Chapter 17: The Red Mana League (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: The Red Mana League (6)
“How foolish.”
Looking at the man standing before her, Joan Clay murmured under her breath.
“There is nothing more precious than life.”
The magic circle beneath Adler’s feet erupted, a blazing red mana—vivid as roaring flames—engulfing his entire body. The fool likely believed that by seizing that power, he could somehow overcome her.
“What a pathetic delusion.”
The power manifesting before her was not something a mere human could hope to contain. In a matter of seconds, that arrogant man would likely vanish without a trace, along with the girl he so cautiously cradled in his arms.
“…… Huh?”
But seconds turned into tens of seconds, and the catastrophe she expected did not occur.
Ssshh…
The violent, burning red mana that had threatened to consume Adler began to stabilize. Before she even realized what was happening, the energy was being absorbed into his body with seamless precision.
“You… you…”
“Why the long face, Princess?”
“What have you done?!”
It was impossible. Even for vampires, attempting to claim the power of a Pureblooded Vampire was a gamble with death itself—and even then, success was vanishingly rare. If mere humans could accomplish such a feat, centuries of vampires wouldn't have perished in their pursuit of this strength.
“I am simply fulfilling Princess Clay’s request,” Adler said calmly.
“… What?”
“To resurrect a Pureblooded Vampire in this world. Am I not receiving the power directly?”
The man was making the impossible a reality. Even with Princess Clay’s exceptional intellect, this was a realm she could not comprehend.
“How could a mere human possibly…”
“Princess.”
Adler, stepping fully into that forbidden realm, whispered softly to her.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”
Joan’s expression fractured into one of pure disbelief.
“How many times do you think I’ve had the opportunity to observe this magic circle?”
“That is not a circle a human mage could understand just by looking at it!” she hissed. “Even our kind couldn’t fully decipher it!”
A thin smile played at the corner of Adler’s mouth.
“So that’s why… the reason the circle looked like that.”
“What?”
“The needlessly convoluted structure. The antiquated loops wasting capacity. The sloppy code patched in every time an error occurred, right down to the syntax.”
Princess Clay’s eyes widened.
“It’s only natural for it to overload when the design itself was flawed from the start.”
“Are you saying… you modified the magic circle?”
“To be precise, I optimized it. In its current state, even a passing ant could be turned into a vampire with ease.”
Sweat began to bead on her forehead.
“The structure and characters of ancient magic are still being deciphered by the highest academic circles…”
“If I told you I was the creator of the very magical system they are so painstakingly trying to decipher, would you believe me?”
“Nonsense!”
She spat the word, but deep down, a chilling realization took root. The man smiling before her didn't just understand the laws of magic that had remained hidden for eons—he had mastered them. He had made them his own.
“… When did you realize?” she asked, her voice heavy. For the first time in her life, an unfamiliar sense of dread washed over her.
“To be honest, I wasn’t certain what specific plan you were devising. But I knew the true nature of that insubstantial magic circle from the beginning.”
“So you’re saying you knew everything all along.”
“Did I?” Adler chuckled.
Krrrrack…!
In the next instant, the red mana she had been gathering in her palm surged toward Adler like a gale.
He may have the intellect, but he is still human. In terms of raw power, I am still superior.
She watched Adler extend a hand with a slightly troubled expression.
That means I still have the upper hand…
Zzzzzz…
“……….”
Her words died in her throat. A deep, grey-hued mana burst from the magic circle, calmly swallowing her red mana whole.
“You… you planted the Professor’s mana in advance, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“You anticipated it to this extent?”
There was no one else. No one but Adler possessed the intellect to meddle with ancient circles in such a way.
“Hmm…”
This, too, had likely been pre-calculated.
“… Let’s just say that for now.”
Seeing Adler scratch his head with a strangely flustered look, Princess Clay’s face twisted.
“Damn it.”
The tranquil grey mana within the circle seemed to devour everything it touched. It was a tangible manifestation of death itself—an impenetrable barrier that her strength could not hope to pierce.
“… Wait.”
