Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint
Chapter 341: The Theseus Paradox

Beyond the Mistveil Range, a land perpetually shrouded in clouds, where mist lies hidden.

Humid air blowing from the Sea of Leviathan collected and lingered among the mountains, trapped by nature’s barrier.

This dense, foggy barrier veiled the land, shielding it from sunlight and making the Mistveil Range the perfect habitat for vampires.

Blocked by towering mountains so tall that even the clouds struggle to pass over, the fog and the vampires within rarely venture out into the Fallen Dominion.

However, there was one exception.

The village of Claudia, nestled at the foot of the mountains, was different.

There, the clouds flowed like a waterfall through the gap where a mountain had been cleaved.

Beyond that cloud waterfall, a primeval land cloaked in mystery emerged.

The Misty Plains, now known as the Duchy of Mist.

Vampires who fled from the light settled in that place.

In many other regions, vampires only appeared in legends, but for those who lived in Claudia and its vicinity, they were an occasional nightmare that always resurfaced just when they were nearly forgotten.

Though they rarely ventured out, whenever they did, it would shake all of Claudia.

The fear this instilled was inevitable.

Tyr nodded at the story.

“So that’s what the Cloud Village was called. I am familiar with that place. Long ago, while searching for a place to call home, I came across that small village at the edge of the wilderness. I remember tearing apart that mountain myself.”

“Ugh….”

“Why are you so frightened?”

Peru couldn’t even meet Tyr’s eyes, trembling with fear imprinted deep in her instincts—it was almost pitiful to see.

Tyr, puzzled by her extreme terror, spoke doubtfully.

“Are you a follower of the Sanctum? Hmph, there is no need to be so afraid. As long as you do not flaunt your faith in front of me, I do not kill on sight everything related to the Sky God… unless it greatly offends me, that is.”

“Eek-”

Tyr, having lived so long, had her own rules.

She wouldn’t kill someone just for believing in the Sky God, but if they expressed their faith before her, she would show no mercy.

However, she didn’t always adhere strictly to her rules—if she felt like it, she would kill for less.

After all, if the lines of righteousness were drawn too rigidly, people would always walk on the edges.

A bit of flexibility was necessary.

I spoke up for Peru, who was trembling in fear.

“Tyr, stop scaring her. It’s normal for ordinary people to fear vampires.”

It’s only natural.

Who could stay calm when facing something that views their body as a walking food source?

Just as sheep and wolves can’t be friends, humans, and vampires aren’t meant to get along.

Tyr frowned at this uncomfortable truth.

“You were fearless of me from the start, standing up to me even after knowing I was a vampire. I’m not any ordinary vampire either.”

“As long as you don’t drink my blood, you’re not a vampire to me. I might fear vampires, but I’m not afraid of humans. After all, a vampire is nothing more than a human who has a bit of a craving for blood.”

“True. You are the strange one. When I first awoke and met you, I was confused for a moment, thinking it was the norm.”

Despite her glare, Tyr smiled as if secretly pleased.

In truth, nothing had changed.

As long as Tyr did not crave blood, she was still the same beautiful girl with silver hair.

Yet Peru remained stricken with fear.

It was impossible to erase a deeply rooted terror with just a few words.

Oh well, it’s the price of neglecting public relations.

I decided to tease Peru a bit more.

“Alright, it’s time for dinner. Mr. Shei, please prepare three more bowls for Hilde, yourself, and me. Tyr won’t need a bowl. Peru can just sit on the table.”

“Eek-”

“You are being mischievous, Hu. Stop it. Unlike other vampires, I do not need to actively drink blood. I am like the sea where all blood eventually flows. If someone bleeds, it naturally seeps into me without any effort. A drop of blood from her stubbing her finger is enough.”

“…AHHHH”

It was meant to reassure her, but Peru only became more frightened.

I added one last jab.

“But that was in the past. Your Bloodcraft is not as good as it is now, is it? Maybe you need a special treat? Fresh blood from a young maiden, perhaps?”

