Chapter 54: A Declaration of Silence
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 54: A Declaration of Silence
The next day.
Having been woken up in the middle of the night, I hadn't gotten any real sleep, and I ended up not waking until Azzy started getting annoyed. To soothe the disgruntled dog, I had to prepare a lavish breakfast first thing in the morning.
After finishing my own plate, I was leisurely making my way downstairs when I heard something like a scream from below. I peeked over to see what was happening and found Finlay, the intruder from yesterday, in a standoff with the Regressor.
No, "standoff" was too mild a word.
Finlay’s right arm was already lying on the ground beneath the Regressor’s sword.
"Tsk, tsk. Old habits die hard, I see."
Good grief. He couldn't shake his old habit and went and cut off another arm. I let out a huge yawn and walked toward them.
"Yaaawn. Trainee Shei, why have you cut off someone's arm again?"
At that, Finlay clutched his shoulder and his eyes widened.
‘Again? Does this boy normally go around cutting people's arms off? No way!’
Surprisingly, reality often surpasses the imagination. Though in my case, his attempt failed.
At my pointed question, the producer of amputees scowled and made an excuse.
"It's not my fault. This guy I've never seen before shows up out of nowhere and reaches for me."
"He was probably trying to shake your hand. Did you take a vow to turn anyone who offers you a handshake into someone who needs a prosthetic, Trainee Shei? Why do you keep cutting off arms? Do you have a collection or something?"
"I wouldn't cut off a hand just for a handshake. Who do you take me for, a psychopath?"
"Oh, how did you know?"
The Regressor's glare was piercing. If looks could kill, he would have lasered my arm off. I quickly hid my arms behind my back and added, "I mean, honestly. You tried to cut off my arm too, didn't you, Trainee Shei? Normal people wave hello when they meet someone, they don't swing a sword to lop off an arm."
"I didn't do it for no reason, either. This vampire—what did he say again?—he demanded to know why a mere human possessed the Progenitor's blood and reached for my chest."
"Aha."
Now I understood.
It seemed Finlay had sensed the aura of the noble Progenitor's blood and had been snooping around the first floor of the prison. Then he ran into the Regressor and got angry, questioning why a mere human would possess such a thing.
Naturally, the prickly Regressor wasn't about to stand by and let Finlay reach for her. She swung her sword, lopped off the arm, and the terrified intruder was left clutching his shoulder in his current state.
It was a perfectly plausible story. Understanding the situation, I nodded.
"Still, he's a guest of Trainee Tyrkanzyaka."
"That thought crossed my mind, which is why I stopped after his arm and didn't go for his neck. Not that simply cutting off his head would kill him, anyway."
What a nasty piece of work. The only reason he didn't kill him was because it wouldn't have worked. What the hell?
Being the kind, model citizen that I am, I picked up the severed arm and brought it back to the intruder. As the severed ends drew close, the blood stretched out as if drawn by a magnet, then fused together. His arm restored, Finlay stroked it while cautiously backing away.
‘What… what is this? He’s speaking so casually with a monster like that…!’
He’s so wary just because he got his arm cut off once… Making a fuss over nothing.
No, wait, being wary is the normal human reaction. There have been so many strange people around lately that I got confused for a moment. Seeing undying limbs every time I visit the cafeteria and fiddling with the heart of a vampire who visits daily is starting to warp my common sense.
Get a grip. At this rate, I'm going to become anything but normal.
I composed myself and spoke rationally.
"Please be more careful from now on. You were lucky he was a vampire; if he were a normal human, you wouldn't have been able to reattach it."
"I wouldn't do this if he were a normal human."
"Excuse me? I didn't quite hear that. Are you saying you tried to cut my arm off because I'm not human?"
"I said normal. How can you call someone who deflects an invisible sword with his fingers normal?"
Hearing this, Finlay stared at me with a horrified expression.
‘He deflected that sword strike with his fingers? A person who looks so ordinary? Impossible. So when he called himself the lord of Tantalus, it wasn't a bluff!’
It wasn't my intention, but his misconceptions were piling up in real time. I could see fear beginning to bloom in Finlay's eyes as he looked at me.
…This is actually kind of fun. To see someone who struts around like one of the nobles of the night act this way toward a street magician. When else would I ever get this kind of treatment?
It was as enjoyable as stacking a tower of uniquely shaped stones you find on the side of the road. Worth doing.
Now, what else can I add to the pile?
Just then, Azzy, who had finished her hearty breakfast, came sauntering over. Seeing the stranger in front of us, the smile vanished from her face and she began to growl.
Finlay was startled by the sudden hostility approaching from behind.
‘What is this? This ominous feeling?’
