My Audio Books Chapter 1509 Ggg

Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

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Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

[Translator – Tails and aquamage]

[Proofreader – yukitokata]

Chapter 11 - Why Do You Disobey the Natural Flow of Time?

Taking my place, the vampire spoke sternly.

[Before I teach you bloodcraft, I will assess your abilities.]

As if she had been expecting it, the regressor gripped Chun-aeng's handle. The blade seemingly howled while honing its edge, eager to demonstrate its strength. When the regressor swung at the air, a clear sound permeated through the darkness.

Fwoosh.

The regressor swung her blade back and forth.

"My blade is… special. It'll be hard to gauge my strength. Do you want me to use something else?"

[No matter. What you wield is a part of what makes you so special.]

"If you say so. So what do you want me to do?"

Creak.

The coffin's lid slid open. A white hand broke through the darkness, its fingertips aimed towards the ground. Then, a black droplet fell.

Drip.

The shadow, darker than the night, began to grow like a sapling. As plants developed through sunlight and air, the black orb filled its form with the darkness around it. The wavering shadow quickly manifested itself into that of a knight in pitch-black armor.

[It is an echo of the past.]

Neither I nor the regressor were really curious, but the vampire continued her explanation.

[An echo of a knight I met before… The dark knight who slew over several hundred lives. I called him forth from his blood and wove him his plating from the shadows. Face him.]

"Can I destroy him?"

[If you are capable.]

The vampire continued to talk, sounding rather prideful of her creation.

[However, it will not be so simple. It may be an echo of the past, but it shares the same blood of the original knight. His armor made from shadows bears a toughness harder than steel. He is a close to perfect—]

Fwoosh.

The darkness was suddenly divided into two. Along the trail of the blade, the world was split. An arc that could cut through space itself. The Aerial Blossom was a pair of scissors that severed the world. Even the black mist, supposedly stronger than steel, gave way to the regressor's single strike.

She said earlier that she could cut light itself. I don't doubt it anymore. After all, she had no trouble cutting the darkness.

[…Not bad.]

The vampire expressed amusement at the swordsmanship. However, her real thoughts showed a little more shock than that.

「Huh…? Even if he wields a special sword… A single strike? That echo should've been almost impenetrable to anyone besides paladins…」

'You're surprised, aren't you?'

The knight wasn't the vampire's max power, but it should've been more than enough for a thin 'boy' like the regressor. She had recreated the once-infamous black knight, and the regressor had taken it out in a single strike.

「At that age? Was there some gigantic development to humanity while I was asleep…?」

I hope you don't take her as the standard. The regressor has gathered all kinds of secrets and abilities over numerous lives. Even if she hasn't regained her power, some of it is still intact. And to add on to that, she has that ridiculous blade.

It's not that humanity made large developments. She stole humanity's future for herself.

The vampire quelled her surprise.

[You don't even appear to be twenty years old yet. Your talent is quite impressive. For someone of your caliber, you would be more than capable of forging your own path.]

"Well? I'm not too talented. I just got lucky and found some secrets that let me get stronger faster. There's plenty of people in the world with more talent than I do. I'm nothing more than a copycat who follows their tracks, imitating their journeys."

The regressor meant what she said. To her, who walked amongst monsters each life, any weakness was a reminder of her inferiority.

It may have sounded like she was being overly modest, or even boasting, but she was truly nothing compared to the enemies she had to face.

[You really are too modest.]

"It's not modesty. Look."

The regressor pointed the blade at me. I almost jumped in surprise.

Fuck. Why does she need to point at people with a weapon? Does she have no manners? Considering people even think pointing out a person with a finger can be rude, a sword is completely out of the question.

The regressor smirked at my response.

"Even he deflected my strike."

[That blade of yours?]

"Yeah. This Chun-aeng. With a single finger too."

[That brat?]

'Well, it's true… but I don't think I could do it again even if I tried.'

「If he deflected this boy's strike with a finger, he must be at least several stages ahead of her caliber. Is that normal for youngsters these days? Can children cut steel now?」

'The regressor. And Me, who was raised above the regressor. The vampire made the mistake of overestimating the average of the world after looking at the wrong sample.'

Don't take your average off the regressor! How will everyone else feel? You need to apologize to the majority of the world that you just deemed less than average!

And especially me! My score is inflated!

「When he said bloodcraft was dated, was he not just being rude…? Has time really pushed the world that far ahead?」

After having unintentionally induced the vampire's misconception…

"...So, I'll try my best to learn."

[If that is so…]

「I, too, shall try my hardest so this boy can defeat that insolent brat over there.」

…The vampire decided to give it her all.

Tyrkanzyaka extended her finger towards Shei. The tip of her finger developed a slight crack. From the newly formed opening, red blood began to flow. It was a little different from the blood the vampire typically controlled.

The blood controlled by the vampire through her authority as the Progenitor glistened and wavered with a deep red magical energy, ready to infect the world.

However, the blood that the vampire was releasing now was just like any normal blood… to the point where it felt strange.

A normal shade of red, not emitting energy, and a slight scent of iron. It seemed to propose the hypothesis that the same blood flowed in vampires as well. Yet its aura was large enough to fill up all of Tantalus. Even the darkness began to retreat in awe.

The blood drops slowly flew to the regressor and circled around her.

[With great strength comes great sacrifice. However, you have more than enough potential to compensate.]

"This is…"

[My original blood.]

The original blood of the Progenitor.

If one were to present this to the church, they would receive the position of a paladin and be showered with the highest of blessings.

If one were to offer it to a vampire, they would promise great fortune and power.

Or if one was willing to take a bigger risk, they could put the blood within themselves. If they were to successfully eliminate the hyenas lusting for the original blood, a seat would be added to the Table of Twelve Elders.

In any case, it was something that could completely change a person's life.

"What's this for? Do you want me to become a vampire? I don't really know if I want to do that."

Facing such a treasure, the regressor—past being uninterested—had an expression of dislike on her face.

The vampire was shocked once more.

「But it's… my original blood…? The blood that shook the world with merely its existence? He doesn't want it at all?」

With a shaky voice, the vampire continued, trying her best to hide her emotions.

[...No. I do not wish to make you a vampire either. I cannot make the same mistake again.]

"Then…?"

[I shall engrave the original blood onto your heart. The blood of a predator. With it, your senses for controlling blood will become honed to their maximum potential.]

"Oh, like that? Then sure!"

The regressor spread her arms wide open. It was clear that she wasn't interested in the blood itself, but was willing to use it as a supplement to aid her in getting stronger.

The vampire was upset by how little the regressor had wanted the blood.

「It was supposed to be a test. If he had wanted to become a vampire, he would not have been worthy of receiving my teachings… But I did not expect such a cold hearted response. Are vampires no longer idolized by humans?」

The vampire stretched out her hand. The original blood headed to the regressor's chest and formed a red gear-shaped symbol above her heart.

[...If you master bloodcraft, you should be able to remove my blood. You can return it to me then.]

"Alright. You're sounding a little tired though. Did giving me that blood tire you that much?"

[...I am alright. Do not worry…]

「But it was my original blood… Have vampires been pushed out of the center of the stage? I guess I have been asleep for three hundred years…」

It was a cold-hearted world. The vampire sighed, dejected at the idea.

[Now I shall bestow my teachings.]

While the vampire was explaining things to the regressor, I stayed somewhat close to them. The reason was simple. The original blood. The blood passed down in legends for the past thousand years. The blood that could afford me a fortune to live like royalty for the rest of my life. That blood engraved itself onto the regressor. It was a tattoo more valuable than gold.

However, I had already refused to become the vampire's pupil. I couldn't dream of asking her for the original blood. In the first place, she wouldn't have given it to me after reading her thoughts. She only used it because I aggravated her, so the regressor would be able to master bloodcraft.

'Tsk. The vampire was overthinking things. If she wanted me under her wing, all she needed was to give me some original blood as well. If she had ordered me to kneel, I would've bowed down and licked her feet like a dog.'

However, I still had a chance. The vampire was still confused from the time difference caused by her long slumber. Reading her thoughts, she was still adjusting to the current world.

And if that were the case?

Maybe, if I talk through things well, I might get something.

[Hm...? What are you trying to do? Did you not say that you were uninterested?]

I withstood her hostile gaze. For some reason, she seemed to have taken a dislike towards me.

"I am an official of the Military State, and Tantalus is a place of disciplinary correction. I have a responsibility to oversee the actions of trainees."

[Observe for my sake? Someone like you will oversee me?]

"Responsibility doesn't always fall in line with one's ability, as you know. As much as I trust in you, I still have a duty to watch and observe what you are doing."

「Responsibility and ability… I guess that could be a form of chivalry in these times. If he says so, I guess it is understandable.」

The vampire seemed to accept my explanation filled with false confidence.

Phew.

Who knew claiming to be from the Military State would help out so much?

Despite that, the vampire still had some qualms.

[However, I am in the middle of teaching a pupil. The secrets of taught crafts need to be kept privately, do they not?]

"Just how long ago are you talking? These days, a single teacher teaches as many as fifty students. A different teacher is given for each subject like combat, magic, and strategy. Students pick the classes they want to take and learn together in public environments."

[Lies. What idiot would share their precious secrets so easily?]

"The State. The country collects and controls all knowledge. They sort it out and distribute it to the people for no cost."

All knowledge was power—be it swordsmanship, magic, or strategy. At least, that was how it was in the vampire's times. There's a reason why masters and pupils existed. The master was clearly above the pupil, and the pupil would work like a slave, hoping one day they could gain some of that knowledge.

Yet, to think such secrets would be open to everyone, the vampire couldn't even close her mouth at the revelation.

[Unbelievable.]

"Students also have many teachers. They go to private academies and take classes on top of the State-managed schools. The teachers don't think badly of them for doing so. It's now the age of enlightenment. Knowledge is no longer transferred secretly. They await objective judgement, open to the rest of the world."

