The Full Moon of a Thousand Years Ago (5)
01.
"Drag the vampire out!"
"Kill the monster who murdered the princess!"
The night sky was dark, but the torches raised by the people lit the surroundings bright as day. Watching the rage of the common folk flare as hot as those flames, the hero Belia Varius smiled.
Good. Burn hotter still.
It was a satisfying sight. Regardless of rank or station, every soul in the Abilia Kingdom had become of one mind, crying out the name of the vampire Elzerva.
The calamitous vampire named in the oracle of the Holy Empire Serion.
The wicked monster who had assassinated a kingdom's princess.
The image of Elzerva leading the charge against the demonkin had been completely erased from the people's memory. To them now, she was nothing more than an ominous monster girl threatening their homes.
…In all of Abilia, not a single person remained who would take Elzerva's side.
"How simple they are."
Varius looked down with contempt upon the throng passionately demanding Elzerva's extermination.
The lower classes were easy to handle.
They were always angry about their own lives, always searching for something onto which they could pour that fury.
To people like that, Elzerva was the perfect prey — the perfect outlet for their rage. And he had given them excellent justifications: vengeance for the princess, the safety of the nation.
The crowd made no attempt to hide the violent emotions they hurled at the ash-haired vampire girl, Elzerva.
In truth, every last bit of this had been Varius's own doing.
Idiots.
…The plan three months in the making had succeeded perfectly.
Turning the once-heroic Elzerva into everyone's enemy.
Planting hatred for her in people's hearts.
Isolating her completely.
He had achieved every single thing he had first set out to do. No — he seemed to have produced results even better than he had imagined.
Elzerva. Look at you now.
…His motive had been nothing more than a shame and fury he had never felt before.
Ever since being named the Hero, Varius had received the envy and respect of all. Everyone looked up to him, and every woman schemed and fought to claim him for herself.
A life lacking nothing — a life that was the envy of all mankind.
To a man walking that path, the women around him had seemed utterly dull. They held no charm. None of them measured up to his standards.
Then one day, a girl who seized his gaze appeared. A beautiful vampire girl with ash-gray hair — Elzerva.
With overwhelming martial power and necromancy, that girl had crushed the demonkin in an instant and even dealt with the Demon King himself. Strength as well as beauty — Varius had fallen for her at once.
He had never seen a woman like her anywhere. Strength that surpassed even the Hero Varius himself, and the only woman who had never approached him first.
He wanted to make her his, no matter what it took.
"Marry me, Elzerva!"
So he had bought a pretty ring and proposed on the spot. Failure had never even crossed his mind. He was the Hero every person in the world desired. Of course Elzerva, too, must have harbored feelings for him deep down.
"Sorry. I think things are fine between us the way they are."
"What?"
But the answer that came back from the vampire was a firm rejection.
Varius had fallen into confusion.
How could anyone possibly refuse his proposal?
And hard on the heels of that confusion came the shame of being rejected, and rage at the woman who had dared to refuse the Hero.
In that instant he had lost control and lashed out with violence — only to find himself the one subdued. Elzerva possessed power that surpassed the Hero by far, as expected.
Elzerva…
She was the first woman who would not move according to his will, according to his plans. Even after being rejected, Varius's possessiveness toward Elzerva only grew fiercer by the day.
And so he had conceived the idea of isolating her. If he made everyone hate her, left her utterly alone, and then extended his own hand to her — even the lofty Elzerva would become his. Of that he had not the slightest doubt.
Convinced it was a fine plan, Varius set it into motion at once.
Among the common people, he spread the rumor that the Holy Empire Serion had issued an oracle naming Elzerva a calamity that would destroy Abilia.
"Lady Elzerva…? That can't be."
"What do you mean, it can't be? She's a monster at her core! If Lady Astira herself is issuing a warning, she must be truly dangerous."
To people who held firm faith in Astira, Goddess of Heaven and Earth, an oracle carrying a warning about Elzerva could only land with crushing weight.
The people's regard for Elzerva sank lower and lower toward the bottom.
But an oracle alone was not enough to shake his own companions. For them, he needed a different kind of rumor.
"Lilianel, Lucia, Rex! Ghh…!"
"B-Belia? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"E-Elzerva proposed to me, and when I wouldn't accept, she attacked me. She even threatened to resurrect the Demon King…"
"That vampire Elzerva dares—! I'll go right now and—!"
"No, Lilianel. I'm sure Elzerva was just worked up. Please, pretend you don't know."
"Belia, you're too kind. Even so, I can't forgive Elzerva for resorting to violence."
…Done.
