Check out my new translation!
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"Look, look! There's a pool of water above us—even the water is upside down! That's so weird!"
"This pool seems to be part of the ruin itself. It must be a relic of the ancient civilization. And I'm certain the weakening of the curse originates from it. Those waters likely possess some form of 'purification.' Standing this close, my body feels a tranquility I've never experienced."
"Purification? Then could this water… completely cleanse the curse?"
"Impossible."
"You're that certain?"
"I've coexisted with the curse for five hundred years with full awareness. No one understands the curse of immortality better than I do."
Dainsleif stated firmly: "I can feel it continuously seeping into every part of me, becoming a part of me—even slowly replacing me. Limiting its effects may be possible… but purification? Think of it as burning away a portion of your body—or your entire body altogether. You wouldn't even survive long enough for the purification to finish."
Thus, if one were to lose parts of the body during the process, one would need some kind of vital, life-rich material to temporarily replace the missing portion—to prevent the patient from dying mid… washing, so to speak.
And honestly, Dainsleif, you're being a bit absolute here, aren't you? Victor Wang grumbled inwardly. After all, Chlothar Alberich did break the curse through the "Sinner's" so-called blessing—though regrettably, that "Sinner" seems only capable of restoring a Hilichurl's sanity, not their human form.
He had much he wished he could say, but none of it was convenient to reveal. So his complaints remained purely internal.
"Burn the body away?!" Paimon gasped. "Then wouldn't that just kill you? Why is the curse impossible to purify…"
And yes, speaking of burning a body away—Victor Wang's first death had been exactly that…
No one could hear his thoughts. Dainsleif responded calmly to Paimon: "And even at a distance this close, the pool's purifying power is still far too weak. It's only barely managing to suppress the curse."
"Then what about that… weird thing down there? It doesn't match the style of the ruins at all. When we came exploring—I mean treasure hunting—last time, this wasn't here!"
The strange apparatus Paimon pointed at was a stone pedestal roughly the same size, height, and general shape as an alchemy bench—except for the unique blue-violet rhombus-shaped gem embedded at its center. Lumine was also certain it hadn't existed during their previous visit.
The group circled it and examined it. Dainsleif said, "I've never seen such a device either. If someone placed it here recently, it may be related to the Abyss Order."
Everyone except Victor Wang studied it closely. Suddenly, several previously-sealed gates around the area opened on their own.
"Wah! That scared me! And—the knight in front of that gate—is that the one called Halfdan?"
"..."
"Halfdan, are you trying to tell me something?" Dainsleif asked.
"..."
Halfdan stood silent for two seconds, then turned and walked away.
"He's no longer capable of responding with language. He's signaling us to follow. Will you come?"
Of course they would. They had come this far, after all. None of them would turn back now. Victor Wang, Lumine, and Paimon followed Dainsleif as he pursued Halfdan to a crude Hilichurl camp.
This camp was full of the "dying" Hilichurls they had seen earlier—dark, silent, devoid of vitality. Even Paimon, who was usually lively, looked visibly downcast: "There are some really pitiful Hilichurls here… some of them already have no life left at all. Is this what Halfdan wanted to show us?"
"Whether he did or not, this place is worth investigating. Let's examine it carefully."
The atmosphere grew heavy. Victor Wang had too much he could not say; Dainsleif investigated intently; Lumine remained quiet, overshadowed by the presence of someone who always spoke faster and more forcefully than she could.
So Paimon's small voice was the only one filling the silence.
"These Hilichurls have no signs of life anymore… they're almost becoming one with the darkness. Hilichurls are always so noisy and energetic, but to think this is how they come to their end… It's unbelievable. Even if we don't have many good memories of them, I still hope they find peace at the very end."
(Victor: Look at me—look at me—then say that again?)
"These boxes must be where the Hilichurls kept their food, right? They're almost empty… Does that mean Hilichurls don't need food anymore toward the end of their lives? If it were me, I'd at least— no, I definitely would still crave the taste of food…"
"There's a campfire here too. But Dainsleif said Hilichurls fear light near the end… maybe in their very last moments, they still wanted one last feeling of warmth and brightness?"
Victor Wang: …
"Hey, there's a flower here! How can there be a flower this deep underground? Was it offered to these dying Hilichurls?"
Drawn by Paimon's call, Dainsleif came over to look at the immaculate white blossom.
Lumine finally spoke: "I know this flower."
"Huh? Now that you say it, it does look familiar… but where did I see it…"
Moved by Paimon's scrambled little brain, perhaps Lumine was moved as well—she tilted her head slightly. Under Paimon's stunned gaze, she plucked a white flower from among her golden hair. It was unmistakably the same kind.
As the only undisputed Khaenri'ahn present, Dainsleif explained: "This is Khaenri'ah's national flower, the Inteyvat. It once bloomed in every corner of our land. Normally, it only has a two-week flowering period. But when plucked and taken away from Khaenri'ah's soil, its petals stop growing and stop withering—becoming hard as stone. Only upon returning home do the petals soften again, before finally returning to dust.
"That is why it symbolizes the 'wanderer'—representing the gentle touch of one's homeland."
Lumine murmured, "This flower was already in my hair when I awoke…"
"Ah! So if this flower is here, that means…"
"My connection to Khaenri'ah… what exactly…"
At last, Lumine understood the source of that deep sorrow she felt toward Hilichurls. She reached down and touched the flower on the ground—and froze, only for a moment.
During that moment, through the flower, she glimpsed fragments of the memory Aether had left behind—and she spoke them aloud.
"So… that's the extraordinary bond unique to twins. It seems the Abyss Order is attempting to use some device to purify the curse—presumably the apparatus we saw earlier. And he also mentioned… 'restoring the nation,' correct?"
Lumine nodded. "He said it was his mission."
"That stubborn fool still hasn't given up…" For an instant, Dainsleif's gaze sharpened—but he soon reined himself in. "It appears the Abyss Order intends to use the pool to cleanse the curse from Hilichurls, to restore them… and use them as the foundation of a reborn Khaenri'ah. After all, without citizens, there can be no nation."
"Is there any chance of success?" Lumine asked.
"Hmph. Utter folly. Not even a one-percent chance. As I've said—five centuries with this curse—no one knows it better than I do. It cannot be reversed. Forcefully removing it yields nothing but agony."
Dainsleif's voice was steady, but it seemed he was speaking as much to himself as to them: "To stay clear-minded… you must remind yourself—again and again—that those beings are no longer human. If you cling too much to sentiment, you'll only sink deeper into the sludge of false compassion. It's better to focus on what truly deserves saving."
"Why should I believe you?" Lumine asked quietly.
"Heh… haha. Fair enough. He's your blood. Standing on his side—emotionally and rationally—is understandable. Whatever you choose won't sway my resolve. Stopping the Abyss is the path I've chosen. If we cannot reach consensus… then perhaps—"
His eyes swept not only past Lumine but also lingered briefly, heavily, on Victor Wang. He did not yet know how close those two were—for all he knew, he might be preparing to lose them both.
Fortunately, Lumine did not move toward that conclusion: "For now, I choose to believe you. But that doesn't mean I trust you completely."
"I see."
"A one-percent chance at salvation… and a ninety-nine-percent chance of dying in agony. No one has the right to make that decision on behalf of another living being—especially Hilichurls, who already chose their resting place."
"Since you've spoken your truth, I won't hide mine. More than stopping the Abyss… what matters to me right now is this—I will not allow the Abyss to trample on Halfdan's 'final wish' with such arrogance."