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Chapter 41 – Part 2

 

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TRANSLATOR: Pink Tea

EDITOR: Ryunakama

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Indeed, if she was not abducted then we wouldn’t have rushed to the castle of vampires, so it’s not like she is wrong.

But none of us actually thought in such a way. None considered it a bother or anything of that sort.

We spoke about what happened when we roamed the surrounding of the village, or how we couldn’t finish our tasks from the magic academy, and then turned our eyes to the corner of the room.

Where Sierra was, completely still and unmoving, like a statue carved from a stone.

Fatally injured by Bran, she was on the brink of destruction, but by creating a deep tie with Fatima, I was able to maintain her existence.

Using my life force and magic power as a catalyst to amplify Fatima’s magic power and life force, I then implanted it into Sierra instead of her heart that ceased functioning, and ignoring Sierra’s desire to accept her demise, preserved her existence.

While a strong master-servant bond was born between Fatima and Sierra, even stronger than that of a familiar and its master, for now, Sierra still retained a free will.

「As always, such a gloomy face, Sierra. Such a waste of your beauty.」

「You sound very composed. Feeling refreshed after fulfilling your long-cherished ambition?」

Sierra’s words could be taken as sarcastic, but her tone actually had no hints of scorn or a sneer. Sierra was simply blankly staring at the door.

Sierra couldn’t follow her family into the afterlife. Neither when her close ones were killed, nor when she tried to take her revenge on Bran. Failing to die once and then failing to meet her destruction, Sierra’s heart was now ruled by ruin and emptiness.

In a way, Dramina was the same, so the sight of the current Sierra deeply saddened her.

「Yes, I did feel refreshed, but what was awaiting me after that is an endless emptiness. Though for now, I temporarily managed to forget about this thanks to Dran and the need to inform everyone back in the homeland of what have happened.」

「I see. That is wonderful if you can escape this emptiness even for a moment.」

「But you…… Have a person most suitable to shed light on your soul.」

Dramina turned her gaze to Fatima’s bed. It seems Fatima was able to correctly interpret that look, as she replied to her with a nod.

I extended Sierra’s life. But nothing aside from that. Bringing her will to leave and purging the darkness of death from her heart is not my job.

That was the role of Fatima, who gave a strong yes to my question of whether she wants to keep Sierra alive or not.

I had nothing to do with Sierra’s life anymore. If Fatima comes seeking my advice it is one thing, but otherwise, their affairs do not concern me.

And what is more important, Fatima’s gaze gave me confidence that she doesn’t need my help.

＊

Entrusting Sierra to Fatima should work out just fine. I was confident in that, yet there was something that I couldn’t quite understand. That was about Lenia.

Since the time I saved her from the chimeras in the dungeons of Darcloa Castle, she is acting pretty weird. I can’t tell if she is following me around or avoiding me.

She watches me from a distance while hiding, but when I try to approach her to talk she runs away and after putting a certain distance between us goes back to observing me.

She doesn’t seem to have any ill intentions, so I left her be, but eventually, I will have to find out the reason behind this behavior.

Anyway, Lenia can wait.

I will have plenty of opportunities to question her when we go back to the academy. After several days had passed, an investigation team arrived from Galois town, just as was expected by Fatima and Nell.

While there surely was another squad blocking the road, the investigation squad of 200 members went around, trying to establish if anyone was trying to escape the village.

Judging by their effectiveness and the orderly approach they must have sent their elite. There is a possibility that those are just normal soldiers as well, but drilling troops to this level is not an easy matter.

A captain in his late thirties arrived on a splendid horse, bringing warrior monks and high-ranking priests serving Mairahl and other good gods with him.

Since the fastest and the most effective way of proving that one is not a vampire was to expose oneself to the sunlight, the villagers stopped their fieldwork and lined up in front of the village mayor’s house to greet the captain. As a result, neither troops nor the captain exhibited any suspicions towards them.

The main focus was placed on ensuring the safety of the daughters of great noble families, Fatima and Nell, confirming that vampire contagion was prevented, and dealing with Dramina, while her country was in ruins, she still remained a queen.

The presence of the priests didn’t bother me. That’s because even if things went wrong, I could easily use the same miracle as I did with Selina, and prove that Dramina is not our foe.

After that, the investigation went almost disappointingly smooth. All of the villagers without a single exception were humans. Fatima also managed to regain her healthy human body.

They were greatly surprised that Fatima had an incomplete vampire as her familiar, but since a sigil proving her status as a familiar was engraved on Sierra’s body, the situation did not escalate, and they didn’t take any action against her.

As for this vampire case, it might be remembered by history for its swift resolution and unprecedentedly low damage.

And luckily, the captain approached Dramina with at least basic courtesy, so no offense was given.

Though it was fun to see the investigation squad temporarily go useless after witnessing Dramina’s beauty.

