Volume 10 Chapter 68 Arch-Enemy
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Pops~~~~~~~~!!”
A high-pitched, piercing voice rang out through the midnight streets.
Wagging a slightly plump tail, a Tanuki Beastkin came thumping toward him at a dead run.
This was Gonmi.
”Pops, this is super bad-ssu! Those are Vampires over there!”
”I know that! Don’t shout so loud, you’ll draw them right to us,” said Boit.
”Aren’t we going to fight?!”
”You moron, we’re rear support! Just shut up and bolt!”
Gonmi hadn’t been with the Brigante Troop¹ for long, but she had made herself at home remarkably fast.
Somewhere along the line, she’d struck up a solid rapport with Boit; back in Sanrid, the two of them could be seen patrolling the town together, mostly looking for any valuables that hadn’t been nailed down.
”What do you think happens if they catch us? Do they suck us dry?”
”Obviously. They won’t care if you’re a Beastkin. In fact, they probably prefer young blood. If they spot you, they’ll be lining up for a taste,” Boit replied.
”No way! My blood doesn’t just gush out forever like Bunbuku Chagama²-ssu!”
They reached a house they were passing and shoved their handcart into the garden to hide it.
Boit threw a sheet over the pile of looted valuables, intending to come back for them later.
Once unburdened, the two began to skulk through the shadows of the buildings.
”Damn, they’re crawling all over the place,” muttered Boit.
The sounds of battle echoed from every direction.
Roars, screams—it was a symphony of slaughter that conjured images of a living hell.
It seemed the Vampires were raiding indiscriminately.
If Boit and Gonmi were spotted, they’d be torn apart in seconds.
”Hieee… what do we do, what do we do?”
”You’re shaking too much. If it comes to the worst, just cut off your golden balls and offer ’em up. Tanuki balls are made of gold, aren’t they?”
”There’s no way that’s true! Besides, Gonmi is a girl-ssu! A blooming maiden doesn’t have balls-ssu! Also, I’m at that age where if I’m in a crowd, I can’t help but look for handsome guys…”
Gonmi wagged her tail furiously in protest.
Boit, however, wasn’t listening to the “blooming maiden’s” shrieking; he was too busy scanning the sky.
When a patrolling Vampire turned its back, he gave the signal.
They tried to dash across the street to the next shadow, but the Vampire spun around and locked eyes with them.
”H-he saw us-ssu!”
”Stop making those pathetic noises! Use your transformation! Do the thing!”
”Transformation-ssu?! Even if I change my shape, I don’t get any stronger! And even if I grow wings, I can’t actually fly! A tanuki isn’t a flying squirrel!”
”I know that! Just shut up and turn into a dragon!”
Boit had handled countless slaves in his time, but he had never commanded anyone quite as noisy as her.
But since he’d set all his other slaves free, she was the only one left to help him work.
”Ku… I guess I have to do it!”
With a face pale from terror, Gonmi pulled two leaves from her pocket.
She placed one on her head.
”Konoha Transformation!”
The sound of tanuki drums echoed as she slapped her belly, and a cloud of white smoke erupted, masking the area.
From within the thick fog, a massive neck rose.
A dragon, easily ten meters long, materialized on the spot.
”What?!” The descending Vampire froze, his face twisting in shock.
Hidden behind the dragon’s leg and the lingering smoke, Boit flashed a predatory grin.
Seeing the enemy flinch, the dragon took the second leaf from its claws and placed it on its head.
”Konoha, Unzaka Oonyuudou Masamune!”
She doubled down on the magic, piling on the pressure.
The dragon let out a thunderous roar.
(This is just an illusionary spell to crank the volume…) But it did the trick.
Vampires flying in the vicinity were startled, their attention snapping toward the dragon all at once.
”Wait, you went too far, you idiot!” hissed Boit.
The transformation was purely cosmetic.
To sound like a dragon, she’d used the spell to crank the volume, but it backfired.
Instead of scaring them off, Vampires from all over the district began swarming toward the noise.
”Seven shapes for the fox, eight for the tanuki! A tanuki won’t be outdone by some fox! Come and get some!!”
”You moron, you just said your strength doesn’t change! Why are you acting so tough now, hey?!”
Boit watched in despair as the dragon started blinking its eyes nervously—a surreal sight that made him want to bury his face in his hands.
A boss has to clean up his subordinate’s messes.
Gonmi was too big to run now.
Boit had two choices: leave her to die or fight.
He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out two scrolls.
”Earth Wall!”
It was earth magic he’d kept for escaping the gendarmerie.
As the scroll unfurled, a massive stone wall rose between the dragon and the Vampires.
”Pops! The wall isn’t high enough-ssu! Half my body is still sticking out-ssu!”
”Shut up! You grew too big, you damn octopus!”
”I’m a tanuki-ssu!”
Boit opened the second scroll.
It contained a hybrid formula of fire and wind.
He triggered the mana and, seeing Gonmi looking over her shoulder while the enemy closed in from the front, he chucked the glowing scroll into her massive maw.
”Vampa!”
The dragon spat fire.
The scroll in Gonmi’s mouth erupted, and the wind magic fanned the flames into a devastating torrent of heat.
”No way… is it a real dragon?!”
”Damn it, they summoned a dragon!”
”Fugyaaaaaa?!”