The vampire asked the regressor if I was telling the truth.

[Shei, is that true?]

"Yep. It's the one good thing the Military State has done."

[I see…]

After staring at the vampire, who was still in shock over the change of time, the regressor turned back to me with a pout.

"It's not like you need to listen to that bastard. He's just worried we might be plotting something."

[No, if the world has chosen its path, then I must conform. Resistance to that flow is meaningless. I should not stop him from watching us.]

The regressor's face soured. After throwing her a light, teasing grin, I sat down nearby, ready to see if I could gain anything.

Allowing me to stay, the vampire continued her lesson.

[…So, blood is life. It gives you energy as it flows through your body and allows you to draw out your power. You need to become aware of every single last drop of blood in your body. You need to be able to sense where every vein flows.]

The session continued with the vampire's droning voice. I'd have fallen asleep already, but the regressor was completely focused on the vampire's words.

'Does this even help? She sounds like she's just talking out of her ass. Should I try concentrating too?'

I focused on Tyrkanzyaka's words and the thoughts that formed the words.

[You have so many powers hidden in your body. Understanding your body is the first step to wielding that power. Feel the pulsing hot streams that branch out throughout your body.]

'I am a mind reader. Nobody understands people's words better than I do. Even the worst teachers can be the best references to me because I understand the intention behind the words. All I needed was the teacher to be knowledgeable in their own field.'

I closed my eyes and concentrated. I felt the beating sensation of my heart and the pulsing of my arteries.

'I can feel it! Is this the power of blood?'

[Blood is like a river. Rivers may seem like they flow elegantly, but water seeps into tiny holes within the earth. The water it absorbed would moisturize the soil and eventually make its way back to the ocean. What you need to feel is not the river that everyone can easily feel. The blood that seeps into every part of your body. You need to understand its power.]

'Oh, maybe not. Well, even if I am a great learner, talent and compatibility exists. It's not like someone can do everything they read in a book. It's not like I'm an idiot or anything either. Bloodcraft just isn't for me. Good thing I didn't learn it. The most I would've been able to do is stop a cut from bleeding anyway.'

[The biggest obstacle to bloodcraft is the heart. The heart is what binds your soul to the world, yet it moves blood regardless of your intentions. That is why… only the dead can truly master bloodcraft.]

The regressor seemed to realize something.

"So that's why vampires are considered undead."

[Indeed. Vampires move their bodies using bloodcraft. In order to become a vampire, you need to die. You made the right choice in refusing my offer. The beating heart is proof of your existence as well as the essential ingredient in going even beyond. The heart is a privilege of the living…]

As if she was reminiscing about something, the vampire had a short pause between her words.

[I lost myself for a second. Anyway, in order to learn bloodcraft, you need to control your heart. You need to make it stop momentarily or cause it to beat even faster. Do you understand?]

"Kinda. You're saying when I can control my blood a little, try controlling the pace of my heart with it?"

[You're a fast learner. Remember, the heart is the root of your existence. It moves blood, purifies it, and draws magic energy from it. It is the core of your body, so always…]

'Moves blood, purifies, and draws out magic…? Wait. That's not right.'

"Hold on, Trainee Tyrkanzyaka."

I stood up. The vampire seemed annoyed at the disruption.

[…What is it?]

"Sorry, but the heart isn't the magic core."

It was probably because she was from older times.

"Most vampires turned their hearts into their magical cores, so you may think that's the norm. However, using the heart is actually extremely inefficient and dangerous. Additionally, in order to properly use the heart as a magical core, you need to calm down your breathing as well. These days, people make their magical cores elsewhere."

[…]

"That was how it used to be, but ever since the magical revolution that happened four centuries ago, people don't do that anymore. They found ways to draw out magic without linking it directly to an organ in their body. This is the most basic lesson you learn in middle school these days, so it'd be useful to learn it… Oh, sorry. Did I interrupt too much? You can continue."

'Phew. Another good deed done. With that, she'll probably be much fonder of me—'

「Is he actually crazy?」

The regressor was glaring daggers at me.

'Huh? What? I just corrected a mistake.'

「You think I don't know that? Why would you cut off someone in the middle instead of deciding after letting them finish their explanation?」

The regressor, acting as if she was the sensible one, was infuriating. You should always correct mistakes. The vampire was old. You should try to communicate to your elders properly.

[…Anyway.]

Trying her best to ignore me, the vampire continued.

[Even if the heart stops, blood must continue to flow. Blood that stays still pools and rots. Blood that makes its way through the body eventually loses its magic… I mean, in the case that the heart is the magical core. Also, impure blood purifies itself at the heart, so even to prevent the tainting of your internal body, blood needs to flow.]

"Hold on. Actually, it's not at the heart. It's in the lungs."

There were a lot of holes in her knowledge because of how dated it was.

This would undoubtedly cause problems if you tried to interpret it directly.

"Actually, what people considered to be impure blood was just blood that lacked oxygen. Oxygen makes its way into our body and burns the energy we have to keep our body moving. This process isn't a matter of purity, but more like a fire burning. Just as a burning log stops burning when you cover it with a blanket, the fire of the body stops burning if you close the passageway to the lungs. That's called dying."

「W-Wait, that's how it works? I never knew that…」

'I get why the vampire doesn't know, but how do you not know this? You learn this in middle school. ...Oh, wait. You're an orphan. You didn't go to middle school. My bad. Then… am I actually the most educated person in Tantalus right now?'

The thought made me feel a little better about myself.

"Anyways, now that you know. You may continue your—AAAAAHHHHH!"

Goosebumps went all over my body. Sensing danger, I immediately leaped to the side. Moments after, the sanguine steed's hoof obliterated the ground I was standing on.

The concrete floor shattered like glass. Broken shards hammered my back.

The horse trampled the floor, as if it were disappointed that it missed. The concrete gave way like sand each time the hooves scratched the ground. I screamed out.

"Hey! I almost died!"

[Stop making such a fuss!]

"This isn't a fuss! Any normal person would've become dust from that attack!"

[Good thing you are not any normal person, then.]

'If I couldn't read minds, you'd have been a murderer! Murder is a death sentence here!'

[Yes! I am dated! I have never been able to fit in with the rest of the world! So what?!]

"Huh? When have I ever said you're dated?"

[Like that! Your attitude! You think of me as some ancient crone!]

"I never said that!"

[So you've thought so?]

Oopsie. She caught on.

And it appeared that she had also realized that I had realized her realization.

Blood boiled. I felt an emotion difficult to explain in words surge up from the vampire's heart.

'W-Wait. Is this emotion that I sense now… perhaps…?'

I asked carefully.

"A-Are you perhaps slightly angr—AAAAAHHHHH!"

Psk.

A blood red orb flew towards me. I rolled on the floor to attempt to dodge it. After narrowly missing the top of my head, the orb decimated the concrete floor behind me.

[You think you would be any different? You were just lucky that you were born in such nice times! Should I make you a vampire? Trap you in my immortal display case that nobody will visit for the rest of their lives?]

The attacks continued. The red orbs flew towards me. They didn't have any desire to kill. The emotion involved in them was akin to that of a child throwing their toys.

The problem is that Tyrkanzyaka was not tossing toys. Those stung when you get hit by them, but these orbs would mean death at a single touch.

'I'll actually die at this rate. I need to draw her attention somehow, but how?'

[If you are so smart, why don't you teach her yourself?!]

"Alright!"

At my exclamation, the attacks paused. Relieved at the breathing time, I raised my body back up.

"Trainee Tyrkanzyaka. I have seen your social potential that exists deep within."

[Are those your final words?]

'I'll really die if I chicken out of here.'

I ignored the vampire and continued to explain.

"What really matters in rehabilitation is the desire to live and integrate with other people in a society. I see that desire is prevalent in you. That ideal of matching the flow of current times."

'First thing's first…'

I spat out random words I had glimpsed from the vampire's mind.

Maybe one of them would calm her down.

[Mix with the times?]

Thankfully, she calmed herself down and began listening more carefully to my words.

"So, I've come to a conclusion today. That you all have the potential of reintegrating back to society."

[…And who are you to judge that?]

"You are all currently being held in the re-education facility, Tantalus. You are all trainees, and I am your trainer. I lead all of you in this small society."

The vampire probably didn't even know about the re-education part of this facility. I pointed towards myself with my thumb.

"I shall teach you all! Teach all of you how to fulfill that desire to live normally so that you may all become a member of society again!"

'So please don't kill me.'

Hiding my true thoughts, I finished my speech.

[…Ha.]

The vampire lowered her hand. The dozens of red orbs that had been floating in midair all dropped to the ground. The red orbs that had destroyed concrete so easily melted back into blood and seeped into the ground.

'Phew. I'm alive!'

As I was about to bask in my relief, the vampire muttered under her breath.

[I wondered what you might say, but it was just words you would not be able to take responsibility for.]

'How'd she know?'

A depressed voice crawled out from within the coffin.

It was the voice that had given up hope many times. The type of hope that this time would be different.

[I am a vampire. I am a predator who lives off of human blood. Humans avoid me in fear or wish to be me. Regardless of my desire, my existence can never mesh properly. A wolf cannot live in a herd of sheep, can they?]

'The way she keeps making metaphors really reminds me of old people. Wolf and sheep, huh? So what if she's a wolf? There's barely any wolves these days.'

But she'd freak out again if I mentioned that, so I decided to respond with another metaphor of my own.

"Of course they can."

[That is something easier said than done.]

"Should I show you proof?"

「Try it if you will.」

The vampire thought in a rather pessimistic manner.

Reading that thought, I pulled out the bell from my pocket and rang it.

Now, with a familiar roar, something burst through the second floor kitchen window and ran outside.

Crash!

After having torn through the steel bars of the windows like candy, Azzy landed on the floor and dashed towards me.

