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Chapter 32 – Part 1

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Translator: Kousei

Editor: Ryunakama

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Rita, who had been imprisoned in the room at the top of the castle tower, was suddenly taken by Sierra and separated from Fatima without being told anything.

The reason why Rita’s mind is filled with anxiety is that she is leaving Fatima, who has half turned into a vampire, alone in the vampire’s den, as well as the fact that Sierra, who had been showing her a warm attitude, has a depressed expression shown on her face.

After that, when she was released at the gate, there were several other fully armed high-ranking knights besides Sierra, who were looking at them with unpleasant gazes.

「Ah, umm Sierra-san. 」

Rita couldn’t stay calm because she alone was suddenly brought out and she had a bad feeling about that. While the surrounding vampire-knights found it amusing, to Sierra she looked simply pitiful.

「If you go straight down that path, you can go back to your village. However, Fatima can’t go back with you, I’ve been told to get you out of the castle. Now Go! 」

「But, but, I can’t leave Fatima-sama by herself. 」

「Even now you are worried about that girl, huh. You and Fatima are kind girls. Do you remember Fatima saying they are coming to help her? Join them and tell them what you have seen and heard in this castle, and it will help them a bit. Hurry, if you want to leave. If you don’t go, there’s a chance that the order may be overturned, and you won’t get another chance to go back. 」

Rita still showed hesitation to Sierra’s words as compelling as they were, but she had enough wisdom to understand that there was very little that she could do here, and courage to traverse the fog full of unknown dangers.

Rita stared at Sierra’s eyes and then nodded as an answer agreeing with her. A tiny girl full of determination, but at the same time noble and gallant.

Sierra wondered, just what, in both her vampire heart and body, was superior to this girl.

The doubt that arose in her thoughts immediately disappears, but it was the first time she had doubts about becoming a vampire after her blood was sucked by Bran.

「Okay, I understand. I’ll do what I can. Umm, I know it’s weird to ask for this, but please take care of Fatima-sama. 」

「… Yeah, of course, I’m going to take care of her. Because that girl has been bitten by His Majesty, the King」

「If possible, I would be very grateful if you could take care of her not in a vampire way. 」

「I can’t do that. Unless his Majesty changes his will. And of course, it will never happen, right? Go now! 」

「Yes, thank you for helping me. 」

After a little bit of hesitation, Rita bowed down to Sierra, turned around and ran into the unknown world full of white fog.

To meet with the people that are trying to save Fatima as soon as possible. To have that kind Fatima saved as soon as possible from the cruel fate of turning into a vampire.

Even though the girl was already swallowed by the fog and she couldn’t even see her back anymore, Sierra didn’t try to leave, and stood in place, staring in the direction Rita ran.

*

Rita continued to run as long as she could. Even though her body began to scream, She ignored it and kept running. She could barely feel her legs. It’s not strange that her skin was torn apart and her legs wet with blood.

Although her legs were already like that, she keeps running because she wants to save Fatima who has been thinking about her despite having her blood sucked. Even if this hope was too faint and fleeting to really be called a hope, it’s still a hope, perhaps there will be some people who can save them beyond the mist, which is almost too dark to be seen.

She kept running through the fog, in which it was almost impossible to tell directions, and before she realized, she carelessly entered the forest, and the thick tree roots in the forest tried to grasp at Rita’s feet as if the forest had ill intent towards Rita.

「Hah, huh, huh… Fatima-sama, I… I will definitely save. Ah!?」

As Rita followed the worst path of all possible, an arrow, fully made of violet metal, from arrow tip to arrow feathers, struck the ground at her feet.

Though the arrow that flew through the wind without making a sound did not hit Rita, it still did enough to stop her in her tracks.

Rita looked back. She didn’t know which direction the arrow came from. However, there was a sign that made her tremble in fear.

Beyond the fog and trees, there was the figure of a knight fully clad in purple armor, from his horse to his helmet.

