Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint - Chapter 577



576 – The Parrot Speaks

After tremendous effort, I succeeded in reattaching the regressor’s arm. I decided not to dwell on how I succeeded; it wasn’t a pretty sight.

I tied the torn muscles, connected the severed blood vessels, and forcefully shoved the bones together. The techniques, powers, and energy I used were so advanced that it was hard to describe. I connected the nerves with lightning threads, manipulated the blood flow with blood manipulation, and used energy absorption to keep the arm from falling off. The process consumed an enormous amount of potions and energy.

“Haah. Haah. Haah.”

If you need any further adjustments or additional context, feel free to ask!

The completely exhausted regressor was barely maintaining consciousness, drenched in sweat. I opened the cap of the vial containing the elixir and poured it into the regressor’s mouth. Drinking it this way would diminish the elixir’s effect, but the regressor managed to overcome that by drinking double.

“Hu, huuh.”

‘It feels like my throat is on fire…’

The regressor, having swallowed the elixir, gasped, feeling a burning thirst. Even without telepathy, one could tell that the regressor needed hydration. I turned on the bamboo faucet and brought water to the regressor. The regressor opened their mouth like a baby bird and drank eagerly.

‘Hah. Ugh. Even after drinking water, my body is still hot. It feels like I’m about to break apart. I can’t do anything but hold on.’

I still couldn’t move a single finger. The regressor, being a master of qi, would regain their senses after about a week of recovery, and within a month, they would be able to wield a weapon. But right now, the regressor was in a state of utter weakness.

‘I’ve never been this powerless while regressing… If I had an injury, I would usually be dead. Right now, I’m in a state where I can’t resist anything Hughes does…’

As that thought crossed their mind, the regressor flinched and looked at me with frightened eyes.

‘Could it be, no way? That guy is rude but tends to respect boundaries… But if he were to take advantage of my defenselessness and do something… What should I do? How far would Hughes go…?’

What do you want me to do? How should I help you? Seriously. If I were going to seduce you, I would have approached you step by step from the very beginning. I’m not the type to reach out to someone who doesn’t want me, you know?

‘No, no! It’s just because I’m weak. Don’t think about relying on anyone! After all, this relationship will disappear when I regress. We have to meet again in the next cycle without knowing anything! If we get closer, I’ll be the only one who gets hurt! It’s always been like that. Even my first love…’

Oh, how interesting. I was doing well in love while regressing.

Suddenly, lost in my own thoughts, the regressor rummaged through their hazy memories.

‘Wait. First love…? When did I even have my first love…?’

Regressing for too long has dulled my memory… It’s a bit pitiful. As I quietly read their thoughts, a red fountain erupted from the regressor’s shoulder. Blood seeped out from the stitched wound. Realizing this too late, I shouted urgently.

“Uh? Ms. Shea, blood! You’re bleeding from your shoulder!”

“Uh, huh?”

“What are you doing? Focus! You’re losing blood!”

The shoulder had become a blood faucet! The regressor, realizing their condition, barely stabilized the blood flow. With no energy to focus on anything else, they gritted their teeth.

‘…I guess my head is spinning and I can’t think straight. For now, let’s concentrate. I’ll think about it after I recover.’

In the midst of dedicating myself to the treatment of the regressor.

Knock, knock. I heard a sound at the door. First, I tried to read thoughts with telepathy, but I was taken aback by the fact that no thoughts were coming from outside. Did someone knock, but it wasn’t a person? Cautiously, I approached the door with a bit of wariness.

“Who is it?”

There was no answer, but I sensed a presence. Carefully opening the door, what appeared before me was a parrot. The parrot, with its red feathers and blue tail, sat on a perch, nodding its head.

“What the heck is this?”

[What the heck is this?]

“A parrot? Did it fly all the way up here? Or… a familiar?”

[Correct! Correct!]

The parrot, shouting excitedly, spread its wings and flew into the room. Looking around for a place to land, it found a familiar spot and settled down.

On the regressor’s shoulder.