"That, there, is a wolf that can live with a herd of sheep."

Azzy skidded to a stop. With a mouthful of saliva, she looked at me with anticipation in her eyes.

I extended my arm and petted her head. With a satisfactory bark, Azzy closed her eyes as she enjoyed my touch.

"Dogs used to be wolves. Even the dogs that are raised to ward wolves off of livestock used to be wolves a long time ago. But sheep are not scared of dogs. Nor do dogs eat sheep. Well, they might gnaw on a sheep bone the farmer tosses them from time to time, but that's about it."

Both predators and prey could change. Beasts have become tamed by humans. Dogs were a case where an entire species was tamed.

The vampire was now lost in her thoughts. It didn't seem like she'd respond for some time.

'Now's the time.'

"Woof? Food, where?"

"I'll give it to you in a bit. Let's head to the kitchen."

"Woof-woof!"

"Didn't you eat earlier? And you want to eat again already? Are you sure you're not the Pig King?"

"Bark! No! Not pig!"

Dogs and pigs, what's the difference anyway? But because of how strongly Azzy responded, I needed to let her have her way here.

"A-Alright, alright. Don't bite me!"

Naturally leaving the scene, I headed back to the building with Azzy, leaving the vampire alone with the regressor.

「That bastard…」

After I was decently far away, I heard the regressor's thoughts at maximum range.

「He left me alone to deal with her after causing this entire mess?!」

'Oops, she caught on. Let's run.'

"Azzy! Run!"

"Woof!"

I sprinted towards the building with Azzy trailing behind.

Meanwhile, the black coffin floated in place unflinchingly.

—————

Reaper Scans

Translator – Tails and aquamage

Proofreader – yukitokata

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Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

00:03 / 00:25

reaperscans.com

reaperscans

REAPER SCANS

Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

[Translator – Tails and aquamage]

[Proofreader – yukitokata]

Chapter 12 - Humans Use Tools

Riiiiiiiing!

The alarm felt more like a pain than just a loud noise today as well.

Would a cricket made of steel make a noise like this? It felt like a razor-thin blade was chopping away at my ears.

Unable to resist, I burst out of the bed and shut the clock off. Waking up to a headache every day wasn't the most pleasant routine. I clenched my teeth as I tried to dampen my ringing head.

"Ugh. That fucking alarm clock."

The State's alarms could be set earlier, but not later. No matter how late you tried to set it to, it would always ring at 8 o'clock. The screech it made was almost like an attack.

They said that the fastest way to find a corpse was to look for a house with an alarm that didn't turn off. Only the dead could bear that noise.

The only way to guarantee yourself a nice sleep was to smash the alarm clock to bits, but being late came with its own problems. In the Military State where everyday life needed to tick perfectly like a gear in a machine, waking up late was almost a crime.

"You bastards. At least wake us up more peacefully."

After stretching my body, I looked at my reflection at the sink. The broken mirror reflected my face, distorted from the cracks.

I was wearing a standard shirt. It was the clothes I had been given before being strapped in a straitjacket. The shirt was already heavily creased from having worn it for several days.

"I need to wash my clothes soon. I can't just wear the same clothes every day."

There must be clothes left somewhere. After washing my face, I headed out, looking for anything else I could wear—

"Woof."

And then immediately closed the door again.

I held the handle tight and pressed my back against the door.

'Why is that furball waiting outside my door? Does it plan to drag me along on a morning walk?'

"Woof, woof."

'Nope. Absolutely not. I have so many things to do. I need to cook for Azzy since nobody else will. I need to walk her on top of that? I wouldn't have any personal time to do what I needed to do.'

What's wrong with just a little walk? That's the Dog King. They take walks like a king as well.

"Woof, woof, woof."

I heard her front paws scratching on the door. The residence for workers had no locks, so the door rattled alongside my body every time her paws touched the door.

Azzy was still just scratching the door, not intending to break it yet. The problem was that it already felt like a battering ram was smashing its horns against the door. At this rate, I would tire first before the door could break.

In times of siege, the defenders often opened the doors and charged out, even if their forces were much weaker. It wasn't because they were stupid. Instead, they would rather try something before they starve to death.

I had the same mindset as I clutched the door handle.

"It's time, damned beast."

I was scared.

Who wouldn't be scared to fight a monster that could separate flesh from bones with a single strike?

However, dogs were loyal to humans. The Dog King had infinite loyalty towards humans and would likely not attack me. Maybe she might bite as a rebellious struggle, but she wouldn't tear me to shreds.

I treated her nicely till now to gain her trust, but not anymore.

Humanity will no longer kneel.

We shall not meet the demands of animals.

I will fight. Even if it means death.

With a newfound deep resolve rooted firmly in my heart, I opened the door to see Azzy staring up at me from the floor.

"What have you come here for, foul beast?!"

"Woof?"

'If she dares to ask me for a morning walk, I'll collar her up. If she wants food like a pig, I'll add in extra spices she can't handle. It doesn't matter that I can't fight her head-on. It's about the mindset. The thought that makes you want to fight! It's time, mutt!'

"Woof."

Azzy crawled to my feet. She fell to the floor again, yawning.

'Huh? She doesn't want… a walk? Not whining for food either?'

I waited a full minute, but all Azzy did was tap my legs with her tail.

"She's just here. Phew."

The Dog King was a dog. They required interaction with humans. However, the other humans here weren't exactly fit for giving Azzy what she needed. The regressor was too busy, and the vampire wasn't even alive. The only person Azzy could really interact with was me.

I lowered my tension and lowered my hand in front of Azzy. Yawning, Azzy rubbed her face into my palm.

"Now this is more like a pet. You've finally realized your place."

The ruler of the world was humanity. That was why the Beast Kings modeled human flesh and spoke human words. As representatives of their respective race, they needed to be able to communicate with the rulers of the lands.

Azzy was like any other dog in how active and peppy she was, but at least you could always communicate with her. My lips twisted into a sly grin as I patted her.

"Hehehe. Yes, good girl. I don't even need to use my hands!"

'Nothing is better than an obedient dog. Well, I think I can make this work. It's acceptable.'

"Follow me, Azzy! Your nose will be useful in searching the offices."

"Arf!"

I headed to the management offices, and Azzy got right back up to follow me.

If this were a normal prison, a large tower would be built next to the prison. That tower would rise about two stories higher than the rooftop of the prison, staring down as if they were observing an ant house. If a single prisoner was unable to be located, they would whip out their glaring searchlights and figure out a way to locate them anyhow.

Regardless, Tantalus was full of prisoners that the State couldn't handle.

In order to continue properly maintaining the facility, the State needed to make the corresponding investment. Tantalus needed an army or someone with the combat caliber of a general.

Of course, that was impossible. Spending that much resources on a prison warden was something nonsensically wasteful.

Realizing that abandonment was cheaper than trying to find out some way to control it, they dropped the prison into the abyss and cut support. Leaving the prisoners to their own accord.

Anyway, instead of a watchtower, Tantalus had a square building shaped like a storage. It was a container building separated by a small concrete fence.

It also wasn't even intact right now. I winced as I made my way over the fence.

"Phew. The insides are completely a mess, huh?"

One wall had completely collapsed. Looking at the gigantic palm-shaped indentation in the rubble, it seemed that someone had toppled the wall down by slamming it with their palm. On the steel plates reinforcing the outer walls were many small holes, as if someone had done target practice on it. The holes had traces of having melted.

Just what were they shooting? Even fire arrows can't do something like this.

The roof had collapsed halfway down. The reason was obvious. A gigantic metal beam, like the ones you'd find at construction sites, had been smashed through the roof. One of the corners of the building had also completely disappeared, leaving teeth marks in its trace, as if something had bitten it.

But there's no creature that has a mouth that big… right?

'Just what happened?'

As I crouched down, advancing carefully, the ground suddenly shook. Looking down, I saw that someone had cleanly cut the concrete floor like cake. This was likely done by the regressor.

Something must've happened, but all I could read were minds. I couldn't tell what happened here in the past. All I could guess was that some massive wave of violence and chaos swept through this place.

I scratched my chin as I turned back to Azzy.

"Azzy, do you remember what happened?"

"Woof! Everyone fought!"

"Uh, so who? Why did they fight? Can you tell me exactly what happened from start to finish?"

"Arf?"

"Never mind. I shouldn't have asked you."

Azzy probably didn't take a side. Loyalty to all humans meant that she was equally ignorant of all humans. Even if I gained her trust, she probably wouldn't help me out if I fought against someone else.

The thought pissed me off. What was I doing all of this for?

"Ugh. All my efforts are worthless. No matter how many times I feed you and take you out for walks… A dog is just a dog."

"I like walks!"

"I know. I don't."

"Arf?!"

Azzy opened her eyes in shock. Was the fact that someone doesn't like walks that much of a surprise?

Almost as if she had gotten worried about her future walks, she hopped up and down, talking the most fluently I'd ever seen her.

"Woof! Walks are great! You see so many cool things! It's so fun!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Walks are really, really good. It's wide open! You can run all you want!"

'So what? Is she trying to convince me? Even if I've become a prisoner, do you think I'd be so easily convinced by a dog?'

As Azzy used some 'high-level' vocabulary to tell me the positive aspects of walks, she stared back at me with shining eyes.

"You don't like walks?"

"I don't mind them."

"Woof!"

It was too early for her to rejoice. Watching her spin around in joy, I added to my statement.

"But I prefer laying down and taking a nap."

"W-Woof?!"

"We've wasted too much time. Let's get going."

'Haaa… I'll have to figure things out on my own.'

After continuing a conversation lowered to her level, I stepped past the door that was in three pieces into the control room.

Just what did they do to make the door rip like paper? It was still a metal door.

Should I head back?

The building was completely dark due to a lack of lighting. If the roof was intact and the walls standing, it would've been too dark to see. Thankfully, the newly added gaping holes allowed enough light to seep in to distinguish the outlines of objects.

