WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

Chapter 21

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There Is Always Only One Truth

My back hit the hard concrete floor. Or maybe the concrete floor hit my back. Didn't really matter either way. It hurt like hell regardless.

Boom. Like a leather drum splitting apart. If anyone had ever wondered, out of childlike curiosity, what a drum made of human skin might sound like, the answer was right there in the noise my back made against the ground. My back was the drum.

The reason I didn't scream was simple: all the air in my lungs had been driven out in an instant, leaving nothing to make a sound with. I lay still and managed the pain in silence.

The regressor who'd thrown me looked down at her own hands.

'He jumped on his own to reduce the impact.'

You call this reducing the impact? These people who've made their living beating on others, you can never trust their judgment.

'Wow, that went in so cleanly! Maybe I actually have a talent for judo?'

She gave a thumbs up. If I'd landed wrong, dying on the spot wouldn't have been surprising. I hadn't jumped on my own. I'd sensed something and recoiled in shock, and that was it.

'My Heavenly Mirror is a counterattack-specialized energy technique. For motions engraved into the body, it activates in an instant, before thought, without even a fraction of delay. The fact that he jumped with me when he saw it means his reactions are good. But...'

A counterattack ingrained into the body. Cheating, by any other name. I'd moved in targeting a perfect blind spot, and the moment I made contact, she flowed into a textbook-perfect shoulder throw. The kind of ideal form you'd find in an instruction manual, which meant at least nothing had folded wrong. But the force with which my back hit the floor made it nearly impossible to move. A thousand tiny needles, all at once.

'For someone with good reactions, the feedback was... lacking.'

This was exactly why you couldn't keep company with people who'd spent their lives hitting others. What kind of person judged someone by how satisfying they were to throw? Was I a fillet of fish?

I grimaced and said, "Move your foot. Throwing me was one thing, but were you planning to step on me too?"

"Oh."

The regressor lifted her foot from my collarbone. I lay there and brushed the shoe print off my shirt.

"This is your own fault. Who just grabs my shoulder like that?"

"Really. Oh, how precious your body is. If grabbing someone's shoulder means getting thrown, how do you manage everyday life?"

"If the world is full of people who grab my shoulders without warning, I don't need everyday life."

"Are we strangers? That's hurtful."

"...Of course we're strangers. What else would we be?"

"Trainee and instructor. They say not to step even on your teacher's shadow, and yet here you are, throwing me and then stepping on my actual body. Wonderful. Is this any way to live?"

The impact still hadn't fully faded and I couldn't bring myself to stand. I kept lying there, groaning.

'Calling him wrong for approaching without his guard up is a stretch... this isn't a battlefield. He made the first move, clearly.'

Just a little, though. The regressor felt guilty. She answered in a small voice.

"Whatever you are. Once you interfered with me, you should have been prepared for that much."

Was this how an apologetic person talked? Her exterior and interior were completely at odds. Maddening. If I hadn't been a mind reader, I'd have completely lost it.

Even being one, I was close to losing it.

"Is this unfair? Is this unjust? You were trying to cut through walls with your sword and smash the golem, and it never once crossed your mind that someone might stop you?"

Against a regressor, the only thing that worked was reason. Then more reason. Regressors tended to be oddly vulnerable to it. Separate from morality or anything of that sort, they generally accepted sound logic when they heard it.

'Come to think of it, this man is also an instructor. He's practically the eyes of the military state. I was going to leave him alone and deal with the golem...'

Good. She understood. I exhaled slowly. At least she wasn't beyond reason.

'Should I just take care of this man while I'm at it? For some reason, I feel like I could kill him right now.'

Never mind. Sharing humanity with someone didn't mean communication was guaranteed.

Time to change the subject. I addressed the small arcane golem lying near my head.

"Hey, Captain AB."

『Captain AB here. I have assessed the current situation. Thank you for your actions.』

"No, forget it. Just be quiet for now. Unless you want to get smashed."

If the golem started talking, my cover might unravel. I cut it off with a deliberately sharp tone. Fortunately, Captain AB was quick on the uptake. It seemed to have grasped that I was the only person in the Abyss who could help it.

I lifted the golem while still lying on the floor. It had a metal body, roughly the size of a small doll, but far heavier than any doll had a right to be. Thin steel arms and legs swung in the air.

"Trainee Shei."

I dropped my voice low. Just as a hint of curiosity flickered through the regressor's thoughts, I closed my eyes and said, "Trainee Shei cut through the wall, damaged the golem, and then used violence against me. Quite casually."

"So?"

"Fine. The wall's already wrecked. The golem's mostly broken. And my body, well, it's there to be used, so let's call that a wash. I won't ask about any of it. So set aside your feelings about the golem for now."

"What..."

'With the instructor here, it doesn't matter whether the golem is around or not. Both are dogs of the military state. And... leaving it might actually be the better call.'

Quick to decide, the regressor sheathed her sword.

