WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 24: O Vulgar Slaughter, O Craven Survival. (2)

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Vampires.

By nature, vampires were not a race that treated human blood as a staple food.

There had once been a time when they fought with silver and fangs, but that was a tale from the distant past.

After a long war, the two races entered into a peace treaty.

They agreed not to attack or interfere with one another.

An age of peace followed, but...

‘...They said there was a great deal of discontent.’

Certain vampire houses.

They did not welcome coexistence with humans.

‘The anti-human faction.’

Humans were no more than prey.

They ought to be treated the same as any other livestock.

How could short-lived creatures dare consider themselves equals to vampires?

Those were the voices of vampires steeped in supremacist beliefs.

That split vampires into two groups.

The pro-human faction, which viewed humans as partners in coexistence.

The anti-human faction, which viewed humans as prey.

The conflict continued for several centuries.

‘Then... it finally erupted.’

A coup took place.

Led by Carmilla’s uncle, the anti-human faction drew their swords.

The dynasty fell, and countless members of the pro-human faction were purged.

Carmilla alone survived that chaos.

‘Her Highness has truly had a pitiful life...’

It was a tragic life.

If the player did not help her, she was fated to be captured and killed by the anti-human faction.

She usually acted cheerful, but a gloomy side must have lurked beneath the surface.

That was why I sometimes found myself pitying her courage.

“Your Highness.”

“Why did you call me, Viktor?”

“Your Highness is a vampire, correct?”

“That is right. I am a pureblood, the noblest among the lords of the night.”

“A vampire’s staple is Vital Blood, isn’t it? Does that mean you can’t consume ordinary human meals?”

“Hmm?”

It was an abrupt question.

We were walking through a dark alley, so the girl could only tilt her head.

“Human meals... It is not as though I cannot consume them. Of course, I would not gain the nutrients I need from them. Human food may be enjoyed as a kind of delicacy, but Vital Blood is still what powers the body.”

“Usually, you drank the blood of livestock. You especially liked the blood of young lambs.”

“I do not discriminate. Cows, sheep, pigs... They are all Vital Blood, after all.”

“Then what about humans?”

“...”

Was it because of that casually tossed-off question?

Flinch.

Carmilla’s shoulders twitched.

Her parted lips closed as she stared blankly up at me.

Her eyes wavered several times before settling into a guarded gaze.

Only her silver hair fluttered in the breeze.

“...Humans.”

“Some vampires are obsessed only with human blood, aren’t they? The anti-human faction, I believe. I heard that those who toppled the former dynasty shared that mindset.”

“Yes...”

The anti-human faction.

Humans.

The fallen dynasty.

Carmilla could not speak for a while.

Perhaps it was because of memories she had cut away and buried in one corner of her heart.

After letting out a deep breath, she answered in a stiffer voice.

“Human blood is special. It differs from the Vital Blood of ordinary livestock. Humans are creatures with intelligence and culture, much like us vampires. That affects vampires.”

“What kind of effect...?”

“Their innate power surges. They enter a state of explosive awakening. Every sense grows sharper, and their Bloodcraft, as well as their overall physical abilities, becomes stronger. With a single drink of blood, they grow as though they have climbed several more steps. Its taste is also the finest delicacy.”

“That is strange. Then is there any reason not to make human blood their staple?”

“No... Once a vampire consumes human blood even once, they can no longer remain themselves. They become unable to put the blood of other livestock to their lips. Their taste buds are completely ruined.”

“So they can no longer be satisfied by anything but human blood...”

A drug.

That was probably how humans would define it.

“Nor does it stop there. Their violent nature grows stronger as well. Returning to how they were before becomes impossible. Just as drugs are to humans, human blood is to vampires.”

“Certainly, if they craved human blood while becoming more violent...”

“War. Vampires and humans would eventually clash.”

“So the pro-human faction was concerned about that. They feared a return to that age of madness.”

“That is right. The anti-human faction ignored those concerns. Rather, they desired war. They planned to destroy the Human Realm and turn the entire continent into vampire territory. I heard they intended to turn humans into livestock and use them as slaves.”

“How horrible.”

“What is more horrible is that so many of our kind are taking part in that plan.”

I knew that as well.

The Seven Calamities that would soon descend upon the continent.

The sixth among them, the Crimson Night.

