Chapter 340: Spot the Difference
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 340: Spot the Difference
The Regressor's Chun-aeng, surprisingly, is rechargeable. After a battle, she has to gather the wind and space she expended. I don't quite know the principle behind it, but in any case, the Regressor always took a short break after a fight.
Having finished recharging while scouting from the top of the Golden Ark, the Regressor returned to the cabin. She straightened her messy hair and spoke to Peru.
"Are we even going in the right direction? No one's steering this thing, but it's not just going in a straight line, either. It keeps subtly changing course."
"...The Golden Ark is a compass. It always heads for the Golden Palace."
"How is that possible?"
"...How?"
Peru, flustered by the Regressor's curiosity, tried to organize her thoughts.
...The Golden Ark's infinite treads operate via transmutation travel. The more recently the Golden Lord has stayed in a certain land, the slower the transmutation speed becomes, causing the tread on that side to move more slowly. Therefore, the stern of the Golden Ark subtly angles toward the Golden Lord with every movement. When the Golden Lord's timeline is transposed onto the coordinates of the Fallen Dominion, his current location becomes the pole, and the ark corrects its course along that gradient, eventually reaching him...
She recalled the entire explanation in her head. But only in her head.
...But I don't have the words to explain all this. And even if I did, I don't know if they'd understand. I give up.
I won't explain it because you probably wouldn't get it anyway. I couldn't tell if this was humility or arrogance. In any case, having organized her thoughts, Peru kept her explanation brief.
"...That, too, is the majesty of the Golden Lord."
"Ah, you said the Golden Lord made all the Juggernauts, right? I guess that makes sense, then."
...And that was enough of an explanation.
So it was neither humility nor arrogance. Just an accurate judgment. Then again, the Regressor was the type to accept the world's mysteries rather than try to understand them all.
Quickly convinced, the Regressor took off her coat and sat on the sofa.
"I appreciate you letting us stay, but do you have enough space and facilities for that?"
"...No problem. I made some just a moment ago."
"Oh, right. This is the Fallen Dominion. Got it. I guess we'll be in your care for a while..."
As she leaned back on the sofa, the Regressor's gaze fell upon the table in front of her. It was a tea table where a girl who looked exactly like her reflection sat opposite her. There, Tyr, with her silver hair cascading down her back, and 'Tyr' were staring intently at the Regressor.
Two Tyrkanzyakas. It was only then that the Regressor realized something was wrong.
'Aaaah! Wh-wh-what the hell?! What is this?! Two Tyrkanzyakas?!'
The Regressor was startled, but I was the only one who noticed. Her Qi Art, Heavenly Counter Domain, forcibly suppressed the sudden emotional turmoil and feigned composure.
No matter how flustered you are, you can calm down if someone splashes cold water on your face and yells at you to think straight. The reason we panic is that there's no one there to do that for us. However, the Regressor, with her Heavenly Counter Domain, was able to come up with a hypothesis to explain the situation with a cool head.
'Right! The Camarilla used a transformation art, didn't she? One of them must be the Camarilla. Tch, that almost got me!'
The Regressor spoke, feigning calmness.
"Is this the Camarilla's transformation art?"
Outwardly, the Regressor didn't seem surprised at all. At this, 'Tyr' let out a dissatisfied voice from between her red lips.
"It's about time you noticed. You're dreadfully slow."
"And for someone who noticed so late, your reaction is quite dull. It's so unrewarding, it's almost disappointing."
The two of them, like a pair of close sisters, scolded the Regressor in unison with identical voices. One of them had to be Hilde, but seeing them so perfectly in sync, the Regressor snapped and shouted.
"I should be the one saying that! What's with the sudden prank? What is the Camarilla plotting now?"
"There was some talk about how skilled Hilde's transformation art is. Since we're traveling together, it seemed like a good idea to test her abilities."
"And it helps pass the time on a long journey. Isn't it a fine amusement?"
"From the receiving end, it just looks like a nasty prank, you know?"
In any case, having understood the situation, the Regressor calmed down and compared Tyr and 'Tyr'.
Faintly shining silver-white hair. A translucent face, as if all color had been drained from it. But their blood-red eyes shone with an eerie light. From their facial features to the delicate lines of their necks, they looked completely identical.
