Crazy Bitch
"That's how it happened, I swear!"
Beatrice explained in every way she could. Mostly repeating Edward's insults.
"I only heard the rumors, I had no idea he'd go that far to grab power. He's the worst!"
Sisilia sat on the bed with a blank expression. What was the proper attitude for a subordinate when a colleague badmouthed their superior? Simple: say nothing.
"You get it, right, Sisilia? You should find someone else. Even if dirt gets in my eyes, I won't hand you over…!"
"…I'm not really yours, Betty."
Beatrice looked deeply hurt. Sisilia glanced away and muttered,
"On second thought, maybe I am."
Beatrice beamed.
"Anyway, you'll handle this neatly, won't you, Sisilia?"
"But Eddie’s plan is the most realistic. If Lujerna dies, the marquis has no choice."
Surprisingly, Sisilia agreed. Edward seemed a bit lowbrow, but his direction was right. Assassinating Lujerna was the cleanest solution. If possible.
"Sadly, it looks tough. Even if you and I team up, killing her in one go won't be easy."
"Is she that strong a demon…?"
"Yeah. A pretty powerful one. Even the previous Demon King seemed manageable by comparison."
That said, the previous Demon King was a total pushover. Good thing I took him out early.
Lujerna was a special case, Sisilia figured. Legion commanders were typically the weakest position among the top ranks, so it wasn't an insane difficulty. If anything, just a notch above the strongest of the Seven Deadly Sins? Legion bosses had tons of adds that made them a pain, but the raid on the boss itself wasn't that bad. Unlike demons with their finicky quest conditions, these fights were straightforward: just fight better.
"…The previous Demon King? You talk like you've actually fought him."
Beatrice stared at Sisilia suspiciously. But Sisilia didn't flinch—she just groped Beatrice's chest.
"Eek!"
The simplest way to dodge suspicion.
"Still, to take her down with minimal damage, we need to know Lujerna's Authority."
"……Why the sudden boob grab? Authority? She's a vampire, so…… hmm."
As Beatrice pondered, Sisilia racked her brain too. She couldn't use Sword God power right now. It would draw too much attention and alert the shadows. She'd have to throttle it to Sword Emperor level, which meant knowing the Authority was essential.
Normally, you pieced them together from clues in assorted quests. But given the territory's state, that wouldn't be easy.
So Sisilia relied on old memories.
Progenitor vampire, huh. There was one in Another World too.
She couldn't recall the name, but it had been a tough fight, so she remembered the powers: Craving, Crimson Moon, Immortality.
Sisilia scribbled on Beatrice's wrist, deep in thought.
"…?"
Betty's skin was pale and sensitive—perfect stationery. Red welts rose from Sisilia's nails.
Craving summons all vampires. Crimson Moon turns the moon red for debuffs on enemies and buffs on self. Those two are manageable.
The real headache was Immortality. A progenitor's immortality wasn't mere regeneration—it was conceptual recovery. Even if the heart was destroyed or the body obliterated, it reformed after a time.
One counter: deny the very concept of the "progenitor," the first vampire.
"Tricky, that one."
In Another World, she'd sliced open a dimensional rift, shoved the progenitor inside, and finished it. No world laws reached there, so no foundation for regen.
But that required Sword God power. Sword Emperor couldn't cut dimensions. And this was just a guess—Lujerna might have different powers.
A real pain.
"Sisilia, it's starting to sting."
"Oh."
"Did you figure something out?"
Sisilia's eyes widened.
"There's a way."
"As expected of Sisilia!"
"Yeah."
She wriggled under the covers and pulled them up to her chin.
"?"
"Sleep tight and we leave at dawn."
She peeked out, said it, then vanished again. Soon, gentle snores filled the room as she drifted off.
Beatrice stared blankly, then yanked the blanket away.
"Hey, give it back."
"……You're really just gonna leave things like this?"
"But."
Sisilia wasn't keen.
"Even if the territory falls, it'll take half a century for real problems. No other options right now. The lord himself has zero motivation to hunt Lujerna."
She'd seen it in an old medical drama: "If the patient has no will to live, saving them is impossible." Same here. Forcing a purge when lord and people lacked the will was tough.
……Did she even need to?
Especially since.
"It's that time of the month for me."
Sisilia felt awful.
"W-Well, can't be helped then."
"Right? Knew you'd understand, Betty. Blanket, please."
Arms outstretched from bed. But Beatrice straddled her instead.
