My death Flags show no Sign of Ending – Chapter 95
Chapter 95 is here! It’s a great one and it was edited by fordoom, who did a great job as always 😀 Sorry for the delay, very busy and problematic week, and the chapter is a long one, so, yeah, I’m still technically on schedule since the week is not over ><
For the Patrons, chapter 96 and its preview are available here.
Anyway, here is the chapter, I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Chapter 95
(Harold’s Pov)
The next day, Harold was quite in a hurry to solve the miasma problem, so he decided to go explore the mountain with Liner and the others from early in the morning. While Lifa was all done with her preparations, one of the main reasons Harold chose to depart so early was that he did not know what kind of flags he would trigger if he overstayed his welcome in the Sumeragi family’s residence.
Harold took the vanguard position to depart towards the restricted area, while looking with cold eyes at Itsuki, who was getting excessively worried for him and Erica, like a mother finding herself unable to let her son go to take a train for the capital. However, before leaving, there were some things Harold wanted to say.
【”Why the hell are you here?”】
【”Because I am Erica-sama’s attendant.”】
Juno was present among the group. That was not strange considering her position and her capabilities, but she was still wearing her cooking apron, same as usual. Her outfit was probably not going to be suitable to push her way forward between the mountain’s recesses.
That could be said to apply to every female member in the team, as Erica was wearing a kimono, Lifa was wearing a miniskirt and Colette’s exposed clothes looked like they came from a southern country. Every one of them was wearing the exact same clothes as they did in the game.
But Harold forcefully convinced himself not to bother with these kinds of things anymore.
Rather than that, it was more useful to once again confirm the actions and the precautions the team was going to take in the restricted area.
【”…Whatever. Now, all of you bastards, take this.”】
【”What is this?”】
【”It’s the medicine that alleviates the effects of the miasma. Drink it before entering the restricted area.”】
Harold gave each member some of the antibody drugs that were stocked in the Sumeragi family’s reserves. He had brought some more of it, so there probably wouldn’t be much of a problem even in the unlikely scenario where the expedition would last longer than expected.
But did that mean that the miasma wasn’t a problem as long as that drug existed? Well, that matter was not so simple. No matter the amount of drugs available, the more someone consumed it, the less effective it would become. It seemed like there were no signs of damage on a person’s health from inhaling the miasma after taking the drug for the first or second time, but the risks would naturally increase if they had more occasions to inhale it. So at the end of the day, this meant that the Sumeragi territory’s forests would be useless as long as they weren’t free of the miasma.
This information had been obtained by the Sumeragi family through their multiple investigations aimed at somehow finding a solution to the miasma problem. Moreover, it was a fact that was not depicted in the game where all that had to be done was to make the medicine and drink it so as to clear an event.
【”But, like I warned you yesterday, this doesn’t mean that you’ll be alright if you inhale the miasma for too long. So we’ll finish quickly before the medicine stops being effective.”】
【”I can do that. But the forest where the miasma’s spreading is pretty wide, isn’t it?”】
【”I already have a rough idea of where the target is.”】
【”…Damn, you sure do know a lot…”】
Although Hugo was looking at him like he was an alien, Harold had simply obtained this information from the original story. He had confirmed in advance that there was a place on the territory’s map that overlapped with one of the original work’s dungeon maps, so he decided to aim for that location first.
Of course, there were some places where this world’s maps were completely different from the game’s maps because they were on completely different scales, but Harold’s method was still likely to be more efficient than taking a shot in the dark and searching around with no clues.
But well, perhaps Harold’s knowledge about the original story seemed uncanny to Hugo and the others, who would not be able to even imagine that this world closely resembled a game which Harold played in the past.
That being said, given the circumstances, this was no time to hold his personality back, so Harold had no choice but to take on a defiant attitude.
【”Of course I do. Who the hell do you think I am?”】
【”It’s pretty frightening that I actually think you’re making a good point.”】
【”That aside, Liner.”】
【”Mhm?”】
【”You better still recall real well what I told you yesterday.”】
【”Hmm, hmmm…. The miasma is dangerous, so it would be no good if we breath it in too much, and since the monsters are in a frenzy, we should be careful of that… is that it?”】
【”You get 30 points on a 100. “】
Harold completely discarded Liner’s answer. What Liner had spoken of was just the premise of the talk from the day before, where he had been told about the best ways to avoid the dangers he had just mentioned, but it seemed like that part had not really taken root in his memory. The foolish ways he had as a child were still going strong.
This was the actual plan that Harold had told everyone about in the previous night: “For now, we’ve got to emphasize on speed. I want to shorten our stay in the restricted area as much as possible so that we won’t inhale too much of the miasma. For that purpose, we must ascertain the location of the device without losing our way, and you must not fight any more than necessary.
If you do fight, you’ll need more oxygen than usual, so you’ll end up breathing more. What’s more, the miasma has a bad influence on monsters and pushes them into a frenzied state. Therefore, you have to avoid combat no matter what, except if you have no other options.
Hence why you must exercise maximum caution when looking for monsters, and you have to sharpen your senses to always stay aware of your surroundings.”
That was what Harold had said, and in reality, Liner probably remembered all of that somehow and was just having a hard time rearranging the information in his head and putting it into words.
【”You’re a wild pig. If anything happens, you’ll rush ahead without even looking at your surroundings, and there is a risk you’ll disturb the whole front line in the process.”】
【”Uuh-….”】
Liner seemed like he was at a loss for words, which was probably because he was self-aware enough to realize that Harold had hit the bull’s-eye. Well, on top of those flaws of his, Liner was also stupidly direct due to his sense of justice, but that trait of character could be said to be fitting of a hero. His straight-forwardness was surely going to become a force to pull his companions forward in the future.
However, this time, the whole matter would quickly and smoothly be resolved as long as Harold could get Liner to follow his instructions properly, so he gave him a warning.
【”If you encounter a monster, your priority will be to shake it off, not to recklessly fight it. You got that?”】
【”Yes!”】
While the answer itself was affirmative, whether Liner would actually follow the order or not was a whole other story.
On the side, Colette let out a large sigh, it seemed like she was also well aware of Liner’s personality.
Well, Harold didn’t think there was any real danger since the team was stronger than it had been in the original story, nevertheless, it was probably better to be careful anyway. The group kept walking ahead for a little while until they arrived at the mountain, where entry had been prohibited for several years.
There was a fence and a signboard that were set up there just in case, but it was a sorry excuse for a barrier. Anyone who wanted to enter could enter.
However, that couldn’t be helped since the surface that was occupied by the miasma was too wide to be entirely enclosed. On the other hand, it seemed like the defenses around the residential areas had been strengthened so as to prepare against the threats of monster attacks and the like.
【”You’ve all taken the medicine?”】
Everyone nodded to Harold’s question.
Having confirmed that, Harold stepped towards the mountain.
The mountain’s entrance looked like an ordinary forest, it was not yet polluted by the miasma. However, for some reason, it was ominously quiet.
The only setting that had come up in the original story was that the miasma made the monsters violent, but given the bad effect it had on the human body, then the bodies of the monsters, who were also living creatures, were likely not unaffected by it either. So, in addition to pushing them into a frenzy, perhaps the miasma also shortened their lives.
That would explain the silence. If this was really the truth, then it was a pretty frightening one.
As he advanced for some time while keeping an eye on the map, Harold soon reached a place that was covered in some sort of light purple haze.
【”So this is the miasma…”】
【”This amount should have little to no effect. But if your body feels heavy or numb, report it immediately.”】
【”What should we do in that situation?”】
【”We’ll use some first-aid treatment, however, healing magic would also be effective.”】
Harold had already explained before that since Juno and Erica were there, then for the time being, the group would have no problems getting access to healing magic.
When he thought about it, it was possible that Juno had been dispatched with the group precisely for that reason, and since she was Erica’s attendant to begin with, sending her was like killing two birds with one stone.
Although advancing through this haze did not feel all that great, the efficiency of both the antibody medicine and the healing magic had already been proven in the past, so Harold had no other choice than to believe everything was going to be all right.
“Let’s get done with this quickly” Thinking that, he stepped forward without any hesitation and pushed his way through the vegetation in front of him, while aiming for the backwoods of the mountain.
◇
(Erica’s Pov)
From behind, she could see Harold in the vanguard position, advancing while cutting his own path forward through the vegetation. Even though the miasma was rapidly growing thicker, his walking speed was not slowing down at all; it seemed like he knew where he was going. He had said that he had a rough idea of where the target was, but coming from him, that basically meant he knew almost certainly where the machine was located.
That was what Erica believed, because his situation was the same as always.
Harold knew a lot of things and always kept that knowledge all to himself. It was very unusual for him to borrow other people’s strength like he did this time. Or rather, was he really borrowing their strength? Erica wondered.
The miasma’s outbreak was the Sumeragi territory’s problem, and their problem alone. In the past, one could have speculated that Harold had taught the Sumeragi family the process of making the antibody medicine so as to curry their favor. But now, he had officially broken any relations he had with them, so that no longer meant anything.
