Tower of Karma Chapter 2

In the next day, Arlette was bought by a n.o.ble family.  All that remained from her was the money for Al to buy himself.

Since a few days ago, despite being refused many times, Arlette had been begging for money at a market she had never been to before and had been acc.u.mulating money for paying for Al´s freedom.

Everything was for the sake of Al´s happiness…

Al wasn´t able to stop her. He wasn´t able to stop his sister from being taken.

Al wasn´t able to tell her. He wasn´t able to tell her not to leave him alone.

Al became alone. All this in exchange for him being released from slavery and also some money so that he could live for a while without concerns.

“Yo, long time no see, freed man Al-kun.”

In the way back from Kail´s work, Kail and Havella visited Al´s house. Al received them with a dispirited face.

“…You are shabby like always… Properly clean your room, hey.”

Kail quickly started cleaning. Havella didn´t move to help. She wasn´t good at housework in general. To some point, Kail was good at that overall.

“Here, Al.”

Havella handed an apple to Al. Al sluggishly moved his hand to take the apple, but Kail hit it before he could take it.

“There aren´t apples dead fish can eat.”

“…The apple I stole…”(TL note: Not sure about the meaning here -.- maybe not with the accurate meaning, but it still is kind of the literal translation .-.「……私が盗んだやつ」I guess she is sad about the denied apple? 0.0)

Ignoring the murmured words, Kail glared at Al.

“I won´t tell you to go work. You aren´t anyone´s thing anymore, but a freed man. You won´t be treated as well as other people, but you can say goodbye to all the labor work. I am envious, d.a.m.n it.”

Kail grabbed Al´s collar.

“But you know, why the h.e.l.l are you making those dead fish eyes? Don´t go start living like a dead log. Who do you think you own your freedom to!? Aah!? Who do you think that sold her own life for you!? For all the unhappiness that person will have to shoulder from now on, you should at least become happy, or it is no good! You idiot!”

Kail´s angry voice echoed at the shabby small room. Havella doesn´t stop Kail.

“But, nee-san is already…”

Kail headb.u.t.ted Al, who was grumbling something. This made even Havella surprised.

“If you have the time to be talking about those meaningless things, then go work! Work, work and buy Arlette-san back. This is what you need to do to repay her!”

Al eyes became wide-opened. He had forgot that he could buy his sister himself. Something like that used to be something out of reality for him. It was the same as impossible… But that would only be the case for slaves.

“The limitations for people that used to be slaves are harsh, but people like that are still closer to normal people. The payment they receive has no comparison to the ones of slaves. It won´t be easy, but it also isn´t impossible. I can help you too if you need.”

“Now that all is said and done, what are you going to do, skinny knight.”

Al was embarra.s.sed of himself. He felt he didn´t have the face to look at his two friends anymore. They were thinking about him and his sister much more than he himself was. Al was filled with grat.i.tude.

“Thank you. I will work. I will work hard and buy nee-san´s freedom.”

The light in Al´s eyes were relighted. When, Kail saw that, he became a bit embarra.s.sed of what he had done and extended his hand to Al, who had fallen down with the headb.u.t.t.

“Sorry, I exaggerated a bit. But you know, as long as there is someone you can repay the favor to… you can´t give up.”

Kail didn´t have any relatives. He didn´t know if his family was dead or alive. They were probably dead. Even if he had lingering debts of grat.i.tude with them, he wouldn´t be able to pay them back for eternity. It was because Kail knew that that he faced Al seriously. Differently from himself, his best friend was still able to make it in time.

“Yes, thank you, my best friend.”

Al tightly grabbed Kail´s hand. Putting strength in his hand, Kail pulled Al.

“Havella too. Thank you.”

“Yes. I am your friend too after all.”

She had an expressionless face. However, it wasn´t like she didn´t have any emotions. Al was able to understand the feelings that were at the other side of her expressionless face.

“Then, can you treat your two friends that are tired after working.”

“I don´t have any decent food with me. There is only water and bread pretty much.”

“I have food.”

Havella took out a pouch from behind her. Inside the pouch, it was filled foodstuff to the point that it felt as if she had stolen all this specially for this moment. Looking at each other, Al and Kail smiled. Havella was looking at the two smiling like that without saying anything or without any expression, but even so, she smiled at the two.

