However, instead of giving up, the regressor became even more stubborn.
'No. If I end it with "I don't know," I won't be able to recognize the Relic in the next cycle. It's a Relic that didn't reveal itself even over several regressions. I'll have to visit the Principality every time anyway, so figuring out the difference now will be helpful.'
That's right. This is the only time she'll transform right in front of me, practically telling me to find the difference.
Pretending to rest her hand on her forehead, the regressor flashed her eyes through the gaps between her fingers. It was the Seven-Colored Eyes that saw all kinds of light. She didn't have the confidence to guess it fairly, so she was relying on her divine power. Well, it's amusing how she gets so serious about trivial things.
Not a chance. I quickly popped my head out and tattled.
"Miss Shei. Don't tell me you're using the Seven-Colored Eyes right now?"
"Wh-why! This is a skill too!"
However, there was a problem.
From the Red Eyes that see temperature to the Purple Eyes that see power. No matter which eye she used, she couldn't discern their true identities. Whether it was blood manipulation or qi, it was impossible to see through a body filled with some sort of power, so she had to look at the aura they emitted. The regressor observed their aura from every perspective.
'Looking with the Seven-Colored Eyes, they do look different. There's definitely a difference! But...!'
The problem was that she didn't know which one was real. Just because she was a regressor didn't mean she carried all of Tyr's information in her head.
Besides, Tyr had originally gained darkness through a long fight against the Holy Court. She had poor compatibility with the Seven-Colored Eyes that saw light. Because light descends from the sky.
Tsk tsk. That's why I warned you.
"I'm just worried. What are you going to do if you use a skill like the Seven-Colored Eyes with gritted teeth and still get it wrong? Wouldn't it be more honorable to just guess on intuition and get it wrong?"
"S-shut up! I've almost got it!"
"Don't say it so confidently. What if you're wrong?"
"You speak as if you're so smart, but what about you!"
"What do you think I am? I can even guess the back of a flipped card. Of course I know."
"That's cheating!"
"Cheating is also a legitimate skill. Look who's talking. Honestly, pulling from the bottom of the deck is a much more honest skill than the Seven-Colored Eyes."
Actually, it's mind-reading, though. No one knows that, so it's practically legal. Undetected cheating is no different from legal play.
And isn't a skill that sees all perspectives more broken than mind-reading, which can only read human hearts? If I had to choose between the Seven-Colored Eyes and mind-reading, I'd choose the Seven-Colored Eyes, you know?
'If it's that guy, he seems like he'd actually know. If so, that means there's a clue...'
The regressor, who had been racking her brain for a while, recalled something and proposed:
"Let me ask you just one thing."
"Oh. Are you saying you'll find me with a single question?"
"Now it's getting a bit interesting. Go ahead, try it."
Now that it felt more like a quiz, Tyr showed interest. The regressor stared at the two and organized her thoughts.
'Tirkanjaka regained the heart she so desperately desired in the Abyss. The inside of the Abyss is a land that even a saintess cannot peek into, so the Relic probably doesn't know that fact. The one who knows that must be the real Tirkanjaka.'
"Do you know what Tirkanjaka's wish is?"
It was a question that required quite a bit of thought. However, 'Tyr' with a smile asked back.
"Who did you ask? Please point clearly. Wouldn't the one who answers later be at too much of an advantage?"
"You! You answer!"
As the regressor pointed to one side, that side smiled faintly and spoke.
"I have no wish now. For it has already been fulfilled."
A natural line that made it impossible to tell if it was real or acting. While speaking calmly, at some point her expression hardened completely as she continued.
"However, there is still something I must do. To destroy the Holy Court."
And thoroughly refined emotions flowed out. The one wearing Tyr's face spoke with anger contained within a blank expression.
"That is not a wish, but a duty. Due to 'my' lack of strength, I had no choice but to postpone it, but I merely delayed it; it is a task I will surely accomplish someday. I will tear down the Heavenly God and insult all those idols. I will never forget."
She didn't leak out her fighting spirit. She'd get caught if she did. Instead, she revealed intense anger through her tightly clenched fists and her low voice. Expressing such hatred toward the Holy Court right now could only be explained if she was the progenitor of vampires, Tirkanjaka. Who else could display such anger toward the Holy Court?
The regressor fell into thought with a heavy heart.
'Ugh. I'm not particularly affiliated with the Holy Court, but... still, this is a bit rough. To stop the King of Sins, the Holy Court's cooperation is essential... Ugh. Let's think about that part later.'
"Alright. I figured out the real Tirkanjaka, so stop playing around now."
"Did you figure it out?"
"Yeah. The one who just spoke is the real one, right?"
At the regressor's words, Tyr and 'Tyr' smiled playfully.
Sigh. Of course. Would you be a regressor if you didn't step on a landmine?
"Wrong. Miss Shei. You got it wrong."
"Huh? What?"
'What are you talking about? She said she has no wish now. Doesn't that mean she got her heart back?'
I just made her misunderstand that on her own. I didn't say a single word about getting her heart back.
"Can't you see? She avoided the answer and focused on what she knew. She vaguely said she has no wish now, then showed anger toward the Holy Court, right? Even a passing kid knows that vampires loathe the Holy Court. What that Tyr over there said sounds amazing, but if you strip away the fluff, it's just basic knowledge like, 'I don't know? But I hate the Holy Court!'"
"What are you talking about? Then is the other one the Relic?"
"Ding-dong-dang! Oh, I couldn't fool Father this time either!"
'Tyr' jumped up and shouted. Her usual calm and quiet demeanor was completely gone, and with Tyr's face, she smiled so innocently that she looked like a different person despite having the same face. Hilde sighed with dissatisfaction and muttered.
"Hmm~. It was obvious as fire that Shei wouldn't get it right. I still have no idea how to strategize against Father~."
"What's so obvious! I'll definitely get it right next time! One more time!"
"That's strange? I think I heard something similar earlier~."
"This time it's really different! Because I've figured out your trait!"
'I can see it with the Green Eyes and Purple Eyes! Changing bodies reveals awkward points. I got confused because the subject she transformed into was Tirkanjaka of all people, but next time for sure!'
That's not overconfidence. It seems she really figured out her trait.
But you'd better be careful. As much as you've figured out Hilde, Hilde has also figured you out. Well, you can just regress if you fail, though.
"...Uh, hold on."
Meanwhile, Peru, who had been fidgeting in a corner, covered his mouth and was horrified.
"...Pro, Progenitor? The Progenitor?"
Ah, hadn't I told him yet? The fact that Tyr was the progenitor of vampires, Tirkanjaka.
I should explain it now. To make the upcoming journey more comfortable.
"That's right. The Progenitor Tirkanjaka, who was slumbering at the bottom of Tartarus, is with us! She's not a normal vampire!"
"...Thud."
Oh my. He fainted.
Well, it was a lot to take in.
Beyond the Mist Mountain Range, a land always covered in clouds and fog. Vampires live in that land where sunlight cannot reach due to the dense water vapor.
Blocked by the high mountain range that makes even clouds sweat profusely to cross over, the Principality's mist and the vampires living within it rarely cross over to the various nations. The humid air blowing from the Sea of Calamity is blocked by this natural barrier and stagnates.
However, there is one exception. The village of clouds, Claudia, spread across low hills, is different. Into that place where the mountain had been uprooted, clouds pour down like a waterfall. If you push through that waterfall of clouds, a primordial land veiled in mystery appears.
The Mist Plains. The land now named the Mist Principality. The vampires who fled from the light settled there.
In many other places, vampires are beings that only appear in legends, but to the people of the various nations who lived in and around Claudia, vampires were like a nightmare that popped up once in a while just as they were about to forget. They usually didn't come out, but when they did, an event that shook all of Claudia occurred. So they couldn't help but feel even more fear.
Tyr listened to that story and nodded.
"So Claudia meant the village of clouds. I am well acquainted with that place. In the old days, when I was wandering looking for a place to live, it was a small village I found at the end of the wasteland. I remember tearing the waterfall of clouds with my own hands."
"...Ugh."
"Why are you so frightened?"
Peru couldn't even make eye contact with Tyr. His figure, trembling out of fear imprinted on his instincts, was quite pitiful.
Seeing him so terrified, Tyr spoke with suspicion.
"Are you perhaps a follower of the Heavenly God? Hmm, there is no need to be so afraid. As long as you don't act arrogant in front of me, I won't kill you one by one... That is, as long as you don't ruin my mood too much, anyway."
"...Hiek."
Having lived for a long time, Tyr has her own principles. She doesn't just kill anyone for believing in the Heavenly God, but if they express their faith in front of her, she kills them without mercy.
That doesn't mean she always acts strictly according to her principles; if things go wrong, she just kills them. Well, if you draw the line for 'good' too clearly, humans will just endlessly exploit it. Some degree of flexibility is necessary.
I spoke up instead of the terrified Peru.
"Tyr. Stop scaring him. It's natural for a normal person to be afraid of vampires."
It's only natural. What human could stay calm in front of a vampire who sees them as a walking food pantry? Just as a sheep and a wolf can't be best friends, it's hard for vampires and humans to get along.
At the uncomfortable truth, Tyr frowned.
"You barged in fearlessly from the very beginning. Even knowing I was a vampire, and the Progenitor at that."
"If you don't suck my blood, you're not a vampire. I'm scared of vampires, but not really of humans. We're both humans, so what."
"Right. You were the strange one. Since the first human I met when I woke up after a long time was you, I was confused for a moment. So this is the normal reaction."
Even as she glared, Tyr seemed secretly pleased and smiled faintly.
Actually, nothing had changed. As long as Tyr didn't covet someone's blood, she was just a girl with beautiful silver hair.
However, Peru was still terrified. It would be too much to expect a few words to erase deep-rooted fear.
Well, what can you do. It's the price for not paying attention to public opinion. Since it's come to this, should I tease Peru a bit?
"Alright. It's about time to eat, right? As for the bowls, that's me and Miss Shei. Please prepare just three more, including Hilde's. Ah, and Tyr doesn't need a separate bowl. Peru just needs to get on the dining table."
"...Hiek."
"You are mischievous. Stop it. Unlike other vampires, I don't need to suck blood separately. I am the sea where all flowing blood reaches. If someone bleeds, it naturally seeps into me without any special effort. The blood that child sheds when pricking his finger is enough."
"...Hah."
I said it to reassure him, but Peru became even more terrified. I decided to add one more thing since I was at it.
"That was in the past too, right? You can't eat well now, can you? Don't you need a special meal? Made with fresh virgin blood?"
"...Ugh, I'll go get the food."
The terrified Peru headed to the storeroom as if fleeing. Leaving his seat under the pretext of getting food, Peru desperately searched for meat. It seemed he was thinking of feeding the vampire animal blood. A useless effort.
At that moment, the regressor called Peru.
"Lord of the Green Wine Society. The food is from the various nations, right?"
"...Yeah. Why?"
"Don't take it out. I'll use mine."
Saying so, the regressor opened her pocket. As seen before, each was a premium ingredient that only an emperor of a nation should be able to eat. Wine, meat, rice, and flour that couldn't even be compared to the cheap rum Peru was trying to bring. Luxurious ingredients were stacked one by one on the dining table.
"Woof! Food! Fooood!"
It was a feast that made you exclaim in admiration, mixed with drool, just by looking at it. Aji, who had returned like a ghost after smelling it, put her front paws on the dining table and shined her eyes. Her tail wagged so hard it kicked up dust.