Third Outer World Story Series: Pumpkin Sorcerer - Chapter 32

Translator: MadHatter Editor: MadHatter

This is probably a dream…

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry…???.”

In front of Pumpkin was a young girl shedding tears while holding a woman’s head.

He didn’t catch the part about her name, but somehow he could tell that she was grieving.

[Please don’t cry…]

Amidst all this, a woman’s voice abruptly resonated around Pumpkin, drawing his focus to the direction of that voice.

There stood a woman in a translucent maid’s uniform.

[Please don’t cry, Miss…]

The woman assembled her words with complicated emotions.

[Neither Miss nor she has done anything wrong.]

Pumpkin can’t make out all of the thoughts that were embedded in the woman’s words.

But even the slightest touch of her thoughts made it evident to him how much the woman in the maid’s outfit was concerned for the crying girl.

[Thanks to you, I have been saved. Thanks to you, I didn’t commit a mistake. Thanks to you…]

There, she regulated her breathing once.

[I was able to pass away as a person.]

A single tear trickled down the woman’s cheek.

[So don’t wear that look, Miss…]

The woman embraced the young girl from behind.

However, the young girl did not notice it and continued weeping.

[You would just make me feel like I’m not going to be able to pass away with peace of mind…]

After that, the whole surrounding area was enveloped in light, and the scene changed.

—————–

“Here I am again…”

The strange world he had once visited—where he had heard Lean’s voice—was present for him to behold after the light had faded. In other words, it was Outer World.

But somehow Pumpkin felt that the speed at which the transition was taking place was slower than before.

“You are there, aren’t you? Lean-sama.”

“…”

Speaking with an unaccustomed honorific, he somehow addressed the direction in which he could sense Lean’s presence.

“You don’t have to use an unaccustomed honorific. You can speak as you please…”

“If so, I’ll speak in a straightforward manner. And what was that scene earlier?”

He responded to Lean’s words and asked them about what he had just witnessed.

“That was a true event that took place somewhere in another world in the past. Her soul was so damaged at that time and was cursed so directly by ‘that’ that even the very core of her soul was affected and her subsequent reincarnation was severely disrupted. That is why I have been searching for something that could lead her soul to this world, give her a long rest, and one day stops the repetition of abomination that has been haunting her.”

“And you believe that would be me?”

“There were many candidates besides you, but this time it was you who achieved it. So you have every right to be proud.”

“Hmm.”

Pumpkin replied to Lean’s words in a simple way but didn’t expect this to be the only repetition that Lean would want him to end.

After all, there was still the phenomenon of “Kage-Ochi”.

“That’s right. Now, only one repetition has finally ended. But it was certainly one of the repetitions that I wished would end.”

“I see. I am glad to hear that.”

Lean’s figure was still not visible. However, he can somehow tell that Lean was elated.

“So, is there anything you want me to do for you from now on?”

“…If you want to live your life the way you want to, that’s fine. In your case, I think you will spontaneously encounter repetitions that have to be severed.”

“Should I be rejoicing or brooding over that…?”

Pumpkin gave a bitter smile at Lean’s words.

That would be equivalent to saying that if he lived his life the way he sought, he would end up landing in some sort of trouble.

“Don’t worry. The repetitions that need to be severed will eventually become apparent to you if you continue to sever other repetitions.”

“…”

Lean-sama speaks as if they can accurately foresee the future… no, as if they have observed that scene in the past, assuming that the scene I just described is truly from the past.

No, considering your repeated use of the word “repetition” and your power to administer all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, perhaps Lean-sama really does possess such a power.

But, I have a few questions for you, just in case.

“Can I ask you a question? Lean-sama, why don’t you take independent action? From what I have heard from those who are familiar with your position, you wield a substantial amount of power.”

“…”

“Silence huh. Well, that’s okay. I’m sure you have your own circumstances.”

Before meeting Lean, Pumpkin recalled what was told to him.

He and Mizuki both believed Lean had an individual they didn’t want to be exposed to based on what Mizuki had mentioned at the time. It seemed that the reality of Lean’s predicament was not all that far off from their assumptions.

“You are free to live the life you choose. That’s what I can tell you now.”

“!?”

At the same time as they said those words, Pumpkin’s surroundings went black in stark contrast to the previous time, and his consciousness rapidly drifted away from the place where he was.

—————–

“Urgh!?”

By the time he came to, he found himself in a room of an inn, where he failed to control his levitation magic, which was unusual for him, causing his head to crash to the floor.

“Ngh… That… is not a dream huh.”

He muttered to himself as he was reminded of the earlier conversation he had with Lean.

“Well, whether it’s a dream or reality, I’m sure it’s a divine message from God.”

Pumpkin subsequently left the room while sorting out Lean’s words in his head.

—————–

Q: Why Houki?

A: Because I can’t think of nearly any good characters when considering it calmly.

Although Ryoko’s previous life was Houki, she and Ryoko are completely different people in terms of the way they think.

—————–

T/N:

This is the aftermath of what happened to Houki after her death which was not revealed in The Black Mist that Devours novel