WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

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Chapter 410: God and King

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The Castle of the Full Moon was the capital of the Fog Duchy and the residence of the awakened Progenitor. The ancient dark castle, absent from every map, lay far beyond even the Twilight Fortress. If Tyr's carriage, pulled by Rallion, had not been so comfortable that I barely felt it moving, the journey would have been quite arduous.

The Fog Duchy's unusual customs and atmosphere made for an interesting topic of conversation.

"Meat again for this meal?"

"...Are you tired of it?"

"No. I love it. Humans were hunters by nature, after all. Yum, this is good. We didn't have anything like this in the military state."

"We did! The food supplies just weren't distributed all the way to Father!"

"We agreed to call that not having it. Mm. Oh, it's even cooked. Who made it?"

"I did."

Cabilah emerged from the carriage compartment and clapped her hands. Dragon Tooth Soldiers in white aprons and triangular headscarves slowly walked out from inside, plates in hand.

The sight of skeletal Dragon Tooth Soldiers serving food was so bizarre it was almost comical. As Cabilah directed them, she spoke with a pout.

"Consider it an honor. A great Elder like me is fe..."

‘...If I call him livestock, big sister will get angry, won't she? Say something nice.’

"...I'm helping my detestable sister's concubine build his blood back up. No, big sister! I wasn't insulting him. I'm just jealous that he's received your favor! My words came out a little harsh because of that! Please don't get angry!"

"If you can't say anything nice no matter what, just speak comfortably. Tyr, please let her. It's easier for me that way too."

I heard everything through mind-reading anyway. If her words and thoughts differed, I would only get confused. At this rate, someone might figure out my ability.

I used Cabilah, who was watching Tyr's reaction, as a side dish while I poked through the food on my plate. The potatoes had been steamed, pan-fried in oil, and topped with cheese. The meat had been braised for a long time beneath a generous dusting of spices, and it crumbled along the grain at the slightest touch. I put both potato and meat into my mouth and chewed slowly.

"This isn't beginner's cooking. You've got some experience."

"Some experience? I may be a vampire, but I've eaten twice as many meals as you have. Do you think a thousand years is nothing when you're still wet behind the ears?"

"You're prickly even when I'm complimenting you. I was surprised because you're good at cooking despite not being able to taste it."

"Hmph. It's not like I did it to earn praise from the likes of you."

Despite her words, she seemed pleased and began chatting away.

"Livestock are livestock, yet they're so picky about their food. Even when I generously serve them meat, all they do is complain that it tastes bad or is too tough. Sometimes they say they're tired of it and ask if there isn't any bread or grass! The best way to keep their mouths shut is to decorate the food a little."

"It can't be helped. You can't live on the same thing every day... But from the way you talk, it sounds like you cook for them regularly?"

"I have nothing else to do, so it's a way to pass the time. Besides, I'm used to handling meat."

She could make food taste like this without tasting it herself. It was like a blind painter or a deaf musician. Even though I was already somewhat full, I couldn't stop eating.

Tyr watched me wolfing down food, then called quietly to Cabilah.

"Cabilah."

"Y-Yes, big sister!"

‘Big sister called for me! What is it? Did I do something wrong? No, I couldn't have. She probably just called me.’

"...Teach me to cook later as well."

When Tyr lowered her voice and whispered, Cabilah cried out with overwhelming emotion.

"Leave it to me! I'll teach big sister everything about cooking! From preparing ingredients to knife work, exactly how to do it and how much to do, every last detail!"

"Shh. You're too loud."

It didn't take Hilde or me long to empty our plates. Full and content, I patted my stomach and said,

"Another loss for the military state. I guess a country without proper foundations can never win."

"You're starting another fight. The military state is strict about luxuries, that's all. We can make food like this in the military state too!"

"Having food like this but being unable to eat it is what makes life difficult. In the end, you have to get by on beans. Ah, can I really go back to the military state after this?"

When I was bored, I had to create some conflict. I lightly put down the military state through food, and Hilde, whose pride had been pricked, filled the silence herself.

"It's because the military state has a large population! Chimera beans were the only way to feed people in a military state on the verge of collapse! Do you know why we went all the way to the Tree of Corruption to steal beans?!"

"I wasn't criticizing anything. I was only comparing them."

"Raising livestock is a luxury in itself! According to the military state's research, if you get rid of one cow and plant chimera beans on its pasture, you can feed twenty people. In other words, keeping one cow means killing twenty humans! It's not as if we can't raise them!"

As I watched Hilde bounce around in outrage, I recalled what I knew about the Fog Duchy.