“Hey! Get down from there! I barely managed to stick it on; what are you going to do if it falls!”

[What? Then where am I supposed to be?]

“Right. It’s better to be on top of my head.”

‘What’s better! Get down! My hair’s a mess!’

The parrot nestled into the regressor’s hair. After a moment of clearing its throat, the parrot spoke in a screeching voice.

[King of humans. I have come for an audience.]

“Sending a familiar to say you want an audience? I don’t feel any respect at all.”

[Apologies. But please understand. It’s more convenient to use Polly’s mouth than to speak directly.]

“Convenient? Speaking through a parrot? Isn’t it easier to say it yourself?”

[Not really? What’s so hard about talking? Even parrots can do it, so don’t make a fuss!]

Is she speaking from a distance? I can’t quite read her thoughts. She must be one of the witches, but who?

The parrot stood proudly above the regressor’s head and spoke.

[Humans are the most peculiar. Beasts share the same blood. The parrot can speak, and the leopard uses its wits to hunt. The only things humans excel at over beasts are jealousy, envy, filthy desires, and childish schemes. Rather than face such humans, it’s better to confront beasts. Isn’t that right, king of humans?]

Hmm. I see. The disdain for humans and the affection for beasts seep through her tone.

This must be the great witch.

I didn’t recognize her at first due to the change in her manner of speaking, but only the great witch would wield such mastery in conversing through a parrot so uselessly. After all, no other witch would approach me before the great witch.

Well, I can somewhat empathize with her words, but fundamentally, something feels off. I said.

“I don’t relate to that at all.”

[Is that so? Are you, the king of humans, embracing your people?]

“Not particularly. I’m seeing things as they are. Don’t other beasts feel jealousy or envy? Don’t they bare their teeth out of filthy desires? All beasts do the same things, so why the fuss?”

So, all the good things are done by beasts, and all the bad things are blamed on humans? That’s truly strange. Saying humans are beasts doesn’t mean humans are particularly worse.

“Isn’t it you who’s making a fuss, regardless of what anyone says? Great witch.”

[Quack, quack!]

The parrot, struck at its core, flapped its wings violently. Red feathers fell over the regressor’s eyes and face. I snatched a feather that was about to touch my nose and said to the parrot.

“Are you perhaps afraid of humans?”

[Ah, no! Not at all! I’m not scared! It’s just… it’s difficult!]

“If you’re not scared, then come down yourself. No matter how well you handle your familiar, you must see my essence with your own eyes.”

From what I gathered during our brief encounter last time, the great witch has a considerable level of social anxiety. To the extent that she feels closer to beasts than to humans.

If the other party is a woman or familiar, she’s fine. That’s why she converses freely with Nebida and other witches. But perhaps she couldn’t do that with me.

Especially.

[…How could I know what the human king might do to me!]

“I haven’t done anything lately, yet they keep saying I’ve done something. At the very least, let me know what I’m accused of! It’s not fair!”

If humans are frightening, then surely their king would be terrifying too.

Huh? Wait a minute. Could this be useful? It’s easier to manipulate someone who fears me than someone who dismisses me, right?

From noble mtl dot com

I held my head high and asked in an imposing manner.

“So, what brings you to me?”

The parrot ruffled its feathers uncomfortably, but it wasn’t even a person, and a parrot isn’t particularly scary. When I glared at it with narrowed eyes, the parrot flinched.

And the regressor shrank back in fear as well. Why are you scared?

[It’s about the Demon God!]

“The Demon God?”

[Yes. Is it true that the progenitor Tirkanjaka became the Demon God of animals?]

“The Demon God of animals? It’s not exactly that. If we’re being precise, it’s the Demon God of blood.”

At that, the parrot shook its head up and down and squawked.

[Why, why?]

“Why, you ask? Because a Demon God is a Demon God. If you’re asking why it’s a Demon God…? And besides, it was the progenitor who created the race of solitary vampires. It’s not strange at all, is it? You received that blood and became an Elder yourself,”

[I was doing it for research! To uncover the mysteries of the progenitor’s blood and become a Demon God! But to think I’d be outpaced…!]

