Chapter 445: The Trial That Defies Fate - 8
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 445: The Trial That Defies Fate - 8
Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka possessed immense power, but she was originally just a girl who had died before living out her natural lifespan. She merely had some knowledge of the human body; a combination of coincidence and obsession had made her the Progenitor.
As such, Tyrkanzyaka herself was not suited for combat. She had no experience from her mortal life, and her body hadn't even fully matured. That was why the Progenitor needed an army to fight for her, resurrecting warriors with her Bloodcraft.
Now, after accumulating long years of experience, Tyrkanzyaka had grown somewhat accustomed to battle herself, but… she still lacked the know-how to utilize the full extent of her overflowing power.
In contrast, the Elders had all reigned supreme in their respective eras, powerful figures etched into history. Tyrkanzyaka was no pushover, but for her to face all these Elders at once without her power…
It was virtually impossible. The moment Tyrkanzyaka realized her own powerlessness, she trembled with rage.
“You… dare to defy me!”
“That’s right. They are wicked. They need to be firmly reminded of who the original master of their lives is.”
The one small mercy was that not all the Elders were opposing the Progenitor. Kavila, who stood alone by her side, embraced her and whispered.
“Just for a moment, just a brief moment, you must return to your old self. Calm your racing heart, return to being the cold-blooded Queen of Sanguine, and punish them. Whether you forgive them, or kill them and take their original blood, is your choice, Sister.”
The Progenitor’s authority had fallen to the ground, but that authority had stemmed from her power in the first place. If she were to reclaim her power, her lost authority and the Elders who had left would all come back.
…Though the belief that she would not change would never return.
“You will be the one who ‘chooses,’ just as you always have.”
Tyrkanzyaka’s eyes trembled faintly. That was right. It seemed like a crisis, but she had a very simple and easy way to overcome this situation. All she had to do was cut open her own body and temporarily remove the Ace of Hearts card… the one touching this very heart.
Then, her pulse would cease, her senses would die, and Tyrkanzyaka would once again become the Ruler of Blood, placing all vampires under her dominion.
“…But.”
“What are you afraid of, Sister? We are vampires. Wounds like this heal in an instant. A heart? It will return to normal even if it’s shattered once.”
That might be true. But that ‘normal’ would not include Tyrkanzyaka’s feelings and senses. Nor would it include the precious traces left by the old ‘Tyr’. Tyrkanzyaka said.
“Wait. Just wait. I need a moment to think about this.”
“Sister, there’s no time to think. We must decide before he arrives.”
“He?”
“Du Rahan. The Heroic Knight. Your once-nemesis, your most loyal servant.”
As Kavila spoke the name of the Black Knight Du Rahan, Tyrkanzyaka dredged up a long-buried memory—an era known as the End of Chivalry.
Countless knights, crying out for honor, had come to subjugate her. Most of them died, unable to overcome the legion of dark knights. Even the exceptional knights who managed to defeat the dark knights ended up as food for the Elders.
But there was one. The Heroic Knight, Du Rahan. He defeated even the Elders and finally reached Tyrkanzyaka’s presence.
Kavila reminded her of that time.
“Do you remember the day you made him an Elder? On behalf of all the knights who had died and become dark knights, he wagered their souls and challenged you. He was ultimately defeated, but he demanded you make him an Elder, vowing to defeat you even if it meant becoming a vampire. Of course, he couldn't resist your power and became a faithful servant.”
Kavila let out a small laugh at the memory of the knight who dared to try and withstand the Progenitor’s power, but her expression quickly hardened as she warned.
“Now that he’s free from your shackles, he will surely try to kill you. Kill you so you can’t even regenerate.”
Sir Du Rahan, the strongest before he became an Elder. The Headless Knight who had never once used his full strength even after becoming one. He would carry his own head in one hand, wielding it as a shield or a hammer. It was often joked that a two-handed Du Rahan was stronger than anyone—excluding the Progenitor, of course.
But… the persona of the Headless Knight was nothing more than the lingering obsession of a Heroic Knight who never wanted to give his all for the Progenitor of vampires.
“Those three are merely resentful of you. Right now, they’re no different from children throwing a tantrum, begging you to come back. The moment your power returns, they’ll become little lambs awaiting their fate. They’re cowards not even worth killing in the first place.”
If they had truly intended to attack, they would have been far more aggressive. Muri, Rahu Khan, and Bakuta had only come to question and argue, not to attack. They were ready to be the first to kneel should the Progenitor decide to return.
However, there were certainly others who were different. Some, like Dogo, would ignore her, while others, like Erzsebet, dreamed of ambition. Sister Yegcheria was currently away from the Duchy, but there was no telling what she might do upon her return.
And Du Rahan would attack the Progenitor without fail, never having forgotten the oath he made on the verge of death.
Because even after death, he was an honorable knight.
Only now did Tyrkanzyaka truly grasp it.
Nothing in this world could be taken for granted. The reason she was revered as the Progenitor wasn't because she had ‘given’ power. Regardless of the past, it was because she ‘had’ power. Now that her power was gone, Tyrkanzyaka and the Progenitor were not one and the same.
The betrayal of her faithful servant. Tyrkanzyaka’s voice trembled with fury and bewilderment as she asked.