Besides, while Lifa was apparently indispensable to deactivate the device, Harold by himself would probably have been enough to escort her. He would naturally be able to prepare antibody drugs for himself, and he didn’t really need healing magic users such as Erica and Juno. His personality would not allow him to do anything unnecessary, and it would absolutely not let him do anything useless.
In other words, didn’t that mean that Harold simply wanted the present people to solve the miasma matter together with him? At that moment, Erica couldn’t really tell what that meant, but she could at least tell that there was a reason why Harold had gotten personally involved with this matter.
He was putting himself at risk to help the suffering people in the Sumeragi territory, and yet Erica could barely offer any help, that reality wrenched her heart.
She had put in some great efforts, wanting to become Harold’s strength and to support him.
However, each time she met him, she was once more made to realize the full extent of the distance that separated her from him. Could she ever catch up to Harold no matter how many times she tried to break free from this cycle? Erica had discouragingly worried about that many times within the privacy of her own head.
(Does Harold-sama actually need me for… anything?)
She was too afraid to even think about that question. Because if she ever made the mistake of dwelling on that, she would end up entwining herself in gloomy, retrospective thoughts, which would stop her from going forward; And that would make it completely impossible for her to ever catch up to Harold.
(That alone I wish to avoid at all costs, hence why I want to always stand firm and do my best, but then why is it so painful to keep going now?)
Erica was realizing that she was weak. She had thought that if she could become Harold’s strength, then it did not matter if he never looked back at her. However, that was nothing but a lie, she was just being hypocritical.
Whenever he went far off ahead, she wanted him to look back, she wanted him to look at her, and that feeling was growing stronger and stronger all the time. She was afraid that he would go out of her reach, and she was always shouting “Don’t leave!” within a corner of her heart.
She showed nothing on the surface, but it was simply too hard for her to hold back the love she felt towards him.
The more she thought of these things, the clearer her own incompetence became to her, and that cut right through her heart.
How could a weak woman like her, who could not even overcome her own weaknesses, ever be fit to be together with Harold ――
【”Hey.”】
A seemingly ill-humored voice interrupted Erica’s thoughts. She felt her shoulder being lightly jolted, and Harold’s face suddenly appeared right before her.
That was so abrupt that Erica found herself unable to do anything other than blinking her eyes.
【”Hey, can’t you hear me?”】
【”…Ah, no, my apologies. I was just thinking about some things….”】
As she came to her senses, Erica was taken aback and gave an evasive answer to Harold’s question. Before she became aware of it, she had fallen all the way to the back of the group.
It seemed like she had been literally held back by her thoughts.
Harold didn’t say anything and just fixedly stared at her face. Which made her think, when was the last time he had looked at her in the eyes like this?
【”Do you――”】
Although Harold started saying something, he did not get to finish his statement.
Suddenly, he powerfully pulled Erica towards him with his left arm. Then he put his arm around her back, and embraced her.
The moment she realized that, Erica was petrified from confusion and nervousness; she was unable to do anything. Her heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was going to burst. She thought she could hear the sound of her own heartbeat.
Within the confusion, Erica could perfectly feel Harold’s warmth. Her face was buried in his chest, and his left arm was around her back, tightly holding her and preventing her from moving. Although she couldn’t breathe well, she was still feeling quite comfortable in that position.
(――Wait, what’s with me?!)
She was feeling ashamed while her face was turning red from the rude thoughts that she herself was having, such as “if only time could stop at this moment”, and the like. She didn’t even know why this situation was happening in the first place.
【”Tsk, the miasma’s become so dense here, I don’t even know if there is any meaning to searching for the monsters anymore.”】
Harold spoke up close to Erica’s ear. The miasma certainly did restrict the field of view to an awful extent.
【”Sorry, I failed to notice it.”】(Francis)
【”Erica-sama, are you alright?”】(Juno)
Walking up to the two of them were Francis and Juno. Based on their words and behavior, it appeared that a monster had attacked from Erica’s back, so Harold had pulled her towards himself and then killed the enemy.
However, Erica could not look behind her to confirm that since she was still being embraced. Moreover, since this was far from being disagreeable, she could not possibly tell Harold that she wanted him to let go of her.
However, that hug did not last for long. Harold soon loosened the strength in his arm and separated himself from Erica.
She barely managed to somehow stop herself from letting a reluctant “Ah!” escape from her mouth. As for Harold, he was once again fixedly staring at her. From that alone, Erica’s face was almost boiling up.
【”Erica.”】
【”…Yes?”】
【”Do you understand the situation you’re in? This is no time to get lost in your freaking thoughts.”】
【”I am sorry…”】
That scolding was only natural. Erica became even sadder as she hadn’t even been able to abide by the warnings she had been given beforehand.
She felt like she would break into tears if she let herself go ever so slightly.
【”….If you understand then hurry and move already.”】
From his words, Harold appeared to be annoyed. However, at the same time, he grabbed Erica’s wrist and started walking ahead while pulling her by the hand.
【”What? H-hmm… Harold-sama?”】
【”Shut up. Just keep quiet and follow me.”】
【”Y, yes.”】
He’s so cunning, or maybe I’m just being silly? Erica wondered.
Even though she had been thinking of how painful and difficult it was to be by his side only, with just a few words, he had made her feel like she wanted to follow him anywhere in the world.
Harold probably had not intended to put any deeper meanings behind his words, but he had still filled Erica with energy.
【”….He really is cunning.”】
As Erica muttered that in a voice so low that nobody else could hear it, she looked down to the ground with tears in her eyes and a wide smile on her face.
Translator’s note: You guys happy about the Erica Pov? Well good, ’cause you won’t be seeing one for a while… just kidding, there is
If you’d like to read chapter 96 right away, to always be one chapter ahead, and to get access to exclusive content as well as previews, please consider pledging on Defiring translation’s Patreon page!
I’ll go to sleep now since it’s 4 am and I gotta go to college in less than 3 hours >< Anyway, I hope you’ll a fantastic day, and see you next week 😀
primo23
Wohooooo
Thanks for the chap ~
Im just about to sleep ahahaha
Nava
thanks for the chapter!!!
Ultragunner
Damn the Pro moves show no signs of ending! I Harold keeps this up, he’ll steal everyone and grab a harem as large or larger than Lyle’s
Jay
Who is Lyle, from what novel??
Glenn
I think it’s Lyle Walt from Sevens, he has a legendary haram btw
Oscar Hernandez (@PowerStunt)
Thanks for the chapter!
Now that I catched up starts the waiting struggle… Sigh…
moneng85
Arigatou~
Kawaii ne~
marvoch
Hey, Defiring, once you’ll catch up with the author have you any plan to retranslate the past chapters? The translations by Sloth are quite good (even if not polished as your), but the first chapters by Madao are a mess and the series would really benefit from a retranslation of al leat those. Thanks for your hard work!
Shirou™
Thx for the Chapter~!
(´・ω・`)
anon
Ahh.. I’m healed~~
Namae nashi desu~
Nuuuuuuu……
3 more chapter to catch up with the raw.
The author-san became hiatus for 2 months already(lol). Got ta standby to look another best novel. Sob…
Thanks for your hardwork…. Sob
ajmc93
I was just about to ask if something happened to the author. I remember novelupdates showed this novel’s “Status in Country Of Origin” being stuck at chapter 96 for most of the year and now it seems stuck at chapter 98. =/
Dusty
Thanks for the chapter!
Good night Defiring!
tarmizie34
Har: W-w-why are you looking at me like that?
Eric: Nothing…… ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Chronos5884
Awwww Ericaaa!
Jhettra
Thanks for the chapter!
ryuukun17
Oh yes! Moa! MOOOAAA!
Heim
Why am I remembering an 80’s anime about a robot .
Albert Almodal
This chapter is sexier than a porn novel
deras
aaaaaaaa I need my insulin shots
Decaf
*Fires insolent shots*
Harold: B-b-baka! Such insulins!
feli
Really $5 for a teaser….i would happily pay that for the full chapter though. Thx for the consistant 3 chapters a month release, was getting so sick of this series getting dropped
XXXX
yehey!! more erica x harold fanservice
Authn
Wait, was it a princess carry or just an embrace?!
ironyisnotdead
Erika pod!!! ☺
Thanks for the chapter
myworldisruin
Crying while smile, somehow…
Biwabiwa
So grateful for your hard work!!! Thank you so much!!~~ I get so excited every time I start reading a new chapter kyaaa!! <3 <3
Harold-sama acting so tsuuuun~~ poor Erica's heart is a mess I LOVE IT ufufufuuu~~
Drama
Thanks for this chapter ..
Thecomicgeek
This was a wonderful chapter! Thank you!
SS Ship Wrecker
Thanks for the chapter, so she didn’t really think much of Lifa, I love how Erica is overthinking things again.
Xylade
wait, dont you mean chapter 96, on the upcoming chapter?
defiring
yup
kiyoshiyami
Thanks for the chapter ≧﹏≦
Erica is so cute
I bet Harold do it without purpose
He is a natural ladykiller ￣ω￣
appreciativeleecher
Oh, Erica, you crazily lovestruck maiden! It’s way too adorable.
