Void, destined to destroy all falsehood, awaken from your slumber and reveal your true form!
Trish
W-what is that...?! That huge rock is shaking like crazy!
Emily
So it really wasn't just some ordinary boulder...!
...Combat preparations complete.
I'm going all out from the start.
Trish
Good. I'm ready too...!
Senior Maid
Ghh...! H-how can this be?!
Trish
Phew... Not bad.
You were in a pretty dangerous spot. I didn't expect you to charge straight in!
Emily
Tch... It's not as though I always retreat.
I simply know when to push forward and when to exercise caution.
Besides... I was able to find an opening because you drew its attention from the front.
Trish
Ahaha! And I could go all out because you were backing me up so reliably.
Emily
...Trish. This is it.
Trish
Yeah. I know.
Emily
The core at the center is beginning to crack.
One more blow should be enough.
Trish
Got it. Let's do this...!
Senior Maid
Why...?!
Why are you going this far?!
The Void Force...!
We're so close to bringing the blessing of the Void down upon this land...!
Emily
What do you mean, "why"? Isn't it obvious?
Trish
Ahaha! You're the one who said it, remember?
You said humans only hold themselves back, but deep down they all want to follow their own desires.
So I'm going to be a little selfish!
I want to smash villains like you and become a hero!
Emily
As for me... I simply enjoy fighting!
Senior Maid
...?!
Emily
So we're going to have it our way and save the world.
Trish
So I suggest you stand and watch us smash that damned rock!
Emily, ready?
Emily
As I always say, I'm fully prepared at all times.
Trish
Here we go...!
Senior Maid
N-nooo!
People
Ugh... My head... It hurts...
Where... am I...? Why am I...?
Emily
Trish, can you hear them?
The people are coming back to their senses.
Trish
Ahaha! I can hear them too.
Emily
...We really did it. Just the two of us.
Trish
Yeah. But...
My body... won't move...!
Emily
Fufu. The same goes for me.
We both pushed ourselves to the limit.
We should recover after resting for a while.
Trish
That's not the problem...!
Emily
...What?
Trish
A hero who just saved the day lying around like this isn't cool at all...!!!
And I absolutely refuse to be found stuck on a roof in a pose like this...!
I need to get down there right now, smile calmly, and strike a pose—
Ghh...! M-my back! Ow...!
Emily
I... still don't really understand what goes through your mind, Trish.
Trish
E-Emily! Hurry up and help me up!
Emily
I'm telling you, I don't have the strength to stand either...
Lugh
From the dark clouds covering the sky to that ominous energy around the square...
None of this looks promising.
Roberta
Tch... I hope we're not too late.
Team 3! Listen up.
Judging from the readings sent over by the Observation Department...
There's a high chance we're dealing with a large-scale disaster unlike anything we've seen recently.
So don't do anything reckless. Especially you, Naru!
Naru
Y-yes, ma'am...!
Roberta
Until reinforcements arrive, we'll buy as much time as we can while evacuating the civilians.
Understood?
Lugh
Ms. Roberta, Team 1 says they've begun entering western Kalaid.
Roberta
Team 3 will now advance into Kalaid's central square.
Everyone, prepare yoursel—
Ghh...! An explosion?!
Move!
Naru
Don't worry, everyone! Super-genius elite Naru will get you all somewhere safe—
People
Ugh... My head... Anyone got a pain patch?
What in the world happened here...?
Naru
Huh...?
M-Ms. Roberta? Everyone... seems fine?
Lugh
...It appears we're a little too late.
Roberta
...The Observation Department says the readings have returned to normal as well.
We can figure out the details later.
For now, let's get the injured to a hospital.
Lugh
Understood.
Roberta
Hmm... What in the world happened here...?
Trish
H-hey...! Observer...!
Roberta
Huh...! Someone's on the roof?!
Lugh! I found injured civilians up here. Are you all right? Just hold on a little longer and—
Trish
Shh! Shhh...!
Roberta
Hmm? Shh?
Trish
I don't want word getting around that I was found looking like this...!
Just get us down quietly... Please!
Roberta
...Hmm. Is that really what matters right now?
Trish
It matters to me...!
Roberta
More importantly, how did you end up all the way up there?
Were you caught in that explosion? Are either of you in critical condition?
Emily
Our lives aren't in danger... but we've lost our strength and can barely move.
...Explaining everything that happened would take quite some time.
Trish
C-could you just get us down first...?
We'll explain everything once we're down...!
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