Chapter 57: 55

༺ Escaping Crisis No.0 ༻

  Cold sweat began to drip all over my body like crazy, making my clothes stick to my back.

  I asked myself: what do I do? I wasn’t capable of getting out either. I’m a captured laborer, not a warden dammit.

  What made things worse was that Captain Abbey had been paying great interest in the vampire. After teasing and even half-blackmailing the captain using my position as her only collaborator in the abyss, she might try to kill me if the vampire escaped.

  I had to work some verbal magic and somehow stop that from happening. But how? I couldn’t accept the vampire’s request since I had no way to help Finlay escape, and neither could I refuse since she’d fly out on her own.

  What do I do?

  Think, bloody think and find the only way to solve this dilemma!

  Oh. Right. That’s it. To take down a general, you should just shoot down his horse, right?

  “Please wait a minute. Getting him out of here is easier than flipping the palm of my left hand.”

  Incidentally, I’ve decided not to flip my hand from today onward, not even if someone thrashed me to death. So I wasn’t lying.

  Instead, I raised one of my left fingers as I continued.

  “But to do that, there is a condition. Which hasn’t been met yet.”

  “What is it?”

  “Finlay. Specifically, his willingness to leave this place.”

  The vampire was puzzled.

  “A foolish question. Naturally he wishes to return, do you not think?”

  “Then why don’t you go back, Trainee Tyrkanzyaka?”

  “Well, I have lived for so long, and there is nothing for me to do outside…”

  “Going by the same logic, couldn’t Finlay be the same? His reason to leave must depend on his will. That is, if you don’t force him, Trainee Tyrkanzyaka.”

  The vampire could command Finlay to die on the spot if she so wished. 

  Finlay might feel a bit sad about not being able to enjoy the rest of his life, but he would obey the Progenitor. Because the blood that sustained his life and all its power came from her.

  Ironically, this resulted in the Progenitor shunning her kindred.

  The vampire shut her mouth and stepped back, afraid that her words might affect Finlay’s judgment. This meant she wouldn’t get involved in his decision.

  Having confirmed that, I spoke to Finlay.

  “Now, Finlay. Listen up. You have two options.”

  I lifted two of my left fingers, acting as if I were giving him a great opportunity.

  “If we take you out, Trainee Tyrkanzyaka will remain here. You will never be able to achieve your purpose in coming to this place.”

  I folded a finger. One option remained.

  Everyone’s eyes gathered on my upright finger. This visual representation added weight to the last remaining option.

  I slowly folded that finger.

  “But if you decide to remain, you gain the opportunity to be with Trainee Tyrkanzyaka. While serving the great Progenitor, you leave the possibility that she might consider your plea. It will be a valuable time which you could never obtain by going up.”

  And after completely folding my finger, I clenched my hand into a fist while injecting strength into my voice.

  “This is an opportunity. Think well. Whether to take your chances here, or to climb to the surface.”

  Finlay had willingly entered the abyss solely for the sake of persuading the Progenitor. Naturally, he had to have little desire for escape since he hadn’t achieve his purpose.

  Until a moment ago, he had thought of going back if only because of the Progenitor’s command, but now that she had intentionally withdrawn her influence, he made a rational judgment.

    ｢He’s right. There’s nothing to obtain by going up anyway. But here, there’s something to gain, and work to be done as well. To assist the Progenitor who is by herself! At some point, she may listen to my request in praise of my efforts!｣

  He dreamed of a brilliant future, picturing himself becoming the Progenitor’s confidant and returning to the surface together, after which he would be honored for making the greatest contribution.

  His purpose here was already half come to naught, but still, Finlay decided to grasp what little hope there was left.

  “O Progenitor.”

  Noticing his decision, the vampire asked a question.

  “Finlay. Do you truly intend to remain here?”

  “If you will permit it, O Progenitor, then I will do so.”

  If she didn’t allow it, he’d immediately go up A mere retainer who wasn’t even an elder could never disobey the great Progenitor’s command.

  However, it was because her retainers lost even their free will in front of her that the Progenitor felt pity and respected their decisions as best she could.

  “Follow your own will.”

  “Thank you! Your humble progeny Finlay will remain in the abyss and serve you, O Progenitor!”

  The vampire gazed at Finlay kneeling for a moment before turning to me.

  “…However, if his mind changes, let him return whenever he wishes.”

  I decided to show some reluctance here since I couldn’t come off as spineless.

  “Well, aren’t you lording it over me. Is this a hotel? Or am I a minion of yours? Always telling me to do something. Cut it out, will you?”

  I couldn’t easily give permission because that would be the moment she’d find out I was an insignificant laborer.

  If possible, I had to make them unwilling and also incapable of leaving. That was why I spoke with the resolve of damaging my friendship with the vampire.

  As a result…

  “Bastard!”

  Finlay yelled as he got up, the veins on his neck bulging as he pointed at me.

  “Eh?”

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  “How dare the likes of a human refuse the Progenitor’s request!”