“… I-I’ll go get the food.”

Terrified, Peru bolted towards the storage room, using the excuse of fetching food.

She hurriedly searched for meat, probably thinking of feeding animal blood to the vampire.

It was a pointless effort.

At that moment, the Regressor called out to Peru.

“Witherarch. Is the food from the Fallen Dominion?”

“…Yes. Why?”

“Don’t bring it out. I’ll use mine.”

The Regressor opened her pocket, revealing a collection of luxurious ingredients fit for a king—grapes, meat, rice, and flour that far surpassed the cheap rations Peru had been holding.

The sight of these exquisite provisions stacked on the table would make anyone envious.

“Woof! Food! Food!”

Azzy returned to the cabin at the scent, placing her paws on the table and wagging her tail with excitement.

While the others showed no reaction, except Tyr who had no interest in food, Peru focused more on the Regressor’s words than the food.

“…From the Fallen Dominion?”

The Regressor responded indifferently.

“Yes. We shouldn’t eat it, should we?”

“…What do you mean by that?”

Peru’s question carried more weight than it sounded.

If the Regressor had simply meant that food from the Fallen Dominion was of poor quality and unfit for consumption, Peru would have nodded along.

It would be true.

But the Regressor’s tone suggested otherwise.

As if the Fallen Dominion was cursed—implying the food was fundamentally inedible…

Of course, it wasn’t out of disdain or malice.

It was simply the truth.

“It’s better not to eat food from the Fallen Dominion. All crops made by the Golden Lord are homunculi.”

“…”

A stream of the Fallen Dominion’s deepest secrets spilled from the Regressor’s mouth.

Peru was too stunned to even try silencing her.

And who could blame her?

Even we, her companions, never imagined such a thing.

“The homunculus dilemma prevented creating direct human life, but it doesn’t extend to other forms of life. Everything in the Fallen Dominion is artificially made by the Golden Lord. Consuming such crops causes deformities in the bodies of its people. A little might be fine, but I’d rather not touch it until I meet the Golden Lord.”

｢If my body is filled with the Golden Lord’s creation, who knows what might happen when we meet.｣

Regressor, that’s one of the Fallen Dominion’s greatest secrets, isn’t it?

Why are you talking about it like common knowledge?

Not everyone is as well-informed as you. You’re shocking people.

Peru, dumbfounded, glanced around at us.

“…Does the Military State know this much?”

Of course not.

Even Hilde and I had no idea.

Even Peru, a Primarch, didn’t know the crops were homunculi.

“Well”

Feigning familiarity, Hilde smirked but signaled to me with her eyes.

｢I had no idea. This is surprising. Why is this forbidden knowledge coming up now? This… it could be classified as an Anathema! Do you know anything about this, Father?｣

No, I didn’t.

To be precise, I hadn’t even considered it until today when the Regressor mentioned it.

Sure, Peru’s thoughts gave some insight into the Golden Lord and homunculi, but… she didn’t know this either!

The fact that the deformities were due to homunculi crops?

Such crucial information should be thought through in advance so I can read it and mentally prepare!

Still, the Regressor, accustomed to such reactions, responded nonchalantly.

“Why? Every Primarch should know this, right? It’s not strange that I do.”

“…Which Primarch… would reveal such a disgrace to outsiders?”

“Can’t say that.”

｢In a previous timeline, I heard it from the Thunderarch of Claudia, but I can’t say that since it wasn’t from this timeline.｣

The Thunderarch?

The de facto ruler of Claudia and the most prominent Primarch?

Tch, even if I can read the thoughts of Witherarch, what’s the use?

The Regressor already knows far greater secrets from previous timelines!

I had forgotten since I lived in the Military State all my life.

The Regressor may be heavily invested in the Military State like I am, but… in the end, it’s just a stepping stone for her.

The Military State was only the first stage.

