WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

Chapter 316

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The Secret of Birth

‘Of course. There is no way someone with such extraordinary ability would suddenly call Hyu Father. That child must be the offspring of the former Human King.’

This misunderstanding was going somewhere I never expected.

Until now, I’d just been reading minds and watching because watching her dig herself deeper alone was funny, but this had to stop. It was getting close to the point where the misunderstanding couldn’t be untangled at all. I had to clear it up before it got worse...

‘That strange ability to turn into another human. There are differences, but does that power not resemble Hyu’s? When Hyu restored my heart, at that moment... Hyu became me. His outward appearance did not change like that child’s, but I clearly felt it.’

After reading Tyr’s thoughts, I froze at the sudden idea that came to me.

...Hmm. Wait.

I read people’s thoughts. But I can’t predict what they’ll do. Human thoughts collide and push against each other, creating absurd possibilities no one expects.

That’s why I can’t be a prophet. I can only watch, as an observer, the possibilities they create.

The possibility Tyr found was worth watching.

Fine. I’ll let the misunderstanding stand for now.

“Alright, alright. Let’s stop this pointless age argument. Who cares if someone’s younger or older? Mr. Shei is still wet behind the ears, yet he runs around speaking casually to everyone with no manners anyway.”

“What, you little-”

“See? Honestly, being called ‘you bastard’ this and ‘you bastard’ that is worse than being called Father. At least Father has some respect to it.”

“Exactly! I’m calling him Father out of respect and reverence!”

The regressor made a sickened face.

“We only just met, and now it’s respect and reverence...? Whatever. Fine. If you two want to play that game, it’s none of my business.”

“If you want in, tell us anytime, Mr. Shei. Two children would be fine too.”

“I’ll specially call you Shei oppa!”

“Shut up! Don’t drag me into your nonsense!”

As we kept teasing the regressor, I heard Tyr’s thoughts.

‘If Shei is the son and Hilde is the daughter... heh. Then only one seat remains.’

Tyr cleared her throat, cut in, and scolded the regressor.

“Shei. Don’t put up so many walls. We’ll be seeing each other for quite a long time, so shouldn’t we get along?”

“I’d rather never see you again than ‘get along’ like that!”

“...Is that so? What a pity.”

“Not a pity at all!”

Just then, the Cataphract jolted and slammed to a stop. Azzy, who had climbed onto the roof, barked in surprise, “Woof!” We couldn’t see outside well from inside the Cataphract, so I asked toward the driver’s seat.

“DG?”

No answer came. The golem at the wheel, no, some structure that only roughly copied a golem’s shape, just kept driving without reacting.

Keeping my patience, I called calmly.

“Captain DG, communications officer.”

I tapped it as I spoke, and only then did it respond. A crackling voice rang through the rough speaker.

[Crk, zzt... This is military state communications officer DG.... Did you calllll....]

“Why did we stop?”

[Checking. Zzt... This chassis is currently stopped. We are waiting for a bridge to cross the Meta-Conveyor Belt....]

“Ah. Then that means we’ve finally left the Inner Circle.”

The Meta-Conveyor Belt, the Land Flowing Like a River, circled the military state once and kept moving. Just like an actual river, it gave enormous advantages when you moved with its flow, but going against it or crossing it was very difficult. Vehicles especially would almost always flip if they tried to cross directly.

The special-purpose golem driving the Cataphract spoke in a dying voice.

[That is correct.... We arrived two minutes earlier than scheduled, so with all due respect, we had no choice but to stop.... Please wait a moment....]

“Got it. Let’s take a look outside.”

I tried to open the Cataphract hatch, but felt a heavy weight on it. Azzy was sitting right on top. I tapped the hatch and said,

“Azzy! Move.”

“Woof?”

The weight vanished. I threw the hatch open and stuck my head out.

Before my eyes, the Meta-Conveyor Belt spread across the wide land.

The sight of land rippling and flowing was still magnificent. Large containers drifted along the earthen current like debris. No matter how sturdy the Cataphract was, it didn’t look like it would survive taking a direct hit from one of those containers flying by. Well, if we got on top of the bridge, we wouldn’t get hit unless we rammed something ourselves.

I sat on the side wall and stared blankly at the scenery. Then a jet-black parasol suddenly rose through the passage. After I shifted over, Tyr climbed out too, sat beside me, and watched the flowing river.

“Hmm. Certainly, this dull carriage does not look fit to cross. Shall I pick it up and carry it over?”

They were talking about lifting and moving a Cataphract that weighed tons. As expected, if you had power beyond common sense, you didn’t need plans or devices.

Then again, if you had plans and devices, you didn’t need power beyond common sense either. I pointed ahead and said,

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary. The bridge is arriving over there.”

“The bridge is arriving...? Do you mean the bridge itself moves?”

Seeing was believing. I looked at five containers approaching side by side in the distance, with steel plates laid across them. Tyr followed my finger, curious.

Until they came close, the containers were just rectangular drift objects. But as they neared us, they changed.

A few golems popped out. Right after that, the containers’ structure shifted. Clank, clank. Their side panels opened and split apart, transforming into an arched metal bridge. The ends of the containers moved off the Meta-Conveyor Belt and anchored onto the stationary ground.

Rrrrrm. Like an iron bird spreading its wings, the bridge rose and stretched across the Meta-Conveyor Belt in an instant.

