The Devil's Evolution Catalog
/ The Devil's Evolution Catalog Chapter 139
The Devil's Evolution Catalog Chapter 139: Returning Home (draft)
In the past, I died saving a loli and ended up coming to this world by accident. In order not to forget my true origins, I would often use Chinese while learning about the human languages of this world. I would pen my journal entries in Chinese; seeing as I was the only one who understood it, it felt kind of interesting to me.
Later on when my parents were murdered, I was taken in by Roscar. However, because he was the sole breadwinner and what not, the job of looking after me fell on Nicole. There was nothing much to do back then so Nicole ended up learning some Chinese along with me.
Back then, we would sometimes roleplay a make-believe family. Naturally, such a childish game was beneath me but since Nicole wanted to play it, I had no choice but to go along with her whims. Her role as the mom was settled but we ended up arguing over whether I should be the dad or the son.
I remembered throwing a tantrum and saying that I wouldn't play if I couldn't be the dad...so Nicole ended up relenting every time. Acting spoiled was actually rather interesting. We were really young back then, barely half our current heights.
Later on, we met Sares and our little circle ended up gaining one more person. However, Sares often went training so the amount of time he spent playing with us was little.
How times flies...if only we could go back to those days.
Thinking about that, I unknowingly started humming the words of a Chinese song. (Author: The name of this song is <
-------------------Optional Content, feel free to skip if you aren't interested in the song------------------
(TL: I'm not exactly the most poetic person out there so deal with it.
*Memories are like a storyteller, using an accent full of the countryside
Skipping over the puddles of water, circling around the hamlets, waiting for that fated encounter
You created a city of mud, and said that you will marry me in the future
How many turns of my body, how many doors have we crossed, an innocent childhood.
(TL: When you propose to someone or talk about marriage in general, it's common to say 娶XX進門 which literally translates to marry "person's name" into the door. Just means bringing someone into the household, you can picture it as the groom carrying the bride into house or something; that's how I picture it.)
(TL: The next two verse aren't in the chapter so it's mostly for those who are listening to that youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ9PLCXYFyk)
Our tiny little vows still aren't stable, our tiny little tears are still persevering
Tender lips, speaking of separation
#My heart is now occupied by a person, mirroring the insignificant us of the past
That year you moved that tiny little stool, enchanted by the play I followed closely
I'm looking for that person in the story, you're an irreplaceable part of it
As you take a tiny littl
e nap under the tree, the tiny little me waits foolishly
Repeat *
A tiny little throbbing as the rain fell, a tiny little awkwardness that makes me dote on you
A tiny little person, that doesn't know to kiss
Repeat #
My heart is now occupied by a person, mirroring the insignificant us of the past
Back when you mimicked a romance's script, the toothless you and your flawed pronunciation
I'm looking for that person in the story, you're an irreplaceable part of it
A tiny little hand holding onto a tiny little person, guarding a tiny little eternity
-----------------------------------------End of optional content---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back then how many times did I tell you this: once I've grown up I'll marry you. Yet you promised me back then so I had always taken your reply as an engagement because the tiny me back then felt, you were the only one I mustn't lose.
As my voice rolled over the bustling plaza, the entire city fell silent in an instant. The din of the hawkers and the sounds of argument silenced themselves as the busy workers lowered the goods in their hands. All around, the passersby stopped to listen with rapt attention.
It was as if the entire city had stopped because of me.
By the time I recovered from my reverie, the city folks were still basking in the heavenly notes of the song.
Suddenly, an unknown voice rang out across the silence plaza, stirring up a hornet's nest of discussion.
"That singing voice...it's so beautiful…"
"That's right, that's right. It's just...what is that language? I'm fluent in multiple languages and while I might not be familiar with all the dialects, I've at least heard of them before and yet...this language...I've never heard of it before...it's as if it's not even a language of the human realms or hell...don't tell me it's from the Underdepths or the Black Chasm?"
(TL: I used Underdepth, BlackChasm in the past but I think this version is less tilting so I'm sticking with this from now on.)
"How I wish I can listen to it again...it's a song about childhood love isn't it? How touching, if someone serenades me with such a song, I would marry him in an instant…"
"*sob sob* Why I don't have a childhood love…"
An unending wave of lamenting was followed by the outburst of sobbing amongst many a person, most of them crying about their lost childhood lover.
The clink of gold coins resounded across the plaza as a twenty-odd merchant, tore open his coin pouch, scattering it across the ground without any intention of picking it up and wailed: "What's the use of earning all these coins...I rather return to that impoverished home of mine...Lina...please don't leave me...I'll treat you better in the future…"
The young merchant wasn't the only one who broke down then as the sobbing grew louder by the second.
"Bubbles don't go...I don't want all these coins anymore, I just want you! I'm coming to you right now…*sob sob*..."
"Buttercup, I'm wrong...I shouldn't have caved in to power, I'll divorce that woman right now and marry you…"
"Scram! I don't want to see you anymore, if it wasn't for my parents' interference, why would I even date you! I detest fatties like you! So what if you have money, I don't care, I want to go home...I...I want to see my Dexter…"
As this scene played out across the city, more and more people started searching for the singer, soon the entire city was embroiled in this chaos.
This was the power of a Soul Bard! Using songs to pry open the doors of the soul and clearly injecting one's emotions within. How terrifying...if this power were to be used in the battlefield, it might even destroy the morale of an army in an instant.
"Little Brother, you're thinking too much. While the songs of a Soul Bard can destroy morale like what you said, there's no way the opponent wouldn't have a countermeasure ready. All it takes to counteract this is to get a warpriest to sing some warsongs. Every warpriest is able to rouse the troops with a song."
I guess that makes sense, while Ferti'nier's criticism wasn't pleasant, it wasn't without its merits. If a song could end a battle like that, why would there even be the need for armies, all these countries could just focus their efforts into grooming singers.
Taking advantage of this chaos, I promptly snuck out of Azure City. In order to avoid implicating Regine and Ancarin, I chose not to return to the inn at least till the heat had died down.
Seeing as the news about the demon hunters was given to me by Ancarin herself, I'm sure that intelligent girl would be able to figure things out on her own. What I really had to do now was watch out for my own safety.
Now then...where should I go?
It has to be home, doesn't it…
Because I ran away from home, I knew nothing of what happened after that fateful decision. Even the news about Nicole being in the warrior academy was given to me by Regine...come to think of it, I had to thank Duran for all this as well...I should give him a good thrashing when I get back later.
Roscar might still be at home waiting for me seeing as I didn't leave behind any news of my death the day I died. Besides, I had nowhere else to go now. At least with Chaik Village, I'm able to ask for directions.
Also, while Nicole still wasn't fluent in Chinese, she at least knew some songs. Since I used my song to broadcast my existence, she must be searching for me right now. For all I know, she might even be at home waiting for me right this instant. After all, the first time I sang that song was in the backyard of our home. That song would definitely stir up memories of that day and from there she should be able to recall the spot where we made that marriage arrangement.
Home...that's right, I must return home.
Travelling alone wasn't something I had experienced before but didn't people say that the road is in one's mouth; if there's something I didn't know, I could simply ask for directions.
Along the way, I saw no more signs of my pursuers, hopefully that meant that they had given up on the chase. If that's the case, I should thank the heavens. Looks like all I had to do now was check if Roscar was still at home waiting for me.
Chaik Village wasn't a large village, furthermore, it rarely had any visitors. Thus, it didn't take long before my arrival aroused the interest of several villagers. However, because of my unique appearance, none of them approached me and instead observed me from a distance with wary eyes.
Amongst the eyes focused on me were those of Zarah, the village's security chief.
Like his son Sares, Zarah was a blonde adonis that could charm a girl with a mere smile. He was in his thirties right now and usually wore the khaki uniform of the security forces, with a no helmet and a giant sword on his back. Even though he wasn't as gifted as his genius of a son, he wasn't that far off either. When I left the village, he was already a four-star and might even be a five-star now.
Apparently, his straight shooting temperament had gotten himself into trouble with his superiors thus he was thrown to this remote village to be a security chief. And that's why no matter which world you were in, being savvy was a prerequisite for public service.
Having been apart for so long, I couldn't help but call out to this familiar face. "Yo, Uncle Zarah, how are you doing? I see you're still patrolling as seriously as before, did you find any suspicious person?"
"..." The man stared at me with a baffled look on his face as if to say "You are THE suspicious person".
Shoot, I forgot that he doesn't recognise my reincarnated form...just as I was mulling over what to do next, the man threw me an alarmed look and said: "Woman? Forget it, I don't care who you are but how do you know my name?"
"Ah er...Chaik isn't a large village, it's not too hard to ask around and find out your name."
"Hmph, you'd better behave yourself here, I'm watching you. Don't think that I will cut you any slack just because you're a girl." As he turned around, he let forth a cold harrumph: "And what do you mean Uncle, do I look that old!?"
Phew...looks like I got through that with the skin of my teeth, however, it seems like my greeting had the opposite effect...when you think about it, a person who specifically asks for the name of the security chief can't be a good person…
And, I'm a guy, I'm Mo Ke! Forget it, all this reincarnation mumbo jumbo is too fantastical even for me.
Footnotes:
Credits:
Special thanks to Steve Granger, Kaung Thant Win Naing, and Antoine Thompson!!
Chapter end
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