Beyond the Misty Mountain Range lies a land perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist. A place untouched by sunlight, where no other haze dares to intrude. That land is home to vampires.

Blocked by towering peaks so high even clouds struggle to cross them, the fog of the Duchy and the vampires within rarely venture into the Heat Nation. The humid air, carried inland from the Sea of Misfortune, is trapped by this natural barrier, pooling in the region.

However, there is one exception. In the low rolling hills of the Cloud Village, Claudia, the land differs. There, where the mountains have been cleaved away, clouds cascade like a waterfall. Beyond that cloudfall lies a primeval land, cloaked in mystery.

The Misty Plains. A place now known as the Misty Duchy. Vampires, who fled from the light, found refuge there.

In most other places, vampires are mere legends, but to the residents of Claudia and its surrounding areas, they were a recurring nightmare—rarely appearing but shaking the entire region when they did. Thus, fear of them lingered persistently.

Hearing this tale, Tir nodded in understanding.

"Ah, so Claudia means 'Cloud Village.' I am well acquainted with it. Long ago, while wandering in search of a place to call home, I discovered that tiny village at the edge of the wilderness. I still recall tearing apart the cloudfall with my own hands."

"Ugh..."

"Why are you trembling so?"

Peru couldn't even meet Tir’s gaze, trembling in fear instinctively. Her body shook so violently that it evoked pity, her terror imprinted deep in her being. Seeing her state, Tir frowned suspiciously.

"Are you perchance a devotee of the Celestial Faith? Hm, there’s no need to fear so greatly. As long as you don’t flaunt it in front of me, I won’t kill every single one of you... unless you seriously offend me, of course."

"Eek..."

Tir, having lived long enough, had her own principles. She wouldn’t kill someone outright just for believing in the Celestial Faith, but if they displayed their faith openly before her, she would show no mercy. That said, she didn’t always act according to her principles—if something annoyed her, she might kill on a whim. After all, drawing a strict line between right and wrong only encourages people to walk the edge of that line endlessly. A degree of flexibility is necessary.

Since Peru was too frightened to respond, I spoke up instead.

"Tir, please stop scaring her. It’s perfectly normal for ordinary people to be afraid of vampires."

It was, indeed, natural. Who could remain calm in the presence of a vampire, a creature that views the human body as nothing more than a walking food supply? Just as sheep cannot befriend wolves, vampires and humans can hardly coexist peacefully.

Faced with this uncomfortable truth, Tir scowled.

"You, however, confronted me boldly from the very beginning, knowing I was a vampire—no, the progenitor of vampires at that."

"If you don’t drink my blood, you’re not really a vampire to me. Vampires might be frightening, but humans aren’t. You’re just another human to me."

"Indeed, you are the odd one here. When I awoke after so long, you were the first human I met, and for a moment, I was confused. This must be what a normal reaction looks like."

Despite casting her an annoyed glance, Tir wore a faint smile, seemingly pleased.

Nothing about her had changed. Tir remained the same, a girl with shimmering white-silver hair, as long as she refrained from craving someone’s blood. Yet Peru continued to tremble in fear, her deeply ingrained terror unshaken by mere words.

What could be done? This was the cost of neglecting public opinion. Perhaps it was time to tease Peru a little.

"Well then, it’s about time for dinner, isn’t it? Shay, please bring three more bowls, including one for Hilde. Oh, and no need for a bowl for Tir. Peru can just climb onto the table for her."

"Eek!"

"You’re incorrigible. Stop teasing her. Unlike other vampires, I do not need to drink blood separately. I am the ocean to which all blood flows. If someone sheds blood, it naturally seeps into me without much effort. The blood she spills when she stubs her finger is more than sufficient."

"Ahh!"

Tir’s words, meant to reassure, only heightened Peru’s terror. Feeling mischievous, I added one more jab.

"That was back then. Nowadays, you’re not as adept, are you? Don’t you need a special treat? Like fresh blood from a young woman?"

"I-I’ll fetch the food!"