Left with no other choice, Princess Clay played her final card.
“Let’s make a deal.”
The corners of Adler’s mouth rose. “I’m not interested.”
.
.
.
.
.
“… What did you say?”
“I don’t see why I should make a deal with you in this situation.”
Joan was momentarily speechless. “Are you asking because you truly don’t know?”
“Yes, I genuinely don’t understand, Princess Clay.” Adler tilted his head, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
“Even if you manage to integrate that power, you are still human. You’ll be living on borrowed time at best, won’t you?”
Even if he had optimized the circle and housed the power safely, the human body was not meant to bear the burden of subduing all vampires.
“It might not be today or tomorrow… but you’ll be dead within months.”
“That’s fine with me.”
The man was disturbingly indifferent to his own fate.
“My body is already in tatters. Such matters don’t concern me.”
His confidence was baffling, but the reason soon became clear.
… Was he already dying?
Upon closer inspection, his body lacked vitality. He acted like a man who had already accepted his end.
“I… I can heal you,” she said urgently. “Transfer the power to me. You can still do it. In return, I’ll take you under my wing and grant you immortality.”
“………”
“If you don’t trust me, we can make a pact. Your specialty is contract magic, isn't it?”
Anxiety gnawed at her. Over half the power had already transferred to him. If they delayed any longer, it would be irreversible. She had spent her entire life preparing for this moment; she couldn't let it slip away.
“I decline.”
“I’ll give you half of London!”
“I don’t need it.”
“Fine! Not just London… I’ll give you all of England!”
“No matter how many times you ask, my answer remains the same.”
Despair seeped into her voice. She set aside her pride, practically begging, but Adler only shook his head.
“What do you want?!”
“Are you asking what I desire?”
“I’ll give you whatever you need! Ask for anything! Even if it seems impossible, I will make it happen…”
She trailed off, her voice hollow, as she saw his serene smile.
“Like I said, I don’t need anything.”
It was then she realized why he was immune to her temptations.
“You already have it, don’t you?”
“………”
“The thing most precious to you.”
Her gaze fell upon the girl with short, raven-black hair, sleeping soundly in Adler’s arms.
“But I just don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand?”
“Does that girl truly hold that much value to you?” Her anger flared. “Is she worth trading the remainder of your life for?”
What value could that incomplete girl possibly have?
“Is she worth bearing a horrific curse that will haunt you until your last breath, even if you somehow survive?”
What kind of man, capable of ruining a lifelong master plan, would risk everything for someone like her?
“You might not die immediately, but from now on, you will experience unbearable agony under the sun.”
“………”
“If you go a single day without drinking blood, your body will twist in torment. As a human wielding such power, mana poisoning will ravage your very soul!”
She searched for a reaction, but Adler’s face remained an emotionless mask.
“So, won’t you change your mind, even now?”
“Heh.”
“Kill that girl who discovered our plan and hand over the power, Adler. I offer myself in exchange!”
Adler tilted his head.
“Become my companion. We will form an equal partnership and rule the world together.”
“………..”
“I am not joking,” she pressed. There was merit to the offer. “With the power of a Pureblooded Vampire under my control, combined with your intelligence and magical knowledge, we could dominate not just Europe, but the entire world.”
Surely, he wasn't such a fool as to throw away global dominion for the sake of one woman.
“No…”
She was certain he would see the logic.
“It’s a pity it has come to this, but I still decline.”
He was a fool after all.
“Our time has run out.”
The red glow of the magic circle cooled. For a fleeting moment, Adler’s eyes flashed blood-red before returning to their usual state.
“Ah…”
The power she had pursued her entire life was now entirely his.
“You damned fool,” she whispered, her legs giving out. She slumped to the ground, looking up at him with loathing. “To think you’d throw away the world for one woman.”
“Well, what can you do?” He chuckled softly. “There are things in this world that cannot be replaced, even if everything else is offered in exchange.”
She was speechless.
“Doesn’t everyone have at least one such irreplaceable thing?”
