WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

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◈ Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

Chapter 294

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The World Made of Gears - 1

Energy arts and standard spellcraft were techniques. The defining trait of a technique was universality. Skill could vary by user, but if people learned and practiced the same thing, they produced similar results.

Innate arcane was different. As the name implied, it was innate. The background you were born into, the environment you grew up in, the knowledge you learned, the experiences you lived through. Innate arcane bloomed from all of that, plus the obsession to stamp your own ideology onto the world.

Just as no two people under the sky were the same, no two innate arcane abilities were the same either.

Communications officers were a perfect example. Even they, raised for years in one place with nearly identical experiences, each had different innate arcane. Their powers shared a synchronization trait, so they could pass thoughts between each other, but the detailed effects varied wildly.

In short, innate arcane was innate.

"So...! If you are the Human King, can you use a human's innate arcane as if it were your own...!"

If only that were true.

I was the Human King. I could learn techniques. Energy arts, standard spellcraft, alchemy, all sorts of techniques given to humans. I could master them and use them within my limits.

But innate arcane was innate, so I could not learn it.

I could only steal and use it.

Right now, I was not manifesting Maximilien's innate arcane myself. I was only creating a detour route and stealing it.

It might look similar, but the difference was bigger than it seemed. The real user of innate arcane was still the other person.

If the other person got wary of being robbed and withdrew their innate arcane, then I could not use it either. I could only steal innate arcane while it was active, so if they responded properly, I became useless.

That was not all. Some innate arcane abilities created phenomena that favored only the owner. War Mage Prelvior's mana amplification was a prime example. Even if I stole that one, only Prelvior's mana went up. I was just helping someone else.

Even though I would be in trouble if people found out I could steal innate arcane, the conditions came piled with restrictions. The initiative was in the opponent's hands too. For the Human King's hidden trump card, it was pretty underwhelming.

Still...

"I returned your favor with one of mine. How is it, we're even now, right?"

"Of course! Of course we are! Ha ha, thank you...! Now I do not even need to doubt!"

'Even if he were not the Human King, using someone else's innate arcane is terrifyingly valuable in itself! Though anything that twists the premise of innate arcane like this could only be the Human King!'

Maximilien was pleased, and I was satisfied. A warm mood drifted between us for a moment. Still, Historia, who had been going through pain close to torture just moments ago, did not lower her guard.

"...Hui. We still do not know why the director needs you. Be careful."

"You should be the careful one. Last time you were tied up, now you're trapped in gears. Why are you always getting bound? Is that your thing?"

Historia instantly smacked the back of my head. I had read the thought, but she was so fast and vicious I still could not dodge. The drug in me dulled the pain, but the sensation of my head snapping sideways felt strange.

Looking down at the hand she had hit me with, Historia muttered,

"So I can hit even the Human King."

"You smacked the back of a king's head just to test that? You little punk. One day I'll arrest you for disrespecting the king."

"If I can hit you, the director can hurt you too. Strange rumors follow him, so even if he looks friendly now, do not relax."

"You're right. I just got hit in the back of the head by someone I trusted."

I let it slide. Separate from wanting to hit me, I could feel she was worried for me. To ease her concern, I said,

"And I've been telling you, he is not my enemy."

"Naturally! Why would I oppose the Human King? Quite the opposite! In Lords of All Creation, only those who need the Human King remain! I am the same! I only wish to seek the Human King's permission. I have no intent to harm him!"

"Well, I still don't like that you tortured her."

"That was the Major's fault. In that situation, she overstepped, did she not? But circumstances have changed, so I will answer the Major's question now!"

He seemed worried I might resent him. Maximilien started spilling his purpose even though I had not asked.

"I wish to gift every human a more convenient body. Using gears!"

Gifting people better bodies with gears? No matter how I turned it over, only one idea came up.

"You mean you want to modify the human body?"

"Modify sounds wrong. Progress! With my discovery added, the human body will take another step forward!"

Now that it was certain I was the Human King, he had no reason to hide it anymore. He had to reveal it eventually anyway. After making his decision, Maximilien told me everything.

