Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8

She simply remained with her head lowered, drawing meaningless scribbles on the ground.

Akina had kept her lips tightly closed for quite some time.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“Is it difficult for you to answer? aspect Then I shall have to change the question.”

“Why did you hide it from me?”

“……”

However, the meaning of that new question was exactly the same.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

A long time passed.

“……Because I was afraid you’d object, Mister.”

“To what?”

Finally, Akina hesitantly moved her lips.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Ash remained silent for a few moments before continuing.

“To exploring the ruins.”

“That is correct. beacon I probably would have objected.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Akina flinched and raised her head.

Her blue eyes darted uneasily from side to side.

“And now I know about the existence of the Echo Effect. armor So, how do you think I shall act from now on?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“……Huh? orbit I slept for that long……?”

“……Are you going to object?”

“Do you know how long it has been since you were last fully conscious? meadow Two days.”

Ash did not look away.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“Slept?”

“No. arctic You woke up several times. legend And each time, you screamed and uttered incomprehensible words while your eyes glowed gold!”

Ash let out an incredulous sigh.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“……”

“Can you even imagine how Elder Santa and I felt every time we had to calm you down?”

“Of course. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com echo It must be difficult for you to answer. anxiety Then I shall ask you something else. amber If you were in my position, do you think you could bring yourself to ask me to accompany you into that hell again?”

For the first time, his electronic voice was filled with intense emotion.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“Mister……!”

Akina immediately understood what those words meant and abruptly raised her head.

“That is enough. canvas There will be no more expeditions into the ruins. altitude That is my decision.”

Faced with those words, spoken as a definitive declaration, Akina shouted.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“This is not about what you want or do not want! afford You nearly lost your own identity!”

“I already knew that level of danger existed!”

“I don’t want that!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“I am telling you that I did not know! athlete I did not know that connecting to Cyberspace, that performing a Deep Dive, involved such mortal danger!”

Ash’s shout echoed across the entire rooftop in the middle of the night.

“But I did not know!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

That unfamiliar reaction gave her a strange feeling of fear.

As far as she could remember, it was the first time Ash had expressed his emotions with such intensity.

Faced with that outburst, Akina was unable to utter a single word.

A heavy silence settled over the rooftop once again.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

A long time passed.

Only the cold night wind continued blowing between them.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Finally, he spoke again.

Ash raised his steel arm and ran his hand over his head.

This time, his electronic voice no longer contained that emotional intensity.

The gesture was remarkably similar to that of a human rubbing his face in exhaustion.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Instead, it conveyed an indescribable weariness.

“……According to what that heroine told me, there is a profession in Sanctum known as ‘Fixer’.”

So Ash continued.

Akina did not respond.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Akina raised her head.

“Let us stop being Pathfinders and work as Fixers instead. atomic Apparently, that heroine knows a rather capable Fixer, so we could ask her to introduce us, and……”

He extended a hand and rested it on Akina’s shoulder.

“They are people who accept commissions to find missing persons or resolve disputes. echo Although the pay is lower, at least they work within Sanctum, so it should be safer than being a Pathfinder. arch We would not have to face threats such as the Echo Effect, either.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

The problem was that her smile looked much more like a sneer of contempt.

“It would not be a miserable amount. shadow It would be perfectly sufficient to pay for the air you breathe and cover your living expenses.”

“Fixers? arrow And what exactly are we supposed to accomplish by earning a few miserable coins?”

She was smiling.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“And what about my revenge?”

The smile that had appeared on her lips twisted disturbingly.

“Mister. wizard You said you’d help me.”

In its place, Akina’s face became dominated by absolute hatred.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“It’s the same thing to me. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates. beacon To me, it is.”

Ash’s optical sensors emitted a cold glow as he watched her.

“……And I shall. armor I shall do everything within my power to help you. galaxy That is precisely why I am proposing this. attic Becoming Fixers does not necessarily mean we must abandon your revenge, does it?”

Her attitude was unyielding.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“Yes. accent It’s the only path there is.”

“Miss Akina!”

“I!”

“……Do you insist on continuing as a Pathfinder at any cost?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

She bit her lips, her face completely flushed and her expression suggesting that she was on the verge of bursting into tears.

Akina shouted.

Then she held Ash’s gaze as he stared intently at her.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

After all, she had never told him.

“……Do you know who the enemy I have to face is, Mister?”

Ash did not know.

Akina continued speaking.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“You know it too, don’t you? athlete I made sure to include that information in the Data Card I gave you.”

“……”

“Omni-Cell Biotech.”

Her words were steeped in a hatred so profound that it was difficult to believe they belonged to such a young girl.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Omni-Cell Biotech.

Ash knew that company.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

It was exactly as she had said.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

That was Omni-Cell Biotech.

One of Sanctum’s Megacorps and a company at the pinnacle of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

At the same time, it was a company shrouded in mystery, whose technological origins no one knew.

A benevolent savior that enjoyed the absolute support of the citizens thanks to its treatments for all kinds of diseases and its life-extension technologies.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

An open secret that the information in the Data Card could not fully explain.

There was something far more important that had to be mentioned when speaking of Omni-Cell.

However, that was merely its general description.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Stroud Group.

Among the countless companies operating in the city, three stood out in particular.

Omni-Cell Biotech was one of the true rulers of Sanctum.

Something every inhabitant of Sanctum knew, but no one dared mention openly.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Foundation Systems.

Those were the three companies.

And Omni-Cell Biotech.

The three pillars supporting humanity.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

The company everyone recognized as the most powerful in Sanctum was the target of her revenge.

And Akina had just mentioned one of them.

At some point, the citizens of Sanctum had begun calling them Trinity.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

His first thought was.

At the same time, he attempted to comprehend the true weight of the name Akina had just spoken.