“Ahaha, thanks Havella. Leave it to me. I will do to the best of my ability and treat you with the best cuisine… Well, that is something I learned by watching nee-san though, so…”

Tucking his sleves, Al headed to the very cramped and meager kitchen. Kail and Havella were looking at him from behind, watching him cooking.

It was fine even if he failed. The worth in doing this lied on the fact that it was Al who was cooking. Besides, they were slaves. They were lower than humans. Even if Al failed, they would put to use their prided ability of being able to eat anything.

“Ugeh.”(うげえ)

“Disgus… Tast…. Disgusting.” (まず、うま……まずい)

With how the result became a unrecognizable muddled mix of ingredients, Al´s first try in cooking became something that even surpa.s.sed the tastes in food of the three of them, who actually were capable of thinking of mudded water as something tasty.

“Ku, hahaha. This really tastes like s.h.i.t. By the way, this fruit there really stinks.”

“It was the most expensive one. That stall is a fraud.”

“Like a thief can say something like that. Well, it is really a fraud that this s.h.i.tty thing can sell for so much.”

“Even though it was so hard to peel that spiky skin… It´s cruel to me how its insides smells so bad.”

At the house that would already be cramped for two people, the three of them were messing around at the dining table. His feeling of solitude weakened, and for some reason, he became filled with energy. It was something a bit different than family; it was friendship. This peaceful feeling was filling the house.

“Ahahahahhaha.”

Al smile came back to his face.

It could be said that at that moment, perhaps it would be the last time he would be able to truthly smile.

In their way back to their homes from Al´s house, Kail and Havella were walking side by side.

“…For now, I will have Kail know about it.”

“Hm, what is it all of the sudden?”

Usually, except when the three of them were together, Kail and Havella wouldn´t really talk to each other. Besides that, it was rare for Havella to start the conversation herself.

“The n.o.ble that bought Arlette-san, that count Vrad… There is a problem with him..”

“Problem… Hey, are you saying that…”

“Al will need”

Kail was pulling his hair. Without having anywhere to release the anger he felt for his loved pme, Arlette, and his best friend´s misfortune, he could only vent his frustration by doing that.

“This is… unfair.”

The moonlight was being covered by the clouds, and the darkness of the night weighed upon them

Al was now working his mind off. In the end, the only work  Al, who couldn´t read and didn´t have any education, was able to do was physical work and other simple works. If he was going to work at those kind of jobs, the payment he would receive then wouldn´t become much better compared to what he used to receive. However, a person that had set goals was strong.

“I will definitely take nee-san back!”

With indomitable determination, Al was resolved to save up money to extreme extents.

One day, a certain person came to the front of his house. It was a man that was carrying a sack. While wondering what he was doing there, Al called for him.

“Sorry, do you have any bussiness with me?”

The man looked to Al´s direction. His gaze felt like he was looking at Al like he was an insect. This kind of gaze was something Al had experienced many times.

“Hey there, dirt slave brat.”

The man threw the sack to Al. Al angrily responded to him.

“I am not a slave anymore.”

“Hmph. So does it mean you became a human now? Listen, slaves like you can´t become human as long as they live. A slave is still a slave. Freed slaves are nothing but slaves that aren´t being kept by someone.”

This kind of opinion wasn´t something rare. In this country, probably most of the citizens had the same thoughts. Al had already become used with this extent of sneering, but it still didn´t feel good to hear it.

“…What is with this sack?”

Even if he continued to argue with him, it would be useless. Al decided to ask the man what was going to have benefit to him instead of talking about useless things. Seeming like the man wanted to quickly get out of this town, which was much closer to being a slum, he didn´t show any signs of desiring to continue to argue about that.

“The toy became became worn out. It would have been fine if this was in the Count Vrad´s territory, but the agency for dealing with these kind of things here in the royal capital are a pain to deal with. That´s why I came here to give it back to the place it used to live at. Really, what a pain in the a.s.s.”

The word “toy” kept ringing in Al´s ears for some reason. The words “place it used to be” were also worrying.

“What do you mean?”

The man looked at Al with an annoyed face.

“What do you mean your a.s.s. You are really bad at guessing, brat. The toy the count Vrad bought broke, so I came to give it back to its respective place. The rest is for you to deal with. That´s all.”

Saying only that, the man took his leave.

Al reluctantly moved his hand to the sack.

His heart was beating like an alarm bell. He should release his hand from the sack. He mustn´t go closer than that.

