༺ And I’ll Incinerate You ༻
Finlay continued to be a nuisance despite getting taught a lesson by Azzy a few tis. Whenever I tried to say sothing, he’d always interrupt with a “Why!” or a “Ahem”. If the Regressor or Azzy tried to get violent, he’d promptly flee or use the vampire as an excuse to defend himself.
Although annoying, he didn’t do anything bad enough to deserve death, and his advocate, the vampire, made us slightly hesitate to rough him up. The Regressor and I were caught in a predicant. It was like having sothing caught in my throat, yet I could neither swallow nor spit it out.
But sharing in suffering nurtured bonds. I had thought we’d never look for each other in our entire lives, yet the two of us ca together in one place just because of Finlay.
“Tsk, now there’s twice the annoyance. I’m going to die of stress at this rate. I have to get rid of one no matter what.”
“Two? I get that one is Finlay, but who’s the other?”
“You.”
“That’s preposterous!”
As I cried out in outrage, the Regressor crossed her arms and explained.
“You guys are alike. ddling all the ti, and doing as you please under Tyrkanzyaka’s protection. That wayward behavior, barely toeing the line? Also like two peas in a pod.”
“I can endure and overlook most insults, but that’s sothing I can never acknowledge. No, I won’t acknowledge it.”
As angelically rciful as I was, even I had a limit to my patience.
Comparing to Finlay? I’ll take that as a personal attack.
I thodically refuted the Regressor’s words.
“Look back on yourself! ddling all the ti? That’s your hobby, Trainee Shei! Taking Trainee Tyrkanzyaka’s protection? Who’s the one with the master and disciple relationship?! And wayward behavior? If you want to na the most wayward person in the abyss, then you’d have to look for a mirror before anything else!”
“Huuh?”
“Like peas in a pod! How about you take this chance to change your na? To Finshei instead! It’s perfect! You two will look like a married couple!”
“What bullshit are you spitting!!”
While feeling the most offended she ever felt since entering the abyss, the Regressor suddenly rembered the persona she had adopted.
“For the umpteenth ti, I’m a man!”
Oh, that was the character she was playing. Right. That had slipped my mind as well,
but fortunately, I had a way to back up my words.
“Yes. A man who fancies n.”
“Oi!! That’s!”
“It’s funny, thinking about it. You’re the one who scread your liking for n, yet you get angry when it’s ntioned. What’s wrong? Are you ashad of your preference after confessing it yourself?”
Faced with my sound argunts, the Regressor couldn’t say anything and rely huffed angrily.
Don’t pick a fight you can’t even win. Why keep ssing with when you’ve never won a verbal fight over ?
I picked my ears, continuing to speak.
“Er, I’m sorry, but please don’t ever co to like . It might not matter to you since it’s the truth, Trainee Shei, but I really hate being misunderstood that way. I’m a thoroughly normal guy with normal tastes, after all.”
“Don’t you worry! That’ll never happen, not even if the sky falls down on !”
After a final sharp retort, the Regressor crossed her arms again and lowered her voice.
“Anyway. While I’d like to get rid of you, it should be easier to deal with Finlay sohow. At the very least, we have to stop him swaggering about.”
“Isn’t it a bit an to talk about getting rid of soone in their face?”
“That was my intention.”
She shot back in a provoking manner before sinking into quiet thoughts.
｢Finlay ca down to the abyss with talk of waging war. He’s probably the most radical of pro-war activists. Since I know of the great war that is to co, I can’t leave Tyrkanzyaka around a war-hungry vampire. I have to pull them apart, whether it be by persuasion or threats.｣
The heck, Regressor?
It turned out that in spite of what she told , she had a surprisingly deep motive. In comparison, I wanted to get rid of Finlay simply because I didn’t like him.
Now that made for a bit of contrast. Hmm. I couldn’t possibly have a worse personality than her. I was the normal and kind sort of guy. Maybe the long stay in the abyss had corrupted a little? I better be careful from now on.
“Still, you do know, yes? Despite his appearances, Finlay is a neonate. That’s a vampire ranking below the ruling elders, who have inherited the Progenitor’s blood, and their elite retainer ancillae. Neonates aren’t that rare, but the Duke of Sanguine’s lineage carries clout.”
“He’s still a small fry. You and I both can easily take out soone like him.”
Just you, not alright? I’d need at least a holy hand grenade to deal with him.
Hearing no answer from , the Regressor cast a puzzled look, but she must’ve thought I was silent because there was no need to even answer. She moved on unconcernedly.
“Moreover, the guy ca here hoping for war. No good will co of him staying close to Tyrkan—”
The Regressor froze in the middle of her words, struck by a realization.
｢Hang on. The warden didn’t accept the idea of sending Finlay outside. In fact, he tried to keep him here. There has to be a reason.｣
Mm? Well I did have a reason. I had no way of sending Finlay outside, after all.
｢Co to think of it, the State always tended to encourage and engage in wars. That’s right. Imprisoning the Progenitor must be part of their plan.｣
I an, I don’t know about that…
Actually, sothing did co to mind. I was sure Captain Abbey ntioned this through her golem. War shouldn’t be occurring yet, she said.
