EnCoffin Me Chapter 4
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 4
The world seemed to suddenly transform into the one that Alexio was familiar with.
The fire-spewing serpentine creature was a sea serpent, its entire body covered in hard scales. In his time, it was not uncommon for people to catch sight of them at sea. The scorpion-tailed lion was a manticore, known for its loud roar and fierce nature. But those flying white birds were not dark creatures. They were called divine kingfishers, a type of light creature that nested where the seas were calm.
“...Do you recognize these creatures?” Andrei quietly asked, watching his expression.
Alexio nodded. His eyes briefly glanced at the workers unloading the coffin off the vehicle before slowly turning away.
“They haven't changed much,” Alexio said, pausing before adding with some effort, “That manticore is… very well-fed.”
Got so fat it could barely climb the wall.
“And using the divine kingfishers here is a good choice too. The ‘Season of the Divine Kingfishers’ brings no storms, which is perfect for the sea serpent to lay its eggs.”
He mentioned it casually, but Andrei stared at him in astonishment.
“You just said… ‘Season of the Divine Kingfishers’?”
Alexio was a little puzzled. “Isn't that what it's called anymore? The time when divine kingfishers nest at sea…”
“…We have lost much, Your Highness.” The white-haired unicorn lowered his lashes gently. “So much. So hearing such a beautiful term from the previous era, I was momentarily overwhelmed. Please forgive me.
“And I also earnestly request that you can tell us more things like this. Not just me, but there are many, many people listening.”
【I only knew that the divine kingfishers nest in winter, and there are no storms on the Emerald Inner Sea then.】
【The name from the previous era sounds so beautiful. It's like the divine kingfishers ruled over an entire season!】
【Wuwu Xixi expressed it so beautifully…】
At this moment, Alexio had no real sense of what this ‘many, many people listening’ meant. In his time, there were no livestreams watched by millions, and he couldn't see the comments or reactions, so he felt very calm.
“You also have many new things,” Alexio said, looking at the white-haired unicorn. “For example…”
His words were cut off by several startled cries as a black beast, taller than a man, suddenly sprang out. Its tail resembled a scorpion's, while its front half looked like a lion, its fur sleek and shiny from good nutrition. It charged fiercely at Alexio's group, which had not yet entered the gate.
“Claus!” someone shouted loudly from behind, calling the beast's name, but it didn't look back. It leapt in front of Alexio, and in its clear golden, fierce eyes, the reflection of the vampire could be clearly seen. Its scorpion tail swayed up and down slightly, a sign of curiosity or caution.
The horn on Andrei's head emitted a faint glow, clearly readying a protective barrier. Augustus stepped forward half a step to shield the more vulnerable Ellie. Although they nurtured and cared for dark creatures, injuries still occured among caretakers due to the nature and temperament of these creatures. Being a dark creature caretaker might sound prestigious, but in reality, it was a profession that came with considerable pressure.
The manticore shook its tail at Alexio, its sharp stinger gleaming with a terrifying dark green. Yet it made no further move, as if it were merely showing off its tail.
Alexio remained expressionless.
The manticore's caretaker rushed over from behind. He was a human with a sturdy build. Sensitive and aggressive dark creatures like manticores could not be handled by races with overly strong light attributes. Therefore, the caretakers had to meet high physical standards.
“Claus wants you to look at his tail,” the caretaker said. “He's very proud of it.”
The manticore, understanding human language, immediately lifted his chin even higher, stretching his tail out in front of Alexio.
The caretaker was visibly surprised.
“Claus even hopes you'll touch it!”
This was remarkable. The proud and sensitive manticore rarely showed affection so openly. Earlier, Claus had been clinging to the wall, watching the aircraft carrying this resurrected vampire. When the craft landed, it perked up and ran over eagerly, even offering its precious tail to be touched.
Alexio remained without expression.
“No, thank you.”
【Cold-blooded and ruthless Alexi LOL.】
【Wouldn't you get poisoned if you touched it? LOL.】
【I'll touch it! I'll touch it! Not only Claus, I want to pet Xixi too!】
【…Eating a few peanuts beforehand wouldn't get one this drunk.】
(T/N: this implies that someone is acting overly exaggerated or irrational, as if they were drunk, suggesting that even a small snack, like peanuts, which are believed to help slow alcohol absorption, could have prevented such behavior)
The manticore was completely stunned. He hadn't expected to be rejected. His ears drooped as he stared at his own scorpion tail, seriously doubting the appeal of that tail.
In short, his ego was wounded.
Alexio looked at the manticore's caretaker, then glanced back at the manticore, which was on the verge of whimpering.
“Although I find it strange how a manticore could be raised like this… but what should be done in this situation?”
The caretaker slowly shook his head. “We usually proceed with psychological intervention immediately…”
“Intervention? How?”
“Praise him.”
“……”
Alexio understood. It was spoiled.
He sighed, casually pulled a button from his outer cloak, and transformed it into a black bat. The bat flew several circles around the manticore. Its drooping ears gradually lifted. Watching the fluttering bat with his peripheral vision, it began to stir.