Finlay turned around. He was met with the sight of the Dog King, Azzy, baring her teeth—a rare sight.
Her cheeks twitching in discomfort, Azzy stared him down, slowly advancing.
The hair on our necks stood on end. Azzy's, and ours. The beast's growl carried an intense pressure that seemed to constrict the body. Finlay, the direct recipient of it, was terrified.
"Grrrrr."
‘A beastkin? Why is a beastkin baring its teeth at me? More importantly, what is this? This… more primal, blood-chilling fear….’
Just as Finlay's body began to tremble and Azzy's growl grew sharper, her paws twitched, and she was about to pounce when I shouted.
"Hey, Azzy! Leave it and come here!"
Hearing my voice, Azzy whipped her head around to face me, then, while keeping a wary eye on Finlay, she sidled over to my position. She stuck close to my side and pointed at Finlay as if to tattle on him.
"Woof. Woof woof. Blood smell. Him. That thing."
Apparently, vampires who weren't on the level of the Progenitor gave off a faint scent of blood. From Azzy's perspective, it must be like seeing a dead human walking around.
With a sense of smell many times stronger than a human's, Azzy was bound to be more sensitive to the smell of blood. Her nerves were on edge as she glared. If I hadn't been here to mediate, she might have dismantled Finlay.
I tickled Azzy under the chin and said, "I know. I know that thing's not human. He's just here to visit."
"Woof woof. Woof. I'm not playing with him."
"He probably has no intention of playing with you either, so just bear with it."
A perfect opportunity for another misunderstanding had just arrived. I might as well teach Finlay the pecking order around here and add a little emphasis.
I glanced at Finlay and deliberately stressed certain words.
"If you're the ‘Dog King,’ you should act with a little more dignity. What are you going to do if you react to every little fry like this?"
‘Dog King!’
Realizing Azzy's identity, Finlay's jaw dropped.
‘Is she truly the Dog King? The one who, long ago, sided with humans to drive out the inhuman—the king of the beasts closest to humanity? And he treats the Dog King like a pet…! He's no ordinary man!’
He clearly doesn't get it. Dogs are fundamentally pets. Even ferocious hunting dogs act cute in front of their masters. The Dog King is still a dog, so of course she's a pet.
What about dogs that aren't pets? We decided to call those wolves.
In any case, perhaps due to my nonchalant attitude, Azzy soon lost interest in Finlay and started clinging to me.
"Woof. What are we doing today? Food? Playing ball? Some other game?"
"No. I'm not playing today either. I have work to do."
"Woof!"
Heh heh. I've piled on the misunderstandings high enough. Finlay is now completely intimidated and won't dare to act up. A swordsman who can sever an arm in a single blow, and the Dog King, a natural enemy of vampires. And on top of that, me, who handles them both with ease.
He'll never ignore my words again, will he? He'll be terrified of my every gesture and will obey my every command.
I was already dreading having to work, and now I've found myself a nice vampire slave. I'll work him until he's bled dry.
It was then.
"Good, you're all gathered."
A dark presence opened the door and entered. Billowing shadows lifted a jet-black coffin, and perched atop it like a palanquin, a vampire slowly approached.
I held on tight to Azzy, who was about to get grumpy again, and greeted the vampire.
"Ah, good morning. You're up early today."
"Indeed. This works out well. With everyone gathered here, I won't have to go searching for you."
The vampire, who had been looking down on everyone from her coffin, lifted her chin primly and clasped her hands. At that, everyone present fell silent and turned to look at her.
From a small gesture of her hand to the gaze she bestowed upon each person in equal measure, anyone who met her eyes would momentarily forget themselves and stare. She seemed to have been born knowing how to command everyone's attention. A natural charisma, one might call it. Even without calculated actions, her presence subtly revealed itself.
Like the scent of burning incense that you don't notice at first but eventually fills the room.
Like music that starts in the background of a conversation, causing you to pause and listen.
The vampire's presence was faint, yet it somehow filled the room, and by the time we noticed, everyone was already focused on her lips and gestures.
"Woof woof? No playing?"
As I always say, Azzy is not a person. She's a dog.
Regardless, the vampire, having captured the attention of the crowd, parted her lips and spoke.
"Words that must be spread far and wide require many listeners. Finlay, listen well. I shall give you my answer regarding the matter you pleaded for yesterday."
Her voice was no different from usual, her tone unchanged. But the vampire's words now carried a weight similar to a royal decree delivered before the throne.
Finlay, with a look of utmost reverence, knelt.
"Yes! I, the unworthy Finlay, am overcome with gratitude to hear the Progenitor's command directly. Please, speak!"
As the Regressor and I held our breath and watched, the vampire looked down at Finlay and declared.
