Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: The Ball (6)
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I stepped out of the Swallow Palace and walked down the street.
The outside of the imperial palace, which I hadn't visited in a long time, was nearly deserted.
Everyone must have flocked to the distant "Eight Wings" parade to watch.
That was a good thing. I didn't want to run into anyone and waste time.
For a moment, I considered heading to the parade and asking the knights to investigate Blodid.
'No.'
There was no evidence, after all.
If I couldn't prove that Blodid was a dangerous vampire, I'd only get myself in trouble.
A single mistake could drag the Leonhart family into it, and that might threaten Ariel's already fragile reputation.
In the end, meeting the prophet was the right answer.
I left the main road and headed into the alleyways.
Since I'd been there once before, finding the way wasn't hard.
I followed the same path I'd taken when I met the prophet last time.
He had definitely said it.
Once the path was open, I could meet him anytime I wanted.
Right now, I was walking these alleys with a clear intent to meet him.
So, I should be able to.
"......"
As I walked silently through the alleys, the atmosphere began to shift.
The flow of air, the echoing footsteps, the visible scenery—all started to waver.
Soon, a grayish, rippling puddle came into view.
'Got it.'
It was time to meet the prophet.
The prophet was in the exact same spot as before.
An old man shrouded entirely in a black hood.
A crystal ball placed on his stall.
I strode right up to him and sat down in front of it.
"......"
Silence.
We stared at each other without a word until the prophet spoke first.
"You have the look of someone with many questions."
"You know it."
"What could have brought you back to me so soon?"
"Yeah. And it's fucking important."
The prophet let out a short hum.
"Very well. Speak."
I opened my mouth and carefully explained everything happening in the Swallow Palace right now.
That Blodid was suspicious.
And that she might be using some dangerous magic in the palace.
"I see. So, you're saying the woman called Blodid has a dubious identity. And you want to uncover it."
"Right. The way to solve this is to reveal Blodid's true nature to everyone. The evidence isn't clear-cut, but I think she's the culprit."
"That makes sense. Your words are reasonable. What's happening in the Swallow Palace is likely her doing."
Surprisingly, the prophet listened well.
He didn't make any gestures, but he silently agreed with me.
"But that's not a reason to come to me. If you want to investigate a mage, go to another mage. So why me?"
"Spot on. Blodid dealt with the hidden world. It's rare even to encounter it, let alone wield it. I figured you'd know."
"......"
The prophet fell silent for a long while.
He seemed to be deep in thought.
"......You already know."
"What?"
"I explored the hidden world to explain it to you. A prophet must distinguish what can be shared from what cannot. But it's strange. You already know Blodid's identity."
"That's......"
I started to say something but closed my mouth.
The prophet was saying I already knew Blodid was a vampire.
A villainous group that hadn't even revealed itself to the world yet.
Why did I know about it already?
"It's a bit hard to explain."
"......Hm. Well, fine. It's none of my concern. You're loved by the hidden world anyway. It wouldn't be odd if you knew more of the future than I do."
"Think what you want. So, Blodid is a vampire. And she's wielding the hidden world. That's why I came to you. We're on the same page so far."
"Yes. Your guess is sound. Blodid is a vampire called the 5th Division Captain of the Crimson Blood Cult. The captains can wield the hidden world because their master, the 'Blood Demon' himself, is deeply tied to it."
Blood Demon.
From what I remembered seeing on the forums in my past life, the final boss of Shardia Academy.
And now the prophet was mentioning him.
"You know about the Blood Demon too?"
"How could I not? Peering into the hidden world reveals it. How this world flows. Who takes the helm."
"......If you know, why not stop it? You could spread the word and prepare everyone now."
"Didn't I tell you before? I only glimpse the hidden world."
"Still, you could share what you've learned."
"......Strange. You know the future, yet not the price?"
Price?
I furrowed my brow and looked at the prophet.
He looked back at me as if I were the strange one.
"Revealing information from the hidden world comes at a cost. Especially for pivotal events, or when the listener is ignorant of it—the price grows steeper."
"Price...... So how do you go around prophesying?"
"By adding a few words to what they already know. Or speaking vaguely and uncertainly. Or only trivial things. That way, I avoid the cost."
"So you don't talk about the Blood Demon because the price is too high?"
"Of course. To warn about the one who ends this world? I'd have to stake my life and more."
"Ha."
Got it.
I ruffled my hair and sorted through the situation for a moment.
