WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

Chapter 240

──────

In the Swaying Flowers

While Historia was busy smashing cannons, the princess, with nothing to do, rode Selphy and slowly circled the area as if out for a stroll. Since hostility naturally slid past her by nature, she watched Historia’s martial skill at ease and admired it.

Someone moved in on her. While everyone else was focused on Historia, one officer had not forgotten the princess and the white horse.

‘They said to target the horse, not the commander. If I capture that girl and take the horse, the enemy will be pinned down.’

He muffled his footsteps and crept toward them. The only ones who could see it from far away were the regressor, who was watching that direction, and me, reading her thoughts.

But the regressor was not worried. Neither was I.

Because.

“Hah, got...!”

“Woof! Got you!”

Hihiiing!

Azzy popped out and barked loudly. Startled, the horse spotted the enemy and backed away.

The princess, now aware of the threat, patted her chest and said,

“Wow! W-wow...! Azzy-yang, thank you!”

“I’m good with sheep! I’m good with horses too! Hmph!”

Azzy grinned proudly and puffed up her shoulders.

Dogs were guard dogs, after all. Azzy was a dog, so unlike Tyr or Nabi, she could not be locked in the cargo hold. She needed to move around anyway, so using her to protect people was better. It even helped relieve her stress.

Now that he was exposed, there was no reason to hide. The officer jumped out of the bushes and shouted.

“Surrender! If not, I’ll kill the horse!”

The fact that he threatened the horse was proof that, once again, his hostility had passed right by the princess.

He leveled his long spear and charged at Selphy. His killing intent had naturally veered away from the princess and toward the horse, but it was still a sharp, dangerous strike.

Selphy kept backing up in small steps as the spear thrust forward. The energy-wreathed spearhead looked ready to pierce the horse’s neck at any second. Then.

“Ah! Selphy, watch out!”

The princess snapped the reins. The reins spun in a circle and skillfully wrapped around the spear shaft.

Huh. That was not something you could pull off with luck or bloodline alone. What was this? The princess was pretty strong too.

The officer seemed to reach the same conclusion and froze for a moment. His spear shaft would not budge, as if nailed in place. It was not because the princess was physically stronger. She was simply using the reins and the horse’s force. Which made it even more impressive.

Reins tight to the horse. Lines wrapped around the shaft. Add the horse’s strength on top of that, and there was no room to pull the spear free. By the time the officer clutching it was turning red and blue in the face,

Hihiing.

The white horse Selphy swayed her body from side to side. The movement suddenly grew violent, and before the spear could keep up, the horse bit down on the shaft with her jutting muzzle.

The officer tried to wrestle the horse for control. Bad choice. A human could not beat a horse in raw strength.

Especially not that horse, a noble white steed passed down only through the royal line.

The horse twisted her neck violently. In that instant, the officer still gripping the shaft lost even his chance to let go. He was flung far away while still hanging on.

“Well done, Selphy! You’re so smart!”

Puhihiing.

Selphy twitched her nostrils and mocked the flying human.

Historia came trudging back after finishing everything. Selphy lowered herself slightly so Historia could mount.

The princess greeted Historia too.

“You fight so well even with both arms tied! You’re amazing!”

“...This is embarrassing. Could you not talk to me?”

“Huh? Why? You looked so cool! Not using your arms at all, only your legs! Haa! Your body and legs are so long and slim, it looked incredible!”

Stop. Historia’s shame was already at rock bottom. Her face already said she wanted a cigarette right now.

The battle ended easily. A member of the Six Generals was still a member of the Six Generals. Unless the opponent was another general, officer-level enemies seemed manageable even with both arms bound.

The regressor looked at Historia and muttered.

“No matter how I think about it, she doesn’t seem like she’ll betray us. Should we start loosening the Heavenly Silkworm Thread...?”

What nonsense was that? Release an enemy’s restraints? Since when had you ever been that soft?

To begin with, Historia’s goal was different from ours. We were trying to strike Headquarters to stop the war, but Historia’s goal was, in the end, me and Siati’s...

Ugh, how was I supposed to explain this. Too lazy to bother, I just said,

“Keeping her tied up is more fun, right? It makes a better picture too. Let’s keep her tied.”

“You really have awful taste... Hey! Watch the front!”

Only after the regressor suddenly shouted did I notice something had appeared ahead. Something dropped from above my head, straight at me.

No, if I’m not watching the front, then you should be! Why else do we have a passenger seat?!

“Tch!”

The regressor hurriedly raised Skywarbler. I appreciated her instinct to protect me... She really was most reliable when she was on our side...!

Huh? Wait, that’s...!

I recognized what was falling and grabbed the regressor hard with my right arm. A shrill sound burst from her mouth as she was about to swing her sword.

“H-where are you touching?!”

“Wait, Mr. Shei! That’s...!”

Because I stopped the regressor, my arms opened slightly. Plop, what dropped into them was a sync-type arcane golem with arms and legs. It was the same model I had seen to death in the Abyss.

It picked a great landing point. If it had landed anywhere else, it would have been batted away hard. The golem, now in my arms, spoke urgently the moment it landed.

『This is Captain IB, communications officer of the military state. Cease all attacks on this unit. This office requests dialogue with you and your subversive group.』

The regressor frowned.

“Dialogue?”

‘This is the first time in any loop they’ve openly asked to talk like this. Did these things even have a concept of dialogue?’

Even in a golem body, it seemed to sense the regressor’s hostility. The golem bounced up and down and nodded hard, as if pleading not to be attacked.

『Affirmative. This office serves as an intermediary contact, and your position will be delivered directly to Headquarters through this office. If you understand the above, please engage in negotiations.』

But our contrarian regressor hated listening to others with a passion. Maybe she had been tricked too many times through repeated regressions, but she was the type who would not even half-listen to anyone she did not trust.

The golem, acting as the military state’s spokesperson, was no different to her. The regressor rejected the proposal outright without a second thought.

“I have nothing to say to you-”

“Short temper, huh. Wait a second, Mr. Shei.”

“Stop grabbing my collar so casually! And focus on driving! You’ve been looking everywhere except ahead!”

“We didn’t crash, so it’s fine. Anyway, stop hating golems for no reason. Listening doesn’t take some huge effort, right? Did a golem burn your hand once or something?”

‘Of course! These communications officers never reveal who they are in any loop and only ever speak through golems! Even when I somehow track down suspicious ones, they clamp their mouths shut so tight I learn nothing! How am I supposed to like people who cling to secrets every single time?’

She was still unhappy, but there was no harm in talking. In any case, the regressor accepted my point and grumbled.

“...Make it quick. It’s bad if we let that side keep observing us.”

“Alright, then hold the golem up to my ear. I need to watch the road and drive.”

“Now you’re just treating me like a servant?!”

『Time is short, so I will state the matter first.』

The golem cut into our conversation. Grumbling more, the regressor lifted it and held it out.

The golem steadied itself in her hand and spoke clearly.

『You were supposed to head north and slip into the Lesser States. That was your only remaining path and also the safe route. Headquarters predicted that, and you likely judged the same until midway.』

“Tch. See? It was bait after all.”

She had just said she would not talk, but with that mutter, the regressor had fully confirmed the golem’s guess. Well, both sides had already expected this anyway... Still, weren’t you the one who needed dialogue most?

『Yet you suddenly changed direction and are now threatening the military state. This is irrational, abrupt behavior. Why are you advancing toward Headquarters?』

“Why do you think?”

『This office is asking exactly that. If we identify your reason for coming here, there may be room for negotiation.』

“So by negotiation, you mean letting us pass into the Lesser States? You’re saying you can offer a certain price for that?”

『Affirmative.』

That was surprising. The military state had consistently answered every threat with total silence. And now they were willing to accept demands from us, who were basically terrorists? Did that mean our current move felt threatening enough for them to risk setting that precedent?

But refusing to negotiate with subversive groups was also true for our regressor. In a firm tone, she snapped at the golem.

“You were planning to use us fleeing into the Lesser States as an excuse to invade them, right? You were going to fight them across the Abyss wasteland anyway!”

『Affirmative. However, what does that have to do with you?』

The golem replied as if puzzled.

『The war is unrelated to you. The military state must eliminate you as a risk factor ahead of war. The military state no longer requires deterrence. You also have no reason to remain in the military state.』

“But we have no reason to leave either.”

『Accepted. Therefore, Headquarters intends to provide that reason. What do you want? Money? Assets? Within a reasonable range, there is intent to provide it.』

The golem’s tone was dry, but by military-state standards, this was practically a plea. They had to be desperate if they were asking like this while offering money.

Of course, our regressor did not care.

“Disarm.”

『...Meaning?』

“The army you gathered to catch us. Disband it. That’s all.”

Telling the military state to disarm was effectively an order to commit ideological and national suicide. Naturally, Headquarters could not accept it.

The golem replied stiffly.

『...Then may this office interpret that as hostility toward the military state?』

“You’re only getting that now? You’re slow.”

Having finally understood the regressor’s real intent, the golem spoke in a lower tone.

『This office recommends against that.』

‘If only you hadn’t come. This place is dangerous.’

Huh?

Wait. That was... mind reading?

I tilted my head. Strange. Normally, I could only read the thoughts of nearby beings.

Until now, I had never heard a golem’s thoughts. Even with Captain AB, I knew nothing until I met them directly.

But just now, that was...

“A threat? Anyway, we’re done talking now, right?”

『...Then talks have broken down. If you wish to oppose the military state, prepare yourself accordingly.』

“Alright then. Goodbye.”

The regressor split the golem in one stroke. With a creaking sound, it was cut clean in half. A sparking mechanical crackle followed, and then it went completely silent.

Just before that, I felt a faint floral scent brush the tip of my nose. It was not flower season yet.

Ah, so that was why the golem had dropped toward me from the start. They said they could die if they were exposed.

“Looks like they’re nervous too?”

“Looks like it.”

From over there, from some unimaginably distant place, a clear fragrance drifted in. The scent of dry grass left long under sunlight was faint, but impossible to mistake for anything else.

And judging by the thought I had just heard.

“Mr. Shei. Get ready.”

“For what?”

“They told us to be prepared. So we should prepare.”

I pressed the pedal harder and tightened my grip on the steering wheel. The motor carriage, pushed to its limit, let out a harsh scream. Even the regressor flinched and grabbed the handle. Right then.

A massive roar exploded. The white horse panicked and thrashed, everyone screamed and ducked, and through the scattering dust I stared at the devastation the enemy had caused.

The road ahead had split in two.

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried