Chapter 293: The Truth Is, I...
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 293: The Truth Is, I...
The more of an ace you have, the deeper you should hide it in your hand. This is especially true if that card is rare but not very practical. Spilled water can't be gathered up, and exposed information can't be hidden again. The best course of action is to hide it as securely as possible and wait for the most critical moment.
Still, unless you plan on clutching it tight and taking it to the grave, you have to use it eventually.
So, what shall I confess?
The truth is, I am the King of Humans.
Of course, that doesn't mean I'm some great being. This fact has never helped me once in my entire life.
A Beast King is supposed to rule over its kind, born with a power mighty enough to represent its entire species. That is the way of the world, the natural order.
But I have no such power.
I don't even have a way to prove I'm the king.
No crown, no royal robes, no throne. I was given none of it.
A naked emperor, stranded in a foreign land—that's me. Well, I'm not actually naked, but you get the point.
"The King of Humans...?"
Historia was half-convinced, half-skeptical. And to say she was half-convinced would be generous. If Maximilien hadn't said it with such a serious tone, she would have dismissed it as utter nonsense.
I decided to step in to clear her doubts.
"That's right. I'm the King of Humans. So from now on, you will address me as 'Your Majesty,' you will cater to my every whim, and you will pay 50% of your earnings as tax."
"Be quiet, you're being loud."
"Yes, ma'am."
See? Whether I'm the King of Humans or whatever, if no one acknowledges it, it's completely useless.
While I obediently shut my mouth, my impudent subject continued her questioning.
"...I was told the King of Humans doesn't exist. That humans are the lords of all creation. That they are dignified beings who rule the earth, capable of choosing their own king."
"Do you truly believe that? That humans are dignified beings?"
A mechanical sneer formed on Maximilien's face.
"If even a great person such as yourself is fooled by such words, what of the ignorant masses? No matter how much you wish to deny it, the truth is clear. Humans are fundamentally beasts, and the only thing that makes them superior to other animals is that they are slightly stronger. Foolish humans believe themselves to be special, but hope is always a far cry from the truth."
"But..."
"But! Humans used an extraordinary method to become special! By killing their own king with their own hands! They became 'special' beings who accomplished something not even beasts would do! Though for the life of me, I have no idea how they managed to kill him!"
For the record, I don't know either. It happened before I was born.
Even a king doesn't know what happened before his own lifetime.
"How can you prove that Huey is the King of Humans?"
Right. If you're going to announce it to the world, you should at least have some clear evidence. Why operate so shadily in the dark? You might as well use whatever power you have to enthrone me as king.
In response to Historia's question, Maximilien's voice grew more and more animated.
"I cannot!"
"But you seem certain, Director."
"Certain? Not at all! No one can be certain! Thanks to killing their king with their own hands, humans now have countless kings! In a world where even a beggar becomes a king if you put a crown on his head, how is one supposed to identify the true King of Humans?!"
Unlike a moment ago when he was sizing me up, he was now proudly blustering at Historia. He must be the type who gets a kick out of showing off what he knows.
Not a very suitable personality for running a secret organization.
"Nevertheless, the King of Humans is the king, the Herald of All Humans! If the King of Humans exists, he must surely be able to understand any human. No matter how twisted or warped, if they are human, he must!"
Twisted and warped humans. Hearing those words, Historia was momentarily reminded of a certain person.
'Lankart. That bastard who looked at everyone else like they were insects was only ever friendly to Huey. And that's not all. The Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka always paid special attention to Huey, too. For what little he showed, everyone was unusually favorable to him.'
Hey, now. Maybe you should think of yourself first. What makes you think you're so normal?
While I was retorting in my head, Maximilien began spouting things he hadn't even been asked.
"The King of Humans would understand. That certain parts of a human can be replaced with gears without issue! Arms and legs, joints and muscles are nothing more than machines built of organic matter, and gears can sufficiently replace them! Humans can become better with gears...!"
Historia recalled her fight with Maximilien.
Just a short while ago, Maximilien had appeared driving the Steel Beetle. His entrance was so loud that Historia had spotted him long before he arrived.
Her body was in no condition to fight after her battle with the angel. She was so drained she wasn't sure if she could even fire a Qi-infused bullet, let alone use the Consensus of Gun and Sword. At a disadvantage in many ways, Historia had tried to wage a guerrilla war from a distance.
But Maximilien didn't play along. He remained inside the beetle, steadily approaching the communications headquarters. Historia's bullets were powerful, but not enough to penetrate the Steel Beetle, a machine of interlocking Level 5 alchemic steel. Unable to let him get closer, Historia had no choice but to engage in close combat.
She had faced the Steel Beetle alone, tearing at its gears with her bare hands to create a desperate opening. Even as the saw blades tore at her body, she attacked the exposed Maximilien.
At that moment, Maximilien's limbs had moved in a bizarre fashion. It was as if... they were cogs turning on a gear...
"Like your arms and legs, Director."