The Regressor was inwardly astounded.
'A master of Qi Art can control their entire body with Qi, but isn't that going too far? There are things you can and can't do, even if you shrink your bones and compress your body! Changing skin color, hair, and even your voice? Why waste Qi in such a useless way?! If she used it properly, she'd be several times stronger!'
Well, what can you do? That was the driving force behind Hilde learning Qi Art in the first place. If not for methods like that, she never would have even grasped Gam Qi Art.
Tyr, enjoying the Regressor's reaction, spoke.
"Well? Can you guess?"
"You may take your time. We have nothing but time, after all."
Tyr and 'Tyr' giggled as they watched the Regressor struggle. The Regressor was thoroughly annoyed, but unable to tell them apart by appearance alone, she grumbled.
"It's easy to figure out who the real one is. Tyrkanzyaka uses Bloodcraft and controls darkness."
"Naturally, we've agreed not to use such powers. It's no fun if the problem is too easy."
"Besides, Hilde is quite skilled with Bloodcraft herself. Look at this skin. If she couldn't use Bloodcraft, how could she have possibly mimicked this bloodless complexion?"
'Tyr' said, lightly stroking Tyr's cheek. Tyr burst into laughter at the bold gesture, while 'Tyr' rested her chin on her hand and smiled leisurely. For a pair of doppelgangers, they seemed to get along remarkably well.
'I can't tell...! Forget their appearances, even their words and actions are similar! Is this purely acting?'
Meanwhile, the Regressor's mind was in utter chaos. Heavenly Counter Domain couldn't solve this sudden conundrum. Her confusion only grew.
But instead of giving up, the Regressor became even more stubborn.
'No. If I just end this with 'I don't know,' I won't be able to recognize the Camarilla in the next timeline. This is the Camarilla who never showed herself over several regressions. I'll have to visit the Military State every time anyway, so figuring out the difference now will be helpful.'
That's right. This was likely the only chance she'd get where the Envoy would transform and openly challenge her to find the differences.
The Regressor pretended to touch her forehead, her eyes glinting through the gaps between her fingers. It was the Seven Colored Eyes, which could see all kinds of light. Since she wasn't confident she could guess correctly, she was resorting to her powers. Well, I suppose her earnest dedication to even trivial matters is what makes things interesting.
Nice try. I promptly stuck my head out and tattled.
"Shei-ssi. Don't tell me you're using your Seven Colored Eyes right now?"
"Wh-what! It's one of my abilities!"
There was a problem, however.
From the Crimson Eyes that see temperature to the Violet Eyes that see power, she couldn't determine their true identities with any of them. It was impossible to see through a body filled with some kind of power, be it Bloodcraft or Qi Art, so she had to look at the aura they emitted. The Regressor viewed their auras from every possible perspective.
'They do look different with the Seven Colored Eyes. There's a clear difference! But...!'
The problem was, she didn't know which one was the real one. It wasn't as if the Regressor had every piece of information about Tyr stored in her head.
Besides, Tyr had gained her darkness through a long battle with the Sanctum. She was a bad match for the light-seeing Seven Colored Eyes. After all, light comes from the sky.
Tsk, tsk. I did warn her.
"I'm just worried. What will you do if you fail to guess correctly even after using a technique like the Seven Colored Eyes with such determination? Wouldn't it be more honorable to just take a wild guess and be wrong?"
"Sh-shut up! I've almost got it!"
"Don't speak so forcefully. What will you do when you're wrong?"
"You say that so smugly, but what about you!"
"What do you take me for? I can even tell you the back of a face-down card. Of course I know."
"That's cheating!"
"Cheating is a legitimate skill. And are you one to talk? To be honest, bottom-dealing is a much more honest skill than the Seven Colored Eyes."
It was actually mind-reading, but no one knew that. Undisclosed cheating is as good as legal.
And isn't a skill that lets you see from every perspective more of a cheat than one that can only read human minds? If I had to choose between the Seven Colored Eyes and mind-reading, I'd pick the Seven Colored Eyes, wouldn't you?
'That guy probably really does know. That means there must be a clue...'
After racking her brain for a while, the Regressor had an idea and made a proposal.
"I'll ask just one thing."
"Hoh. You intend to find me with a single question?"
