Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Fountain Pen (9)
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It's bewildering.
How nice it would be if one word could sum it up.
Staring at the girl still tilting her head in front of me, I had no idea what to say.
She didn't seem like a mage, but the strange power she wielded meant she wasn't ordinary either.
After racking my brain for a moment, I asked cautiously.
"What exactly made you judge it that way?"
"Your speech has become polite."
No, wouldn't anyone speak politely after seeing that bizarre darkness?
The darkness clinging to the door handle showed no sign of fading.
It stuck there like a lump of tar, gooey and viscous.
Darkness should be born from blocked light, by all rights.
Yet this defied that truth head-on.
Meanwhile, the culprit behind it all just smiled as if it were amusing.
"So, you're curious, huh?"
"Yes."
"Simple. I've read Sherlock Holmes. And look—there's that manuscript on the shelf between the books, right? I just asked about it."
Sure enough, I'd tucked the manuscript pages into that bookshelf she was pointing at.
Jenectra Publishing House had returned the originals after printing.
They kept the backups.
But how could she tell they were manuscript pages without pulling them out?
When had she even noticed them?
A chill ran down my spine.
At the same time, questions bubbled up.
Had I been so absorbed that she could rummage through them? Or was her power just that impressive?
As I puzzled over it, she pressed me for an answer.
"So, will you tell me or not?"
"...Yes. Prometheus is my pen name. I'm Edn Rlangbur."
Once I admitted it, she couldn't hide her joy.
"I see, Edn. What a delightful surprise. I came looking for the pendant's owner and ended up meeting Sherlock Holmes's author."
Her smile was calm and refined.
But the unmistakable glee shining through was plain to see.
Seeing that gave me a bit of courage.
She was showing me goodwill, so maybe we could have a normal conversation.
Still on guard, I swallowed hard and asked.
"Who exactly are you?"
"Me? I'm Katiranya. Lord of all vampires."
...Vampires?
Another unexpected revelation.
Vampires—creatures I'd never heard of in this world.
But I'd heard plenty about them back on Earth, so I knew the basics.
Beings who sustained themselves on the blood of others, dwelling in darkness.
Weak to sunlight, silver, and stakes.
A staple cliché in countless stories.
That was my understanding, anyway.
But she didn't seem particularly afraid of the sunlight.
It was evening, so that might make a difference, but it didn't seem like an issue right now.
Maybe vampires in this world were different?
I was about to ask, but Katiranya beat me to it.
Without hiding her delight, she approached lightly on her toes.
"More importantly, how did you come up with Sherlock Holmes? The unique world, characters, all those elements—they were so fascinating. How did you think of it?"
Whoa, why is she getting so close?!
She closed the distance in an instant, her clothes brushing my collar.
Looking up at me from below, she made my cheeks flush without thinking.
I'd definitely pushed her away earlier, hadn't I?
Katiranya giggled softly at my flustered reaction.
"What's wrong? Do I happen to be your type?"
"Nonsense—cough. No, that's not it. Weren't you trying to bewitch me with that strange power just now?"
Whew, almost slipped there.
Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind.
"You think I'm doing it now too? Well, it's not entirely wrong."
Not entirely wrong? So she is doing it right now?
I furrowed my brow slightly, but she didn't pay it any mind this time either.
She spoke in her usual calm, gentle voice.
"I'm not doing it consciously, but it comes naturally from me. In the past, some human called it an aura."
An aura.
So, like a real passive skill or something?
I was dying to know what power it was, but I tamped down my curiosity.
Sure, it piqued my interest as a mage, but not more than my life was worth.
Katiranya looked up at me for a moment before stepping back.
Only then did I let out a sigh of relief and recalled her earlier question.
I couldn't just say it was plagiarism, of course.
There was no original here—I was the original in this world.
Even if there was one, she wouldn't believe me without proof on hand.
So I decided to brazen it out.
"I put a lot of thought into it. In an age like this, flooded with chivalric romances. I wanted to try something fresh."
"Going against the trends?"
Katiranya looked oddly pleased.
Maybe because she'd lived so long as a vampire, she knew trends were hard to keep up with?
Perhaps she saw me as a kindred spirit?