As expected of a control room, I saw many things that used to be part of machines. The reason I said 'used to be' was because they were broken to the point where I could barely recognize them.

Scattered bolts and nuts. Split gears. Half of a control panel. A golem missing most of its limbs.

The machines and magic golems that would've resided here were completely eliminated by a raid on the building.

"They must've broken everything during the jailbreak. I get that sentiment."

I agreed with that mindset of revenge. Muttering meaningless words, I rummaged through the mountain of scraps. I was hoping to find something that the State hadn't collected from the heap already.

However, the room was too dark, and the amount of rubble was too large. I wasn't sure where to start, and I ended up sweating as I dug through the piles. On top of that, the rubble was heavy enough that I was groaning with all my might as I tried to lift it.

Even if a treasure was hidden in the trash, I wasn't really capable of finding it.

"Tsk. Nothing."

As I was about to head back, Azzy perked up and dove into the pile.

Gigantic pieces of scraps groaned and flew as Azzy dug with her hands. I waited behind the sunken roof for the mess to end. After tossing out a steel-beam-impaled concrete block and a large antenna, Azzy pointed towards a small cabinet.

Realizing what it was, I forced my body back up.

"That's the valuables cabinet, right? Nice job, Azzy."

"I did good?"

"Yeah, good girl. You're the best doggy."

"Woof!"

After petting Azzy with the compliment, she hopped around the cabinet in circles. I pulled the cabinet's handle, but with a deep indentation in the side, it refused to budge. It seemed like something had broken or bent the wrong way inside. Not that I wasn't strong enough.

But who am I? A human with wisdom. And human wisdom culminates in their tools.

"First, second, and third-class. What type of lever do we need here?"

"Woof! Walks!"

"First-class, idiot."

"Woof?! I'm not an idiot!"

I shoved the metal beam into the bent opening of the door and pushed hard.

…It didn't work.

Hm. But who am I? A human with wits. And when my strength isn't enough…

"Azzy, can you help me out?"

"Woof? I'm not an idiot!"

"Yeah, yeah, alright. Just doggy punch this."

"Doggy?"

"Yeah, just slam this part with your paw. Hard."

"Woof? Like this?"

As soon as I saw Azzy raise her arm, I turned and ran. Her arm swept through the air.

BOOOOM!

With a gigantic noise, the cabinet flew three meters into the air. The tight door flew off, spinning in the air until it impaled itself in the ceiling. The metal rod used as a level was now in the shape of a 'V'.

The cabinet landed headfirst on the ground.

That doggy punch was strong.

"Aw, good girl. You're the best dog in the world."

"Best?"

"Yep, the best."

"Woof! Me, best!"

Leaving Azzy behind, I looked inside the cabinet.

There were a few crystal orbs, likely made as spares, and some paperwork.

'Is that all?'

Continuing to search, I saw a lead-colored round object in the corners of the cabinet. I'd missed it initially because of the dark.

I shoved my hand in deep and took it out.

Then I let out a gasp.

"Holy—This is still here?"

Now this… this was something I could use.

—————

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Proofreader – yukitokata

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Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

[Translator – Tails and aquamage]

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Chapter 13 - A Piece of the Apocalypse

Hunting and gathering were some of mankind's oldest instincts. The sensation of reward gained from finding something was one that had been passed down from generation to generation.

I felt the same way. Having found something useful from my expedition, I felt as if I could sprout wings and fly. The fact that this was the abyss, the furthest place from the sky, could not deter my joy.

It also wasn't even much work. It was quite literally the level of effort of a dog having found a bone on a morning walk.

'Thank god this is still around. It's a subject for immediate disposal as a level 3 classified national secret.'

In a good mood, I dug my fingers through Azzy's hair and pet her.

"You're sooo cute! How can you be this good?"

"Woof! Woof!"

A normal person would be wary if someone suddenly hugged them and called them cute. However, Azzy was a dog who didn't know what doubt was. She felt happy even at empty compliments.

Barking happily, Azzy turned back towards me and asked a question.

"Do you like walks now?"

"Just for today. I love walks."

" Woof? Love?"

" It means you really like something."

"Woof! Me too! I love walks!"

「Love…?」

They said a full belly was the cause for generosity. I felt more benevolent than better with my pockets heavy. This good-for-nothing dog looked rather adorable today. Smiling happily together, we walked out of the ruins.

"Yeah. Keep acting nice like this in the future too."

"I'm always nice!"

"Don't lie. Every time you didn't like something, you would bare your teeth and growl."

"Growl?"

As if she was acting like she had never done so, Azzy pretended not to know what I was talking about.

No, she might have actually deleted her memory of doing so. Dogs are shameless animals.

'Hah, good thing a human like me is remembering clearly.'

I showed my teeth at Azzy and made a growling noise. Azzy cocked her head and raised her tail, and followed my actions.

"G-Grrr?"

"Yeah. Don't growl from now on. And don't use your teeth either. Don't try to bite me as well. Even if you have a problem, use your tongue. Got it?"

"Woof!"

"I'll take that as a yes."

「Don't use teeth… Only use your tongue…? Is he…?」

As I was having a serious conversation with Azzy, I felt a sudden sense of bloodlust directed towards me.

「Light clothing. Has he already…? No, I followed them already, so there mustn't have been time.」

The regressor was shooting a deathly glare at me.

'Huh? Bloodlust? Why?'

As I was in shock and unable to react, the regressor clutched the blade behind her.

「Anyway, it was attempted, right? Yeah. I'll kill him.」

"Wait-wait-wait-wait!"

I grabbed Azzy's shoulders and thrust her forward, between me and the regressor. Unknowing of the fact that I had just used her as a shield, she blankly stared at the regressor. I shouted out in a panic while cowering behind Azzy.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but it's all a big misunderstanding!"

"What's the misunderstanding?"

"Everything! Starting with your dirty mind! Everything!"

"Dirty? Me? Not you?"

"Yes! You pervert who thinks everything is about weird stuff like that!"

Ah, she took out her blade.

I stood behind Azzy as best as I could and shouted.

"Perverts think everyone else is a pervert! Just what kind of person do you think I am?!"

With a cold stare, the regressor replied.

"An animal."

"That's just not true!"

The regressor was having some really weird thoughts right now. This accusation was so nonsensical that I felt more confused than angry.

I mean, I've been framed for a lot of things in my life, but never beastiality. Also, she's immediately going to kill for that? She's even worse than the Military State!

At the regressor who was slowly approaching me, I screamed with my heart.

"With a dog? Don't be so weird. What kind of person would have a sexual relationship with a dog?"

The regressor dug through her memories and thought of a couple people in her mind. They were probably people who had attempted something similar.

'Fuck, I guess the end of the world would erode human sanity. You shameful subhumans of humanity.'

I put my palm to my head and retorted.

"I know. There are people in the world who do things that can't be understood with the human mind. But not me! I'm a normal guy with normal tastes!"

"...You keep treating Azzy like a dog."

The regressor pointed at Azzy whose shoulders I was still holding on to.

"Are you doing that on purpose, or do you actually think so?"

"What?"

"Azzy isn't a dog. She's the Dog King. A Beast King who has the form of a human."

Azzy looked towards me and the regressor with an empty look on her face; large shining eyes and a face full of curiosity, panting as if she had just finished a race. A girl with luscious blond locks.

She was a healthy girl who was a little overactive.

At least that's how she looked.

However—

"Trainee Shei."

"Do you understand now? You kept treating her like a dog, but she's actually the—"

"Are you crazy?"

As the regressor flinched at my outburst, I shoved Azzy right in front of her. Azzy had her eyes wide open as I moved her around.

"Why don't you say it, Trainee Shei? Is Azzy a human?!"

"What? What are you…"

"Answer me! Is Azzy a human? Is she beautiful?"

"Uhh, uhmm…"

At my relentless questions, the regressor started murmuring in a defensive manner.

"Sh-She has the form of a human, doesn't she?"

"Did I ask you that? Anyways, so what? Do you get horny when you look at Azzy or something?"

"No! O-Of course not!"

"If you think so too, then why do you think I would be any different? Are you disregarding my basic morals and dignity that much?"

"W-Well…"

「Y-You're overly close to her and also the only guy here…」

'Are you accusing me because I'm a guy?'

I was at a loss for words.

Before Azzy is a female, she is a dog!

Wait, you're supposed to be pretending to be a guy as well!

It was so outrageous that I couldn't even get mad. I usually took insults, but to disregard my basic human dignity was going too far.

"Trainee Shei, listen closely."

When anger gets to a certain point, you suddenly calm down. I was at that point right now. After letting out a deep sigh from the bottom of my chest, I began my sermon to the regressor.

"Let's say there's a person who tries to play fetch with another human, and another person asks how their day has been. Who is the normal person here?"

"Th-That's… The person who asks how they've been."

"So you know. Now, among a person who tries to play fetch with a dog and another person who tries to ask a dog how the dog's day was, who is the normal person here?"

"W-Well…"

「She's a dog, but—」

'So you've admitted it yourself. Why are you getting mad over this when you know the answer yourself?'

I glared right at the regressor.

"Yes, exactly! It's normal to treat a dog like a dog! You don't ask, 'Hello, how was your breakfast?' to dogs."

"B-But—"

"Because Azzy has the form of a human? Oh, so that means I can assume you think of Azzy as a human, right? With your perverted eyes, you're pretending to treat Azzy like another human, trying to get to her body?"

"N-No! I'm—"

"You're a man as well! Just like me! Actually, you're more suspicious than me! Why do you always talk to dogs like they're people and stalk me? Are you getting jealous? Is that it?!"

"Of course not!"

"Anyone can say that. Have you seen your own actions?!"

