Village Vanishings and the Traitor's Fury

In an inn in a village far from the Heretic's Tomb, the battle against monsters raged on. In a slightly different form.

"Two people vanished just last night."

Dozens of documents piled up on the desk. Amelia had been poring over them nonstop since arriving.

"It's strange. The villagers all locked their doors tight, and the paladins patrolled every alley corner..."

Files detailing the missing villagers' personal info, daily routines, relationships, patrol routes, and common paths. The lord's retainer had brought them wondering why, but now it made sense.

"Medel, there seems to be a pattern."

"Yes...?"

A village where people vanished without a trace every day. As the situation worsened, the church finally played its trump card: Amelia.

"Every three days, without fail, one child disappears."

"...? Oh... yeah, you're right?"

Amelia scattered several documents and pointed out the marked sections with a red-stained pen for Medel. Medel's question marks slowly turned to exclamation points.

"I don't know the culprit's identity, but... it's still in the village."

"Then we'll gather everyone and prepare interrogations."

"No. That would just make it hide deeper."

Amelia shook her head and pointed to one spot on the papers.

"This general store and clothing shop are suspicious. All the victims' paths overlap there. Station a few knights nearby for surveillance and have them note everything."

"Uh... yes, ma'am..."

Normally, you'd round everyone up, yell, and blast them with Holy Power until it resolved itself. But Amelia defied convention, simply flipping through papers and issuing orders.

...Is this really okay? Her standing in the family was already damaged from messing up last time. Medel's insides churned with anxiety.

"If my guess is right, it's probably a vampire. Some quirky monster that savors a rare treat every three days. The consistent pattern... either it's stupid or it craves attention."

"A vampire? There were no drained bodies..."

"It handled that itself. Too clean for humans, and among monsters, vampire fits best."

No one told her it was a vampire. A faint smile crept across her face.

"Anyway, I'm off to rest. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Tell the lord we'll catch it in three days."

Her smile melted into a lazy yawn. Stretching with arms raised high, her long golden hair cascaded down, draping over her ample bosom rivaling Ludia's.

"Ah... sorry. I didn't realize you were tired..."

"Not tired... just bored."

"Bored?"

"Calling this a trial? Looks like my evaluation is still below Ludia's."

Amelia blinked her purple eyes, gazing out the window. Her face seemed detached from worldly concerns. Half a year since the incidents began, unsolved—yet after one day of paperwork, she was nonchalant.

"How's it going over there? Must be more fun than this."

"...?"

Amelia's gaze lingered on one spot. A crude wooden ring on her slender white finger. She murmured to herself, lips curling slightly.

"...Medel."

After staring at the ring for a long while, she turned to Medel.

"Yes, Lady Amelia."

"Prepare to leave right after three days."

"Pardon?"

"We're heading to the Heretic's Tomb too. My trial will end quickly anyway, so we'll have time."

"Ah... understood..."

Amelia's words grew ever more inscrutable. But Medel swallowed her questions and obeyed.

And three days later,

"Then let's depart."

As she predicted, the vampire culprit was caught.

"Wh-what do we do, Master Huu...?"

Ludia didn't need to tremble; I was shaking inside too. Can we beat that thing? It tanked Amelia's full Holy Power outburst, even blocked the Hero's Sword mid-rampage and attacked back.

"Grrooo..."

Unlike before, every muscle tensed. This wasn't like the low-level monsters—this was final-boss level.

"......"

Mari, Yunet, and Ludia all sensed it too, frozen silent.

"Won't come quietly? Fine, I'll drag you."

Thud.

The underground chamber shook as he stepped forward. No sword ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠drawn, just walking—and we retreated in sync, like scripted.

The air felt crushed. Thud. Thud. Second, third step. Bodies rigid, minds blank, just backpedaling.

Am I dying here?? Why isn't time slowing? Where's that leisure from before?

Swoosh.

"N-no! Absolutely not!"

"?!"

Momentum carried us ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back, but suddenly Ludia stood before me, arms spread wide.

