EP.11 Why Can You Not See the Flow of the Times
The vampire who had pushed me aside and taken the spot spoke with solemnity.
[Before I pass down the Blood Control Art, I shall first see your skill.]
The returnee, as if she had been waiting for this, reached behind her head and grasped the hilt of Cheon-aeng. Cheon-aeng, which had been floating in the air obeying its master's command, cried out with joy when the opportunity to exert its power arose, and sharpened its edge. When the returnee swung the sword once through the air, a clear and clean sound rang out as if it were brightly illuminating the darkness.
Swish. The returnee waved the sword left and right and said.
"My sword is a bit special. It might be hard to tell my true skill. Should I use a different sword?"
[It matters not. The specialness held in your hand is also what makes you shine.]
"Well then. How should I show my skill?"
Creak.
The lid of the pitch-black coffin tilted open. That familiar white hand suddenly appeared from the darkness, pointed its fingertips downward, and dropped a black orb.
Plop. The shadow, darker than even the pitch black, began to grow vigorously like a seedling. Just as plants nurture themselves with sunlight and air, the black sphere too was sucking in the darkness that filled its surroundings and filling its body. The shadow that rippled even within the darkness quickly took shape and soon transformed into the figure of an armored knight.
[It is an echo of the past.]
Even though neither I nor the returnee were particularly curious, the vampire continued to explain.
[An echo of a knight I met in the past…. One who was called the Black Knight in life and massacred hundreds. I called forth the echo from the blood I took from him, and forged armor from darkness. Try facing this knight.]
"Can I break it?"
[If your ability reaches that far.]
The vampire continued with a somewhat boastful air.
[However, it will not be easy. Even if it is but an echo, the blood that forms its body is that of the Black Knight. Also, the armor made of darkness possesses hardness like steel. A perfect recreation of that once-renowned knight….]
Whoosh.
Diagonal lines are carved into the darkness. An oblique fault line appears, and with it as the dividing line, above and below are separated. A single line that cuts through space itself. Cheon-aeng was a pair of shears that judged the world. Even the darkness, which was closer to mist than steel, was divided in two by the returnee's single stroke.
Did she say she'd cut light for me? It probably is possible. She can even cut darkness, after all.
[…Oh. Quite impressive.]
The vampire expressed admiration at the swordsmanship that was like sorcery. However, the emotion contained in the vampire's thoughts was a bit different.
'…? No matter how special the sword she holds, in a single stroke? That was an echo that even Holy Knights couldn't scratch….'
You're flustered, vampire.
What she brought out wasn't her full power, but it was more than enough for an iron-brain with a slender physique to bring out. She had perfectly recreated the once-infamous Black Knight, and that was disposed of extremely simply.
'At that age, too? Did something massive progress in human history while I was sleeping….?'
I wish she wouldn't use that one as her standard. That's a returnee who has repeated death multiple times and devoured every fortuitous encounter. Even if she hasn't fully recovered her strength, a portion of that power remains. On top of that, she's holding an absurdly divine sword.
It's not that human history progressed; that one is a being who monopolized human history.
The vampire composed her emotions and spoke.
[You seem not yet of age, yet you possess remarkable talent. With a child of your caliber, it wouldn't be strange for you to try finding your own path.]
"I wonder? I'm not really that talented. I just obtained a fortuitous encounter and pulled forward a bit of the power I would gain in the future. There are many people stronger and more talented than me in the world. I'm just a poor copycat chasing their traces and imitating them."
The returnee said this sincerely. Having dealt with extraordinary beings every timeline, even though she had monopolized every fortuitous encounter through regression, she harbored an inferiority complex toward herself who always fell one step short.
It sounds like excessive humility, or even close to deception. But compared to the enemies she actually faced, it wasn't exactly wrong either.
[Your modesty is excessive.]
"It's not modesty. Look there."
The returnee's sword tip pointed at me. I was startled and jerked my body.
Ah, shit. What a shock. Does that bastard point a sword at people? Didn't you learn to be as gentle as possible when indicating a person? Even pointing fingers is considered rude, why a sword?
The returnee snorted at me and said.
"Even just that guy deflected my single stroke."
[You mean that sword?]
"Yeah. This Cheon-aeng, and with just one finger at that."
[That guy?]
Well, it's true, but honestly if you asked me to do it again I probably couldn't.
'If she deflected a sword strike with one finger, she must surely be several levels above. An unbelievable achievement. Is this level ordinary for kids these days? Can they cut steel as easily as breathing?'
The returnee, and me who suffered her upward strike. The vampire committed the error of miscalculating the average from looking at us two.
Don't set the ordinary at the returnee's level. What crime did other ordinary people living in this era commit? Apologize quickly to the other ordinary people whose spots were stolen!
Besides, I'm a false product! There's plenty of bubble!
'When she said my power was outdated, it wasn't an expression of confidence… but literally what it means? Is the era truly flowing forward?'
The returnee, who very naturally brought about this misunderstanding, said,
"…So please take good care of me. I'll learn with all my might too."
[If so.]
'I too must do my best to help this child defeat that insolent fellow.'
She brought out the vampire's "true intent."
The vampire extended a finger toward the returnee. With a sound like a small tear, the tip of the vampire's finger split open. Red blood flowed from the small crack on the finger. That blood was a slightly different kind from the other blood the vampire manipulated.
Blood as authority. The power of the progenitor who works magic with blood and commands vassals. That blood is the kind that glistens with ominous magical power and flickers as if to corrode all things in the world.
But the blood the vampire was shedding now was extremely ordinary and human-like… which made it feel even more alien.
Moderately red, neither glowing nor carrying the metallic scent of blood. The irony of claiming that even a vampire had the same blood flowing as humans.
However, its presence was massive enough to fill Tartarus. Even the darkness retreated slowly as if worshipping it.
That drop of blood slowly flew to the returnee's side and circled around her.
[Great power comes with a great price. However, it seems to me that you have sufficient potential. Enough to swallow that price.]
"This is…."
[My True Blood.]
The first blood possessed by the progenitor, True Blood.
If offered to the Holy Imperial Court, one could receive the title of Paladin along with a great blessing.
If given to a vampire, it would promise eternal wealth and power.
If one were to aim for an even higher position by enduring a little trial, they could put it directly into their body. If they struck down the wild beasts coveting the blood and solidified their position, one of the twelve Elders in the world would increase by one.
Either way, a precious and dangerous item that could completely change any single person's life.
Facing such a treasure, the returnee.
"Why are you giving this? Don't tell me you mean for me to become a vampire? I don't really want to become a vampire."
Beyond indifference, she was looking at it with a troubled expression.
The vampire received another shock.
'My True Blood? The blood that once shook the world just by appearing? And she doesn't even spare it a glance?'
The vampire barely collected herself and continued with a trembling voice.
[…No, I too have no intention of making you a vampire. I cannot repeat a similar mistake.]
"Then?"
[I shall engrave the True Blood upon your heart. The blood of a predator. With it, your senses regarding blood energy will become as sharp as a blade.]
"Ah. In that way? Then I'll take it!"
The returnee quickly spread both arms. Her lack of interest in the True Blood itself but willingness to use it as teaching material was revealed without filter.
The vampire was greatly discouraged seeing the returnee's attitude showing no regret whatsoever.
'It was a test. I was going to kick her out saying she lacked qualification if she couldn't overcome her desire and said she'd become a vampire…. But I didn't expect such an indifferent reaction. Are vampires truly no longer beings of reverence?'
The vampire reached out somewhat gloomily. Then the True Blood headed toward the returnee's chest, and a red gear-shaped imprint was engraved above her heart.
[…If you master the Blood Control Art to the end, you'll be able to separate my blood. I shall take it back then.]
"Got it. But your voice seems to lack energy, did you overexert yourself bringing out the True Blood?"
[…I'm fine. Do not worry….]
'True Blood…. And yet. Has even the vampire become a pushed-aside existence? It's already been about 300 years since I fell asleep. That could be….'
How fickle time is. The vampire sighed deeply and said.
[I shall now impart the teaching.]
While the vampire was explaining various things to the returnee, I hovered around them. The reason is simple.
True Blood. True Blood. Blood that has only been passed down as legend for over a thousand years. A treasure that could fetch enough money to live on for a lifetime if you find the right buyer. That was engraved on the returnee's body. A tattoo more valuable than gold.
But I had already refused to become a disciple. Asking for the True Blood was beyond even dreams. Besides, reading the vampire's thoughts, it didn't seem like she'd give the True Blood fully either. The original reason for bringing out the True Blood was wariness toward me, so it probably won't come to me.
Tch, the vampire's direction of thinking is wrong. If she wanted to subjugate me, she should have just given me the True Blood. If she ordered me to kneel saying she'd give me True Blood, I would have snorted and immediately prostrated myself to lick her instep like a dog.
But there's still a chance. The vampire hasn't been awake for long and is in quite a confused state. Reading her thoughts, she seems unadapted to this era.
Then?
If I coax her well somehow, won't something drop for me too?
[…? What is it, you. Why does one who refused the teaching keep hovering around?]
I could feel hostile eyes. For some reason, it seemed like I had firmly gotten on her bad side. I showed both hands and made an excuse.
"I am a military nation instructor. This place is a training corps. I have the responsibility to manage and supervise you all."
[Manage, supervise? You of all people manage and supervise me?]
"Duty isn't always given considering ability, is it? I trust Tirkanjaka trainee as well, but separately from that, I have the obligation to watch what you all do."
'Disparity between duty and ability. Or does it mean chivalry. If you put it that way, it's not something I can't understand.'
When I spoke confidently, the vampire was convinced for a moment.
Phew, thank goodness. I didn't expect impersonating an instructor to be this helpful.
Still, the vampire expressed discomfort.
[However, I am in the middle of imparting a teaching. The process of a child receiving instruction must not be exposed to others' eyes.]
"That's from when? These days, one teacher teaches up to fifty students. Different teachers are assigned for martial arts, magic, strategy, and tactics, and students choose to attend their classes. Even most lectures are conducted in open places.]
[Do not lie. What fool would share such secretive knowledge?]
"The nation does. The country collects and controls all knowledge. Then they classify the gathered knowledge and distribute it to citizens for free.]
Martial arts, magic, strategy, and tactics are power as knowledge itself. At least in the vampire's era, that was the case. Master-disciple relationships and apprenticeships didn't exist for nothing. The master was in the position of superiority transmitting knowledge, and the disciple was worked like a slave to obtain that meager scrap of knowledge. Hoping that knowledge would someday become their own.
But to pass it down without sparing any. The vampire couldn't keep her mouth shut.
[Good heavens.]
"Even students have multiple teachers. There are those who take classes at private academies besides the military academy. The teachers don't find that strange either. It's the Age of Enlightenment. Knowledge is no longer passed down secretly. Everything is revealed before the world and awaits evaluation."
Unable to believe it, the vampire reconfirmed the content with the returnee.
[Shei. Is what that one says true?]
"Yeah. That's right. It's the only policy the military nation did well.]
[I see….]
The vampire, freshly reminded of the passage of time. The returnee glared at me with displeasure and said.
"That doesn't mean you need to listen to that guy. He's monitoring us because he's anxious about what we might scheme."
[No, it's fine. If the world has ultimately chosen such a method, there would be no meaning in me alone denying it. I won't stop you from watching.]
The returnee frowned. I glanced at her as if teasing, and sat down beside them with the intention of quickly picking up anything that might drop.
The vampire ignored me and continued the lesson she was giving.
[…Thus. Blood is life. It is the root of life flowing through your body, and also the source that draws out power. You must feel the blood in your body down to the last drop. You must be able to clearly picture where the blood flows.]
The lesson continued in a leisurely voice. It would have been perfect content if I had just eaten, but the returnee was listening to the vampire's words with surprising concentration.
Is there anything helpful from hearing this? The content itself seems similar to what the medicine peddler said. Should I listen in too?
I concentrated my mind and read the vampire's words, the thoughts that shaped those words.
[Countless powers are contained within you. Fully understanding your body is the first step to handling that power. Among the forces branching out like a thousand twigs, fully feel the hotly pulsing blood.]
I am a mind reader. In "understanding" the meaning of words, I am second to none. Even the poorest teacher can become an excellent teacher to me. Among the qualities of a good teacher, "deliverability" is unnecessary for me. What I need is only knowledge and depth of understanding.
Reading the vampire's thoughts, I closed my eyes and concentrated my mind. I felt the heartbeat and the throbbing arteries.
Oh, I can feel it. The pulsing blood vessels! Power throbs near my wrists and carotid artery. Is this the power of blood!
[Blood is a river. A gathered river may appear to flow mightily, but in truth it burrows into tiny holes in the soil. The seeped river water moistens the entire earth, and heads toward the sea extremely slowly. What you must feel is not the blood vessels anyone can feel. The blood that has permeated your entire body. You must feel that power filling you.]
Ah, this isn't it.
Well, even if I can read thoughts, there are things like talent and compatibility. Reading a book doesn't mean you can understand everything.
It's definitely not that my head is bad. It's because the technique called Blood Control Art doesn't suit me.
I'm glad I didn't learn it. Even if I had, it would have just made me stop some blood.
[The greatest obstacle of the Blood Control Art is none other than the heart. The heart that beats as it pleases is the proof of life that tethers your soul to this world, but at the same time, it is an incompetent hindrance that moves your blood arbitrarily. That is why… only the dead can achieve mastery of the Blood Control Art.]
The returnee realized something and clapped her hands.
"So that's why vampires are called corpse demons."
[Indeed. In the sense of moving the body through the Blood Control Art, vampires and corpse demons are fundamentally the same. To become a vampire, one must die once. Your choice not to become a vampire was the correct one. The heart that beats as it pleases is the proof of life, and the qualification to go further. Protecting that comes first. The heart is the privilege of only the living….]
As if reminiscing about something, or perhaps regretting, the vampire murmured hazily and continued speaking.
[I got lost in sentiment for a moment. Anyway, to master the Blood Control Art, you must first master your heart. You must forcibly drag it to stop momentarily, or to beat even faster. Understand?]
"Roughly. You're saying that once I learn the power to control blood to some extent, I should grab my heart and try moving it?"
[Your understanding is quick. Good. Anyway, remember. The heart is the root of your body. It moves blood, purifies it, and squeezes out magical power. The heart is the center of the body, so always be mindful as you move….]
Moves blood, purifies, magical power…? Huh. Wait a minute. Something's strange.
"Just a moment, Tirkanjaka trainee."
I intervened. The vampire replied with an extremely displeased expression.
[…What is it now?]
"Um, the heart is not a magic organ, you know."
Perhaps because she's from the past, there's a discrepancy from what I know. I stepped in between them and explained.
"Most vampires made their stopped hearts into magic organs so you might think that way, but actually turning the heart into a magic organ is an extremely dangerous and inefficient act. If you make the heart your magic organ, you even need to steady your breathing to use magic, you see. So these days, they force themselves to create the magic organ somewhere else."
[….]
"In the past, they used the heart to extract magical power even like that, but since the Magic Revolution 4 centuries ago, that frequency has decreased. A method to draw out magical power well without necessarily linking it to the body was discovered, after all. This is the first thing you learn in magic class at the secondary military academy, so it would be good to know…. Oh, did I interrupt too much? Please continue."
Phew. I pointed out a very critical error. With this, I should have built up some favorability….
'Is this guy seriously crazy?'
It's chilling. A blade-like gaze flies and pierces me. I feel like I've committed a mortal sin.
Huh? Why? I just pointed out what was wrong.
'I knew that too. Do you know why someone stayed quiet because they didn't know? You could at least listen first before deciding to argue.'
The returnee, who acts like a normal person, is being absurd. You should point out what's wrong. Agreeing with everything an old person says isn't politeness, it's deception. You're the one disrespecting the vampire.
[…Anyway.]
The vampire desperately ignored me and continued the explanation.
[However, even if the heart stops, the blood must continue to circulate. Stopped blood stagnates and rots. The blood that has flowed through the body is depleted of magical power and…, no, in the case where the heart is the magic organ…. Ahem. Also, dirty blood is purified as it passes through the heart, so even to prevent bodily contamination….]
"Ah. Wait a moment. Not exactly as it passes through the heart, but as it passes through the lungs."
Maybe it's past knowledge, but there are quite a few holes.
It's fine if you read it as classical literature, but it becomes a problem if explained technically. Let me kindly point it out.
"Actually, what we call contaminated blood means it lacks oxygen. Oxygen enters our body, burns the energy we have, and moves the body. This process isn't a matter of dirtiness or cleanliness, but the same principle as firewood burning. Just as covering burning firewood with cloth extinguishes the fire, closing the lungs, which are the airway, extinguishes the flame within our body. We call that dying."
'I, I didn't know this either?'
For the vampire, she repeated waking from sleep since a thousand years ago, so that's one thing, but how come even you don't know? You learn this just by graduating middle school.
Oh, sorry. You didn't go to middle school. Because you're an orphan.
Huh, wait, could I possibly be the most educated person in this prison? My shoulders needlessly puffed up anew. As expected, a person should learn, I tell you.
"Anyway. Now that you know, please refer to this and explain. Aaaargh!"
The hair on my head stood on end. Sensing killing intent, I immediately threw my body to the side. Immediately after, the Blood Horse's hoof struck down where I had been. Space tore, and concrete shattered like tofu. Shattered concrete fragments embedded into my back.
Snort. The Blood Horse snorted as if disappointed to have missed. Every time its hooves scraped the ground, concrete ground away like sand. I shouted urgently.
"Seriously! I almost really died!"
[Stop whining!]
"I'm not whining?! For an ordinary person, that attack would have truly turned them into a handful of blood!"
[You're not ordinary, so it's fine!]
If I didn't have telepathy, you'd be a murderer! Murder without backing is a shooting offense! Be grateful for my telepathy, you!
[Yes! I've fallen behind! I've been an outsider who doesn't fit the times since long ago! Have you contributed anything!]
"Huh? When did I ever say you fell behind?"
[That attitude right now! Aren't you thinking of me as some backward and tedious old person!]
"I never said that!"
[That means you have thought it!]
Oops. Busted.
And it seemed even thinking that I was busted was also caught.
The blood boiled. An emotion hard to describe was felt from within the vampire's heart.
Uh, wait. These thoughts I'm sensing right now, could it be. I asked cautiously.
"Did you perhaps get sul—, aaagh!"
Splat. A sphere of blood flew at me. I ungracefully rolled on the ground and dodged the blood sphere. The blood sphere that grazed over my head exploded as it hit the ground and ground away the concrete.
[You think you're any different? You just happened to be born in this era and luckily blended in! Shall I make you a vampire too? Shall I cast you into a life of eternal isolation, where none but those who wish to die seek out!]
The attack continues. Blood spheres fly at me. It's not an attack with killing intent, but rather a tantrum expressing dissatisfaction. It's similar to a child recklessly throwing toys.
The problem is what's being thrown isn't a toy. Even toys hurt when they hit, but those blood spheres are fatal even with a graze.
If this continues, I'll really die. I have to get attention somehow. But how?
[If you're so great! You teach them!]
"Alright!"
When I shouted, the attack stopped. Barely getting a moment to catch my breath, I swept my chest and stood up.
"Tirkanjaka trainee. I saw it. The sociability that exists deep within your heart."
[Is that your last word?]
If I cower here, I'll really die. Ignoring the vampire's words, I continued my speech upright.
"Sociability is the desire to live together with others. I saw that from you. The mindset wanting to blend into this era, to flow in the same river."
It's a matter of surviving first. I picked roughly any words from what I read in the vampire's heart and threw them. With the hope that at least one would hit.
[Blend into, the era?]
Fortunately, the vampire calmed her excitement and began listening to my words.
"Therefore, today, I came to a conclusion. With proper education, you all can sufficiently blend into society."
[…Who are you. What qualification do you have to determine that?]
"The place where you all are. The name of this place is Mental Education Corps Tartarus. You are trainees, and I am an instructor. I am the one who guides you in this society."
The vampire probably doesn't even know the name of this place, but what does that matter. What's important is that it could be called that.
I pointed at myself with my thumb and shouted confidently.
"I will teach you. Everything for you trainees to obtain what you desire and live properly. So that you can become members of society!"
So please don't kill me.
With that wish, I spoke as confidently as possible.
[…Ha.]
The vampire lowered her hand. Then the numerous blood spheres that had embroidered the air fell to the ground. Those red spheres that had ground away an enormous amount of concrete became blood and melted into the ground.
I survived. As I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
While retrieving the scattered blood, the vampire spoke lowly.
[Whatever words you say. You just spout things you can't take responsibility for.]
How did she know?
A gloomy voice came from inside the coffin.
This time would be different, that now was the chance. A voice of one who had repeated expectation and resignation countless times, over many years, a voice that seemed to have abandoned hope.
[I am a vampire. That means a predator who drinks human blood. Humans fear me and avoid me, or envy me and wish to become me. Even if I want to blend in, my existence cannot blend with them. Can a wolf live among a flock of sheep?]
Seeing her use metaphors every time she speaks, she really gives off an old-person vibe. Of all things, wolves and sheep.
So what if she's a wolf. How many wolves are there these days.
But if I point that out, she'll get angry again. Then should I explain it a bit differently, using metaphors too?
"Yes."
[Can you not do anything with words?]
"Shall I show you proof?"
Show me if you can. The vampire thought cynically.
Reading that thought, I immediately pulled out the chime bell from my pocket and shook it.
Then, with a now-familiar howl, someone broke through the window from the 2nd floor dining hall and jumped outside. Crash. Aji, who snapped the steel bars in one go and landed on the ground, suddenly looked up and ran over.
"The one running over right now is a wolf who can be with a flock of sheep."
Screech. Aji, who ran at full speed in a single breath, stopped while tearing up the ground. Aji looked up at me with expectant eyes, mouth full of drool.
I reached out and stroked Aji's head. With a satisfied growl, Aji closed his eyes and enjoyed my hand.
"That's because dogs were originally wolves. Even sheepdogs that face wolves have wolves as their ancestors if you go back far enough. But even though sheep fear dogs, they don't fear being eaten. And dogs don't eat sheep either. Well, they might chew on some sheep bones the shepherd throws them."
Both predator and prey can change. There are many beasts tamed by humans, and in the case of dogs, an entire species was tamed by humans.
The vampire fell into deep thought. Sunk into her own world, it seemed she wouldn't wake up for a while.
Good. Now's the time.
"Bow? Food?"
"I'll give you some. Let's go to the kitchen."
"Woof woof! Yes!"
"But didn't you eat earlier? And you're eating again? Isn't this a pig, not a dog?"
"Wang! No! Pig, no!"
It's the same whether dog or pig. But since Aji's reaction was so fierce, I adopted a posture of surrender for now.
"Ah, alright! Don't bite!"
Naturally making my exit, I headed toward the building with Aji. Leaving the returnee and the vampire behind.
'That bastard….'
When I had walked some distance, the returnee's thought reached me from afar.
'Causing all that commotion and then slipping away naturally by yourself!'
Oh no. I'm caught. Let's run.
"Aji. Run!"
"Woof!"
I ran desperately toward the building. With the excited Aji behind me.
All the while, the pitch-black coffin simply floated motionlessly.