"Human bones and muscles move very mechanically from fixed positions, like gears! Then if we keep the same function but replace them with far stronger, tougher gears, would not the human body improve further!"

I had heard this earlier and ignored it as madness. Hearing it again, it was still madness.

"Sounds like you've already succeeded."

"I have the power to handle gears. So the gears inserted into my body move with extreme strength and organic coordination. But then it remains a special case that applies only to me. To gift this technology to all humans... I need the Human King restored to power."

I had known from reading his thoughts that he was crazy, but he was even crazier than I expected. He sincerely believed human modification was utilitarian progress.

Historia's face twisted. It was the face of someone sickened by seeing madness up close. Maximilien's argument was radical and extreme enough that I understood exactly why she reacted that way.

So I agreed loudly.

"I see. Humans are creatures that use tools. There's no reason to limit those tools to outside the body. If tools could operate inside the body, the efficiency might be incredible."

"As expected! I knew you would understand!"

"Is it really possible? Everyone's body structure is different."

"What do you think I have been doing in the military state! I repeated endless trial and error over the last twenty years and gathered meaningful data. Unless it is an extremely unusual case, any human can be advanced!"

I decided not to ask who he had run those trials on, or how.

Either way, there was logic to Maximilien's claim. His arms and legs were packed with gears instead of bone and muscle. By controlling those gears through innate arcane, Maximilien gained absurd movement and durability.

And he was offering that to other humans out of generosity.

"The more I hear, the better it sounds. How did other people react?"

Maximilien grumbled as if he had been waiting to complain.

"That is the problem. Most reject my proposal out of vague revulsion. Even disabled veterans living with permanent injuries! They would clearly improve, yet finding people who gladly accept is harder than plucking stars from the sky! How foolish to refuse progress from baseless fear!"

He wanted to gift it to all humans, but had no confidence in persuading them. He also had trouble using force, since controlling the body with gears required active cooperation.

"That is a shame."

"That is why I need the Human King! If you awaken as the true Human King, this can be solved!"

Show empathy, get a positive response. He already held immense goodwill toward me, so it was easy. I chatted with Maximilien like we were old friends.

While our conversation flowed smoothly, my actual old friend beside me gripped my shoulder hard.

"Hui. You should not go..."

"Ah, come on!"

Why did she keep grabbing me from behind? Don't stand behind me. It triggered instinctive fear.

I shook her off in irritation. Historia staggered. She had not expected that level of force from me.

"Ugh..."

That too, but if Historia had been in normal condition, I could have kicked her with full force and she would not have moved. The arms and legs that had just had their elastic limits tested were still far from normal. So wrecked that even my little struggle caused pain.

I lowered my head toward Historia, whose limbs were trembling, and said harshly,

"I keep telling you, he is not my enemy. And even if he were, what can you do? You can't even control your own arms and legs."

"..."

"Why don't you try some 'progress' while you're at it?"

I set a hand on her shoulder and whispered in a mocking tone. Something sank deep into her chest, and Historia flinched.

Unable to find a reply, she ground her teeth and lowered her head.

I gave a short snort and walked toward Maximilien.

"I'll accept. Let's just shake hands and get out of here fast. If we drag this out, Mr. Shei might get here."

"Now that you mention it, let me ask, what is that boy's identity? He was expressing blind hatred toward Lords of All Creation. I cannot trace where it comes from."

"Why should I know? I met him in prison too."

I held out my hand as I walked to Maximilien. He reached out his hand too. Once the distance closed, we would shake hands.

Ah, right. If the handshake went through, I might not get an answer after that, so I should ask one thing first.

"Ah, Mr. Maximilien. I have one question."

"What is it?"

I asked casually while walking, so he would not pick up anything strange.

"I heard it from Mr. Shei. Do you know what the King of Sin is?"

Maximilien answered without suspicion.

"King of Sin? What are you talking about? Sin is an illusion humans made, not a beast. How can something that does not exist have a king?"

"Right? That's what I thought too."

I asked just in case.

From what I had read with mind reading, there was no keyword King of Sin in his memories. But Halberdier Maximilien was a top executive of Lords of All Creation. I poked anyway, because if it was a term he had never heard, he might still build a new link around it.

