Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 109
>Chapter Title: Partnership, You Say?
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After catching up in a whirlwind of reminiscences, Aster and Shine settled into a calm conversation.
Of course, "calm" here was strictly from Aster's perspective.
To Shine, it was a dialogue peppered with violence.
‘……This rotten bastard.’
Shine rubbed his stinging forehead and took in the sight of Aster sitting across from him.
“Hmm, so that’s how it went down? Man, it’s kinda…… hard to believe.”
Leaning back in his chair, foot tapping idly. For someone who claimed it was unbelievable, he seemed far too nonchalant.
It was hard to believe this was the same guy who’d charged at him with murderous intent like a wildfire at their first meeting!
‘……Demon of a man.’
He’s itching to hit me more.
- Hmm, got any proof?
- Proof? Isn’t this body proof enough, you idiot…… Ack!
- Idiot? Idiot? Who’s the idiot?
The moment he seized on the tiniest slip-up, a knuckle rapped against his forehead—and it hurt like hell.
Try to block it clumsily?
- Block it? Block it?
Two, three in rapid succession.
Humiliating.
‘How did Shine von Leman end up like this……?’
A punch to the jaw or a kick to the shin would’ve felt less pathetic, at least.
But no—it was like scolding a brat, flicking his forehead repeatedly, obsessively, in the exact same spot.
The tears pricking at the corners of his eyes weren’t from pain, but sheer humiliation.
‘……Just you wait. It’s only because I’ve just become a vampire and haven’t built up my strength yet…….’
He’d pay back this humiliation tenfold—no, a hundredfold, a thousandfold with interest!
“So, let’s sum it up…….”
Anyway, as Shine burned with vengeful fury, Aster spoke up.
“You got that mission from the Elder to revive the vampire race.”
“……That’s right.”
“And in exchange, you were brought back to life like this.”
“……Correct.”
“From now on, you have to grow the clan to bring about that revival?”
How many times did he have to repeat it?
At the question, already asked multiple times, Shine felt his anger boiling. But that lasted only a moment.
“Yeees.”
Superhuman patience.
‘Just one more time…… and revival be damned, I’ll kill you even if it costs me my life today…….’
His hatred was visceral.
But perhaps sensing it, Aster didn’t repeat the question.
“Hmm, got it.”
“…….”
The guy really had a knack for pissing people off.
Shine was bracing himself—one more time, just once more, and he’d explode, dead or alive—but Aster cut the timing perfectly, like a ghost.
‘Endure it. I have to endure.’
Meanwhile, as Shine tested the limits of his patience, Aster sank into thought.
‘Does this…… even make sense?’
Contrary to Shine’s assumptions, he hadn’t asked just to smack him around.
It was literally an unbelievable story, so he’d asked over and over for real.
And who could blame him? Think about it.
‘……A vampire?’
Fine, let’s say it’s possible.
Sure, it was dismissed as a fictional race from fairy tales or mere fantasy. But reality always outdid imagination in its absurdity.
But a guy who’d died twice coming back as a vampire?
‘Is that even possible?’
No clue.
According to him, it was due to the vampire clan’s racial traits, some special conditions, and the immense price vampires paid in ancient times.
The nitty-gritty details were beyond him anyway—he was just thinking in terms of common sense.
But even by "common sense," it was impossible to buy.
Even with the evidence right in front of him…… Shine himself proving every word, it was still hard to swallow.
But that doubt didn’t last.
Soon enough, he had no choice but to believe.
‘If my regression and borrowing my past life’s form and power to fight Destrow makes sense, then this does too, right?’
If anything, his own story was even more absurd.
Following that line of reasoning, he eventually accepted Shine’s resurrection……
A sudden question popped into his mind.
“But why’d you come here?”
“……Huh?”
“No, I mean, you’ve gotta revive the clan, right? Doesn’t that keep you busy?”
“Uh, well…….”
A brief silence.
“……Yeah, why did I?”
It might’ve sounded a bit ungrateful.