Blodid was definitely a vampire. The prophet's testimony turned my 99% hunch into 100%.
And the hidden world she wielded belonged to the Blood Demon.
Asking about him required a price.
I'd considered probing for more info since the prophet knew of him, but...
'Can't ask without knowing the price.'
Especially if it involved my life.
For now, set that aside and get back to exposing Blodid's identity.
"Alright, back to square one. So how do we expose her? Just the fact she wields the hidden world proves she's no ordinary person."
"Hm."
"Whether we reveal she's a vampire or that she handles the hidden world, as long as people know. Can't you even tell me that much?"
"......"
The prophet said nothing for a moment.
He sat still, as if conversing silently with something.
Then he asked me.
"Can you bear it?"
"Bear what?"
"Exposing Blodid's identity won't end there. If she's revealed as a vampire at this point, it will drastically alter the course of events. You're trying to expose her to stop or kill her, right?"
"Yeah. But what do you mean, 'bear it'?"
"The price skyrockets. Exposing her defies the proper course. And you're doing it intentionally. The cost will be far beyond what you imagine."
"......"
"You've altered the proper course several times already. Since it was unintentional, no price was demanded, and rewards were given. But now you're doing it on purpose. Rewards may grow, but the price is unavoidable."
I see.
Those messages in the status window up to now.
Notifications that I'd changed the proper course, and the rewards that followed.
That meant I'd unknowingly gone against fixed history.
And since it was unintentional, no price was needed.
Now, I was trying to change it willfully.
The prophet was saying I'd have to pay accordingly.
No need to ask.
"Of course."
No need at all.
"Blodid is an enemy I have to take down eventually anyway. If the Crimson Blood Cult is the villains who'll disrupt the world, clashing with them is inevitable."
"......"
"Plus, I saw Marvin. That kid, pale from having his blood sucked dry at such a young age. ......How could I leave someone who does that to a child alone?"
Yeah.
And that sight even reminded me of Ariel.
If Ariel might end up the same way at the hands of the Crimson Blood Cult someday...
I couldn't forgive that.
"Very well."
The prophet nodded.
"I'll tell you everything about Blodid."
He touched the crystal ball.
A mature woman with glasses appeared inside it.
It was Blodid.
"First, how to reveal Blodid's identity: take off her glasses."
"Glasses?"
"Yes. They alter her appearance—specifically, they make her eyes blue."
"Why make something like that?"
"Do you know what eye color is considered the most despised and ominous in this world?"
"......?"
Eye color?
I'd never heard that and tilted my head.
"Red."
"So what?"
"Demons' eyes, they've been loathed as such since ancient times. And all vampires have red eyes."
"So Blodid wears glasses to...... Right, because of the Red Mask."
"Exactly. She prepared them to blend into human society. They hide her eye color and her identity."
"So, make her take them off? How? She's not the type to comply."
"Isn't it obvious? Go all in. Ignore the stares of other nobles, your reputation—demand she remove them. If she's definitely a vampire, there's virtually no risk. Am I wrong?"
"No. You're right."
I chuckled and nodded.
Yeah, it made sense.
Since I already knew she was a vampire.
If this world shunned red eyes, demanding she remove them was the surest way.
"And second, information on Blodid. You'll definitely fight her. If you expose her in the palace, how will she respond? She won't run."
That much I'd predicted.
All the other knights were at the parade.
No one to call for backup.
Meaning we'd have to face Blodid with just the nobles in the Swallow Palace.
"Can you find out her info? You don't know everything in the hidden world."
"Your actions have piqued the hidden world's interest. It allowed access."
The prophet then explained about Blodid.
First, 'Blood Temple'.
A magic that overwrote the palace's protective barrier after dismantling it, covering it anew.
It would turn the entire palace into a monster's innards.
'She's planning something that insane.'
The deadline was a week.
So, the showdown was tomorrow, on the sixth day.
Next, vampires' weakness: the heart.
It's the source of their life; they won't die unless it's destroyed.
And finally.
For some reason, Blodid's target was the Third Imperial Princess, Adelheit.
"......That's all I can tell you. I can't see more."
"Thanks. This lets me prepare a bit."
"Good. Now, it's time to stake your price."
The prophet held out his palm.
A grayish ripple swirled above it.
As if telling me to place my price there.
"Speak. What will you stake?"
Something like that? No need to ask.
"My life."
At this ball, take down the 5th Division Captain.