Damn, no clue after all. Couldn't be helped. The regressor had seen it in a previous turn, and I had not even known it existed until I read thoughts. Honestly, I still only half believed it. But the regressor said she'd seen it herself, so I couldn't just dismiss it.

How was I supposed to find out? Cling to the regressor and dig for clues? That was dangerous too. If I wanted to live long, I needed to keep some distance from the regressor.

'King of Sin, what a strange phrase. It should not be nonsense. But why is the Human King asking me that? If the King of Sin truly exists, would that not be only the Human King? He should know himself better than anyone.'

Had I exposed something too interesting? Maximilien's thoughts got complicated. I needed to finish the handshake before he drifted too far in the wrong direction.

Right then, Azzy crossed his field of view. Azzy had stayed hidden to avoid the chaos, then slowly came out as it looked like the fight was ending. The King of Dogs entered Maximilien's sight clearly.

'Dog. Wolf. Two beast kings, alike yet changed. Therefore only the King of Dogs can... find the Human King, [he] said.'

Tick, one gear turned. The flow of his thoughts changed. Realizing something, he instantly cooled his excitement and looked at me with caution.

'Why did he insist on a handshake?'

Because I had to take your hand.

'My body is packed with gears, and moves through innate arcane.'

So you couldn't withdraw your innate arcane. Your body moved through innate arcane, so without it your body would stop.

'He can use my innate arcane.'

And if I drove the gears in your body into a rampage with your own innate arcane... your body might burst.

'Danger...!'

Right before our hands met, I heard gears twisting.

Crack, Maximilien's arm rotated one hundred eighty degrees. It was grotesque. He did not just pull back his hand, he flipped and folded the whole arm, like a machine wearing human skin.

Yeah, figures. A gear craftsman all right. Fast judgment. The arm moved the instant he decided. You did not become one of the Six Generals by winning card games.

Maximilien, military-state branch director of Lords of All Creation.

I had gained clues, but I had also handed clues to the other side.

With nothing left to grab, I gave my empty hand a little shake and said,

"...Can I take this as you not wanting to join me?"

Maximilien glared and answered stiffly,

"No. It is only..."

"Only what? A handshake is an old sign of friendship. Instead of holding a weapon in my hand, I hold yours. Any reason you refused?"

"...I have circumstances. Let us only talk."

"Circumstances? You suddenly stopped trusting me? Otherwise this doesn't make sense."

Maximilien closed his mouth. He had a reason, but could not say it.

Because he was afraid. Just like any ordinary person.

"You were anxious, right? That I might hurt you."

I drove the point straight into the gap and stabbed his contradiction.

"You were uneasy because I could wreck your body, so you shoved me away out of vague revulsion, right?"

Maximilien wanted every human to become "better" like him. He wanted them to drive gears into their bodies and handle their flesh far more efficiently.

As the Human King, I could not ignore human wishes. Just as a Beast King represented the collective will of one species, I also respected the wish held by the person in front of me.

As long as there was no problem with that wish.

"Progress? You are exactly the same, so what progress are you talking about! You and the people who rejected you, both of you! You're just beasts terrified out of your minds!"

Even Maximilien, one of the military state's Six Generals, a mage with innate arcane, and a brilliant alchemist,

was still just an ordinary person in front of me.

Maximilien's body trembled. The gears embedded inside him spun in violent idle loops. Power overflowed, ready to burst at any second.

As he shook in humiliation and rage, I dragged the truth into the open.

"I say this as the Human King! You are not special, ever! You only stuffed a few gears into your body, that's all! As a person, you are a common ordinary man! Someone that average can never change the human species!"

Maximilien reached out with his right hand and swept back his cloak. A body was revealed that looked like it was dressed in clothes woven from gears.

The gears hanging across his body spun ferociously. Metal heated from friction. With overclock, his thoughts accelerated, and a massive blast of hot wind poured from his body like one enormous exhale.

"You think Demon God is easy? Ha ha ha! Not a chance!"

My mocking laugh was drowned out by clanking machine noise. When I turned my head, the Steel Beetle had already closed in and brought down its giant saw blade on me.

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