Chapter 26: Reiss.
Translated and Edited by: ynlucca.
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[Buffon’s POV]
Reiss.
The detestable name that evoked thoughts of death and omens seeped into my body through my ear canals with an unbearable discomfort, shaking my very core.
However, amidst the nausea and shivering, that shock brought to my mind a certain truth. Something that happened not too long ago.
“I’m Noel Reiss. An Assassin of the Dark attribute.”
Yes. That was the insolent individual who looked down on me, Buffon, born of blue and noble blood! And he did so despite being an inferior Darkness mutt!
I had been covered in grime and filth and had to even mimic a lowly earthworm just to survive. Not only that, but he stole away that treacherous dog that betrayed me…! Could it be the same Reiss?
“Bwahhhhh!”
As soon as I realized so, that anger gargled inside me once more. Bubbling inside, I directed all my vitriol to the owner of that Voice.
“Reiss…! Noel Reiss! You! You’re that brat! Stop hiding and come out, you f*cker! I’ll throw you out of this place right now!”
“I see. Seems like you haven’t forgotten it after all. As expected. I was wondering what I would do if not just your body, but your mind, too, had become feeble.”
“Bwah?! Damned brat!”
“However, it appears you still haven’t grasped the whole picture. Nor why I introduced myself as Reiss instead of Noel.”
“Bwah—! Th-The name Reiss holds meaning?!”
His Voice assailed my senses once more, piercing my enraged ears. A shiver coursed through every pore in my body in response to the rising and unbearable discomfort.
“It does. More accurately, that name isn’t just a name. It’s a symbol.”
“A-A symbol?”
“Yes. In the underworld, it’s the emblem of a renowned lineage of assassins that has been passed down through generations. That’s what the name Reiss represents. It’s a contradiction in existence. We are neither alive or dead, but rather Nonexistent.”
“Nonexistent…? Bwah! Nonsense! You’re clearly here right now, near me! This is ridiculous!”
“For you, yes. But what about the others?”
“Bw—Wh-What are you talking about?”
The voice didn’t once get flustered at my jest. Panicked, I scanned the interior of the diner. Despite the horribly ineffable Voice that could only be described as torture, no one looked my way. Not a single soul noticed the abnormal situation unfolding right here.
“Do you get it now? At this moment, for others, I am Non-existent. And what about you, Buffon? How would you fare?”
“Bwah?! Wh-What do you mean…?!”
“Where is my Voice coming from, I wonder? Oh, and what do you make of my left hand gripping your heart, while my right is poised at your throat?”
“Bwoh?!”
As his words made sense, that incomprehensible pressure crushed my body once again.
Indeed. Despite there being no one directly close to me, I felt the left side of my chest clench desperately as if something were holding my very heart hostage. Not only that, but I could barely breathe, something strangling me from the void.
“Bwah…? Bw—Bwah! S-Stop…! D-Don’t kill me…! No… No…! Don’t kill me…!”
“My, how unexpected. Please don’t refer to me as some kind of third-rate assassin. If I truly wished, you would’ve long since become nonexistent yourself.”
“B-Bwah?!”
His Voice and the crushing pressure washed down on me like a solid waterfall; I struggled to catch my breath.
“Oh, I’ve taken quite a bit of your time, haven’t I? Unfortunately, it seems we’re nearing the limit. Now, let me give you a final warning as Noel once more—Don’t get involved with me, Rokoko, and Luminous under any circumstances. Directly or indirectly. Got it, Buffon? If I make it you’re scheming something again…”
“Bwoh?! If you… make it…”
“You can guess the outcome, can’t you? If you do, you’ll wish you were never born. You’ll know what it’s like to become nonexistent for good.”
“I-I’ll absolutely…! Absolutely n-never be involved! I-In a-any way! B-Bwah—!”
I could feel a warm sensation dampen my nether regions as both my voice and my body quivered under something my mind couldn’t wrap around. Sweat, tears, snot, and even frothy saliva twisted my face into a mess it had never been before. Amidst this, I desperately carved his words into my inadequate brain.
Reiss.
Neither living nor dead.
Non-existent.
That name symbolized death itself and was a horrible omen—the embodiment of a fear I would carry to my very grave, and only let go once I was buried deep in the dirt.
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