His companions held absolute trust in the words of the Hero, so the lie that completely reversed Elzerva's position and his own had landed perfectly.
And so, in places Elzerva could not see, her reputation began to hit rock bottom. All that remained was for Elzerva to panic at the changed gazes around her — and for Varius himself to come to her rescue.
"Tina, what's for dinner tonight?"
"Hmm? Just tell me what you'd like, and I'll prepare it!"
"Eh, doesn't matter. Let's eat and then go for a walk."
Wh-what…?
But contrary to his expectations, even though she must have felt the ostracism directed at her, Elzerva remained as carefree as ever. She paid it no mind at all — if anything, she seemed to be enjoying her solitude even more than before, like a contented cat.
So that's how you want to play it, Elzerva…
Now his pride was on the line. Varius swore he would have Elzerva in his arms no matter what. And he realized that the way to capture her would not come through peaceful means — only by driving her to the absolute brink would any chance appear.
…And while he was racking his brains for a method, something interesting happened.
"B-Belia."
"Lilianel? What is it?"
"I—I have to say it today. The truth is, I love you!"
"You… love me?"
"You're so wonderful as the Hero. Your kind nature stirred this elf's heart. I would do anything for you. Please — be with me!"
"…"
His longtime companion, Lilianel Greenfield, had suddenly confessed her love to him. The surprise lasted only a moment. Varius immediately began calculating how to use the situation.
Lilianel Greenfield had been one of the people closest to Elzerva before the rumors began to spread. And she still held Elzerva's firm trust.
…A good idea came to him.
"You really would do anything for me?"
"Yes. I'd offer up my heart if I had to."
"Even something wicked?"
"Of course. If that means you'll be with me."
"All right. Then grant me one request."
"Anything."
From that point on, everything began to unfold even more smoothly.
To Lilianel, who had sworn her loyalty in exchange for love, he revealed the entire plan and ordered her to grow even closer to Elzerva.
Lilianel obeyed, staying near Elzerva and extracting all manner of information from her.
And not long after, the greatest crisis — and the greatest opportunity — arrived.
"B-Belia, we have a problem."
"What is it, Lilianel?"
"Elzerva seems to have roughly figured out the rumors."
"Elzerva has…?"
"And Sophie says she's going to start a full investigation tomorrow."
"The princess…?"
Hearing Lilianel's report, Varius's brow furrowed.
Disaster. If the princess — the most powerful figure in the kingdom — began an investigation, the fact that Varius had spread false rumors would certainly come to light. In the worst case, he could even be stripped of his title as Hero.
He had to act before the inquiry began.
"Belia, this…"
"An apple…?"
Lilianel held out a blue apple to him. As if someone had taken a single bite and stopped, clear teeth marks were pressed into its flesh.
And among those marks, the imprint of a fang stood out especially sharp.
…A vampire's fang mark. The only vampire in this castle was Elzerva, so the teeth marks were almost certainly hers.
And Varius understood in an instant why Lilianel had handed him an apple bearing Elzerva's bite.
He stared at Lilianel with a look of shock.
"Lilianel, you…"
"Yes. That's right."
The beautiful elf nodded.
"If we want to cancel the investigation into you and drive Elzerva to the absolute limit, this is the only way."
…Assassinate the princess, and frame it as Elzerva's doing.
"Are you sure about this?"
Varius asked the elf who was willing to murder even a longtime friend for his sake. And the answer came in less than a second.
"Yes. For you."
"Lilianel…"
Ah — knowing full well that he desired another woman named Elzerva, she still offered such devotion. How could he not be moved? In that moment, Lilianel looked more beautiful than any woman alive.
"Lilianel."
"Belia…"
Beneath the moonlight, the two carefully pressed their lips together. One held true love; the other held purpose as a reward — but the taste, at least, was sweet.
And that night, they killed the princess.
02.
They carved Elzerva's fang marks — copied from the apple — into the murdered princess's throat. Now the vampire would be branded a murderer with no way out.
She would face condemnation so fierce she could never again live that leisurely life of hers, and before long the people, learning that she had killed the princess they cherished, would rise up as well.
It would not be long before Elzerva was driven into utter ruin. And to achieve that, physical confrontation with her was unavoidable.
…Elzerva was a monstrous being who had single-handedly ended a ten-year war. Frustrating as it was, Abilia's strength alone — the Hero's strength alone — was not enough to overwhelm her.
He needed to call in "reinforcements" who could bring their greatest power to bear against a vampire.
"Lilianel, from now on, just do exactly as I say."
"Understood. Leave everything to me."
After entrusting Lilianel with a secret mission, Varius used his connections to urgently summon those reputed to be the strongest on the continent.
Responding to titles like "the vampire who will become a calamity" and "the vampire who murdered the princess," they readily accepted Varius's request and arrived in the Abilia Kingdom in a matter of hours via the Teleportation Hub.
Last came the task of inflaming the people and the knights.
"A fearless vampire has assassinated Her Highness the Princess!"
"Rise up, people of Abilia!"
"Exterminate the vampire who forgot the kindness of those who fed and sheltered her!"
"Waaaaaaaaaah!!"
Incitement was easy.
In less than a few hours, a crowd tens of thousands strong had gathered outside the palace building where Elzerva was staying.
The knights and soldiers of the Abilia Kingdom held the front ranks, and under their protection, the torch-bearing commoners filled the rear.
And at the very front, Varius, his companions, and the foremost figures of the continent he had summoned stood in formation.
"A calamity-class vampire! I'm so excited I could go crazy. Think our talismans will work?"
Skilled shamans from Tenma, the city of exorcists who specialized in hunting monsters. Among them, a young man named Jax — called the youngest prodigy of their order — led them from Varius's right side.
"Still, after she drove back the demonkin for them, ending up on the verge of being hunted herself… kinda feel sorry for her, don't you?"
"…Do not speak so insolently."
At Jax's sympathetic glance, the blonde woman standing to Varius's left glared at him sharply.
"All monsters must be purged. For that is the will of Lady Astira."
The woman in black saintess robes carried a massive hammer across her shoulder. The saintess known to the world as the "Fallen Angel," Marina Bergard, quietly closed her eyes and offered a prayer toward the heavens.
"O great Goddess of Earth and Heaven, Lady Astira, we beseech Thee. Grant us the strength to purge this cunning vampire."
"Grant us strength."
As she prayed, the hundreds of Holy Knights she had brought raised their voices toward the sky in the same prayer.
"Reassuring."
Varius looked upon them and smiled with satisfaction.
The Holy Knights of the Holy Empire Serion, the absolute pinnacle of monster hunting, and the shamans of the monastic state of Tenma.
Even that Elzerva would not be able to win against all of them — people who had spent their entire lives hunting monsters and nothing else.
"Elzerva, I will avenge Her Highness the Princess without fail."
"Damn undead bastards. I'll pay you back for last time's humiliation."
On top of that, his own companions and the knights of Abilia were burning with fighting spirit.
Forces with excellent compatibility against a vampire, and motivation to spare.
All that remained was to approach the defeated Elzerva, thoroughly trample her pride, then reluctantly spare her life — and make her his.
At that happy future, the smile never left Varius's face.
It would be nice if she just quietly surrendered.
Of course, rather than a direct battle breaking out, it would be far less costly and far more convenient if the infiltration team that had slipped into her chambers to capture her simply brought her back. And if Elzerva's own will broke at the sight of their army and she surrendered first, that would be best of all.
"She's coming out!"
…While they waited for the infiltration team's signal, a shadow finally appeared at the building's entrance. Everyone looked toward it with anticipation.
"Is it the infiltration team?"
"Did they capture her?"
The eyes fixed intently on the entrance of the sleeping quarters sparkled with expectation. But contrary to their hopes, only two figures — a man and a woman — emerged from the doorway.
"What is that…?"
"A butler and a maid…?"
What stepped out of the entrance was a maid and an elderly butler, both drenched in sticky blood. The maid carried a massive greatsword on her back, and the butler wore black leather gloves that radiated an ominous magical power.
"Hmph."
The maid girl with pale blue skin — something other than human — smiled and flung something toward them.
"U-uwaaaaaagh!"
"A-a human head!!"
It was none other than the head of a knight from the infiltration team that had entered the building. At the sight of that head, eyes still wide open in death, the soldiers of Abilia stirred in unrest.
…And Varius knew who had killed them, and who stood before the building's entrance. They were familiar faces.
"A Zombie Maid and a Vampire Butler…"
They were Elzerva's summons, the ones she always kept at her side — the Zombie Maid Tina and the Vampire Butler Alfred. The fact that they had come out instead of the infiltration team meant, as expected, that the attempt to capture Elzerva had failed.
"…Quite the gathering."
"…!!"
And from deep within the building, a cold voice rang out. From between the dense shadows cast by the full moon, the one Varius had been longing for to the point of madness finally revealed herself.
"So there were this many people without fear."
The Necromancer Lord.
The one who had slain the Demon King with a petite frame — a figure who surpassed even the Hero.
"…I assume all of you came prepared, of course?"
The crimson eyes of the ash-haired vampire Elzerva gleamed in the darkness.