“…What about Valdamir?”
The expected answer came.
“Sister. Do you really think he didn't know about this? As you know, Valdamir was the one effectively ruling this country. By taking on all the tedious work for hundreds of years, he gained the most power and information. He probably knew those three had awakened even before you did.”
In short, Valdamir knew what was happening and chose to look the other way. Tyrkanzyaka trembled with rage at the betrayal of her most trusted servant.
She was surrounded by enemies. No, Lyre and Kavila were still with her. But would that be enough? Besides, Kavila was trying to stop Tyr’s heart right now.
There was no other way. To resolve this powerlessness, this bewilderment, this rage, she had to stop her heart again. She had to execute all the vampires who dared to oppose the Progenitor’s will, return as the Queen of Shadow, and restore order.
Kavila pressed her for a choice. Though whether being coerced could truly be called a choice was another matter.
“…I.”
*
Hilde, who had been lecturing me matter-of-factly with cold eyes, suddenly had a realization. She tilted her head, assessing how a rebellion against Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka could even be possible.
So little faith. Did you really think I was that thoughtless? I may have been looking for an easier path, but I always leave myself an escape route.
Putting aside her accusatory gaze for a moment, Hilde’s expression softened, and she threw herself into my arms.
“Father, I love you!”
A few passersby heard her and smiled warmly. Perhaps they thought we were a loving father and daughter. I couldn’t look that old, though… maybe because there are vampires here, people don’t think much about age. I pushed away Hilde, who was rubbing her face all over me, and said.
“Just a moment ago, you were nagging me for not doing any work. Do you finally understand your father’s grand design?”
“Yes! I, this humble ‘me’, was too ignorant to see your grand design! I’m sorry!”
“Just with words?”
“I’ll apologize with my body, too! Should we get a room? Or right here?”
The people who had been watching us warmly flinched and quickly scurried away. A few remained, watching with curious expressions, but I had no intention of giving them the show they wanted.
“That’s right. Tyr’s power has changed, not disappeared. With the right trigger, it can return to how it was. It might look like a crisis right now… but what kind of crisis is it if you can escape with the flick of a finger? A real crisis is when you’re trapped with no way out.”
“So that’s why you didn’t tell anyone, Father! You even pushed the other Elders! While spending that long night together!”
“I wasn’t particularly aiming for that. It’s just how things flowed. Shouldn’t the Elders also have a chance to pursue their own desires? I don’t know what results that will bring.”
“As expected of you, Father…! I knew I could trust you!”
What a barefaced lie. You were on the verge of despising me.
“If the Elders provoke or persuade Tyrkanzyaka, and her power returns to normal, she’ll have absolute power over the Duchy of Mist again. The Duchy’s order will be restored! And you, Father, will be the consort of the absolute ruler!”
“…Haha. That’s right.”
Though that’s not what I was aiming for.
Will Tyr cast aside the wish she so desperately wanted? Will the Elders truly stop wishing and choose to live within an eternal order?
I don’t deny the need for order. You can’t sleep under a roof you think might collapse. The belief that the house won’t collapse, the belief that order will continue, is necessary. You need today to be like yesterday to live with peace of mind. I admit that.
But what if maintaining that belief requires someone’s death? If the house collapses and crushes someone, yet you ignore the one who died last night and usher more people to sleep under an even bigger house, what is that house, that order, for? Is that truly for the people, or for the sake of order itself?
One could believe it’s necessary. One could argue that even if the dead are tragic, a greater order is needed for the greater good. But I am the King of Humans, and I cannot read order or hearts. If something becomes an enemy of humanity, I can destroy it without hesitation.
…However, since those who desire order are also human, I, who can read human desires, create an opportunity for them to control that order themselves, instead of simply destroying it.
“In any case, leaving the castle was the right choice. It seems best to stay outside until the situation is resolved.”
“Yes~. You just relax, Father. This ‘me’ will find us a place! But…”
Hilde glanced at the streets outside.
She had already scouted the city around Plenilune Castle, memorizing its layout. She had tried to stick to the most secluded alleys possible. And yet, for some reason, the streets were now overflowing with people, and crowds were spilling into their path.
At this rate, they wouldn't even find a seat at a restaurant. Hilde touched her lips with a strange expression, lost in thought.
“The humans who were waiting for the Night Ebb Tide by the coast have returned to the castle in droves. I didn’t have time to investigate that… but there was no movement last night, so it seems they moved in a hurry.”
Hilde was right. The streets were bustling with people who had come for the Night Ebb Tide. Being told to stay in the castle for a while wasn’t a bad thing, so everyone complied, but with so many people gathered, the streets were a bit loud and chaotic.
“It must be an Elder’s command. Probably Lord Sanguine Valdamir’s… Why would he suddenly summon so many people? Father, do you have any idea?”
“I don’t know either. But the timing is certainly curious.”
“Hmm~. I didn’t think he’d participate in a rebellion. For the sake of the Duchy, I’d rather he stayed~.”
She’s completely relaxed now. I suppose so. In any case, I’m curious too.
Lord Sanguine knows how to break free from the shackles. He can truly choose. I wonder what choice he will make.
Of course, the choice I’m most curious about is Tyr’s.