EP.65 The Puppet Progenitor and the Unpleasant Puppet Show - 2
Well. You ask what I'm going to do?
How should I even explain this?
No, before explaining. I don't know how to express this miserable feeling.
I dragged a hand down my face and muttered.
"I clearly warned you, Tirkanjaka. When a stranger approaches with sweet words, be careful, for they might be trying to take something away from you."
I taught, showed, acted, and even mocked her to the fullest. But it clearly didn't sink in at all.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have shown her heart to Finlay.
"I told you not to give away your heart so carelessly, that you can never get what you want with magic. I emphasized it over and over again. And yet, look at this mess."
A voice full of doubt was directed at me as I repeated my soliloquy.
"What are you talking about now?"
"This is why you shouldn't call yourself an educator. Sigh. I'm losing my strength. What did I suffer for all this time? If my trainee strays this wildly, what does my effort become?"
"If anyone heard you, they'd think you were a proper educator. So what the hell is it?"
The regressor dismissed me rudely and fired questions in succession.
I let out a deep sigh and calmly conveyed the facts I had read from Finlay.
"Trainee Tirkanjaka has fallen into the Homunculus's Dilemma."
Fallen into the Homunculus's Dilemma.
That phrase holds a symbolic meaning for those who know magic.
It means trying to change oneself by borrowing the power of magic, only to end up in a miserable state comparable to a mere homunculus.
In other words, it was the same as saying she had become a puppet under someone else's control.
The regressor, who understood my words at once, was appalled.
"What? By who? Don't tell me..."
"Finlay. He has dominated Trainee Tirkanjaka. Because of that, Finlay is now able to wield Trainee Tirkanjaka's power."
"Impossible!"
The regressor said.
"How is that possible? A lower-ranking vampire cannot defeat a higher-ranking vampire. There's an immense gap in the ability to control blood through Blood Manipulation! Let alone the Progenitor? She could tear off your limbs just by flicking a finger!"
"But such a thing has happened. It seems Trainee Tirkanjaka let her guard down."
"That's not a gap that can be closed by merely letting your guard down!"
"Well? She exposed her heart right in front of me, and even went so far as to ask you, Trainee Shei, to shoot lightning at her, didn't she? Isn't that more than enough carelessness?"
In fact, she's in this dominated state precisely because of that.
Unable to find a flaw in my words, the regressor viewed the current situation with a more objective perspective.
"Certainly, that explains everything. If Tirkanjaka really intended to leave, she would have at least left us a message. But, why? To that mere small fry...?"
The regressor, agonizing with a confused face, gradually recalled yesterday's events.
Saying she wanted a heart that beats on its own. Asking her to strike lightning down on herself. And telling her to ask me about the Homunculus's Dilemma.
Having recalled that much, the regressor glared at me with a fierce expression.
"You told Tirkanjaka about the Homunculus's Dilemma yesterday."
I nodded in response.
"Yes. Because someone egged me on. She could have explained it herself if she knew, but she kept pushing the bothersome task onto me, so what could I do?"
"Tch."
The regressor, having no words to refute, clicked her tongue and changed the subject.
"Did you properly tell her? If she had heard that story, Tirkanjaka wouldn't have thought to do such a thing so rashly."
"It's true that I told her properly. However, it seems our expectations were a bit off."
Naturally, the Homunculus's Dilemma is a warning.
A stern warning never to even dream of altering one's body with magic, unless one wants to become a horrific sight, dismembered piece by piece and used as material.
"For a normal human, having their body dismembered and used as material is an event that would naturally instill terror, right?"
But the vampire had displayed attitudes contrary to common sense several times. I knew that, but at the same time, I didn't.
Even I, who can read everything from thoughts to memories if it's a person, couldn't fully read a vampire who had lived through 1,200 years.
Perhaps because of that. I realized it a bit late.
"But did Trainee Tirkanjaka really feel terror or a vague revulsion upon hearing that ghost story? Or did she just brush past it, thinking, 'Ah, there's a method like that too'?"
Somehow, when I told her about the Homunculus's Dilemma yesterday, she didn't feel any particular emotion even while listening to the content.
I should have known then.
"Perhaps Trainee Tirkanjaka didn't receive it as a taboo... but as a way to make her heart beat again."
The regressor's face stiffened.
To a vampire who would rip open her own chest saying she'd receive an electric shock, to a vampire who would ask for magic to be used on her saying an electric shock wasn't enough and she needed to be struck by lightning.
Something like the Homunculus's Dilemma was not a chilling taboo to her... it was no different from a polite refusal.
"I didn't... know at all."
The regressor's voice trembled.
"Then it's because of me? Because of me, Tirkanjaka allowed Finlay to take her heart?"
Because of you? What nonsense.
If you're responsible for saying that, what does that make me? I read thoughts in real-time and still couldn't predict this situation.
"No. It's not Trainee Shei's fault."
I am not responsible. Therefore, you are not responsible. Let's make excuses for each other.
"And it's not my fault either. How was I to know that Trainee Tirkanjaka's desire to have her own beating heart was that great? Honestly, this is entirely Trainee Tirkanjaka's fault from start to finish. I mean, she's not some dementia-ridden old person. Does she have to stick her head into every danger she sees? If she weren't an immortal, she would have died long ago."
I offered comfort with an endlessly light voice.
The regressor was slightly moved upon receiving my comfort for a moment. Warm comfort was a rare thing for her as well.
Just as she was about to let her guard down.
'Wait.'
Strength returned to her drooping eyes. The regressor forcefully pushed away the sweet comfort, and set sharp thorns against her mind that was trying to become weak.
"How did you know that?"
Ahaha. Sharp as ever.
Because I read her memories.
