Frenzy (4)
"Pfft."
A laugh burst out of me for the first time in ages. Not some forced, artificial chuckle, but a pure one that simply spilled out along the natural current of my thoughts.
"Religion?"
Did everything take on symbolic weight if enough time passed? The idea that wild vampires were worshipping me as a religion sent me into outright peals of laughter.
Ever since I had possessed Elzerva, I had never once crossed paths with other vampires. Humans who remembered me from the time I brought down the Demon King might have been one thing, but the notion that complete strangers were elevating me like this was more than a little unexpected.
Even the war eight hundred years ago had supposedly been started by vampires trying to free me from my seal. Just what kind of figure had I become among them that they would go so far as to wage war?
"The western continent…"
It was only yasa—unofficial folk history—so its reliability was shaky, but according to the account, the descendants of the vampires who survived that war were living in the west of the continent.
Looking at a map, the only place in the west where monsters could reasonably live was Diana's Forest. Once things settled down, stopping by there didn't sound like a bad idea.
If the yasa turned out to be true, it would be a chance to gain allies. If it was false, I could just write the trip off as a stroll.
"More importantly…"
I flipped the book back one page.
The stories of vampires who worshipped me as a god had been striking enough, but there was one detail that snagged my attention even more.
"Varius had a bastard child…?"
The claim that the Second Hero had not been the child of Lilianel and Varius, but an illegitimate offspring born outside their marriage. Even if it was only yasa, it was not something I could simply ignore and move past.
A bastard.
Given how Varius had always been oddly fond of women, the story had a certain ring of truth. The decisive reason he had turned his blade on me had been rejection of his marriage proposal, after all.
What if Varius had committed adultery late in life, fathered a bastard, and Lilianel—unable to contain her rage—had assassinated him and erased his name from the records?
"…It does kind of make sense."
It was rough around the edges, but it explained both Varius's end and why his name survived nowhere at all.
Yasa had to be taken with a heavy grain of salt, yet the fact that such records circulated among the common people suggested their marriage had been far from smooth.
"…"
The contents had been more useful—and more entertaining—than the official histories. With a satisfied smile, I slid the yasa back onto the shelf. This time, though, I placed it not in some dusty corner but right where it would catch the eye.
I wanted more people to turn its pages.
"…Weapons."
Having skimmed a thousand years of history, I moved on to learn about arms and equipment.
No matter how many centuries of peace had stretched on, technology could not have stood completely still. Grasping just how much had changed over a full millennium was essential.
I pulled out the books that caught my eye and began leafing through them at speed.
"The development of magic engineering…"
The first volume concerned magical tools. Since the progress of magical tools was essentially the measure of humanity's advancement, I focused and turned the pages.
— Shock! The Teleportation Hub has been lightened!
— Historic invention: mass-produced messenger birds now allow even commoners to use them.
— News of the year: commercial success of the 'aerial carriage' means the roads of the sky are gradually being opened as well.
— …
"…That's it?"
Had the long peace simply left them with no urgent need for drastic change?
Aside from refinements to existing magical tools, there seemed to have been no standout inventions or discoveries over the past thousand years.
What little there was only made daily life more comfortable; nothing in the books looked like a magical tool that could threaten me.
— Revolution in monster hunting: the religious nation of Serion develops a new top-tier holy magic.
…Except for holy magic, that is.
"Serion…"
Even without wars against the demon races, petty clashes with monsters never stopped. That was why the religious nation of Serion, which always stood at the forefront against them, had relentlessly driven the development of holy magic.
— Not long ago, the religious nation of Serion invested a vast budget and began large-scale development of new holy magic.
— Grand Saintess Marina Bergard, who led the effort, stated that everyone must be prepared to face any monster that might appear.
"…"
Given that the chains that had sealed me had been imbued with the goddess's power, Serion's aggressive pursuit of holy magic was a problem.
No one could say when or in what form a magical tool identical to the necklace that had sealed me might be developed.
"Saintess."
Suddenly the saintess who had sealed me—and the last words I had left her—rose from memory.
The day this seal breaks, I will erase the religion you believe in from this world.
…I had clearly sworn to make her pay the price as well. Now that the seal was broken, I had no intention of letting that oath sink quietly into memory.
After Lilianel, the next target would be the religious nation of Serion. Revenge was one thing, but the direction their holy magic was taking was unwelcome news.
I needed to wipe their land and their faith from the map so they could never again borrow the power of a goddess.
"…So in the end, the only thing worth worrying about is holy magic."
I muttered as I returned the book to its place.
With the age of peace continuing, magical tools had been developed to improve everyday human life rather than for combat.
