Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint - Ch. 313

The battle took place indoors, a familiar environment for Kanysen.

He knew how to use the terrain to his advantage and was able to make relatively tactical movements.

While the battle raged on, Finlay, Beta, Delta, and I made our way to the underground armory where the Progenitor resides.

Our gaze landed upon the eerie, massive steel doors of the underground armory.

This place should have been filled with the most advanced weapons painstakingly created by the Military State, but Tantalus was different.

Inside, something far more terrifying and powerful than any weapon was sleeping.

The Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka.

The Progenitor of all Vampires. Queen of Shadows.

A peculiar and monstrous being who half-heartedly entered this place because it was quiet and lacked sunlight.

Neither solitude, darkness, nor hunger—fears that plagued humans in Tantalus—applied to her.

In fact, she herself was something to be feared, comparable to Tantalus.

Fears, it seemed, resembled each other.

With the primordial darkness before her, Beta spoke in a trembling voice.

“This place is cursed by those filthy blood sucke— Heubb”

Delta quickly covered Beta’s mouth.

It seemed he knew what kind of trouble his girlfriend could stir.

He grabbed her hand and pleaded earnestly.

“Please, Cindy. Be careful with your words. You can’t say anything rash in front of the Progenitor.”

“O-Okay, if it’s for you, Elsie.”

｢…Right. I’m not betraying my faith. I’m just listening to the man I love, that’s all.｣

I clicked my tongue as I read Beta’s thoughts.

Some people need a reason to begin something.

This was not unique to Beta alone.

The Resistance was much the same before they compromised and settled.

They acted out of dissatisfaction with reality, wrapping it up as if it were for some greater cause.

Gradually, they became so immersed in it that they couldn’t do anything without orders.

As a result, they followed Kanysen and ended up here, in the depths of Tantalus, not by their own will.

How did things come to this?

There are many reasons, but if I had to name one: It’s because what they can’t see became their god.

That’s why I chose to dig into the gods instead.

I was planning to hold out until the Earth Sage arrived, but I lamented at the fact that I had to rely on these Resistance fools.

“If we write something in blood, it might get a reaction. It’d be best if it’s blood similar to the Progenitor’s. She probably prefers women’s blood over men’s…”

“You’re going to give my blood?! To a vampire?!”

“…I’ll use my blood first, but if it doesn’t work, I might borrow Beta’s.”

Whether it was the desire not to harm her own body or a religious taboo against offering blood to a vampire didn’t matter.

Those two reasons lead to the same conclusion.

She wouldn’t give her blood.

I bit my finger.

Blood welled up from the slightly torn skin.

Naturally, the blood should have spread onto the ground, but instead, it formed beads that rolled and seeped into the crack under the door, as if it no longer belonged to me once outside my body.

Watching this surreal sight, Finlay spoke.

“Writing with blood as ink? That’s quite the idea. But the Progenitor collects all blood spilled outside your body. How are you going to write with ink that keeps running away?”

“Ink is originally made by scorching something.”

I responded briefly, then used a basic spell on my bleeding finger.

“Set, Re. Fahrenheit.”

Whoosh. A weak flame flickered to life, reflecting my limited mana.

The flame was high in temperature but low in energy, and the blood slowly blackened as it scorched.

“If I scorch the blood as it drips, it’ll stick. That way, the letters will stay intact.”

“Hoho… As expected.”

“I’ll keep writing until I pass out from blood loss. Wow, writing a blood letter by tearing my own finger and scorching the blood. Not even the Emperor of the Empire could receive such a heartfelt letter. Quite grand, isn’t it?”

“Our Progenitor is far greater than any human emperor. There’s nothing grand about the human emperor.”

｢He’s sharp. The Progenitor should be able to perceive the scorched blood. This guy is impressive, even for a human. But then, why did he bring that bitch?｣

It’s a test.

Even if I manage to wake the Progenitor in an unusual way, Beta could ruin everything with her suicidal tendencies, putting us all in danger.

While Finlay watched me closely, I marked the blackened blood on the door.

I started with some cliché phrases, and if that didn’t work, I was prepared to confess my love.

If even that failed, I’d mention the Progenitor’s age to provoke her a little.

Waking up pleasantly is impossible, whether you’re human or a vampire.

A rude awakening is often the only way.

As I wrote this somewhat cliché blood letter, the couple just stood there, holding hands, watching me silently.

“Hughes, it looks painful….”

“Hughes can’t keep this up alone. Even if he’s writing with blood, he can’t write much. If it comes to it, I’ll use my blood.”

“But do we really need to go that far? If the Progenitor doesn’t respond after all this, isn’t there no point in continuing?”

“…This is our best option right now. Without the Progenitor, we can’t defeat Ebon.”

“How can we be sure the Progenitor will help us? The Progenitor is a villain who has killed over ten thousand people. What if she gets hungry and drains all our blood?”

Beta unconsciously placed her hand over her chest, where the cross of the Sky God, her source of strength and faith, hung on a necklace.

Ah, she finally crossed that line.

“Elsie, what if we just blow up the explosives instead?”

“Cindy! Are you serious? We’d all die!”

“We came here with that intention from the start. We’re just resuming the delayed plan.”

Positive emotions don’t wake people.

It’s always negative emotions that drive people to action.

History is soaked in blood because those who move the tide of events are driven by rage or despair.

It’s the same here.

The Resistance fought against the Military State because they were dissatisfied with the present, and Beta is throwing a tantrum because she hates vampires.

And as for the Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka….

“Are you suggesting we all… die together?”

“If we’re going to die anyway… it’s better to die as martyrs, carrying this all with us, than to become a vampire’s meal….”

Well, you can just die by yourself then.

I stopped writing the blood letter and stepped aside.

Immediately after, the door burst open as if it had exploded.

The steel door, which even Azzy couldn’t budge, greedily opened its mouth, and inside, crimson Blood Aura snaked out, lashing out toward Beta.

“…Ah?”

As the crimson filled her vision, Beta instinctively clutched the cross.

At the same time, the blood tendril wrapped itself around her.

Crack, snap.

Bones broke, and blood splattered.

I’d never heard it before, but even without prior experience, I could tell that was the sound of a human being crushed.

Beta’s thoughts stopped in an instant.

Even the waves of blood have an ebb and flow.

The Blood Aura, which had violently scoured the area, receded like the tide, leaving behind nothing, just as the low tide leaves an empty beach.

Delta blinked.

“…Cindy?”

｢What… What just happened? She was just here. I was holding her hand. I felt something warm, and now…｣

He called her name, but there was no reply.

Still not understanding the situation, he reached into the air, searching for his vanished lover.

“Cindy? Beta? Why… Why are you doing this? You’re joking, right? Ahahaha? Where… where did you go?”

Unfortunately, Delta was smart enough to piece it together.

His girlfriend, who couldn’t abandon her faith in the end, had been judged by the Progenitor.

The knowledge and logic he had accumulated led him to the inevitable conclusion.

It was obvious to anyone who has a brain.

Yet, Delta stubbornly denied it.

He refused to accept reality, searching for his missing lover in a world where she no longer existed, hoping she was still somewhere out there.

At that moment, Finlay laughed, unconcerned by his reopened wounds.

“Kahahaha! Yes! What a fitting end for a bitch! In this abyss, beyond the reach of the Sky God, you dared to seek the sky bastard’s aid while in close proximity to the Progenitor?! It’s like begging to be killed! Hahaha! If dying was her wish, then death is what she got!”

Finlay’s final words struck Delta like a blow, and he whipped around in rage.

“You…! Finlay…!”

“Yes, if she sought death, then death shall take her. After all, it’s only fitting.”

As I coldly confirmed Finlay’s words, Delta looked at me, stunned.

I ignored his gaze and pulled the stake from Finlay’s body.

Finally freed from the stake, Finlay regenerated his wounds and spoke.

“Did you foresee this outcome?”

“To some extent. I had hoped my blood letter would be enough.”

