Yes, My King?

"…Yes?" "I like Ilmacheonwang. Why would you even change it?" Rasty tilts her head, genuinely puzzled. Wait, where did all those well-crafted names you used to come up with go? "You used to be so good at naming things." "I had my moments." Back when Rasty was still the Sovereign and Progenitor of the Blood Nobles, she granted names to each of the true blood vampires who received her blood, and as I recall, they bore quite the elegant ones. Names like Ilmacheonwang — this ridiculous thing — never existed in her lexicon.

"That's exactly why it's better." "?" "Think about it, sis. You've spent ages giving everything these dignified, plausible names — but is there a single one that left a strong impression on you?" "......." A name that sticks, huh... In terms of raw power, I can think of one or two, but name-wise? Honestly, nothing comes to mind. They were just... plausible. That's it. "See? Nothing." "Right. But Ilmacheonwang is different." Rasty holds up Ilmacheonwang's Life Vessel. The blood-formed shape keeps rotating, sphere after sphere. "You hear it once and it already lodges itself somewhere in the back of your head. If he were called something like Bruger or Rosti Arcana Rune, he'd get treated like some random ball rolling around in a corner." "...That's weirdly logical." "It's not weird, it's obvious. I'd name things that way too, now." I look over at Ilmacheonwang. He keeps his head bowed in his spirit form, refusing to come out. "Why won't you come out?" "Apparently I can't, here. Some special power seems to be interfering." Special power — the Agent's authority? Or the effect of the system, since he was processed as a "reward"? Whatever the cause, it seems he can't be brought out for now. Before leaving, I walk over to Yena one last time. She looks up at me with a gloomy expression, apparently having accepted reality. "Lilyyyyy...." "I'll come visit often. If you need help with your training, just reach out." "I can really leave, right?" "Of course." I turn my head. The Agent — no, Myosin — is wearing a strange smile. '...Come visit whenever you like. I will be waiting.' "I'll be back for sure." "You're really leaving?" "I am. But I'll lend you this in the meantime." "? Yes?" Click! I slip the red bracelet off my wrist and fasten it around Yena's. The bracelet — the same shade as Yena's eyes — glints, and Yena's eyes flash in answer. A Masterpiece of Talikal: a bracelet that guides its wielder to the right place. "Th-the Red Guide?! You're giving me─" "Lending. Until you pass this training." "Oh. W-well, either way, yes please! Thank you so much!" Yena immediately starts giggling, nuzzling her face against the bracelet. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ "Please bear with it a little longer. It's a friend who has trouble finding its way." The Red Guide's power is finding the way. For me, it had simply been a tool for locating people and places — but that's not all a Masterpiece can do. In fact, the Red Guide's ability is far better suited to combat. 'The authority to reveal the enemy's attack trajectory and movement path — or one's own.' I've fought so many battles, and my style involves absorbing a fair amount of damage by design, so I never bothered using it. But Yena is different. As an assassin, she has to strike from unexpected angles while never taking a hit herself. In that regard, the Red Guide's "guidance" will prove invaluable. "With the Red Guide's authority, you might even land a hit on the Agent. Give it your best shot." "...Hmph. Okay. I'll clear this thing and walk right out. Just you watch!" "That's the spirit." Everything starts with setting your mind right. Yena gives her own cheek a light, brisk slap and steels herself. Boldly, she launches into her fifty-seventh attempt. "Died again." "That's just the beginning." Fifty-seventh resurrection. Fwoom. "Not bad, actually." It's the day after Yena continued her attempts and I took a day of rest. When I visit Rasty's faculty office at the Academy, she has the Life Vessel resting above an antique table. The Life Vessel floats low and steady, suspended by her authority. "Being crafted by a high-tier demon really does show — the raw power itself is usable." "And its efficiency?" "Exactly as predicted." Fwoom. Rasty's true blood brushes against the Life Vessel. The vessel trembles violently, and out pops a single vampire with jet-black