Chapter 319: The Secret of My Birth
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 319: The Secret of My Birth
‘Of course. Someone with such extraordinary abilities wouldn't suddenly call Hu "Father" for no reason. He must be the child of the former King of Humans.’
This misunderstanding is spiraling in a completely unexpected direction!
Until now, it was funny watching her dig her own grave, so I was content to just read her mind and observe, but I can't let this go on. It's reaching a point where I won't be able to clear up the misunderstanding. I need to fix this before it gets any more tangled...
‘That strange ability to change into the form of another human. There are differences, but isn't that power similar to Hu's? When Hu returned my heart, yes, at that moment... Hu became me. His appearance didn't change like this child's, but I felt it clearly.’
Reading Tyr's thoughts, I paused, struck by a sudden inspiration.
...Hmm. Wait a second.
I can read human thoughts, but I can't predict their actions. Human thoughts collide and rebel against each other, creating completely unexpected and bizarre possibilities.
That's why I can never be a prophet. I can only watch from an observer's standpoint as they create these possibilities.
The possibility Tyr has found is worth observing.
Alright. I'll let her misunderstand for now.
"Alright, alright. Let's stop this pointless debate about age. What does it matter if you're young or old? After all, Shei-ssi here, who's still wet behind the ears, goes around speaking informally to everyone with no respect for seniority or manners."
"What did you say, you bastard?"
"See? Honestly, being called 'Father' is better than being called 'bastard' this and 'bastard' that. At least there's some respect in it."
"That's right! I am calling him Father out of respect and reverence!"
The Regressor made a fed-up expression.
"Respect and reverence? How long have you even known him...? Whatever. If you two want to play like that, fine. It's none of my business."
"If you want to join in, just say the word, Shei-ssi. I wouldn't mind having two children."
"I'll even do you the special favor of calling you Big Brother Shei!"
"Shut up! Don't drag me into your stupid games!"
As we were teasing the Regressor, I heard Tyr's thoughts again.
‘If Shei is the son and Hilde is the daughter... heheh. Then there's only one spot left.’
Clearing her throat, Tyr interjected, chiding the Regressor.
"Shei. Don't be so standoffish. We'll be seeing each other for quite some time, so shouldn't we try to get along?"
"I'd rather not see your faces at all than get along like that!"
"...Is that so? What a shame."
"It's not a shame at all!"
Just then, the Cataphract screeched to a halt with a jolt. Azzy, who had been on the roof, yelped in surprise, "Woof!" Since we couldn't see outside very well from inside, I called toward the driver's seat.
"D.G.?"
There was no answer. The golem at the wheel—or rather, the structure that vaguely resembled a golem—simply continued to operate the vehicle without responding.
I patiently called for the signaller again.
"Signaller Captain D.G."
As I spoke and tapped on the console, I finally got a response. A staticky voice crackled through the rough speaker.
[Chkk, static... This is Military State Signaller D.G.... Did you call...]
"Why did we stop?"
[Checking. Static... Currently, this unit is stationary. We are waiting for the bridge to cross the Meta Conveyor Belt...]
"Ah. So that means we've finally left the Inner Circle."
The Land That Flows Like A River, the Meta Conveyor Belt, snaked its way around the entire Military State. Much like a river, moving with its current provided an enormous advantage, but going against it or crossing it was quite tricky. Vehicles, in particular, would be overturned nine times out of ten if they tried to cross it directly.
The special-purpose golem driving the Cataphract spoke in a dying voice.
[That is correct... We arrived two minutes ahead of schedule, so I regret to say we had no choice but to stop... Please wait just a moment...]
"Understood. Shall we take a look outside?"
As I tried to open the Cataphract's hatch, I felt a heavy weight on it. Azzy had settled down on top of the lid. I tapped on it a few times.
"Azzy! Move it!"
"Woof woof?"
The weight vanished. I threw the hatch open and stuck my head out to see.
The Meta Conveyor Belt stretched out before me, flowing against the backdrop of a vast landscape.
The sight of the earth undulating and flowing like a river was still a spectacle. Large containers drifted on the earthen current like flotsam. No matter how sturdy the Cataphract was, it didn't seem likely to survive a collision with one of those containers as they sped by. Of course, if we got on top of one, we wouldn't have to worry about crashing unless we ran into something.
As I sat on the edge of the opening, staring blankly at the scenery, a jet-black parasol suddenly rose up from the passage. I moved aside, and Tyr, holding the parasol, sat down next to me and watched the flowing river.
"Hmm. Indeed, this clumsy carriage looks like it would have a hard time crossing. Shall I carry it across?"
Carrying a Cataphract that weighed tons. I guess with that kind of absurd strength, you don't need strategies or devices.
But to put it another way, with the right strategies and devices, you don't need absurd strength. I pointed to the distance with my finger and said.
"I don't think that will be necessary. The bridge is arriving over there."
"The bridge is arriving...? Do you mean the bridge is moving?"
Seeing is believing. I watched the five containers approaching in a line from the far side of my vision, a steel plate laid across them. Tyr also watched where I was pointing with keen curiosity.
Until they drew near, the containers were just rectangular pieces of driftwood. But as they approached us, a change occurred.
Several golems popped out. Immediately after, the structure of the containers changed. Clank, clank. The sides of the containers opened and separated, transforming into an arched metal bridge. The ends of the containers left the Meta Conveyor Belt and anchored themselves to the stationary ground.
Rumble. Like an iron bird spreading its wings, the bridge was erected across the Meta Conveyor Belt in an instant.