Of course, that thought was pretty rude, so I kept it to myself.
Thoughts were free, though, right?
I nodded as if it were nothing.
"Exactly. So I spent months agonizing over the setting. To write a novel, you need a background, characters, and story, even if simple."
"Ho, interesting. Go on."
Keep going?
This vampire who'd barged in was now lounging on my bed like she owned it.
But I couldn't chase her out, so I dragged over a chair and continued explaining.
Once I got started, the words flowed smoothly, like a dam breaking.
Of course, I wasn't Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, so I could only add my personal takes.
Even so, Katiranya was an excellent audience, responding now and then.
"I see. That was a good story. Fascinating. I understand why you became a writer."
"Haha, thank you."
About an hour of talking left my throat parched.
Dinner time was approaching too, so I wanted to head down.
But I couldn't just leave this vampire behind, so I asked.
"Can you change your appearance or make yourself invisible to others?"
"Why?"
"It's almost dinner time."
"Ah. Go eat in peace. We can continue the story after."
This vampire... I'm worried, that's why.
She nodded at my words, though she looked puzzled.
But she showed no sign of moving from the bed.
In the end, I swallowed a sigh and stood.
"All right. Just don't leave the room, and if anyone comes in, hide or something."
"Don't worry. I won't put a kind human in a tough spot. Especially one who writes such entertaining novels."
Haha, that's reassuring.
Not reassuring at all, but what could I do?
With that, I headed downstairs for dinner.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Katiranya gazed quietly at the door where Edn had vanished.
Propping her chin, she stared for a bit before flopping onto the bed.
"Mmm, a bed after so long. I should catch a quick nap until Edn returns."
She stretched languidly for a moment, then lay straight on the bed.
Her silver hair fanned out across it, and soon even breathing filled the room.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ What the hell, this vampire.
When I came back up after dinner, there was Katiranya sleeping soundly on my bed.
She seemed so deeply asleep that waking her felt wrong.
"No. She took my bed without asking."
Still, it felt awkward to rouse her right away, so I pulled up a chair and sat by the bedside.
I watched her sleeping face, breathing steadily beside me.
Despite her mysterious powers,
she looked no different from any ordinary person like this.
Well, except for her stunning beauty, which set her apart from the ordinary.
Anyway, she had such a cute face when viewed like this.
"Tsk. How did things end up like this?"
"Like what?"
"Ah—how did I end up with a vampire—"
What?! When did she wake up?!
I jolted in surprise and looked at the bed. Katiranya had already sat up.
She knelt on the bed, legs tucked beneath her like a mermaid, gazing at me.
"...When did you wake up?"
"Just now. Am I bothering you?"
Is that even a question?
Of course, telling the truth would probably hurt her feelings, so I lied.
"It's sudden, but talking with a new face isn't uncomfortable."
"Hm. I'll take your word for it."
She nodded with a meaningful smile.
Seemed like I'd gotten past it, but I had to watch my words.
To lighten the mood and change the subject, I asked something I'd been wondering.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
She nodded readily.
Emboldened, I voiced my curiosity without holding back.
"Could you tell me about vampires?"
"I can. You're not afraid of me, so it's fun to talk about."
She seemed genuinely pleased by my question, a joyful smile lighting her face.
Had no one asked her about it in her long life?
As I speculated wildly, she closed her eyes thoughtfully.
"Let me see. Where should I start, and how?"
I sat still so as not to disturb her thinking.
I knew from experience how irritating it was to be bothered at times like this.
Soon, her eyelids fluttered open, revealing blood-red eyes.
"Right. It might be best to start from when I founded the vampire kingdom."
"A kingdom? There was a kingdom?"
"Yes. I was the lord of the vampires, my kin. I created a place for my people."
I'd never seen or heard of it in this world's histories.
Considering they were vampires, maybe the Holy Kingdom was to blame?
If they'd clashed, the Holy Kingdom's dominance across the continent now might mean they'd erased that history.
Whatever the case, it was the first I'd heard of it in this era.
And that piqued my interest greatly.
Noticing my reaction, she shifted her position and said.
"I'll start just before the kingdom was founded. Back then, we vampires—"
Her soft voice began unraveling the tale slowly.