A necessary base for the Regressor to build on, essential for progress but relatively simple to establish.

The path to the King of Sins is long and arduous, with obstacles far beyond what the Military State posed.

The Divines, Anathemas, the Sanctum, and even the Human Regime.

And most of these will overlap with me…

Peru, realizing the gravity of the situation, spoke more tensely.

“…Now you understand why the Fireblastarch was so desperate.”

“Hm?”

“…The Fallen Dominion seeks land where the Golden Lord’s influence doesn’t reach. Like Claudia, a place where they can settle.”

Claudia, built on the Mistveil Range, is untouched by the Golden Lord.

Thus, it is safe from his alchemy, making it one of the few habitable places in the Fallen Dominion.

Claudia is therefore the most important land in the Fallen Dominion.

The Golden Palace is not a place but a phenomenon.

Claudia, the most prosperous city, is the core of the Fallen Dominion.

“…The Abyss was a void that consumed all. The Golden Lord will never venture there. If we could claim that land, it would become a second Claudia. A place where children could be raised….”

Tyr, unsatisfied with Peru’s incomplete explanation, looked at me curiously.

“A place to raise children? Is there really a designated place for that in the Fallen Dominion?”

“Not exactly, but here, having a child grants the right to live in Claudia until they turn ten. Life in Claudia is stable, though not lucrative. That’s why wounded Dholes often seek partners first—to secure a period of respite until their child grows up.”

“And if they no longer want respite?”

“They sell the right to those who do. Child sales are openly conducted for that reason.”

This isn’t even a secret. It’s common history taught in the Military State.

Aside from exaggerating the Fallen Dominion’s wretchedness to emphasize the Military State’s superiority, it’s generally considered a fact and brushed off as such.

“This part is well-known, but if we consider what Mr. Shei said earlier, the reason the Thunderarch of Claudia accepts children so eagerly…”

It must be related to the Anathema.

As I expected, the Regressor nodded.

“Right. Children who grow up eating food made by the Golden Lord become homunculi themselves. The Thunderarch established that rule to prevent the entire Fallen Dominion from turning into homunculi. The food in Claudia is normal.”

The four Anathemas humans must never break:

Gluttony, Graft, Splice, and Heresy.

The Fallen Dominion.

An entire nation had recreated the second Anathema.

Grafting—replacing human flesh with something else.

The Golden Lord blatantly violated this.

In the Fallen Dominion, where deformities are common, alchemy was used to make up for the lacking body.

Homunculi were the pinnacle of the second Anathema.

It’s unlikely the Sanctum would tolerate this, but the Golden Lord was a living Divine.

They couldn’t interfere recklessly… or so I thought.

Hmm.

Did the Thunderarch’s rule come from instinctual wisdom or was it influenced by the Sanctum?

I need to check.

Tch. Looks like I’ll have to stick with the Regressor for now.

I had planned to step away at a suitable moment….

As the tension settled, Peru spoke on behalf of the Fallen Dominion.

“…The Fallen Dominion needs that land. We won’t give up easily.”

“Heh. You know that’s nonsense, right? No matter what your reasons are, it’s none of ‘my’ business.”

Once Peru finished speaking for the Fallen Dominion, Hilde, as the representative of the Military State, snapped back.

“If you wanted it, you should have tried to remove the Abyss like ‘we’ did, using money, time, manpower, and resources. You didn’t even approach out of fear of losing what you had, and now you want to jump in? That’s absurd!”

“…I admit it.”

“What?”

“…That’s why I’m guiding you. To the Golden Palace.”

Peru nodded, leaving Hilde at a loss for words.

She sat back down with a grumble.

“How can you just admit defeat like that? Now I look petty for getting all worked up!”

“Hilde, you do seem a bit petty, though.”

“How can you agree so easily, Father?! ”

Do I need to? It’s obvious just by looking.

As Hilde flared up again, Peru looked off into the distance and muttered.

“…But even if I admit it. The Golden Palace might not….”