To prevent any unpredictable actions from the Star General, the Regressor had been meticulously tying the knots with all her might. As such, she responded irritably to my interference.

“What. What now?”

“Do you really need to tie another knot over it?”

I pointed at the knots the Regressor had tied.

Currently, the Sky Silk was not only tied behind her back, where her arms overlapped, but was also wrapped around the front, to ensure she couldn't escape by binding her perfectly.

But could it be because she tied it too tightly? After all, Historia seemed uncomfortable in a slightly different meaning.

“What are you talking about? What’s so wrong with my knots?”

“Well, I mean… It’s a bit awkward to say out loud, though…”

While intentionally pretending to fan myself in embarrassment, I sneaked a glance at the Regressor, looking at her as if she was incredibly bold and explicit.

When the Regressor frowned at my impure gaze, I responded by covering my eyes completely with my fingers.

“It’s because the restraints seem to go out of their way to emphasize Ria’s figure, you know? It makes me wonder if I should praise your boldness or express concern over the objectification of your… motives.”

“Haaa? What nonsense are the both of you….”

Following the direction of my pointed fingers, the Regressor finally saw Historia from a more objective standpoint.

Historia was one of the Six Star Generals. Ordinary restraints could not hold her. She could break chains, and if needed, she was prepared to extend or shorten her arms. From that perspective, being extremely cautious was perhaps a natural course of action.

However, was it perhaps because of this fact? The Regressor didn't pay particular attention to the parts that would have been noticeable if she were truly a man. Instead, by focusing on tightening the bindings, she ended up accentuating Ria’s figure through her uniform.

“Ah.”

｢Ah, that’s right. I appear as a man, after all. I must seem like a pervert to that pu….｣

Realizing this, the Regressor lamented briefly. Meanwhile, Historia simply turned her head and teasingly retorted.

“Hmmm. I see. So you didn’t have any particular thoughts. To think you would be able to do this without much thought… Despite your appearance, you are quite cunning.”

“NO! What is a captive like you trying to imply?! Also! I was behind you while tying the knots, so I didn’t know!”

She seemed to have realized that any explanation would merely sound like an excuse. As such, the Regressor, considering how she would look from the perspective of others, hurriedly denied it.

“Don’t any of you dare think about something weird!”

I’m not thinking anything strange either. I’m just happily observing the embarrassing situation my classmate is in. I give my thanks to the Regressor for this opportunity.

“I’m sure it’s just instinct. I understand. But still, to harass my once best friend right in front of me is what… I mean, isn’t that a bit disrespectful towards me?”

“Disrespect?! What disrespect?!”

“I could have tied it better. It makes me think that I should have just done it myself.”

“No, it’s a rather good thing that I was the one to do it! Because I didn’t have any inappropriate thoughts like you!”

“Ah, right. I almost forgot. You said you liked men, rig-”

“I TOLD YOU TO JUST FORGET ABOUT THAT ALREADY!”

The Regressor screeched in frustration as she reached her mental limit.

“What do you want me to do then?! Just release the Gunmaster right here while she’s among us?!”

[Shei.]

It was then. From the inside of the container, a dark voice came from the black coffin that was lying quietly. Tyr, who had been taking a brief nap while the attack from the Military State paused, had finally woken up.

The Regressor was full of anticipation at the arrival of a potential ally.

“Tyrkanzyaka! Say something!”

Since the sun hadn't completely set, Tyr didn't come out of the coffin. Instead, she vibrated the darkness, transmitting only her voice.

[...It is so shameful that I cannot bear to watch. I have never complained about your actions or questioned your conduct before. However, after today, I might have to rethink my judgment of you….]

“IT’S NOT LIKE THAT!”

However, unfortunately for her, the voice conveyed was not in support of the Regressor.

The Regressor, taken aback, protested with an almost tearful voice.

“I know what you’re trying to say! But that doesn’t mean I can just let her loose…!”

｢Disguising myself as a man attracts so many unnecessary misunderstandings! I should have just taken off my clothes before that jerk joined us…! No, wait. Should I at least show them now, even if it’s a bit extreme? That my chest is wrapped in bandages?｣

Ah, no, no. That’s not allowed. It would be troublesome for me in many ways. After all, even though I know, I’ll have to pretend to be surprised. That’s too much work for me.

Also, staying dressed as a man has its advantages in many ways. I can't just let you reveal your true gender just yet.

Let's stop teasing her now. After all, toys must be cherished and kept safe to be used at a later date.

“It’s okay to let it be somewhat loose. In fact, as Mr. Shei has said, Ria actually got caught on purpose.”

“See!”

At my words, the Regressor brightened and pointed at Historia. But then, she creakily turned her finger towards me.

“Wait, what?! You already knew?! Then why didn’t you say anything?!”

“It doesn’t matter whether I knew or not. After all, capturing her was my achievement either way. Yet, you kept undermining it. So, you know… That hurt my feelings.”

“Was that seriously the reason?! Also, I wasn’t even wrong!”

After growling at me like Azzy, the Regressor pointed at Historia with renewed vigor.

“Just as I thought! I had suspected as much! She’s pretending to be captured while sneaking in to gather information, right?! Nice try, but I’ll never let that happ….”

“No. That’s not it. Ria was captured because she negotiated with me, under the condition that I would give her information.”

Tyr had awakened and the sun had almost set. It was time to start telling the story in order to commence my next operation.

When I gestured to Historia with my eyes, she casually dropped her cigarette and crushed it under her military boot. Then, she wiped the amused smile off her face; her expression turned grave and she spoke stiffly.

“From now on, everything I say is of my own volition, as well as a personal matter. I swear it has nothing to do with the Military State…. Though, whether you believe it or not is your choice.”

“...Hmph. Personal, huh? That’s not like the Military State.”