"…What're you doing?"
"Truth is, I've felt a bit wronged all along."
Nearly two years following Sisilia had taught Beatrice something.
"You always sexually harass me."
"?"
Sisilia tilted her head. Why bring it up now?
"Just hit me— you don't seem used to it. Weird. You excel at everything."
Sisilia's eyes darted, then she frowned faintly.
"…What are you getting at, Betty?"
"Like you've never even touched your own chest."
"Huh?"
Grab.
Beatrice placed her hand flatly on Sisilia's chest, face impassive.
"……."
Sisilia went silent.
"And I know—you get scared with new things."
Beatrice squeezed lightly. Sisilia twitched, breaking into cold sweat.
"I could make you cry in five seconds. What then?"
Sisilia had promised to kill Lujerna and save everyone.
"……Good thing I came alone."
Edward had ransacked the marquis's office and checked the ledgers. He wiped his flushed face, glad he'd come solo.
"To think it was all a bluff."
He'd expected something huge, collateralized by the central noble council. An unimaginable sum, documented meticulously. Nobles feared execution less than dishonor. He'd assumed real chains—
Worried most about the Eisenberg name, but no dukes, not even marquises.
Just small fry. Even the gold funneled to central nobles was "legally" extorted.
Even if Edward razed the territory and faced the noble council later, no blow to succession.
In poker terms, he'd folded a flush—the second-best hand—to a two-pair all-in bluff. The worst hand preying on fear.
Edward felt ashamed.
"Me, caught in such an obvious trap. Has hanging around Sisilia made me soft?"
But the ledgers explained the marquis's mindset. Enough grudge against noble society. Plundered for years with massive sums. Busy with demon mines, isolated from the center. In goddess-strong Liannen, all decisions came from there. Lately, with Lydia going soft, nobles' demands were met.
Teaming with demons? Probably snapped—no more taking it lying down. Traces of plotting Carmot autonomy everywhere, even aiming for duke status.
No excuse, of course.
"This seals the marquis. I can move freely. …Your fate later, Marquis Carmot."
No more hesitation for Edward.
"Sisilia."
Heading to retrieve her, he paused with a self-mocking smile.
"Since when do I rely on that kid?"
Instead, he drew his sword and strode the hall.
Intending to face Lujerna alone.
Normally forbidden. Knights avoided solo acts. One mistake snowballs.
Edward knew. But he thought: A man vowing to kill the Demon King— what use if he can't solo a mere seventh legion?
He marched toward the demonic presence.
"Lujerna."
Lujerna lounged on the mansion's plushest bed. Luxuries, fine liquors, pleasures strewn about—but untouched. Meaningless to her.
Edward aimed his sword with a cold smile.
"Give it everything you've got."
"……Foolish human."
Lujerna sounded bored.
"Sorry. Pass."
"Why?"
"I hate fighting. But I'm not weak."
Came alone? Such a fool.
She couldn't fathom it. The silver girl might've intrigued, but this one? Zero interest. Why solo? Did her "not weak" claim ring false?
Well, I've laid low long. Fear faded, maybe.
Good for her. Lujerna smiled faintly.
"You can't draw out my best."
That lit Edward's blade.
"We'll see."
Lujerna sighed, rising. Annoying, but.
"First, handle my children. Survive, and I'll acknowledge you."
Edward lowered his sword.
"Summon them quick, demon."
"……You're mad too."
Humans these days—full of weirdos.
Lujerna touched bloody finger to pale lips. Red liquid met tongue; air rippled.
"—Awaken."
Shadows stretched long. Hands, arms, hazy faces crawled out. Glossy blood-eyes bowed to her.
"Sate my Craving."
Her kin rose at the call.
……Or should've.
No response.
What?
Flustered, Lujerna called another name mentally. Nothing.
"…?"
Truly odd. She ordered any kin to come. Still nothing. She grabbed a protruding arm from the shadow.
"!"
Just an arm. Just a face. No matter how she fished, limbs severed.
One meaning.
……All my children are dead?
No kin left to call with Craving. Tens of thousands of vampires, her alone—extinct from the world.
Impossible. Absurd. Every kin across the continent, wiped out without trace? How?
She couldn't accept it. Then—a hint from the corpses.
Blood. Blood.
A single drop's scent she knew.
Sisilia Windsor's.
"……."
Long silence. Then Lujerna screeched.
"……Crazy bitch."
Edward, clueless to her actions, frowned.
"Talking about Sisilia?"