"Yesterday, you pleaded with me to permit a war. This is my answer to that."
"Whatever it may be, I will gladly accept it!"
"I will remain silent."
Finlay expressed neither disappointment nor despair. He simply bowed his head and accepted it.
He must have come here expecting a glorious holy war. The best future he could imagine was ascending to the surface with the Progenitor; the worst was becoming a lost soul in the Abyss. Finlay had braced himself for the worst in pursuit of the best when he descended into the Abyss.
Yet, even though that hope had been shattered, Finlay showed no sign of disappointment.
On the contrary.
"I accept your will! Thank you for giving me an answer!"
He was simply moved by the fact that he had received an answer at all.
There is no need to persuade or accommodate a vampire of lower rank. Just as a river cannot flow upstream, a kindred has nothing to offer their blood master. They can only plead their case when their opinion is sought.
"In recognition of your efforts in coming this far, I will elaborate a little further."
The vampire glanced toward me and the Regressor, adding a slight explanation. I realized she was saying this not for Finlay's sake, but for ours.
"I have never forbidden Valdamir, that child, from waging war. In fact, I have never forced my will upon my children. The war is theirs alone, to be decided by them. I am one who has already faded from history. Unless they have need of me, I will not step forward to become a symbol myself."
"I accept your will."
"Therefore, even if all is prepared, I will not be the first to step forward and call for a bloody war. This is my will."
"I accept your will."
"In that case, return to the surface. This is not a place for you."
A solemn command.
But Finlay, who had been bowing his head in agreement, showed a different attitude this time.
"Forgive me, Progenitor, but I cannot obey that command."
"And why is that?"
It was unthinkable for a vampire to refuse the Progenitor's command. Therefore, if a kindred said they could not do something, it wasn't a matter of will. It was a matter of ability.
That was why the vampire, instead of reprimanding Finlay, asked for his reason. Finlay slammed his head against the ground and cried out.
"I am deeply sorry! But it is beyond my will. I have no means of leaving the Abyss! Therefore, this foolish servant is unable to obey the command you have given. Please, kill me!"
"No means of leaving…? You did not prepare?"
"I never had any from the start!"
‘It is a well-known fact that ascending is more difficult than descending, but to not even prepare a way back to the surface? This piques my curiosity. What on earth happened outside that would drive him to seek me in the Abyss with no promise of escape?’
The vampire's thoughts were deep, but they alone could not solve the mystery. Her curiosity soared. However, having already made her decision, she didn't press further, lest it sway her resolve.
"Hold still. This territory belongs to the Military State, and there is one sent down to manage it. He should be able to send you out. Let's see."
Instead, her gaze turned to me. The vampire pointed directly at me and spoke in a tone that was more command than request.
"Warden. Finlay has committed no crime that warrants his presence here. His arrival was a mistake, an accident. It is my wish that you return him to the surface."
Huh? Me?
Wait a minute. What? I'm supposed to send this intruder back unharmed?
Me?
"Pardon? Me?"
"Is there anyone else here I could be talking to?"
The vampire looked at me as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. As I met her gaze, a cold sweat trickled down my back.
Never mind being the warden.
The truth is, I'm a prisoner here too.
"If the nation called the Military State is the master of this place, they must surely know the way out. I request that you do so for Finlay."
Are you kidding me? If I knew a way out, I would have been the first to try it. Would I still be stuck here?
"I am the Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka. Of the calamities that bear the name of Kanzyaka, the world-devouring monster, I am the last remaining karma. Famed knights have shed their blood before me, and countless heroes have perished seeking my head. Though I may have fallen from grace and taken refuge in the Abyss, the deeds I have done are not so easily erased."
"Fallen from grace! Progenitor, that's absurd! Every vampire on the surface reveres you, to say such a thing is…!"
Why are you making this demand of me? I was being cornered.
More importantly, did he really come here without any preparation to get back out?
Then there was no reason to keep this intruder alive, was there?
"…You do not answer. Is it troublesome? If it is truly impossible, then I ask this as a personal favor. Please, return him to the surface."
I couldn't answer because I didn't have the ability to grant her request. My mind was racing, sensing the crisis.
The vampire, misinterpreting my silence as a sign of refusal, lowered her voice and declared.
"If you refuse, I will return Finlay to the surface myself. The Abyss may be infinite, but the time I have is also eternal. The darkness is my domain; if I keep ascending, I will eventually reach the surface. However, should I be the one to return Finlay, I do not think I will bother coming back to this place."
Finlay's head shot up, and the Regressor's face hardened in shock. The meaning of her words was clear.
If I go to the surface, I'm not coming back.
In other words, if I didn't grant her request, she would break out of prison.
I was in serious trouble.