After realizing she had been the subject of teasing, the Regressor muttered sullenly. Historia flashed a smirk at her, as if finding her cute, and replied.

“The man being pursued by the Military State is named Huey. He was a student at Hamelin Secondary Military School. Huey and I were classmates, attending the same classes for three years. And….”

Historia paused, not for dramatic effect but to organize her thoughts. However, this made the Regressor and Tyr pay even more attention.

After gathering their focus, Historia continued, suppressing the emotions welling up within her.

“And… at the end of our 3rd year, during a practical exercise, Huey killed 161 of our classmates and then committed suicide. Or so it was reported.”

Had anyone else heard this heavy truth, they might have stiffened or looked away awkwardly. But neither the Regressor nor Tyr reacted sensitively. After all, they operated on a rather global level.

The Regressor was especially so, even going as far as to make provoking remarks.

“It must have been reported wrong, then. After all, he’s alive here and all the victims from Hamelin supposedly committed suicide after drowning themselves in the river.”

In her own way, it was an attempt to defend me.

After all, in a previous regression, the Regressor, who had unveiled the Military State's dirty secrets and collaborated with the Resistance to bring it down, was privy to various confidential information.

But…

“...So it was reported as well.”

The Regressor felt a rather strange atmosphere in the concise reply and fell silent.

“It is confidential, yet it seems you have heard about it somehow. Yes, your words are correct. It is true that in their final moments, my classmates who took up arms against the Military State, or to be more precise, the Hamelin Military School… marched into the river on their own feet. Of course, anyone who heard this would think it was a suicide.”

After finishing, Historia's piercing gaze turned towards me. Her languid eyes were not filled with heat, but rather a prickly, thorn-like longing. She blatantly pointed at me and spoke.

“Only he knows what truly happened. However, he, too, disappeared. Everyone said they drowned in the Hamelin River and that was what they hoped for. Everyone, except me.”

After swiftly turning her head, Historia cast her gaze sequentially towards the Regressor and the coffin that held Tyr.

“I will do whatever it takes to hear that story. That is also the reason why I voluntarily became a prisoner and am divulging secrets to you all, who are enemies of the Military State. After all, if you are listening, Huey will not lie all that easily.”

The more listeners there were, especially if they were powerful or imposing, the greater the burden of lying became. That was what Historia aimed for.

However…

[...What a trivial reason.]

My colleagues, much like Tyr, trusted me far more than she anticipated.

[Even if Hu lies to deceive you, do you truly think that I would interrogate him on your behalf? You seem to have put some thought into it, but you are greatly mistaken. Hu, you do not need to say a single word. Do as you wish.]

For a moment, Historia was undoubtedly taken aback. She could never have expected Tyrkanzyaka, a powerful ancient being, to defend me so strongly.

As long as she was captured, she was virtually risking her life. Yet upon facing the possibility of gaining nothing, Historia had to at least force a semblance of calm.

“So, you have seduced even the Progenitor, Huey? How impressive. It seems perhaps the rumors surrounding you weren’t all mere fabrications?”

[...Rumors surrounding him?]

Oops. Tyr's interest had been piqued. Tyr, who should have been pressuring Historia, suddenly stopped and faked ignorance.

[...Using my strength during the day tires me. Decide amongst yourselves. I shall rest for a while.]

Was supposedly what she said. Yet, the fact that she still kept an ear turned our way was somewhat irritating.

The Regressor replied nonchalantly.

“You promised to tell, didn’t you? Then, you should.”

I was intending to tell her from the start, okay?! Your insistence makes it seem like I was planning to break my promise or something!

Even amidst this situation, the Regressor, eager for information, seized the opportunity to hear various details from Historia.

“The Military State was originally inclined to practice Active Engagement Avoidance with us. Is that also the reason why we are being pursued despite that?”

“I don’t know. That’s for Command to decide. But it’s not entirely unrelated. The Pied Piper of Hamelin. That’s a skeleton in the closet that the Military State would’ve preferred to never see the light of day.”

“Just because of a hundred people?”

The focus shifted to the Regressor. Upon feeling the attention, she quickly waved her hand.

“No, I mean, a hundred is a lot. But this is the Military State, right? It’s a place where hundreds die daily from labor. So, this level of death means nothing to them. Though, the suicide aspect is somewhat unsettling.”

It was a valid question from the standpoint of the Military State, humane sentiment aside. Historia replied slowly.

“...It’s because of the curse.”

“Curse?”

“Even I don’t know any more than that. So, I need to hear it.”

After deflecting the question, Historia's dark and murky gaze turned sharply towards me. The responsibility to answer now fell on me.

“From him. The Pied Piper of Hamelin.”

I had intended to tell everyone anyway. It would be problematic if my comrades didn't know why the Military State was chasing us. It was just that the opportunity hadn't arisen yet.

Now then. So, where to begin?

Right then, Tyr's reassuring voice reached me.

[It is fine, Hu. What is so significant about a hundred or so people? Unless they are newly turned, it is rare to see a vampire who does not have a count that is less than three digits.]

“Excuse me, Tyr. That kind of talk isn’t exactly comforting for me, nor does it help with vampire propagation.”

[...Is that so?]

When I cleared my throat, Tyr stopped talking and prepared to listen. The Regressor did the same.

“...Woooof.”

Even Azzy, who had approached for some reason, was perking up her ears, ‘lending’ an ear in the truest sense. Apparently, this had now become a story that even a dog was listening to.

Even among them, Historia was looking at me with particularly intense eyes. Though her arms were bound, it likely wouldn't have made a difference even if they were free. After all, her sharp gaze and the desperate longing to know the story bound me.

The stage was set and the audience was seated. All that remained was for me to unfold the tale.

I moistened my lips and slowly began to speak.