Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint
Chapter 310: Who Is the Hostage Again?

Up until now, the Regressor had been indifferent, negotiating half-heartedly while barely hiding her disgust.

However, the mood had shifted.

Now, her demeanor was fierce like she was ready to draw her sword at any moment—not to strike an enemy down in combat, but to throw a tantrum like a child demanding her way.

The only difference was that her strength was on par with that of the Divine.

“I told you, didn’t I? I don’t like hostages, no matter who they are.”

“Oh my?”

Hilde offered a weak smile, but the Regressor’s face only darkened further.

She had been holding back, using only the necessary force to achieve her goals.

But if she decided to go on a rampage, she could easily bring down an entire country, especially one she had destroyed in previous timelines—the Military State would be no exception.

Her hand hovered over the hilt of Chun-aeng as she growled.

“Do you think I came here to be swayed by hostages? Let them go. Now!”

A terrifying aura emanated from the Regressor, directed squarely at Hilde.

Of course, since Hilde was sitting on my lap, I had to endure the brunt of it as well.

Looking troubled, Hilde turned to me and asked, “Hmm, what a tricky situation we’re in~ We can’t negotiate with Shei because we have a hostage, but we need the Princess to negotiate with. Father, is there anything you can do?”

No, even if you asked me now, I wouldn’t be able to do anything. My hands are shaking too.

“Hughes.”

Damn it, here we go.

I answered a bit meekly.

“Yes?”

“I consider you a comrade. If you were taken hostage or something, I’d feel absolutely horrible.”

You were just about to sell me off as a hostage a moment ago!

…Of course, that wasn’t your true intention.

Once the Regressor accepts someone as a comrade, she is incredibly loyal to them.

Even earlier, when Nevida tried to take me, she rushed in, knowing full well she had no chance of winning.

She could have died, but she did not regret her actions for a second.

And now, it was the same.

“You wouldn’t have suggested taking your friends or the Princess as hostages, but if that was the only way to strike a deal… even if no harm comes to the Princess, accepting such terms would mean….”

The Regressor’s emotions were tinged with slight disappointment.

It was a small nuance, but that subtle difference could drastically alter my fate in the coming timelines.

｢I have to admit, Hughes is the key. I’ve never had things go so smoothly in any timeline. It’s definitely thanks to him. But still… can I really trust him?｣

Competent or incompetent, between those two categories, I was certainly competent.

But to the Regressor, that wasn’t the most important factor.

“Hughes, tell me. Where are they?”

“Uh… Well… they should be arriving soon…”

Just as I finished speaking, the door burst open.

Tyr entered, a parasol on one shoulder and a golem on the other.

She scanned the room before spotting me.

“Hu!”

Tyr smiled warmly and began walking toward me with determined steps.

Though her pace was steady, her short strides meant it took her some time to reach me.

Aside from Historia, Tyr was the most favorably inclined toward me among my allies, and she was the most formidable when on our side.

A true pillar of strength—the Progenitor of all vampires, Tyrkanzyaka.

It’s a shame. If the true power behind the Military State wasn’t a Saintess from the Sanctum, she could have been a massive force on our side.

But with Tyr involved, only destruction and slaughter would follow, so I couldn’t bring her along.

I greeted her warmly.

“It feels like it’s been a while. Sorry for leaving without a word, I had something I needed to do…”

Tyr gestured toward the golem on her shoulder.

“The doll informed me. You went off alone to negotiate. I understand your reasoning, but how could you leave without even a hint of a word? You left me worried, And… what is happening here?”

As she approached, Tyr tilted her head when she noticed the tense standoff between me and the Regressor.

She had clearly picked up on the unsettling atmosphere surrounding the Regressor.

Still, Tyr held the solution to this problem.

Or rather, the solution rested on her shoulder.

I called out to the golem.

“Abbey.”

It seemed the golem was preoccupied, as it took a moment to respond to my call.

[This is the Military State’s Signaller, Abbey. Were you able to convince him?]

“Not quite yet. Abbey, Mr. Shei is concerned about the safety of our beloved Princess. Could you relay a message for her?”

[Beloved Princess… Do you refer to Yerien Grandiomor?]

“Yes. He is concerned with her well being. Can you please connect her?”

The golem tilted its head slightly before responding as if addressing someone else through a connection.

[Yerien Grandiomor… Affirmative. Shei is concerned for your safety… Wait, stop. Shouting into my ear will not relay your message through the golem. Synchronization does not work that way. Please, stop… No, placing your lips on mine will not transmit the message! And even if it did, I would refuse such contact with all my power!]

Though I couldn’t read minds, I could easily imagine what was happening.

Is this how the Kingdom and the Military State’s representatives converse?

The future of the State is bright with such dignity and refinement.

So bright, in fact—enough to bring tears to the eyes of any soldier witnessing this spectacle.

After a strange and awkward exchange, the golem finally delivered its report.

[Affirmative. Due to the nature of synchronization, if one remains closely pressed against me, I can transmit their voice. Perhaps… a hug from behind would suffice…?]

Abbey’s voice trailed off awkwardly, but after the golem went silent for a moment, Princess Yerien’s voice came from the golem faint and muffled, as if she were speaking into someone’s back.

It was unclear, but recognizable enough.

[Sir Shei? Were you looking for me? I’m sorry to have worried you, but just knowing you thought of me brings me joy… Ehehe…]

Her innocent and gentle voice was almost enough to dissolve all tension.

She sounded not only safe but utterly at ease.

This version of the Princess was likely very different from the one the Regressor remembered.

｢Wait a minute. Isn’t she supposed to be a hostage?｣

The Regressor, clearly bewildered, shot me a glance before directing her question at the golem.

“…Are you okay?”

[Yes! Are you well, Sir Shei? I can’t see you from here.]

“I’m fine. What’s going on? Are you with the Signaller?”

[Oh, yes? At first, I only stayed behind to follow Shiati, but I changed my mind. I want to observe things here a bit longer with Abbey and Yuel.]

“Abbey? You mean the Signaller?”

[Yes! It’s cramped and stifling here, but there are many people and countless ‘windows.’ I can observe the Military State from a wide and objective perspective. Maybe, with Abbey’s help, I can find clues to make this nation a better place. Oh, sorry, Abbey….]

There was a slight pause as if the Princess was excusing herself.

Soon, Abbey’s clear voice returned.

[That is all for now. As Grandiomor remains pressed against me, I cannot operate other golems. There is much to prioritize, so her message will end here.]

With a crisp, professional tone, Abbey concluded the Princess’s transmission.

I waved casually at the golem.

“Thanks for your help, Abbey.”

[It is nothing compared to the responsibility you have undertaken. Are you leaving the Military State soon?]

“Yes. Once this conversation is over, we’ll be heading to the Fallen Dominion.”

[Understood…]

Abbey’s limbs slumped slightly, the golem temporarily disconnecting from its many tasks.

After a brief pause, it lifted its head once more, speaking quickly.

[Administrative arrangements have been made. You will receive full general-level protocols at all administrative facilities in the Military State.]

“Awesome! Thanks, Abbey!”

[Negative. Not at all. This is… all I can offer. It is the least I can do.]

“The least? That’s the highest honor one can receive in the Military State! When else would I experience something like that in my lifetime?”

[If this pleases you, then… I am… glad… hehe…]

The golem’s head dipped slightly, and it gave a small, almost human-like chuckle. It was an unusual display of emotion, something rarely seen in her human form.

But the moment of levity didn’t last long.

[A.K., Report received. Affirmative. I shall handle this. Withdraw immediately from that location. Over.]

Abbey was evidently communicating with others while staying linked to us.

It must be incredibly busy.

Without skipping a beat, the golem concluded its report.

[This is all the time I have. I must take my leave.]

“Thank you, Abbey. Take care.”

[As long as you remain in the Military State, I will watch over you.]

“Oh, should I say thanks? It sounds a bit ominous. I don’t even believe in gods because I don’t like the idea of one watching over me all the time. Having someone monitor my every move is a bit creepy, don’t you think?”

[Negative. Unlike gods, I observe you openly and proudly. I even declared my intention to do so.]

True enough.

A god doesn’t seek permission to watch over people.

I guess that’s an important distinction?

With that, the golem made its final bow.

[Until we meet again. Farewell.]

With a soft click, the golem’s connection was severed.

Feeling satisfied with the conversation, I turned back to face the Regressor with Hilde still by my side.

The Regressor seemed to be struggling to process the situation.

｢Wait. She’s a hostage… right? Why is she with the Signaller? Aren’t those just robots? Why are they so close?｣

I had promised I’d get revenge, right?

Now was the perfect time.

I imitated the Regressor’s earlier words with a teasing grin.

“’I don’t like hostages, no matter who they are.’ Wow, what a legendary line, Mr. Shei. That line will surely go down in history! That was so cool~.”

“Ugh!”

Hilde seized the opportunity to chime in as well.

“When you glared at me and said, ‘Let them go, now,’ I nearly had a heart attack. Father, can you hear my heart pounding? What should I do? It won’t stop beating.”

“Good thing the Princess isn’t here. If Hilde’s this shaken, she might have fainted if she heard it firsthand. To sway even the unharmable Princess—truly, Mr. Shei, what an impressive feat.”

“Sh-shut up!”

“You have a devilish talent for making women’s hearts race, though it’s probably not the one you wanted.”

“No, Hilde. To be honest, my heart skipped a beat, too.”

“No! I won’t give Father to some devilish man!”

“I told you both to stop!”

Haha.

It would be a shame to end the teasing here.

Since Tyr was present, maybe I should get her to say something as well.

Although, why has Tyr been so quiet, covering her mouth like that?

Did something surprise her?

｢F-Father…? Hu… already has a child so grown…?｣

…Okay, I can see why she’s shocked.

Even I was a little caught off guard by that.

This misunderstanding needs to be cleared up as soon as possible.

The Regressor, seizing the lull in our banter, shot back.

“Forget that! What’s the deal with that Signaller? Isn’t it the same one we saw in the Abyss? Why is it acting so familiar to you?”

Sheesh.

How can you keep destroying the Military State when you don’t even know how the Signallers work?

I waggled my finger at the Regressor.

“Mr. Shei. If there’s only one liar in the world, that liar is practically a god. No matter how absurd the story, it will become true.”

“Are you talking about yourself?”

“No, not me. Abbey. I taught Abbey how to lie. In other words, Abbey is now the god of the Military State’s Signallers although I’m not sure how long that’ll last!”

Hilde picked up where I left off.

“Anyway, be grateful to Father for forging such a strong connection with the Military State’s Command. The whole hostage thing is just a formal excuse. Everyone’s gone where they’re supposed to.”

“Ugh…”

“And as for the hostage the Military State is offering—it’s me! I’m the only one with the authority to make independent decisions, who knows all their confidential information, and who can conduct negotiations if needed!”

“Fine, fine! Is that all for the hostages?”

“No! There’s one more. The real ‘hostage’!”

Hilde grinned mischievously and pointed at Historia.

“Historia has to stay here!”

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