“No need to praise it. Just give it something that moves. It'll forget soon enough.”
Manticores were different from griffins, the light creatures that somewhat resembled them in size. They were lazy and easily distracted. In Alexio's time, there were people who became griffin knights, but practically no one wanted to ride a manticore. Beyond the fear of being stung by its tail, the main reason was that a manticore simply wasn't a creature capable of serious work.
The bat kept teasing, and the manticore finally couldn't resist. It leapt up but missed, chasing the bat into a nearby corridor.
Problem solved. Perfect.
“When you get close, the bat will follow you. The energy I infused should last about half an hour,” Alexio told the caretaker who was about to follow. “Don't praise it too much. Too much praise will only inflate its ego.”
Although, judging by its size now, it was already inflated enough.
Behind him, Ellie suddenly let out a soft laugh. Alexio looked at her, and she waved her hands quickly, signaling she wasn't mocking him.
“It's just that, Your Highness seems to understand these dark creatures very well.”
“I see them often,” Alexio said, adding, “No need to call me Your Highness. The vampire race is gone.”
Ellie immediately apologized, but Alexio shook his head to show he didn't mind. He had little attachment to the idea of racial identity.
With no other dark creatures appearing, Alexio entered the lobby of the Darklife Conservation Center. On the central wall hung an emblem of a pure white nest woven from fish bones. It was a divine kingfisher's nest, which served as the center's totem. In a certain month of winter, they would take weathered white fish bones and weave them into nests, allowing them to float on the sea surface to raise their young.
During this period, the sea grew calm and still. In Alexio's era, this period was called the ‘Season of the Divine Kingfishers,’ symbolizing protection and peace.
The beautiful imagery associated with such a benevolent light species was also adopted by the Holy Temple of Alexio's time. Their emblem was woven from white fish bones intertwined like a cluster of thorns, combining two cherished symbols.
The thorns represented endurance and asceticism, while the divine kingfisher's nest signified acceptance and protection.
Of course, the Holy Temple had long since fallen with the changing eras. Alexio felt a little pleased when he first heard this news.
Passing through the corridors, they took a transparent elevator that first descended vertically, then moved forward. The glass walls allowed him to glimpse the scenery outside. The number of staff was indeed large, busily working in different areas.
Andrei explained that despite their efforts, much about the habits and traits of dark creatures remained unknown, especially regarding humanoid dark beings. These usually included werewolves, liches, fallen angels, and dark elves. Compared to the more animalistic manticores, their temperaments were harder to decipher. A significant portion of those currently in the center were not in good condition.
“Our understanding of dark creatures remains superficial,” Andrei said with a sigh. “We know they hate light and favor darkness. We understand their diet and living habits, and we also know their anatomy… but it's not enough. Dark creatures currently lack the ability to live independently. Some even suffer from mental illnesses, and we are powerless to help.
“Only a few dark creatures were able to live independently and tried their best to return to aid the center, but with little success.
“We have no intention of imposing a burden on you, but if you have time, you are welcome to visit the center more often. From Claus' behavior earlier, it's clear these dark creatures really like you.”
Alexio thought of the manticore that had been fed until it looked like a ball and realized the center really wasn't modest about their fostering methods.
“So, where are we going now?”
“To meet ‘Pupil,’ the central core and the one we all revere.”
As he spoke, the elevator came to a smooth stop. Andrei stepped back, letting Alexio go first. Alexio didn't hesitate. When he stepped out of the elevator, he saw a milky white spherical orb, like a suspended planet, in the center of the spacious underground chamber—
Inside the orb, a spindle-shaped black area made it resemble a cat's vertical pupil. Surrounding the chamber were three tiers of transparent, circular floors that enclosed the orb. Countless precise instruments monitored its condition in real time, ready for any sudden changes.
Anyone who had never seen this sight would be utterly unable to comprehend the shock Alexio felt in that moment. Even in the previous era of rampant magic and alchemy, he had rarely experienced such emotions.
He felt a warm sense of nostalgia, yet couldn't help but assume a solemn expression. The floating ‘Pupil’ watched the world, and suddenly a gaze was cast directly at him.
【You have awakened, Alexi.】
The black slit within the ‘Pupil’ slowly expanded, the milky orb gaining a rounded black pupil. The cold sharpness softened into a gentle warmth.
Behind the transparent walls, the monitoring staff were in chaos. Their instruments recorded a shift in the ratio of light and darkness marked by ‘Pupil.’ The black pupil was originally a symbol of this world's dark attributes. Now it grew larger and rounder after seeing Alexio.
At the same moment, the saint who had been dozing in the coffin opened his eyes. He could no longer calmly sort through the turmoil in his mind from the information he had just heard. He clearly sensed the rise of dark power.
He twisted open the coffin lid and sat up, rose petals still clinging to the platinum tips of his hair.
Ignoring the frightened staff nearby, he spoke in a hoarse voice, softly calling a name.
“Alexio.”