The Ko-fi goal has been reached! As promised, this novel from the request page is getting translated into English.
In the Empire, the technology of “magic” was permitted only to the nobility.
The existence of “mages” who wielded absolute power through magic.
Possessing the ability to deal with foreign troops and armies single-handedly, they have made the Albusage, the Sacred Tree Empire the greatest nation on the continent and continue to support it even now – the very symbol of the Empire.
It was these mages that Kurtz would eventually have to face as his “enemy.”
However, as merely a child of the poor, Kurtz was no match for them.
Just like those bandits earlier, he would likely be crushed in an instant.
But–
“–You did an excellent job as a decoy,”
Kurtz murmured, clutching vials of drugs as he watched from the dim alleyway.
Kurtz’s goal was not to steal the money the noble was trying to transport.
Nor was it to punish the bandits who had preyed on the children.
What had been loaded onto that carriage were research drugs and “special samples.”
His goal was to steal those out and use them for a certain person.
The prerequisite for rescuing Artesia was that he needed collaborators.
However, as a commoner, there was not a single person who would lend an ear to Kurtz’s words.
But…there was one person in the capital who might possibly listen.
“–!?”
As he retraced that route from memory, Kurtz spotted a fallen figure in his field of vision.
A woman with tea-colored hair, wearing a jet-black cloak that blended into the night darkness.
Her expression was greatly distorted, and blood was trickling from the corner of her mouth.
What’s more…there was a large pool of blood where she lay sprawled.
She had likely sustained a fatal wound, yet used the earlier commotion to try and escape.
Towards her, Kurtz quietly spoke:
“–Do you still breathe, Lucia Dienes?”
As Kurtz called out her name, the fallen woman slightly raised her face.
“How…did…?”
“The reason I know your name is for later. For now, we need to escape from here.”
“Don’t…you need to get out of here before…escape yourself…!!”
With ragged breaths, Lucia shook her head sideways.
Her assailants, who had temporarily lost sight of her amidst the earlier chaos, would surely return to finish her off once they found her again.
If Kurtz, who was just a mere bystander, remained by her side, they would undoubtedly take his life without hesitation as well.
However–
“If I were to abandon you and flee, I would never have come here in the first place,”
Kurtz said with a smile as he took an iron pipe and inserted it into a gap in the piping.
The outskirts of the capital with the checkpoint were zoned for “reducing the number of impoverished and refugees within the Empire.” Mass residential buildings were hastily constructed in these districts.
However, the development funds allocated were scarce.
To reduce construction and utility costs, one large magic furnace was connected to the water and power facilities, from which large pipes branched out to each residence.
All of this was imprinted in Kurtz’s mind.
“–I came to definitely rescue you.”
The sound of creaking and bending iron reverberated through the back alley, followed by a forceful burst of steam and white smoke spreading the surrounding heat.
What Kurtz had just sabotaged was the power piping.
The water heated by the magic furnace was turned to steam to supply electricity to the surrounding residences.
His intention in breaking them was–
“Hey, the electricity just went out all of a sudden!!”
“Oi! Smoke’s coming from that pipe over there!?”
“Hey! Somebody quickly call the military police!”
The residents, alerted by the abnormality, stuck their heads out the windows in a confused panic.
With this commotion, the military police summoned by reports would arrive on scene.
The assailants’ goal was to secretly dispose of the woman’s body.
And…in his previous life, she was buried in the darkness without anyone knowing.
However, the ruckus would make it impossible for them to approach amidst the public scrutiny.
Kurtz opened a manhole cover and slid in with the woman, obscured by the steam and commotion.
“…As expected, this child’s body makes her feel heavier…”
As he dragged along the woman’s body, Kurtz headed deeper into the sewers.
The underground waterway map was ingrained in his mind from his previous life.
Relying on that memory, Kurtz proceeded along the maintenance pathway until arriving at an open area, where he laid Lucia down on the ground.
“…Lucia Dienes, you must already understand your situation.”
As Kurtz called out to her, the woman slowly opened her eyes.
However, her pupils were already unfocused.
Blood continued to flow ceaselessly from her pierced abdomen.
“I have to…tell the other children about this…”
Mustering her strength, she tore off the choker around her neck.
It likely contained information on her comrades and means of emergency contact.
“I can’t let those children die…”
Despite her impending death, she still worried about her companions.
Watching her, Kurtz quietly shook his head.
“Those are words you should deliver yourself.”
“You…what are you saying–“
“I can save you.”
As he spoke those words, Kurtz took out crude instruments and medicine vials made from discarded materials.
“So—entrust your life to me.”
Immediately after saying that, she seemed to close her eyes and quietly fall asleep.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
Several hours later,
as the sun began to rise, Kurtz went outside to survey the surroundings.
While she slept, he had also checked the path leading underground, but found no signs of intrusion nearby.
And then–
“–Nn…ugh…”
A small groan arose as he covered her resting form with a blanket he had brought.
“I’m relieved you’ve awoken, Lucia Dienes.”
“Why…am I still alive…?”
“I’ll answer that question after you confirm your appearance for yourself.”
Saying that, Kurtz gestured towards the flowing waterway before them.
Still not fully conscious, she sluggishly peered into the water, then–
“–Eh??”
The moment she saw her own reflected appearance, her eyes flew wide open.
Brilliantly shining golden hair.
Faint, glowing peach-colored irises gazing back at her.
However, the changes to her were not just limited to that.
“Why does it show my appearance from long ago…?”
Her features looked younger than the previous day.
Around sixteen years old at most – it would be more fitting to call her a girl rather than a woman.
“Your hair and eye color changed, so that was your former appearance?”
“Well…yeah, that’s how I looked before taking this job…”
“I see. No problem then. I was aware of the side-effects from the healing process changing appearances, but I didn’t expect such a drastic transformation.”
“Healing…? What did you do to my body?”
“I administered drugs.”
“Drugs–!?”
“I’ll explain the details now. At least you’re no longer in mortal danger, so please listen.”
To calm the bewildered and wary Lucia, Kurtz spoke calmly and flatly.
“What I gave you was a substance called the ‘Imperfect Elixir’.”
“…What is that, exactly?”
“The Elixir is said in alchemy legends to be the ‘panacea granting all abilities’.”
There is a legendary panacea that, when consumed, grants eternal youth and life, completely cures any illness or injury, instantly healing wounds, and bestows eternal life.
In alchemy, it is considered the supreme panacea along with the Philosopher’s Stone, and alchemists of the past devoted research to producing it – a great achievement granting everlasting life.
However, those tales were merely legends.
“This drug does possess healing abilities for diseases and wounds, but in exchange, it shortens the lifespan of the user.”
“…Shortens lifespan?”
“It’s a result of forcibly over-activating the body’s substances. While injuries and illnesses are instantly cured, and small doses exhibit anti-aging and rejuvenation effects…the users inevitably died of ‘senescence’.”
Initially, the related parties celebrated their success in recreating the true Elixir.
However…blinded by this great achievement of realizing the legend, they overlooked the side effect of traded lifespan. Many users enthralled by the promised “eternal life” ended up losing their lives to senescence.
And so, that drug was called the [Imperfect Elixir].
“Based on the condition of your wounds and the degree of reverse aging, it’s safe to assume your lifespan has been shortened by about ten years. I apologize again for administering the drug without your prior consent.”
“Well…if that were true, I would have died yesterday. I haven’t exactly been living a long life, so having my lifespan reduced doesn’t really bother me.”
“Besides, you’re being pursued. They probably didn’t expect the person they’re after to have reverted to a child’s appearance.”
The side effect of reverse aging in appearance was factored into Kurtz’s assumptions.
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