Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

Chapter 417

The highest floor of Castle Full Moon was entirely reserved for Tyrkanzyaka. No one could reside above the Progenitor, so only she lived at the very top of the grand fortress.

At the pinnacle of the most opulent and majestic castle lay a dimly lit, tranquil bedroom, prepared solely for the Progenitor. It had barely been used. Tyrkanzyaka, being a vampire, had no need for sleep, and whenever she did decide to rest, she would take her preferred coffin and vanish into some distant, hidden underground chamber where no one could find her. Yet, despite its lack of use, the room was well maintained. A massive canopy bed with sheer red curtains stood at its center, while one wall held a jeweled mirror that reflected the chamber’s gloom.

“…Ah, this is not the place. Forget you saw it. I had no intention of bringing you to my bedroom….”

I wasn’t planning to enter in the first place.

Closing the bedroom door, Tyrkanzyaka led me into her audience chamber instead. A long, vertical table stretched across the room, and at the head sat a meticulously stacked pile of documents, prepared by Vladimir.

Tyrkanzyaka took her natural seat at the head of the table, and I sat beside her, waiting for her to speak.

“Your deduction was correct. Vladimir reached the same conclusion, and I, too, agree. This is something only a vampire could have done.”

“Well, narrowing it down to that extent makes identifying the culprit a piece of cake. I don’t know much about vampires, but with you and the Red Blood Duke here, I’m sure you can pinpoint the suspect. So, who’s the prime suspect?”

Tyrkanzyaka sifted through the documents and handed me a single file. Written in ominous red ink was a name.

Lir Nightingale.

It was, of course, the name of the Saint of Medicine.

“She was Ruskinia’s Yeiling and the one who inherited his True Blood. To the outside world, no one is more suspicious.”

Tyrkanzyaka’s reasoning was sound.

If one wasn’t part of Ruskinia’s lineage, how could they have approached one of the most ruthless Elders? And if Lir hadn’t killed him, how had she inherited his True Blood?

It was like staring down a straight, unbroken road from start to finish.

But one thing still bothered me. Tilting my head, I voiced my doubt.

“Yeilings aren’t weak, but still… we’re talking about an Elder. The difference in power is immense. Could she really have killed him and taken his blood?”

“I, too, question how she could have done it. Therefore, I will summon Lir and have her explain herself. If her story does not align, she will perish by my hand.”

The burden of proof lay on Lir. Tyrkanzyaka acknowledged my concern but didn’t see much significance in it. Her approach was that of a ruler, not a judge. Do you wish to live? Then prove your innocence. If I am not convinced, I will kill you instead.

And honestly, that wasn’t entirely wrong.

Tyrkanzyaka was a sovereign, not an investigator. Her role was to rule, not to chase after abstract truths. Presumption of innocence? Which country even followed such a principle?

But… I had already read it.

Lir Nightingale did not kill Ruskinia.

Now I was curious.

Originally, I had planned to wait until the trial. With my ability to read minds, uncovering the truth would be easy once all the relevant parties were gathered.

But there was one problem—would all the relevant parties even show up?

Lir was the prime suspect. But Lir wasn’t the culprit. That meant the real perpetrator was still out there somewhere.

And if they didn’t appear at the trial, the truth would be buried forever.

Tyrkanzyaka might not care. But I was curious.

I didn’t have much else to do anyway. Might as well dig around a little.

“So, the most likely culprit is still Lir Nightingale.”

“And despite knowing I was coming, she has not returned. Whether intentional or not, she appears to be fleeing. With that much circumstantial evidence, a trial may not even be necessary.”

“But! It’s almost too perfect, and that makes me suspicious.”

“Suspicious?”

If I hadn’t read her thoughts, I would have been idly chewing on some meat and enjoying the sights of the Mist Duchy. But since I had read her mind, I couldn’t just ignore this.

Might as well make a game of it. Doing nothing is more boring than solving a mystery.

“When things line up too neatly, it feels off. Makes me want to look for something hidden beneath it all.”

“You believe there is a deeper conspiracy? Are you certain?”

“I’m not certain. But wouldn’t it be more interesting if there was?”

“To seek amusement in the death of an Elder… Be serious. I tolerate this only because it is you. If other vampires heard this, it would cause an uproar.”

Says the same person who was prepared to lounge around with me for a whole year.

I wanted to retort, but doing so would mean admitting to my mind-reading ability. Better to keep quiet.

“You said the trial must be held before we can proceed, right? I’ll take part in it, then. I’ll be Lir Nightingale’s defense.”

“Defense? You mean to advocate for her innocence?”

“Not exactly. I’ll challenge the weak points in the case to ensure a more precise judgment. If we only look at one side of things, we’ll miss important details. By standing from Lir’s perspective, I might be able to reach a more objective conclusion.”

Of course, since I already knew she wasn’t the killer, that was functionally the same as defending her.