「Ugh, if only I wasn't crossdressing…!」

The regressor, currently pretending to be a man, was not able to come up with a rebuttal. I took a step forward, confident that I had won. Azzy, whose shoulders I was still holding, seemed to think of the whole thing as a funny occurrence.

"Do you understand? You're the weird one here!"

Logic only told the truth. The regressor knew so as well. That I was right. That I was the more normal one here. At my attacks involving facts and logic, the regressor started taking stuttering steps backwards.

"Woof?"

Of course, Azzy, who couldn't understand sentences longer than two phrases, was just staring between me and the regressor. However, that also just proved she was a dog.

Dogs were dogs. I sent a piercing blow to the regressor with my words who had forgotten such a simple fact.

"You're the weird one for thinking so much about small talk you have with a dog! Do you understand? I could tell Azzy a hundred, or even a thousand times that I love her! Even if I don't actually have emotions for her!"

However, at that moment, I had forgotten a very important fact.

Azzy was not only a dog, but also the Dog King that the world had appointed to communicate with humans. She didn't really understand what I meant, but she could hear my words.

"Arf?! You don't like me?!"

"Huh?"

With suspicion teeming in her bubbly eyes, Azzy stared up at me from the ground. Her usually twirling tail was lying limp, and her perky ears were drooping downwards.

"You… hate me?"

"Oh, Azzy, that's not what I meant. It's hard to explain—"

"Woof?"

'Wait. Hm. Let's think about what I'm going to do. The Dog King is a dog. I can't use any difficult words. Even if I tried to push this off till later, she wouldn't accept that answer. So, whatever I say to the regressor as part of my argument, Azzy will think of it as my actual thoughts.

'With all that in mind, here are my options. Do I push the regressor further so I can tease her at the risk of Azzy liking me less? Or do I retain a nice relationship with Azzy and let the regressor go?'

…Well, it was inevitable. I wasn't stupid enough to give up on the future for a moment of fun.

Making my decision, I opened my arms wide and made a huge smile at Azzy.

"Of course it's a lie. I like Azzy a lot."

"A lot?"

"Yes. A lot. You're the nicest and cutest girl around."

I wasn't lying. With the scary vampire and the bloodthirsty regressor around, Azzy was infinitely more helpful. If she could read the mood better and had more self-control… it'd be optimal.

But dogs were dogs. It was something I would need to accept.

"You… like me?"

"I do like you."

'I don't know if she's pure or stupid, but her mood changes so easily with a few words. Oh, it's probably both. And yet humans love dogs for their purity and stupidity, so it's a little ironic to berate her for it.'

While I was still grinning from that ironic thought…

"Woof! Do you love me?"

「...Love?」

Why did you have to ask me this now when someones watching? Did someone do something? In the first place, who taught a dog a word as meaningless as love?

Oh, they're both me.

Shit. I was suddenly pressured by my past actions.

Trying to ignore the cold stare that the regressor had suddenly regained, I slowly nodded.

"Yeah… I do."

I could tell a dog I love them a hundred times.

I mean, some people love their dogs more than other human beings. However… it was something hard to do in front of the regressor's cold, judging eyes…

But it was inevitable. I gulped in the suddenly rather serious mood, and opened my lips.

"I love you…"

And then her tail wagged. People said that words had no weight, but Azzy took even the smallest things the same way. She smiled and thrust her arms towards me. Leaning onto me, she allowed me to support her weight. It was the motion of trust that dogs only showed to people they were really close to.

Pure happiness filled her face. Grinning like an idiot, Azzy's eyes were smiling as well.

"Woof! I like you too! I love you!"

"Yeah…"

I never thought I'd end up whispering words of love to a dog in my life.

Azzy hopped into my arms. With a shaking hand, I stroked Azzy's head.

And like always—

「I… need to keep my guard up against that man.」

The regressor looked even warier than before.

Man, stop. Stop looking at me with those judgemental eyes. And stop fidgeting with the handle of your blade. I'm not that kind of person.

I just like her as a pet.

「If he is an official of the military and volunteered to come to Tantalus… it would explain his strength. That's why I need to stay conscious of him.」

'Oh. I mean, I can relate to those feelings. If I heard someone bragging about how they had intercourse with an animal, I'd be disgusted too. And I don't have the power to do so, but even if it were true, I wouldn't immediately try to kill them. Don't you think executing someone for loving an animal is a bit too harsh?'

「…An organization in the Special Forces of the Military State. The secret society who tried to control the Beast Kings to the Military State's will in order to topple nearby countries.」

'Wait, what? A secret society?'

「The Human Regime. The organization of experts in training beasts, and the racists who despise beastmen more than anything else. He's likely one of them.」

A series of images flashed through the regressor's head.

In a past not recorded, the regressor stood in a wide open plain. The blade lighter than a feather was in her hands, yet her heart felt as heavy as stone.

The guilt that she wasn't able to stop the apocalypse. The feeling of helplessness that she wasn't able to change anything. She failed in this life as well. Everyone around her would perish yet again. And she would open her eyes—alone—so that she could go forth to find another future.

Next to the regressor, dozens of people were lined up, cowering in fear. Cold sweat dripped from their hands, and their eyes rattled from fear, but they could not even dream of escape.

If what they were going to face was human, they would be able to beg for mercy. Even if they died, they could at least plead to let their families live.

However, what they were facing now was not bound by human rules. They had the form of a human, but were not humans in essence.

The horizon quaked. A rampage of frenzy, led by a couple stray leaders, were the harbingers to thousands of beasts—enough to be described as a layer that coated the earth.

They had some differences. Some were two-legged, while others had four. Some were closer to humans, but had ears or tails of animals. Beastmen. They were the offspring of a sin committed long ago by humanity. The offsprings of beasts—born as humans yet did not receive treatment as fellow humans—used everything they received to try to kill humanity.

In front of them, human figures that produced an extraordinary aura led the charge.

The Beast Kings.

The leaders that each represented an entire race.

The Beast Kings were mighty, but they did not seek violence. They were ultimately those who reflected the will of their race; diplomats meant to tell humans their will.

However, if the species they reflected had decided to rebel against humanity, if the will of the species was clear enough…

The king would enact the will of their people.

And amidst their people, those who couldn't bear the persecution and held hatred stood at the front.

Blood, fire, cinder.

Beasts armed themselves with steel and fire to attack humanity… The combination of wild instincts and weapons were almost like a calamity.

Furthermore, those who made up the majority of the beastmen that had revolted against humanity were—

The Beast King who had gathered the largest army to slaughter humanity was—

The creaking past then faded away, and I was brought back to reality. What I had just seen was so vivid that I could still see traces of it in my retinas.

That event was the future, at the same time it was the past. The same past that the regressor experienced, and the same one I would go through if nothing were to change.

I rested my shaking hand on Azzy's head as she leaned into me. Her ears fluttered like a butterfly as they raised slightly at my touch.

The Dog King who had her mouth shut as she embraced me—the leader of the trusty, lovely dogs—was smiling while covered in blood in a future that would arrive.

「The existence of Beast Kings is guaranteed by the world. Even if I killed her here, another one would be born elsewhere.」

Why did I overlook the regressor's worries?

There was no way the worries of someone who had experienced so much would be overboard.

「As long as Azzy seems emotionally dependent on that man, I can't remove him. And it's also hard to verify if he's a part of the Human Regime. But right now, he's the most likely possibility to cause some rampage. I'll need to keep my eye on him.」

Makes sense.

Azzy's body was warm to the touch and soft. Her hands that had slightly bent backwards to prevent her claws from hurting me provided insight into her desire to not hurt anyone. She definitely didn't do it consciously, so that desire to be nice was likely deeply ingrained into her instincts.

Just what caused that thoughtful hand to lead the way towards bloodshed?

It seems the future was harsher than I ever expected.

—————

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Proofreader – yukitokata

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Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

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Chapter 14 - Necessity Is the Mother of Invention

Despite the regressor's cold stares, I managed to convince her using everything I could say. She was still wary of me, but it seemed like she had decided to wait for now because she put her sword away.

After a sigh of relief, I suddenly became curious about something.

"But Trainee Shei…"

"What?"

"What are you here for? Did you follow us?"

"I didn't follow you! I just… happened to come here looking for you."

The regressor cocked her head to the side, arms crossed with Chun-aeng floating above her head.

"Tyrkanzyaka asked. That thing you said about teaching her about the times. What time it would be at."

"Huh? We're actually doing that?"

「You suggested it?!」

The regressor looked bewildered. Feeling guilty, I nodded.

"Alright, alright. I'll go prepare for it now."

"Try your best. I hope it goes well."

Turning around, the regressor added one more thing.

"Of course, I'll be listening in as well."

'Me? Teach? I've been living off the streets. I don't have the knowledge to teach someone.

'I am highly educated among the people here, but all I have is graduating from standard public elementary school and dropping out of military middle school. I did get more education than a typical security level one citizen the moment I entered military middle school, but that was only because I read the mind of the kid with the second-best scores. If it wasn't for my mind reading cheating abilities, my education would've ended at elementary school.'

Oh, by the way. The reason I read the mind of the kid with the second-best scores instead of the first was because I was the person who had the highest scores in the school.

It wasn't done with my own studying of course. I just borrowed a little help from everyone during tests.

O students, lend me your strength.

I'd like to thank and apologize to every student who had their rank pushed back by one because of me.

Because of my insanely high scores, all the instructors went overboard, telling me that I would be the genius to drive the Military State forward by an entire generation. But I completely failed the practical portion of the entrance exams to military high school, so I dropped out, trying to run away. And now, I ended up like this.

As people who wasted their life often did, I thought back to my school days.

"Maybe those days were the golden days of my life."

I missed the days when I lived so freely just with the ability to read minds.

Albeit the issue is that I still can't think of what I'm going to teach Tyrkanzyaka.

Unconsciously fidgeting with my pockets, I realized something.

"Oh! I'll just use this!"

'This will work.'