There was no hidden intent in her words. She was simply stating a fact she had observed during their battle.
But the most uncomfortable thing in the world is, more often than not, the truth.
The smile vanished from Maximilien's face. Click. The sound of a gear shifting echoed in his head.
"...I've spoken too long. Major General Historia, as one who is qualified, I trust you understand. That I have no intention of harming the King of Humans."
However, Maximilien's mechanical demeanor was ill-suited for expressing emotion. Historia, failing to notice his displeasure, added one more comment.
"What do you intend to do with Huey, Director? You must have some other motive... Aaargh...!"
A glass only overflows because of the very last drop.
His mood soured, Maximilien flicked a finger. The gears moved with a heavy groan, pulling at Historia's limbs.
There are bows that use the power of a winch to draw the bowstring. Historia's body moved just like that bowstring. With every twist of the gears on her limbs, her back arched further. A tearing scream escaped her lips.
Maximilien's expression remained unchanged as he twisted a human's limbs.
"Know your place, Major General Historia. The power over your life and death is mine. And here you are, interrogating the one who holds your life in his hands? How foolish can you be?"
"Aargh! Guh...!"
"You have the qualifications to be my ally, but if you continue to disappoint me, I will reconsider my judgment. An ally who doesn't know their place is more dangerous than an enemy."
This was blatant torture. Unable to watch any longer, I went over and pulled on the gears with all my might, but of course, it had no effect. Once again, I had to wonder what kind of king this was.
Maximilien didn't release his hold, even as he watched me struggle.
"Explaining the situation to a subdued opponent was a pure act of goodwill on my part. But you, Major General, have betrayed that goodwill. You understand, don't you?"
"Oh, yes. Of course. I understand perfectly. Our Historia was being too presumptuous, wasn't she?"
There had been enough time. There were plenty of clues.
The Steel Beetle. An intricate machine of hundreds of thousands of gears, all organically connected.
Its power source? None. It could only be moved by Maximilien's power, which turned the gears, and it only displayed its maximum strength under his control. To anyone else, it was a pile of scrap metal, but to Maximilien, it was a weapon that could never be taken from him.
And within it, this prison made of gears, crushing her arms and legs with a combination of his power and amplified mechanical force.
Unlike the Sky Silk the Regressor had used to bind her, the gears were applying continuous force. She couldn't escape by altering her body with Qi. The moment she did, they would just tighten further.
"...But escape magic is always most dramatic when it seems impossible."
As I spoke, I grabbed the gears on Historia's legs with both hands. Maximilien's eyes narrowed.
'Is he trying to release the gears? Foolish. If you knew the structure of the Steel Beetle, you would know it is a futile attempt. Do you not understand?'
I did understand. According to what I'd read, to release these gears with human strength, one would have to start from the Steel Beetle's tail and dismantle it piece by piece. In other words, it was impossible.
Maximilien, who knew this better than anyone, spoke, hiding a faint sense of disappointment.
"Do not disappoint me as well. The Steel Beetle cannot be moved by force."
"I told you, I understand."
If it were only a matter of strength, it would be absolutely impossible. Only Maximilien could move the Steel Beetle.
"Are you protesting, telling me to stop? If so, that is even more disappointing. If you believe I will change my mind because you throw a tantrum..."
Creeak.
Hearing a sound that should never have been made, Maximilien fell silent. Unable to comprehend the situation, he belatedly looked to see what was happening.
The gears were turning. In reverse.
It wasn't done by physical strength. I didn't have that kind of power. No, not even Tyr could defy the force exerted by this Steel Beetle with pure strength alone. This mechanical contraption, which a mad genius had spent years creating, amplified the force of a finger twitch by thousands, tens of thousands of times.
There was only one way to move it. With Maximilien's power, the 'Li' of the Sky Silk...
...or rather, with my Unique Magic that masquerades as it. That was the only way to turn these gears.
"...!"
Maximilien was aghast. The shock was so great that even his mechanical thought process couldn't keep up.
The gears, which should have been completely under his control, moving only according to his will. The Steel Beetle, which had been his weapon and his alone, was slipping from his grasp.
'Could it be...! The King of Humans can even... copy a Unique Magic...?!'
It took him only a few seconds to regain his senses. That was more than enough time.
Historia's body shot out as if flung. As the force of the gears vanished, her right leg and right arm came free easily. The rest was simple. Before I could even touch the gears on the other side, Historia had brutally wrenched herself free.
Instantly liberated, Historia staggered and landed on her feet. I waited for her to land, then spread my arms and shrugged.
"Ta-da! Did you enjoy the show? That was my escape magic! A round of applause, everyone!"
As I proudly exclaimed, Maximilien's eyes widened and he raised both hands. Historia tensed, thinking it was the prelude to an attack, but it wasn't.
Maximilien held one hand still and began to clap with just his right. It was an applause so enthusiastic it made Historia, who had taken a defensive stance, feel foolish.
It had been a while since I'd had such a responsive audience.