Al already understood since long ago. He knew what there was inside. It was because he knew it that he mustn´t look what was inside it. He was not supposed to look at it. He was supposed to throw it away without seeing what was inside. It would be fine if he just threw it away at a river; it was fine even if he burrowed it. But even though that was all he needed to do…

Al ended up opening the sack. What was inside it was…

“Gu-urgh.”(お、おぅっぷ) (Vomit sound* -.-)

He was able to endure for a few moments. However, when he opened up, the rotten smell rose up. The instant he confirmed what was the[thing] inside, without being able to keep up holding it up, everything that was inside his stomach splashed out from his mouth. The gastric juice burned his throat. At the ground, there was a sea of the fluid he threw up.

“Ah… Ah.. Ah…..”

His broken heart was letting voices of agony. He started to feel like he wanted to abandon everything and run away. He wanted to forget. He would forget about all this and go back to the days filled with hopefulness. The Kail and Havella, all the three of them.

After all, Arlette-neesan had already…

“Ah, that´s right, brat… What the… That´s disgusting, hey!”

The man came back for some reason. Al raised his blank eyes.

“The payment for getting rid of the [thing]. Here, take it.”

A silver coin was thrown in front of his eyes. Despite that, Al continued to only look at the man´s face.

“Why, why…”

After seeing at Al mumbling nonsense, the man started to complain, spitting saliva as he talked.

“It´s up to the count what he wants to do with what he bought. The count bought it and broke it himself. It´s a pain to get rid of it, and I am even giving you some money because of that. What is wrong with you? Do you want a gold coin? Do you want it? You f.u.c.king miser. That´s why I don´t like slaves. You don´t need to pay horses or cows; they are much better. These s.h.i.tty slaves..”

After spewing whatever he wanted to say, he kicked the sack. A corpse that had lost its limbs came out from the sack. Whether the limbs were cut so that it would become easier to carry or whether those were cut while it was still alive was something Al didn´t know. He didn´t want to know either.

“Come to think of it, this woman… It looks like she used to be quite the beautiful woman.  Aa-ah, what a waste. If she was born a n.o.ble, she would be pampered all over. Well, it can´t be helped. She was a slave after all.”

After saying that, this time, the man left the place for good.

Only Al remained at the place. He simply was standing there stonished. If only he was born a n.o.ble… If he wasn´t a slave… Those two thoughts were swirling inside his mind. Al was finally able to understand the meaning of not being considered human. All this that he was supposed to already know about… and all that he had been pretending not to exist until now.

“…I see.”

Al knew it now.

“…So it was that.”

Al ended up understanding the meaning of not being human.

“Ku, kuku, kuhahahahahhahaaahahahahahhahahahaha!”

Al laughed like a maniac. Rather, he was filling himself with insanity on his own stead. By doing so, he could have his heart break down.

“We are not humans. Isn´t it weird, nee-san! Look, even we have red blood!”

Hugging himself, Al was scratching both of his arms. With his nails gourging at his skin, blood was flowing from his wounds.

“We walk with two feet and we even have two arms! We have five fingers and also two eyes. We have nose, ears, mouth… Even though we are all the same, we aren´t human!!”

Al shouted.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

With tears of blood flowing from his eyes, his black hair became mixed with white hair. Hatred, anger, resignation, hopelessness; all those varied emotions were swirling inside him, which lead to the gruesome expression he was making. Al broke down. Probably, his sister had also broken down at that time. He was crossing over humanity and becoming a beast…

“…That´s no good.”

However, right at the last moment, Al stopped. It wasn´t acceptable for him to become a beast. Even if a beast could kill humans, it wasn´t capable of destroying the human society. There was no meaning in becoming just a simple loser that was weeded out by the civilization laws.

“So I guess if I don´t do this as a human, I won´t accept it myself? Yeah.”

Al understood this by instinct.

“Ok, I am calm now. I am a human. At least, there won´t be any meaning to it if we ourselves don´t think so. Isn´t that right, nee-san?”

Despite his sister now being completely changed, Al embraced her like he would always do.

“Sorry for having shouted before, nee-san. I became so happy we could meet once again, so I ended up shouting. Ahaha, isn´t it weird? It´s alright, nee-san is the most beautiful person of the world.”

Her arms and legs were severed, her teeth were broken, her nipples were cut out, her ears were cut out, her eyes were gouged out and the last expression she had made on the verge of her death was gruesomeness itself. In addition to that, because of the considerable amount of time that had pa.s.sed since she died, she started to smell rotten. But even so, to Al, she still looked beautiful.

“Welcome back, nee-san. Now, let´s go back home. We. If we are together, we can do anything. If it is the two of us, surely…”

Carrying Arlette in his arms, Al went inside home.

He left the silver coin behind. There is no way he could take that. Fff. It was. There is no way he could downgrade his sister to a toy because of one silver coin.

“Are we really not human? Or are we? I want to know. I need to know. That´s why.”

Al closed the door. Inside his house, he was now alone together with his sister. The small house was only for the two of them. The walls were filled with holes, the dining table was very shabby, and the small bed the two of them slept at used to be where his sister would gently put him to sleep.

“Just watch and see, nee-san.”

And then, Al slowly opened his mouth…

“Watch all we will be doing together from now on from inside me.”(TL note: Actually, it was supposed to be only ->僕の中で<-, but="" it="" would="" feel="" weird="" without="" the="" extra="" details.="" english="" is="" so="" annoying="" with="" all="" the="" need="" of="" details="">

This was the first time Al became burdened with karma.

“Al!?”

Al´s house was burning. The fire was rising high in the sky and the little house was easily being engulfed by it. He was going to turn all his memories into ashes.

“Is it Kail? Don´t

Kail turned his eyes to the direction the voice came from. At that direction, there was someone he was unfamiliar with standing in front of the burning house. With his beautiful chalk white hair that was shining with the light of the fire, the boy was beautiful to the point of it being scary.

“Are you… Al?”

Kail timidly asked. The boy laughed.

“Isn´t it obvious? Kail is the one who is being weird.”

Kail trembled. Kail knew most of what happened. Havella had been following what was happening with Al´s sister. From the information she received from the connections she had at the guild, it seemed that another slave had died by the count Vrad´s bad habit. And besides that, the one that died was a beautiful slave with black hair. His elder sister had died. To Al, his sister was supposed to be what he most loved without doubt. But even so…

“Havella too, long time no see. You´ve been busy these days. I was very lonely that I couldn´t meet you two.”.

But even so, Al was acting like he usually would to the point of it becoming scary. It seemed that he being able to keep his composure. No, actually he wasn´t even trying to keep it. He was completely calm. Without having even the slightest trembling, Al was standing there.

“I was thinking about changing where to live. See? I have a good amount of money with me for the time.”

He said that as if that was the reason why he had set fire on his house. He was calm, but without doubts, he had gone insane.

“I want to become capable of doing the things I want to do. And in that sense, I am no good in the way I am right now. I need more knowledge. I need more power. It´s no good if I keep being a little kid. So, you see…”(TL note: I think ->やりたいことが出来たんだ<- is="" actually="" -="">やりたいことが出来たいんだ<- the="" first="" one="" means="" pretty="" much:="" i="" was="" able="" to="" do="" what="" i="" wanted.="" in="" that="" case,="" the="" only="" think="" i="" could="" think="" of="" would="" be="" the="" burning="" house.="" it="" doesn´t="" really="" make="" sense="" for="" him="" to="" say="" “heh,="" i="" got="" to="" burn="" my="" house.="" super="" dope,="" aint="" it?”="" or="" something="" like="" that.="" it="" makes="" much="" more="" sense="" if="" it="" was="" a="" mistypo="" by="" the="">

Al was looking at his own house burning.

“I need to say goodbye to the old things. Isn´t that right, nee-san?”

Al stroked his own belly. It was as if there was something inside it. Kail was looking at it startled. Neither Kail nor Havella were able to ask Al about that. They couldn´t ask where Al had put his sister´s body. How aberrant it would be if the case was really what they were imagining it was.

“What is it that you want to do…?”

Kail asked Al a question. In response to that, Al showed a innocent smile to him.

With his white hair fluttering, and leaving the fire, his old home and his memories behind, Al declared.

“I am aiming for the top. I want to do this so I can know if I… No… I want to do it to prove whether we are humans!”

The flames were rising high in the sky. Kail understood. The old Al had already died. The gentle boy that had the same black hair as his sister had already died. And the Al that was standing there now…

…Was a [white retaliator].(TL note: Kind of weird word 0.0 I think it is better than avenger or revenger though ;p ->白の復讐者<>