The Full Moon from a Thousand Years Ago (2)
At some point, something strange started brewing. I wasn't the oblivious type, so I picked up on the shift in how people looked at me pretty quickly.
Until recently, smiles never left the faces of those who looked at me. Now there wasn't a trace of laughter—only shadows and distrust filled their eyes.
"Eh, Elzerva…"
"D-don't make eye contact."
"…"
Ordinary people outside were the same. Back when I went into the city, crowds would flock around me like I was an idol. Now everyone just hesitated and avoided me.
But among them all, the ones whose attitudes changed the most were none other than the Hero's companions.
"Sorry, but I'd rather we didn't run into each other. Could you come to the dining hall outside of these hours?"
"What?"
"You've got some nerve. Really shameless."
"What are you talking about?"
"Hmph. You don't know?"
"No, seriously—what do you mean?"
"Never mind. I don't want to talk to you. Come on, everyone, let's go."
"…"
The Hero's companions, who lived in the same palace, started openly treating me like a nuisance and keeping their distance. Even if I wanted to ask about their sudden change, opportunities to even run into them rarely came up.
"This is pretty annoying."
The worst feeling in the world is having something given to you and then taken away. Overnight, the way people looked at me had flipped a hundred and eighty degrees, so of course I wasn't happy about it. And hearing that kind of talk from people who would still be grinding away on the battlefield if it weren't for me? Even more infuriating. I hadn't spent my precious time helping the Hero just to be treated like this.
"…"
Ordinary incidents don't change people's perceptions this drastically in such a short time. Besides, I hadn't done anything special since defeating the demonkin. Someone was deliberately spreading bad rumors about me—that much was clear.
"…I need to look into this."
I was curious who had the guts to spread baseless rumors across the entire city, and what exactly they were saying. If it was just some unconscious everyday action of mine that people had taken the wrong way, I'd clear up the misunderstanding. But if this was genuinely someone's scheme, then I'd deliver a fitting punishment.
…I pay back what I receive.
That had been my creed ever since I played games in the real world. If you got scammed in PVP or with items, you had to get even—just letting it slide made you a sucker. And that was still true even after becoming Elzerva. I had zero intention of letting whoever threw the first punch walk away unscathed.
Spirit Summon
I activated the skill in my quarters at the palace—a basic necromancer ability for calling forth summons.
A low, electronic-sounding hum filled the air as a black magic circle, radiating an ominous aura, etched itself across the floor of my room. It wasn't the flashy kind that erupted in flames or dropped meteors. This was a simple summoning formula, and above the pitch-black hexagram, ash-like particles drifted in from somewhere and began knitting themselves into shape.
"There…"
Moments later, once the ritual finished, two figures—a man and a woman—stood atop the completed circle, radiating a powerful presence.
"Master, do you need assistance?"
The woman was a cute girl with black twin-tails, dressed in a maid uniform. But she was no ordinary maid who poured tea at a noble's side. A grotesque greatsword was strapped to her back, and her eyes were filled with a shadow-black darkness in place of whites. At their centers, deep crimson pupils burned with a murderous light. Above all, her pale blue, deathly skin made it clear she was something that did not belong among the living—something other than human.
"If there's anything you need, just say the word!"
This was the summon who handled a necromancer's close combat—Elzerva's blade, the Zombie Maid, Tina.
"…You called for me, my lady."
Beside Tina, who wore a smile that didn't quite match the bloodthirsty atmosphere, stood a refined elderly gentleman. If Tina was the maid, then this one was the butler. Dressed in an elegant suit, he bowed his head with dignified grace, observing the proper courtesy toward his master. The white-haired, bearded butler's name was Alfred—the summon who handled a necromancer's ranged attacks, and a vampire of the same race as myself.
"Yeah, hey there!"
I waved cheerfully at my summons, who had manifested into this world and gained self-awareness just like any other NPC. Tina and Alfred were among the few named spirits Elzerva could summon. The skill to call them only unlocked at a high level, and their abilities were in a completely different league from ordinary skeleton soldiers. That was why they were always the first ones I summoned during a playthrough—and why I was most attached to them. I'd even spent a fortune putting limited-edition skins on each of them.
If I hadn't bought those skins, I'd be looking at a slightly oversized skeleton soldier and a skeleton mage rattling its bones with a staff right now. Thinking about it that way, Tina's zombie-maid look and Alfred's vampire-butler appearance more than paid for themselves. The more I looked at them, the more their distinctive designs stood out.
I spoke to them.
"I called you because I have a favor to ask."
Since I had summoned them myself, these two had a zero-percent chance of betrayal. In this world right now, no one would be more loyal to me. If I was going to make an important request, they were far more reliable than those dog-bone companions of the Hero. These ones were premium-grade bones, after all.
"A favor? Who do I need to cut down?"
Tina's eyes lit up as she drew a greatsword that looked more like a butcher's cleaver. Alfred sighed and reined her in.
"Miss Tina, you are in the presence of our lady. Conduct yourself with a little more dignity, if you please."
"…Nag."
At Alfred's scolding, Tina stuck out her tongue and sheathed the greatsword again. I told them why I'd summoned them.
"Someone's been spreading nasty rumors about me outside lately."
"Baseless rumors about Master…?"
"Yeah. So I'd like you two to look into it."
Having Tina and Alfred—each skilled at infiltration and disguise—quietly investigate from the outside would be far more helpful than me trying to dig around on my own.
"…Understood. We shall uncover the rumors that have troubled my lady without fail."
"Leave it to us!"
Alfred and Tina answered with full confidence, then immediately set out to carry out their orders.
"…I shall return by tomorrow."
True to his nature as a vampire butler, Alfred transformed into a bat and spread his wings through the open window into the night sky.
"I'll be back soon too!"
Tina followed toward the window. Just before she planted a foot on the sill and leapt outside, her crimson pupils gleamed as she turned back with a question.
"By the way, Master."
"Hm? What is it?"
"If I find out what the rumor is, and track down the one spreading it…"
Bathed in moonlight, Tina's cute face twisted into a bone-chilling smile.
"…May I cut them to pieces?"
"Zero points. Rejected. Capture them alive. I'll be the one handing out the punishment."
At the very least, I needed to ask why they'd pulled a stunt like this—and if they were going to die, it would be by my hand, in front of me. Having Tina dispose of them on a whim would be a problem. Hearing my firm answer, she made no effort to hide her disappointment.
"Aww… Understood…"
"But."
I caught her before she left.
"Just bring them back alive. You know what I mean, right?"
"…!!"
I winked, and Tina's dejected expression brightened right back up. As long as they were brought back alive—as long as they could still open their mouths—missing arms and legs, or even a kidney, didn't really matter. I left that entirely to Tina's judgment.
The Zombie Maid nodded with a delighted face.
"Understood! I'll be going now!"
"Be careful out there."
I waved as she vanished over the windowsill into the deep darkness of the night sky. Since they fought in my place, they were more than strong enough—easily my equals. And even if they died, they could revive after a set cooldown, so worrying about them was unnecessary.
I wonder who it could be.
I muttered to myself as I lay down on the bed. There was no shortage of suspects. Even if I'd saved the world, my race and class were still vampire and necromancer. In a real-world game those were appealing traits, but to the people here I was no different from a monster who wielded black magic. Plenty still regarded me with wariness.
The southern papal empire that specialized in holy magic—the Holy Empire Serion.
The eastern monk-state that made its living from exorcism—Tenma.
The massive mercenary guild that envied me for stealing the glory of defeating the Demon King—Stormhound.
"Think vampires are easy targets, do they?"
Famous people always drove both their fans and their haters crazy. For every person around me who liked me, there were just as many who hated me for one reason or another.
"Ah, whatever."
More organizations and individuals who might spread false rumors about me came to mind, but idle speculation was pointless. Now that I'd sent Tina and Alfred, they would bring back far more accurate information. All that remained was to wait for them.
"Master! We're back!"
"…My lady, we have just returned."
Tina and Alfred, who had gone out to investigate, returned to my room in the late hours of the following dawn, just before the sun broke over the horizon.