Leave a comment

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Here, huh?”

The address written on the envelope led me to a place different from the usual Umravolf residence.

Given the head of the family was the kind of person who’d provide separate estates for each of his ladies, I had expected some grand mansion. But when I arrived, I found myself standing in front of a simple brick house, no different from the ones ordinary people lived in.

For a moment, I wondered if I’d misread the address, but the presence I felt emanating from inside told me this was definitely the right place.

“…Should I knock before going in?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that! Come on in!”

I hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but a casual voice answered from the other side of the door.

It sounded younger than I’d expected. Considering this was the man who’d managed to win over that lady, I’d assumed he’d be older.

Still, I couldn’t just stand there forever, hesitant in front of the door. So I followed his invitation, forgoing the knock, and stepped inside.

“Good afternoon, Miss Laika Galactica. It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?”
“Nice to meet you, Sir Umravolf Axio. Forgive me for any rudeness—I’m just a country bumpkin.”
“Ahaha, no need to be so formal. I’m the one who called you here, after all. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

In one word, he seemed… gentle. In less flattering terms, maybe frivolous. But appearances can be deceiving—inside the small house, I could feel the air practically brimming with the magic he was emitting.

For a magecraft practitioner, this kind of space was anything but relaxing. If I said the wrong thing and upset him, that magic could easily transform into an onslaught of spells.

“…Yeah, I figured you’d notice. You probably felt it before even stepping through the door, didn’t you?”
“Just what could you mean?”
“Wow, you are amazing for a young wizard! Honestly, I’d like to hire you—name your price!”
“Please don’t joke. Spending a fortune on a kid like me would only bring shame to the Umravolf family.”
“That doesn’t bother me. You’re worth it.”

…Alright, I’ll take back my first impression. This man might look frivolous, but once you scratch the surface, there’s no telling how deep he goes.

To begin with, he hardly looked like someone who could tease me by calling me a “young wizard.” He seemed to be in his mid-twenties at most.

“Oh, did you just try to guess my age? For the record, I’ll be turning 39 this year.”
“Thir—thirty-nine!?”
“Heh, I get that a lot. But enough about the self-deprecating tales of your resident baby-faced uncle. Let’s get to the point. Sorry for calling you here on such short notice.”

I couldn’t help but feel I’d been thrown off balance from the very start. That opening remark was a total curveball. …Still, 39? No way he’s 39.

“I wanted to meet you in person to thank you. I can’t express enough gratitude as a parent for curing Stell’s Magic Crystallization Syndrome.”
“I merely fulfilled the quest to its conclusion. And I must point out that, in the process of saving her, I effectively undermined the other wives. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“Haha! That’s a separate matter. They would’ve fallen apart on their own before long, with or without your involvement.”
“…You’re talking about your own family members. That’s awfully cold, don’t you think?”
“Not at all. I loved them all equally. But the one who loved me most deeply among them was Stell’s mother—that’s just how it was.”
“………”

“My wife told me about it. You’ve discovered the secret of the Umravolf family, haven’t you?”
“I have, I admit. Curiosity got the better of me.”
“Reckless, aren’t you? But that’s an important quality in an explorer(wizard). I approve.”

Axio snapped his fingers, and the immense magic power that had filled the room condensed into his hand in an instant.

If I had hesitated in my reply or said something he didn’t like, that power would undoubtedly have turned into a spell meant to incinerate me.

“I deeply apologize for my repeated impertinence, Miss Laika Galactica. If you are willing, I’d like to speak with you as equals.”
“Apologize for what? I was the one who overstepped. If anything, I should be the one apologizing for my rude curiosity.”
“Oh, really? Then let’s drop the formalities from here on out. Honestly, I hate stiff conversations—this is much better!”
“………”
“Oh, and Laika, you don’t need to force yourself to use polite speech, either. It feels weird having someone act all formal around me, like I’m some elder or something.”

Cracking his shoulders with an exaggerated motion, Axio leaned lazily into the chair he’d been sitting on, as though he didn’t have a care in the world.

At this point, would it be so terrible if I punched him just once?

“Oh, is that so? Then I’ll say whatever I want, you fool of a family head. Sitting back and enjoying the spectacle while your wives tear each other apart—what a charming hobby you have.”
“Ouch, straight to the point. But it’s all part of the Umravolf family’s tradition. How much do you know about the ghost ship’s properties?”

“A curse so vile not even a Saint can purify it. Inside the ship, victims are denied the release of death and stripped of their goodness.”
“Correct. Their humanity, their morality—everything good about them is taken away, leaving nothing but pure malevolence to stew endlessly.”

“And what does that have to do with your family’s tasteless infighting?”
“The ghost ship’s existence itself is essentially a Kodoku ritual. That’s why, when push comes to shove, even the family of overseers has to follow the same principle to counter it.”

“…What?”
“You get it, don’t you? The Umravolf family has used Kodoku rituals for generations to determine the next head of the family. And when the time comes, the head must offer themselves as a sacrifice.”

Kodoku—a magical ritual in which a large number of venomous creatures are placed in a single container, forcing them to fight until only one survives. The surviving creature’s venom is then harvested for use.

The Kodoku ritual, primarily used to produce poisons necessary for assassinations, isn’t limited to involving just ‘insects.’¹ The essence of the ritual could be applied far more broadly.

The Umravolf family’s deadly internal conflicts met all the conditions required for such a ritual.

“…So, that’s why you gave your wives separate estates?”
“It was necessary. The timing’s about right, so I couldn’t afford to slack off.”
“Necessary? What exactly are you talking about?”
“The ghost ship’s curse spills over onto land. The sacrifice involved is a small price compared to the previous Saint or severing the continent, right?”

As Axio offered me a measured smile, his expression suggesting he was restraining himself, a distant, tortured roar echoed from the direction of a far-off mountain.

1. Kodoku is written as Insect Poison (蟲毒) here. Normally this is a typo and it’s normally written with 蠱 (Curse, which contains 蟲(insect) in it) character instead, but it’s probably intentional here for the pun.

Support Us

Unlock Early Access ------- Select Project ------- Project Gender Bender Project Necro ∴ Support your favorite series and unlock chapters before the public release.