The first three floors of Tantalus were the cells meant to hold the prisoners. Typically, those words would remind you of an atmosphere that felt confining and cramped.

However, as a prison with prisoners but no wardens, Tantalus was a little different from the typical stereotype of prisons in the sense that the stone walls were broken and the metal bars were bent in all kinds of directions.

Walls and bars didn't suffice as obstruction for the prisoners that were sent here. The metal door was now in the shape of a metal croissant, and the bars that were bent whichever way reminded me of wet pasta. One of the walls had an intricately made spear—three metal bars twisted all together—embedded in it, and another cell had a perfectly smooth square hole cut out of it.

'Fuck. It seems that the prison was nothing more than a toy to the criminals placed here. That's scary. Just how did the workers that had to live amongst these criminals survive? Oh, right. They didn't!'

After solving the secret, I made my way up the stairs.

The fourth floor was where the workers resided. It was also where I was staying since I had nowhere else to go. The doors didn't lock, but they opened and closed properly, and there was still a kitchen and a place to do laundry.

I headed to the worker training room at the end of the fourth floor hallway.

"Welcome!"

There, the 'trainees' were waiting for me.

A coffin, having pushed aside the chairs to make room, was floating in the air. The regressor was hunched over on a chair, arms and legs crossed, glaring at me the moment I walked in. Azzy was lying down on the floor playing around. I doubted she actually came to learn.

With everyone's focus on me, I headed to the lectern. It was a small class consisting of a dog, a corpse, and a person, but standing in front of people still made me a little nervous.

I took deep breaths before I began to talk.

'It's fine. I've done this plenty of times. It's not any different from swindling people into buying worthless things.'

"I'll start by establishing the goals of this class. From what I've seen the past two days, all you superhuman beings severely lack some common sense. If we release you to society, you'll have a hard time fitting in. And if that happens, you'll end up back here again. So…"

[Just a moment.]

An eerie voice creeped out from within the coffin. The vampire seemed rather annoyed.

[...Why do you wear such casual clothes when you've come to teach?]

"Huh? What's wrong with my clothes?"

The standard supplied button-up shirt and a pair of shorts that had built-in underwear. I was casually dressed, but this was fairly common.

However, to a thousand-year-old boomer like the vampire, even that was not formal enough.

[Learning is like a river. It flows from a high place towards the low. So the one who teaches must always maintain a certain air of authority and formality. Who would want to learn from someone so poorly dressed?]

"I can't believe it. I didn't think someone who lives in a coffin would try to tell me what to wear."

[...That is—]

"I know, I know. It's like your wheelchair. I get it. I'm not going to berate you for that."

Cough! Cough!

The regressor's face grew red as she violently coughed in reaction to my statement.

「...A 'wheel-chair'? I do not understand what he means… but what is a 'wheel-chair'? I feel as if I am being insulted.」

'Alright. Note to self: never explain what a wheelchair is.'

I gripped the lectern with both arms and shouted towards the coffin.

"And Trainee Tyrkanzyaka, there's a clear reason as to why I came here dressed like this. Please do not doubt the instructor when the class has not even begun."

[Alright. Speak. I hope your words serve more purpose than just excuses.]

"Don't get too surprised."

'I'll show this outdated vampire the greatness of modern technology.'

I stretched out my left arm.

"Citizens of the Military State undergo a recording of their biological statistics when they reach the age of eighteen. Height, weight, body shape, bone structure, and even the length and width of their limbs. All of these things are recorded and engraved into our bodies."

I turned my wrist to face the class. A peculiar hole was in my left wrist. The dip made from digging out flesh looked as if something needed to be fit inside.

"Because of that, the Military State has the most advanced identification system. Utilizing it, they've made a few useful inventions."

I dug out the object Azzy and I had found in the control room. The small dark-blue marble was a size that would perfectly fit the hole in my wrist.

They were realizing it now. The regressor who already knew what it was, and the vampire who had questioned the strange hole in my wrist.

They had a sense of how to use this marble.

"The Military State's science is the best in the world. This is the pinnacle of alchemic technology, the clothing technology of the Military State."

With those words, I fit the small orb into my wrist with a resounding click.

Instantly, blue filaments began to cover my body.

Firm, strong fibers made the base structure. Thin blue strands layered themselves in between. The clothes instantly built themselves based on their alchemic pattern. Strands became fabric, and fabric became a bolt of it. They piled up, step by step.

I did a quick twirl in place because I felt like I needed to. On my third way around, an instructor's outfit perfectly tailored to my body had covered my entire body.

Quickly taking the form of a trained instructor, I saluted, according to the State standard.

"The Clothing Packet."

It took only ten seconds for the stiffly ironed suit to cover my entire body. The invention of the century that used the information recorded in your own biological data to transform into the perfect clothes. Even if it ripped or got messy, all you needed to do was change it back into a packet and wipe it away.

It was one of the best inventions, even among the seven great inventions of the Military State.

I boasted as I lifted up the collar of my brand new clothes.

"With the invention of the Clothing Packet, citizens of the Military State were freed from the curse of laundry. Also, they spent less money on buying new clothing. A person only really needs a couple clothing packets, and they could keep using them."

[Interesting.]

"Now, do you understand why I came so lightly dressed? I wanted to show you the Clothing Packet in action. It's better to just wear the standard underwear beneath."

Hums of amusement echoed from the coffin, but I could hear the vampire's thoughts clearly.

「That's amazing…! The world really has changed so much!」

I knew she'd love it.

It was a stereotype that old people disliked new technology. Actually, they were often willing to spend more time exploring it. Curiosity was something that existed within everyone, regardless of age.

The only issue was that, for some reason, old people tended to revert back to analog ways, saying 'It had a nicer feel to it.'

However, currently, the vampire was entirely focused on the clothing packet.

"An instructor's outfit… Hmph."

Shei's expression soured after seeing my outfit. Then, the vampire asked the regressor.

[Child, you didn't have any hole like that on your wrist.]

"I won't ever get that kind of stuff."

The regressor shot back in a moody way.

"That's for surveillance. It's a product of totalitarianism, made by the desire to track and control every single citizen."

[Totalitarianism?]

"It means they watch every citizen. You need a Bio-receptor to enter major roads or buildings. And if someone goes into the wrong place, the authorities can use it to arrest them immediately."

[...What is the issue with that?]

The regressor—who had only experienced the future—probably didn't understand, but the vampire was from a totally different time. One with complete monarchy.

'Do you think human rights was a thing back then? If it were, the vampire probably wouldn't have died at such a young age when she was alive.'

Realizing that, the regressor clicked her tongue.

"Additionally, there's an even bigger issue with the Bio-receptor."

—————

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Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

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Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

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[Proofreader – yukitokata]

Chapter 15 - Out of Necessity, the Mother Invented

The regressor continued speaking as she leered at me while sitting sideways.

"Once you carve the Bio-receptor into yourself, your body becomes tied to the State whether you like it or not. They will be able to track your every move, and the other nations will be extra cautious of you. When going into nations that oppose the State, like the Empire or the Federation, you could be put under constant surveillance."

"I don't think that really matters unless you're about to be exiled to another country."

I replied, also sitting sideways.

The regressor kept leering at me. Just really stared.

Throwing shade on the State is fine because it's a place where the innocent are thrown into the abyss by baseless accusations.

But I won't stand having my Bio-receptor talked down like that! I don't use the Bio-receptor and Clothing Packet because I'm patriotic. I only use them because they're convenient!

"...And the Bio-receptor in itself is a liability. A magical device that can affect my whole body. It's no different to branding a slave in the past."

What? Are you trying to say that I'm a slave? That ticks me off.

I'm a guy who also wants the State to perish. Curses against the State were plastered onto my lips as soon as I was chucked into Tantalus. If I counted up the amount of laws I've broken just from living in the back alleys, it would be way more than the amount of laws you've broken. Scamming, gambling, embezzlement, blackmailing, bribery, etcetera!

And you treat me like a slave of the State? No, I'm the State's number one criminal! It might be slightly different from what you've committed, but I've got the quantity on you!

I got enraged and started ranting.

"That's a bit too much. If you say it like that, nothing in this world is really safe. You could say that a tight suit is a suffocating prison or that a necktie is a leash on your neck. If you can say things like that, then we should also confiscate every fountain pen in the world because 'the pen is mightier than the sword'."

The regressor sat back in her chair and just stared daggers at me.

Her scorching aggression stabbed at me. It was an unchangeable disdain; an annoying but ever-present shadow that hung over thirteen deaths. The stains of living in the darkness of the State could never be removed.

"...You shouldn't not know."

The regressor shot cold stares filled with the emotions of her many cycles. Her heart was so cold that it would never warm up again.

Her stare scared the life out of me that I mumbled in my thoughts.

'Oi, State. What on earth did you do that the regressor would hate your very being? You should be careful. It's a big world out there, and you could meet someone that can single-handedly destroy countries. For example, a regressor with infinite lives.

'You should try to not torture everyone too hard and be nicer to them in the future…'

"The first thing the State did with the Bio-receptor was… torturing people."

A faint trace, a short but strong recollection. I read her mind as she reminisced about her past. Once upon a time, on her first cycle. The perennial memory of those times were recalled.

All that could be felt were fragmented moments of suffering.

The only thing in her mind were two words: 'It hurts'. It covered the last page of her memories like a nasty piece of performance art. Along with an old and weathered scar.

I gulped.

'Hey, State? I think it's too late for you.'

I should get out of this country ASAP. Adios. See you never.

"The Bio-receptor is an arch avatar that was forcefully opened via alchemy and magic. It's a clone of my body. If you forcefully open the Bio-receptor and insert specialised poisons… Heh, then you could stimulate the feeling of pain without any drawbacks. When electricity touches your body, it flows all throughout it. The metal rod was definitely placed on my wrist, but my foot would start convulsing. Hmph. The State didn't just invent a plain old convenient item. With haste, they first and foremost invented weapons… and torture devices."