The dragon’s scream sounded enough like a roar of pain or fury that the Vampires scrambled backward in a panic.
”Did it work? Good! Drop the transformation, Gonmi! We’re getting out of here!”
”Okay…”
Sputtering smoke from her mouth, Gonmi was scooped up by Boit.
They vanished into the haze.
The fire from the dragon’s breath had set the nearby buildings ablaze, and the resulting smoke provided just enough cover for their escape.
”There! Humans over there!”
”Geh!”
But the battlefield was crawling with Vampires.
Luck wasn’t that cheap in this hellscape.
A group of winged shadows spotted Boit with the tanuki girl slung over his shoulder.
”Hey, that’s a woman.”
”A young Beastkin girl.”
”Don’t kill that one. Capture her!”
Three of them dived, their voices thick with naked lust.
”Tch. These bastards live through their dicks,” Boit spat.
Boit was obsessively greedy when it came to money, but he was relatively decent when it came to women.
Whenever he dealt with types like this, he usually just exploited their urges for his own gain.
Meaning, if he dropped Gonmi now, his chances of survival would skyrocket.
If it was a choice between life and death, the cold, pragmatic choice was the “best” one.
Boit was a man capable of making that choice.
”God damn it all!!”
Instead, Boit broke into a full-out sprint, still clutching Gonmi.
He wasn’t so weak that he couldn’t abandon someone out of pity—he was a man who could cut his losses to survive.
But unfortunately, Gonmi was just too much of a disaster.
The more useless and high-maintenance a kid was, the more they grew on you.
She was close to his daughter’s age, and he just couldn’t bring himself to drop her.
”Pops… this tanuki is done for. Please, just leave me…”
”Oh? How noble. So it’s fine if I leave you right here?”
”Ah— wait! Don’t you dare! I’m never letting go! I don’t want to! If we die, we die together! No, no, no!”
She locked her arms and legs around the old man like a vice.
But Boit mercilessly peeled her off and tossed her aside.
The tanuki girl scrambled up, thinking she’d been abandoned, only to realize they were in a dead end.
Boit, unfamiliar with the city layout, had run out of luck.
Gonmi cowered as the Vampires landed.
”P-P-Pops… it’s the end of the line-ssu…!!”
”Listen, Gonmi. If they catch you, just do whatever they say. You’re gonna get raped till you break, but don’t fight it. If you’re lucky, they might at least let you live,” Boit said.
”Hieee! I knew it was mating! I don’t want any genes from anyone but a hottie! If it was going to end like this, I should’ve just married Danzaemon from back home!”
In a final act of defiance, Boit reached into his shirt.
Gonmi pulled out another leaf.
They weren’t strong enough to change anything, but they weren’t going down without a fight.
Seeing their desperation, the Vampires sneered.
”A dog-type Beastkin? They stink, but I don’t mind. Come here, little puppy. I’m gonna show you a real good time!”
”Higyaaaaa!!”
The Vampires lunged.
”Ugoah!”
The Vampire at the back was suddenly sheared in half, his torso sliding off his legs.
”What?!” The second man spun around, but a blade split his skull down the middle before he could blink.
The one in the lead tried to take to the air in a panic.
”Ogoh!”
But something plummeted from a nearby roof, skewering him through the crown of his head.
The blade sank all the way down to his jaw.
”Are you unharmed, Sir Boit?”
Landing with a quiet splash in the growing pool of blood, the figure spoke Boit’s name.
Her hair was a deep blue that looked like ink in the dark.
Clad in a classic maid outfit that looked entirely out of place in this slaughterhouse was the Hero Party’s personal maid.
”So it’s you, Suzette. And… Ada, huh.”
The woman adventurer standing nearby flicked the blood off her halberd with a violent snap.
Despite her slender frame, she possessed monstrous strength, resting the heavy hunk of iron effortlessly on her shoulder.
”That was a close one. I am glad you are safe,” Suzette said.
”Yeah. You saved our skins,” Boit replied.
”S-Suzette-san!!”
Boit played it cool, but Gonmi was a blubbering mess of relief.
The tanuki girl’s raw honesty actually managed to coax a small, rare smile from Suzette.
”Seriously. The food officer shouldn’t be such a pain in the ass,” said Ada.
”Hah?”
And there it was.
The bell for the next round.
Seeing Boit’s reaction to Ada’s jab, Suzette looked away, looking thoroughly exhausted by them already.
”Fodder who can’t fight shouldn’t be wandering around without an escort,” Ada mocked, raising her hands in a lazy gesture. “I bet you were scavenging for leftovers like a couple of beggars, weren’t you?”
”Oi, oi. Your lack of breeding is showing in that mouth of yours, Miss Adventurer,” spat Boit. “You’re the one who sneaks into the troop’s rations. Didn’t you also pick up some brat in Conro and make him lick your v**ina? Do you have a single shred of dignity or intelligence in that skull of yours? Eh?”
”Hah?! I’m a lady, thank you very much! The kid prostrated himself and begged me to let him taste me! I was just being a kind older sister and providing a special service!” Ada replied.
It happened back when the Brigante Troop³ was stationed in Conro.
There was an instance when a child, buck-naked from the waist down, came to the troop in tears to report their conduct.
The kid claimed the adventurers of the Brigante Troop had forced them to do “this and that.” To put it bluntly, the Brigante were a pack of wild animals.
Minor “incidents” were a daily occurrence; they stirred up so much trouble in so many places that even Klock couldn’t keep track of it all.
Boit and Suzette were the ones left to handle that particular idiocy.
”Both of you. We are in the middle of a war, so please, restrain yourselves,” Suzette said.
The two had been seen clashing long before this.
Apparently, they had been like oil and water from the very start.
By the time Suzette even noticed, they were already at each other’s throats.
Since they were both old acquaintances of Klock and hadn’t caused enough of a scene to actually derail the troop yet, he had mostly turned a blind eye.
”What the hell are you staring at, huh? You think that’s how you seduce a man?” Boit asked.
”Hah? Like I’d ever throw a suggestive look at a fat, balding old geezer like you. Ugh, gross! Delusional old men are so cringe!” Suzette replied.
Invisible sparks flew between them.
The sheer level of animosity was enough to make Suzette do nothing but heave a heavy sigh.
”Sir Boit. The soldiers are gathering on the north side of the castle wall. We’ll guide you there, so please come,” Suzette said.
”Heh, as expected of Suzette. A servant to a Hero Party actually knows how to be useful. Unlike some people,” Boit said.
”Hah?”
”Ah?”
”Boss, leave it at that! Keep it civil, keep it civil…!” one of the men shouted.
* * *
”This is actually more useful than I thought,” Klock said.
”Indeed. For moving in the shadows, it is incredibly potent—provided you aren’t spotted,” Lizamis replied.
”Yeah, well, if you ignore the fact that it’s game over the second we’re seen, it’s perfect,” Klock muttered.
Splat, splat.
Klock’s boots rhythmically struck the puddles of blood.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, he touched the freezing exterior wall of a building.
He felt himself soak into the stone like spilled ink, slipping through to the interior.
Klock moved directly through the structure.
The man and the creature took the shortest possible route toward Flavia’s location.
He phased through several more walls before entering a stone house.
The cloying stench of rot stung his nostrils.
Whether the owner had been gone for a long time or not, something organic was definitely decomposing inside.
He wrinkled his nose, intending to make a quick exit, but he stopped dead in his tracks.
”Is something wrong?” Lizamis asked.
”Shh,” Klock whispered.
Klock crouched low by the window.
Sensing the tension, Lizamis crawled slowly from Klock’s shoulder to the wall, scuttling up to the windowsill.
(I should stay down for a while…) Klock thought.
(They’re circling the sky. It’s those girls from before. It seems they’re hunting for you. I’d say they look a bit… desperate,) Lizamis projected.
It seemed Viola had no intention of letting Klock slip away.
It would have been a godsend if she’d just given up, but no such luck.
Klock was the leader of this troop.
Regardless of the “Anti-Hero” politics, she’d clearly decided he was a target that needed to be taken off the board.
(Kispe.)
He had no choice but to wait and see.
Deciding to use the lull, Klock figured he’d settle what business he could.
(Hey, Kispe. Answer me. I’ve got a favor to ask,) Klock projected.
(What is it~? I was just about to settle in for a nap~,) Kispe replied.
The lovely voice echoed in his mind.
The girl’s sweet, lethargic tone was enough to make his knees weak.
While everyone else was fighting for their lives, she was getting ready to wander through the world of dreams.
She sounded unmotivated, but the sensation of her voice tickling his ear was definitely an intentional provocation.
(Could it be~ that you got lonely and just wanted to hear my voice? Are you telling me you want to hear my cute little voice right next to you?)
(I don’t have time for this,) Klock snapped.
She was being provocatively airheaded on purpose.
Given her personality, she’d surely grasped Klock’s situation ages ago.
Kispe acted like a flake, but she was the type to pinpoint the essentials and never let them go.
(Tell Primlena and Meina to head to Flavia’s position,) Klock ordered.
(Oh my. You’re assigning me such a tedious chore~?)
(Just do it. This is the showdown with the Vampires. Cooperate,) Klock insisted.
He didn’t have the luxury to negotiate.
He could only hope her whims leaned in his favor.
If she said no, he’d just have to accept it.
(Well, fine. Tonight is special, I suppose. But once this is settled, you’d better come up with a truly wonderful date plan for us.)
(Oh, you’ll do it? …Wait, a date?? You’re asking me to plan a date that can actually satisfy the Succubus Queen⁴…??)
He felt like he was being saddled with an even more impossible task, but he pushed it to the back of his mind.
He had to be grateful she was willing to help at all.
(Do your best to catch Ms. Viola. I’m quite looking forward to how you’ll torture… or rather, ‘play’ with her,) Kispe giggled.
What the hell did she plan on doing to that woman once they caught her? Viola should probably start shaking in her boots while she still had the chance.
(…And one more thing, Master.)
(Hm?)
(I can’t hold back anymore. I want you so badly. If it truly comes down to it… I suppose I could invite you into my bedchamber… ♡)
(Huh? I told you, I’m in the middle of—)
(Hehe… ♡ Well then, good luck with your little job,) Kispe said, her presence fading.
(What the hell is wrong with her…) Klock thought.
No, wait.
Was she saying I can retreat to the Crimson Spire if things get too dangerous? If it all goes to hell—if I have to abandon everything—was she giving me a place to hide? That wasn’t an option for him, but maybe it was her twisted way of being considerate.
”Were you speaking to someone just now?” Lizamis asked.
”…What, you can tell?” Klock said.
”If someone suddenly goes silent, telepathy is the first thing that comes to mind,” Lizamis replied.
Fair point.
Between normal humans, you’d just think they were lost in thought, but in a world of magic, silence usually meant a mental link.
”I sent word for my people to back up Flavia. She’s probably locked in a battle right now,” Klock said.
”A wise move. I can sense a magic power that feels like Flavia’s just a bit further ahead. There are several other signatures near her as well. Likely the enemies she’s facing,” Lizamis said.
He didn’t know the exact details of Flavia’s situation.
Was she struggling against a crowd? Or was she up against someone with a particularly nasty ability? Either way, even if she couldn’t handle it alone, having backup would make things manageable.
”By the way, did you not consider calling those allies to your own side?” Lizamis asked.
”I won’t be found that easily. The urgency is higher over there,” Klock said.
”I think your situation is plenty urgent. Are you the type to treat your own life as an afterthought?” Lizamis asked.
He didn’t think so.
He just shrugged the question off, and the creature scratched its head skillfully with a single leg.
It sat perched in the corner of the window frame, looking for all the world like a common spider.
(What is this guy, really? Is he actually a spider…??) Klock wondered.
The Great Sage Lizamis.
One of the Chosen Ones from a century ago, a Revealer.
With an attitude that screamed “I’m a spider, deal with it,” there was nothing human about him other than his voice.
He talked like he’d been human once, but was he a true spider now? Or…
could he be a Fairy born anew from the Fairy Queen? Given he was Kupira’s guardian, the possibility was high.
”…Can we move yet…?” Klock asked.
Klock started to peek out the window.
”Not yet. Vi-Vi is watching from above,” a voice said from the shadows.
Klock froze.
The voice had come from right behind him.
And since it was a woman’s voice, there was only one person it could be.
”…Y-you… Linaria…!!” Klock stammered.
”Yahoo~”
A faint scent of soap drifted over him.
Her blonde hair fluttered as she stood there in a vibrant blouse and skirt—an outfit that looked absolutely nothing like combat gear.
The Vampire, Linaria.
The same girl who had been oddly friendly to Klock earlier.
When the hell did she get behind him? Klock was paralyzed with shock.
”So you were hiding in a place like this. Peeking out from down there… how lewd~” Linaria teased.
”Shut up. How long have you been there…?!” Klock demanded.
”I just got here~. Ah, don’t make that face! I’m not gonna go tattle on you or anything,” Linaria said.
How had she found him? The vampire girl crouched down next to him, closing the distance until they were practically touching.
She flashed a grin, her overly long fangs peeking out from behind her lips.
When Klock’s eyes reflexively dropped to her chest, Linaria just snickered.
”You won’t tattle? Then what the hell are you doing here?” Klock asked.
”Geez! If you’re gonna be that cold, maybe I should just bite you right now,” Linaria said.
”Wait, wait, wait…!! Okay, I get it, Linaria. You’re a beauty, and I’m a total virgin, so I’m just nervous. Go easy on me,” Klock said.
”Is there a virgin on this entire planet who reeks of this much fuckboy energy???” Linaria laughed.
She sat down on her haunches right beside him.
The way she moved, the way she closed the gap—it was the calculated movement of a woman who knew exactly how attractive she was.
”Kuro-Kuro, do you really hate the idea of becoming a Vampire that much??” Linaria asked.
”…What of it? Don’t tell me you came here to sell me on the idea,” Klock said.
Klock narrowed his eyes.
It was a natural reaction.
She seemed cheerful enough, but he had no idea where her landmines were buried.
”I get it. I know how you feel, Kuro-Kuro. Normally, no one wants to be a Vampire. I hated it too, when it happened to me. I said no, but… they didn’t care,” Linaria said.
Was she talking about the Sand Village? The visions he’d seen in the Crimson Spire were fabrications.
He didn’t know the real history of what had happened to them, but it probably wasn’t far from what he’d seen.
”You know? The Nobility in the Moon Court… every single one of them is so, so petty. They told me if I didn’t want to be killed or bitten… I had to wrap my mouth around their dicks. They demanded all sorts of gross stuff,” Linaria said.
”…That’s rough,” Klock said.
It was the typical fate of a captive woman.
For a man, they probably wouldn’t even have given him that much of a choice.
If she’d survived, maybe you could call that a tiny bit of luck, but only just.
”So, I didn’t have a choice. I sucked their dicks and opened my legs, right?? And the second I was done, they bit me anyway. My back hurt so goddamn much, and I was so thirsty I thought I’d die. And those bastards… they just sat there laughing while they watched me struggle and cry through the transformation. Pure trash, right?? That’s how Rina became a Vampire. I was eleven,” Linaria said.
Hearing that, Klock couldn’t help but feel a surge of genuine pity.
At that age, the suffering must have been beyond words.
The Vampires had raided Sand.
If one little thing had gone differently, Cianie might have ended up just like her.
It was a terrifying thought.
But… that was the thing.
On the surface, it sounded like the Moon Court Nobility were uniquely insane, but in reality, the world was mostly like this even without Vampires.
Serve us if you don’t want to die. The bandits of the world said that, used people up, and then tossed them aside.
Adventurers were the same—conspiring to r**e village girl or starting trouble on an expedition, then heading home with a clean conscience.
The nobility of this decaying country are the type to secretly keep s*x slaves.
I occasionally hear rumors about “wife swapping” among the elite, but that’s just child’s play.
In reality, they likely indulge in far more stomach-churning pastimes.
It seems the vampire nobility of the Moon Court are fundamentally no different from the bottom-feeders among humanity.
Truly noble people are a rare breed; I suppose only those whose every whim is satisfied can afford to act with real grace.
Like, for example, someone playing “The Queen” in some dream world.
”If you’ve been through such a hellish time, then just come over to our side already,” I said.
”We’re trying to take down your big boss. If we do, you guys will finally be free, right?”
”Sure, okay,” Linaria replied.
”…Huh?”
”Lina’s down with that. I mean, I totally hate those guys. So, if a Hero is gonna protect me, I’m all for it~”
”For real?”
”────Once you kill Count Vernier, that is.”
(A nobleman of the Moon Court, huh.)
”Keeping it simple is easier, right?” Linaria said.
”See, Lina is in a ‘thing’ with Rugandia-chin and Mai-tan. We talked it over, and we’re a little spooked about jumping ship right now. But, if you kill Count Vernier, it’s a deal.”
So Rugandia, Mermy, and Linaria had an alliance.
It seemed Rugandia had already been busy forming a conspiracy among her friends.
At this point, it looked like only Viola and Rodney were still holding out.
That former maid of Sylvia’s had been putting in some serious work.
”Count Vernier. Who the hell is he?” I asked.
”To us, he’s our boss—and probably the person I hate most in this world,” Linaria explained.
”We’re under his jurisdiction. I think he’s coming down to the city tonight. Vi-ran is pretty strong, but the Count is… special. You just can’t go against him.”
”So he’s the one keeping Viola on a leash,” I muttered.
”Exactly. We dhampirs can’t defy the nobility. But Vi-ran is an Apostle, so she’s not as shackled as we are. She’s actually strong enough to kill a noble if she wanted to. It seems they put us under Count Vernier’s thumb specifically because he’s the best at keeping Vi-ran in line.”
It was a simple enough story.
If the target was clear, I was grateful.
Kill the Count, persuade Viola, and have Kispe “overwrite” the situation.
It didn’t sound like an impossible task.
(Do I know what kind of ability this Count has?)
”Sorry, no clue,” Linaria said.
”Vi-ran might know, but she hasn’t said a word.”
”Got it. That’s enough.”
If Viola hadn’t mentioned it, she probably didn’t know either.
Or maybe he was the type who was so unpredictable you never knew what to expect.
Either way, he wasn’t an opponent who would let his guard down easily.
Kill the Count. Then, just convince Viola.
Vampires can’t live under the sun, which is why they’ve made the Moon Court—a world under a fake sun—their stronghold.
But in the Crimson Spire, even a vampire should be able to thrive.
In a dream world, the other nobles wouldn’t be able to touch them.
Now that Kispe was on our side, the stakes had changed for Viola too.
”I’ll handle Count Vernier,” Klock said.
”Yay!! Good luck, I’m counting on you!! We’ll make sure to keep Vi-ran busy,” Linaria cheered.
”That’d be a huge help.”
”But be careful. If the Count feels like he’s in real danger, he’ll call for us. Try to take him out before Vi-ran gets there. If we get the order, we won’t be able to stop ourselves from attacking you.”
”Understood.”
If a nobleman’s order was absolute, the dhampirs would be forced to intervene even if he were cornered.
His time limit was whenever Viola arrived.
That meant assassination was the only way.
He was an unknown quantity—would it really go that smoothly? But this was the best chance he’d get.
If he pulled this off, the curtain would finally fall on this fight with Viola.
”By the way… how did you know where I was??” Klock asked.
The question hit him out of nowhere.
He had just been thinking he was invisible, and then she suddenly appeared.
He wanted to bury his face in his hands at his own sheer carelessness.
”Rugandia-chin was tracking you!” Linaria chirped.
”She followed you when you escaped the church. But she lied and told the others she lost you to cover your tracks.”
Rugandia again.
He thought she was just standing on the sidelines watching while people were getting bitten.
Turns out, she’d been saving his skin more than he knew.
”And then she sent me,” Linaria continued.
”She told me to go find you and cut a deal.”
”I see. But if that’s the case, why didn’t you guys just stop us or talk us down back then??”
If Lizamis hadn’t been there, Klock would’ve been in deep trouble.
Linaria and Mermy had looked more than happy to take a bite out of him.
He’d have much preferred it if they’d just talked Viola out of it then.
”Sorry! Our opinions were a little split, and well, we figured turning you into a vampire wasn’t the worst thing in the world,” she said.
(Don’t try to make me “graduate” from humanity so casually.) She’d become a vampire through some similar mess, so it was hard to argue.
”Even if you’re split, don’t you all hate the Moon Court nobility anyway?”
”I’d like to think so…”
”What?”
”…Hey, this is a secret…” Linaria leaned in, looking troubled. “We think Rodney is acting a little sus.”
”Suspicious?”
”Rugandia-chin thinks she might be a spy for the nobility.”
(…!!)
A group isn’t always a monolith.
That’s true even for a circle of friends.
”Things that happen inside our castle have been leaking to the Count for a while now. We thought it was weird. We wondered if they were bugging the place… but then we realized Rodney was acting off,” Linaria whispered.
”How so?”
”Every now and then, she says things that sound like she’s taking the nobles’ side.”
If that wasn’t a misunderstanding, she was definitely a problem.
It made sense for the nobility to want a leash on Viola.
”So, for today’s mission, we pretended to support Vi-ran while Mai-tan and Rugandia-chin worked together behind the scenes. We were just waiting for a gap to talk to you.”
So they’d frozen out both Viola and Rodney.
Calling it “mean girl” behavior felt a bit out of place given the circumstances.
”But biting me was still ‘fine’?”
”Becoming a vampire is convenient because you can fly, right?”
”If I get bitten, I won’t be able to defy the nobles either, you idiot!!”
”Well, you know, cute KisKis will handle it somehow, right?” Linaria gave Klock a cute, mischievous grin.
She really didn’t have a care in the world.
Or maybe… she really did just want him to be one of them.
He could only manage a wry smile.
Linaria was an ally.
Rugandia had been working the group from the inside, and she and Mermy were already ready to flip.
He thought he was starting from a hopeless position, but he finally saw a ray of light.
He’d kill the Count immediately.
But first, he had Linaria give him every bit of intel she had.
* * *
After that, They went over every obstacle in the way of their defection.
The first was the sun.
The Moon Court is a mirrored reflection of the world.
The sunlight there doesn’t burn vampires, making it their only sanctuary.
Honestly, that was the biggest reason they didn’t want to leave, but Klock already had a solution for that.
In the Crimson Spire, they wouldn’t burn.
Normally, you can only enter the Crimson Spire in spirit.
But Kispe’s “Phantom Ferry” was a world-walking skill.
She could ferry souls and even physical bodies across the border.
The second obstacle was Count Vernier and the rest of the nobility—and their Command.
You can’t disobey them.
Count Vernier, who specifically managed Viola’s squad, was the primary threat keeping them all in a state of constant fear.
If Klock didn’t kill him, Viola would never feel safe enough to turn.
And third… Rodney.
For Viola to decide to defect, she’d need the whole Sand squad to be on board.
Rodney was the wrench in the gears.
Apparently, Rodney often sang inside the castle, and for some reason, Count Vernier knew about it.
Maybe he heard it by chance, but unless he was breaking in, there was no way he’d hear her from outside.
That meant Count Vernier was either a pervert sneaking into the girls’ castle, or he had a spy’s ears inside.
If it was the latter, Rodney was the prime suspect.
(Think we can pull this off?)
(Yeah. And I see you’ve been following me.)
(I was panicking! I thought you were gonna leave me behind.)
After parting with Linaria, Klock sprinted under the night sky.
He headed toward Flavia’s position.
Come to think of it, he’d left the house without picking up Lizamis, but it seemed he’d hitched a ride on his own.
(You probably don’t know the plan yet, so listen up. We want to recruit the Moon Court’s Apostles. I thought we’d have to beat them into a stalemate first, or somehow convince Viola…)
(I see. So…)
(Yeah. For now, killing Count Vernier might be the key to bringing them over.)
Klock was using uncharacteristically harsh words.
It’s not that he was totally okay with killing, but he was much more motivated for this than he would be against some random soldier.
After all, these were the vampires who had attacked the Sand.
They were part of the group that had killed Cianie in her past life.
(I want to make them pay for what they’ve done. Sorry, but I need your help.)
(Hmph. I don’t hate that attitude. If you’d just assumed I’d help you, I was thinking of playing a little ‘prank’ on you.)
(Don’t say scary shit like that.)
A “prank” from a Great Sage? Probably sabotaging me mid-fight.
Even in the form of a spider, he was terrifying.
(There. Flavia… looks like she’s on the bridge.)
Klock reached the center of the city.
He spotted a figure in the distance.
There were strange, floral-looking objects everywhere.
It was definitely Flavia.
(My friend. Near Flavia. Look at the two on the roof.)
The mental transmission came from Lizamis, who was currently a pattern on Klock’s shoulder.
Klock looked up at the buildings surrounding Flavia.
What’s with those old-fashioned clothes? They look like ancient aristocrats…
(Without a doubt, that is the Moon Court Nobility Eugenie.)
It seemed their fashion was stuck in the past.
(Assuming Count Vernier is there, which one do you think he is?)
(The man, surely. Vampires have too much time on their hands. Men bite women, women bite men. It’s the way of things.)
(…That guy. He’s the one who did that to Linaria and the others…)
Klock took a long, deep breath.
Then, slowly, he began to move.
He approached silently, keeping his eyes locked on the target.
Klock moved from shadow to shadow.
Using the Old Spider’s power, he slipped through walls, ghosting past their field of vision.
Thirty meters.
Klock broke into a low trot, staying behind a stone wall.
Twenty meters.
Klock drew his knife.
The black blade began to throb, veins pulsing along the steel.
Klock felt a surge of power he’d never felt before—Cianie’s rage at recognizing her mortal enemy, her sheer, cold joy at the prospect of revenge.
It flowed right into him.
Ten meters.
Klock won’t hold back.
No mercy.
One strike is all he needs.
Emotions Klock didn’t recognize were bubbling up inside him.
Rugandia’s final moments. And Viola’s scream as she turned.
Memories that weren’t his—Cianie’s memories—flashed before his eyes, fueling a white-hot irritation.
Silent, hiding his killing intent until the very last second, Klock lunged.
”Got you────”
Klock didn’t need words. He didn’t even need to swing. He just needed the distance.
He locked onto the spot where the man stood, designated his neck as the coordinate, and unleashed the slash.
”Nuh??”
The slash tore toward Count Vernier.
The man spun around in an instant.
He had a white beard and an air of arrogance that was etched into his very features.
He faced the incoming attack, but his expression remained calm as he locked eyes with me.
”Who are you? A human?? Did you… just try something with me…??”
”────Dammit.”
Klock missed.
It didn’t reach.
The target hadn’t even moved, and Klock had failed to kill him.
It made no sense.
It was impossible.
He was well within the range of the Cianie Knife.
Klock gritted his teeth.
He had felt the slash connect with the air.
It wasn’t blocked or parried—it just… didn’t reach him.
Out of the corner of his eye, Klock saw Flavia’s shocked face.
She’d spotted him.
She looked unhurt, but the area was covered in the scars of a massive battle.
Klock couldn’t tell who had been winning.
The ground around her was carpeted in an unnatural growth of flowers and vines.
”Klock. Ranger of the Brave Knights,” Klock announced to the Count.
If it was going to be a fight, Klock would give it everything he had. There was no backing down now.
”What? A Brave Knight?”
”And the Chain Binder of the Chosen. Count Vernier, I’m ending you right here.”
Klock made sure to say it loud, to make him look at him.
Because it had to be Klock and Cianie who took him down.
—
Summary:
Boit and Gonmi attempt to flee a Vampire-infested city while securing loot. Gonmi uses her tanuki illusion magic to transform into a dragon, successfully bluffing the enemies before being cornered in a dead end. They are ultimately rescued by Suzette and Ada from the Hero’s party.
Klock uses his phasing ability to navigate a town under siege, coordinating with the succubus queen Kispe to send reinforcements to Flavia. He is eventually intercepted by the vampire Linaria, who reveals the dark circumstances of her past under the Moon Court. The chapter highlights the parallels between the cruelty of vampires and human adventurers.
Klock negotiates a defection with Linaria, who reveals that most of the Sand squad wants to betray Count Vernier. They identify Rodney as a potential spy and pinpoint the Count’s location in the city. Klock attempts a surprise assassination on the Count to liberate Viola’s squad, but the attack mysteriously fails, leading to a direct confrontation.
—
Trivia:
- Boit has a daughter roughly Gonmi’s age, which is why he can’t abandon her.
- Tanuki transformation magic in this world does not grant the physical strength of the form assumed.
- Ada has a history of questionable sexual conduct with minors, as referenced by Boit.
- Vampires in this setting prioritize young blood and have high libidos.
- Klock’s troop, the Brigante, are established as being just as predatory as the enemies they fight.
- Lizamis, the Great Sage, is currently a spider but was once one of the Chosen Ones.
- The ‘Moon Court’ nobility forces horrific sexual abuse on their victims during the transformation process.
- Kispe is the Queen of the Succubus and currently residing in the Crimson Spire.
- Linaria was only eleven when she was forcibly turned into a vampire.
- Rugandia has been secretly helping Klock by falsifying reports.
- The Moon Court’s sun is a mirror-based fake that doesn’t burn vampires.
- Kispe’s skills allow physical travel to dream worlds, not just spiritual.
- Apostles like Viola have more autonomy but are still bound by high-ranking nobility.
- The Cianie Knife reacts emotionally to Klock’s enemies
—
Character Insight:
Boit demonstrates a conflict between his pragmatic ‘slave trader’ survival instincts and his growing paternal affection for Gonmi. Suzette remains the emotional anchor of the Hero party, while Ada represents the more chaotic, unrefined side of adventurers.
Klock shows a pragmatic, somewhat cynical sense of empathy; he recognizes that human atrocities often match those of monsters. Linaria uses a bubbly, ‘gal’ persona as a defense mechanism for deep-seated trauma.
Klock is becoming more influenced by Cianie’s past-life emotions, showing uncharacteristic bloodlust. Linaria acts flippant but reveals deep-seated fear and a tactical mind by coordinating a multi-person betrayal.
—
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The ‘Seven shapes for the fox, eight for the tanuki’ is a real Japanese proverb (Kitsune nanabake, tanuki hachibake) suggesting tanukis are superior deceivers.
The author draws a deliberate parallel between the ‘bandits’ of the human world and the ‘nobility’ of the monster world to blur the moral lines.
The author uses the ‘Sand’ squad names as a recurring motif for groups of five female characters in this volume.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Gonmi – Tanuki Beastkin girl, young, plump tail, surprisingly large bust, leads a family‑based bandit crew and now serves in the Brigante Troop. Naïve and easily panicked, she’s boy‑crazy, bullied by Klock, and wields leaf‑based illusion magic.
• Boit – Rough‑spoken, loud‑voiced logistics officer of the Brigante Troop, he bears a villainous face and first spots environmental anomalies. Once a slave‑trader, now pragmatic and cynical, he offers Klock a way out for a price, maintaining a business‑like partnership, yet shows a soft spot for his subordinates.
• Sanrid – The location where Roldi reportedly went the day before the attack on Portline. This movement is a key piece of strategic information Misha provides during her interrogation.
• Suzette – An older, silver‑haired maid in a crisp, high‑collared uniform, bearing a sheathed sword. She heads the Viscount Fennec household with clear‑spoken professionalism, fights alongside Klock’s circle, fiercely guards him and distrusts outsiders like Alard, and now serves as a combat maid in the Hero’s party, protecting the group in close combat.
• Ada – Ada the Wild Wind: A‑rank scout of Death Soldier Pass, black‑red hair with fiery streaks, multiple earrings, towering axe‑spear, Wind skill. Brash, physically powerful Hero’s party member, outspoken on sexual topics. Respected by peers, feared by criminals, at odds with Klock who stole from her and fled.
• Klock – Battle-worn Conro master, purple-eyed, healed gut piercing, massive weapon-like penis, commands 2,600-strong Brigante Troop west of Conro; pragmatic heir of the Opener, wields Dominance-based Stellar Skill ‘Authority’ (World Conquest), aggressive, vengeful, street-hero fame, and a succubus harem. Can phase through solid stone walls. Currently cornered by vampires in a church; knows Flavia and Suzette.
• Lizamis – Once a human, the Great Sage and Revealer of a century ago now appears as a palm-sized spider guardian of Kupira—eight ribbon-tied legs, clad in the armor of a knight, its form shifting between shadowy silhouettes and living tapestries woven from portraits and fabrics. Cynical yet wise, it communicates telepathically with Klock, its sole confidant, and emerges from mirrors, dresses, or painted scenes as if stepping from memory itself.
• Flavia – Younger sister of Avery (132), second daughter of Queen Isabella of the Forestier line, she is slender, pale, with refined features and pointed ears, bearing a servant’s mark and deeply devoted to her mother. Quiet yet resolute, she wields ancient Void magic to shape plant paths and guide travelers through Death Soldier Pass, sensing Fairies and safeguarding the Fairy realm as Princess of the Forest People (森人/Moribito, Vaulder). As a marriage pledge to Klock the Chain Binder, she symbolizes Void loyalty to Goddess Teekua and now fights alongside him in a massive battle, her floral magic weaving through the chaos to turn the tide.
• Viola – A vampire girl and leader among the maids confronting Klock.
• Kispe – Queen Kispe, also called Succubus Princess Asura, is a winged succubus with long black hair, amethyst eyes, a petite slender build, and a one‑piece dress with black tights. She is Klock’s lover and healer, teasing him, wielding arousal as a weapon, and manipulating him with a sharp, playful tongue. She also communicates with Klock via telepathy.
• Primlena – Orange‑haired merfolk priestess, fierce yet elegant, sister of Sea General Primjune and former Demon Lord officer now in Klock’s inner circle. Calm, disciplined, she commands Obsidian Riders on giant fish, wields a trident, and seeks Klock’s downfall. A revenge‑driven siren bride delivering news of the Merfolk and jewel‑clam communication.
• Meina – Golden‑haired catgirl scout with twitching ears, employed at Larana the cat‑woman’s inn. She appears tear‑streaked and desperate while performing fellatio, her inexperienced yet earnest approach evident. Physically close to Klock, she blends animal‑like features with a vulnerable, working‑girl demeanor.
• Kupira – A female Fairy outcast with white hair, porcelain skin, and cursed golden eyes, born from Palze’s (a Fairy Queen) obsession and abandonment, chosen by Kispe (a Succubus familiar) as a potential familiar for Klock (a male leader)
• Linaria – A vampire girl from Sand Village, once a victim of the Moon Court Nobility, now a longtime maid of Castle Viola and childhood friend of Viola. Part of the vampire maid unit, she is quiet, dependable, and known for her long, decorated nails.
• Cianie – A noble girl with a fluffy white and light blue dress, indicating her high status. She has a hesitant and flustered personality but is kind and courteous. Her relationship with Klock begins as an accidental encounter and develops into a romantic interest. She has a fiancé but expresses feelings for Klock, complicating their relationship.
• Vernier – A vampire Count with a white beard and arrogant demeanor. Governs the Sand squad and possesses a spatial or ‘special’ defense ability.
• Rugandia – A slender human maid from the Sand Village, dressed in a crisp white uniform with a red apron, appears at the edge of the Croce Estate’s fire, summoned by Sylvia’s father to serve as Sylvia’s loyal, diligent attendant; later she is revealed as a member of the vampire coven that gathers within the estate’s old church, balancing service to the family with secret nocturnal duties.
• Mermy – A calm, dutiful dampir maid with sharp eyes and freckles, Viola’s childhood friend who appeared in the Orrid sky battle. She urges retreat when the sun rises to avoid burning, serves as Viola’s subordinate in the vampire maid unit, and remains a loyal ally with no other known ties.
• Sylvia – The hero who accuses Klock of abandoning her in her past life. She was reborn as Anna after dying in a fire and holds a grudge against Klock.
• Eugenie – A noble overseer of Mirond mentioned in tax context as higher authority above Viola. Threatens confiscation if villagers fail to pay. No personal link noted. Strict and bureaucratic.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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