Frightened out of her wits, Peru bolted toward the storeroom, using the excuse of retrieving food to flee the scene. Once inside, she frantically searched for meat, perhaps planning to feed Tir animal blood. A futile effort.

That was when the Regressor called out to her.

"Verdigris Lord. The food you’re getting—it’s from the Heat Nation, right?"

"…Yeah, and?"

"Don’t bother. I’ll use my own."

Saying this, the Regressor opened his pocket. Inside were ingredients fit for royalty: luxurious meats, wine finer than the cheap rum Peru had been carrying, grains of the highest quality, and more. The sheer opulence of it all was a stark contrast to Peru’s humble supplies.

"Woof! Food! Foood!"

Azi, their loyal companion, was the first to react, drooling and wagging his tail so hard it kicked up dust. Yet, while Tir remained indifferent and Peru was preoccupied with the Regressor’s earlier words, none of the humans showed much interest in the lavish spread.

"…From the Heat Nation?" Peru asked hesitantly.

The Regressor answered nonchalantly.

"Yeah. But we shouldn’t eat that, should we?"

"…What do you mean by that?"

Peru’s question carried weight beyond the words themselves. If it were merely a matter of Heat Nation produce being subpar, she would have nodded in agreement—it was true.

But the Regressor’s tone suggested something far graver, as if the Heat Nation itself were cursed. It was as though he were discussing something that should never be consumed.

Naturally, this wasn’t out of disdain or malice toward the Heat Nation. It was simply a fact.

"Heat Nation food isn’t safe to eat, is it? Everything created by the Golden Mirror is a homunculus."

"…"

The Regressor nonchalantly revealed one of the Heat Nation’s darkest secrets. Peru didn’t even attempt to silence him, too stunned to react.

Of course, it was only natural. She wouldn’t have imagined that even her own companions knew such a thing.

"The Golden Mirror couldn’t create humans directly due to the Homunculus Dilemma. But everything in the Heat Nation is artificial, made by the Golden Mirror. People exposed to it develop deformities. Eating small amounts might be fine, but until we meet the Golden Mirror, I’d prefer to avoid it altogether."

‘If part of my body turns out to be the Golden Mirror’s creation, who knows what might happen when we finally meet?’

Regressor, isn’t that the Heat Nation’s biggest state secret? Why are you talking about it like it’s common knowledge? Not everyone knows every secret like you do—it’s shocking!

Peru, horrified, glanced at each of us before asking:

"…Does the Military Nation know… about this?"

"No, they don’t know. Not Hilde, not even me—this is the first I’ve heard of it."

Even Peru, the Verdigris Lord herself, hadn’t known that the crops were also homunculi.

"Who knows? It’s a secret, after all~."

Hilde smirked mischievously, feigning confidence as she gestured for me to come closer.

‘I had no idea. This is completely unexpected. Father, why is a taboo being revealed here? Did you know?’

No, I didn’t know either. To be precise, I hadn’t read this from the Regressor’s mind until today. I had a vague idea about the Golden Mirror and homunculi after reading Peru’s thoughts, but...

Even Peru didn’t know about this! That the deformities in the Heat Nation were caused by the Golden Mirror’s homunculi crops?! Something this critical—at least give me a heads-up so I can read it in advance and prepare!

But the Regressor, accustomed to such reactions, replied as if nothing were amiss.

"Why? Isn’t this something every chieftain knows? It’s not strange for me to know about it."

"...What kind of chieftain... reveals such a disgrace to outsiders?"

"I can’t tell you that."

‘In a previous iteration, I learned this from the Thunder Lord of Claudia. I can’t say it came from this timeline, though.’

The Thunder Lord—the de facto ruler of Claudia and the most revered of the chieftains. Hah, what’s the point of reading the Verdigris Lord’s thoughts when the Regressor already brought back far greater secrets from a previous timeline?

I had almost forgotten, after spending so much time in the Military Nation. The Regressor might invest heavily in the Military Nation, but ultimately, it’s just another stepping stone for her.