“It’s a breach of contract,” she mumbled, clutching at her last shred of hope.
“What breach? The Pureblooded Vampire has been revived, and under my command, the vampires will become active once again. Isn’t that your goal as well, Princess?”
“I… I am not satisfied with this outcome!”
“Is that so?”
If she wasn't satisfied, then the clause stating he would become her subordinate…
When she had drafted that contract, she believed he desired to be her possession.
“… Joan, if you wish to work under me, you’ll need to learn to accept defeat gracefully.”
But that wasn't the case at all.
“How dare you! I am of royal blood, a Princess—”
“A fallen duchess, at most. Perfect to be made into a slave.”
From the very beginning, this loathsome man had intended to bring her under his heel.
“How… how dare you…”
“If you keep this up, I won’t give you any blood.”
“…. Stop.”
As a half-blooded vampire, she could no longer resist him. He possessed the power of a Pureblooded Vampire now. Even if he was a human with little life left, she was already beginning to swoon from the scent of the blood coursing through his veins.
“Oh, what did you say back then?”
“………”
“Right, that was it…”
Adler slipped the red ring from her finger, slid it onto his own, and extended his hand toward her.
“Kiss it.”
He repeated the very words she had once used to humiliate him.
“And swear the oath of a servile demon.”
Though she tried to pull away, her body betrayed her, forcing her to kneel before him.
“Stop…”
The cold metal of the ring and the warmth of his finger touched her lips and tongue.
“Well done.”
As he gently stroked her head, a tingling sensation spread through her. The overwhelming desire for dominance was replaced by the sheer pleasure of his touch.
… I didn’t want to know this feeling.
She wanted to kill him. She wanted to pierce his heart with magic.
“From now on, you are my servant.”
“… Yes.”
Her body was fully obedient.
“Now, drink.”
“Uh…”
The moment his finger entered her mouth, she lost all resistance. She closed her eyes and bit down.
“Good.”
The metallic, intoxicatingly sweet taste of his blood filled her mouth.
Sssss…
A golden seal began to engrave itself upon her stomach.
No…
“Since you’ve awakened by drinking my blood, I can’t simply let you roam free,” he murmured, looking down at her dazed expression. “I might have to keep you in the ring for a while.”
Adler pointed the ring at her.
“It might be cramped and uncomfortable, but you’ll understand, won’t you?”
How dare he…
“Still, carrying you around in a ring forever doesn't seem right.”
He was treating her like an object. Anger flared, but…
“It seems I’ll be adopting a ginger cat soon…”
Despite her fury, her body—greedily sipping his blood—trembled with pleasure until the very moment she was pulled into the ring.
“Just wait inside for a bit.”
This is the worst.
In that moment, Princess Joan Clay became the property of Isaac Adler.
.
.
.
.
.
“… Haaah.”
After a while, the vibrations of the glowing red ring subsided. Only then did I exhale and slump to the ground.
“Somehow, I’ve won.”
For now, I’ve sealed her inside the ring. Since we have a familiar contract, I can summon her whenever I wish. There were many twists and turns, but in the end, I successfully claimed Joan Clay.
“What a relief…”
Thankfully, Charlotte Holmes was unharmed. I had successfully prevented the tragedies of the original game.
“Truly… a relief…”
Perhaps it was the sudden drop in adrenaline, but my eyelids felt heavy.
“…………”
Falling asleep now would be problematic, but the exhaustion was overwhelming.
… All things considered, this isn’t so bad.
If my physical condition weren't so unique… if there weren't secrets hidden within Adler’s mana… I would likely be in grave danger.
With Holmes asleep, maybe I should take a short rest too…
As I closed my eyes, a strange sight began to unfold.
“………?”
Am I dreaming?
Charlotte Holmes, who should have been deep in a magically induced slumber, was standing before my half-lidded eyes.
Ah, it must be a dream.
I smiled gently and let my eyes drift shut.
… The real Charlotte Holmes would never make a face like that.
Even if it was only a tearful face in a dream, it felt like a sufficient reward for everything I had done.