The air felt extremely heavy. To the point where the vampire forgot what she was saying, and even the dimwitted dog Azzy looked up and raised her tail.

The vampire stayed silent.

However, it was clear where her thoughts were. If one's mind were like a compass, hers would be pointing at the regressor.

The regressor, feeling dejected, laid out her painful thoughts.

「Everyone who's been through that has died. Even I couldn't handle it and took my own life. After that day, I always carried around a poison so that I could die a painless death every time. I'll never forgive the State…」

I fucked up.

If I had known this earlier, I would have never pretended to be an instructor. I didn't read any painful thoughts like this before!

'I was wondering why she swung first and asked questions later. I should even be thankful that I'm still alive.'

The regressor clenched her fist to stop her hand from shaking, so strong that it started bleeding.

"You still think the Bio-receptor is useful?"

「If this man is fully aware of the State's evil but still sides with them, it would be a matter of time before we clashed.」

The regressor was assessing me. If I made any hasty decisions, I could be confirmed as an 'enemy' and receive the suffering of a lifetime. After all, this wasn't her last life.

She wouldn't believe me if I said I was only acting as an instructor all this time now, would she.

If that's the case…

'I'm putting on a voice. I'll change my current cheery voice in an instant like I'm flipping personalities.'

Through the rapid change, I reset my mindset.

Bang, I'll forcefully cut the conversation just like that. If conversation was a living being, it would be dead. I'll pretend that the previous conversation just didn't happen.

The end of one conversation, the start of another.

After preparing myself, I started from the top.

"When the Bio-receptor and Clothing Packet were first created, that wasn't in the list of considerations."

I said with a confident but calm voice.

I told an old story that sounded as profound as possible.

"The first person to come up with the Clothing Packet was an old woman with a daughter-in-law. The old woman, who was trying to run a small clothing shop, looked upon her clumsy daughter-in-law with pity as she did the laundry and sewed till she started getting blisters. The daughter-in-law's bright smile always carried some worries. But to help her son continue on with the family business, she had to sew and do the laundry. The old woman tried to think of a way for her daughter-in-law to get used to all the housework, but couldn't think of any decisive ideas. In the meantime, the old woman got a clothing request from a noble."

From a distance, even steep hills and sharp rocks were small details that built a grand and beautiful scenery. All the tears and suffering couldn't be captured into one story.

However, by including just some of the emotions, any story could be moving.

"The noble ordered the most fancy and beautiful clothes the old woman could make. The old lady was dumbfounded by the order, as the clothes they wanted her to make were so full of different ornaments and embellishments that you wouldn't be able to say that it was something you could wear. She knelt down and answered."

["I am not skilled enough to create something like that."

"Make it."

"The cloth and threads will tangle like that of dogs in a fight. Because of this, you wouldn't be able to take it off."

"Not a problem. Make it."

"The threads of the cloth are so fine that, if it got damaged, even a child wouldn't be able to fit their hands in between to fix it."

"Not a problem. Make it."

"The different silks and cloth are intertwined into one that, if it were soiled, you wouldn't be able to wash it with water or clean it even with a wet brush."

"Not a problem. Make it."

"So you would want clothes that you could neither fix, wash, nor wear again?"

"Only once. It's to be worn only once. After that, it will be taken off, torn, and soiled. Your concerns are unnecessary."

"That is not clothing. It is a sewn monstrosity."

"Not a problem. Make it."]

"It was a fickle nobel's crazy order. A difficult order for anyone in the world. It could have been rejected because it was too bizarre or because it was impossible to fulfil. But the old woman who was thinking about her daughter-in-law saw this as a golden opportunity."

The clumsy daughter-in-law who had no aptitude for laundry or sewing. At first glance. However, the old woman looked at the bloodstained cuffs and the tears that fell.

"If the clothes are disposable, then neither laundry nor sewing would be required."

It was the perfect solution.

"It was impossible. Impossible, right? A new pair of clothes made every time you needed to wear something; having to take them off when you needed through alchemy. That is absurd. It can't be easy. It would be way too difficult. The old woman would have had to spend the rest of her life developing it. She would have had to keep sewing until her sight blurred out. Even with her talented hands, her age was catching up. Her shaking and weakening hands were full of needle holes. She was no longer like her youth. There was no time for even the blood to dry."

I intentionally took a breath and looked again at the hole in my arm.

To tell the story of this small cavity.

"The nature of the Bio-receptor. It's the wound from the needle. The Clothing Packet is the one invented for the daughter-in-law. It's just that the State… engineered it into a magic tool."

All evils of the world were created by the State.

However, such evils in the past were from a much smaller but precious heart.

I walked towards the regressor and took off the Clothing Packet. It broke apart and was sucked into my left hand, as if someone had pulled apart all the fibres from the clothes. Just as larvae created cocoons or spiders wrapped prey, the thin fibres came together into a small marble.

By a couple steps, I was back to my standard shirt and shorts.

The Clothing Packet popped out of my Bio-receptor. I took it and stood next to the regressor's desk.

"I can't represent the State, and you wouldn't be able to speak for all who were tortured. Even so, I would like to ask for your forgiveness."

'I didn't do the deed, but I am a part of it. I will apologise for the things I have done.'

In that sentiment, I grasped the regressor's hand to find her Bio-receptor.

The regressor sat in silence as she watched what I was doing.

"For the world's most compassionate achievement. For the committed sins that burn in hell."

With that, I got her finger where her Bio-receptor would be—

Huh, there's nothing there. There's no hole. Only her smooth skin.

I found it strange and spoke.

"Hey. You don't even have a Bio-receptor."

'Why isn't it there? That's strange. I thought for sure I saw her getting tortured in her memories.'

As I was wondering, the regressor pulled her hand back in panic.

"N-No, wait."

「I only got tortured on my second cycle, when I didn't know a thing… I didn't even get one this time around.」

'Oh yeah. You only got tortured in a past cycle, huh? I had forgotten because the memory itself was so intense.'

After assessing the situation, I looked at the regressor. She looked at me slightly awkwardly.

'Wait. That makes me the clown.'

I decided the mood purely off reading her mind. I assumed that the regressor had been tortured.

No, she did. Only in a past cycle.

Even though in this cycle, she lived through it willy-nilly.

The story suddenly got complicated. The regressor couldn't explain her lie without revealing herself, and I said something only a mind reader could know.

'What do I do? What if they find out that I can read minds?'

After some pondering, I flailed my arms and started screaming.

"You liar! Talking like you've experienced it! I thought you'd actually been tortured!"

Gaslighting!

To show that I really felt deceived by the regressor, I stomped my feet and shouted.

"Tortured? You don't even have a Bio-receptor! What are you saying they put in your smooth-ass skin, huh?!"

"Th-This is—"

"You really wanted some attention, huh? Or are you trying to steal the pain of those who were really tortured? To turn it into your personality? What impudence! I feel bad for those poor people who've had their pain and suffering stolen from them!"

"W-Wait! I've definitely…!"

"Definitely?"

As I pressed hard on the interrogation, the regressor's lips shifted in frustration. However, she couldn't afford to speak her mind.

「I… I can't let them know that I'm a regressor yet!」

'Of course you can't. That's that last thing you should be revealing as a regressor. But how are you going to explain yourself now? How will you escape this situation?'

The answer was surprisingly simple.

Bang!

The regressor disappeared through the door. She literally escaped the situation.

'Damn. I didn't expect her to actually run away. I got done in.'

[That was quite an interesting story.]

The vampire—who had been carefully listening to my story—came closer, as if she was satisfied with my lesson today.

[It was quite worthwhile, coming out of my coffin just for today. However, I am yet to hear the end of the tale. So what became of the old woman?]

"Ahaha…"

[...Why do you laugh?]

"No, it's just that you're calling her an old woman. She was around not too long ago. If she were alive right now, she would only be around two hundred years old. Way younger than you, Trainee Tyrkanzyaka. So maybe you should be calling her 'little girl'. Wow, to be able to treat someone like that as a child—"

CRASH!

The vampire tore through the building and went. She had also run away.

Damn. Just by running my mouth, I made a girl and a corpse run away. Someone would be proud of me for that.

'But that coffin's made of wood, right? How can it break through the concrete and be perfectly fine? My sense of reality is degrading.'

"This is destruction of property, but… whatever."

'It's not like I'm part of the financial division. They'll take care of it themselves. I just need a place to sleep.'

"Now then…"

I walked towards Azzy, who was trying her best not to fall asleep. As I got closer, her tail started wagging. Then, her ears flicked up. And as she lifted her head, she figured out that I was approaching her and jumped to life.

Seeing as how she was drooling freely, she was living her best life. I spoke as I dodged her attempts at wiping her saliva on my hand.

"Hey, Azzy. Were you listening to my lecture?"

"Woof!"

"Can you tell me what you learned today?"

"Woof!"

"Ah, you want me to lower my expectations?"

"Yeah!"

"...Kinda getting angry at the fact that you're only responding to that."

"Angry?"

"Yes! I'm angry, you fucking mutt! Just try to listen to anything I say!"

"Mutt?! Bark! Bark!"

'Far out. What do I do with this mutt? She'll usually follow human instructions well, but from what I've seen from the regressor's memories, she'll turn into a human meat grinder in the future. I don't know how that works, but I need to prevent that. I thought putting some common sense into her would be good.'

"I'm crazy for even thinking that. Even the guy who made the saying that 'experience is the best teacher' would lose his shit at a real dog."

As I was scratching my head, Azzy sat up straight and fiercely barked.

"Woof! Woof-woof! Woof!"

Azzy was looking straight at my left wrist.

Maybe, just maybe. Did she actually listen to my lecture and understand something?

I half-doubtedly showed her my left wrist.