It would be a hell that stained the Human Realm with mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

‘Vampires, along with tens of millions of Ghouls, poured into the Human Realm...’

The New Kingdom had been founded by the anti-human faction after they destroyed the former dynasty.

As soon as preparations were complete, Carmilla’s uncle would begin advancing into the Human Realm.

The coexistence forged centuries ago would shatter, and the age would once again be stained by war.

If the player did not stop it, the world would be soaked in scarlet.

The world of vampires would begin.

I wanted to avoid that particular bad ending.

Humans would become livestock, doomed to have their blood drained for the rest of their lives.

“Your Highness...”

A question suddenly came to mind.

“Why do you reject human blood, Your Highness?”

“...”

Why did she reject it?

Human blood.

I had called it a drug earlier, but it was still the finest energy source for vampires.

To them, humans must have seemed like a race born to become their food.

They were perfect prey in every way.

Why would they care about human suffering?

They could use that suffering as fertilizer to seize greater power.

Think only of vampires and make the kingdom greater.

Many in the anti-human faction must have held those beliefs.

‘Why?’

Then why?

Why had she not chosen the same path as them?

Why had she not embraced the logic they offered?

Carmilla was especially proud of her race.

Why did a girl halfway steeped in supremacist thinking want coexistence with lowly, short-lived creatures?

‘What kind of person are you?’

Was it vengeance?

Because the anti-human faction had destroyed the dynasty and executed those she loved?

Or fear?

Was she afraid of the war to come?

If not that, was it acceptance?

Had she simply inherited the will of her predecessors?

Was she compelled by the belief that she had to do the same because that was how things had always been?

“...”

Finding that reason would help guide my next move.

I quietly watched Carmilla.

A restless silence rippled through her red eyes.

“...Humans are an inferior race.”

The girl spoke.

Her voice was not bold, but neither did it sound base.

“Vampires are superior. Superior to any other race in this world. Compared to us, humans are very small. They are like insects on one’s finger.”

“...”

“That is why we show mercy. Humans are creatures with sufficient intelligence and culture. If we cannot live without killing such insignificant beings, how could we call ourselves noble?”

What she wished to protect.

“Reira de Revialan. De Roni Gibriaje.”

Slay, but do not be vulgar.

Survive, but do not be craven.

The last words left behind by an ancient True Ancestor.

The star the girl admired and took as her ideal.

“If one can live simply by living, can that truly be called life? A pilgrimage without hardship cannot be called a pilgrimage, and conviction without temptation cannot be called conviction.”

“...”

“Nobility means not possessing ugliness. It means having countless flaws without becoming filthy. It means being able to look at oneself reflected on the water’s surface without shame. I simply followed that. So that I would not be vulgar or craven.”

“I see.”

I nodded.

It was a satisfying exchange.

It seemed the princess I served had the makings of a wise ruler.

She might be somewhat clumsy, but she tried to become a better person.

I tapped the edge of my mask and smiled.

“Hmm... It looks like we’re almost at our destination as well.”

“I have been wondering for some time, but what business do you have in such a remote city?”

“I followed the trail. Apparently, many people have been disappearing around here lately.”

“Disappearing...?”

“In truth, they are being kidnapped. Someone is rounding up humans.”

“...Surely not.”

“It is probably exactly what you’re thinking. It seems the New Kingdom has begun to stir.”

“They are already moving? I thought there were at least two years left before their invasion of the Human Realm...!”

“This is not a full-scale invasion, of course. There is an order to these things.”

They would slowly seep in.

“They are likely establishing a base in preparation for the invasion they will launch later.”

“You mean that base is somewhere around here? The people who disappeared...”

“Yes, they were likely kidnapped by vampires from the New Kingdom. They’ll lock them away where light cannot reach and use them as food. They are creating a Human Ranch, securing a continuous supply of Vital Blood. The estimated number of victims has already reached three digits.”

“Th-That...! Where could such vile acts possibly be taking place?”

“We’re about to arrive.”

I rummaged through my inventory and took out an item I had prepared beforehand.

A mask. Unlike mine, it was painted red.

I handed it to Carmilla, who was walking beside me.

“Please take it.”

“A mask...?”

“We will be meeting other vampires. We may even clash with them. It would be troublesome if Your Highness’s identity were exposed, would it not? Whenever you act in your true form from now on, please make sure to wear this mask.”