The Military Nation is essentially the first stage. For the Regressor, it’s the foundation she needs to establish for smoother progress. While she must ensure its completion, it’s also the simplest of stages to build upon.

The road to the King of Sin is long and fraught with peril. The obstacles ahead are leagues beyond anything encountered in the Military Nation—demons, taboos, the Holy Sovereignty, and even the Master of All Things.

And most of it... will overlap with me.

Peru, visibly tense after learning this unexpected truth, spoke up.

"...Now you understand why the Lord of Heat and Explosions was so desperate."

"Huh?"

"...The Heat Nation wants land where the Golden Mirror hasn’t set foot. A place like Claudia, where we can settle."

Claudia, nestled within the Misty Mountains, lies untouched by the Golden Mirror. It is safe from her alchemy, making it one of the few places in the Heat Nation where one can live without fear.

Thus, Claudia is the Heat Nation’s most critical land. The Golden Mirror herself is not a place but rather a phenomenon. Claudia, as the most prosperous city, is the very heart of the Heat Nation.

"...The Abyss is a void that devours all things. The Golden Mirror does not venture there. If we could claim that land, it would become a second Claudia—a place where we could raise children...."

Still unsatisfied by Peru’s explanation, Tir, her curiosity piqued, turned to me.

"A place to raise children? Are you saying this country even designates where children can be raised?"

"Not exactly. In the Heat Nation, when someone has a child, they become eligible to live in Claudia until the child turns ten. Life in Claudia is stable, even if the income isn’t great. That’s why injured ‘hyenas’ often seek a partner first. If they have a child, they can rest until the child is grown."

"What if they don’t want to rest?"

"Then they sell the right to someone who does. Because of that, newborns are openly traded."

This isn’t a secret at all—it’s even taught in Military Nation history classes. Setting aside the tendency to deride the Heat Nation as a hopeless country, the information is largely accurate, which I always found surprisingly honest.

"That’s all common knowledge, but considering what Shay just said... The Thunder Lord’s eagerness to accept children must also be tied to a taboo."

As if confirming my suspicion, the Regressor nodded.

"Exactly. If a child grows up eating food created by the Golden Mirror, their body becomes a homunculus. The Thunder Lord established those rules to prevent all Heat Nation citizens from becoming her homunculi. The food in Claudia is normal, not homunculus-derived."

The four taboos that humans must never violate: Gluttony, Grafting, Interbreeding, and Heresy.

The Heat Nation, in essence, violates the second taboo—Grafting. It substitutes the frailty of the human body with something else, an abomination. The entire nation, a byproduct of the Golden Mirror, stands as a testament to this violation. And the homunculi themselves are the pinnacle of this taboo.

The Holy Sovereignty surely wouldn’t tolerate this, but the Golden Mirror is a living demon. They can’t act rashly against her. Hmm...

Was the Thunder Lord’s rule an instinctive act of wisdom, or did the Holy Sovereignty intervene somehow? I’ll need to investigate further.

Tsk. Looks like I’ll have to stick with the Regressor for a while. I had planned to part ways at a convenient time...

Once the confusion settled, Peru spoke on behalf of the Heat Nation.

"...The Heat Nation needs that land. We won’t give up easily."

"Hah. You realize how ridiculous that sounds, right? Whatever your reasons, that’s not my problem," Hilde snapped, speaking as a representative of the Military Nation.

"If you wanted it so badly, you should have done what we did—pour money, time, manpower, and resources into eliminating the Abyss. Instead, you stayed away for fear of losing something, and now you want to claim it? Absolutely not!"

"...Fair enough."

"What?"

"That’s why I’m guiding you. To the Golden Palace."

As Peru nodded, Hilde, left speechless, sat back down with a grumble.

"Why did you agree so quickly? Now I look like the petty one for snapping!"

"You are a bit petty, Hilde."

"Father, did you just confirm that?! Did you?!"

Do I need to confirm it? Isn’t it obvious?

As Hilde’s indignant protests filled the air, Peru gazed into the distance, murmuring.

"...Even if I accept it, the Golden Palace may not."