For every meeting after the first one, they would brace themselves and put protective spells against confusion and temptation, which is, well, a wise decision.

However, as the days passed, Dramina began looking somewhat listless. Then, on a day when she told the investigation team everything they should’ve known, she visited the inn where Selina and I stayed and told us of her departure from the village.

On the night of the same day, I saw her off as she secretly left the village from the back gate.

Rita, Selina, Fatima, and others also wanted to see her off, but since going with a huge crowd increased the chances of getting noticed by the investigation team, they reluctantly agreed to stay.

She didn’t notify the investigation team, but they also were troubled with how to handle a queen and a friendly vampire. On the next day, when Dramina’s absence was discovered, they were half vexed about the mismanagement of the situation and half relieved.

Although coexistence with demi-humans is a norm in our country since it had no vampire citizens, it was obvious that they will be at loss on how to handle this, so they can’t be blamed.

Vampire Queen roaming the country is an emergency that can decide the fate of the country, but the mages of the investigation team and I applied certain tracking magic to her, getting her approval beforehand.

At the very least it would allow us to confirm if she left the country or not.

Among miracles and sorceries there are certain restraint or contract type rituals that allow bestowing various conditions on the other party. But since there is a limit to how disrespectful one can treat aristocracy, it was declined.

And now, I was bidding farewell to Dramina, who stood beside her carriage. The gibbous of the moon was shining in the sky as the clouds driven by the night wind were floating in the starry sky akin to islands in the sea.

「Everyone was disappointed that they couldn’t come to see you off.」

「It’s all bygones now. But I can’t apologize enough for the calamity that I brought upon this land with my actions. Though it might sound like empty words since I’m now leaving without saying a thing to the people that came for the investigation.」

「You have your own circumstances. You already told them everything you could. Later, Rita, Fatima, and I will give them our testimony under oath. Don’t dwell on it and return to your homeland.」

「Thank you. I’m glad to hear that.」

「But what are you going to do from now on?」

「Well, since the last remnant of the six founding houses, Giorr and his son, perished, there is no telling when a war to found a new vampire kingdom will break out. Some might want to get me to the throne if they learn of my survival, but to be honest, I don’t have the courage to rule a country anymore. You can call me a coward if you want. I already lost the country and the subjects that I should’ve governed. History will remember me as another defeated fool. Or perhaps, Glossgrier’s retainers will come for me to avenge their master. 」

「Are you going to be fine on your own?」

I was sincerely worried, but it seems my expression was way too pitiful since Dramina’s expression changed to that of a mother that heard a selfish tirade of their child.

「Fufu, I’m going to be just fine. I’m in much better shape since I received your blood. If I had this power back then, I could’ve averted the destruction of my country.
……No, I mustn’t think like this. There is no getting back what was lost, so there is no point in saying that. It just feels empty.
After reporting that I took revenge, I was planning to make a grave for everyone, and seal it to prevent low-lives from robbing it. But after that, I will have nothing to do. That is the only problem.」

「Fumu, then I’d be happy if you visit me once you get time. Fatima and Rita also would want to know how you are doing. I most likely will be either at the magic academy of Galois town or at Bern village, so finding me shouldn’t be hard. Feel free to come to my place when you feel like that. 」

「Well, but that might cause trouble to you. I’m a vampire after all.」

「I can handle it and it doesn’t really matter. But well, it would be nice if you at least bring a souvenir.」

「Fufu, then I will send you something of my choice.」

「Sure. Just pick something suitable.」

「Fufu, but before I reached those lands I didn’t ever think that I would be leaving with such a tranquil mood. Thank you, Dran. It’s all thanks to you. Then, I’ll be going.」

「I see. While it is sad, it’s not like it is a final farewell. I will be looking forward to the day we meet again.」

I smiled, being against gloomy farewells. Dramina hesitated for a bit, and then drew near me and putting her hands on my cheeks brought her face close to mine. And then, a sensation of something soft and wet.

「This is my gratitude.」

Pulling away Dramina said a bit bashfully while I looked at her in a daze. With Diadora it was on the lips, this time a cheek, huh. Fumu.

「I received something wonderful.」

「As I said, my gratitude. Don’t think too much of it. Then, talking with you any longer will make the farewell even more difficult, so…」

「Yeah.」

With those words, Dramina boarded the carriage. The Sleipnir’s each raised a neigh. I guess this can be called their own way of bidding farewell.

The Sleipnirs slowly started walking, and with a creak, the wheels began to turn. Looking at the carriage gradually disappearing into the night I said my own words of farewell.

「Good luck. Let’s meet again.」

Looking at the sky I saw the moon that was shining upon the world with its unchanging beauty. Coldly, silently, making no distinction between beautiful, ugly, living, or dead.

「Yeah, the moon is beautiful. But after all, you are more beautiful, Dramina.」

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