Third Outer World Story Series: Pumpkin Sorcerer - Chapter 70

Translator: MadHatter Editor: MadHatter

“All we know are rumors.”

“It’s nothing more than a story someone told us.”

“We don’t even know if it’s true.”

“That’s okay.”

Pumpkin, whose knowledge was limited in any case, concurred that it was fine with them when the three spirits stated that they had no verification of what they had heard.

[[[Then let’s talk about it.]]]

The three spirits all said the same thing and surrounded him.

“Here was once a forest that stretched across the land.”

“Here was once a city that represented the glory of humankind.”

“Here was once a temple where people prayed to a grand God.”

The spirits began to speak as if they were singing, and he listened quietly to their words.

If anyone were to look at Pumpkin from the side, he would probably seem to be in a trance.

“There were many trees spreading their leaves, beasts roaming, birds singing, and spirits dancing.”

“There were many people drinking with their friends, praising their parents, loving their children, and being affectionate with their companions.”

“There were many believers praying, priests preaching, the iniquitous atoning for their sins, and maidens listening to the voice of God.”

Each of these words sounded different from the next.

Yet, despite the differences in sound, the meaning seemed to be the same.

“Those who live in this land wished for this activity to continue forever.”

“Those who live in this land wished that the days of their glory might last.”

“Those who live in this land wished that God’s authority would shine on the world.”

Pumpkin’s vision slightly mirrored the activities of those who had formerly lived in this land thanks to the magic power present in the surrounding air, which may have been influenced by the voices of the three spirits.

[[[But that wish was lost after just one night.]]]

“…!?”

In that instant, the emotions contained in their words underwent a dramatic shift, moving from the bright and joyful they had been to something sorrowful and gloomy.

“In the heaven hovered an object red as blood, that emitted a power more terrible than any evil.”

“On the earth were erected walls more solid than diamonds, with a power that no man can penetrate.”

“The stars were shrouded in a darkness that no life could see beyond.”

The illusion conjured by the magic power gradually faded away in front of him while the spirits spoke, and before he realized it, the sun had set and all that was left was the light from the moon and the stars.

“A black javelin descended upon them.”

“The gate of the realm of dead opened.”

“All shadows were swallowed.”

“Gulp…”

Pumpkin unconsciously gulped.

That was how much power and thoughts were conveyed in their words.

“Nothing shall remain afterwards. No human being, no beast, no plant, no tree, not even the earth.”

“Nothing shall remain afterwards. No thoughts, no knowledge, no memory, not even the heart.”

“Nothing shall remain afterwards. No faith, no wish, no sin, not even a soul.”

A powerful sea breeze blew up from below, stirring up the air.

[[[Yet that is not the end of it.]]]

The words of the three spirits, who were flying about Pumpkin with the wind, struck him with a peculiar gravity despite being delivered a little off-course.

“They have devoured the flesh that was joined to them.”

“They have devoured the knowledge that was in them.”

“They could only not devour our God.”

“Hmm?”

The wind from below ceased to blow, and at the same time the harmony of their words was slightly disrupted.

“They ate the flesh, and the blood was almost broken.”

“They have feasted on their knowledge, and the arts have nearly been lost.”

“God healed the earth, turned life around, imparted knowledge, and sought to save the world.”

The words of one of them clearly began to differ from the two.

“But God turned them away, so the blood continued to flow.”

“But God turned them away, so the art continued.”

“But the world couldn’t be saved.”

“…”

Pumpkin slowly digested the meaning of their words as he listened to them.

If taken without any distortion, it would mean that God was able to defeat something that had struck this land but was unable to vanquish the enemy.

The three spirits then lined up in front of him, and with different faces, they began to weave the same, yet different words.

“God rested. For they knew the time that would follow.”

“God concealed. For they knew the time that would follow, and they would prevail.”

“God sought. For the power to save the world.”

Once again, the wind swept around them.

[[[This is the rumor of the ‘Kage-Ochi’ by the spirits of the winds that travel the world.]]]

“I see…”

And apparently, this was the end of the literal rumors of the wind.

“Did you get it?”

“Does it serve your purpose?”

“Is that enough?”

“Yeah. How should I put it… I don’t know.”

The three spirits dexterously sank in the air simultaneously, as if Pumpkin’s words would be accompanied by AA or sound effects.

No, I understand that the “Kage-Ochi” is to blame for this location’s current state and that the tragedy that occurred at the time was unparalleled, but it is not made clear how it really transpired.

For instance, in the sentence “A black javelin descended upon them,” the only thing that is clear from the words is that something black fell, and the word “javelin” may be a metaphor for some kind of attack, but it doesn’t say precisely what kind of attack it was.

“Well, it was informative.”

“That’s good then.”

“All the better.”

“That is a good thing.”

Well, I should just say it’s a good thing since it provided me with some clues.

“Anyway, do you want me to offer some kind of thanks or something?”

“I want to hear a story about people.”

“I want to hear a story about the earth.”

“I want to hear a story about God.”

“In short, you want to hear some kind of story. Okay, then, how about we discuss it for the remainder of the day?”

And so, in exchange for their stories, Pumpkin let them hear what he had experienced while staying in his camp tent.