Thinking the other way round, that ant war had to happen eventually. So having the vampire relaxing in the abyss had to be part of the State’s war plan.
What are they up to? Can they even handle the consequences? According to the Regressor’s mories, a huge war was going to break out in the future.
But I stopped thinking about the matter at that point. Oh well. Everyone except for idiots knew the State was preparing for war. How important could it be? It was like saying there’d be snow in the coming winter.
What mattered more than that right now…
“…I intend to pull Finlay away from Tyrkanzyaka. You better not interfere.”
｢I have to stop the war. If only to prevent them from running amok in the chaos. If this man stands in my way, then…｣
…was the Regressor eyeing with an air of murder.
Now, what to do?
Mm. Right, this is what I’ll do here.
“, interfere? I’d help out for sure, but why would I hinder you, Trainee Shei?”
“If you think about it, the reason Finlay couldn’t leave the abyss is all because of your persuasion. You’re claiming to help after what you did? That doesn’t make sense.”
The Regressor didn’t even wait for a reply as she kept going, fixing a cutting gaze on .
“You’re thinking of getting in my way, aren’t you?”
Her reasoning wasn’t bad, but she was wrong.
As I had ntioned ti and again, I just didn’t want anyone to find out I was an insignificant laborer. But since I couldn’t tell her that, I put on a bright smile instead, waving a hand in denial.
“Ahaha. So that’s how you took it. How naive.”
“What?”
The Regressor’s expression remained fierce. She snorted as if prompting to try and give an excuse.
“Think differently. Now, I spoke up to keep Finlay here, so that he’ll stay close to Trainee Tyrkanzyaka.”
“I know. I was there too.”
“Are you taking the things I said at face value? Did you have that much faith in ?”
The Regressor’s eyes widened. She didn’t look as on edge as before, but instead, she showed doubt.
｢…He was after sothing else? But from that man’s perspective, is there anything else to be gained by putting Finlay and Tyrkanzyaka together?｣
“Instead of believing everything I said, think about the result of my actions. Then you’ll know there is no reason at all for us to be at odds.”
I hinted at her instead of being direct, like sprinkling bread crumbs on a trail. I waited for her to pick up each clue and trace the truth.
｢Wait. Maybe I thought wrong. If his purpose isn’t to stick the two together… What if it was to simply have Finlay remain?｣
She couldn’t suspect the answer she had “worked” to find—though she had rely followed the clues I handed. Because when you put effort into sothing, you think you deserve a worthy reward. The puzzle you struggled to complete has to be beautiful. The solution you arduously deduced has to be perfect.
That was how the minds of people worked, and the Regressor was no exception.
｢Is it possible that he detained Finlay to prevent information from leaking out? Because if he goes out to the surface and starts blabbing, the forces that are trying to use Tyrkanzyaka might act!｣
The Regressor jumped to a thrilling conclusion of her own. She seed to be trying to hide it, but I could see her lips curving proudly.
I felt curious again. What if she found out the truth? I was rely incapable of letting Finlay escape.
Well, anyhow.
“Not everyone in the State desires war, after all. We can beco comrades, I’m sure of it.”
I had successfully eased the Regressor’s wariness for the ti being. She let down her guard enough to ask for my opinion despite still feeling uncertain.
“Do you have a plan?”
“Persuasion, to start with.”
“Persuasion? That’s all?”
｢Not kidnap, blackmail, or gaslighting?｣
I change my mind. Whichever way I look at it, I have the better personality here.
“…I have no idea what you’re thinking, but we should take the most common ans first.”
“Fine. Leave the persuading to .”
“Sorry?”
“I’m capable of doing so convincing myself you know. After all, I’m her disciple right now. It’ll be much easier for to speak with her in that regard.”
Hmm. She didn’t seem very dependable, but since she was so strongly committed, I chose to see how it went.
I did murmur a few words of worry, though.
“…I’m saying this just in case, but you can’t go cutting arms, okay? Even a vampire will get ticked off.”
“Are you taking for a psycho?!”
“How’d you know?”
* * *
After deciding to persuade Tyrkanzyaka, the Regressor took a deep breath and marched over to the vampire alone. I hid behind a corner not far away and watched them.
“Tyrkanzyaka. One mont, I have sothing to tell you.”
The Regressor trying to coax sobody… now that was a rare sight. I found it hard to believe in her since she looked like the sort who tended to solve adversities through strength or money. But still, she was the Regressor, a woman who had gone through heaven and hell. It wouldn’t be strange for her to possess an ability I didn’t know about.
Let’s see how well you can talk the talk.
“Don’t et Finlay!”
…?
The heck is this? What’s with your choice of words? Are you playing the daughter who doesn’t like her stepdad? Who begs mom not to remarry?
The vampire paused for a second before replying.
“How abrupt. Why do you say that?”
Her question was borne of incredulity, which was a very natural reaction. Compared to that, the Regressor’s reply was…
“Anyway! That guy said he wanted to wage war! War is bad! It’s dangerous!”
