Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 040
Chapter Title: The Futile End of Long Ages
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Chasing down something that flies while running on the ground is next to impossible.
That might be feasible across open plains, but navigating mountains, rivers, treacherous canyons, and winding paths along the way—no matter how fast you run, it's futile.
Yet Awin managed that astonishing feat even with Shan riding on his back.
Far ahead, the lord of Castaman Castle flew onward, but Awin swam across a narrow stream, scaled low hills, and leaped between cliffs several meters wide.
Shan couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the vampire glancing back in horror, flapping its wings even more frantically.
A high vampire should treat humans as mere prey, but anyone could see that it was the prey right now.
The pursuit ended about five minutes later.
The vampire gave up flying and slowly descended to the ground.
'As expected.'
Flying monsters fall into two categories: those with wings instead of arms, and those with separate wings on their backs.
The former can soar as freely as true birds, but the latter often face limits on speed and duration.
Sir Darcal had guessed it was because they couldn't leverage their shoulder and arm muscles.
In any case, with bat wings sprouting from its back, this one couldn't stay airborne for long.
As Shan urged Awin closer, the castle lord bellowed in a grave, sinister voice that belied its grotesque appearance.
"You there! I have a message for your master—halt!"
Caught off guard by the unexpected overture, Shan reined in instead of charging straight into combat.
About thirty meters separated them—far enough to prevent a sudden ambush, close enough to converse at a shout.
"What is it?"
"Tell him I'll change the deal! I don't need a new territory! Acknowledging the area around Castaman Castle as my domain will suffice—just call off this outrage at once!"
Shan puzzled over the bizarre words for a moment before realizing the vampire mistook him for Prince Elvin's executioner, their trading partner.
Should he play along, say he'd relay the message to lower its guard, then strike?
He considered it briefly but dismissed the idea—no need.
Truth be told, he was curious to see a true high vampire's power firsthand.
Since things had come to this, why not have a proper fight?
"Or what?"
"Insolent whelp! You think a pup like you can stand against me? I am Kudrak, lord of the night and sovereign of shadows, heir to noble blood! I retreated only because you came in a swarm! A single knight is no match for me!"
Infuriated by Shan's curt retort, the vampire Kudrak roared.
Its voice carried a malevolent force, much like a great monster's roar, that crushed the human mind and body.
But neither Shan nor Awin faltered under its pressure.
Thanks to the monster blood in their unique lineage.
"A lord? A sovereign? Says the guy who bolted first..."
Shan muttered in disbelief, then spurred Awin into a charge. The vampire glared at him with bulging eyes.
The moment their blood-red gazes locked, Shan felt his consciousness yanked from his body, drawn toward the foe.
The same enchantment magic as the priest-impersonating vampire earlier—but far stronger...
"Hoo—"
Yet a single deep breath shattered the mental assault.
The iron wall of resolve forged in Shan's soul from blood and tears dispersed it effortlessly.
Better than the earlier one, which hadn't even made him dizzy.
'What?'
The vampire's eyes widened in shock as it realized.
In its centuries of life, it had clashed with knights dozens of times.
Even seasoned ones typically froze for seconds or tumbled from their mounts on first encounter.
To shrug off its trump card with a mere breath? Unthinkable!
"Kaaak!"
With enchantment failed, it resorted to other means.
The two-meter-tall bat-human leaped, slashing hooked talons at Shan's head.
Wings aided its glide, turning it into a plummeting overhead strike.
Far swifter and stronger than the previous vampire.
But to eyes perceiving it all in slow motion, it was just another predictable ploy.
Shan calmly thrust his spear with his right hand while deflecting the talons with his left arm's shield.
"Kek—"
This time, his spear carried not 'Pierce' or 'Impact,' but 'Destruction.'
The enchanted spear didn't just impale— it blasted a hole fist-sized through its heart and out the side.
Shan galloped a dozen meters away, wheeled around, and saw the heartless vampire in tatters.
The wound writhed, desperate to regenerate, proving the magic had taken hold.
"You dare—!"
Despite its missing heart, the vampire shrieked coherently and gestured. Black blood gushing from its chest surged upward.
A blood spell, rare among modern humans, practically the domain of monsters.
Vampires' signature: blood magic.
"Oh...!"
Dozens of gem-like blood shards hurtled forth. Shan traced their paths and began intercepting with his spear.
Only those veering toward Awin, not himself.
Precisely wielding a three-meter spear to swat finger-sized projectiles aimed at his mount demanded superhuman skill.
Beyond imagination for ordinary knights.
Even Shan felt his head heat from the focus, leaving little room to guard himself.
Tatang! Blood crystals pelted his plate armor like hail on tin, the impacts ringing through his body.
One veered for his face; Shan tilted his head, glancing it off his helmet.
Scratches and dents marred the armor, but none penetrated.
The defensive spells for the joust had held, justifying the expense.
Even with 'Impact' intent rather than 'Pierce,' it withstood a knight's lance charge.
Yet it still scratched this much—leather-clad soldiers would've been obliterated.
Thinking how Awin might've been gravely hurt otherwise, Shan stroked his mane.
'Need to get him that horse armor soon.'
Like human armor, it had to be custom-fit; off-the-shelf wouldn't do for Awin's massive frame.
He'd commissioned it—hopefully ready by his return to the capital.
While Shan fretted over his steed, the vampire gaped in horror.
Not just blocking its ace spell, but tanking hits to shield the horse?
It was outright mockery: 'I can block yours easily, but I'll take them to prove it.'
"You! What are you!? Surely not the Marquis Abel... No, he'd be old by now—"
"Thanks for the compliment."
Pendia's strongest knight—someone Shan would eventually surpass—being invoked elicited a casual thanks before another charge.
The vampire twisted its ugly mug and conjured a massive blood shield from its unhealed wound.
One meter wide, two tall, forged of black blood—like obsidian.
But Shan's lance charge shattered the proud defense effortlessly.
He leaf-blade speared the vampire's head from its body, skewering it like a shish kebab.
"Can't talk now, huh?"
The head's mouth flapped, but only hissed air—no words.
The headless body struggled upright but kept toppling, balance lost—comical.
'Silver, then... Ah, left the powder.'
Remembering the silver dust in the gear he'd unloaded from Awin earlier, Shan clicked his tongue.
Luckily, a substitute existed.
Hand to his collar, the cyan material wrapping his torso slithered like a snake into his grasp.
"Fancy way to go for a vampire."
True silver, like its name, destroyed evil as pure silver did.
Shaping the pure true silver cloth into a longsword, he plunged it into the headless torso.
It erupted in white light, burning as if dusted with silver powder.
Then, a slash across the horrified ugly face ended centuries of monstrous life.
After slaying the castle lord, Shan scooped the remaining vampire ashes into an empty pouch and found a fist-sized magic stone.
A bit small, but potent from a strong foe—useful.
Maybe ask Princess Sherin to craft defensive gear from it as payment for the next commission.
Returning to Castaman Castle, Shan was greeted unexpectedly by weary Roden and battered mercenaries.
They'd somehow opened the gates and stood guard, beaming as he approached.
"What happened? Why leave the villagers unattended?"
"Lesser vampires hiding inside swarmed out... We subdued them, fortunately."
Shan asked Roden gravely,
"No one hurt?"
Lesser vampires could take mercenaries, and in numbers, even goblins could overwhelm him if thousands swarmed.
"We're fine. With the village guards joining forces, we managed."
Monster hunters by trade, they'd pulled their weight.
Worth a bonus.
"I should be asking you that, Sir Shan—off to fight the boss. Sounds like quite the racket."
Now that he mentioned it, scratches riddled his plate armor, suggesting a fierce battle.
In truth, a one-sided slaughter from overwhelming skill and gear.
Shan grinned sheepishly and handed over the ashes.
"Here, that guy from earlier."
"You got him—good. Can we enter now?"
They'd held the gate against more high vampires.
Shan and Roden posted mercenaries to block passage.
Villagers, having seen vampires pour from the castle, fully trusted and obeyed Shan—no extra guards needed.
Inside, corpses drained by vampires greeted them first—likely castle servants.
"Ugh... gruesome."
Roden groaned, offering a brief prayer; Shan followed suit.
They scoured the castle—easy for two.
A few servant quarters, utility rooms, lord's chambers—that was it.
Disappointingly, the centuries-old vampire wasn't wealthy.
Living in this backwater, snacking on farmers monthly—hardly riches.
Castaman was crown land, ignored due to barrenness—no taxes to squeeze.
The lordship traded hands until monsters moved in.
Roden found papers in the lord's room, read them, and frowned.
"Oh, this could stir trouble if leaked."
"What?"
"Letters from Prince Elvin and the vampire's diary."
No idiot, the prince avoided explicit hits on his brother and followers.
Veiled metaphors, deniably noble.
But the recipient's diary decoded it all—enough to tarnish the prince, just from the exchange.
"Burn it?"
"Tempting, but... give it to Princess Sherin. More use to her."
Pin the incident on Prince Konrad's schemes to redirect Elvin's wrath—easier maneuvering.
Publicly, just clearing a vampire nest—Elvin couldn't complain.
Behind scenes, different story.
Reading further, Roden tsked: the vampires' outbreak reason.
"What?"
"They were farming lesser vampires into high ones on purpose."
Normal vampires roam from deep Demon Realm, feeding till death; survivors of masses of humans become high ones.
Capture and feed lesser ones humans—eventually highs emerge.
Kudrak kept charmed lesser vampires underground, hunting nightly with them.
The fake priest was one such product.
"Charm broke when the lord fled?"
"Likely."
Obvious even to magic novices like them.
More shockingly, not Kudrak's solo act—commissioned by 'the Council.'
"Council? Sounds like a mage guild."
"High vampire gathering, probably."
"Monsters forming clubs?"
Diary vague on members, but some infiltrated human society with influence.
Shan tsked.
"This blows up huge..."
A cabal of high vampires lurking among humans?
Vague suspicions maybe, but never official.
Roden sighed, closing the diary.
"Hand this to the princess too. Better intel network."
She wasn't their guardian, but Shan proved himself her sharpest blade this job.
No fool, she'd protect him.
Packing valuables, they gathered villagers, mixing truth and lies.
The lord and priest: ancient vampires disguising as humans. Sir Shan learned by chance and came to slay them.
"No way..."
"For real?"
"Didn't you see monsters swarm from the castle?"
"Yeah, and a flying one. Saw the priest transform too."
"Explains all the vampires lately! Jami got bit last month."
Shocked but not panicked—forewarned, and evidence aplenty.
Only slain servants' families wept.
"The lord a vampire... shocking."
"Shocking my ass! Suspicious from day one."
"Anyone can say that."
"No, really? Skin all pallid, never mingled... weird."
Kudrak wasn't popular—didn't oppress, but didn't protect either.
Rural lords often act as village chiefs; neglect soured opinion.
"So, who's next lord?"
"Heir son dead too..."
"If real vampire, fake son anyway, idiot!"
The 'son': human boy Kudrak used as disguise.
Each generation, a lookalike kid till grown—then kill and impersonate.
This heir died to freed vampires.
"Perhaps...?"
Gazes turned hopefully to Shan.
In monster-ridden Pendia, a mighty knight alone was a reliable guardian.