hair. His clothes are different from before — he now wears the attire of the Grand Dukes that Rasty's true blood vampires once donned: a black formal uniform with eye-catching red accents, the garb of nobility. Ilmacheonwang drops to one knee and bows his head. "My King. You called for me." "As ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you can see, your power is rather weak now." "It would seem so." As expected, Ilmacheonwang's strength has diminished considerably. It's a situation similar to how Rasty or Pharaoh, upon emerging from the Void Space into reality, had their power reduced to roughly Leo's level. Their authorities and abilities would still be far superior, of course, but the loss of raw power is a bigger factor than one might think. Honestly, Ilmacheonwang was always about overwhelming force rather than any particularly refined technique. "How much of his power was preserved?" "Hmm... his rank was so low to begin with that very little was sealed away. I'd say he's about on par with a lower-tier demon." "A lower-tier demon." That's actually quite useful. A lower-tier demon's raw strength exceeds even the current Leo or Pharaoh. Of course, battles aren't decided by strength alone, so in a direct fight, those two would obviously win. "I have no intention of betraying you." "One can never be too sure." "I wouldn't mind if you did." Hmm... Rasty glances sidelong at Ilmacheonwang with her crimson eyes. The blood-red aura dwelling in her gaze. Under the stare of the ruler of all non-living things, Ilmacheonwang's head bows even lower. "Something amusing might come of it, you know." "...It will not." "Really?" "Yes." "How boring." Rasty smirks and turns her gaze back to me. "Still, he's lived so long that his head is quite useful. Mind if I keep him around?" "Of course. In exchange, send some troops to Yena's guild." "Sure." Rasty rolls the Life Vessel back up and seals Ilmacheonwang inside. Somehow, she looks pleased. "Are you happy?" "Mm. It's been ages since I've had a Life Vessel. I need to figure out what kind of magic formula it's built on." "Just don't break it." "Obviously." "How are the classes going?" Only a handful of students at the Academy are under Rasty's instruction. I hear she's recently taken on Redberry as well, but the most important one is, of course, Candy Star. The user Rasty is pouring the most effort into. In particular, Rasty has been refining her own blood-arts magic to craft new spells suited to Candy Star's use. The corners of Rasty's mouth curl upward. "She'll be capable of something remarkable soon enough. You can look forward to it." "Don't break her too badly." "Oh, come on. You think so strangely of me. That won't happen." Rasty says this with a smile, and I don't bother to stop her. As long as she doesn't cross the line, growing stronger any way she can is a good thing. After all, Candy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Star is Choco — the current Rank 4 player behind the avatar — but I value Candy Star even more highly. The 'Magical Girl' class. It's a hidden class, so if raised well, she might just grow strong enough to leave Choco in the dust. "What are you going to do now?" "It's about time I turn on the stream." "Am I on it too?" "Yes. Do you not want to be?" "No, I want to. I mean, no, I don't." "?" When I look at her in confusion, Rasty spreads both arms wide. Oh, not again. Squeeeeeze...! "Happy now?" "I'd appreciate it if you'd let go of me along with the hug." "That would be disrespectful. Not yet." "Tch." I turn the stream on immediately. Apparently a flood of information has already spread in the span of a day, because even more viewers than yesterday poured in. "Big crowd today." "Sure is." Rasty's crimson eyes, which had been fiddling with the Life Vessel, turn toward the camera. "Hello, everyone." "What are we doing today?" "Show off what I got, then run some performance tests? I do have a lot of new weapons now." I need to check on White Savior, and on Silver Purifier, newly ascended to Transcendent grade. Especially important is just how much "purification" power the Silver Purifier can put out. Rasty mulls over my words, then summons Ilmacheonwang once more. He glances around, then drops to one knee again. "Let's test on him." "Excuse me? My King?" "Will he not die?" "He won't die. He's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠semi-immortal."