WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

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Chapter 440: Heaven-Defying Trial - 8

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The Progenitor, Tyrkanzyaka, possessed tremendous power, but she had originally been a girl who died before even reaching the end of her natural lifespan. She simply knew a little more than most about the human body, and coincidence and obsession had combined to make her the Progenitor.

That was why Tyrkanzyaka herself was unsuited to battle. She had no experience from her days alive, and her body had not even fully matured. The Progenitor needed soldiers to fight in her place, so she resurrected warriors through bloodcraft.

After accumulating years of experience, Tyrkanzyaka had grown somewhat accustomed to combat herself, but...

She still lacked the know-how to fully use her overflowing power.

The Elders, on the other hand, had each dominated an era. They were powerful figures remembered by history. Tyrkanzyaka was no easy opponent either, but with her power gone, facing all these Elders at once was...

Practically impossible. The moment Tyrkanzyaka realized her own helplessness, she trembled with rage.

"You... dare..."

"That's right. They're terrible people. We need to make sure they remember who originally owned their lives."

Fortunately, not every Elder opposed the Progenitor. Cabilah, who alone stood on the Progenitor's side, embraced Tyrkanzyaka and whispered.

"Just for a moment, only a little while, return to how you used to be. Calm your excited heart and become the cold Queen of Blood again, then punish them. Whether you forgive them or kill them and take their true blood will be Sister's choice."

The Progenitor's authority had fallen to the ground, but that authority had come from the Progenitor's power in the first place. If the Progenitor recovered her strength, her lost authority and the Elders who had left her would return as well.

...Though their faith that the Progenitor would never change would not return.

"You'll be the one making the choice. Just as you always have."

Tyrkanzyaka's eyes trembled faintly. That was right. This looked like a crisis, but Tyrkanzyaka had a very simple, easy way to overcome it. She only needed to cut open her body and temporarily remove the Heart 1 card connected to her heart.

Then, with her pulse gone and her senses dead, Tyrkanzyaka would once again become the ruler of blood and bring every vampire under her control.

"...B-but."

"What are you afraid of? Sister, we're vampires. Wounds heal quickly. Even if your heart breaks once, it'll return perfectly fine."

Perhaps it would. But that "perfectly fine" would not include Tyrkanzyaka's emotions and senses, nor the precious traces old Tyr had left behind. Tyrkanzyaka spoke.

"Wait. Give me time to think about this."

"Sister, there isn't time to think. We must decide before he comes."

"They?"

"Du Lahan. The Hero Knight. Your trusted retainer who was once your nemesis."

When Cabilah spoke the name of Du Lahan, the Black Knight, Tyrkanzyaka finally dredged up old memories. The era known as the end of knights.

Countless knights who cried out for honor had come to subjugate Tyrkanzyaka. Most died without overcoming the army of black knights. Even exceptional knights who defeated the black knights ended up as food for the Elders.

Yet there was one exception: Du Lahan, the Hero Knight, who defeated even Elders and finally reached Tyrkanzyaka.

Cabilah reminded her of that time.

"Do you remember the day you made Du Lahan an Elder? In place of every knight who died and became a black knight, they challenged Sister, staking the knights' souls on it. They were defeated in the end, but demanded that Sister turn them into an Elder. They said that even if they had to become a vampire, they would defeat Sister. Of course, they couldn't resist Sister's authority and became a faithful servant."

Cabilah gave a small laugh at the knight who had dared to withstand the Progenitor's authority, then her expression hardened as she warned Tyrkanzyaka.

"If they're free of the shackles, they'll certainly try to kill Sister, so she can't even regenerate."

Du Lahan had been the strongest before becoming an Elder. Even after becoming one, the headless knight had never fought at full strength. Carrying their own head in one hand, they would swing it around as a shield or hammer. People joked that Du Lahan would be stronger than anyone if they used both hands.

Naturally, excluding the Progenitor.

But... being a headless knight was something like the lingering obsession of a Hero Knight who had not wanted to give their all for the Progenitor of vampires.

"Those three only resent Sister. Right now, they're no different from children throwing a tantrum and demanding that Sister return. Once Sister's strength comes back, they'll become meek lambs and wait for their punishment. They're cowards not even worth killing in the first place."

If they had truly wanted to attack, they would have acted far more aggressively. Meurie, Rahu Khan, and Bakuta had only come to question and challenge her, not attack. If the Progenitor chose to return, they were ready to be the first to kneel before her.

Still, there were certainly those who were different. There were people who would disregard her, like Dogo, and people who dreamed of ambition, like Erjebeut. Sister Yegcheriya had temporarily left the Duchy, but no one knew what Yegcheriya might do upon returning.

And Du Lahan would certainly attack the Progenitor without forgetting the oath made just before death.

Because even after dying, Du Lahan had remained an honorable knight.

Only now did Tyrkanzyaka truly realize it.

Nothing in the world was guaranteed. She had been revered as the Progenitor not because she had given power, but because she possessed it, regardless of the past. Now that power was gone, Tyrkanzyaka and the Progenitor were no longer the same.