Shine was Aster’s lifesaver, a comrade-in-arms who’d fought by his side. And yet, here he was asking, "Why’d you come?"
But even Shine couldn’t retort because he didn’t know the reason himself.
‘Yeah, why did I seek out this scheming bastard?’
Truth was, that’s how it was.
Their brief time together hadn’t been bad.
But with his mission ahead, why bother tracking down this sleazeball?
To brag about saving his life? ……No.
If he’d wanted repayment, he wouldn’t have sacrificed himself like that.
Flash.
A glint crossed Aster’s eyes right then.
“You got nowhere else to go, huh?”
“Why wouldn’t I have somewhe—yeah, I don’t.”
Thinking about it, he really didn’t.
His old connections from life? All 200 years dead and buried, unless they were undead like him.
Visit their families? And say what?
— Hey, I hung out with your ancestors! We ate, drank, the works!
Yeah, right.
Lucky if he didn’t get run through with a sword.
Or go to the burial site of House Leman’s retainers as originally planned…….
‘How?’
As a Death Knight, he’d vaguely thought he’d head to the Great Forest and "find it." But now that it was real……
Overwhelming.
A fallen noble house. Even if he’d become the emperor’s assassin after its destruction, would a traitor’s lineage leave any traces intact?
And besides.
Wandering the continent alone after his house’s fall, Shine knew one thing for sure.
‘……Everything costs money.’
Food, sleep, fighting.
Even breathing.
Did he have money? No. A clear identity? Nope.
“Hey.”
“……Speak.”
Shine set aside his jumbled thoughts at Aster’s voice.
But why……
‘This guy’s eyes…….’
They looked dangerous.
Exactly like…… right, the look before the subordination bracelet contract.
“You don’t know how harsh the world out there is, do you?”
“……I do.”
“You’ve gotta revive the clan. But the world’s no picnic these days. Vampires? The mages would lose their minds if they found out.”
“…….”
“From what I see, it’s less ‘clan revival’ and more ‘locked in some no-name mage’s lab as research material.’”
“Cut the crap! Do you even know who I—”
“Yeah, yeah. The Master Knight who got into a brawl with a traumatized mage, right?”
“…….”
True.
“And the vampire who got beaten to a pulp by some Pathfinder.”
That too.
But Shine didn’t yield to fact-based violence.
“Sure, right now I’m weak ’cause I haven’t sucked a drop of blood……!”
“Yeah, but sucking one or two won’t cut it. How long would that even take?”
“…….”
Lost for words, perhaps.
Shine clamped his mouth shut.
Aster smirked at him.
The intent in his eyes grew bolder, unhidden.
“You’re a Lord or whatever, so your lifespan’s basically endless, right?”
“…….”
“So, a hundred years should be fine, yeah?”
From what he’d heard, even non-Lord vampires outlived humans by miles.
A fact Shine had instinctively known the moment he became one—no explanation needed.
Common knowledge injected by the Elder for a human-born Lord.
“Do one job with me.”
“You scheming—!”
Shine erupted right then.
“How much more do you plan to exploit me? Thinking back to being treated like a parasite slave because of your silver tongue, I still wake up in a cold sweat……!”
“You don’t even sleep.”
Visibly indignant, Shine radiated menace. But Aster just picked his ear, unfazed.
That’s how it always went.
Once losing ground to facts, all that was left was raising your voice.
“I’m not saying work for free, okay? Think of it as…… yeah. A partnership. Partnership, got it?”
“……A partnership?”
Aster nodded.
“Think about it. How tough is it surviving as a lone vampire? How do you grow the clan? Housing? Blood supply?”
“Well, yeah, but…….”
“I’m not saying slave away till I drop. We help each other. You help me, I help you.”
Shine’s eyes wavered.
‘He’s almost hooked.’
But having been burned once, Shine didn’t bite easily.
“You even know what you’re planning? What if it’s founding an empire? Wiping out a noble house?”
“Hey, who’re you calling a con artist.”
“Can’t trust you. So…… right, there’s this ‘Blood Oath.’”
“Blood Oath?”
Shine nodded and pricked his index finger with a fang.
Drip.
A drop of blood fell onto the table. But was this really vampire blood? The mana within was extraordinary.
“This is a Lord’s power. During the oath, not a single lie can be spoken. Once bound, we stake our lives on fulfilling it.”
Sizzle—
The blood drop, glowing strangely, spread into an arcane magic circle.
“If you’re so aboveboard, drop your blood on it. Promise the oath…… and I’ll consider partnering with you.”
A bold move from Shine.
The Blood Oath was a Lord’s authority.
Once made, no new oaths could be formed until it dissolved.
Using it on Aster without hesitation meant two things.
One.
‘……I can’t trust this guy at all.’
Not a lack of honor. Just couldn’t trust that silver tongue.
Two.
‘Setting aside the tongue…… his skills are the real deal.’
No idea why he hid his face.
But for a mage, realm meant power.
Regardless of origins, that level meant he’d carved out a solid position, affiliation be damned.
Strength and backing.
Calculated for both!
“Gotta go that far?”
“Ha! Spouting more lies?”
“No, it’s not that…….”
Shine smirked triumphantly at Aster’s weak response.
“For me, you’re the only option. If you need my help, let’s join hands on equal terms this time.”
Give and take, in other words.
You get what you give.
A perfectly reasonable transaction, of course. Smirking like that was almost comical.
But Shine strutted because he’d grown too accustomed to slave life.
“……Fine, if you insist.”
Aster sighed, drew blood from his finger, and let it fall onto the oath.
“So, what do you want from me?”
“Me? Nothing grand. Tch, you don’t appreciate my goodwill toward a comrade.”
“Shut up and spit it out.”
Shine eyed Aster’s blood seeping into the oath and grinned.
‘Goodwill? As if you know the meaning of the word.’
Pretending to the end.
But this time, the pretense wouldn’t save him.
The oath would expose every lie, lay his true intentions bare.
Gloating, he stared at Aster—then Aster scratched his head and spoke.
“I’m simple, y’know.”
“Simple?”
“Yeah. Just open a library and live peacefully. That’s all I want.”
“What bullshit—huh?”
Hum—
The magic circle glowed.
At the clear chime, Shine tilted his head.
‘……The truth?’
“No way, that’s ridic—!”
This guy running a library? He’d burn one down before opening it. Peace? The furthest thing from this schemer!
But Aster kept going.
“To help revive your vampire clan, I planned to throw all my status and power behind you.”
Hum—
‘……Truth again?’
Shine’s eyes shook violently at the resounding chime.
Aster’s wistful voice reached his ears.
“……So, believe me now?”
“W-What…….”
But the shock was brief.
“I must’ve misjudged you.”
“Believe me? Or not?”
Aster’s sharp question made Shine steady himself. Deep breaths. Then he opened his mouth—
“I believe—urk.”
Screech—!
A piercing ring echoed in his ears.
“…….”
“…….”
Neither spoke.
After a moment’s silence, Aster broke it.
“Yeah, I get it. I’ve done stuff, so it makes sense you’d doubt.”
“……Sorry.”
Regret dripped from his voice.
‘……Well, he’s human too. Wouldn’t stab his lifesaver in the back.’
He’d insulted pure goodwill with baseless suspicion. Shine wasn’t big on honor, but this was rude enough.
“I apologize sincerely. And shamelessly…… I know it must’ve soured you, but will you still help me? We can skip the oath.”
Rarely serious, Shine. Aster curled his lips.
“That’s what friends are for.”
“You……!”
“And let’s do the oath. It’ll put your mind at ease. Term…… how about until my library’s built? Oh, and if vampire clan stuff comes up before then, I’ll help as much as I can.”
Touched by the generosity, Shine’s eyes reddened.
“……I viewed you too harshly all this time.”
“What matters is ahead.”
Aster’s warm smile. Or not. Hidden under the mask, it was smug as hell.
Truth was, the harsh gaze wasn’t Shine’s toward Aster.
……It was Aster himself.