A golem standing at the edge of the bridge snapped to a salute and reported.
[Meta Conveyor Belt duty, Captain F.Z. reporting! Bridge installation complete as of this time, sir!]
[Static... This is Military State Signaller Captain D.G. Bridge installation confirmed! Yeehaw! Moving out immediately! Everyone, hold on tight!]
Rumble. The Cataphract began to move again. The behemoth, weighing several dozen tons, moved nimbly onto the bridge. The bridge, with a durability that was hard to believe for something so hastily constructed, supported the Cataphract.
[Mission accomplished, sir! D.G., the rest is up to you!]
[Confirmed! Here we gooooo!]
Rumble. The Cataphract raced across the bridge at nearly top speed. With the flowing land below, it charged forward violently. The steel plates clattered and shook.
Tyr watched the instantly-materialized bridge with great curiosity.
"Hooo. How intricate. When you said bridge, I was imagining a pontoon bridge, but I never thought you could create one like this. Was this the work of those dolls?"
"That's right!"
Hilde, who had climbed up at some point, plopped down to my left and grumbled.
"This is some serious special treatment, you know? To have multiple signallers supporting a single person like this. It's a luxury even I've never received! If I'd known, I would have recruited a signaller myself!"
"But why go through the trouble of setting up a bridge? Wouldn't it be more convenient to have a sturdy one built in advance?"
"Hehe, try and guess!"
"Hoh."
Tyr seemed quite interested in this little game. She straightened her posture and took up Hilde's challenge.
"I see, there must be a problem with having a bridge in place beforehand. Did you not build one to prevent anyone from crossing as they please?"
"That's half-correct. Even if the Meta Conveyor Belt flows like a river, the ground is still ground. If a single person is determined to cross, it's not impossible!"
"Hmm. I suppose so. Ah, is it because something large might pass underneath and collide with the bridge?"
"That's also half-correct. But most of the containers are standardized, so they wouldn't hit the bridge. See? Containers are passing under the bridge right now."
"You're quite strict. If I have two half-correct answers, doesn't that make a whole correct answer?"
"This is a quiz. I can't accept it as the right answer unless you state the most important reason, not just the secondary benefits!"
"Hmmmm..."
Tyr's groan grew longer. Seeing as nothing close to an answer was coming to her mind, it seemed unlikely she would get it right anytime soon.
And unlike an ordinary person, Tyr was the type who could easily spend ten days pondering a single question. She might even try to find the answer without sleeping.
If that happened, I'd have to spend all day reading her deliberations. For the sake of my own mental health, that was a problem.
"Would you like a hint?"
Tyr responded to my offer with delight.
"Yes. I will gladly accept your kindness. Not because I cannot solve it, but because I cannot refuse your goodwill."
"The Meta Conveyor Belt is land that flows like a river. But everyone gets confused by the word 'land.' The Meta Conveyor Belt actually serves the same role as a river. Movement, transport..."
"Yes, I can see that. But the question is why there isn't a bridge."
"Tyr. Imagine this. If the Meta Conveyor Belt is a river, and it flows in a large circle around the Military State... what does that resemble?"
The deliberation was short. It was an answer Tyr was well acquainted with.
"...A moat?"
Tyr said the word with a hint of aversion.
"Correct. And what are moats for?"
"To prevent us from approaching a castle."
By 'us,' she must have meant vampires. I could fully understand why she chose that word.
Flowing water was one of the chronic weaknesses of vampires. A vampire could be cut by swords and shot by guns and be fine, but because the distinction between their inside and outside was blurred, they sometimes mistook a river's current for their own bloodstream. It was said to be a horrific sensation, as if their body were melting and scattering. For vampires with weaker control over their blood, it wasn't just a sensation.
That's why vampires instinctively avoided flowing water.
"Of course, it's not set up just for vampires. Moats are a problem for ordinary humans too."
"So, it's to prevent the enemy from getting inside?"
"Yes. Of course, the enemy could build a bridge too, but in that case, just as you mentioned earlier, we could send a flood of large containers to smash it to pieces!"
"So that's why you said it was half-correct!"
Tyr was genuinely impressed. She was thoroughly satisfied with the quiz that had relieved her boredom, but Hilde, the one who had posed the question, was displeased.
"Hey, that's not fair! I'm the one who asked the quiz, how could you give her all the answers, Father! You cheated!"
"That's why the one who acts smart first is the winner. You should have just given her the answer instead of trying to have fun."
"A life lesson... I'll take it to heart."
While Hilde muttered sullenly, something occurred to Tyr, and she asked.
"The moat was built to stop us vampires."
"I don't think that's necessarily the case. Isn't that a bit of a persecution complex?"
"In any case, a moat is only useful if there is an enemy. In that case, who is the 'enemy' of the Military State? An enemy that warrants a flowing land and is so feared that you can't even build a bridge?"
Ah, that. It goes without saying.
Tyr was asleep for a long time, so it's understandable she wouldn't know... but if a war were to break out, it would have to be with them.
"That would be..."
I was just about to open my mouth.
[Emergency! Confirming a transmission that just came in! Signaller Captain D.G. warns all occupants of the Cataphract!]
The golem's urgent voice poured out from inside the Cataphract.
[A group of hostiles has been identified! Prepare for an attack!]
"Tch. They won't even give me time to explain. How boring."
Against the backdrop of my muttering, the signaller's urgent voice rang out.
[It's the Fallen Dominion's mobile unit, The Dhole!]