Most of the Fog Duchy was grassland. The damp land wedged between the sea and mountains received little sunlight, so only short grasses grew thickly across it. The hills stretching from mountain ridges down to the coast were well suited to raising cattle and sheep. Even after vampires came to this land, that vegetation had not changed.

Flocks of sheep ran energetically over the broad plains, and the shepherds following them were healthy.

...Then vampires drank the blood of those healthy humans.

The Fog Duchy's vampires were shepherds who treated those humans as livestock.

"Progenitor."

Valdamir knocked. The fact that the man who had driven the carriage so quietly I had barely noticed him was approaching meant that even this short journey had ended.

"We have arrived at the Castle of the Full Moon."

"You have done well."

I opened the window and looked outside. Dark fog blanketed the land. Even through the mist, where it became difficult to make anything out a few hundred meters away, a darkness more conspicuous than the rest loomed over me like a giant.

The capital of the Fog Duchy. An ancient dark castle that did not appear on maps.

The Castle of the Full Moon.

Caw, caw. Black-tailed gulls circled overhead, crying out. The low murmur of countless people gathered in the city spread beneath it. Each voice was faint on its own, but together, they were enough to make the fog tremble.

All of them awaited the Progenitor's return, carrying both reverence and unease in their hearts, just like the people at the Twilight Fortress.

Once again, I understood Tyr's place in the Fog Duchy. The origin of every vampire. A vampire god whom even the great Elders, vampires who drank human blood, obeyed and sought to please.

Yet I had made Tyr's heart beat again. If I completely restored her senses as well, then I would have that god...

Ah, no complicated thoughts. As I prepared to get down, I said,

"Is this Tyr's castle? It's a huge city. I won't have time to get bored while I'm staying here."

"Stay as comfortably as you wish. This will take some time anyway, so think of it as a chance to rest."

"What? Weren't we supposed to investigate Mr. Luscinia's death?"

"I will gather those who know anything and hold a trial. Still, there will likely be no significant clues until the most likely suspect arrives."

That made sense. If Elder Luscinia had died, the Healer Sage who inherited Luscinia's true blood would be the prime suspect.

Tch, I should have read more deeply when we met. Her unusual bloodcraft fascinated me, so I couldn't read her mind properly.

All I knew about this case was that the Healer Sage had not murdered Luscinia.

"...And Valdamir will have conducted the detailed investigation already. Let us receive his report and think it through together. Even for you, uncovering the truth in unfamiliar vampire territory will be difficult."

Tyr spoke as though she naturally expected Valdamir to have prepared everything. And naturally, Crimson Duke Valdamir had prepared things for the Progenitor.

"I will bring it at once."

"Good. I will be with Hyu, so send it there."

Tyr was the vampires' god, but gods existed only in temples and in people's hearts. The things that moved a country, though, exerted their influence everywhere beyond the temple walls.

It seemed that only a handful of Elders actually governed the country, and Valdamir's share among them was very, very large.

God and king.

The uneasy feeling rising in me was probably not just my imagination.

"Come. Take my hand and follow me, Hyu. If you are to become the King of the military state, it would be best to make your face known in advance."

"What if I don't become the King of the military state?"

"Then you should remain with me all the more. You are my..."

‘...Calling him my concubine is somehow embarrassing. I should change my wording. In the first place, I have no intention of taking Hyu's blood, so he is not my concubine.’

"...Honored guest. The others will treat you properly if they know that."

I hoped it ended at proper treatment.

Normally, I would have refused to let people see my face, but this time, I accepted Tyr's wishes. I got down from the carriage first, set one foot on the step, and held out my hand to Tyr.

Tyr took it, but looked puzzled.

"You're observing etiquette? What has gotten into you?"

"I always say this, but I can do it, I just don't. Still, there are times and places when you should show proper manners, aren't there? Especially somewhere Tyr's dignity needs to stand tall."

It was best to hide your cards if you could. But if circumstances forced you to lay them on the table, you should reveal them as splendidly as possible.

Wouldn't it be better if fewer people knew? Not at all. The people who took an interest in my cards and watched me carefully would be the ones who most wanted to squeeze everything out of me.

I escorted Tyr from the carriage. With one hand lightly resting on her shoulder, I slowly led her forward. It was intimate contact, but Tyr accepted my escort willingly despite blushing a little.

When Tyr appeared like that, what had happened at the Twilight Fortress repeated itself.

Only this time, the reaction was far greater. Vampires and humans alike cried out in shock.

"The Progenitor has... a concubine?!"

It wasn't exactly wrong. Still, did they really have to use the word concubine? I wished they would call me something else.

Footnotes:

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