"As long as it doesn't spy on me."

"It won't even if you asked. You saw earlier. It was hiding in the cafeteria. If it was going to spy on Trainee Shei, it wouldn't have been hiding in the first place. A bourgeois eating private food while everyone else scrapes by on scarce rations doesn't set foot in the communal dining hall."

"Hmm."

"If you understand, you can go."

"What are you trying to do here?"

"I know the golem is still functional, so I need to put in a supply request. Someone's been stealing food in the middle of the night, and the tinned food was starting to run out."

"Right..."

'Since I've decided not to fight him, some information leakage is unavoidable. Let's wait and see. It might even be an opportunity to get information about him in return.'

She gave the golem one sharp glance, nodded, and turned to leave.

"Ask if they can supply some blood while you're at it. Tyrkanzyaka's been active for the first time in a while and seems to be running a little short."

"I'll check and let you know."

Who would supply something like that.

"I'll head back to my room."

"Take care."

She walked out with deliberate strides, making a show of leaving. The dark cafeteria was now just me and the golem.

Wait.

"Trainee Shei. Didn't you say you were going back to your room?"

A flinch. The shock came through the wall. She made excuses. "Oh, I was just about to. I was doing something for a moment."

Trying to eavesdrop. I stared at the door. She made loud footsteps retreating down the hall. I let out a long groan and picked up the golem again.

"Captain AB. Long time no see."

『Confirming your survival. Quite fortunate to still be alive...』

"Hold on."

I covered the golem's mouth and pushed myself up off the floor. Ow, my neck. The hit had been to my back, so why was my neck stiff? I rolled it around as if stretching, then fixed my gaze on a particular patch of darkness.

"What food do you think you'd find here? If you said you were going to your room, go."

Nothing but pitch-black darkness. A faint shimmer moved through it. The concealed regressor held her breath, watching me with wide, trembling eyes.

'Did he notice me? He can see through the Veil of Darkness, where not even a shimmer should be visible? No, no. He didn't notice last time.'

"Stop it. You're being too obvious. Who walks that loudly down a hallway? Like they're announcing they're leaving."

'Did I act too obviously? But he can't have any proof. He's just guessing. I'll pretend I don't know...'

"Go! I said go!"

I grabbed the pot off the table and hurled it. She ducked just before it hit. The pot bounced and clattered across the cafeteria floor. The sudden movement broke the Veil of Darkness for a split second, and our eyes met.

Caught. The regressor's face flushed red.

"Ugh. Ugh..."

"Trainee Shei. Didn't you just complain to the arcane golem about being spied on? This is the exact same thing. Using a concealment skill to eavesdrop on someone's conversation is a bad habit."

"I know. It's just..."

"I know. These things happen. Anyone can make mistakes, anyone can get curious. I won't say another word about it, so just go."

"...Okay."

Head hanging, she bolted out. I'd half expected her to lash out in anger and try to kill me, but her perfectionism made her hard on herself about her own mistakes. She sprinted down the corridor, mentally flogging herself the whole way.

The golem, watching in silence, spoke.

『You have abilities as well.』

"You know roughly how I've been getting by, don't you? Psychological warfare. Nothing more."

『It appears you are managing to survive quite well. I am relieved.』

"What? Relieved?"

『I had planned to add a laborer to the next supply requisition. Now I judge that unnecessary. No need to waste human resources.』

"Ah. From a cost-efficiency standpoint."

Not just the regressor. The military state too was full of people who were hard to feel any warmth toward. They'd sent me down here half-certain I'd die.

"You've been here long enough to know roughly what's been happening, right? Then I don't need to explain."

『Negative. This unit was concealing itself from trainee 'Shei.' Outside of what transpired in the cafeteria, no observations were made.』

"Ah. Is that right?"

Useful. Meant there was information only I had. Something to use as leverage.

『If you report notable developments, this unit promises full support in return.』

Quick to understand, too. It had read its own situation and my intentions, and offered terms on its own. I liked the efficiency.

『Do you have any incidents or requests?』

"There is one. I..."

'But I still have other options available.'

Wait. A strange thought was coming through.

Surely not. Getting fooled once makes you unlucky. Twice makes you a fool. Three times, and you've gone down in history. Was the regressor seriously determined to go down in history?

Her quarters were on the first floor, a detention cell she'd converted for herself. If she'd gone back and turned her attention away, her thoughts shouldn't be reaching me.

The reason they were, right now:

'Seventh cycle, I think. I learned long-range hearing from beastkin with sharp ears. I discarded it as useless at the time, buried under too much ambient noise. But in a situation like this, it would actually be useful. Everything is quiet here, no interference. Now, let me...'

"Hold on."

I walked over to the pot I'd thrown. Then rummaged through the cabinet and pulled out another one. No cracks. Good material. That would do.

I spun both in my hands, waiting for the right moment.

