Chapter 402: When the Body Grows Distant, the Heart Grows Distant

Peru telling the vampires to leave wasn’t simply because she hated or feared them.

“…I still don’t fully understand what happened in the clouds, but as long as the vampires stay out of sight…”

With the Golden Lord gone and the Thunderarch dead, the situation inside Claudia was already precarious.

If vampires were openly present on top of that, chaos would spiral out of control.

She couldn’t completely hide the fact that the vampires had killed the Thunderarch, but there was a vast difference between being attacked and being conquered.

“…I don’t want to be enemies with the Duchy of Mist. You’re strong and terrifying, so just leave. You’ve already achieved your goal.”

Vampires could never truly reign outside the mist.

They could walk on sunlit lands, but no matter what they built there, the rising tide of daylight would wash it away like sand in the beach.

No one would serve a noble who lost their dominion every morning.

However, now that the Golden Lord was gone, much of Claudia’s geopolitical importance had faded.

Tyr had no obligation to accept her request.

Peru, with genuine urgency, pleaded with Tyr.Though she was indifferent to most things, anything involving the Sanctum was different.

Even if she didn’t plan to rule or subjugate Claudia outright, she was still considering leaving a lasting fear in the city.

But there was no real need for that.

“Ughhh… I’m dying.”

I collapsed against Tyr’s shoulder, visibly exhausted.

She flinched in surprise and hurriedly supported me.

“Hu? Are you alright?”

“My body’s a mess and forcing it to move is killing me.”

“What did you do to yourself? Did you take some kind of medicine?”

“Not medicine. I was unconscious, so I electrocuted my entire body to force myself awake. Just like I did with your heart.”

The truth was far more intricate and dangerous than that, but Tyr seemed to get the general idea.

She glanced at the dried blood on my torn clothes.

If she used Bloodcraft, she could probably return the lost blood to my body, but thanks to Hilde’s healing, my wounds had already closed.

If she hadn’t treated me, I would’ve died and at this point, reopening my wounds to refill my blood like trying to stuff a dumpling isn’t an option.

I’ll just have to live with anemia for a while.

“What should I do…? If it is urgent, would you take my blood instead?”

“That would turn me into a vampire. You’re not thinking of letting me die just to revive me as a vampire, are you? Is that why, instead of taking me to a doctor, you just laid my head on your lap earlier…?”

I hit the mark.

Tyr flinched, clearly caught off guard.

When she failed to come up with a proper excuse, she hurriedly changed the subject by calling for Valdamir.

“Valdamir.”

“I await your command.”

“I will take Hu to the Duchy of Mist first. You remain here and root out the remnants of the Sanctum.”

Authority was relative.

At Tyr’s level, she could even dump extra work on the Crimson Duke.

She nonchalantly handed down the order, and Valdamir, suddenly saddled with the task, responded.

“If you so command, I will obey. However, if I may humbly offer my opinion…”

｢Have I worked too hard? I keep getting assigned more work. This is troublesome. How do I talk my way out of this without offending her?｣

Even someone as powerful as the Crimson Duke didn’t enjoy overtime.

He quickly calculated a way to wiggle out of the task without displeasing Tyr.

“Claudia is nearby and returning to this land will not be difficult. It may not be necessary to act immediately.”

“Leave it be? What if they hide away and take root again?”

“Uprooting weeds after they’ve sprouted is easier than digging through the soil to remove every seed. The future may belong to them, but time is on our side. A few years of observation should not be an issue.”

The difference in perspective between humans and vampires was evident in that statement.

Since Tyr also had an easygoing view of time, she accepted his reasoning.

Gracefully nodding, she helped me up and turned to Peru.

“Very well. Peru, we will leave. This is for Hu’s sake, but also a concession to you. Otherwise, I would have no reason to leave this land untouched.”

“…Thank you.”

“Do not forget. For the sake of yourself and this land.”

Tyr left Peru with a solemn warning and raised her hand.

At her call, the coffin that had been unable to follow us through the Cloud Waterfall came soaring toward us.

It was meant as a ride for me, since I could barely walk.

I appreciate the thought, but… why did it have to be a coffin?

Hopefully, this isn’t foreshadowing my future.

Just then, a heavy thudding sound rang out, followed by the massive figure of Lunken crashing down from the sky.

He yanked out his charred fur in irritation and roared.

“UWOHHHH—! WHO DARES ATTACK ME —?!”

“Lunken. We are leaving. Prepare yourself.”

“What? But I only just returned!”

“Then it is convenient. Simply retrace your steps.”

Lunken clicked his tongue in disappointment.

He had clearly wanted to continue his fight, but Tyr’s command left no room for argument.

Tyr and I sat atop the coffin.

Without even glancing back, we set off.

The thick mist remained dark, unhindered by sunlight, allowing the coffin to glide smoothly forward…

“Wait a moment!”

The Regressor blocked the way, still overwhelmed by confusion.

She had just shaken off Hilde and was rushing forward when she witnessed my fight with Feruel.

She was familiar with Feruel’s foresight ability from the previous timeline, but the way Feruel treated me was something she had never seen before.

The steadfast and unshakable Saintess of Steel regarded me as an enemy, full of scorn and fear, as if it were only natural.

It felt unfamiliar.

The Saintesses with foresight had always carried an air of mystery and composure.

｢The King of Humans? But that can’t be. The King of Humans I saw, no, the King of Sin was…! It was definitely…!｣

On top of that, realizing that the person she had coincidentally traveled with was actually the King of Humans had left her nearly panicked.

“The King of Humans? You…? You lied to me?”

“I didn’t lie. I never said I wasn’t the King of Humans.”

A simple word game.

I tried to hide it as much as possible.

How could I reveal my identity when her mission was to stop the King of Sin?

I would’ve preferred to keep it hidden forever, but since I was already exposed, I might as well make use of it.

“It’s not exactly something to go around bragging about. All it does is attract unwanted attention without providing any real benefit.”

“If… if you really are the King of Humans…!”

“And if I am? What will you do? Kill me preemptively?”

The Regressor flinched.

She hadn’t yet harbored a murderous intent toward me, but if killing me meant solving all her problems, she wouldn’t hesitate.

That’s what a regressor is.

Maybe she’d even kill me once and then decide what to do.

I needed to keep my distance.

Who knew how things would unfold in the next timeline?

“That’s ridiculous! I… I…”

“Enough. Hu, let’s go.”

Tyr placed a hand on my shoulder as if to shield me and cast a cold glance at the Regressor.

“This is where our paths with Shei end. I joined ‘her’ because her resolve to protect the world was admirable, but… it seemed there was no place for us in the world she envisioned. Just as the Saintesses have decreed. In that case, we must part ways here.”

The Regressor wasn’t good at lying.

She couldn’t shamelessly claim we were comrades and promise she would never harm us, not even if the world were to collapse.

Because she knew she might.

｢But if the world doesn’t fall apart… If Tyrkanzyaka doesn’t march in a bloody conquest… if the King of Wolves doesn’t bare his fangs at humanity… Then I want to stay with you! That way, I’ll never have to turn my sword against you in the future!｣

Even without reading her mind, her sincerity was evident.

In the eyes of the world, we were probably the ones in the wrong.

Compared to Azzy, who didn’t even understand the concept of civilization, or Tyr, who trampled and mocked morality and dignity, or me, an outcast of humanity—she was the ideal human.

But in truth, the strangest thing in this world was the ideal human.

That kind of existence simply doesn’t exist.

The Sanctum’s ideal was an artificial construct—one that shackled people precisely because it was impossible to attain.

If she couldn’t bridge that gap, she wouldn’t be able to stay with us.

Tyr was one thing, but even the Elders were here.

The Regressor was at a disadvantage, even with her famed strength.

She normally made up for it by exploiting information from the future, but now, caught off guard by this unexpected turn, she had lost that edge.

“Yahooo~! Are we finally parting ways? Good. Shei never fit in with you people anyway!”

Hilde had somehow snuck up and plopped herself onto Tyr’s coffin.

Despite the numerous scratches from her battle with the Regressor, they were nothing more than minor wounds to someone who wielded Qi.

Tyr frowned at Hilde sitting on the coffin uninvited, but she didn’t push her off.

Instead, she spoke coldly.

“…I am displeased that you tried to use me, but I will overlook it. However, do not assume that everything will go as you desire.”

“Use you? This was a mutually beneficial deal! ‘I’ handle diplomacy for the Military State, you know? I don’t do one-sided, exploitative deals! Especially not with vampires!”

“There is no need to emphasize what I already know well. It is the only reason I allowed a Crusader like you to live. Keep that in mind.”

If there had been even the slightest doubt, a Crusader like Hilde would not have left this place alive.

Tyr’s warning was chilling, but Hilde, unfazed, simply grinned and urged me on.

“Well, we have permission now, Father. Let’s go, shall we?”

Yeah. It was about time I settled down somewhere.

I need time to fully make the Divine’s power mine.

And honestly?

I wanted to enjoy a little luxury with a solid backer behind me anyway.

“We had imagined our parting would be well-prepared and beautifully orchestrated, but the world, as always, betrays us without hesitation. Farewell, everyone. May we meet again someday, carried by a new wind.”

“There is no need for that. We shall never meet again.”

Before Tyr’s coffin could move, the Elders stepped forward.

There was no one left to block their way.

Even if someone tried, they wouldn’t get close before being cut down.

If we were to meet again, the Regressor would have already made up her mind.

That… is honestly a bit terrifying.

All the more reason to stick close to Tyr.

And so, with Hilde, the vampire entourage, and me, we left behind the battlefield’s scars and disappeared into the thick clouds.

Beyond the Cloud Waterfall, in the land forever shrouded in darkness.

A vampire’s paradise, untouched by sunlight.

With the return of the Progenitor, we left a few behind in the Fallen Dominion—stepping once more into the domain of darkness.