"Do you actually remember? Sure. Look. This is called a Bio-receptor, and if you put the Clothing Packet here—"

"Bite!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

With the sensation of her sharp fangs digging into the hole, I lost consciousness.

—————

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Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

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Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint

[Translator – aquamage]

[Proofreader – yukitokata]

Chapter 16 - The Enemy of Humanity Isn't the Alarm, but the Morning Itself

The State had this funny saying.

The State's research lab which undertook all of the world's research. The bio-engineers who researched the human body and the material engineers who researched the properties of different materials used the same building. Because of that, they would sometimes accidentally go into each other's labs without realizing that they were using the wrong lab until it was time to leave.

Actually, it's really not that funny.

Rrrriiiiiiiiiing!

The painful sound pierced my eardrums. The fact that my ears were still fine after every morning meant that either my ears were more resilient than I thought or that the State's engineers did a good job at making the alarms.

'To bend without breaking.' That was the State's material engineers' motto.

I wonder how much effort was put into just creating that one sound…

You know what, I don't even want to think about it.

"Urgh, I hate that so much…"

Why? Why must that alarm greet me every morning? Why do I need to start every day with suffering?

I'm gonna lose my mind.

I yelled as I buried my face into the hard pillow.

"Someone please turn that fucking alarm off!"

"Woof!"

"Huh?"

'I wasn't expecting an answer, but who's this?'

As I lifted my head after yelling some nonsense, I saw Azzy flying through the air. She jumped up in the blink of an eye, leaping off the wall. She then raised her front legs and struck the annoying alarm clock.

Crash!

I've said before that the alarm clock was like a steel cicada.

The steel cicada that harassed me every morning was trampled under the beast on all fours. The mechanical insides fly everywhere, and the thin plate responsible for the noise cried out for the last time before it was crumpled.

The alarm was pressed so flat against the wall that it had merged into it. In order to take it out, you would need to dig out the wall itself. The gears and metal pieces spread throughout the air. After doing her deed, Azzy came towards me. She wagged her tail, expecting a compliment.

"...What, you want a compliment?"

"Woof! Woof-woof!"

"Yeah, sure, you did well. You destroyed the evil alarm clock that harassed me every morning… To the point of no recovery."

The core component was completely obliterated.

'Unless there's a smithy somewhere here, I don't think it's ever gonna recover.'

I combed my hair back before grabbing Azzy's shoulders.

"But did you know, Azzy? The thing tormenting me every morning isn't that alarm clock. That's only a front. The suffering itself lies in the morning that tells the alarm to ring."

"Woof?"

"Yeah, the real problem is the morning. The fucking morning that makes you repeat the day you just barely got through. I thank you for your virtuous deeds, but this doesn't change anything."

The first thing Azzy said after my long speech was:

"Dummy?"

"...?"

'What did she say?'

I was standing with my mouth wide open, dumbstruck as Azzy looked up and continued.

"Can't see sun. Dark here. No morning!"

"Well, no. Even if there is no sun, the morning still comes."

"Woof! Can't see sun, no morning!"

'Saying that there's no morning if there is no sun. I can't tell if this is positivism or literal dog talk.'

"I sleep when tired! I like sleep!"

"Yeah, I also want to sleep whenever. But there's work to be done, so it can't be helped."

"Woof? Work?"

"Stuff like cooking or cleaning. You know, if I don't wake up in the morning, you'll have no one to feed you."

As I said that, Azzy's ears flicked up. Then, she jumped onto the bed, bit my clothes, and pulled at it. My body was unwillingly dragged out of bed.

"No! Wake up! Food! Fooood!"

"Ok! I'll feed you, so let go! Wait!"

Azzy ran all over the place as I made preparations. After pushing the broken bits of the alarm clock to the side with my foot, I wiped my face with a wet towel.

"Haaa… How am I gonna wake up tomorrow now that the alarm clock is broken?"

There's a reason why I didn't break the alarm clock myself even through all the suffering it put me through. If I don't have it, I won't be able to wake up.

It's a sunless, roosterless abyss. A place separated from the world; one where time holds no meaning. As there's no visible morning, there's no way to tell the time. And it doesn't help that the alarm clock—the only thing keeping time here—was destroyed by the dog.

"Is there anything remotely similar to an alarm…?"

I wanted to hit Azzy on her forehead, but I refrained and let out a sigh.

'Well, she did do it out of consideration. Honestly, I did feel relieved when it broke.'

The hand that initially moved to hit her changed directions to scratch her chin instead. Azzy made a big smile and put her weight onto my hand.

'How naively pure… There are absolutely no concerns in her face. I guess it's only possible because she's an ignorant animal. Although, these are the pros of a pet.'

I unsummoned my current Clothing Packet and pulled out a new one. The unsummoned Packet could be washed with the laundry or just with a tub of water. Electric pulses could make the clothes good as new, but you would need a special device for it. The former method would take longer to dry, but could be done anywhere.

After changing into new clothes, I let go of Azzy. As if she were attached to my hand by rubber, Azzy's face followed my hand up for a short moment.

She opened her eyes wide, as if asking 'Why did you stop?' As if to tell me to keep going, she lunged her chin towards my hand.

It seems like she thinks I'm either a petting machine, a ball throwing machine, or a feeding machine.

Sigh.

Just my luck. Why am I being the dog's babysitter?

Well, It can't be helped. She's our dog. The least I could do is feed her.

"Woof?"

"Let's go and eat."

"Woof!"

If there was a 'World's Goodest Dog', it would be Azzy on her way to eat food. I went to the cafeteria with the dog who only became good three times a day.

'I should get us the leftover bean stew for breakfast and have something else in the afternoon. Maybe I should cook. It's been a while. Last time, to get Azzy's favour, I stove-cooked some meat. But to be honest, meat is an ingredient that gives a better feeling of satisfaction when prepared differently… Huh? Why is the pot empty? I swear there were some leftovers in there.'

I turned my head. To my irritation, Azzy was looking at me as if she'd done nothing wrong.

I stand corrected. Azzy has never been a good dog. This mutt with superstrength is a disaster upon this world.

"Oi! You ate the last of the leftovers, didn't you?!"

"Woof-woof? Woof!"

"Don't play dumb! There's no one else here who could have done it!"

"Woof!"

"You get nothing this morning! Nothiiiing!"

"Awoooooo!"

The wail of the starving dog rang out for a long time.

"Today's lesson is about dealing with an ungrateful dog!"

"Woof!"

Azzy, who was lying down in the back of the classroom, barked loudly as if responding to what I said. When I stared at her with flaming eyes, she turned her head with a 'Hmph.'

'Hmph. You think I care?'

"Animals have never known grace and don't even have the intelligence to recognize it in the first place, so there's no need to do anything for them. You're just suffering a loss! Just tell them to survive on their own!"

"Woof! Woof! Grrrrrr!"

The regressor—who had been watching me and Azzy go head to head—asked with no interest.

"What's the problem?"

「It's probably nothing as usual. I couldn't care less, but I'll pretend to ask.」

I could hear her impertinent thoughts, but I couldn't let go of my feelings. I thumped my chest with my fist and responded.

"That fucking mutt ate all the leftover food from yesterday!"

"Bark! Grrr—Woof!"

Azzy barked, as if she was retaliating. She had the appearance of a human, but all that came out was the bark of an animal.

This is some real dog noise.

(TL/N: 'Dog noise' also means 'nonsense' or 'bullshit'.)

Ugh, come on. If she wasn't a dog with a dog's mind, I would have easily read her mind and came through with unavoidable evidence. It's at these times where not being able to properly read her mind is a problem.

However, the regressor asked, seemingly missing the point.

"So what if the dog eats some food?"

"'Some' food? 'Some'?"

I pinched my forehead and let out a deep sigh.

"Seems like you're missing something here, Trainee Shei. The only reason dogs and humans can coexist is the fact that it only takes some leftovers to feed these guys every day. And the amount a dog needs isn't that much. However!"

I pointed my finger at the glutton and yelled.

"That thing eats not only the same food as me, but twice as much! And it has the audacity to eat on the same table!"

"Feeding her just a bit is fine isn't it? Stop being so stingy."

"Stingy? Stingy?"

'You only say that 'cause you have fucking everything from money to items after taking everything for yourself! How can you say that to someone like me who has to work every day just to get food on the table?! Didn't you say something about Azzy being a piece of the end of the world?! Why aren't you caring for her?! Isn't that your responsibility as a regressor?! Why don't you take 'With great power comes great responsibility' to heart?!'

I was about to say all that. But since I couldn't reveal that I could read minds yet, all that came out of my mouth were plain old complaints.

"Then why don't you feed her?!"

"Ah, sorry. That's not possible."

「I tried feeding her some food from the Bountiful Table… but she didn't eat any of it. It's overall plentiful, but each portion of food is so small that it would never be able to fill her.」

The thing that came up in the regressor's mind—the Bountiful Table. Every meal, it would produce tons of food that could fill a table.

There were so many little portions of food that, with a lot of plates and some chopsticks, it would all disappear in an instant. It was designed so that each meal could provide a great variety of food to taste for a limited stomach.

It was the ultimate luxury item.

It was filled with the most high-end foods just to make sure no one mistook it for anything other than the Bountiful Table.

It definitely isn't just some dog food, since it's so precious that the dog can't even eat it.

I wrinkled my forehead and let out a sigh.

"Anyway, I didn't like eating on the same table as a dog. I'm going to leave it here. I won't even pretend to see Azzy anymore. Class dismissed."

[Wait. That's the end?]

"Yes. I just wanted to share with you all my grievances. Now, you can have the rest of the day off. You won't get every day off, so enjoy this time while you can."

The one thing students love is a day off. The crazy thing is that even the teachers love rest days. Maybe the rest day is the world's only greatest good.

After announcing the world's greatest good, I quickly headed to the door.

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Reaper Scans

Translator – aquamage

Proofreader – yukitokata

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Chapter 1509 - ggg

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