The Elder's rebellion was brief but the shock was intense. Just Erzebyt sweeping through for a moment killed and injured dozens. If there was any silver lining, it was that Lil turned those destined to die into merely injured. Thanks to her miraculous performance, as if God had written the wrong names in the book of death, the survivors gained the chance to live and tell their tale.
Those who had been pouring blood from their entire bodies groaned from anemia with their wounds sutured. Hilde quickly surveyed here and there, muttering.
"As long as they don't die, they keep their lives... That's quite an enviable ability, isn't it? I'd like to keep at least one in the Military Empire too~. Like a regular medicine."
"What do you think an Elder is?"
"I don't know about other Elders, but if it's her, it might be possible! You said she saves people. Then the Military Empire where more humans die is more qualified than the Principality!"
"Boasting about more dying."
"It IS boasting! More dying means more are living! We don't get worked up over a few dozen people!"
Hilde glanced at the injured. Those who had nearly died offering blood to Elder Erzebyt were terrified. Those who barely survived were chattering about what had just happened.
"It was Madame Erzebyt! The Elder tried to kill us all!"
"What? Why would the Elder?"
"S-she said she'd take our blood and use it as power...!"
"No way, even so, there's no need to kill..."
The Principality's order is that of livestock. The reason humans here are unusually peaceful and docile is because of vampires. Vampires—human predators, lords, and even protectors—manage everything, so humans live peacefully in the life of livestock.
But unfortunately, humans are not livestock. They won't accept the fact that they are livestock.
'We were prey from the beginning.'
'I barely saved my life, but if a fight breaks out later, we'll be consumed as food.'
'We can't rely too much on vampires. Humans need to stick together.'
They've become a bit more lively. How nice to see. Yes, unless they want to be livestock. Living a livestock life while being unable to accept that you're livestock even if you died and came back is just closing your eyes and pretending.
Hilde's eyes sparkled like a child who had seen a toy.
"Father, I want 'that', Lil Nightingale! How about negotiating well with Tirkanjaka?"
"Stop the habit of relying on me every time. Isn't it about time you started standing on your own?"
"Hmm? If it weren't for 'me', you would have died long ago, and you're saying you'll wash your mouth like that?"
"Who asked you to help? Helping me was your own will, wasn't it? Did you think I issued some kind of voucher? From next time, learn to receive payment in advance each time."
"Wow! Trash!"
That's life. Why would someone who's lived enough act like that.
Though he said it to me, the Benevolent Doctor's whereabouts isn't something that changes just by talking about it here. Hilde must have relaxed a bit as she yawned lazily.
"Phew~. I'm tired. I want to rest for a bit~."
"Your stamina is weak. I'm not that tired."
"Father was comfortably playing and eating in the Progenitor's room until recently! 'I' didn't even sleep properly because I was investigating!"
"Then why did you do that? It was going to be resolved like this anyway, why not take it slower."
"How would 'I' know that! I had to be able to rest first! I was worried sick that you might die if I made a single mistake!"
That's a bit touching.
Honestly, I didn't know Hilde would help this much. I thought she was just full of thoughts to sell me expensively and use me. Actually, she's still full of such thoughts.
But in Hilde's heart, there's an expectation toward me, or more precisely, toward the King of Humans. My seeing through her identity is one of the reasons for that expectation, but whether I can meet that expectation is another matter... Well, it's not bad for me at least.
"Oh my~. Still, I made quite a contribution, so my standing must have risen a lot, right? With this incident, Tirkanjaka, the new deity of the Principality, has become more in need, so future negotiations will be much easier!"
"I wish that were true for me too."
"What else is there? If you know something, tell me quickly. 'I' don't want to suffer more than this either?"
"It's not that I know something, but what the Duke of Red Blood said keeps bothering me."
Until you betray, it's not betrayal. That wasn't a warning believing I would betray Tir. Valdamir doesn't say such things.
It's a declaration that even if I betray Tir's trust, he won't take any action.
Really. Why am I talking like I'll betray? As Hilde said, I helped Tir, and thanks to that, not only my standing but also my existential value has increased. Beyond simply being a beloved concubine, I've gained the qualification to be incorporated into this power structure. Why would I give this up?
Just wait. I'll take root deep in this power vacuum and enjoy it to the fullest. I may say I hate order or whatever, but if it's an order I lead, why would I refuse?
Before long, the other side became bustling. A group of people was coming straight toward me. When they reached a distance where I could roughly recognize them, a familiar voice was heard from among them.
[Tir!]
See. Tir is coming to find me on her own. Now I too will live a life enjoying power...
...
Oh my.
Tir is approaching. Naturally, she looks completely unharmed. Even if she had been, she would have regenerated, but reading her thoughts, it seems she wasn't hurt much either. Tir also learned to use her authority fully for herself while going through conflicts.
Yes. She finally learned to live as a human, not a god. That was partly my intention, but it might not be such a good thing.
[Tir...! Are you hurt anywhere? Are you okay?]
Tir, who ran straight toward me, immediately threw herself into my arms. Her body, which seemed a bit warmer than before, slipped into me. Valdamir was slowly following behind, but I didn't pay attention, nor did I care about the gazes of the numerous humans here. With only me in her two eyes, she fiddled with my face.
"Ah, yes. I'm fine."
[That's a relief. If you had died... I would have...]
Muttering with eyes so overwhelmed she looked like she might cry at any moment, Tir suddenly stood on her tiptoes and kissed me. I was also dumbfounded by the sudden attack, but kissing isn't a one-or-two-day thing and I accepted it familiarly. Lips that were a bit softer and somehow warmer than before covered mine.
"How indiscreet~."
Hilde, who was watching from the side, casually said something without even knowing what was going on. Really, without knowing.
The long kiss ended. Tir, holding me by the back of my neck, let out her breath with a cozy smile.
[Phew....]
Beyond Tir looking at me, a long shadow cast on the ground wavered. It's quite mysterious. In the Principality where sunlight is dim due to fog, such a clear shadow wouldn't form. What is that...
While I had questions, Tir held my face with both hands as if telling me to focus on her and asked.
[Are you satisfied now too?]
"Excuse me? Satisfied?"
[The Elder's rebellion that you orchestrated. Was this entertainment sufficient to satisfy the King of Humans?]
As if I had plotted all of this, Tir stroked my face and asked.
Who was it. Who made Tir like this.
"Entertainment? With such a tragedy occurring, I also..."
[Shh.]
When my words started to get a bit long, Tir came close again and slightly bit my lip. I feel a stinging sensation, so it must have been slightly torn. While the bloody scent bloomed, Tir licked my blood with her tongue and smiled pitifully.
[Tir, I am only looking at you. I am only thinking of you. I also know that you are watching the sparks that arise when humans clash with satisfaction.]
"Ah, it's not exactly like that."
[Giving an opportunity to the hesitant... I know that too. And that it doesn't discriminate who that human is.]
Tir is a thousand-year-old vampire. What she learned spending an eon of time is how to watch and let go of the world. If she had felt pain and loneliness during that time, she wouldn't have been able to endure with a sound mind. Fortunately, the emotionlessness of a vampire helped. Though Tir didn't particularly want it.
So now that all of Tir's emotions and senses have come alive.
[So you pushed everyone's backs. To Ruskinia's Ein, to Erzebyt. And... to Finlay as well.]
She doesn't let even a trivial thing pass. She ponders even a tiny suspicion. And if it's related to me, even more deeply.
[The trial was also just an opportunity. You knew the answer but didn't reveal it. Believing that something would happen with that trial.]
"No, well. The procedure was—"
Just as I was about to say a word, lips blocked my mouth again. As if it's a punishment for lying, she took a little blood from the slightly formed wound.
While tasting it little by little despite saying it's unappetizing blood, Tir whispered close to me.
[Isn't it just like that time, Tir. When you struck me with lightning in the Abyss. What was the reason you whispered hope to me who had given up, and showed me that sweetness?]
"Because you seemed to want it."
[Thanks to that, I who recalled the old desire entrusted myself to a method like gambling. To me back then, that was the only move I could make.]
Ordering domination to the subordinate she dominates. That was quite an effective means. If Finlay, who was merely an Ailing, hadn't been so annoyingly weak, it might have succeeded like Ruskinia. I think the attempt itself was good, though.
[...Even though you already had the means to save me.]
That's true. There's no rule saying you have to save me, but it's a clear fact that the means existed.
Tir spoke as if she had read my thoughts.
[Salvation is not an obligation, so I didn't hold you accountable. Even without shame, I can't demand why you didn't save me earlier. But one thing... I want to hear your answer to this.]
"What is it?"
[Who was it for?]
Beyond the top of Tir's head, I could see the shadow formed on the land where no sunlight shines. I'm in Tir's arms but I don't quite understand why Tir's shadow is stuck to the ground. As if it's alive... Well, it's not strange that the shadow resembles Tir...
At that moment, my eyes met the shadow. Red eyes in the pitch-black darkness looked at me, then curved like a crescent moon and smiled.
Instantly, goosebumps broke out all over. Cold sweat ran down my back. I couldn't even read the thoughts of that shadow's movement. Even though it was definitely created by Tir's authority, and should move according to Tir's will.
Tir.
What on earth did you 'create'?
[Finlay? Erzebyt? Another Elder?]
Is it like Rallion? But Rallion was created using the pack mule buried beside her as the original. But that... is practically human.
She put in the components of a human. Blood flows inside that just like in Tir. Not only that, it's something that embodied a vampire, containing all the powers of vampires in one body.
But that, although Tir created it... Tir didn't give any command just a moment ago. That shadow moved on its own!
[Or, was it that any human would do?]
Tir didn't do anything and just asked. But an intense aura that makes it hard to even breathe bound my surroundings. This isn't aura or magical power. It's pure will. The power I feel indirectly as someone who read Tir's mind.
But... this mind can materialize at any time.
[Am I a special existence to you?]
It's the greatest crisis of my life. I need to answer well.
Tir also knows. That she can't know all of my inner thoughts. She's not asking believing that what comes out of my mouth is the truth.
She's saying she'll consider it as truth, or rather, she'll make it the truth.
Who did she learn this from. Certainly, it would be quite troublesome for a human trying to deceive others. It's a way of speaking that makes it irrelevant whether the opponent is a mind reader or whatever.
Well, I don't particularly intend to deceive either.
"You're special."