Otaku Translation: I! Anomaly Cleansing Agent! C147

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“Don’t misunderstand—the goat isn’t weak.”

As the haze of alcohol began to lift, the red-haired chief regained some of her usual sharpness. Even curled up in Leon’s arms with her eyes closed, she seemed to sense his thoughts and explained softly:

“At its peak, it truly deserved the title of the strongest beneath true gods. But it was too greedy. Unlike other demons that focused on mastering one or two sins, it tried to grasp all at once, hoping to leap into becoming the .”

“Though its talent was extraordinary—it actually managed to touch upon all —its essence simply wasn’t enough. It lacked the ability to control all seven simultaneously, spreading its power too thin across each. Most anomalies excel in one area or perhaps two, but this goat spread itself evenly across seven. Given that, it’s normal for its upper limit to fall short. Or rather, considering how thinly its abilities are divided, even breaking into the top hundred is a testament to its innate potential.”

So that’s how it is…

Recalling what he knew about the black goat, Leon’s eyes widened in realization before narrowing again. “Still, even being in the top hundred means something. The higher the ranking, the harder it gets. You have items numbered 004 and 013. Even if I collected all the parts of the goat…” He hesitated, then corrected himself awkwardly, “…even if I completed the goat, I’d still be far behind you.”

Hearing this, the red-haired chief opened her eyes and glanced back at him briefly.

Indeed, an anomaly barely scraping into the top hundred could never match the likes of [], numbered 004, or [Bloodtide Murder Hair], numbered 013. But would anyone else immediately compare themselves to her like Leon just did?

“It’s not necessarily inferior,” she said gently, choosing not to expose Leon’s unintentional ambition. Snuggling deeper into the warmth of his embrace, she continued, “The numbering system changes over time. That item now ranked 013 used to be number 116. After certain events unfolded under my ownership, it rose to become 013.”

From 116 to 013? Such a massive leap!

Leon couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. “It jumped over a hundred ranks… Chief, what exactly did you do?”

What did I do…

The red-haired chief shook her head, opting not to answer directly. Instead, she shifted slightly, slipping her hand inside Leon’s collar to retrieve the strand of hair tied around his neck. Pinching one end of the crimson thread, she lightly tapped it against his fingertip.

[Name: Bloodtide Murder Hair - 941026 (Murder, Scarlet)]

[Appearance: A vivid red strand of hair. If examined closely with soul-sight, faint traces of bloodstain and the venomous curses of an elderly man can be perceived.]

[Abilities: Murder Proliferation, Scarlet Domain]

[Cost: As long as your mind remains clear, you will endure endless verbal abuse from those you’ve slain.]

[Record: Following the failed ascension attempt of the Scarlet Lord, the previous Taurus Director gathered remnants of the event and crafted this growth-oriented anomaly. Each human killed by the holder produces a new controllable scarlet hair. Due to the stringent conditions for growth, even after two generations of holders spanning 130 years, only barely ten thousand strands had been accumulated—a poor return for such precious materials. This led many to consider it a complete failure.

However, during the , the third owner of Bloodtide Murder Hair, Olivia, was forced to activate the anomaly [], obliterating both the and the overnight. In response, the number of murder hairs surged to 129.6 million—equal to the population of East Calevyn prior to its destruction.]

[Evaluation: Of all the anomalies you've encountered, this is the most dangerous and terrifying. If the wielder desires, they could slaughter every living thing in the royal capital within five seconds.]

[Contamination Value: Indeterminate; increases proportionally with the number of activated hairs.]

?...

129.6 million… people?...

“Looks like you’ve figured it out.”

Sensing Leon’s body stiffen and his arms instinctively loosen their hold, the red-haired chief sighed softly. Gently pushing away his arm, she extricated herself from the comforting warmth of his embrace and sat upright on the couch. With a calm expression, she asked:

“Do you want to leave the ?”

Gazing into Leon’s wide-eyed shock, her cheeks still tinged with the flush of alcohol, she proposed gently:

“If you’d prefer to work elsewhere, , the chief of , is someone I know well. She’s quite interested in your abilities, and I could recommend you. Your compensation would remain the same. Aside from her insatiable sweet tooth, she has no glaring flaws—she’s genuinely a good person. You’d likely fare better there…”

“Chief.”

Interrupting her, Leon hesitated before asking:

“The Thirteen Anthills—that’s the item numbered 004, right? What’s the connection between the Kingdom of East Calevyn and the northern ? And what about the Ophiuchus Cataclysm?”

“These matters…”

After studying Leon for a moment, the red-haired chief’s lips parted slightly. Turning her head slightly, she began to explain:

“The Thirteen Anthills… No, after the fall of East Calevyn, it became known as [Twelve Anthills], corresponding to the twelve remaining kingdoms. Its abilities should be self-evident without me having to spell them out.”

“As for East Calevyn… The current Kingdom of Calevyn was formerly called . Across the river lies the ruins of East Calevyn. The Ophiuchus Cataclysm refers to a rebellion incited by the chief of the Ophiuchus branch of the Cleansing Bureau. He sought to sacrifice the entire Kingdom of East Calevyn to ascend to godhood and transform half the world into his .”

“Unable to accept this outcome, the twelve directors held nine rounds of voting. Ultimately, four abstained while eight voted in favor of deploying [Thirteen Anthills] to preemptively destroy East Calevyn and thwart his plans. I was the one tasked with carrying out the execution.”

“Since then, Thirteen Anthills became Twelve Anthills, under my supervision ever since. The number of Cleansing Bureau branches dropped from 88 to 87, and internal investigations and controls grew stricter. Any slight deviation is met with severe punishment…”

I see…

After hearing the chief’s explanation, Leon finally pieced together the broader picture. His gaze grew complex as he murmured:

“So the people cursing you upstairs… they’re the ones who…”

“They’re exactly who you think they are…”

The red-haired chief avoided his gaze, her voice tinged with sadness:

“Everyone originally stationed at the Virgo Bureau left after that incident. It’s understandable—they couldn’t bear living beneath the weight of over a hundred million… well… Leon, if you find yourself unable to accept this reality and wish to leave, I’ll understand. I won’t blame you.”

“…”

Rising to sit cross-legged on the spacious sofa, Leon fell silent for a moment. Rather than stating whether he intended to stay or go, he posed a question instead:

“Chief, may I ask you something?”

A flicker of surprise crossed her face, but she nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Imagine a train approaching a fork in the tracks…”

Pausing briefly, Leon continued:

“On the main track ahead, twelve people are tied down. On the alternate track, there’s one person. You’re holding the lever that determines which path the train takes. Would you pull the lever, diverting the train to save the twelve people?”

“I…”

Instinctively clenching her fists, the red-haired chief didn’t answer immediately. Instead, biting her lip, she countered:

“Are you referring to my situation? But these cases aren’t the same…”

“So would you pull the lever, causing the train to hit the single individual, or let it continue toward the twelve?”

Leon pressed on.

“I… I don’t know.”

“You wouldn’t know.”

Leon nodded, speaking warmly:

“Because you weren’t the one making the decision. The directors who cast their votes were the ones pulling the lever—you were merely the tool in their hands.”

“…”

“Thank you for trying to console me…”

Recognizing Leon’s intent to comfort her, the red-haired chief forced a smile, though her eyes remained dim.

“But these situations aren’t comparable. I wasn’t just a puppet following orders—I had the power to refuse. Yet, in the end, I didn’t. I chose to carry out the act myself…”

“If you refused, you’d have been nothing more than a passerby with a plunger in hand. Someone else would’ve stepped in with a fresh lever, standing where you once stood, steering the train toward the lone individual.”

“…”

“Chief, sometimes we really shouldn’t think of ourselves as so important.”

“…”

After waiting a while longer, seeing the red-haired chief still clenching her lips in silence, Leon shook his head:

“I won’t tell you that your choice was right, or that those sacrificed were doomed anyway, and that saving others justified their deaths. Such words feel hollow.”

“If I were from the Kingdom of East Calevyn, I’d curse you just as fiercely as everyone else upstairs—and I’d extend my anger to the entire Cleansing Bureau, wishing for carriages to run you over repeatedly tomorrow morning.”

“But here’s the thing: I’m one of the twelve bound to the original track. Thanks to your decision, I’m alive. That disqualifies me from cursing you—including those predecessors who left the bureau. They can choose to distance themselves, but they have no right to condemn you.”

“You’re… There have been others who tried to comfort me, but no one has spoken like you…”

Her expression shifting oddly, the red-haired chief gazed at Leon—someone weaker yet seemingly stronger in spirit—and countered:

“What about you? What would you do? Would you let the train keep going and crush the twelve bound to the tracks?”

“I’d first try to find whoever tied them up and shove their head into the train’s boiler.”

“You’re impossible… How can you cheat like that?”

“I’m not cheating. That’s honestly how I feel.”

Shaking his head, Leon met her slightly reproachful gaze with unwavering sincerity:

“Chief, I’m not a secure person. Since learning the truth about this world, I’ve craved power—desperately so. My primary reason for seeking strength is to handle situations like this. To deal with the person responsible for tying innocents to the tracks, eliminating the need to make such impossible, morally ambiguous choices.”

“What if… despite doing everything within your power, you still faced this dilemma?”

“In that case…”

Leon hesitated, then pulled something from his pocket and held it up for the red-haired chief to see.

“I’d check which side my family is on and steer the train toward the opposite track. Then I’d brace myself for the curses of over a hundred million voices, drowning my guilt in drink like you do, sparing myself the torment of clarity.”

“…”

Staring at the small bottle in Leon’s hand, the red-haired chief shook her head in exasperation, a mix of amusement and resignation in her tone:

“Aren’t you just like me? Honestly…”

“Yes, exactly like you.”

Taking a swig from the bottle, Leon offered a rueful smile:

“After exhausting every effort and still failing to resolve the issue, what else can you do? Escaping might be shameful, but it works, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. It really does work.”

Watching the glinting little bottle in Leon’s hand, the corners of the red-haired chief’s eyes crinkled slightly as she laughed alongside him. Her cheeks, still flushed with wine, bloomed like azaleas in a spring garden.

The curses raging in her ears remained piercing and merciless, the weight crushing her heart as oppressive as ever. The deep guilt gnawing at her soul stayed sharp and cold, cutting like a blade through flesh—unchanged, relentless.

And yet, for reasons unknown, she suddenly felt less afraid. If pressed to name a cause, perhaps it was because someone respected her choices—even embraced her weakness and escape, validating them fully.

Hmm… At times like this, a drink really does help.

Snatching the bottle from Leon’s hand, she tilted her slender neck back and drained it in one gulp. Licking the faintly spicy residue from her lips, she tossed the empty bottle aside, emboldened by the liquor:

“Just borrowed money from Emma earlier today. Come on—I’ll treat you. Let’s drink the most expensive stuff.”

…

The people of the Virgo Bureau are truly… outrageous.

After knocking repeatedly without receiving a response, two investigators peered through the window of the chief’s office. What greeted them was a mountain of empty bottles scattered across the floor, along with a blanket-wrapped man and woman sprawled on the desk, fast asleep. Shaking their heads, they simultaneously pulled out their investigation forms, scribbled a few lines, and marked two large red X’s.

The chief encourages drinking, indulges in reckless behavior, and is suspected of inappropriate conduct within the bureau. Forget for now—the bureau’s morale and operational ratings must be severely downgraded.

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