"Now this is getting interesting. Go on, give it a try."
Now that it was becoming more like a proper quiz, Tyr showed her interest. The Regressor stared at the two of them, gathering her thoughts.
'Tyrkanzyaka recovered the heart she so desperately wanted in the Abyss. Not even the Saintess can peer into the Abyss, so the Camarilla probably doesn't know that fact. The one who knows will be the real Tyrkanzyaka.'
"Do you know what Tyrkanzyaka's wish is?"
It was a question she'd put some thought into. But 'Tyr' smiled and asked back.
"To whom are you asking? You must specify. Wouldn't the one who answers second have too great an advantage?"
"You! You tell me!"
The Regressor pointed at one of them, who spoke with a small smile.
"I have no wish. It has already been granted."
A natural delivery, impossible to tell if it was real or an act. As she spoke calmly, her expression suddenly hardened and she continued.
"However, there is still something I must do. Annihilate the Sanctum."
And then, a thoroughly refined emotion flowed out. The one with Tyr's face spoke with fury contained within a blank expression.
"That is not a wish, but a duty. A task I was forced to postpone due to my lack of strength, but it is merely postponed, a task I will one day surely accomplish. I will drag down the Sky God and defile all his idols. I will never forget."
She didn't let her aura leak out. That would give her away. Instead, she conveyed her fervent anger through her clenched fist and low, resonant voice. This expression of hatred towards the Sanctum was something only Tyrkanzyaka, the Progenitor of Vampires, could explain. Who else could display such fury towards the Sanctum?
The Regressor grew somber and lost in thought.
'Ugh. I'm not exactly part of the Sanctum, but... this is a bit difficult. To stop the King of Sins, the Sanctum's cooperation is essential... Augh. I'll think about that later.'
"Alright. I know who the real Tyrkanzyaka is, so stop the prank now."
"You've figured it out?"
"Yeah. The one who just spoke is the real one, isn't she?"
At the Regressor's words, Tyr and 'Tyr' smiled playfully.
Sigh. Of course. Would you even be the Regressor if you didn't jump to the wrong conclusion?
"Bzzzt. You're wrong, Shei-ssi."
"Huh? What?"
'What do you mean? She said she has no wish anymore. That means she got her heart back, right?'
That's what she led you to believe. She never once said she got her heart back.
"Can't you see? She avoided the question and focused on what she knew. She vaguely said she has no wish anymore, then showed her anger towards the Sanctum, right? Every child on the street knows that vampires hate the Sanctum. What that Tyr said sounded grand, but if you strip away the fluff, all that's left is the basic knowledge of 'I don't know, but I know she hates the Sanctum!'"
"What are you talking about? Then that one is the Camarilla?"
"Ding-dong-dang! Aww, I couldn't fool Father this time either!"
'Tyr' shot up to her feet and exclaimed. Her usual composed and quiet demeanor was gone. With Tyr's face and an innocent smile, she looked like a different person despite having the same face. Hilde sighed in dissatisfaction and muttered.
"Hmm~. It was obvious Shei wouldn't get it right. I have no idea how I'm supposed to get one over on Father~."
"What do you mean, obvious?! I'll definitely get it next time! Let's go again!"
"That's strange. I feel like I heard something similar just a moment ago~."
"This time is really different! I've figured out your tell!"
'I can see it with the Jade and Violet Eyes! There's an awkwardness that comes from changing bodies. I was confused because the person she changed into happened to be Tyrkanzyaka, but from now on, I'll get it for sure!'
It wasn't overconfidence. It seemed she really had figured out the tell.
But you'd better be careful. As much as you've figured out Hilde, she's also figuring you out. Well, I suppose you can just regress if things go wrong.
"...E-excuse me, for a moment."
Meanwhile, Peru, who had been fidgeting in a corner, covered her mouth in shock.
"...Pr-Progenitor? Did you say Progenitor?"
Ah, had we not told her yet? The fact that Tyr is Tyrkanzyaka, the Progenitor of Vampires.
I should probably explain now. It'll make the rest of the journey more comfortable.
"That's right. Tyrkanzyaka, the Progenitor who was sleeping at the bottom of Tantalus, has joined us! She's no ordinary vampire!"
"...Gulp."
Oh. She fainted.
Well, she has been through a lot.