“Kahahaha! I like you! I had planned to beg the Progenitor to kill everyone, but now I’ll make an exception for you, Hughes! I’ll let you live!”

Funny.

Why is my life dependent on you? It’s entirely up to me.

“I don’t need it. Do you think the Progenitor would grant your plea if you begged for my death? Is she your servant?”

“W-what?”

“Stop blabbering. The door’s open now, so let’s go in.”

I stepped through the wide-open door.

Finlay, still looking a bit dumbfounded, hurried to follow me inside.

A few moments later, Delta followed weakly.

What was going through his mind… remained unclear.

The Progenitor’s chamber itself was a blasphemy against the Sky God.

The beautiful murals were stained with blood, glowing eerily, while the faint candlelight flickered in an ominous crimson glow.

Groping through the darkness, barely able to see the floor beneath our feet, we finally reached the chamber where the Progenitor rested.

[…The only reason I called you here is that I was curious.]

Though the Progenitor had awakened, she hadn’t yet risen.

She remained lying in her coffin, speaking to us without revealing her physical form.

Curiosity filled her voice as she questioned me.

[Was it to offer that insignificant believer as a sacrifice to provoke me, or was it the absurd love letter that was meant to wake me? I was curious enough to lose sleep over it. What exactly were you trying to do?]

“A love letter? What did you write with your blood, you rascal?!”

I replied nonchalantly.

“I wrote, ‘I have admired you for a long time. Please, just let me see your beautiful face.’”

“You insolentttttt! How dare you—“

[Silence.]

With a single word from the Progenitor, Finlay was silenced.

It wasn’t a voluntary silence by any means.

The Progenitor, who controls every drop of a vampire’s blood, had given a command, and it was absolute.

Until she allowed it, Finlay would not be able to speak.

｢What an amusing child. It has been so long since I have met someone who does not tremble in fear in my presence. He even dared to respond so boldly.｣

The Progenitor chuckled softly from within her coffin.

[Fufufu. What a ridiculous notion. Surely, you were not serious.]

“If I was serious, would you accept my heartfelt feelings? If so, I’ll always be sincere. This time, it’s not a lie.”

[I would never accept your heart. Now, let us see. Your true concern lies with the battle happening above, is it not?]

“If you accepted my heart, that would be the first thing I’d ask for.”

[Hahaha. Your tongue is as smooth as if it were coated in oil.]

｢I do not interfere in human conflicts, especially not when the Beast Kings are involved. However… if it is simply stopping the battle, I might consider it, depending on your story.｣

Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka’s heart does not beat.

She neither easily feels displeasure nor does she become easily pleased.

While she does have emotions, there is a vast distance between her feelings and actions.

When dealing with Tyrkanzyaka, a bit of provocation works best.

The more unusual I act, the more likely she’ll keep me alive.

[Yet, not long ago, you let a believer of the Sky God die. It does not seem like you value your companions that highly.]

But it’s best not to do anything too extreme, like wielding a cross.

Even provocations have limits.

“I’m not interested in people who are already taken. I cared so little that I couldn’t even bother to check if they were alive or dead. It’s not like we were going to end up together, so why would it matter?”

[Hmm. Are you truly so heartless, or is that just an act? Very well. I shall give you two choices.]

“Sorry, but none of those choices matter. For me, you’re the only option.”

[Truly, your wit is unmatched in the world!]

｢Quite an amusing child. Keeping him around would certainly stave off boredom. But… there is one thing… bothering me.｣

I had succeeded in making a favorable impression on the Progenitor.

Now, it was time to reap the rewards.

I waited calmly for her next words.

[If you wish to live alone, I shall spare your life. If you want to save your comrades, I shall intervene as a mediator and propose a truce. However, I will not protect you if you find yourself in danger while stopping the battle. Now, what will you choose?]

Whether I should choose my own survival or everyone’s safety—it wasn’t something I had to think about.

Of course…

Just as I was about to speak the answer I had already decided on,

“Graaaahhh!”

Delta charged toward the Progenitor’s coffin with a gun in hand.