Chapter 419: Elder, Ain, Yeiling, and Human - 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 419: Elder, Ain, Yeiling, and Human - 2
Kavila only stopped after raising all kinds of hell. Pushing back the humans who had nearly died, she commanded her Dragonfang Puppets to gather the seafood scattered across the tidal flats. The bone-clawed puppets lacked human dexterity, but they still had enough sense to distinguish the stunned fish and pick them up.
A Leviathan is a crisis, but it is also an opportunity. Amidst the great changes wrought by the colossal sea beast, humans were wise enough to pick up the scraps. Sea creatures stunned by the Cloud Manta’s fins had been swept in with the tsunami, and all humans had to do to claim them was bend over and pick them up. From fish they had never seen before to hermit crabs and lobsters, the day’s harvest from the tidal flats was immense.
Watching from the highlands, I let out an unconscious whistle.
“Wow. So if you’re an Elder, you can even fight a tsunami and win.”
“She’d have to be at least that strong. They were a power that once rivaled the Sanctum, you know~.”
“Hilde. If the Six Generals and an Elder fought, who would win?”
It was one of those ‘versus’ matchups that men supposedly love. Hilde squinted her eyes and shot back.
“Sir, are you a child?”
“Well, I am one of the few young people left in this land.”
“Who in their right mind would fight an Elder trying to win? They don’t die even if you hit them.”
She dismissed it as a childish question, but Hilde was a member of the Military State’s Public Safety division. It was impossible that she hadn’t compared our nation’s military strength with others, especially a neighboring country that used human blood as a resource. She spoke as if grumbling to herself.
“The Six Generals are those who have reached the apex of human talent. With the unwavering support of the Military State, if a General were to risk death and burn away all their talent… for a single moment, they might just surpass an Elder.”
Because they were living humans, and because they could change in a short amount of time. If all that power and change were focused on a single point, a strike that had reached the pinnacle of its art could reach even an Elder. Hilde was certain of it.
“But the Elder still wouldn’t die.”
Yet, the inability to win was Hilde’s—and by extension, the Military State’s—weakness.
The power of a vampire is akin to an Arcane. No matter how talented one is, no matter how much they hone their skills, a power on par with an Arcane is needed to kill them.
Unfortunately, the Military State had no such thing. The only power that came close was… the holy blade forged by the Saintess, Eimeder the Envoy. And even that was saddled with numerous restrictions, like needing the power of the Signallers and only being effective within the borders of the Military State.
“Fortunately, the Elders don’t leave the Duchy of Mist~. Outside the Duchy, there’s no darkness to block the sunlight or the Sanctum’s foresight. To a vampire, the world outside the mist is as blinding as pitch-black darkness. Therefore, for the Duchy of Mist to project its power, it needs an outside connection.”
“And the Military State plans to be that connection, right? Using me as the link.”
“It’s a grand strategy, but don’t get me wrong, alright? Even without the connection to Tyrkanzyaka, you’re valuable enough on your own, Sir!”
“Thanks. That was surprisingly comforting.”
In any case, this means the target of my investigation is a monster like that? Everyone knows I’m Tyr’s consort, so she probably won’t attack me… but things could get dangerous if I push her too far. I’d better be careful.
“If an Elder tries to kill me, burn every last drop of your life to stop them, even if only for a single moment.”
“You brought ‘me’ along as a bodyguard?!”
“That, among other things.”
I approached Kavila.
She was in the middle of distributing the seafood her Dragonfang Puppets had brought. Humans holding baskets accepted their share, thanking her profusely. Kavila replied absentmindedly, handing out the fish with no particular emotion.
This wasn't an act born from a sense of fulfillment or superiority. A vampire cannot be moved by such trivial emotions. It was simply, purely, an action that had become second nature to Kavila.
Kavila grumbled to herself as she worked with her own hands.
“My sister has returned, and what am I doing here… Right, next.”
When it was the next person’s turn, I quietly stepped forward and held out my basket. For a moment, Kavila’s face started to brighten… before it turned cold and sank.
“Sister!… Wait. Sister didn’t come with you?”
“No. It’s just me for now.”
“I thought you came together. How useless. Why is a mere consort like you wandering around instead of staying by Sister’s side? You should be doing your duty, comforting her.”
I lowered my voice and whispered to the grumbling vampire.
“I have something urgent to discuss regarding the late Mr. Luscynia.”
“What right do you have?”
“As Tyr’s consort.”
From the side, I heard a voice pipe up, “Oh, so you’re calling yourself that so naturally now~,” but I ignored it. Kavila’s scowl deepened as she glanced around. The fishermen were watching us, their eyes filled with curiosity.
“Let’s go somewhere else.”
East of Plenilune Castle was Kavila’s domain: the Bloodweaver Workshop.
From the outside, it looked no different from an ordinary textile workshop. Clack, clack. The sound of spinning wheels echoed rhythmically as red thread was meticulously woven into red cloth. So far, it was a common sight that could be found anywhere.
…If it weren’t for the Dragonfang Puppets turning the wheels.
Skeletons spun the wheels. Skeletons wound the thread. Skeletons wove the cloth. The sight of beings who needed skin more than clothes making fabric was not just bizarre, but comical.
Further inside, the scene grew even more grotesque. All manner of bones and skins were neatly displayed on the walls. A good number of them appeared to be human. Countless bones and skins were pierced or bound by red thread, looking as if they were caught in a spiderweb.
The identity of that red thread was Blood Silk, spun from blood. It was the source of Kavila’s power, and the reason she was called the Bloodweaver.
She controlled the Dragonfang Puppets by wrapping the Blood Silk around their bones or implanting it within them. The giant spine Kavila had controlled earlier was also manipulated with Bloodcraft, by inserting Blood Silk through its core.
After leading me inside, Kavila turned to her retainer.
“Chasey. Wait outside. Don’t let anyone in.”
“Yes, Lady Kavila.”
Chasey obeyed Kavila’s command without a hint of question or curiosity. Kavila then pointed at Hilde.
“You, get out too.”
“What? But ‘I’m’ the Sir’s bodyguard.”
“You think I would harm the consort my Sister took in? The most dangerous one here is you. Just worry about protecting yourself.”
Her words implied that while she couldn't harm me, she might attack Hilde if things went south. Hilde grumbled as she walked out. Soon, only Kavila and I remained.
Kavila placed a doll on the table, then climbed onto her chair and sat down with a sullen expression.
“Did Sister send you?”
“No. Tyr didn’t send me.”
“Tch, I’m so jealous. You’re the only one who gets to call Sister by her pet name…”
Grumbling, Kavila manipulated her Blood Silk, making a teddy bear move. The bear shot up on the table and pointed a finger at me.
“Luscynia’s death is none of your business! This is a Duchy matter, so you just take good care of the blood you’re meant to offer Sister. Don’t smoke those mana herbs, and don’t drink alcohol. And eat greasy things in moderation!”
“How kind of you to care about such minor details.”
“Whaaat? Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t have a single drop of a reason to care about you! I’m doing it for Sister! This isn’t a recommendation, it’s a warning. It’s necessary to maintain the taste of your blood! You should make an effort while your blood still tastes decent. It’ll be too late to regret it after you’ve been thrown away!”
This, too, was her pure, shameless, and honest opinion.
Kavila wasn’t worried about me; she was worried about Tyr, who would be the one to drink my blood. She was giving me genuine advice out of fear that my blood might lose its flavor.
It didn’t matter to me, of course, since my blood had already been declared tasteless.
“Well, let’s just say that’s the case.”
“Don’t just ‘say that’s the case’! This is important! Sister has never taken a human consort before. You must do your utmost so that Sister can enjoy you from head to toe!”
“I’ve already arranged to make my efforts tonight when I visit Tyr’s room.”
“W-what? In Sister’s room…?”
‘A place even I have never set foot in… What is he planning to do there? Don’t tell me, is she going to bite his neck…?’
Kavila flinched and hugged her doll tightly, beginning to imagine the most shameless scenario she could conjure. In her imagination, Tyr was embracing me, affectionately hugging my neck….
…Well, for a vampire with no sense of touch, I guess that’s the most shameless thing they can imagine.
“A consort doesn’t necessarily have to offer blood. The reason I became Tyr’s consort is because I granted her wish.”
“Granted her wish? The likes of you?”
“Have you already forgotten what I am?”
Kavila glared at me from behind her doll.
“The King of Humans? But I heard you’re a has-been.”
“Ouch. Right where it hurts.”
“I heard you don’t have the power of a Beast King. And looking at you now, I don’t feel any aura at all.”
“Unfortunately, that’s true. However, Tyr is also human. I have a faint understanding of what she wants, and thanks to that, I’ve secured the position of consort. Something no Elder has ever managed to do.”
“Grrr… I’m so jealous… no, that’s cowardly…”
Kavila loves Tyr. No, all Elders can’t help but revere and worship Tyr. The only beings who can make a vampire feel anything are higher-ranking vampires. The same went for Elders; they needed the Progenitor to feel the pull of blood.
But now that Tyr has lost her dominion….
“And now, I have a faint idea of what’s worrying Tyr.”
This could get dangerous for me. I needed to emphasize my backing more clearly. I spoke, mixing in a slight fabrication.
“That perhaps an Elder is behind Luscynia’s murder.”
Kavila’s expression turned ice-cold.