Chapter 99
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99
Night had fallen over the Union.
Though the day’s events had concluded, the heat of the athletic festival showed no signs of cooling.
The final event of the day was the triathlon. Paradoxically, it was the very first event to kick off the festival, yet the last to reach its conclusion. It was a grueling journey, covering a distance of over 200 kilometers and spanning more than seven hours.
That was how much time had passed since I’d seen Ciel off.
The night air had grown a bit chilly. I stood at the finish line, waiting for Ciel alongside Yulina, Bell, and Garfield. Thousands had already gathered at the Meeting Plaza, where the race would end. The flags of various academies fluttered above the restless crowd.
Toot-toot—!
The air was thick with the blare of party horns and the deafening roars of support from each academy. Since it was the final event of the day, even the spectators who had been absent at the start had gathered for the after-party.
“You can do it! Keep going!”
“Fighting!”
“Go, sis! Run!”
Amidst the fervent cheers, a few participants finally appeared over the distant hill. The first to catch the crowd’s eye was, unsurprisingly, the Goddess of Victory herself—Freya.
“Waaaaah!”
The moment Freya crested the hill in her athletic gear, a roar that shook the very earth erupted. She had completed a four-kilometer swim, a 180-kilometer cycle, and a 42.195-kilometer marathon—a grand odyssey that pushed far beyond human limits.
Though she was clearly exhausted, every step she took was imbued with an unknown, unprecedented power. Amidst thunderous applause, Freya crossed the finish line.
“7 hours, 27 minutes, and 52 seconds! Freya Gunhild has crossed the finish line!”
“Waaaaah!”
The announcer’s voice and the crowd’s cheers echoed through the plaza. Celebratory fireworks burst overhead, raining down sparkling particles of light.
Behind her, I spotted a familiar face. It was Ciel. She had outpaced numerous formidable students to proudly claim second place. Following Freya’s lead, Ciel crossed the finish line and nearly collapsed the moment she did.
Although she hadn’t achieved her goal of winning, second place was still an incredible feat. The triathlon was a stage for monsters, an event reserved for students with the most elite physical capabilities in the Union.
It was true that many third-year students hadn't gone all out, preferring to save their strength for next year's Career Experience, but even so, her achievement was remarkable. It meant that, at the very least, Freya was her only true rival in her year.
“Waaaaaah!”
The crowd surged toward Freya as she finished. Event staff and aides on standby moved quickly to push back the tide of spectators and ensure her safety.
While all eyes were on the winner, my group and I approached Ciel, who was down on her knees.
“Hah… hah…”
Ciel was slumped on the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
“You did well.”
I handed her a large towel and a drink I had prepared.
“……”
Ciel didn’t even raise her head, let alone take what I offered. Was it the sheer exhaustion of the arduous race? Or perhaps the crushing disappointment of failing to seize first place after pushing herself to the brink?
I couldn’t read her exact feelings at that moment, but there wasn't much I could say. I placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke softly.
“If you gave it your all, that’s enough, Ciel. Raise your head.”
“……”
As Ciel remained silent, Garfield, who had been standing quietly beside me, chimed in.
“Uh, Master Roen once told this humble one that if you have taken even a single step further than you did yesterday, that is enough. I believe if you think of it that way, Lady Ciel, you might feel a bit better.”
“……”
Ciel let out a deep sigh and whispered, “...I never thought I’d be comforted by you.”
“H-hehe.”
“Thank you.”
Ciel gave a slight nod, wiped her eyes and chin with the back of her hand, and finally took the towel. Just as she got to her feet, the announcer’s voice rang out again.
“The winner of the Union’s official triathlon, women’s division, is Ishtal’s student council president, Freya Gunhild! Congratulations!”
Waaaaah—!!
“In second place, Ciel Eurafia! In third, Adler Bonart! In fourth…”
The announcer read out the rankings. Fireworks and pillars of flame erupted amidst the passionate cheers.
Boom—! Boom—!
I supported Ciel as I looked up at the sky. The first day of the athletic festival concluded with a spectacular display of fireworks embroidering the night.
*
After the final event, the students scattered in a festive mood, already looking forward to the next day. The heat and clamor that had filled the streets gradually faded into the Union’s quiet night.
After escorting an exhausted Ciel back to her dormitory, Yulina and I conducted one last patrol. We were checking to ensure students were closing their booths on time and heading back to their dorms, making sure no one was wandering late at night to cause trouble.
We walked along the quiet street, where only the dim glow of streetlights pierced the darkness.
“What are your plans for tomorrow?”
“Nothing specific. The booth inspections are done, so I was thinking of participating in a few event matches.”
“I have my own schedule tomorrow, so I’ll have to head out separately.”
“If you don’t fill in for Ciel, I’ll assume there will be no information sharing.”
“You weren’t going to tell me anything anyway.”
“That’s true.”
“Swindler.”
I knew Ciel was participating in more competitions tomorrow, and now that Yulina had her own plans, it looked like I’d be on my own. We chatted about the next day as the fervor of the festival slowly cooled.
“...!”
Suddenly, I felt a presence and stopped dead in my tracks.
Step—.
Along with a hair-raising aura, I felt a familiar, viscous sensation. Looking closely, I saw a single drop of blood on the pavement ahead. Sensing danger, I warned Yulina in a firm voice.
“Wait. Don’t move.”
“What’s wrong all of a sudden? You’re scaring me.”
Just as Yulina tilted her head in confusion, it happened.
Ssshk—.
From that single drop of blood on the ground, a woman rose up, appearing before us with a light, graceful step.
The moment I laid eyes on her—a woman of breathtaking beauty—I felt my blood run cold. It was a sinister feeling similar to what I’d felt when I encountered Gilean, but far more primal. A malevolent aura screamed warnings at me, telling me to get away from ‘that thing’ this instant.
“……”
But my body wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t even twitch a finger, let alone take a step back.
Yulina seemed to be in a similar state, standing frozen like a statue. No—on closer inspection, she wasn’t even conscious of what was happening. Her pupils were glazed over, her face devoid of emotion. She had instantly fallen under the woman’s suggestion.
Having subdued Yulina, the woman slowly approached me, bringing her face inches from mine.
“So you’re the one? The little squirt Gilean mentioned?”
Black hair flowed over a blood-red dress. Her eyes, glittering crimson, were locked onto mine. Her sharp pupils, vertically slit like a reptile’s, shone brightly.
I looked directly into those eyes and slowly forced my mouth open.
“...Carmilla.”
Carmilla Vampir.
One of the Demon God’s twelve disciples. The progenitor of all vampires. The Queen of Night and Blood.
She possessed the Authority to control all blood. Below a certain level of power, it was practically impossible to resist her mental attacks, no matter what one tried.
When I spoke her name, Carmilla smiled sweetly. “Oh my, you know who I am? Good boy, very good. Humans these days are so lax. They have no respect for mystery, for origins. None at all. Such an arrogant and irreverent age. It wasn't like this in my day.”
Sniff—.
She leaned in, sniffing me, and continued, “Mm, you smell good, too. Your blood must be delicious. I don’t know about qualifications… but you’re more than enough to become my thrall.”
Scrape—.
Carmilla’s fingertips grazed my chin and the nape of my neck. Following the movement of her sharp nails, a thin cut formed on my skin, and red blood began to well up.
“You’re so… tempting.”
Carmilla breathed out near my neck. She reluctantly pulled her lingering hand away and slowly backed off. Turning her back to me, she tilted her head slightly and said, “Anyway, they told me it’s too much of a hassle for me to move directly. So, I’ve released some fun toys in my place.”
‘Toys?’
A sudden sense of dread washed over me. The only things she would call toys were likely her thralls or fiends.
“I heard you defeated a fiend before, right? Then you should have fun playing with my toys, too. Please, don’t feel burdened—just enjoy it. Think of it as a small rite of passage.”
In other words, Carmilla had released ticking time bombs inside the Union. My gaze hardened.
“Do you think you can get away with this?”
“Hmm. And what if I can’t? Who’s going to stop me? The foolish guards? The subpar professors? Or… you?”
“……”
Carmilla’s eyes flashed as she whispered quietly in my ear.
“At least in this era, there is no human who can stop me.”
It was a display of boundless confidence bordering on arrogance. Of course, Carmilla was the progenitor of all vampires, a being who symbolized the very concept of her kind, and one of the most powerful enemies one could face. But that didn’t mean there was no one who could stand against her.
I thought of a few individuals and parted my lips.
“That’s not necessarily true.”
“……”
Even in this situation, I maintained my poker face and spoke calmly. I couldn’t show fear or anxiety. The moment I did, Carmilla—deciding I didn’t meet her expectations—would likely tear into my neck without hesitation.
Whether she was pleased with my reaction or not, Carmilla’s lips twisted into a smirk.
“I like that look in your eyes. So much that I want to pluck them right out.”
Carmilla met my gaze with her blood-red eyes, then turned her head to look into the darkness beyond. It seemed she had sensed the approach of patrolling guards.
Carmilla, who had been carving a wound into my skin, shrugged and stepped back.
“That’s all for today. I’ll be on my way now. Enjoy the festival, little squirt~”
She gave me a small wave, and then her form vanished before my eyes like a mirage.
As Carmilla disappeared, the crushing pressure that had been weighing on my body lifted. Only then was I finally able to move. The suggestion that had held Yulina in a daze was also broken.
“Huh?”
Yulina staggered, clutching her head. I caught her swaying shoulders to steady her. It seemed she had no memory of meeting Carmilla at all. She rubbed her temples as if dizzy, then her eyes widened as she looked at me.
“You’re bleeding from your neck!”
Sure enough, blood was trickling from the cut Carmilla’s nail had made. I wiped it with my hand and shrugged.
“A mosquito… must have bitten me.”
“What kind of mosquito does that? Stop talking nonsense and get to the infirmary, now!”
Yulina took out a handkerchief and handed it to me. I dabbed at the wound. The red blood spread across the white fabric like paint.
“I’ll wash it and return it to you.”
“...You don’t have to.”
As I cleaned the stinging wound, a thought crossed my mind.
Carmilla’s appearance. I’d had a feeling this might happen when I received Sheika’s letter and checked the bloodstain in the warehouse. Now, my fears had become reality. I was safe for now only because she wasn’t in the ‘mood,’ but there was no guarantee it would be the same next time.
...I’ll have to ask the Chairman to devise a countermeasure.
I quietly furrowed my brow. The Union boasted the highest level of magical barriers and security on the continent. Even Gilean, who was skilled in barrier magic, hadn’t tried to force his way through, choosing instead to approach me when I was outside. That said it all.
But such barriers were meaningless to Carmilla. Her ability to control blood was an Authority—a mystery on a conceptual level that couldn't be stopped by ordinary barriers. To prepare for this, the Chairman’s power would be essential.
“……”
I stared at the blood-soaked handkerchief for a moment before clenching it tightly in my fist.