Only holy magic had grown more aggressive and therefore required attention, yet from what I had read, even that had not advanced far enough to deal me any meaningful damage.
After all, I had taken what looked like finishing holy spells one after another in the labyrinth and still come away without a single scratch.
"…Master."
"Hm?"
Just as I was sliding the book onto the shelf with a sigh, Tina called me in a small voice. She had been holding the lantern beside me; now her pale-blue finger pointed toward the library entrance.
"It seems we have uninvited guests."
"…"
Just as she said, the sound of many footsteps reached us from outside the library. The clatter of weapons accompanied them, so they were almost certainly Elmaile's soldiers come to capture me.
"I'll go deal with them. Please continue your work at your leisure, Master."
"Mm, no."
I stopped Tina as she drew her greatsword.
"I need to leave soon anyway."
I had already answered every question the library could solve. All that remained was to meet the people from a thousand years ago and ask them directly, so there was no reason to linger here any longer.
…If only to spare Alfred the boredom of occupying the Teleportation Hub for a full hour, it was truly time to head for the capital.
"We shouldn't keep the guests waiting. Let's go."
I smiled and walked back toward the library entrance.
It was time to settle the grudges I had held in for so long.
Karseron, the young lord of Elmaile, was discovering that the human heart was far more fragile than a reed.
"Ugh…"
The corpses strewn along the road on the way to the library where the Progenitor Vampire waited made Karseron's stomach churn.
A lake of blood painting the city streets scarlet.
Wails of grief erupting from every direction as people lost family and friends.
That wretched spectacle weakened the firm sense of justice and resolve that had burned in him with every step he took.
His legs, which had been striding quickly to reach the library as soon as possible, were now deliberately slowing so he would arrive even a little later.
…What kind of monster is this thing?
Moreover, every corpse had its head cleanly severed, a vivid demonstration of the Progenitor Vampire's absurd killing power.
Hearing about something and seeing it with your own eyes were worlds apart.
Confronted with the bloody scene laid out by a legendary monster, cold sweat beaded on Karseron's forehead.
Tension flooded him; his fingertips trembled violently.
Can stalling like this even buy us time?
As his resolve faltered, negative thoughts poured in. Their goal was to buy time until the adventurer unit led by Derin destroyed the Teleportation Hub. But he was beginning to doubt whether that was even possible.
The strongest labyrinth subjugation party, Red Moon.
The finest alliance of mercenaries and adventurers led by Barbas.
Both had been annihilated by the Progenitor Vampire. Could forces far weaker than either of them achieve anything meaningful?
"…"
In truth, Karseron already knew the answer. Yet as lord, the only thing he could do now was keep moving forward, so he scraped together what little courage he had left and continued toward the library.
— S-save me….
— Guh…
"W-what…"
And at the library entrance itself, a shocking sight greeted Karseron.
— Somebody, p-please do something about these… Guh!
— Mom, save me…
"This can't be…"
…It was the Holy Knights of Serion, being butchered by skeletons. Only a few days earlier they had visited for missionary work—those confident, impressive Holy Knights.
Now they were being helplessly carved up by skeleton soldiers that the Progenitor Vampire had apparently summoned.
Their hands and feet capable of holding weapons had already been severed, and entrails spilled from their mutilated abdomens. The skeletons seemed to be enjoying themselves; they deliberately kept the knights alive and prolonged the hellish torture.
— Impossible…
— The Holy Knights…
Elmaile's regular troops murmured at the sight. Holy Knights were supposed to be the continent's strongest force against monsters.
Yet here they were dying to the lowest-grade monsters—skeletons—so the soldiers desperately tried to deny the scene before their eyes.
"…"
Karseron's legs were on the verge of giving out.
Faced with that unspeakable horror, the terror he had forced down surged up again.
If the lowest-grade skeleton soldiers could overwhelm Holy Knights so easily, just how powerful was the vampire who had summoned them?
Buying time or anything else—right now he only wanted to flee.
— O-or just kill me, please… …Guh!
"…!!"
At that moment the heads of the screaming Holy Knights burst in a fireworks display of blood. Karseron forced his trembling focus to hold and looked straight ahead.
…From the darkened library entrance, she was emerging.
"Quite the crowd."
Ash-gray hair.
Snow-white skin.
Crimson eyes as if dyed in blood.
Beautiful features that could entrance anyone who looked upon them.
"Hello."
…The monster of legend walked out before them. Her beauty was the complete opposite of the ugly appearance described in the old texts, yet everyone knew by instinct.
This was the Progenitor Vampire.
