WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 61: A Wholesome Life

──────

The classroom had already been fairly quiet, but after what I said, silence fell as though sound itself had been murdered. The regressor stared at me with her mouth hanging open, while Azzy continued looking down at Puppet Man with gloomy eyes.

All the while, I remained on one knee in a reverent pose.

It was a childish old line that belonged in a museum, but it worked well on an ancient being older than most national treasures. In the case of the twelve-century-old vampire girl, she knew it was an act and was still deeply pleased.

'He knows how to say things that flatter people. I know he's joking, but let's hear a little more.'

"...I permit it."

"Thank you, my lady."

Without a moment's hesitation, I kissed the back of her outstretched hand. Swept up in the mood, the vampire did not find even that unpleasant.

I lowered an empty chair across from her, then bowed once more to seek her permission. Only after she nodded did I sit across from her, half a beat later.

'Hmm. He knows proper etiquette.'

Her immersion was incredible. Like someone weeping at a musical or play, she overflowed with emotion despite clearly knowing it was all an act.

How could someone be so sensitive and still claim she was fine? I could not even imagine what she would be like if her heart were actually beating.

Anyway, I continued the act.

"Forgive me, but may I ask which family you come from?"

"None."

The vampire's answer was brief. Her thoughts, however, were not.

'When I traveled the world in my youth, many people approached me because they were captivated by my appearance. When I answered this way to those who assumed I was a noble, they reacted in one of three ways. They changed their attitude and looked down on me, treated me as though I were a servant, or pretended they were special and said it did not matter, full of hypocrisy.'

The vampire tapped the desk with a finger, as though urging me to respond. She was clearly testing me.

'Let's see. Even if this whole situation is an act, how will you answer?'

I had misjudged her.

The sensibilities of a twelve-century-old girl were far beyond my expectations. Why was she only now remembering that this was all an act? Was she not getting a little too immersed in her role?

Well, there was nothing wrong with focusing on the role. I would play along.

"So you were someone sent down from heaven after all."

"Hm?"

"Are you truly a fairy? Otherwise, beauty that seems to have come from beyond this world could not appear so suddenly, without context or rumor. I am fortunate. I have become the first to discover the beautiful fairy heaven bestowed upon earth."

'...Not bad...'

It was such outrageous praise that it would embarrass anyone listening.

But my opponent was a vampire who had brought the sensibilities of the past with her. Even lines this cringeworthy had once been exchanged as ordinary words.

"I regret disappointing you, but that is not what I meant. I meant that I have no family worth naming. My father belonged to a cadet branch of an obscure family. He left as though he had been driven out and made a life for himself elsewhere. In other words, I have no family to speak of."

"Ah. You are human, not a fairy. Part of me is relieved, but another part despairs. A woman as beautiful as you must already have a knight by her side, brave as a lion and noble as a duke. With eyes blazing, he would watch for any jackal that might seek such treasure. A man like me, with nothing but the clothes on his back, surely has no chance at all...."

I placed a hand over my chest and lamented sorrowfully. The vampire gave a small laugh.

"You draw your own conclusions because I said nothing. Did I not say I have no family worth naming?"

She had no family worth naming. She had never become close enough with anyone to share names.

In the old manner of speaking, it meant she was not seeing anyone.

And throughout all times and places, the words, "I am not seeing anyone," carried a passive yes.

"It is clear that everyone in the world is blind! To leave someone like you alone! No, perhaps every man besides me made a pact. To leave the most beautiful flower atop the highest cliff untouched, and only watch from afar?"

"Hehe. What nonsense."

After laughing happily, the vampire replied with a self-mocking smile.

"Perhaps they noticed the other flaws I have."

"That is what it means to be blind. Beauty is not a sin, and dignity knows no distinction. People prattle on about how one cannot know another's true nature when seated face to face, but those people are the worldly sort who care only for money, power, or bloodlines they cannot even see."

As I said that, I reached out and took her hand. The vampire no longer avoided it. If anything, her hand tightened slightly around mine.

"I trust my eyes that behold you, my ears that hear your voice, and this hand that touches yours now."

"...Even knowing what I am."

"Whatever you are, I am not afraid."

After answering shortly and firmly, I let my gaze drift toward a corner and added,

"What I fear is that, weak and inadequate as I am, I may not satisfy you, that I may not be able to fill your heart completely. That is all."

"Arrogant, are you? Do you think someone strong and capable could fill it easily? Do you take my heart for a merchant's scale?"

The vampire, who had been quietly listening, suddenly raised her voice. When I pretended to flinch, she scolded me with a deliberately angry expression.

"A heart can only be filled with time. It has nothing to do with what one is like or how little money one has."

"Then will you allow me to remain by your side, so I may fill you with my time?"

"Go on, then. Try."

I stood. As I walked around the desk toward the vampire, she held her head high and stared straight ahead.

I sat to her left as though it had been my place from the beginning, then took her left hand with mine. Since I held it with my farther hand, our bodies naturally drew close. I stretched out my right arm and wrapped it around her small shoulder, which fit easily in one hand.

If I pulled her in now, our bodies would touch. Even so, the vampire did not resist.

Hmm. Pulling her in would be entertaining, but that would stray a little from what I had planned.