The betrayal of a faithful retainer. Tyrkanzyaka asked again, her voice shaking with rage and bewilderment.

"...What about Valdamir?"

Then came the answer she had expected.

"Sister. Do you really think he didn't know? As you know, Valdamir practically ruled this country. By handling all the tedious work for hundreds of years, he gained the greatest power and intelligence network. He probably realized those three had awakened before Sister did."

In other words, Valdamir knew about this and still turned a blind eye. Tyrkanzyaka trembled at the betrayal of the retainer she had trusted.

Enemies were everywhere. No, Lir and Cabilah remained. But would that be enough? Cabilah was trying to stop Tyr's heart right now.

There was no other way. To resolve this helplessness, bewilderment, and rage, she had to stop her heart again. She had to execute every vampire who dared defy the Progenitor's will, return as the Shadow Queen, and restore order.

Cabilah pressed her to choose. Though Tyrkanzyaka was not sure whether being pressured could be called a choice.

"...I..."

* * *

Hilde had been speaking to me firmly with cold eyes when she suddenly realized something. Tilting her head, she considered whether rebellion against the Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka could truly be possible.

You lacked faith. Did you think I had no plan at all? I only looked for an easier path in the middle of all that. I always leave myself a way out.

Hilde set aside her accusing gaze, relaxed her expression, and suddenly leaped into my arms.

"Father, I love you!"

A few passersby heard her and smiled warmly. Did they think we were a close father and daughter? I didn't look old enough for that... Maybe people here had trouble judging age because vampires were around. I peeled Hilde off as she rubbed her face all over mine.

"You were criticizing me for not working just a moment ago. Have you finally understood this father's grand intentions?"

"Yes! Lowly little me failed to recognize Father's grand intentions! I'm sorry!"

"Just words?"

"I'll apologize with my body too! Shall we get a room? Or right here?"

The people who had been watching us fondly flinched and hurried away. A few still watched with curious expressions, but I wasn't about to show them what they wanted to see.

"That's right. Tyr's power has changed, not disappeared. Given the right trigger, it can return to normal. This may look like a crisis, but... is something you can escape with a flick of your hand really a crisis? A crisis is when you have no way to deal with it."

"So that's why Father didn't tell anyone? You even pushed the other Elders along! While spending that long night together!"

"I didn't particularly plan it. It just happened that way. Shouldn't the Elders have a chance to pursue their own wishes? I don't know what result that will bring."

"As expected of Father...! I knew I could trust you!"

What a lie. She had nearly reached the point of despising me.

"If the Elders provoke Tyrkanzyaka, or persuade her, and Tyrkanzyaka's power returns to normal, then Tyrkanzyaka will once again hold absolute power over the Fog Duchy. Order in the Duchy will be restored! And Father will become the absolute ruler's favorite concubine!"

"...Haha. That's right."

That wasn't what I had been aiming for, though.

Would Tyr cast aside the wish she had so desperately wanted once again? Would the Elders stop wishing and choose to live within eternal order?

I did not deny order. You couldn't sleep beneath a house that might collapse. You needed faith that the house would not fall, faith that order would continue. Today needed to be like yesterday for you to live in peace. I acknowledged that.

But if maintaining that faith required someone's death, if a house collapsed and crushed someone to death, yet people ignored the one who died last night and brought more people beneath an even larger house to sleep, then what was that house and order for? Could that really be for humanity, no, for order?

You could believe it was necessary. Even if the dead were pitiful, you could argue that a greater order was needed so more people could live. But I was the King of Humanity. I could not read order or hearts. If something became humanity's enemy, I could destroy it whenever I wanted.

...But those who wanted order were human too. As someone who read humanity's wishes, rather than destroying them, I created an opportunity for them to shape order as they wished.

"Getting out of the castle was the right choice for now. It would be best to stay outside until this is over."

"Yes~. Father, rest comfortably. I'll find us a place! But..."

Hilde glanced at the streets outside.

She had wandered through the Castle of the Full Moon and the surrounding city, learning the lay of the land. She had moved through the most secluded alleys possible. Yet for some reason, the streets were overflowing with people, and humans pushed out by the crowds were streaming in.

At this rate, there probably wouldn't even be room in a restaurant. Hilde held a hand to her mouth with an odd expression and thought for a moment.

"A huge number of humans who had been staying along the coast waiting for the night ebb have returned to the castle. There wasn't time to investigate that, but there was barely any movement even last night, so they seem to have moved in a hurry."

Hilde was right. People who had come for the night ebb crowded every street. There was nothing wrong with being told to stay in the castle for a while, so everyone obeyed, but with so many people gathered, the streets had become noisy and chaotic.

"It must have been an Elder's order. Probably Crimson Duke Valdamir's... Why summon so many people so suddenly? Father, do you have any idea?"

"I don't know either. But it does seem strange at this timing."

"Hmm~. I didn't think he would join the rebellion. For the Duchy's sake, I hope he remains in place~."

She had completely relaxed now. Well, I was curious too.

The Duke of Crimson Blood knew how to escape the shackles. He could truly choose. I wondered what choice he would make.

Of course, what I wanted to know most was Tyr's choice.

Footnotes:

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