WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

Chapter 326

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There’s Still a Way Out Even If You’re Caught Red-Handed

Grandiomor, king of the kingdom.

That monarch, who possessed a power that prevented hostility from fellow humans, was swept away by the overwhelming will of the people and died.

A death beyond dispute. Even if the military state had survived through the Holy Maiden, the trigger for the king’s death still came purely from human hands. Even his power to avoid hostility could not overcome the corruption and chaos of a society that had grown much larger than before.

The princess of the royal bloodline was still alive, but that no longer mattered.

It had been proven that simply not drawing hostility, simply being “a good person,” was not enough to be king.

Tch, if not for the Holy Maiden, this would have gone much more easily. She kept insisting on a future where the military state survived.... Everything was wrapped in secrecy, so I had to run around in circles.

Anyway, only four remained now.

Next was Elric, king of the Gold Kingdom. The one with the skill to grasp and understand every structure at a glance, and the King of Metallurgy, had been devoured by Demo the Golden Mirror. How that happened... I’d have to find out from here on.

Thankfully, it looked like the Holy Maiden hadn’t interfered in this case, so if I went there and lightly read a few thoughts, how he fell should become clear.

Ah, just thinking about it makes me mad again. I thought I’d gotten lucky and found traces of the Tyrant King and the Grand Master in the Abyss. Then the Holy Maiden insisted on a future where the Tyrant King survived there too....

The Human King wants to learn a little more about humans, and she butts in every single time. As expected, the Celestial God is the problem. “Watching over everything” sounds nice, but isn’t that just stalking everyone? Someone should drag that thing away.

At this point, I was lucky the regressor appeared. On my own, I could never have broken through the Sanctum’s interference and tracked down traces of the Five Sovereigns. In fact, in the past where the regressor existed, it looked like things failed starting from the Abyss.

Whew. If not for the regressor, I would’ve been in real trouble....

Ah, no.

Even if we found everything, wouldn’t it all become nothing the moment she regressed anyway? We might just be handing information to the enemy.

Because the regressor might even be the Holy Maiden.

“Hm-hm. Looks like we’re almost there~.”

Hilde’s voice rang out. I raised my head and looked toward where the Cataphract was heading. At the end of a road formed purely by heavy foot traffic, an impressive sight spread out before us.

“We’re here.”

A wide grassland stretched out. On a loosely woven carpet of nature, horses and sheep tore at the tufts with their mouths. Humans on mounts watched with sharp eyes to make sure none of the animals disappeared. Their gazes were mostly turned outward, as if they judged that disappearances were caused less by the animals themselves and more by outside forces.

And beyond that, on flat land surrounded by barbed wire, hundreds of tents formed a massive colony. Cloth snapped loudly in the wind. Even from here, you could feel the feverish energy of the crowd.

The regressor muttered.

“It’s a camp.”

It was clearly different from the ghost city we had seen before. Filthier and dirtier, sure, but dirt is what gets left behind after people live. That city of tents was far more lively than I expected.

“We’re going in!”

Hilde headed for the entrance cut between the barbed-wire fences.

The camp had a gatekeeper too. He didn’t look very diligent, but he stopped us and asked what we wanted.

“Hey, stop there. What’re you here for? Staying long, or leaving soon?”

“We’re staying one day and leaving!”

“So you’re leaving? Then there’s no fee. Park your mount by the fence and enter on foot.”

The gatekeeper said that much, then waved us off like he had nothing else to say. Maybe he was worn out from long duty, because there was a slight edge in his tone. Hilde, who didn’t care about his circumstances at all, asked me with a glance.

‘Pretty cheeky for a mere camp gatekeeper talking to a diplomatic envoy~. Father, what should we do? Cut his head off and force our way through?’

Force our way through? Was this person really an envoy? Did she not know the difference between a truce and escalation? If you’re going to bully people, at least do it where no one can see.

“Let’s follow the rules for now.”

“What a shame~. Okaaay~.”

Hilde drove the Cataphract to the outer side of the fence.

Outside the fence, wandering travelers’ mounts stood in a long row. Afraid their rides would be stolen, their owners leaned against the fence with weapons in hand, dozing off. Even though the camp was right there, just one fence away.

“They can’t leave their mounts because they’re afraid of theft. The camp thought this through pretty well. They’re making people who are about to leave split their strength.”

“Yeah. If we don’t leave one person here too, ours might get stolen.”

Just like that, in the Lesser States, ownerless property belonged to whoever picked it up first. Everyone on the road was a potential thief. Leaving something unattended was risky.

Tyr stepped forward.

“No problem. I will leave my Black Knight behind.”

“No, I don’t really trust the Black Knight. And right now the sun hasn’t even gone down yet.”

“...Is it truly that unreliable?”

‘Since I regained my heart, I have not been able to command my thralls properly, and now I endure all this scorn. I must find a method quickly. Otherwise the scorn will never end....’

No, this wasn’t scorn. It was serious situational judgment.

A guard’s role is not to stop theft after it happens, but to make people give up on stealing in the first place. But a Black Knight, black from head to toe, had a real chance of being mistaken for some obsidian statue. That would encourage theft, not prevent it.

Besides, we had something more suitable than a Black Knight. Humanity’s good sucker... no, friend. Not exactly reliable, but this was exactly what Azzy was for.

“Azzy.”

“Woof? Why?”

“Can you guard this vehicle while we’re gone?”

“Woof woof? Guard?”

Right. Azzy had the instinct to guard territory. Dogs weren’t raised as guard animals for no reason.

Would Azzy really be wary of unfamiliar humans... I wasn’t sure. Still, maybe just being there would make thieves give up. Even if Azzy was the King of Dogs, outwardly Azzy still looked like a human with animal ears.

“You don’t need to attack anyone. If somebody hangs around this Cataphract or touches it carelessly, bark loudly. Loud enough for everyone to hear. That’s enough.”

“Woof! Leave it to me!”

“Good! Then I’m counting on you. Even if someone offers food, don’t follow them. And if something passes by nearby, don’t get distracted.”

“Food? Passes by? Where? Where?”

“No, not food passing by. I mean, for example, like that horse over there....”

Right then, we heard clattering hooves. A moment later, a horse running along the fence shot right past us. Its golden mane, long enough to brush the ground, scattered in the wind it created.

Perfect timing for an example. Azzy had hunting instincts too. If tempted by something like that and bolting off, that would be bad.

“Like that horse, even if something runs by, don’t get excited and sprint after it....”

“Woof.”

Ah, crap. Azzy’s eyes were sparkling.

That swaying tail hit Azzy’s hunting instinct dead-on. Azzy’s head moved like a pendulum following it. Then, in one instant, Azzy jumped down and shouted.

“Woof woof! Stop right there!”

“Heeeeeey! Don’t do that!”

But Azzy was the King of Dogs. In the blink of an eye, Azzy was right behind the horse. There was no intent to attack, just barking and lightly tapping at the horse’s tail, but the terrified horse shook its head wildly and bolted.

Tch. At this rate we’d catch a whole horse. Do they know how expensive that thing is?

“This won’t work! I’m going after Azzy, so you guys decide who goes inside!”

“Can you catch Azzy?”

“Do you think I’m chasing because I can catch Azzy? I’m chasing because I have to!”

“Fine. I’ll go meet the camp head, so bring Azzy back.”

I quickly grabbed what I needed and chased after Azzy’s shadow. The regressor watched my back, then suddenly thought of something.

‘He’s going to bring Azzy back, so why is he taking rope?’

Because in the Lesser States, whoever picked it up owned it. It looked like an exceptional horse, and with Azzy, we could corner it.

I had no use for a horse while riding a Cataphract, but humans had this thing called barter. If I didn’t need it, I could trade it at a pawnshop and call it a day. It would fetch a pretty good price.

No idea whose horse it was, but thanks for the meal.

“Woof woof! Woof woof! Don’t move, woof!”

-Hihihihiiing.

I didn’t have to search long. Azzy was circling inside a low fence, glaring at the horse. Unluckily targeted by the King of Beasts, the horse cried mournfully, full of fear.

I hurried over.

“Azzy, you good girl! Nice work!”

“Woof? I did good?”

“Yeah! You pulled it off, so today you get meat for dinner!”

“Awoooooo! Nice! Nice!”

“Stay right there! Until I get to you...!”

I quickly tied the rope into a lasso. Throw it around the neck and pull. Ah, if I pulled the rope myself, I’d get dragged and torn to pieces, so I should have Azzy pull instead.

I swung the lasso over my head and slowly approached the horse that couldn’t move. Seeing a suspicious human show up, it got even more frightened and pressed closer to its owner.

Huh? Owner?

‘...A jackal, trying to steal a horse in broad daylight? ...Even near a camp? Do they think I’m easy prey....’

Thoughts flowed in from someone hidden by the horse’s shadow. Looking again, the horse hadn’t failed to run. It had arrived. Next to its owner.

‘...And raising a beastkin as a slave... an irredeemable villain.’

Tch. No matter how much I’m the type who could live without laws, I still don’t prefer robbery. Robbery is violent crime.

Violent crime means crimes only strong people can commit. I’m weak, so I can’t commit violent crime and have to remain a petty criminal. Of course, if the other side is weaker than me, then through relative strength I could commit violent crime....

‘...Should I melt him.’

Nope, this was bad. I threw the spinning lasso hard.

Not at the horse, at Azzy.

“Woof?”

Azzy caught the flying lasso in that mouth. Still holding it, Azzy stared at me like, why did you throw this at me?

I gave a small fake cough and started scolding right away.

“You little brat, Azzy! How can you bully someone else’s horse?”

“Mwoong?”

“Horses are humans’ friends, mounts, and property! You should treat them carefully, not harass them! Why are you scaring it? Is that how I taught you?”

Still don’t get it? I’m scolding you right now. You’re being reprimanded.

Azzy still seemed not to understand and tilted that head, then suddenly shook it hard, maybe thinking this was a game.

“Mwoong!”

“Aaagh! Don’t pull! I’m falling!”

My body bounced into the air, then slammed onto the ground. Before pain, humiliation and misery hit first. Was this how a freshwater fish felt getting reeled in on a fishing rod?

Someone approached over my limp body. The horse’s owner.

She had pale reddish hair, like rusted metal, tied into a ponytail. Her loose overalls were caked with black grease and bits of melted iron stuck to them. Her overall impression was calm, but maybe because of the bandages all over her face, she looked like it was hard for her to make expressions.

The woman, who looked like something between an alchemist and an engineering corps soldier, looked down at me and asked,

“...You, owner?”

“If I were the owner, that’d be nice. What owner feeds, clothes, and entertains their pet? If anything, Azzy’s probably my owner.”

“Woof! Woof woof! I’m not owner! Major shareholder!”

You weren’t at major shareholder level yet, were you? More importantly, with the party in question this alive and standing here, what major shareholder?

The woman glanced at Azzy, then asked again, like she was confirming it.

“...You tried to steal horse.”

“No? I was trying to stop Azzy in case Azzy hurt it. It’d be a nuisance if we injured someone else’s horse.”

“...The lasso.”

“I threw it to catch Azzy. I had to stop Azzy before the horse got hurt.”

“...And the thing about meat side dishes?”

“I can’t let Azzy catch and eat a horse, can I? So I had to distract Azzy with meat first. It was a safety measure.”

Well? How was that for a logical excuse?

Faced with a claim backed by flawless logic, the woman couldn’t say a thing. Resolve came through from her tightly shut mouth.

‘...The moment he starts making excuses, he’s top 10% among jackals.’

What kind of place were the Lesser States, where making excuses put you in the top 10%? I could never figure it out. The woman gave a small nod and turned back.

“...Fine. I’ll let it slide.”

“Let what slide? If we’re assigning blame, the horse that escaped the grazing ground is at fault. Manage your mount properly. What if someone steals such a valuable horse?”

The woman barely reacted to my nonsense. She just ignored useless words. Hard type to create openings against. Then I’d try something a little different.

She stroked the horse’s mane and murmured.

“...Aurea came to help me.”

“Aurea?”

“...My horse’s name.”

“Ah, really? So this was pet introduction time. I’ll go too. This is Azzy. Azzy has a bad habit of instantly chasing anything that runs.”

‘...Calling a beastkin a pet... Should I revise my judgment? Even the bottom 1% among jackals isn’t this morally broken.’

I seriously could not understand the Lesser States standard. I called a dog a dog and dropped from top 10% to bottom 1%. What kind of drop was that?

In the middle of that, Azzy tapped at my feet and wagged that tail.

“Woof woof! This human is good at lying!”

“Hey. No need to explain. Every human here already knows I’m human.”

“Introduction over!”

“Don’t tell me you introduced me because you thought this was really pet introduction time?!”

‘...Pfft. Funny relationship. You two get along well.’

The woman laughed only in her head and turned away.

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