Regressor, are you just going to watch?

"S-Stop! How far are you going to take this?!"

Perfect timing, regressor.

The regressor slammed a desk with a bright red face. The flow broke, and I stood with a snicker, raising both hands.

The act was over. The sweet air that had briefly melted between us turned cold in an instant. Changing my attitude as easily as turning over my hand, I smiled and approached the vampire.

"Trainee Tyrkanzyaka."

The vampire answered half a beat late.

"U-Um?"

"Honestly, you got a little swept up in the mood, didn't you?"

For a brief moment, the vampire was thoroughly confused by my question. My attitude had changed too abruptly.

But the heart followed the body. Her turmoil lasted only a moment. Since her heart did not beat, she quickly feigned composure, and her still blood cooled her body in an instant.

In a relaxed tone little different from usual, the vampire said,

"W-What are you talking about? It was amusing entertainment, so I simply played along."

"Entertainment?"

"Yes. Entertainment."

Entertainment, my ass. A vampire with ideas about chastity from twelve centuries ago was acting like this? She should say something believable.

"You are saying it was just a moment's entertainment?"

"Of course. Since I was told it was all an act, did I not join in with a light heart?"

The vampire nodded to herself as though trying to convince herself. She sat upright, pretending to be composed.

With a mischievous smile, I swaggered closer.

"Oh? Is that so? So Trainee Tyrkanzyaka is the sort of person who willingly lets an unfamiliar man hold her for a bit of entertainment? I had not realized you were so easy."

"What are you saying? I would never..."

If she said she would never, it would be a contradiction. Her behavior from moments ago would no longer make sense.

I always felt this, but the person who drove someone into a pit was always that person themself. Why say things they could not handle?

"I-I told you. I knew it was an act, so, ahem, I joined in with a light heart."

She hurriedly made excuses, but they no longer had any effect. I crossed my arms and muttered,

"People change so quickly once you lower one psychological hurdle. Is this really all right? You were the one who scolded me for merely holding Azzy's paw."

"Woof?"

Azzy reacted when she heard her name. Perfect. I could show the vampire what she and I had just done.

"Azzy, paw."

"Woof."

Azzy immediately held out her paw, and I took it. As I stroked the soft paw with its claws tucked away, I watched the vampire's reaction.

Just as expected, she was looking at me as though it were indecent. Even though she had been sitting right beside me moments ago.

"Did you see that? Trainee Tyrkanzyaka was like this just now."

"T-That cannot be! It is slander!"

"Trainee Shei. What did you see? Please be fair."

The vampire and the regressor met eyes. The regressor slightly avoided her gaze, then nodded shyly. That attitude from the regressor was stronger evidence than anything.

Cornered at last, the vampire covered her face with her parasol and cried out,

"Fine! I let my guard down for a moment! I admit that! But!"

Whoosh. The tip of the parasol pointed at me. Beyond it, the vampire shouted resentfully.

"So what if I did! You have already seen inside my chest!"

At that moment, the regressor slipped where she stood. Having fallen in the most undignified way possible, she flailed and looked this way.

'What? Seen what? Inside her chest? What exactly did those two do?'

Oh dear. She seemed to be seriously misunderstanding something.

Still, the vampire, already backed into a corner, kept talking without caring whether the regressor heard.

"Your fingers have touched me countless times, and just this morning, you served me! What else am I supposed to guard against, and how?!"

'This morning?! What does that mean? What did you do together first thing in the morning?!'

Good grief, it was loud. One was speaking while the other was thinking, and I could barely keep my head straight.

"I feel a little awkward saying this, but Trainee Tyrkanzyaka tends to give her heart away too easily. I think it is because you are immortal and a little strong, but these days, living that way is just asking to be taken advantage of. Try getting into the habit of being a little suspicious."

"By your logic, I should never have revealed my heart to you from the start!"

"Oh, correct."

I could not believe she realized it so easily. It was deeply moving.

"How can you show me everything when you do not even know what kind of person I am? If I had bad intentions, even Trainee Tyrkanzyaka would suffer terribly. Opening your heart to someone, or opening your chest like that, is just that dangerous."

"But you did not."

The vampire slightly lifted her parasol. Beneath the black parasol, her glowing red eyes looked at me reproachfully.

"Though you had countless opportunities, you never poured ill intent into me. Yet you tell me to be suspicious?"

"That does not mean I will not someday."

"...Hmph. Fine."

The vampire abruptly stood. For once, she used her own feet and strode straight to the classroom door.

"As you say. From now on, I will live doubting everything."

With that, she left the classroom. Darkness surged behind her and slammed the door shut.

Once the vampire was gone, the regressor, whose mouth had been hanging open, stiffly turned her head and began pointing at me.

"You, you, you, you."

"There. You believe me now, right? I planted enough doubt that no matter what Finlay says, she will take it with a grain of salt..."

"No! That is not it! What exactly have you been doing to Tyrkanzyaka?!"

Huh?

I had planted doubt so she would keep some distance from Finlay, just like the regressor wanted. What was she so upset about?

She only acted cool with her words. She was getting just as deeply immersed as the vampire.

I sighed and answered.

"As of today, I am your new stepfather. Go on, call me Father."

Footnotes:

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried