WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 34: Resistance, Finale

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“Phew.”

I let the tension leave my body and breathed out deeply.

I always felt this, but mind-reading was both incredibly useful and incredibly inconvenient. Whenever I killed someone, I got too absorbed in the victim’s perspective. Life poured out intense emotions at the moment of death, so every final blow felt like being swept away by a wave.

It made me seem like I was some kind of big deal. All I had done was desperately scrape by and kill people one at a time so I could survive.

Still, mind-reading had saved my life. I couldn’t complain.

Phew. My whole body hurt. I had run around wildly earlier, and I had been grabbed by the collar and slammed into a wall. There wasn’t a single spot that didn’t ache. As I took a moment to pull myself together, a voice came from behind me.

“You have blood on your hands.”

A vampire? Had she caught the scent of blood? Seriously, she was like a ghost.

No, she was a ghost. A blood-drinking ghost.

Without turning around, I answered.

“Please take it quickly. It’s fresh and still warm.”

“Even if you had not said so, I was already taking it.”

Come to think of it, the blood had been flowing away behind me without touching my body for a while now. What a pointless thing to say. In Tantalus, shedding blood was a vampire’s meal.

Oh, right. Since the vampire was here, maybe I could ask for something else too.

“While you’re at it, could you take care of the corpse?”

“The corpse? I doubt it would like becoming part of me. Would it not be better to bury it?”

“No. Since this is the Abyss, there’s nowhere suitable to bury anyone. The ground is concrete, so even if I gave them a proper burial, it would just mean sealing them in concrete. They wouldn’t decompose, and they wouldn’t return to the Earth Mother’s embrace. They’d remain preserved exactly as they are forever. If that’s the alternative, sleeping in a vampire’s coffin is better.”

“Without even holding a funeral?”

“It’s fine. I personally closed his eyes.”

“I had not heard that you were an undertaker.”

“Isn’t a funeral the act of remembering the traces left by someone’s life? In that sense, they already had an excellent funeral.”

As if she understood, the vampire waved a hand. Blood gathered and swallowed the corpse. I heard a sound that could have been melting or crushing. It was like compressing the sound of waves crashing thousands or tens of thousands of times and wearing away rocks into a few seconds.

It didn’t take long. The corpse vanished with the tide of blood. Only the discarded restraint suit remained, as though no one had ever been there.

Silence settled in.

When I stayed still without much reaction, the vampire soon grew bored and walked lightly through the darkness toward me.

‘You recognized me without even looking. This was not what I expected... Still, someone with sharp senses should at least be able to distinguish another’s presence.’

Presence? Well, if mind-reading counted as a sense, then I suppose I could distinguish people by their presence too.

‘More importantly, he has hardly moved. Has killing someone made him sentimental? It cannot be helped. He is still young. Shall I comfort him a little?’

Comfort me? For what?

As I blankly read her thoughts, the vampire came right up to me and spoke.

“Blood flows, and one day it reaches the sea. At the very least, were they not your enemies? Their strength may not have reached you, but they too were warriors like you. They wagered their lives fairly. There is no need for you to be downcast.”

“I’m not particularly downcast.”

“You have been hanging your head since earlier. Hold it high with pride. That is pride in the strength you have gained, and courtesy toward the warriors who fell before you.”

“No. I told you, I’m fine.”

I had been hanging my head because my neck hurt after being grabbed earlier. I was also tired from tearing through the whole building and running around like mad. I had an ordinary physique, so I needed to rest after going wild like that.

The vampire looked quietly at the blood circling her wrist and said, “According to this blood, the owner of the corpse I took was clearly a renowned knight in life. Yet you subdued and bound such a person without even a wound. You truly are worthy of calling yourself the administrator of the Abyss.”

Without even a wound? She didn’t seem to know because I wasn’t bleeding, but I had just been pinned against a wall with one hand. There were probably bruises all over beneath my shirt.

How was I supposed to clear up this misunderstanding...

Wait. Did I need to?

I cleared my throat.

“I wasn’t being sentimental. I merely closed my eyes for a moment to honor his valor.”

“That is precisely what being sentimental means.”

“You sure say strange things.”

“More importantly, even as you welcome me, you have not even considered facing me. How long do you intend to keep sitting there?”

“I was just getting up.”

Talking had made me feel a little better. Groaning, I pushed myself to my feet. The vampire stood before me, her red eyes gleaming.

What was with that? It was a little much.

Meeting my gaze, the vampire tilted her head and smiled smugly.

“Well? Do you recognize me?”

Huh? What was she talking about? Of course I recognized her...

‘This should be the first time he has seen my true form. I do not show it to just anyone, but since I came outside, there would be no harm in letting him see my face once.’

What kind of thought was that? She had gotten out of her wheelchair, so why was she making such a show of it? Had she succeeded at physical therapy or something?

‘Let us see whether he can still treat me like an old woman after seeing my true appearance.’

Huh?

Frowning, I looked over the vampire’s face once more. She had a small face, pale skin, and red eyes. The black dress she wore looked like something from a museum, and behind her, a huge coffin followed half a step behind like a servant.

A black parasol, as if made by gathering darkness itself, rested over her shoulder. Somehow, standing beneath it let me see her face clearly even in this pitch-black darkness. It was as though the parasol had swallowed the darkness around us.

Sure, she was strikingly beautiful. But why was she talking about her true form? Did she think I would see her face and collapse in shock?

Ah, wait. Could it be?

This was ridiculous. Should I play along?

Looking at the vampire’s face, I pretended to flinch in surprise.

“Ah? A woman? Wh-who are you? Could you be... Tyrkanzyaka trainee?”

“Yes. Who else could I be?”

A faint smile formed on the vampire’s lips. Apparently in a better mood, she gave the parasol over her shoulder a half turn and said, “You are a strange one. You called my name only moments ago, yet now you pretend not to know me.”

“No, your appearance suddenly changed, so I was just... startled, I guess. When did you get out of the wheelchair, no, the coffin?”

“Just now. I revealed my true form for the first time in a while because I had to welcome an unpleasant guest. I had intended to return as soon as I was done, but I smelled a strong scent of blood outside and came out to see.”

As we exchanged a few words, I deliberately avoided meeting her eyes. I would sneak a glance upward, then lower my head at once whenever our eyes met.

Watching me make my nervousness so obvious, the vampire narrowed her eyes.

‘He looks exactly like a virgin who has never even held a woman’s hand. Tch. He claims to have trained, yet showing him my face has changed his behavior so easily.’

She blamed me in her thoughts, but she was clearly enjoying the sight. The vampire hummed through her nose and took a step closer.

“Yet you have risen, so why can you not even meet my eyes?”

“Th-that is...”

“What is the matter? You usually have no shortage of words. This is unlike you.”

‘It seems he trained from a young age and has no experience with women. I wonder if my teasing is being too cruel to an innocent child, but...’

The vampire, thrilled with herself, came right up to my nose. Bending at the waist, she peered into my eyes. Her shining silver hair spilled down before my vision, along with irises as red as blood.

“Still, this is our first time facing each other like this. It is disappointing that you keep avoiding my gaze. Come now, say something.”

‘This is entirely your fault. If you had not teased me, I would not be taking revenge in such a childish way.’

Toward the vampire, who was thoroughly basking in her sense of superiority, I spoke in a weak, shrinking voice.

“I-I’m sorry...”

“Sorry? For what?”

‘Do you think an apology will earn forgiveness for all your disrespect? Not a chance. I shall make you suffer as much as you have teased me.’

Oh, really.

That was enough empty flattery, old lady. My expression changed at once as I answered coldly.

“For not flattering you more.”

“Hmm?”

“What difference does it make whether you’re inside or outside the coffin? You think the same way and talk the same way. You’re exactly the same as always.”

Why was she still leaning in so close, anyway? Frowning, I thrust my face forward too. When our faces nearly touched, the vampire gasped and stumbled back.

With an indifferent expression, I picked at my ear and said, “There was a battle just a little while ago, so what exactly are you doing? If you’re aware this is the first time I’ve seen your face, you should establish your identity first. How can you sneak up from behind and ask whether I recognize you?”

“Uh, well, that...”

“What did you want me to do? Say wow, then recite a poem praising your beauty? Or should I look at Tyrkanzyaka trainee’s appearance again and apologize for treating you so casually until now? Was that what you were expecting?”

‘N-not exactly... I was only feeling playful...’

You were absolutely thinking that.

Countless tales had been passed down for more than a thousand years, and the vampire’s beauty was one of the legends repeated over and over. People didn’t speculate that the vampire possessed the power of enchantment for no reason. The Church only gritted its teeth and emphasized her ugly side.

Still, had all that praise inflated her self-image a little too much? I wanted her to behave in a way more suitable for her age.

Seriously.

“Stop making a fool of yourself.”

“M-making a fool of myself?!”

“I understand that older people generally want to hear that they look young, but you still need to consider the time and place. A fierce battle was happening barely ten minutes ago. Please conduct yourself properly.”

At least age hadn’t consumed her sense of shame as well. Overwhelmed by extreme embarrassment, the vampire tightly gripped the parasol with both hands. She held it so hard that even the little color left in her hands faded.

I had considered teasing her a little more, but the embarrassment I felt from her was beyond what I had expected. If I pushed any further, she might explode, so I stopped.

The most important thing when admonishing an immature adult was to show acceptance in the end. Unlike children, she was older than I was. People who believed they were superior from the start were troublesome because, when embarrassed, they got angry right away instead of running away.

What could I do? The young and weak one had to endure.

“Sigh. Still, trainee, you are a little better. If someone sees you objectively without knowing anything, you are pretty. Just restrain yourself from making a fool of yourself. You need to consider the time and place.”

‘Wh-what is this? I am clearly displeased... Yet he is not wrong, and if I get angry, I will seem petty... But if I stay silent, it feels as though I am being ignored...’

“There’s nothing else to see here, so I’ll go check the supply crate. You have a blood supply waiting over there too, so shall we go?”

“Ah, ah. Yes. Let us.”

Without looking back, I started walking. The vampire followed behind me, her face embarrassed and confused as she tightly held the parasol in both hands.

A corpse still lay abandoned where the supply crate had fallen. The vampire swallowed that corpse too. Truly a human sewer... Ah, I shouldn’t say that. She might actually be hurt.

Phew, this small consideration of knowing what should and shouldn’t be said. I was pretty sweet.

Now then, let’s inspect the supplies. Whistling, I opened the supply crate.

Inside were countless cans of compressed beans.

“Wait.”

Something was strange. No matter how much the military state loved canned food, they weren’t people who didn’t understand the importance of nutrition. There was no bread or rice at all?

As I wondered about it, I eventually found the miserable remnants left inside the supply crate. Remains of what had once been bread, as though rats had gnawed it all up and fled.

Even the cheese packages had been ripped open, and the milk containers were completely empty.

Ah. Right.

The five Resistance members had hidden inside the supply crate.

What could they have eaten while staying in there? It was obvious. They couldn’t have opened compressed canned food that required lots of water and preparation, so they must have eaten only bread and milk for convenience.

Haha. So the supplies were canned food in the end?

“Graaah! You fucking bastards!”

Furious, I kicked the supply crate with all my strength. Once again, I confirmed just how sturdy military state supply crates were. Damn it, my foot hurt.

Letting out a strange cry, I turned toward the vampire.

“Tyrkanzyaka trainee, take those corpses back out immediately! I’ll show you exactly what mutilating a corpse means today!”

“Wh-why are you acting up again?”

The vampire asked with the same sulky attitude as before. She had clearly stared right at the scraps of bread, but since it wasn’t her food, she had no particular reaction. Pointing into the supply crate, I shouted, “There’s no bread! Those intruders ate it all! What are we supposed to live on now?”

“Is not what is inside those round containers food as well? There appears to be quite a lot of it, if there is no bread.”

“Telling someone to eat canned food is a trigger for revolution. Don’t even say it out loud! Unlike vampires like you, who do nothing but get older and drink people’s blood, people need fine food!”

“Wh-what?! All I do is get older?!”

Oops. I accidentally let my true feelings slip in because I was in a hurry. The vampire’s hysteria, hardened by the passage of time, was about to explode.

Someone walked out from the prison entrance. It was the regressor. A streak of blood ran from the corner of her mouth, but despite being injured, she looked quite satisfied.

Well, compared to the regressor’s opponent, she had every reason to be satisfied. Her other hand dragged along a headless corpse. The huge corpse, dressed in military gear, trailed limply behind her as blood spurted from its severed neck.

‘Even with my inner energy sealed, I can cut through military gear... It must mean I have improved, if only a little.’

Why could she cut steel without inner energy? I had no idea.

Seeing the regressor, the vampire greeted her warmly.

“Shei, do you know who I am?”

“Tyrkanzyaka, right? You came out of the coffin. Here, there’s blood, so drink.”

The regressor handed the corpse directly to the vampire. Having been identified at once, the vampire swallowed the corpse in blood with a hint of disappointment.

‘Do children these days carry portraits of me around? They do not react at all. When I toyed with those who came to my estate in the past, people of every age and gender could not even bear to face me once I revealed my appearance... Why are men these days like stone Buddhas?’

Look at her touching her own face as though wrinkles had appeared. What an eyesore. A corpse preserved at the moment of death couldn’t possibly develop wrinkles.

More importantly, she still hadn’t realized Shei was cross-dressing even while drinking blood? What a useless vampire.

As she swallowed the corpse in a wave of blood, the vampire looked intently at the regressor and said, “It seems you have made progress. I can feel that the blood within your body is entirely under your control.”

“The best way to improve is actual combat, after all.”

The regressor grinned and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

Even with the vampire right in front of her, the regressor’s blood did not fly toward her. It still shimmered against her skin in beads.

Not having her blood taken even after it left her body was proof that the regressor could at least control her own blood.

Smiling in satisfaction, the regressor looked around.

“Where are the others?”

“It seems this child dealt with them all. By the time I arrived, only the corpses remained.”

“Hmph.”

‘Tch. I thought he might have gotten himself killed, but it looks like he does have some skill. That man’s character is unreliable, but I can trust his ability.’

Trust what? Please don’t trust me, and deal with things using your own strength.

I no longer even had the energy to speak. I just stood there blankly, staring at the mountain of canned food.

There was no helping it.

Azzy. You’re eating all of that.

Footnotes:

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