Among the thirteen Elders of the progenitor, the Great Witch is a slightly different being. The darkness that looms over the jungle and the master of all witches, the Great Witch is the leader of a faction. The progenitor and the Great Witch shared their treasures as equals. The Great Witch provided her knowledge, while the progenitor offered her blood. The two shadows of the continent conspired to become even more complete.

But still, an Elder is an Elder. To the eyes of the world, it might have seemed that the Great Witch had joined the progenitor’s faction. The vampire that once ruled the world was far more powerful than the witches who lived in hiding.

[Tirkanjaka…! Born before me! Stronger than me! Becoming a Demon God is just too much!]

Perhaps the Great Witch harbored a slight inferiority complex regarding that perception.

The parrot, which had been frantically flying around, glared at me.

[I’ve heard that the Demon King can change you.]

“It’s not a story limited to me. The Demon King changes the world itself, so I’m affected by it too.”

[Anyway! That’s roughly correct!]

I shouldn’t just let that slide. Well, shall I agree for now?

[How can I become a Demon King like Tirkanjaka? Tell me the way.]

“Why are you asking me?”

[The Demon King is human. You, as the king of humans, should know!]

“Ask the Demon King. You aren’t a stranger to Tir, after all.”

[Then it’s like I’m beneath Tirkanjaka!]

“That’s the truth. What’s your complaint? Whether you look at the name value or the accomplishments, it’s right for Tir to become a Demon King.”

[What am I lacking!]

“Majesty, charisma, strength, power, reputation, appearance. Oh, and age too.”

[Shut uuup!]

The indignant parrot flapped its wings and took off. It looked like it would peck and scratch my face at any moment, but I am human. I won’t be defeated by a mere light bird. I swiftly grabbed its neck and twisted its wing.

[Squawk! Let go!]

“You’re pretty strong. Is it because you’re the familiar of the great witch? But I’m not weak enough to lose to a parrot.”

[Let Polly go right now! You haven’t forgotten that I’m a great witch, have you? How dare you touch my precious familiar? Aren’t you afraid of meeting me again?]

“Excuse me? What about you? You haven’t forgotten that I’m the king of humans, have you?”

The parrot stopped flapping. Rolling its eyes, it spoke while puffing up its feathers.

[Huh, hm. Even with power lost, there’s still bravado. I, I know. The king of humans has fallen into slumber, having lost all his strength….]

“Right now, you’re consulting with Nebida to regain that power, aren’t you? But what? Are you afraid of meeting again? Hey. Do you want to meet me, having regained my strength, in a bad relationship?”

The parrot’s eyes turned away once more. With its wings neatly folded and claws retracted, the parrot avoided my gaze.

[…Ah, no.]

Nebida has the attitude that as long as the king of humans is resurrected, it doesn’t matter what happens afterward, but the great witch is different. She has her own goals for cooperating with Nebida. She would want to maintain a friendly relationship with the king of humans as much as possible. I don’t know if that would be me, but still.

This level of threat is enough. I smiled softly and gently placed the parrot back atop the head of the returner.

“Of course. I also want to remain on good terms with you, great witch. After all, you are a friend of beasts. Soon to be a friend of humans as well.”

[Yes, yes. Thank you….]

“But, great witch. Why do you want to become a demon?”

[W-well… for revenge.]

“Revenge? Whose revenge?”

[Th-that….]

“Huh?”

Since she struggles to articulate, I can’t grasp the content. I suppose I need mind-reading abilities. As I grumbled inwardly and asked again, a clear voice flowed from the parrot’s beak.

[Revenge for the fallen World Tree, consumed by flames. To honor the spirit of the blessed ginkgo.]

The parrot’s gaze fixed on one point. With its feathers calmly settled, the great witch’s parrot spoke in an unexpectedly composed and serene manner.

[I will shatter the World Tree, Metasequoia, now left alone.]