The Silent Welcome of Crimson Castle
Crimson Castle, a pitch-black fortress that scattered an ominous aura. Seen up close, its form was so chilling it felt as though one were stepping into a deep, dark underground cavern in the dead of winter. The lower levels consisted solely of windowless stone walls, windows only appearing from the middle floors upward, while the upper sections even featured balconies. As if to prove the castle had existed for an unknowable length of time, murky vines of light climbed the walls—but upon closer inspection, they were not living plants at all. They were stone carvings shaped like ivy, crafted as decorative art affixed to the castle's surface. The gargoyles and skeletal statues adorning the walls likewise seemed ready to stir to life at any moment, brimming with vitality. The exterior of Crimson Castle looked utterly desolate, as though it had been struck by the breath of a basilisk that turned everything to stone.
“How strange. If Lady Cardistella were here, she would surely have come out to greet us……”
Lusteria voiced her deep puzzlement at the current silence as she walked toward the castle’s main gate. Normally, even if Cardistella herself refrained from appearing in person to preserve her dignity, she would dispatch servants to receive guests with proper courtesy. Given that they had not seen each other in a thousand years, it would not have been surprising if she had burst through the doors and come running. Yet at present, not a single servant came to welcome Neromeltia’s party—nor were there even any guards stationed at the main gate.
Neromeltia suddenly seized Lusteria’s wrist as the succubus reached for the gate and pulled her back into her embrace.
“Eek!”
“Don’t go near it.”
Neromeltia spoke softly, warning Lusteria while keeping her eyes fixed on the castle. Startled by her master’s rough grip, Lusteria let out a short cry, then looked bewildered by the uncharacteristic reaction. Meanwhile, Beatrice calmly passed Neromeltia and approached the castle, asking her master,
“Shall I destroy it?”
“Yes.”
At her master’s command, Beatrice immediately began untying the laces of her maid uniform. The sleeves of her dress were slit from the collar and shoulders down to the wrists along the outer arms. The diamond-patterned laces that had kept the gaps closed were undone one by one, starting from the wrists, until the fabric that had wrapped her arms unfurled into long, fluttering strips, exposing her pale skin. Beatrice’s arms were graceful in contour and smooth in texture. With her bare arms fully revealed, she extended them toward the massive gates of Crimson Castle.
“I recommend stepping back for a moment.”
At those words, Neromeltia drew Lusteria into her arms and cast a defensive spell. Then the elbow of Beatrice’s outstretched arm split vertically, revealing a large circular saw blade within. It was a massive, vicious-looking blade that seemed impossible to have come from inside a slender woman’s arm. Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! The circular saw roared to life, spinning furiously as mana flooded into the blade and Luina’s characteristic dark glow blazed intensely.
Watching Beatrice prepare her attack, Lusteria enhanced her vision and carefully observed the space ahead. Only then did she understand why her master had pulled her back from the gate. A sealing barrier enveloped the entire exterior of Crimson Castle. It was enormous and majestic, radiating tremendous power, yet so transparent that it had gone unnoticed until now. When Lusteria examined the source of the mana flowing through the barrier, her eyes widened in shock.
“A faith barrier!!”
“Exactly. Touching it carelessly could hurt you badly. Our Lusty needs to learn to be a little more cautious, doesn’t she?”
Why would a faith barrier created with divine power exist at a castle of death inhabited by the undead? Lusteria’s mind grew hazy with a flood of chaotic thoughts. Meanwhile, Beatrice’s circular saw blade spun with ferocious speed and slashed into the faith barrier. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! The faith barrier shattered amid a spray of sparks, as though explosives had been dropped into the heart of a volcano. Though it was a sealing barrier imbued with the mighty power of a god, Beatrice’s saw blade tore through it with contemptuous ease. Witnessing her terrifying might, Lusteria finally understood how the description of Ego Dolls as beings specialized in slaughter had come to be.
Beatrice was the ultimate masterpiece embodying all the skill and knowledge of Ronald Gutman, the greatest magical engineer and Ego Doll artisan in Hemonigent’s history. She was the Ego Doll that represented his entire life—continuously researched, modified, and enhanced right up until the moment of his death. CRASHHHHH!!!Rumble rumble rumble!!! The faith barrier, which should have been reinforced by divine power, could not withstand the assault for long. Even though it contained the energy of Odvolg, the God King revered as the deity of light and justice, it was powerless against Beatrice’s adamantium saw blade, which spun on the immense force of Luina. The impact soon became the catalyst that brought the entire barrier down.
The sealing barrier, composed of mana known as divine power, shattered like a colossal glass structure, breaking into countless fragments before scattering into the air and vanishing without a trace—as though nothing had ever been there at all. Hummmmmm… Click! The moment the faith barrier collapsed, the circular saw blade gradually slowed and retracted into Beatrice’s arm. The gap at her elbow that had opened to release the blade sealed itself without leaving a single mark. Only a faint heat haze rising from her arm remained, quietly reminding everyone of the tremendous power she had just displayed.
“It is done, Master.”
The Ego Doll maid turned calmly, clasped her hands neatly in front of her, and bowed her head with perfect courtesy. Neromeltia approached her and began retying the loosened laces of her uniform so the long strips of fabric could once again serve as sleeves.
“Well done, Beatrice.”
As the laces crossed in a diamond pattern and secured the fabric once more, the maid’s attire was meticulously restored by her master’s own hands. Beatrice did not seem to dislike the affectionate touch. Normally she would have insisted that such a task was beneath her master and tried to fix her clothes herself, but now she remained silent, quietly accepting Neromeltia’s gentle care. Lusteria noticed the faintest upward curve at the corner of Beatrice’s usually expressionless lips. The sight of the maid’s quiet joy at even this small gesture of affection was both endearing and beautiful—yet Lusteria had to suppress a twinge of jealousy rising within her. Though she herself did not fully realize the depth of her feelings, a new resolve took root: the next time there was work to be done, she would be the first to step forward.
Creak… creak… creak…! With a heavy, grating sound, the main gate swung open. The ancient doors, their once-bright red wood now faded and their hinges screeching, parted to reveal the dark interior beyond. The noble, intricately carved gates of the old castle stood wide, exposing the gloom within.
“Welcome! By the will of the Empress, we humble servants greet our honored guests!”
Beyond the open gate stretched a dim corridor barely illuminated by faint light. Sparse candelabras along the walls gave off a gloomy glow, just enough to prevent tripping, while a long crimson carpet stretched into the unknown depths, its color doing little to dispel the darkness. At the head of the corridor, two skeletons dressed in antique black suits bowed deeply and offered a formal greeting.
“Are you servants of Cardistella?”
“Indeed we are. The master of the Blood Castle, Crimson Castle, and the rightful ruler of Hemonigent’s dead—Lady Cardistella Moon Night—is our rightful sovereign.”
From their flowery speech, Neromeltia found her answer. Cardistella was alive. She had taken refuge inside this castle, evading the clutches of the Humians. The only question that remained was why she had never destroyed the barrier—even one that Beatrice could break in a single strike.
“Please follow us. Our master awaits you in the hall.”
Neromeltia followed the skeleton servants as they turned and led the way. Lusteria and Beatrice fell in behind her, though Lusteria’s complexion looked somewhat uneasy. Noticing this, Beatrice glanced at her.
“Is something the matter?”
Lusteria’s violet eyes were filled with tension as she stared down the long corridor, her thoughts clearly racing. Her shoulders were slightly hunched, and wariness had begun to surface in her gaze. Keeping her eyes fixed ahead as they walked, she spoke quietly to Beatrice.
“Why… is this a vampire’s castle, yet no vampire servants have come to greet us…?”