From the lies Finlay told yesterday, to the sight of the vampire ultimately pulling out her own heart even after hearing those obvious lies. I read Finlay's memory vividly, you see.
But I couldn't tell her that, so I placed my index finger against my lips.
"It's a secret."
I replied, giving an innocent, bright smile.
At that, the regressor's gaze darkened even further. Like a beast encountering an enemy, she bared all her senses, glared at me, and clenched her teeth.
No, I smiled so friendly, so why? What did I do?
"...Fine. We'll pass over that secret. Then."
The regressor demanded an answer from me, looking as if she would spring up at the slightest touch.
"So. What are you planning to do? Watch? Cooperate? Or, oppose?"
Well.
If I could escape outside using the vampire's power, I might have cooperated with Finlay. No, before that, I would have seduced the vampire and gone up to the surface together.
However, I know that I cannot escape with such a simple method. I obtained a clue by dismantling Finlay's bracelet, and became certain after interrogating the golem.
To get outside, something other than the ability to fly is necessary.
Which means.
"Finlay will fail to escape. Because you can't escape the Abyss that way."
Since they are immortal vampires, they could patiently and steadily climb up. But even that has its limits. As they climb, they will eventually realize that they will never reach the surface this way.
"Once he realizes he's wrong, he'll come find us again. Then it'll be really awkward for both of us, right? We said hello and goodbye, but if they come back because they don't know the way out. It'll become awkward for both us and them, and the already heavy air of the Abyss will become even heavier."
"So, the conclusion?"
I don't have the ability to let Finlay out. But even if I tell him that truth, Finlay won't believe it, and even if he believes it after verifying it through various means, he won't leave me alone for deceiving him.
In other words, a fate we are destined to clash over someday.
If I want to survive. I must kill Finlay.
"I'm naturally active, so I'd rather die than have an awkward atmosphere. I'll have to keep him captive, even if I have to kill him to do so."
I grinned and extended my hand toward the regressor.
"Trainee Shei, let's cooperate. To capture and kill Finlay."
"Hmph. Like I'd ever cooperate with someone whose intentions I can't read?"
No, I'm showing such a friendly smile and cooperative attitude, so why are you so prickly? Are you actually the king of hedgehogs?
Ignoring my awkwardly extended hand, the regressor brushed off her clothes.
"We just happen to have the same goal by chance. Just don't get in my way."
"That's fine either way. How reliable."
"I'm not reliable at all."
'It's better than having him as an enemy, but I can't completely trust him. Let's just assume I'm fighting alone for now.'
Oh. Good resolution.
Because you really do have to fight alone. I don't have the ability to fight a vampire.
So you have to win by yourself. If I'm left alone, it's a big problem.
Watching the regressor firm up her resolve to fight alone, I slyly asked.
"Do you have a plan?"
"...Phew. There's no reason to hide it."
The regressor raised her fingers. As she concentrated and exerted strength, bright red blood seeped from between her fingers, balled up like beads, and rolled over her fingers.
"Blood Manipulation is an ability that every vampire has. But no matter how good his ability is, he's only a Yieling. Not an Elder, nor even an Ain. The link of his power is bound to be loose. If so."
Flick. When the regressor shook her fingers, the blood exploded with a bang in midair. It was an impact comparable to a small bomb.
Amidst the scattering blood, the regressor spoke confidently.
"I will shock Tirkanjaka with my Blood Manipulation. My power is primal Blood Manipulation. It doesn't belong to Tirkanjaka's power. If I stimulate her with a heterogeneous power, Tirkanjaka's instincts will jump out just to resist it."
Even if her mind is a bit damaged, a regressor is a regressor; her countermeasure is solid. That's a passing grade.
No need to hold back praise at times like this.
"Good. An excellent strategy."
The regressor snorted and replied.
"Hmph. Stop spitting empty words and just provide long-range support."
"I don't particularly have any long-range support methods, though."
The regressor looked at me with cold eyes.
Why, what. Did you think I only lacked long-range support methods?
Actually, I don't have close-range support methods either! Ta-da!
"Then just use magic from behind or something."
"The magic I can use is limited to Level 0 magic, you know?"
You saw me using magic last time. And that pitiful amount of mana too.
The regressor, having just recalled that, scrunched up her face.
"Tch, what. Were you just a swordswoman? A swordswoman with no abilities has the worst compatibility with Tirkanjaka!"
No, I'm a card sharp. I've hardly ever even used a sword. The kitchen knife I use for cooking is the entirety of my sword-fighting history.
"Then try dealing with Tirkanjaka's familiars! I'll take care of everything else!"
'He's seriously not reliable at all! Hmph, but it's fine. I can do it alone. I've done it in previous iterations too!'
The regressor briefly recalled what happened in a previous iteration. During the Great War in the past, when she raided the command post of the immortal army that fought against the Holy Imperial Court.
At that time, the regressor encountered the Progenitor Tirkanjaka. An avenger who declared a blood feud with blood-red eyes.
'I am weaker now than I was then, and I have fewer means available, but the same goes for my opponent. No, it's even more so. There are no Elders or Ains of the Misty Principality protecting Tirkanjaka, right? Rallion, as long as I'm careful of that, I can fully awaken Tirkanjaka.'
The brief flashback ended. Having finished her calculations in her head, the regressor firmed her resolve and spoke.
"I need to prepare."
"What a marvelous coincidence. I needed to prepare a bit too."
"In one minute, meet me here. We'll dispose of Finlay and save Tirkanjaka."
She didn't even wait for an answer. The regressor strode back to her room. To take out the tools to face the vampire.
Hmm.
Actually, I have nothing to prepare. But I should at least pretend to get ready, right?
I scratched my head and headed upstairs. To pack my few pieces of equipment.