WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

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Chapter 259: The Land of Steel and the Faceless Humans - 8

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A trap has to conceal its danger until just before its prey falls in. It only reveals its cruel fangs after the prey has been caught.

That was why Zikhrund's trap needed a few things.

The lights filling the control room were the ideal trap for binding the Progenitor of vampires, but they had no physical force of their own. In a sense, they were the frailest, loosest net in the world. Tyr wasn't the only one in our group. If any of us responded, we could tear through it and escape in an instant.

So, to subdue us completely, Zikhrund had prepared two things.

One was Heavenly Link Eimeder, the artificial angel that protected the military state. An incarnation of light that grew strongest beneath dazzling illumination.

The other was the troops hidden throughout the labor camp.

They couldn't let us realize it was a trap. That meant they couldn't station troops outside. If we saw the refinery as enemy territory where soldiers could emerge from anywhere, luring us into a trap would have been difficult.

That was why Zikhrund hid elite troops inside the refinery, among the laborers' holding areas. Hiding them was easy. They only had to hold back their strength and pretend to be laborers.

The operation had succeeded. The trap had activated, and they came rushing in at once. It was terrible timing for us.

Still, they were in just as much trouble as we were.

"The annihilation sequence has activated?! That wasn't part of the plan...!"

At this rate, the entire refinery would vanish.

But this was also their only chance to defeat us.

If they let the refinery disappear, they would fail their strategic objective. But if they went to stop the annihilation device, they would lack the forces needed to deal with us.

The military state's dilemma.

Would they pursue a tactical victory or achieve their strategic objective?

As they fell into confusion over having to choose between the two, Historia stepped before them with firm resolve. The soldiers stopped.

"Major General Historia...!"

Murmurs spread through the troops as one of the Six Generals blocked the narrow passage.

Those soldiers were a direct unit dispatched by headquarters. Everyone in the military state knew what Historia looked like, the military state's daughter and the idol of its generals.

Their agitation lasted only a moment. They were elites too. They quickly reformed their ranks and faced Historia.

General Toruk, who led the troops, clenched their fist and stepped forward.

"I see. Major General Historia. I never expected you to betray the military state."

"...Stand down. I don't want to hurt you."

"Attacking a refinery. Treason and terrorism. Lankart and you alike, desperate to go to Tantalus. Have you lost your minds?"

"It was to reduce the fighting. If we hadn't attacked the refinery, it would've become an all-out war. Then..."

"Did you think we would lose? The military state's army?"

Historia fell silent. General Toruk flared up, then took several deep breaths to calm down.

"Insubordination, desertion, and treason. You deserve immediate execution, but the situation is urgent. I will make you an offer."

General Toruk raised their chin as though their side held an overwhelming advantage.

"Surrender now and subdue the military state's enemies. Then I will spare your life. Not only yours, but the lives of those you wish to save."

Choosing the most efficient method at the most critical moment. That really was the military state for you.

The regressor was currently tied down by Eimeder. Tyr's strength weakened in the flooding light, and her range of movement had shrunk sharply. If Historia joined their side now, the balance would shift in an instant.

But there was no way. Historia wouldn't betray us...

"Is that the general's decision, or headquarters' judgment?"

Hey, Historia. Why were you considering it? Why were you asking?

"It is headquarters' judgment. I oppose it, but I will obey if it is headquarters' order. Because I am a soldier of the military state."

"..."

Historia slowly turned her gaze toward Siati and me. Cool calculation filled her eyes.

No, no. She wasn't seriously considering betrayal in that short time, was she?

"Don't talk nonsense! I'd rather die than surrender!"

Siati's cry was desperate, but it carried no real force. It was also the complete opposite of my opinion. I'd surrender before I died. Life was precious, even if I had to crawl through a field of shit to keep it.

Ah, not now, of course. It wasn't dangerous enough to die yet. It would get a little dangerous if Historia joined them, though...

"Ria."

"Hui. I'm thinking..."

"Are you planning to take our corpses with you this time?"

One sentence was enough to turn her heart away from them.

Historia's body shook as though she had been struck by lightning. Her eyes, always calm whether languid or sharp, widened. Her clenched hand trembled pitifully.

"You, uh..."

The military state's taboo. Historia's nightmare. What happened in Hamelin meant something. At the very least, it left an indelible mark on those who had witnessed that scene.

"Pulling them out of the river doesn't solve anything. Historia, what sank beneath the riverbed wasn't their bodies. It was their hearts."

And one of those people had become one of the Six Generals, someone who now held the military state's fate in her hands.

The deaths of those children had only changed Historia and me a little, but in the end, they had changed the military state.

Would those children who died be satisfied with that...? I didn't know.

"...Stay back. If you die, I won't let it slide."

"Then, good luck."

Historia looked at me with terrifying eyes, or perhaps eyes full of fear, then quickly avoided my gaze. Finally driven into a corner, she took a step forward. It felt less like charging the enemy and more like fleeing from Siati and me.

'Tch. This has become troublesome.'

General Toruk clicked their tongue inwardly and addressed Historia one last time.

"Someone like you, swept up by petty affection and making such a foolish choice. Are you certain you won't regret your decision?"

It wasn't a decision. The world didn't call a road chosen only after being driven to the edge a decision.

Being strong didn't make one's feelings hard as well. Historia was lonely because she was too strong. The world looked like a handful of clay to her. In a life that seemed as though it would crumble the moment she squeezed too hard, she had to regulate her strength at every moment. She wanted her friends to reach her side.

But no one fulfilled that wish. Back then, the girl didn't know that to become close, she had to approach first.

"...While I'm regretting something, there's no room for new regrets."

Only all-out war remained. General Toruk realized that.

Even so, General Toruk didn't tremble in fear before one of the military state's Six Generals. Partly because of being a soldier, but also because there was little reason to be afraid.

'The plan has gone off course, but this is still within expectations. The Progenitor has been neutralized. If Heavenly Link cuts down the boy and the Shadow Casket restrains the Gunslinger, we can subdue the rest easily. Once we subdue them, the Progenitor and the Gunslinger will surrender as well.'

"When the balance has tipped this far, negotiations aren't even necessary. That was your last chance. What a shame, Major General Historia. Everyone, attack...!"

"Excuse me, esteemed generals. I think you're misunderstanding something."

Something collapsed with a crunch.

The sound wasn't particularly loud. It only stood out slightly amid the noise filling the control room. But the visual effect was dramatic.

The light was tilting in one direction.

The colors of sunset were being recreated indoors. As the light gradually slanted, the room darkened as though night had arrived.

"What...!"

"The balance has tipped, yes, but it hasn't tipped your way."

Even though I had confused the annihilation device for something else, I had read in Zikhrund's thoughts that the trap involved light. I also knew Heavenly Link would come.

So why wouldn't I prepare for it? We only had to get rid of the lights.

The principle behind the lights was simple. Thinly drawn alchemical steel produced light when heated. Since most officers knew combat alchemy, producing lighting in an alchemical steel refinery must have been easy.

That didn't mean it was enough.

"Improvising the lights was a brilliant move. But even in a hurry, how could you hang them from wire mesh?"

The moment I finished speaking, Azzy scampered from the left side of my vision to the right.

The regressor and Eimeder were fighting fiercely in the back, while Historia faced countless people on this side. Yet Azzy walked as calmly as though none of it concerned her, as if she were taking a stroll. The humans were struck speechless by the absurd sight.

"Woof, heave! Woof, heave!"

Azzy had dozens of wire strands clenched in her mouth as she walked.

"What if a passing puppy chewed it up?"

Creeeak.

One dog was tearing down the wire mesh. Compared to Azzy's size, the mesh she dragged along was absurdly huge. It was as nonsensical as a single fish swimming while dragging an entire net behind it.

With every step, the building creaked and the lights hanging from the mesh burst one after another. Whenever the taut mesh caught at her feet, Azzy shook her head irritably. The chewed-up mesh swung wildly, dropping lights onto the floor. Lights fell and exploded everywhere.

Behind Azzy, the princess followed in short steps, holding tools and covered in black soot.

She stopped dead when she spotted the troops. Only then did time begin moving again. General Toruk looked between Azzy and the princess, then pointed their longsword at Azzy, who still held the wire mesh in her jaws.

"Stop that at once!"

General Toruk shouted and led the generals and officers in charging Historia.

They knew their limits from the start, so they never believed they could defeat Historia with their own strength. Instead, they shoved themselves toward the narrow gap between Historia and the entrance, intending to break through.

But they didn't know their true measure. They thought simply gathering together would let them pass Historia unscathed.

"Urk!"

"Hup!"

"Argh!"

It took only one breath. Historia stepped off the wall, ceiling, and floor in sequence. Rather than light footwork, it looked like a rubber ball violently bouncing and striking every surface.

Historia left footprints on the walls and ceiling with explosive qi, then landed on the floor again. Not a single general who had charged her remained standing. The officers slid across the ground, each having taken at least one blow.

A general who had been kicked in the chest and sent tumbling gritted their teeth.

"Damn it...! We don't have time...!"

"Stop talking nonsense! Two of you tie her down!"

Every time Azzy dug her claws into the ground and walked, more lights burst. The control room grew darker and darker. No, before we even realized it, it had already become dim, as though night were seeping in.

I gave up another ten percent of my share for that. Because of you people, it was about time I considered defaulting on my debt.

"Heavenly Link is over there. We only need to join forces and fight!"

The same went for us.

As the light gradually vanished, Eimeder stood out more sharply in the control room. Eimeder, who had been relentlessly driving the regressor back, took on a clearer shape as the room darkened.

Glittering light moved in a dazzling blur. And there was an animal here that went crazy whenever it saw a toy like that.

"Meow!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Nabi pounced onto Eimeder.

It was a stealthy, powerful ambush. It was even deadlier because it came not from hostility, but from pure curiosity and hunting instinct.

Nabi's forepaw pressed down on Eimeder. If she had slashed with her claws, Eimeder, made of light, wouldn't have suffered much damage. But Nabi's goal was to grab the cluster of light, and that charming gesture scattered it in an instant.

Thanks to Nabi, the regressor gained a brief chance to catch her breath.

"Good, then...!"

The regressor drew Jizan. After adjusting her grip, she raised Jizan over her shoulder and hurled it toward the lights still intact on Azzy's opposite side.

Even the wire mesh stretched over the solid concrete wall was no more than a flimsy spiderweb before Jizan's weight. Jizan slammed into the mesh, and the wall of stone and steel rippled like water. Fragments of stone and steel rained down, and the impact shattered a large number of lights.

Before the regressor could retrieve Jizan, Eimeder shook Nabi off and seized the opening to thrust out a blade of light.

[You have caused quite a commotion. Yes, a trap using light. It had been a long time since I last experienced such unpleasantness.]

A streak of light was swallowed by darkness. Its movement, once as swift as light itself, visibly slowed. Where the lights had vanished, darkness had already taken shape and seized the angel's blade.

When darkness fell, vampires opened their eyes. Tyr, whose senses had returned, blocked Eimeder's path. She tilted her head as she looked at Eimeder, who had become much faster and stronger than before.

[Yet this is strange. Even a seraph of the Sanctum could not be revived so easily. What, exactly, did you offer as a sacrifice?]

Eimeder didn't answer. Instead, it stretched out an arm.

The light spilling from the remaining lamps was drawn into Eimeder's body. Its form, blurred by Nabi's attack, was reconstructed in an instant. Tyr looked at the fully restored Eimeder and murmured calmly.

[Even your refusal to answer is the same. Very well. I shall ask no more.]

『Exterminate.』

"Tyr's free, and Azzy and Nabi are doing their jobs. Now then, military state people. Are you starting to understand? This isn't a trap anymore. It's the grave where you'll be buried."

We already had a far greater advantage. Even if the Shadow Casket, who was waiting for his chance, joined the fight, it would make no difference. The tilted weight on the scale had reached the point where it would roll on its own.

Any commander would feel that fact in their bones. They wouldn't show weakness before the enemy, though.

"Do you think that means we will yield!"

"No! You don't need to yield! Instead, we can all be winners! Let me make you an offer!"

I raised a hand and pointed behind him.

"If you turn around right now and save the laborers who may still be dying, then, out of humanitarian concern, we will help you!"

Footnotes:

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