Erica is smart. Harold definitely wants to solve the problem together, since he’s gotta nurture his little pet party along, y’know. 😊
Evil God Sariel
Dem Erika is on Fire!! This Girl is on FIRE!….I mean she’s in heat!! Ahahahaha
I wonder wat she will think the moment she knew that she is not the only strange girl to fall for that guy.
A7bck503
I squeaked like a schoolgirl in the final parts of the chapter thanks btw
Nguyễn Thế Minh
i wonder what will happen at the end :/ har will die in erika hand 🙁 or will spend his last day by her side, or receiving an end by the hero party. So many end and most of what i can think of is bad end the only good end is that har will be remembered as a hero when all of his work be known or will it be plot armor to save the guy from the death :/ but if this become a bad end or happy end, this is still the best one i have ever read in my entire life
thanks for the chapter
hein
why do you think he will die???
for him, the first goal is to survive
he is a coakrash, don’t kill him so easily
wzwvqovtmc
Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?
Chuunibyou Maou
Thanks for the chapter.
piklicave
I am happy~! Thanks~~!!!
Dark Jackel
Thanks for all your hard work! 😄
PringleStorian
*Authentic screeching*
Keeeeeeekk there is too much happiness on this chapter
梅花
Wahhh Erica is too cute
Harold too, this tsundere—
Thanks for the chapter!
TrueHistoria
*Witwew*
Dainpdf
“Just kidding, there is”
There is what? What do you know? What are you trying to tell us? Don’t leave us hanging… :c
Decaf
It was then that the protagonist role and subsequently the main pov shifted to Erica for the next 50 chapters.
1_chan
Uuughhh my heart is filled with screaming fluff xDD. Thanks for the chapter!
midnight2630
Cute Erica :3
Jeanpiere AC
thanks man c:
Toir
whole chapter be like KYAAAAAAAA, HAROLD SAMAAAAA!!
…
Thanks for the meal~
ladykattz
Yessssss my otp got some time in together!!!
Decaf
LinerXHarold FTW!!!
Oh my gah
Dude wtf
Decaf
crack ships are the best ships.
PringleStorian
Begone thot
ladykattz
Honestly fam, ship whomever you want. I just want Harold and Erica to end up together after all this mess. So I’m cool with your crack ship as long as its one-sided.
Gin
Flag của chú ngày càng nhiều mà ko biết đấy main :))
Hujan
I just read the translation from chapter 92, and I think there is some scene that missing, I thought you missed it, so I check the raw, turn out, you didnt missed it. maybe author had revised it by deleting that scene. IIRC it is in chapter 93 or 94 where Liner’s tongue slip by saying : “even to Colette, you…”
then Harold shut him up with pushing a snack in his mouth while saying : “it look like you need more training!”, then he dragged Liner out.
after that, there is Liner’s scream, while people that knew the truth (Erica, Itsuki, Colette, and Juno) smile wryly, knowing what Harold want by doing that.
Hujan
sorry, I remember wrongly, I thought that from chapter 94, turn out I was wrong..
Zero
Arigatou gozaimasu..
Zero
Look’s like the author himself.. is nearly drop this novel,, bcoz the update on the raw was stop.. on vol5 chap. 98..
defiring
he’s just slow
seventhtale
I wonder why I can picture in my head the scene of Harold holding Erica. <3 It's so cute, I hope there's at least an illustration
SaMu
Erica got a lungful of that grade-A alpha male pheromones of Harold when he embraced her. No wonder she’s hot and bothered.
Candied Skull
Harold can’t help himself when it comes to charming others. He just does it so naturally and unintentionally xD
Anonymous
This is so good. I cant stop myself smiling.
Krono
Make this ship SAIL ALREADY!!
Sai El-Kun!!
This doesn’t have a should genre right? Right!?
Damn!! My face is sorry red right now though I’m a guy!!!
Thanks for the chapter!!
Sai El-Kun!!
Should to shoujo
Cutie Meow
Thanks~
SSS
It seems that Harold didn’t feel anything from hugging her… that’s just fabulous!! You need to go on with your bachelor’s life along with dodging the death flags…
RKADE 14
Harold didn’t think of her as a member of the oppisite sex and had embraced her because of that, well, he did save her though, I was expecting everyone to be there and mock Harold, Itsuki mainly, oh I can soo see that happening XD
ReadInPeace
WTF I’m actually experiencing romantic excitement.. you can’t really blame me tho.
Jwuu
Sweet
anon >:D
they’re so cute :’)