Rita realized that he was one of the knights at the castle gate earlier. The purple knight and the other knights are trying to hunt her, like a rabbit or a deer.

Was it because she knew what would happen, that Sierra had such a sad face and voice when she parted with her at the gate? She knew this, and let her go? She knew this and yet spoke the words that gave her hope?

The anger and sadness from being betrayed burned her heart like a wildfire.

Rita understood well that if her feet stopped, she would die.

「RUN! RUN! Hunting prey that is trying to run away is the best part of the sacrificial hunt. To suck your blood, tear up your neck and limbs, and then offer it to our God. Well, let’s get another shot!!! No, Not yet, don’t die yet!」

Without missing a beat after saying that, Brasden grabbed an arrow from the quiver tied to the saddle, pulled the bowstring in a steady motion, and pointed it exactly at Rita’s back as if they were connected.

Even though he had no intentions of hitting her, the figure of Rita having her limbs stuck to the ground with the arrows he shot, begging for her life while crying, smeared with blood was vividly depicted inside his mind. He was drowning in the joy of the strong bullying the weak.

With such a distorted personality, calling him a knight sounded almost like a joke.

「Now then, let’s start with your left foot! 」

The purple magical arrow fired from the bowstring flew again without making a sound through the wind, aimed at Rita’s left foot, exactly as Brasden said earlier.

It’s not clear whether it was due to poor footing or some kind of magic, but Rita was swaying to the left and right while occasionally stumbling, and Brasden’s arrows were still flying between the trees as if the arrows themselves were birds.

Just as Brasden licked his tongue, with only a brief moment left to penetrate Rita’s tender flesh, a gray wind blew from a side, clashing with the arrow, the resulting scattering winds knocked Rita off a cliff at the edge of the grove.

「Mu, that was Sierra’s….. Was that your doing, bitch?!」

Brasden turned his eyes in the direction that the grey wind came from. Despite being the last one to leave the castle, Sierra caught up with Brasden.

Between the giant trees that emerged like dark green pillars in the white fog stood Sierra. Even though she was faced with Brasden’s killing intent, there was no sign of fear at all. It was enough to make Brasden angry.

「Sierra, so your emotions got the best out of you after all!」

It was an angry roar that would break a thin tree. Brasden’s angry roar contained his killing intent and anger made the branches and leaves shatter into pieces.

「Nope, I was aiming at Rita. Unfortunately, my grey wind collided with Lord Brasden’s arrow, but I had no hidden intentions. Why would I go against the orders of his Highness that gave me the chance to be one of the supreme race? 」

「Nuu, but the wind earlier is…. 」

「After the ceremony is over, please examine it until you are satisfied, Lord Brasden. I will not flee or hide. However, for now, chasing after Rita takes priority in my opinion. Like others are doing at the moment… 」

As Sierra said, from a different direction to theirs, the other knights, including Gorcos, lash their favorite horses and run through the woods.

If he keeps questioning Sierra here, it will be a waste of time, and he will not get the honor to suck the sacrificed blood first in the sacrificial ceremony. Before the conflict with Brasden settled, Sierra one-sidedly ended the conversation.

Her whole body seemed to turn into grey wind, reminiscent of her nickname, after which it disappeared into the fog.

「I will excuse myself at this.」

「Hey, Wait! Don’t get cocky just because you are one of His Highness’ retainers!」

Unable to find a place to express his fury, Brasden slammed his fist into his right knee. As if the sound of a war hammer hitting a huge block of rocks roared, Brasden’s horse made a quiet neigh as if it were protesting.

「Oh, sorry. If I don’t get moving now, it’ll all be for nothing, won’t it?」

Apparently, he seems to be kind to his favorite horse.
Then he grabbed the reins and was about to pursue Sierra, when a certain voice reached Brasden’s ear.

「Fumu. 」

That was the last thing Brasden heard before turning to ash.

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