Chapter 208: Quite the First Impression
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 208: Quite the First Impression
“Myaaaah!!! Help me!!!”
“You’re a cat.”
“H-help the cat, then! Save the cat!!!”
“No.”
“Ugyaaaaah!!! I’m stretching!!!!”
As punishment for daring to throw the Vampire Lord onto the dusty floor, Ravi the cat was currently being pulled taut, her limbs held fast by chain magic.
If she had been in her human form, she might have actually gained some height. A shame, really.
“It really wasn't on purpose….”
“It’s only ending at this because it wasn't on purpose, Ravi,” I said.
“Sniff, sniff… You’re so mean….”
Iris let out a deep, weary sigh and brushed the dust off her clothes before glancing around the appraisal office. The iron frame of the bed had simply slipped out of its socket; it was something I could fix easily enough for her to lie back down.
“Ravi, why don't you just sell this appraisal office?”
“Huh..? But… I paid a lot for this place… It’d be a waste.”
“How much did you pay?”
“F-fifty gold coins….”
“Hmm.”
When I had previously subjugated the giant orc horde and received 34 gold coins as a reward, Dahlia mentioned that it was enough to buy a vacant house in the Southeast. Since this place was practically in an extraterritorial area and close to the Southeast, the price was likely similar.
It wasn't officially the Southeast, but it was on the closest line within the Southwest. Property values here had dropped because of the situation in the Southeast.
“The Southeast, huh….”
“I-it’s not the Southeast! It’s strictly the Southwest!”
“I wasn't talking about this place.”
I did have business in the Southeast. Back when there was a meeting at the Guild Headquarters, I had acted to conceal the assassination request from the Antonio Brotherhood right in front of Mystery Antoinette.
It wasn't because I liked the Antonio Brotherhood, of course. I just didn't want to deal with the headache of fighting a large, annoying organization.
Publicly, the Antonio Brotherhood claimed they had absolutely nothing to do with the thugs and lowlifes who used their name. But that couldn't be true.
And above all, I was worried about the Mounted Goat Inn. The Brotherhood likely knew I was staying there, and I had already been directly targeted for assassination.
“No, let’s sell it.”
“What?!”
“I was thinking of expanding the inn soon anyway. I’ll help you move your materials and everything, so just get yourself mentally prepared.”
“R-really..? Hmm….”
From Ravi’s perspective, it wasn't a bad offer. There was nothing good about this place. It was covered in ancient dust, the street atmosphere was gloomy, no customers ever came, and it even smelled a bit.
“I-it’s not that bad….”
“Regardless.”
The Antonio Brotherhood’s influence felt much stronger than I had anticipated. Even though the Southwest sat right next to them—a place with no one to protect it and no need to walk on eggshells—why were they so obsessed with pushing further into the Northeast?
The Southwest was home to a massive population of low-to-middle-income residents. It could practically be called the foundation of Calax. If anything, shouldn't they be reaching out toward the Southwest instead?
“Iris. You can lie down now. I think it’s fixed.”
“I have my doubts.”
“It’ll be fine.”
Iris, who possessed magnificent evidence of maternal instinct despite having no children, lay face down on the bed. As her great maternal nature was pressed down and threatened to spill out to the sides, Ravi, watching from the side, clicked her tongue.
In the end, Iris was only able to lie comfortably after several cushions were rolled up to adjust the height.
“Iris, I’m asking just in case.”
“Yes.”
“After you return to being a vampire, is there any chance you could be detected through your mana?”
“If I were easy enough to detect and catch, I probably wouldn't be here right now.”
“True.”
She had only acquired the Succubus skill after entering Roanmarie's Great Labyrinth. Even by the most conservative estimate, that was 500 years ago. That meant she had successfully lived on the surface as a vampire for 200 years without being caught.
“But it’s been a while, so your instincts might have dulled.”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“That’s why I brought you to the Southwest, just in case. There aren't really any formidable people here.”
“Right.”
“I’m here! A formidable person!”
“You’re formidable in a different sense.”
“What does that even mean….”
High-ranking explorers usually moved north. There were likely no high-ranking explorers this far down in the southern reaches. Especially not in a location that sat right between the Southeast and Southwest.
“T-then, I’ll begin the removal!”
“Okay.”
Once again, Ravi the cat climbed onto Iris’s curved back. Between the slope created by her chest and her narrow waist, there seemed to be nowhere to stand, so Ravi sat on her buttocks and began carefully inspecting the mana circuits.
Fortunately, Iris’s usual outfit was a dress that left her back exposed, so there was no need for her to undress. I stayed by her side to watch the process.
“T-this is….”
“What do you see?”
“It’s fascinating.. So this is a vampire’s mana circuit..!”
Though she was currently a half-mix with a Succubus, the fundamental base was still a vampire’s mana circuit. Since mana circuits were essentially a nervous system for mana, the basic structure was similar for any creature with limbs.
“Wow.. I feel like I’m looking at something incredible.”
“It probably is incredible. Iris, what floor were you on?”
“The 90th floor.”
“What?! The 90th floor?!”
Startled, Ravi jumped two meters into the air from Iris’s backside, bumped her head on the ceiling, and tumbled back down.