"Are you this city's main force?"
A monster from a thousand years ago spoke the same language they did. Her voice, bright as morning dew, lodged in Karseron's ears.
"Two hundred? Three hundred, maybe…?"
"Uh, uhh…"
Karseron's mouth opened and closed uselessly. He had planned the whole way here how to surround the vampire and stall for time, yet the moment he faced her, his mind went blank as a white sheet of paper.
Raised as the refined heir of a lord, Karseron had never seen monsters up close; the fear he felt now was an entirely new kind of emotion.
Not learned or experienced—fear felt by pure instinct.
He could barely stay on his feet. How had Red Moon, how had Barbas, ever managed to raise their blades against this thing?
He regretted the confidence with which he had left his residence an hour earlier, swearing to fight the vampire.
"Hm?"
"H-hiiik…"
The vampire's gaze turned to Karseron. Her eyes widened as she carefully looked him over from head to toe.
"The only one in gold armor, neatly combed hair, a delicate body that looks like it's never seen a fight…"
"…"
"…Are you the lord of this place, by any chance?"
The Progenitor Vampire had seen straight through his identity in an instant.
"U-uhh…"
A question had been asked; he should have answered something, yet extreme terror locked his voice away. After several seconds of silence the vampire glared at him with clear displeasure.
"Haa…"
She let out a deep sigh.
— G-gyaaaaah!!
"…!!"
The moment she clenched her fist, the head of the soldier right beside him exploded.
Sticky brain matter and red blood sprayed in every direction.
Karseron's face went deathly pale with terror.
The vampire spoke again, her voice now infinitely cold and frigid.
"Answer while I'm still asking nicely. Next is your head."
"M-my head…"
The warning did not sound like a bluff at all. Instantly Karseron's blocked throat opened. He hurriedly nodded.
"Y-yes, that's right. I am the lord of this place, Elmaile—Karseron von Digresef."
"Karseron…"
The Progenitor Vampire repeated his name. Then she asked him another question.
"All right, Karseron. What's the population here?"
"T-the population, you say?"
"Yes, the population. The number of people in your territory."
"Around a hundred thousand…"
"Wow, that's a lot."
The vampire looked pleased with the answer. The conversation had continued more normally than expected, and a thought struck Karseron.
She can be reasoned with? Then isn't this a good thing…?
If he had drawn his sword and charged, everything would have been over in thirty seconds—no, ten. But by talking he had already bought nearly a full minute.
R-right. Maybe this is the way.
Red Moon and Barbas.
They had already failed twice in combat, so it was time for a new approach. If he could keep the conversation going, he might buy enough time for Derin to secure the Teleportation Hub.
"P-Progenitor Vampire…"
"Hm?"
"W-would you consider negotiating with us…"
Karseron scraped together every scrap of courage and spoke to the vampire.
She had only just awakened after a thousand years; there had to be many things she did not know. If he used knowledge and information as bargaining chips, he could drag the talks out and buy even a little more time.
…That, at least, had been the idea.
"Pfft."
The vampire let out a small snort of laughter at his words.
…Then, before Karseron could even react, a massive black magic circle began expanding from beneath her feet.
"What? Negotiate?"
The beautiful ash-gray vampire smiled. But that smile was by no means one of goodwill or agreement.
"You know, negotiation is something you do when both sides are on equal footing."
"…"
"…Do we look equal to you right now?"
Sparks leapt from the vampire's body as the magic circle continued to swell at a terrifying rate. At this pace it would soon cover the entire city.
Oh no…
Karseron regretted his hasty choice of words.
He should have stuck to ordinary conversation. Instead he had tried to gain even a slight advantage by bringing up "negotiation" and had only provoked her.
— What is this mana…!
— Can a living being truly produce this much mana?!
The vast wave of mana rolling out from the vampire twisted the soldiers' faces and made them stagger, losing their balance.
"M-my lord, urgent report!"
In the midst of that crisis, a soldier in charge of messenger-bird communications urgently tapped Karseron's shoulder.
"W-we're in trouble."
The soldier whispered into Karseron's ear with a grave expression.
"…Archmage Derin fled before she even reached the Teleportation Hub. The remaining adventurers were wiped out by the vampire butler."
"What…?"
News that shattered every last hope.
If they could not hold the Teleportation Hub, there was no reason for them to be here. They had risked their lives to buy time believing that the skilled mage Derin would surely retake it—yet now the entire effort had become meaningless.
"As arrogant as ever, then and now."
"…"
To make matters worse, he had also managed to offend the vampire. Karseron's mind raced desperately.
W-what do I do…?
Facing her directly made one thing crystal clear. They could never stop this vampire. Resistance would only mean a dog's death.
Yet if they simply let her take the hub to the capital, the Abilia Kingdom would suffer unimaginable damage.
…But.
Is the kingdom, is the capital, really that important to me…?
Suddenly he remembered the words Robert Whitepin, the messenger from the Prime Minister, had spoken to him last time.
I am neither your strategist nor a man of this place. I am merely the Prime Minister's messenger.
This is your land, my lord. As master of your people, do not rely on others—find a wise solution yourself.
"…"
Just as Robert had washed his hands of responsibility by saying he was not a man of Elmaile, Karseron himself was not a man of the capital either.
As lord, his first priority was neither the capital nor the Prime Minister, but this land he ruled—Elmaile.
Only if the territory and its people existed did Lord Karseron exist. The capital's existence did not sustain Lord Karseron.
This land comes first…
After endless weighing of scales, Karseron realized which loyalty—toward his territory or toward the capital—he truly had to protect.
Once he understood that, there was no more hesitation. He immediately slammed his head to the ground and prostrated himself before the vampire.
"P-please, calm yourself!"
"…Hm?"
"It was the shortsighted words of this humble one, born of foolish thought. Please set aside your anger and spare us!"
…Karseron, lord of Elmaile—one of the great cities of the continent's largest nation, the Abilia Kingdom—pressed his forehead to the dirt before a mere monster, his status be damned.
This was not the time to cling to pride. He had to save his territory by any means necessary.
He pounded his head against the ground and begged the Progenitor Vampire again and again.
"I-I'll do anything you command. From now on, I and Elmaile will stand on your side as steadfast allies."
"Hmm…"
"S-so please, spare us—spare the territory!!"
"…"
…The vampire considered Karseron's pitiful plea. Had his tears moved her? The expanding magic circle paused and simply held its size.
The Progenitor Vampire looked down at Karseron and asked,
"…You'll do anything?"
"Yes! Just spare our lives!"
"…Well, fine."
"…!!"
A miracle had occurred.
That cruel vampire had shown mercy.
Did earnest hearts truly get through? Karseron shed tears of relief and offered his thanks.
"Th-thank you… I will offer my loyalty…"
"Since you put it that way, all right. I'll spare you."
Then the corner of the vampire's mouth lifted.
"…Just you."
"…?!"
The magic circle that had stopped began swelling again. Something was wrong with her words. Karseron jerked his head up and shouted urgently.
"W-what do you mean by that? Were you not going to spare all the people of the territory?!"
"Hmm, well…"
Arms folded, the vampire looked down at Karseron with cold eyes.
"…You sent a subjugation force to kill me, didn't you."
"Pardon…?"
"If you commit a wrong, you have to pay for it first."
"W-what do you…"
The situation was unfolding nothing like he had expected; Karseron's pupils went slack. The vampire narrowed her eyes and surveyed the surroundings as if admiring the city's scenery.
"…Population of a hundred thousand, you said?"
"…"
"Then this skill should do nicely…"
"…!!"
When the vampire stretched out her hand, the pitch-black magic circle ceased expanding. And from it, the dead—things that should never exist inside a city—began to rise.
— Kieeeeeeeek!!
Along with skeletons, massive zombies sprouted one after another. Emerging from the magic circle, they charged without hesitation into the nearby houses and began a massacre.
— M-monsters!!
— S-save meee! Gyaaaaah!!
— Run! Hurry!
— It's over—skeletons everywhere!
"Ahh…"
He had pressed his forehead to the ground and begged for the lives of his people, yet the girl before him was still a monster without blood or tears—no, a demon itself.
A demon among demons who dangled hope only to snatch it away and toyed with human emotions. Tears streamed endlessly from Karseron's eyes.
"C-could it be…"
Had she asked about the territory's population from the very beginning for this reason?
Had she come here intending from the start to destroy the territory and every last one of its people?
Had the idea that her goal was the capital rather than Elmaile been nothing more than Karseron's own delusion?
"Ah…"
Countless emotions welled up, yet before the absolute power standing in front of him they were crushed flat; Karseron could not utter a single word.
And the vampire looked down coldly upon the young lord.
"What? Angry?"
"…"
"Feel like you got played? Back of your head stinging?"
"…"
"…A thousand years ago I felt a hundred times worse. This is the karma of your ancestors. Be grateful I'm even sparing you."
Her crimson eyes blazed in the moonlight.
"And."
Her resolute voice rang out across the great city of the kingdom that was turning into hell.
"…This is only the beginning."