“You are thorough. It is a little unpleasant in design, but...”

After hesitating briefly, she put on the mask.

Two masks. It was a perfect combination.

It felt like I’d become a Power Ranger.

“But... Viktor, how do you know these things?”

“Well, I’m Your Highness’s veeeery competent servant, after all?”

“Sometimes, I worry that you may be too competent...”

“Anyway, we’ve arrived.”

“Hmm?”

We stopped in the middle of a plaza.

There were no particularly notable buildings around us.

I made an abrupt request of the confused girl.

“Your Highness, can you use Bloodcraft? Please strike the ground beneath us with all your strength.”

“Attack? The empty ground?”

“Please. You will soon understand why.”

“Hmm, hmm... Very well. If you are the one asking, Viktor, there must be a reason.”

Carmilla nodded.

The moment she finished speaking, she held a hammer forged from blood.

The blood compressed, and a deep aura began to boil around it.

Before long, the hammer came crashing down with a short shout.

“Hup...!”

Kwoooong!

A sharp crack tore through the air.

Right afterward, the ground beneath us collapsed.

“Eek, eek...?”

Whoooosh!

Wind rushed over my entire body.

The ground had crumbled, and we were falling into the space below.

As we passed through the long cylindrical shaft, a reddish light soon appeared at its end.

I grinned behind my mask.

‘Found it.’

The Human Ranch.

A wide space spread out through the reddish air.

The site was large enough to build a factory.

It was still unfinished, so it looked crude.

The thick scent of blood, as though humans had been butchered, filled the air.

“Viktor...!”

Carmilla created wings with Bloodcraft.

She snatched me up and gradually slowed our descent.

My robe fluttered in the wind.

“What, what is that? The ceiling collapsed!”

“Something is falling! Is that a vampire and... a human?”

“How did they get in? Fuck, bring everyone over here first!”

The shouts came from below.

They were likely guards.

Their bodies were drenched in blood, as though they had just carried out a major slaughter.

Were those corpses scattered nearby?

“Your Highness.”

Flap.

The fierce headwind died down, and my feet landed softly.

Eyes glared at us. Every one of them was blood-red.

I leisurely spread both arms.

A Stake in one hand, a Balloon Knife in the other.

“Hm.”

Tap!

The instant my foot touched the ground, I kicked off.

I took a familiar step, and my body flickered like a glitch.

I moved with a faint crack.

Crackle.

Three vampires stood closest to us.

They were the ones whose eyes had met mine in midair.

They had drawn swords with Bloodcraft, apparently expecting a fight.

Confident in their abilities, they looked ready to charge with vicious expressions.

“Hey, beat the shit out of them first!”

“It’s a human! Start by cutting off the limbs one by one!”

“No one is supposed to enter here! They are obviously intruders, so we need to get rid of...”

“Wait, where the fuck did that bastard go...?”

Crackle.

Their target had already vanished from sight.

I appeared behind the startled vampires.

Before they could turn around, I swung the Stake fragment clenched in my hand.

“Peekaboo!”

Shhhhkt!

With a harsh slicing sound, the figures toppled over.

All three had their legs severed below the thighs.

The severed surfaces sizzled as their skin melted away.

They wore blank expressions for a moment, then realized what had happened and screamed.

“A-Aaargh!!”

“My legs! M-My legs!!”

“It’s melting! My skin is melting away...!”

Their cries rang through the space.

Before long, other vampires who noticed the commotion came running over.

They all appeared to have been in the middle of their work, their bodies drenched in blood.

“Wh-What is this? What happened?”

“Intruders? How many people broke in to cause this much commotion...?”

“This works out nicely. We can catch them all and throw them into the ranch.”

They rushed out, only to find one human waiting before them.

A mask grinning grotesquely.

I said playfully, “Everyone, hands up. Bang, bang.”

The arrival of a legendary vampire hunter.

Abraham Van Helsing.

Blade.

Han Se-gun.

Onion Kim.

Viktor, heir to their legacy.

I had arrived with a Stake in hand.

“Everyone, surrender. If you don’t surrender, I’ll cut you down. If you surrender, I’ll cut you down.”

Our princess was the only good vampire.

The rest needed to be put in coffins.

Footnotes:

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