‘Omni-Cell……’

Ash’s optical sensors emitted a faint glow.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

That enemy was far too great for such a small girl to confront.

Even Ash, who was only beginning to understand how that world worked, considered it practically impossible.

‘……Is it even possible?’

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

At that point, setting aside his emotions, Ash began to feel a certain curiosity.

‘It is literally like trying to break a rock with an egg. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com. ’

Striking a rock with an egg.

He could not find a more appropriate comparison.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“……Do you have a plan?”

So he asked.

What connection existed between taking revenge on Omni-Cell and working as a Pathfinder?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

However, Akina was not intimidated.

As though he were asking what a girl like her could possibly do against such a powerful enemy.

On the contrary, she answered immediately, as though she had been waiting for that question.

From a certain perspective, that question could sound rather cynical.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

The problem was that her plan was completely outrageous.

Exactly that.

“I’m going to found a company.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“……Found a company? shadow Do you mean you intend to create your own commercial organization?”

Found a company.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“……I do not understand. abstract How can running a company be considered revenge?”

“It is revenge.”

“Yes. portal And I’m going to make it grow. amber Until it’s big enough to stand against Omni-Cell.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“Because companies can carry out mergers and acquisitions with one another.”

Mergers and acquisitions.

Akina’s blue eyes shone with an unfamiliar intensity.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

The process by which two or more companies combined to form a single entity, or one company acquired the shares or assets of another to gain control of its management.

However, that only applied in times of peace.

In Sanctum, “mergers and acquisitions” had a much more violent meaning.

That was its dictionary definition.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“That’s why I have to go to the ruins! portal To found my company! artist To extract ancient knowledge that no one has ever discovered!”

Only then did Ash finally understand everything. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.

Something that more closely resembled a “war.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

It was as though all the pieces of a puzzle had finally fallen into place.

Why had she rummaged through mountains of garbage until she found him and awakened him?

Why had Akina undergone such a dangerous brain cyberization procedure despite her young age?

Why was she so desperate to become a Pathfinder?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

To build the foundations that would allow her to carry it out.

For her revenge.

All those questions were connected.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

To found a company based on ancient knowledge.

However.

It was a completely absurd plan.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

‘……After all, I was not so different myself.’

Ash felt the urge to suggest that she abandon her revenge.

But he was unable to utter those words through his voice module.

It also seemed that there truly was no other alternative.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

He, too, had endured countless hardships, constantly walking between life and death, driven solely by relentless hatred and his desire for revenge.

Back then, he had listened to no one’s advice.

That would be hypocrisy and arrogance.

And now he intended to tell Akina to give up her revenge?

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

How could he force that little girl to walk the path of renunciation when he himself had been incapable of doing so?

Hypocrisy, because it would mean betraying the person he had been in the past.

And arrogance, because it would mean believing that a few insignificant words would be enough to change someone’s determination.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

A long time passed.

When he knew better than anyone that hatred which consumed the heart like a raging fire?

“……”

Even Akina, who normally never stopped chattering, remained silent.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Thus, the two gazed at the nighttime scenery of Sanctum without exchanging a single word.

About that devastating fire called revenge.

However, they were surely thinking about the same thing.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

At a certain moment.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“I like high places.”

Ash stood up.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

He took a step toward the nighttime scenery and began speaking as though recalling something distant.

Ash remained silent for a few moments.

Then he continued.

“……Because I originally lived in such a place. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors. wizard White snow covered everything as far as the eye could see, and from time to time, the clouds descended until they were level with my head. apron I liked that. arch It made me feel as though I had become an immortal.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“All of it burned until nothing remained. acquire By the will of a single person, at the hands of an organization, the place where I belonged was reduced to ashes. aspect However, the heights remained. atom So did the clouds that occasionally descended upon them. abandon But from that day onward, I never returned.”

Then she approached Ash and listened attentively.

“They began speaking to me. alert The pavilions that had been consumed by flames spoke to me. adapt The snow did too. abstract Even those clouds that descended from time to time. audit They all told me to seek revenge. acoustic To fulfill my duty as a survivor. accent To never forget it, not even for a single instant.”

Akina stood up as well.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Ash turned his head.

“And that is precisely what I did. afford I sacrificed everything and, in the end, achieved my revenge.”

Although his words were nothing more than electronic sounds, they were imbued with a profound emotion that was difficult to describe.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“However, when it was all over, I discovered that absolutely nothing remained. matrix Only an unbearable emptiness and an endless silence.”

Akina also turned her head to look at him.

Then he looked at Akina, who was standing beside him.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“I am telling you to move forward knowing what awaits you. airport Because there will be nothing left in the end.”

The girl shook her head.

“……Are you telling me to give up? album Because there’ll be nothing left in the end?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

Then she hugged Ash’s arm.

“You’re wrong.”

“Because I have you, Mister.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“……Indeed, it seems that we are different in that regard.”

“Do not let them destroy you.”

The girl and the humanoid turned their heads at the same time.

Then they gazed at the city, which shimmered with lights of countless colors.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“Nor should you allow yourself to become completely empty inside.”

“All right.”

“……And above all, do not lose your identity.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“But, hey……”

Ash gently withdrew the arm Akina was hugging and placed it around her shoulders.

“Because I shall be by your side to help you.”

And so, the girl and the humanoid remained together for a long time, gazing at the nighttime scenery of Sanctum.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“Do you come up to the rooftop every day because you like high places? aluminum Hehe. admire You’re like a cat.”

At a certain moment, Akina spoke again.

“Miss Akina.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

“At moments like this, it is appropriate to remain silent.”

“Yes?”

“Ah, I see.”

The girl adopted a serious expression once again and gazed at the city.

Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 35: EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 8 by Indra Translations.

The lights of Sanctum continued bathing them both in countless colors.