'Even without beastkin ears, if I press my ear against the ceiling from directly below... I can probably make it out.'

The instant the thought reached me, I slammed the pots together.

Clang!

'!!!!!!!'

A round steel structure was its own natural resonance chamber. The metal pots were made from alchemical iron, densely forged and coated so not a single drop could escape. Clashed together with full force, a sound rang out loud enough to be heard across all of Tantalus.

It tore down the corridor and shook the building. Solemn as a bell toll. In the Abyss, the echo stretched out long and deep. I waited until the last trace of it died.

'Ah. Oh no. Ah.'

A soundless cry from the floor below. I crouched and spoke to the concrete.

"Trainee Shei."

'Oh no...'

"You're not even coming up to ask about the noise. I trust you're not eavesdropping. I'll believe that."

'...'

Was she crying? No. Surely not. Wanting to cry and actually crying were different things. People who never showed tears could still weep inside. Feeling the urge to cry from shame and humiliation was nothing unusual.

A shame. If I'd actually seen her cry, I could have teased her until the world ended.

Anyway.

"Now that the eavesdropper's gone."

『Was she listening in?』

"Probably."

『How did you figure that out?』

"Psychological warfare, like I said. People like her tend to chase extreme advantage and have strong compensatory instincts. Even after being burned once, they tell themselves this time will be different and follow through to the end. The type who can't rest until they've gotten something out of it."

A lie. I'd read her thoughts. But even a reason attached after the fact, if it was correct, became a valid explanation.

"Besides, there's nothing to lose if it fails. Risk approaches zero, the gain is real."

『Understood. Likelihood she will eavesdrop again?』

"Honestly? From this point on, eavesdropping would only be a loss. There's a time to cut your losses. How much more embarrassing does she want to get?"

'…………….'

The regressor's thoughts cut off. Oh. Was she alright? That was an almost blackout-level silence.

I might have gone too far, but compared to the pain still radiating from my back, this was nothing. Mental suffering always took second place to physical pain.

With the regressor successfully dealt with, I got back to business.

"This golem is modeled after a human form. It's the synchronization type, right? You control it by syncing with your own body."

『Affirmative.』

"In that case."

I tapped the golem's body. When it responded, I raised one finger and began writing across the flat expanse of its chest and stomach in one fluid stroke.

-Important things I'll write down. Understand? Answer by nodding only.

The golem's body gave a faint shudder, then its head bobbed up and down.

Even with mind reading available, being careful cost nothing.

Why bother clashing the pots, then? Seeing the regressor suffer was satisfaction enough.

"So you were in the cafeteria the whole time?"

I kept the casual conversation going while continuing to write on the golem.

-I've been posing as an instructor here. I lied to survive.

The golem nodded. Then answered through its microphone at the same time:

『Affirmative.』

"Then you would have seen everything, me and Azzy eating together."

-So treat me like an instructor.

This time the golem shook its head. I narrowed my eyes, and it spoke clearly:

『Not everything was observed. As previously noted, this unit was under extreme threat and would periodically shut down during daytime operating hours. Warning: impersonation and false reporting are serious crimes.』

So it was tacking its real answer onto the tail end of the official statement.

Fair enough. Impersonating an instructor would be an unforgivable crime to the military state. Still rigid, even now. A military state communications officer to the end.

"Then you were running through the night."

-If you don't cooperate, I have no reason to protect you. No right to, either. If you won't help me, I can't keep you with me.

The golem went still. Its mission of monitoring this place and the act of cooperating in impersonation were apparently in direct conflict.

The deliberation didn't last long. The golem nodded, its voice dropping to an even more mechanical register.

『Affirmative.』

Good. With that settled, all that remained was to act as the bridge between the military state authorities and Tantalus and secure my own advantage in the process.

Worth getting thrown for. Even if it still hurt like hell.

I grinned.

『And.』

A brief pause. The golem spoke with what sounded like hesitation.

『As this unit shares sensations with its operator... please exercise caution when making contact.』

What did that mean? I couldn't read its thoughts, so the intent was beyond me. Was it important? The tone had wavered slightly.

I picked up the golem again, raised a finger, and began writing across its chest and stomach.

-Got it. So I only need to write when something's really critical, right?

『That... is not at all what I...』

Strange. The golem shivered oddly, speaking without being prompted.

Then it knocked my hand aside. Small and doll-sized it might be, but it was still a military state arcane golem. Steel arms were more than capable of pushing my hand away.

『...That will do.』

What was that reaction about? I had no idea.

I hadn't expected to miss being unable to read the golem's thoughts this much. With people, I could read everything and hold the upper hand. With a remote-operated golem, there was simply no way to know. No face to read either, only tone to go on.

Was this how ordinary people lived all the time? More inconvenient than I'd imagined. Like moving through the world with a limb missing.

...Wait.

It had said it was operating through the night.

Then it would know exactly who'd been sneaking food.

Caught.

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