Konjiki no Wordmaster 183 …. as the hero’s failure.

I delayed it far enough, so without further words:

183rd Episode – The puppet Taishi

((it’s funny, as I didn’t know it was Taishi’s name my first trans was “The puppet’s ambition”…))

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「Kehaha! That’s right, I’m Kokurou～! Kehaha!」(Kuro)

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Sticking out his tongue like a complete fool the man turned around, now facing them.

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「…..is that the reason for you to be here? If you only do such things, how dare you came back that nonchalantly!」(Branza)

「I thought I said it already～? I’m working～!」(Kuro)

「……if dead father saw you now, he certainly would be grieving because of you.」(Bran)

「Ke, don’t tell me stories about a father that was killed long ago. Does murder make you nervous～?」(Kuro)

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The unthinkable amount of he blood lust in the air was almost stirring. However, as one could think that most of the blood lust settled down for an instant –

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「Well yes～, I nearly planned on killing you a moment ago, but you don’t need to show resentment to that degree～. Where is……..」(Kuro) ((Lib.))

「…….my husband, you mean?」(Bran)

「Kehaha…… I’ll definitely kill that guy without fail as soon as I spot him.～」(Kuro)

「If that’s the case, why didn’t you come to kill my husband then? Even more, shouldn’t even someone like you be afraid of my husband and the 《three beast warriors》?」(Bran) ((Lib.))

「Who would be scared by those people～! The plan is the plan～! Just now I’m under that guy, carrying out his scheme, meanwhile having this convenient time～」(Kuro)

「……. that’s a surprise. That a person like you would take orders from someone else…」(Bran)

「Did you misunderstand me? It’s just by chance that I follow his orders, as our interests match, and moving is the last resort～. Of course I’d only work for myself～」(Kuro)

「You’re still the same self-centered thinking Kokurou.」(Bran)

「Ha, I thought that’s the proper behavior for Gabranth～」(Kuro)

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As they mutually stared at each other, Kokurou suddenly noticed something as his eyes narrowed and a smile floated across his face.

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「It seems like the job was perfectly done.」(Kuro)

「…….what……..」(Bran)

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Hearing his words, Branza looked were Kokurou’s line of sigh was previously directed at. There was the pride of 【Passion】, the 《Tree of Beginning・Aragorn》. But in the next moment –

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Shuuuuuuuuuuu…………… (SFX)

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Suddenly a lot of the overgrown green of 《Aragorn》 withers, taking the shape of a dead tree in winter.

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「W-what the-!?」(Branza)

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Her cry was involuntary. It was due to 《Aragorn》 being a big tree covered with fresh green leaves all year round. The leaves hadn’t withered even once until now.

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For this reason of course she became increasingly confused as the situation occurred now.

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「Kehaha, the honored me is going home now～」(Kuro)

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Before they became aware of it, Kokurou already jumped upon a branch above, but hearing his vice she came to her senses, sharply looking at him –

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「W-what the heck did you do, Kokurou!」(Branza)

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Before Kokurou had met with Branza, the person with the square on their back that came to 【Passion】 along with Kokurou was heading towards a building, lurking in the shadows, concealing himself, whilst Kokurou was wandering around, destroying one building after another, keeping the citizens’ attention with his behavior. ((That’s a long sentence… hope I didn’t forget anything.))

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While skillfully concealing himself, he reaches his destination – the 《Tree of the beginning – Aragorn》. Screams were to be heard from around. Probably Kokurou had claimed peoples’ lives mercilessly.

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But now he himself couldn’t help but do it even as he wasn’t in high spirits. He couldn’t afford to neglect it. Really, he couldn’t afford to fail.

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Then, as he arrived at the foot of 《Aragorn》, there stood a little boy nearby. His Kemonomimi were twitching lovely.

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Thus, as the boy looked into his direction –

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「Hey hey, did something happen?」(Boy)

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Seemingly he wasn’t aware of what was happening in the country yet. And as he didn’t get an answer –

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「Tee-hee, whatever. Hey hey, do you know? This large tree, it is our guardian deity.」(boy)

「……………」(Square)

「So～ everyone loves this tree～」(boy)

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Then suddenly there was a explosion to be heard in the vicinity and a building began burning. Hearing the explosion, the boy flinches.

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「………….get away from here.」(Square)

「Eh?」(Boy)

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Having told him that much, the person takes a dagger out from under his robe. From the dagger a sinister-looking dark red aura radiates. Seeing the dagger, the boys expression shivers.

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He turns the dagger towards 《Aragorn》 and prepares to stab the tree.

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「Eh…… w-what are you doing?」(Boy)

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Of course the boy raises his voice in question against the square-marked person. Its eyes are shaking in uneasiness. But the man just gnashes his teeth –

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「………… I’m sorry.」(Square)

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And with this he strongly pierces the dagger into 《Aragorn》.