A golem standing at the edge of the bridge snapped into a salute and shouted,

[Captain Pijet, Meta-Conveyor Belt detail! Bridge installation is complete as of this moment, sir!]

[Zzt.... This is Captain DG, communications officer of the military state. Bridge installation confirmed! Yahoo! Departing immediately! Everyone hold tight!]

Rumble. The Cataphract started moving again. Its massive body, well over dozens of tons, moved nimbly onto the bridge. The bridge supported the Cataphract with durability that didn’t look improvised at all.

[Mission complete, sir! DG, handing over the rest to you!]

[Confirmed! Here we gooooo!]

Rumble. Even on top of the bridge, the Cataphract ran close to top speed. With flowing land below us, it thundered forward. Steel plates clattered and shook.

Tyr stared at the suddenly created bridge with open curiosity.

“Oho. It is intricate. You said bridge, so I imagined a pontoon bridge, but to think they would make one like this. Did those dolls do all this?”

“Yep!”

Hilde had climbed up at some point and dropped down to sit on my left, grumbling.

“This is incredible treatment, you know? A bunch of communications officers supporting one person this much. Even I’ve never enjoyed this kind of luxury! If I’d known, I would’ve recruited a communications officer for myself too!”

“Then why bother laying a temporary bridge? Would it not be convenient to keep a sturdy one built in advance?”

“Hehe, guess!”

“Oh?”

Tyr showed real interest in the exchange. They straightened up and accepted Hilde’s quiz.

“So there is some problem with leaving a bridge in place. Did you leave no bridge to stop people from crossing on their own?”

“Half right. Even if the Meta-Conveyor Belt flows like a river, land is still land. If one person is determined to cross, they still can.”

“Hmm. I see. Ah, is it because something large could pass underneath and strike the bridge?”

“That’s also half right. But most containers are standardized, so they won’t hit the bridge. Even now, containers are passing under the bridge, right?”

“You are strict. If two half-correct answers are given, should they not make one full answer?”

“It’s a quiz. If you don’t give the single most important reason, not side benefits, I can’t accept it as correct!”

“Mmm....”

Tyr’s groan got longer. Nothing even close to the answer seemed to come to mind, so this wouldn’t be solved quickly.

And unlike normal people, Tyr could casually spend ten days thinking about one problem. They might even stay up trying to find the answer.

If that happened, I’d be reading Tyr’s brainstorming all day with mind reading. For my mental health alone, that was unacceptable.

“Want one hint?”

At my offer, Tyr replied gladly.

“Yes. I will gladly accept your kindness. Not because I could not solve it, but because I cannot refuse your kindness.”

“The Meta-Conveyor Belt is Land Flowing Like a River. But everyone gets confused by the word land. The Meta-Conveyor Belt really serves the role of a river. Movement, transport...”

“Yes, I can see that. But are we not asking why there is no bridge?”

“Tyr, imagine this. If the Meta-Conveyor Belt is a river, it flows while wrapping around the military state in one big loop, right? What does that resemble?”

The thought was short. Tyr already knew the answer.

“...A moat?”

They said it with slight reluctance.

“Correct. And what is a moat for?”

“To stop us from approaching the castle.”

By us, Tyr meant vampires. I understood exactly why.

One of vampires’ chronic weaknesses was flowing water. A vampire could be slashed by blades and still be fine, but because the boundary between outside and inside was faint, they sometimes mistook river water for their own bloodstream. They said it produced a horrifying sensation, as if their bodies were melting and scattering. For vampires with weakened control over blood, it didn’t always end as just a sensation.

So vampires instinctively avoided flowing water.

“Of course, moats aren’t built only for vampires. Regular humans have trouble with them too.”

“So this is to keep enemies from entering here?”

“Yes. Of course enemies can still build bridges, but in that case, like you said earlier, we can dump huge containers and smash their bridges down in one blow!”

“So that was why you called it half right!”

Tyr admired it openly. Tyr was very satisfied with the quiz easing the boredom, but Hilde, who had given the quiz, was dissatisfied.

“Ehh, that’s so unfair! I gave the quiz, so if Father tells you everything, what am I supposed to do? That’s cheating!”

“That’s why the one who speaks first wins. You should’ve stopped having fun and given the answer sooner.”

“A life lesson.... I’ll remember that.”

While Hilde muttered sulkily, Tyr suddenly thought of something and asked,

“So the moat was made to block us vampires.”

“I don’t think it’s only that. Isn’t that a bit of a persecution complex?”

“Whatever the case, a moat is useful only if there is an enemy. Then what is the military state’s ‘enemy’? What enemy requires flowing land, and demands this level of vigilance, enough to prevent bridge-building?”

Ah, that. No need to explain.

Tyr had slept for a long time, so it made sense they didn’t know... but if a war broke out, it would have to happen here.

“That would be...”

Just as I opened my mouth,

[Emergency! Confirming a communication received moments ago! Captain DG, communications officer, warns all passengers aboard the Cataphract!]

An urgent golem voice blared from inside the Cataphract.

[Enemy group confirmed! Prepare for an attack!]

“Tch. Didn’t even give me time to explain. How boring.”

Over my mutter, the communications officer’s urgent voice rang out.

[It’s the Lesser States’ mobile unit, the jackals!]

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