"Ugh? (Ludia? What the hell are you doing??)"

Her sudden appearance jolted him, snapping me awake. My gaze shifted from Luzadio to her.

"Sorry, but! L-look for another man!!"

She trembled—voice, shoulders, outstretched arms. I couldn't see her face, but

"Block me, and I won't hold back. Die?"

"Yes!!! N-no!!! S-sob...!"

Obvious. Tears and snot streaming. Voice soaked. But her eyes would sparkle defiantly. Where does she get that courage?

"My mercy ends here."

Whoosh---!!!

His iron-plated fist plummeted toward Ludia. That'd hurt bad. No, it'd pulp her.

— Master Huu, th-that hot spring talk... thought it'd be a good spot for us to vanish together...

— Nooo... I never wanted to be a saintess. Just for the money. But now we can live normally, right?

— Heh heh heh... Master Huu's popular at the branch lately, so leaving feels regrettable? Staying like this is fine... Ah! S-sorry! You must be frustrated! Sorry!!

....Hell no. Even that vulgar dwarf bastard can't touch my female. What the fuck am I doing!!

Clang---!!!!

I gathered every ounce of strength for one strike. Heat surged from my body. Sword hummed, his fist floated in air.

"??!!"

"Wanna die."

Time slowed again.

Krunch! Crunch!! Clang! Kang!! Kaaang!!! Harsh friction of blade on blade. Sounds faster than a blink echoed through the dungeon.

A duel beyond human limits.

"Can't... see..."

"Seeing lots of wild stuff today~."

"H-hang in there, Master Huu!"

Mari and Yunet, snapped awake, couldn't intervene. Just hazy silhouettes clashing, each strike threatening dismemberment.

Faint shadows flickered around massive Luzadio, sparks and slashes erupting. He retreated step by step.

"What are you!"

"Like you don't know."

Krunch!!!

Luzadio caught the slash barehanded. Huu growled some weird zombie noise, straining, but the blade wouldn't budge further.

"I'll crush you. No need to drag you alive!"

Whoosh---!!

Fist bigger than his head barreled at Huu, air sucked in its wake.

Pop! But Huu had no intention of tanking. Dropped sword, dodged low.

"You call yourself a knight? Dropping your sword!"

"Shut up. Gimme another!"

He glared at Luzadio, waving at the others.

"Use my sword!"

Thud! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Mari hurled her greatsword—the one she'd polished diligently in the cart.

....Can I even use it? Huu scratched his head.

"Don't blame me if it breaks."

"Use it freely!"

Promising. My attacks were landing! His platinum armor, grotesquely warped, was scored and dented. Gripping Mari's greatsword tight—permission granted, time to pound.

"...Unbelievable. Meeting a worthy foe here."

But shink. Luzadio yanked his greatsword from the ground. A sinister aura erupted—not mana or Holy Power, pure killing intent.

'Fuck... sword won't cut it against him.'

Huu sharpened his gaze like a beast eyeing prey.

"Ready, sacrifice? I'll humor you with my sword."

"Ready to get wrecked? Yeah."

Shiiiing---!!!!

Huu struck first. Planted foot, launched, added body weight to the downward cleave. Track it with eyes, and you're dead—but

Kaaaang--!!!

"Think that crude swing works!!"

Luzadio parried head-on.

"That's what you think."

Kang! Kang!! Kangkang!!!!

You probably wield a greatsword better than me. But I'm faster, so if I hammer relentlessly, one'll land, right? Huu gritted, smashing down mercilessly. Bent waist like a bow, snapped forward; recoil spun him for another overhead. Indiscernible if digging earth or pulping man.

"You idiot! Don't you know how to fight with a greatsword?!"

"Nope. No clue."

Luzadio fumed at the breathless barrage. No room to swing, he shrank back visibly.

"Whoa..."

Mari and Yunet watched.

"First time seeing a greatsword swung so brutally. Yet the form's clean. How's the combo that fluid? Right?"

"Sis, please..."

Mari scolded Yunet's awe, but

"......"

Deep down, she thought the same.