Author: Akashari	Original Source: Syosetu
Translator: Mui	English Source: Re:Library

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“—Waaah.”

From the depths of the black liquid emerged a pitch-black baby. Its cries were faint and weak, its frailty evident. Anyone would think it would die without immediate rescue and care.

“In the cauldron of Kodoku that distilled malice, there was no need for survivors. But… there was one miscalculation.”
“A miscalculation…?”
“One of the condemned sinners, meant to be sacrificed, was pregnant.”
“You mean… that baby?”
“Yes. That child is the one. The only living being born into this cursed environment and able to survive it.”

So that was it… From the moment of birth, the baby was exposed to the curse of the ghost ship, making this nightmarish environment their normal.

While any ordinary person would have died instantly, for that child, it was simply ‘home.’

“But wait, the timeline doesn’t add up. The ghost ship was created ages ago, wasn’t it?”
“Indeed. By all accounts, the child should have reached the end of their natural lifespan long ago… but look closer.”

At the old man’s prompting, I turned my gaze back to the baby floating on the black water. The fragile cries continued, but then, slowly, the baby began to sink back into the liquid.

“W-why is it sinking?”
“While the child has a resistance to the curse, in the end, it is still just a baby. Without a mother, it couldn’t survive in such conditions. That’s why the ghost ship protected it.”
“Protected? That’s… possible?”
“Unbelievable, isn’t it? But it’s happening right before your eyes. My guess? It’s the ghost ship’s last remnant of virtue.”
“Virtue…”

The old man had described this dreadful phenomenon as a process of boiling malice down to its purest form. Even in that process, where all kindness was stripped away and everything good was burned out, a sliver of virtue still remained.

It was, perhaps, the final trace of humanity that those who were sacrificed couldn’t abandon, no matter how terrible their fate.

“The child has been preserved in a state of suspended animation, its growth halted entirely. For humanity, it is an invaluable specimen immune to the ghost ship’s curse.”
“I see… so we just need to take the baby outside, right?”
“Indeed. And then, kill it.”
“―What?”
“Take the child out and kill it. Not inside the ghost ship, though—the risk of reabsorption is too great.”

I couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. Kill it? He was telling me to kill the last remaining life that the victims of the ghost ship had refused to abandon?

“Why…?”
“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. In the realm of curses, mutual annihilation of similar kinds is a fundamental principle. The corpse of that child would be the perfect tool to destroy the ghost ship.”
“I… I can’t! I can’t kill a baby! I just can’t!”
“Then many more lives will be lost. The ghost ship won’t stop moving. If left unchecked, it will eventually reach the town.”
“Even so…!”
“One baby’s life against countless others. Isn’t that an easy choice?”

The old man’s voice sounded genuinely puzzled, as if he couldn’t fathom my hesitation.

Oh, I get it now. This being—this dragon—didn’t feel anything for ‘people.’ He wasn’t asking because he cared; he was asking because it was necessary.

“Sir… don’t you hate it? What if it were two dragons, forced to kill each other—how would you feel?”
“That… hmm, it would be a bother. But right now, I need you to kill it.”

We couldn’t understand each other. It wasn’t possible. We could talk, but that was all.

I didn’t want to let the people in town die. But I couldn’t kill this child, either. Because this child was crying, calling out, wanting to live. Because this child was a life tied together by the ghost ship’s victims. How could I destroy that?

“Why… why do you want to destroy the ghost ship so badly?”
“Isn’t it a reason humans would find relatable? This is ‘retribution.’ I want to settle the grudge of being killed by it.”

Empty platitudes like “Revenge is meaningless” wouldn’t work here. After all, this was the desire of those who had been murdered. Nothing I could say as an outsider would stop him—if his words about revenge were true.

“Kill it. You lose nothing. Use that child as the catalyst, and the ghost ship can be destroyed.”
“Sir…”
“Kill it. Just twist its neck. It’s as fragile as any other infant.”
“Sir.”
“…What is it, child of man?”
“Uh, just maybe… are you hiding something from me?”
“―――”

The air around the old man shifted instantly. Oh no, this is bad. I messed up. I should’ve been more careful when asking. Because it didn’t add up. If this was about revenge, wouldn’t he want to do it with his own hands instead of leaving it to someone else?

“S-Sir! Please, tell me what you’re really thinking! Depending on the situation, I might even be willing to help you!”
“No, never mind. It was a mistake to rely on humans in the first place.”

The scenery began to waver, the horrific sights disappearing like smoke before my eyes.

This is bad—something is going to happen, something very bad. I need to run, but where?

Until now, the old man’s power had kept me safe. Without it, where could I escape to?

“I have changed my mind. It is a hassle, but I’ll find another human to use. You’re no longer needed.”
“…!”

“―Well, in that case, would it be a problem if I took custody of her?”

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