Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint-Chapter 436: Reverse Judgment (1)

The night was too long and dark, hiding various truths under the shroud of silence. It's difficult to tell everything that happened, but to summarize briefly, I was both the creator and the master of Tyr’s body, remade and brought back.

...For just a few hours.

As I’ve said repeatedly, I am an ordinary human. No matter how much my senses returned and emotions were restored, Tyr is a vampire. She can manipulate her own blood at will, and unlike me, a mere human, she does not tire after many nights. As for me, even if a beautiful woman were standing before me, I’d still succumb to the need for sleep and hunger.

I had declared surrender several times, but that is something you can only do when the victor is willing to accept it. Exhausted and completely drained, I lay dead to the world in bed.

"Ugh." "No, no, Tyr... I'm done now. You go on ahead, I'll stay."

"Did I ask you to do anything? I only spoke to you for a moment."

Tyr pouted her lips but then smiled brightly, poking me playfully.

"Ugh." "Yes..." "Hehe, I just called out to you."

"I’m tired, please don’t call me..."

"Really? To be so exhausted after just a short time. But for a human, it must be a bit too much, I suppose."

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A short time? I couldn’t really measure the exact hours, but it felt like at least three days had passed. Of course, I had passed out and rested, but that amount of time was necessary maintenance. Without it, I would have been dead.

"You’re so relaxed..." "I’m confident in long-term endurance. Hehe, for a human, this must have been a tough march."

"Now that Tyr is human again, how is it that there’s no sign of fatigue, even after I’ve restored your senses?"

Fatigue? Well, that mainly refers to muscle and body fatigue, right? Bloodcraft still exists within Tyr’s body. For Tyr, who controls even a drop of blood, fatigue and injury would be nonexistent.

"As much as I enjoy seeing your weak side... are you just going to stay there?"

"I’m dying. A human doesn’t need to drain their blood to die. Seriously, do something else for once."

"What else is there to do..."

Just then, footsteps were heard from the distance. Both Tyr and I, almost as if by agreement, stopped talking.

It was an unmistakable presence. Someone was approaching the Progenitor’s private quarters, intentionally making their presence known. Tyr briefly furrowed her brow at the unfamiliar presence, but if it were an intruder, they would have remained silent. In this castle, where countless vampires resided, only an Elder could approach without any interference.

Realizing this, Tyr focused her senses toward the door. She no longer had the ability to sense blood, but instead filled the corridor with darkness. The approaching presence remained unaffected by the growing shadow. As the steps halted, Tyr bowed slightly toward the darkened hallway.

"Progenitor. It is I, Erzebeth. I have returned to fulfill the task you commanded."

It was Lady Erzebeth. She had welcomed Tyr at the Fortress of Twilight, but after receiving orders to bring Lir Nightingale, she had left for Claudia. Now, she had returned with the most likely suspect.

"Alright. Continue."

"According to your command, I have brought Lir Nightingale. She should be punished for her sins, exposed and dealt with."

This was the signal that the long-awaited trial of the Duchy was about to take place. The most heated issue of the Duchy had finally arrived. Things were about to get noisy.

‘Has the Progenitor truly spent the night with his concubine...? Could it be that, even after all these years, the Progenitor, who was once so pure and young, has forgotten the pleasures of the flesh?’

...Wait, was it the second time? It seems that, without my knowing, the Duchy had already been thrown into turmoil.

Erzebeth, hiding her complicated emotions, bowed toward the door.

"I will take my leave now and not disturb you further. May you enjoy your time with your concubine."

Erzebeth, the Progenitor’s chamberlain, and the one who had taught a young, powerless boy the ways of nobility, had served the Progenitor for centuries. However, she was clearly disturbed by the change in the Progenitor, and she left with confusion in her heart.

While I knew through telepathy, Tyr, who couldn’t read minds, spoke casually.

"...Ugh, Erzebeth said that too."

"I’m going to rest now. I’m on strike. If you push me any further, I’ll consider it abuse, so don’t ask me to do anything."

"You really need to train. How long has it been and you’re already this exhausted? I’ll be sure to tell Valdamir later."

"Sigh... For a human, I really held out much longer than expected."

As the human king, it felt meaningless when facing a vampire. I lamented and buried my face in the pillow.

In any case, something had come up. The two Elders who had gone on a mission had returned with the prime suspect. Tyr had announced that she would interrogate Lir openly, and this news spread throughout the castle to all the vampires.

With the arrival of the full moon and the blood tide, vampires who had been waiting in the castle naturally gathered in the hall, eager not to miss such an important event. There was nothing for them to do except wait, so they gathered in the Moonlit Hall.

A red velvet carpet was spread out like a pool of blood. The chandelier hanging from the high ceiling did not shine to illuminate the room, but merely emitted a dim light, setting the atmosphere. The old paintings and decorations, frozen in time like a museum, added to the sense of stagnation. The vampires, whose age matched that of the artifacts, stood motionless like sculptures, waiting for the Progenitor to arrive.

Tyr, seemingly accustomed to this scene, walked toward the throne without hesitation. As the Progenitor’s concubine, I followed closely behind. We sat at the seat of honor, visible to everyone.

A concubine standing above everyone’s head. Even with such an unusual scene, the vampires’ expressions remained unmoved. They knew that they controlled their own bodies, and that emotions were not something to be shown in public settings.

However, I read it.

‘Concubine.’ ‘The center of all these changes.’ ‘I heard rumors of a King of Humans.’ ‘The beast kings I’ve encountered so far all shunned vampires. Does this King of Humans do the same?’ ‘No, the King of Humans is just a figure of gossip. It’s too early to make any conclusions.’ ‘Perhaps... the Progenitor didn’t change and become a concubine, but rather, changed the Progenitor into a concubine.’

When did such diverse thoughts and intentions flood the vampire's castle like this? I can confidently say that today has seen the most, even surpassing both the past and the future.

From sitting on the throne to looking down at her, every action Tyr took was incredibly slow. Until now, her movements had seemed sluggish, but now, seated on the throne, everything about her behavior seemed like the calm of an absolute being. In silence and stillness, shrouded in darkness, Tyr slowly looked down at the vampire kneeling before her.

“Lir Nightingale. Is it you?”

Kneeling quietly, Lir Nightingale appeared much like when she had left the Duchy. She wore a nurse’s outfit, with an apron added on top. Having used it in Claudia, the ampoules on her garter were all empty, and the surgical tool bag was slightly stained.

Lir Nightingale greeted Tyr with just the right amount of respect.

“Greetings, Progenitor. It is an honor to meet you. I am Lir Nightingale.”

It was a very human greeting. If the Progenitor had gone into a village and approached a child, this would likely be the kind of greeting they’d receive. At the very least, Lir respected Tyr. Her tone and manners were different from the other vampires.

‘When I returned, I thought they might avoid or fear me, thinking I had left the Duchy...’

Tyr, who had never met Lir before, was somewhat surprised by her unexpectedly mild reaction. Either way, if the other party was compliant, that was enough for her. Tyr asked Erzebeth.

"Good job, Erzebeth. But, where is Dogo?"

Erzebeth, responding to the expected question, bent deeply at the waist.

“There was some friction in Cloud Village, so Dogo is recuperating to regain his strength.”

“Recuperating? Dogo?”

“Yes. Even I, who did not see the strength of the boy who wields the Sword of Heaven and Earth, could hardly believe it... But that strike was truly earth-shattering.”

“Shei, huh? I had a feeling this might happen, so I sent you both, but I didn’t think Shei would be foolish enough to fight you two...”

If you’re a Regressor, you shouldn’t assume fighting is always foolish. Shei may not be the smartest, but starting a fight isn’t always a foolish thing to do.

Tyr, shaking her head slightly, spoke.

“True. Shei might have used some odd tactic. How is she now?”

“Dogo’s counterattack left her wounded. Compared to Dogo, the injury was minor, but she is not a vampire. I almost ended her life, but it didn’t seem necessary, so I stopped. Had she hindered our mission, I would have disposed of her immediately, but Lir Nightingale, too, followed the Progenitor’s command willingly.”

“That’s enough. Tell Dogo he did well.”

“I understand.”

Even Elders can get injured. The hurdles are high, but when an immense force tears through the body, it takes time to heal the internal damage.

...But the best way for an Elder to recover is to stay close to the Progenitor. If Dogo is insisting on recuperating, it must mean he realized Tyr had changed. Whether out of consideration for Tyr or reluctance, it was hard to tell.

Considering that Dogo never even speaks to women, perhaps the latter is true. Regardless, Tyr dismissed it and stood up. The vampires’ gazes converged. Normally, one would shrink in the face of such cold stares, but Tyr carried herself so naturally that she was met with reverence.

“Today, I return and gather those of you who have come to welcome the Blood Moon. I wish to speak on an important matter.”

Tyr began, taking in the room with a slow glance as she continued.

“While I was away, you all took good care of the kingdom... but one matter has arisen that we, as vampires, cannot overlook. Some of you may know, and some may not. But from this day forward, all in the Duchy will know.”

Tyr’s voice grew heavy.

“Ruskinia has perished.”

Whether more vampires were aware than those who didn’t, or if it was just that the vampires gathered here were especially sensitive to this issue, it was clear that most of them already knew. The vampires didn’t show much reaction to the news of Ruskinia’s death.

“And that True Blood has been inherited by another vampire. This was done without my permission as the original owner of the True Blood. Today, I will settle this matter, and return the True Blood to where it belongs.”

The trial was to decide whether Lir would live or die, and if she were to die, who the next Elder would be. This was the case that would determine everything. Perhaps someone here might become the new owner of the True Blood, making it a trial the vampires were eager to witness...

Wait. Why is everyone looking at me? They should be looking at those two!

‘The new owner of the True Blood has already been decided.’

‘If the True Blood is given to Ain or Yeiling, the hierarchy and blood relations will be disrupted.’

‘The Progenitor... will likely want to bestow it upon the concubine.’

You all think this is just a cold vampire decision? That this trial is just a predetermined play to the end?! This is why vampires are so cold-blooded!

‘The guilt or innocence hasn’t been decided yet. But if the True Blood is to be taken... then, it should go to Hughes...’

How did they know?

Although vampires may not feel emotions, they understand enough. They were once human and lived alongside humans for a long time, having observed them thoroughly over time.

But wait, this doesn’t seem like the trial for the righteous. Tyr and I are the ones getting all the attention. Moreover, it feels as though killing Lir and taking her blood is a foregone conclusion.

But what will actually happen?

“Lir Nightingale.”

“Yes, Progenitor.”

“I will ask directly. Did you cause Ruskinia’s death?”

As someone with telepathy, I know better than anyone that Lir isn’t the culprit. How will the truth be revealed?

With the Progenitor’s stern question, Lir closed her eyes and collected her thoughts before speaking.

“Yes, Progenitor. I killed him.”

...Wait, what?