  “Uh, human or not I—”

  “Your disrespect towards the Progenitor, I will not forgive it. It does not matter how strong you are. I do not care if I am reduced to a pool of blood. If only for the Progenitor’s dignity,

  “I challenge you to a due—!”

  Wait. He’s serious.

  He thought I was incredibly powerful, yet he was challenging me to uphold the Progenitor’s dignity, even if that led to his demise.

The problem was that I was a weakling who couldn’t contend for victory against the retainer of the retainer of that Progenitor’s retainer.

  Damn it, how could he throw his life away so easily? This is the issue with bloody vampires! What do I do? If they find out here that I’m weak…!

  “Enough, Finlay.”

  At the vampire’s bidding, Finlay instantly stopped speaking and performed a clean 180 degrees spin, falling to his knees.

  I inwardly questioned the man’s sanity, feeling dumbstruck. 

  Meanwhile, the vampire spoke to me in a much more relaxed attitude.

  “I see I have only been making unreasonable demands. Not even you are the king of this place, after all.”

  “N-No, well.”

  “Again, I ask for your understanding. Forget what I spoke of.”

  “Alright, well.”

  “Right. Thank you.”

  I felt pissed for some reason. I stared at the source of this odd discomfort, Finlay. This vampire wasn’t particularly afraid of death.

  The Progenitor was both like a goddess and mother to vampires. Of course, many people were dismissive towards both, but that didn’t seem the case for Finlay. It wasn’t like I couldn’t understand if I thought of him as a fanatic.

  Hmm. Nothing good will come of keeping something like him around…

  “Wait. I have something to say too.”

  Just as I was struggling with my thoughts, the Regressor jumped in at a good timing.

  She began to interrogate Finlay with sharp eyes.

  “How did you get in here? It should be impossible by any ordinary means.”

  The Regressor’s eyes turned orange as she spoke. She was using the second of the Seven Colored Eyes, the Imperious Gaze of Amber. Also called the King’s Eyes, it granted the ability to catch everything within sight down to the tiniest detail, allowing the user to detect suspicious signs from a target’s body or objects hidden in their pockets.

  The Regressor went so far as to activate her power to pry something out of Finlay, but he wasn’t the one to respond.

  “Shei.”

  “Mm?”

  The vampire acted in Finlay’s stead, stepping in front of the Regressor.

  “Let us end the questions there. We have talked much already. He has not even committed a wrong, so what reason is there to ask further? Especially considering that you are a trainee.”

  “Huh? Hang on, Tyrkanzyaka. This is an important—”

  “An important matter I am sure. But I doubt it is urgent. Another day will be waiting for us tomorrow, the same as today. It should be fine to hold it off for that much time. Besides, Finlay is not obligated to answer your questions.”

  “B-But…”

  “Or, will you ignore my will again?”

  “Th-That’s not it! Tyrkanzyaka! I!”

  “Right. Then let us meet tomorrow. I have something to ask Finlay myself, you see.”

  “Y-Yeah! Let’s do that!”

  With that said, the Regressor quickly nodded and backed away. The vampire put her parasol over her shoulder again, and Finlay gazed at her with marvel.

  ｢I knew it. The Progenitor holds a reigning position even in a place like this! I am proud! Proud to be a noble of the night!｣

I eyed the Regressor with pity. She was completely crestfallen. It looked like the vampire’s previous scolding had hit her a bit too hard.

In any case, I thanked her for the unexpected harvest she brought me. The Regressor didn’t hear Finlay’s answer, but I could read it off the top of his mind. So I took his answer for her.

  ｢I am sure the red-haired mage who handed me the information said the Progenitor would be asleep. But when I came here, she was already awake. These people must have done it. I don’t know what method they used, but it is fortunate that I am spared the discourtesy of disturbing the Progenitor’s rest.｣

  Oh? A red-haired mage, that’s quite memorable indeed.

  What about him?

  ｢He said I was free to do whatever using that information and passed me a bracelet, explaining that by using this parachute to fall into the abyss, I could reach Tantalus. Although it slipped off due to the force of the parachute opening…｣

  Ahh. So that’s why he crashed landed without the parachute. 

  Good. The wreckage should still be there, so I’ll retrieve it later.

  ｢I was half in doubt, but he was right. Then the other thing he said must also be true.｣

  I’ll go just after I’m done reading this thought.

｢He introduced himself as an escaped prisoner from Tantalus.｣

  Eh? Hold up. An escaped prisoner?

  This was more important than I thought. If I could at least get a hint as to how the prisoners broke out of Tantalus, I’d be done with the awful life here!

  Feeling good about letting Finlay live, I dug into his mind with delight to obtain the clue to escape that should be in his memories.

And then…

  ｢He added that now there’s no way to escape Tantalus, and if I went in there, I could only wait for the State to take me out… But I still don’t regret it. As long as I stay by the Progenitor’s side, an opportunity will show itself in the end!｣

  Oh. Bummer.