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「AAAH!?」(boy)

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Hearing the boy’s scream, he motionlessly stares just as before as the dark-red aura dwells in the dagger and continues to move as if injected into 《Aragorn》.

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「W-why did you do thaaat!? Hey, I asked you somethiiiiing!」(boy)

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The boy grasped his robe and shook it, but he just continued to ignore him. After some time, the appearance of 《Aragorn》 changed.

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The beforehand brilliantly green leaves began to change in color, getting burned brown like a withering leaf. Having seen the changes, the child stiffly stood there with open mouth and eyes, unable to do any more.

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Thick branches that once were full of vigor now would seemingly break like small pieces of wood once you applied some force upon them.

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「Hey! What does that mean!?」(Boy)

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Of course he’d ask the reasons why the person had created this situation. However, the person solely was entrusted with doing his job and didn’t know why he had to produce this situation.

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With this he surely had accomplished his task and felt relief, but at the same time seeing the child’s sorrowful face hurt his heart.

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（But if I hadn’t done it……..）(square)

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He shakes his fist while gritting his teeth within the hood.

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Thereupon somebody descended from above.

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「Apparently the newcomer has finished his job～」(Kuro)

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It was the man called Kokurou.

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「Hey hey, Onii-chan! Those people there were bullied!」(Boy)

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Kokurou was showing his face. And as he had Kemonomimi on his head as well, the boy relied on him. But that was a mistake.

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「Aaah? Shuddup, brat～」(Kuro)

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Baki! (SFX)

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Without pardon he raised a kick against the boy.

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「Stop it!」(Square)

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Involuntarily the square-signed man shouted towards Kokurou, catching the boy as he fell from the sky.

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「Uuh…..」(Boy)

「Are you okay?」(Square)

「Uh….」(Boy)

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The person turns towards Kokurou.

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「Huh? What do I see here? Good then～, you’re just a piece to be thrown away anyway～. Discardable pieces should stay silent and do their work until I throw them away～!」(Kuro)((Lib))

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This time the other guy was kicked by Kokurou.

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「Bh!?」

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He fell down on the ground holding the boy. At this moment his hood came off and hi face was openly visible.

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「Just realize your own position already～. Naah, Hero-sama～?」(Kuro)

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Really, the person wearing the robe marked with a square picture was Aoyama Taishi, the hero summoned to this world. ((Surprise, surprise.))

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「Argh…..」(Tai)

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More and more citizens gathered there.

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「Hey, a 『Humas』!」(Person A)

「It’s true!」(Person B)

「You don’t say, this is the work of the 『Humas』!」(Person S) ((← intentional.))

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Seeing the figure of Taishi, they began to flutter about it one by one. Taishi hastily fixed his hood.

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「Kehaha! Uh oh～, now they’ve seen your true character～」(Kuro)

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Kokurou speaks with joy.

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「Isn’t our work already finished? In that case we should leave quickly…….」(Tai)

「Ah, you can go ahead～. I’ll return after I enjoyed myself a little more～.」(Kuro)

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He feels a shiver running down his spine as the guy licks his lips with his tongue.

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「I-I think it is good already! You don’t need to kill any more…….」(Tai)

「Shut uuup」(Kuro)

「Gu…..」(Tai)

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Having his neck grabbed firmly, he isn’t able to breathe anymore.

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「Who gives the orders, huh?」(Kuro)

「Ugg…….」(Tai)

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He couldn’t afford to loosen his own grip as he was still holding the child. As Kokurou throws Taishi to the ground –

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「I say it the second time～. Leave quickly～.」(Kuro)

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Taishi softly lays the boy he held in his arms to the ground even as he himself coughs violently.

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「Aah…..」(Tai)

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His gaze meets the boy’s.

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「………I’m sorry. But……….」(Tai)

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Taking in the mortifying words, he silently starts to walk away. As soldiers try to chase him –

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「Whoops～、Let me entertain myself with that scum! Kehahahahaha!」(Kuro)

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「Haah, haah, haah……」

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Straight after Taishi left the region, his knees bend as he feebly leans on a tree.

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「Damniiit…… I’m sorry …… I’m sorry …….」(guy)

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He repeats the words of apology many times as he holds his head.

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（I’m not doing these things because I like it! I…… I…….!）

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He hits his head on the wood.

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「…………Chika…….」 ((btw her name can be read as Kazuyo, Chika or as Chiyo… says my names dictionary. However, I guess she was given special readings in one of the first chapters.))

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As he listened to the explosions and screams to be heard from the city, he muttered a word while looking up at the sky with an empty look on his face.