It was an interesting proposal, but surprisingly, Tyrkanzyaka didn’t seem very enthusiastic. She clasped her hands together atop the table, looking somewhat troubled.

“There is little need for such wasted effort. Vladimir and I will handle matters concerning the Elders. You need not concern yourself with this. Besides, you have other matters to attend to.”

“…Other matters? You mean finding the Demon God? That’s not something I can do immediately.”

Apparently, that wasn’t the answer she wanted. Tyrkanzyaka’s expression darkened, her lips jutting out slightly in a pout.

“You promised to restore my senses. I did not wish to pressure you, but it seems you have no interest in fulfilling that promise at all… It saddens me.”

“…Ah. That.”

I scratched my head.

I had promised. And I was willing to do it.

But before I did, there was one thing I needed to confirm.

“I can do it anytime. But, Tyr… are you absolutely sure you want your senses restored?”

I had already granted Tyrkanzyaka’s wish—I had restored her heart.

She had become whole, separating her internal self from the outside world. Though this weakened her bloodcraft and dominion abilities, that power was now contained within her own body.

The reverberations of this change were already spreading throughout the Mist Duchy. Tyrkanzyaka hadn’t noticed yet, but soon, she would.

And now she wanted to regain her senses as well?

“I restored your heart, and that alone changed you, Tyr. Restoring your senses is an even greater shift. Senses allow you to perceive and accept the world’s changes. If you regain them fully… you’ll keep changing. To the point where you may no longer recognize yourself. Are you really okay with that?”

“That is what I desire.”

I had hoped she would at least hesitate, but her response was immediate and firm.

“I have long wished to restore my heart. I do not know why. Even without ever having experienced a ‘normal’ life, I always longed for the erratic beat of a heart.”

Tyr placed a hand on her chest, feeling the steady rhythm. Though she could restore her body at will with her unparalleled bloodcraft, the heart I had implanted within her ignored her commands.

Life cannot will itself to stop its own heart. One cannot simply decide to stop breathing and die. That is an instinctual truth. That’s why a knife, poison, or a noose is needed to end one’s own life.

Now that her heart beat again, Tyrkanzyaka could no longer abandon her body. If she tried to deconstruct herself as she once did, her heart would cease beating, and she would truly die. So, her power naturally gathered to preserve the small ember inside her. That, in turn, solidified the division between her internal self and the external world.

“I understand now. I had to exist as ‘myself’ first. Only when ‘I’ exist can I perceive what is different from me. I can cherish what is other. I can feel, evaluate, and long for something. All this time, I have been searching for something that would change me.”

With quiet wonder, Tyrkanzyaka traced the pulse beneath her palm. Then, she reached out and touched my hand.

With a smile uncharacteristic of a vampire, she toyed with my fingers.

“I do not fear change any longer. More than anything… Hugh, it is you who will grant it. I have already entrusted my body to you once. If it is you, then I have no reason to hesitate.”

A wish is a desire for change.

Those who make wishes seek transformation.

Fulfilling that wish might come with complications, but I didn’t bother pointing them out. This was Tyrkanzyaka’s wish and her resolve. I had no interest in listing possible problems just to cover myself later.

If problems arose, we’d deal with them as they came. Tyr was the Progenitor, after all. She could handle it.

“Looks like I’ll be doing both.”

I made my decision just as decisively.

“I’ll investigate during the day and restore your senses at night. Looks like I’ll be keeping busy.”

“Will you be all right? Will it not be too exhausting?”

“Do I look like someone who works themselves to the bone? Don’t worry. Compared to some of the hellish ordeals I’ve been through, this is nothing.”

So much for a leisurely tour of the Mist Duchy. But this was necessary. If I wanted to hold any real influence here, I needed to prove my worth. Maybe I had been slacking off too much.

The world only values those who contribute.

Living a busy life is a privilege reserved for those with limited time. I hadn’t particularly wanted that privilege, but I might as well make use of it.

“Besides, I’m curious. How did a mere Yeiling overpower an Elder? If I can figure that out, I might understand vampires better. It could even help me when I restore your senses.”

“If that is your will, then who am I to stop you? I will inform Vladimir. Do as you wish.”

‘It is a pity that we will have less time together… but if he is working for my sake, I cannot argue.’

A debt exists even in the heart.

If you give something, you will receive something in return.

I picked up the most important documents from the table and stood.

“I’ll visit you at night, so make sure you wash up and wait.”

“…Yes, I shall— Wait, what?”

“I have to engrave the Lightning Tangle into your body like a tattoo, stitch by stitch. See you in the evening.”

I told her in advance since it was a necessary step. The process required precision, and it was better if her skin was free of any unnecessary elements.

…It sounded a little weird when said aloud, but whatever.

I had given fair warning.

As I left the chamber with the documents in hand, Tyrkanzyaka remained frozen in place, sitting stiffly with her hands clasped defensively over her chest—like someone whose heart had just stopped.