Oi, Regressor. Could you demonstrate so vocabulary? What are you a foreigner? Or is it that you never really talked to people all that often? But then again, didn’t you talk just fine with ?
I couldn’t bear to listen further, so I decided to close my ears and read her thoughts in advance.
｢Before I regressed, you joined the war in a mangled state. It’ll be a bloodbath that no one stands to benefit from. All that waits at the end of it is total destruction. I’m trying to stop that future from happening, and for that, it’s better that you stay far away from the war.｣
Well her thoughts were pretty normal, so what was with her blabbering? What in the world was the problem with this Regressor?
Ohh. I think I get it sowhat.
Holes ford in her logic because she wanted to hide the truth about her regression, and her attempt to force those holes shut was what resulted in that childish outburst.
I was starting to pity the woman now. What was I to do with her?
“I thought you would understand. Finlay is a much lesser retainer of mine. He cannot even oppose my will.”
“I know! But still!”
“And I will not take back a decision I have made. A bearer of heavy responsibility must weigh their words. I shan’t be changing my mind for the ti being. I understand what you want to say, so you may stop speaking.”
The Regressor rely nodded a few tis, turned around, and returned to the corner where I was hiding. Then she evasively reported the outco.
“So she says.”
“Er, I’m sorry for making an unreasonable demand. Forget about persuading and whatnot from now on. Use power or money to solve things if you can.”
｢Eh? I feel oddly annoyed. Is he being sarcastic?｣
The fact that she was confused showed how miserable her communication skills were. I felt sorry for the world this Regressor had to save.
I stepped out with a sigh.
“Wait there. I’m the master of mind gas, the magician who toys with the heart of man, and the paramour who does secret things with Trainee Tyrkanzyaka in secret places. A re disciple can’t compete. I’ll handle the case.”
“Right. You try th—What? Paramour?”
“Heave-ho. I’ll be right back.”
I sprang out of the corner before the Regressor could say anything and swiftly raised a hand in hello while approaching the vampire.
“Trainee Tyrkanzyaka. What a coincidence.”
“…What in the world are you two scheming?”
“Haha. Scheming? Oh, would you like a massage? My fingers are in fine condition today.”
The vampire didn’t withdraw her suspicion despite my offer.
“You are being too obvious. Why would a fellow who is usually so reluctant co to first with his fingers outstretched? Not to ntion that Shei is still watching from over there.”
She was being distrustful for once, which was a surprise. Was she the sa person who promptly opened up her heart after seeing defibrillate the undying? Did she develop an awareness for danger?
“So, is it a no?”
“…I did not say that. A little later. As in, when no one is looking.”
I take that back. Maybe it was because she was dead, but this corpse utterly lacked awareness.
Anyhow.
“I’ve co to warn you in place of Trainee Shei.”
“You too?”
“It may be weariso to hear, but my advice is golden, I tell you. The vampire called Finlay. Sothing about him is off. I think you better be careful.”
I was being serious, but the vampire didn’t pay heed.
“It seems I have brought too much hate upon Finlay. I understand. I shall henceforth exercise discretion.”
“By discretion you an?”
“I shall not bother you lads with his acts of service. He submits to my commands, so a word should suffice.”
The vampire presud the Regressor and I had co to her because Finlay was being a bother, so she promised to redy the situation.
Huh? Isn’t this fine? I an, it’s honestly a tempting offer. I was just annoyed by Finlay, after all.
So I imdiately nodded.
“If you’ll do that for , then great.”
“Ah, wait. At what ti should I visit you?”
“When did you ever consider the ti? Co when you feel like it.”
“Very well.”
Whew. Now this is a win-win.
I went back with a delighted face. The Regressor, leaning against the wall, greeted with a cold expression.
“What have you done?”
“What? I achieved a human triumph.”
“Triumph my foot. You only scheduled a tryst with Tyrkanzyaka instead of solving anything!”
“There was no scheduling. She said she’d co at her own ti.”
“I couldn’t give a damn! About sothing! Like that!”
“Didn’t you ask?”
“Argh, anyway! Since you’ve decided to cooperate, do it properly!”
And so I was reluctantly driven back to face the vampire.
I t her eyes awkwardly. She heaved a sigh.
“I cannot for my life comprehend your aversion. What is so strange about him? I have bonded with the two of you, so what reason is there for to not keep my retainer Finlay by my side?”
“Er, it’s the difference in ti spent together, I guess? It’s irritating because Finlay hasn’t been here even a week, yet he acts like an ass in a lion’s skin.”
“What does it matter? It has not been a month since I t you boys either.”
To a vampire, a month and a week both amounted to a blink of an eye. She would hardly feel a difference between us and Finlay.
With no words to refute, I nodded.
“Thinking about it, you’re right. A month or a week is like the fleeting glitter of a firefly compared to your lifeti, Trainee Tyrkanzyaka. Even humans with ordinary lifespans consider a month short, so for a 12th-century girl, well…”
The vampire fell into confused silence for a mont.
“12th-century, girl?”
“Oops. I’ll be going now!”
The Regressor was still waiting on the other side, but that wasn’t the only place with a corner around the walls. So I made a run for the opposite corner.
Reviews
All reviews (0)