“I-isn't this dangerous, Yoo Eon?!”
“That’s rude to say in front of the person herself.”
“It is rude.”
“Gah.. I’m sorry….”
Even if the skill was removed, I didn't think Iris would harm anyone. She had lived peacefully for 700 years, and even if she lacked her full power for 500 of those years, she had still spent 200 years before that without causing any trouble.
“Wait, Iris. What did you do during those first 200 years?”
“I wandered the world.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to see if it was worth preserving.”
“Eek?!”
Ravi misinterpreted Iris’s words again and bumped her head on the ceiling once more. At this rate, coins should be dropping; Mario would be jealous.
Regardless, Iris probably didn't mean it in a sinister way.
“And? How was it?”
“….”
Ravi, in her cat form, swallowed hard in anticipation.
“There was. Quite a lot.”
“I see.”
“Phew.. Thank goodness.”
She really sighed and acted relieved like a human, despite being a cat. It was quite a sight.
“How is it, Ravi? Do you think you can remove the skill?”
“Yes! Just wait a little longer. I think I can see where the Succubus circuits end.”
After observing the mana circuits revealed on Iris’s back for a while, Ravi finally began her work.
Hummm—
This was my first time seeing someone else remove a skill. Up until now, I had always been the one lying down, and I had never removed a skill myself. I had somehow only ended up with useful ones.
I wasn't sure if that was the will of the Labyrinth as well.
Press—
Ravi pressed her front paw against a particularly bright part of the exposed circuit, then turned her head and brought the tip of the staff she held in her mouth toward it. So that was how she deleted skills.
It felt like a laser precisely erasing a tattoo. After concentrating for a while, Ravi opened her jaw, dropping the staff, which I quickly caught.
“Phew, my jaw hurts.. It’s done!”
“It’s over? So what happens now?”
“Um, this is my first time deleting a racial skill. If it works the way I think it does.. the effects should show up soon.”
Iris sat up from the bed and moved her body, stretching her stiff neck. Before long, the signs of the skill being deleted began to manifest.
Flap!
“Oh.”
Wings erupted from Iris’s back with incredible force. They weren't like the gargoyle wings I had manifested—thick and physical—but rather thin, fluttering wings like those of a small devil, sprouting from the back of her slender waist.
“Vampires have wings?”
“It’s magic. Flight magic used by the Vampire Species.”
“Which means..”
“It worked..! It’s a success!!”
Sitting on the table, Ravi wagged her tail happily. Iris spread her wings, gave them a few test flaps, and then tucked them back in.
“Yes. It’s done.”
“What about your magical capacity? Has it fully returned?”
“It will take some time. At least two months.”
“I see. Can’t you make it any faster?”
The reason I had helped Iris remove her curse skill was ultimately to get her help. Iris was a high-ranking vampire, and vampires were exceptionally skilled in magic.
I had intended to use her help to lift Siv’s taboo, but two months was a bit long.
“It can’t be helped. Anyway.. Wait.”
“I made a mistake. Sorry.”
“No, you don't need to apologize.”
It seemed someone had noticed Iris’s mana. They were approaching the Sateria Appraisal Office at a pace that was neither fast nor slow. To be able to sense mana from this distance meant they were no amateur.
“W-what’s happening?!”
“Ravi, pretend to be a normal cat. Actually, never mind, it won't work.”
“W-why?!”
“Someone is coming. It seems they sensed the vampire mana Iris released.”
They would likely find out. If they were capable of sensing the tiny bit of mana Iris had leaked, they would certainly realize Ravi was a magic cat.
Ravi hadn't done anything wrong, but the act of removing Iris’s racial skill could be considered a crime in itself.
“But the direction….”
They weren't coming from the north. The direction had been ambiguous because they were far away, but this path was definitely….
“The Southeast..?”
Iris remained seated on the bed, her mana well-hidden. I planned to step outside to assess the situation, while Ravi, overcome with fear, dove into Iris’s arms, trembling.
Creeeeak..
I opened the door and stepped out into the street. Ordinary people with little to no mana were going about their lives as usual. Soon, the owner of the mana Iris and I had felt drew near.
“H-hey! Bow your head, quick..!”
“Is something happening..?! What is it?!”
The people living near the Southeast border hurriedly stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads.
And the recipient of those bows was….
“You are the explorer Aven, correct?”
“Who are you?”
“I am a mage belonging to the Page of Arcana. I am also a Titanium-grade explorer.”
“You certainly flew here quickly from the Southeast.”
“Hehe, so you felt me.”
The female mage had dark violet hair that grew long enough to drag on the ground. She was dressed in something resembling a black officer’s uniform and held a long staff in her hand.
“Currently, I am affiliated with the Antonio Brotherhood.”
“Is that so?”
“Mystery Antoinette wishes to meet with you.”
“Hmm, I see.”
SLAP!
A sharp sound echoed through the street. The nameless mage, her head whipped to the side by the force of the blow, wore a dazed expression for a moment before turning back to look at me.
“What do you think you’re doing, right from our first meeting?”
“..I apologize.”
The Knight Lord’s mana resisted the Domination Magic.