“Is… is that really okay?”
“What?”
“Lord Juruinas possesses strong power and influence even among marquises. Rumor has it that he’s just a step away from being promoted to duke. Honestly, you could just call him a duke…”
“So?”
“…Huh?”
On the road flying along the blood flow after leaving Kuoh’s castle.
In Erbenus Blodia, blood existed everywhere, and bloodsuckers could traverse the vast continent quickly using that blood.
Of course, using teleportation magic would be easier, but the territories of each bloodsucker were covered in magic circles that obstruct external magic.
Lower-ranking bloodsuckers couldn’t break through that, so they had no choice but to fly directly.
As Kuoh flew at a terribly slow speed, Lasty, who was flying alongside him with a blank expression, responded nonchalantly.
“So what?”
“Ah, no! It’s duke! Duke! Right below the great Seven Elders…”
“Do you think I’m going to lose?”
Gulp.
The moment Lasty’s eyes glowed red, Kuoh, glancing back, froze in place.
He momentarily stuttered as if he lost his words, then turned his head back to the front.
“That’s not what I meant… I mean, I know he’s strong, but aren’t the dukes a bit much…? I’m definitely not underestimating them! I’m just worried! Worried!”
“I guess so. Your level has dropped right now.”
‘Right now?’
“You don’t need to worry. Just take that girl to the one who gave you the book.”
“Ah, understood.”
Though Kuoh looked puzzled, he decided to just accept it.
What else could he do if he wanted to stay alive?
Sure, bloodsuckers were semi-immortal, but if all the blood was drained from them and there was none left to absorb, they could die.
It could get worse; they could be supplied with just enough blood to keep them ‘living corpses.’
“By the way…”
– Oh, really? I didn’t know that.
– Is there still a place coming down? Has it weakened? That’s a relief.
– First, everyone, stay back. Just wait a bit until we sort things out…
Why has that woman been talking to the air since earlier?
I thought she was normal compared to Lasty, but it seems like she’s even more abnormal.
Is this what they mean by hanging out with your own kind?
“Um… why does that person keep talking to herself?”
“Mind your own business.”
“Yes.”
Kuoh’s mouth shut.
■
[Oh]
[Finally arrived?]
[That one seems pitiful too lololol]
[lololol]
[For not recognizing the progenitor…]
[Self-inflicted, right?]
[Where is this again?]
Following Kuoh, I finally reached the destination.
A castle ruled by a baron and viscount, at least ten times larger.
A size that exceeds by far.
It was the Castle of Juruinas, where a Marquis would become a Duke.
Perhaps it was worth its name, as there were far more guards protecting the castle than at Kuoh’s, and everywhere, there were barriers blocking blood magic.
No matter how much of a Bloodsucker you were, if you approached clumsily, you’d get obliterated by the traps.
“It’s built quite convincingly.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Tap, tap.
Lasty, who had been touching the castle wall, turned around as if she had completed her assessment.
“The kid’s castle was shabby, but this one has decent spells. I guess it must be the influence of the books.”
“Looks like everyone has some skills.”
“Well, we’re all Bloodsuckers.”
Lasty’s deciphering book was made only for Bloodsuckers.
A Bloodsucker using the same blood magic would undoubtedly understand her magic better.
While examining the castle here and there, Lasty hesitated for a moment and called for Kuoh.
Kuoh, who was fidgeting in a vague position neither far nor close, looked like he was getting ready to flee slowly, but it was all too obvious.
“Y-yes! What can I do for you?”
“Bring him here.”
“…I… I didn’t hear you?”
[LOLOLOLOL]
[Ah, they said to bring him over]
[You have to guide him all the way, right?]
[For real LOL]
[Didn’t hear you? Seriously? LOL]
[Lasty is so pretty]
“I-I dare not approach Lord Juruinas…”
“Is it okay if you don’t listen to my words?”
“N-no! That’s not it!”
Kuoh trembled all over and hurriedly dropped to the ground.
Compared to the mere Baron Kuoh, the owner of the castle, Juruinas, was a Marquis close to Duke status.
It was only natural for Juruinas to call for him, but it was unthinkable for Kuoh to address him.
“Please, spare me!”
“I won’t kill you.”
“If you call for me, I’ll die! Ah, I’ve guided you already. If I speak to that person without permission, I might just die…”
“Just bring him.”
“Um, but…”
“Don’t make me tell you twice.”
Ugh.
Sob, sob.
Kuoh, who kept lifting and lowering his head as if swallowing his words, eventually headed towards the castle gate, crying.
His hesitant steps made him seem truly pitiful, but what can you do?
‘He brought this disaster upon himself.’
[LOLOLOLOL]
[Poor thing, LOL]
[Kuoh, Kuoh…]
[This is just too funny]
[Ah, this is called karma.]
[The Progenitor sister is just terrifying]
[Duke Progenitor]
[And in the meantime, Lily is enjoying the view for fun]
“What, am I going to kill him right away?”
Still, they were both Bloodsuckers, and since she received a book too, doesn’t that mean they had some kind of relationship?
Just because she asked him to come out, it doesn’t mean she’d kill him right away─
Crack.
“?”
“It’s dying.”
Kuoh was crushed by the red magic.
■
“…Who’s come to visit?”
Castle of Juruinas.
The Marquis, Juruinas, sitting on the throne in the castle’s heart, frowned at the words of his subordinate.
“You know those books I bestowed upon you before? Part of the Book of Revelation.”
“Oh right. Those foolish guys didn’t even know they were for experiments and happily took them. Why?”
“One of them, Baron Kuoh, requests an audience with you, Juruinas.”
“Baron Kuoh?”
Baron Kuoh, huh.
It wasn’t a familiar name, and the fact that he was just a ‘baron,’ not a duke or marquis, made Juruinas feel a mix of disappointment and annoyance.
‘Who does he think he is calling for me?’
A low-ranking bloodsucker cannot dare to speak first to a high-ranking bloodsucker.
This applied not just to inferior subordinates but also to ‘nobles,’ and even barons were at the very bottom of that hierarchy.
To him, a baron was no different from an inferior subordinate bloodsucker.
The notion that such a lowly creature would dare seek him out brought an unpleasant expression to Juruinas’s face.
“What exactly did he say?”
“He earnestly asked you to please come out.”
“…What?”
Hah.
“What did he say? Is my hearing faulty?”
Even if he were to kneel here in the audience room, begging and pleading, would he even consider listening? And yet, he dares to ask me to come out?
“What should we do…”
“Kill him. Tear him apart.”
“Understood.”
Swish.
As the subordinate disappeared wrapped in blood, Juruinas rested his chin on one hand.
Whether it was Baron Kuoh or a bug didn’t matter.
What was important was the true part of the revelation he received from ‘that person.’
‘Why they think it’s okay to spread this around, I don’t know… But for me, it’s actually fine.’
The Book of Revelation contains great knowledge.
Even a marquis like himself had dangerous spells in it, so he could use those inferior beings to discover the risks involved.
‘…Maybe that guy has been affected too.’
Reading that book for too long seems to mess with your mind; maybe he’s gone crazy.
“Truly an inferior being.”
Still, how long has it been since he recklessly read it and lost his mind?
What utterly pathetic creatures they were.
“So pitiful…”
…!
“Step back!”
“Where do you think you are! Are you insane? Which side are you on!”
“Block them! Absolutely don’t let them in!”
“If we let them in, we’re all dead! We must block them at all costs!”
“Stop them…!”
Kwahhh!!!
The giant door of the audience room crashes down.
Two vampires that I’ve never seen before burst through the door.
Each one has different body types, one with black hair and the other with silver hair, while behind them, several vampires guarding the castle are sprawled out carelessly.
Strength…
‘…Baron level?’
Ha!
“How amusing.”
Gugugugu…!
Blood surges.
The immense blood energy swirling in the audience room moves at Juruinas’s command.
“I think it’s time to replace these new guys. Getting beaten by such inferior girls? By a Baron at that?”
“Is that you, Juruinas?”
“Seeing you causing a ruckus, looks like you’ve read the Book of Revelation a bit. So, that foolish viscount and count must’ve fallen too.”
The massive blood energy transforms into hundreds, then thousands of weapons.
These weapons fill the audience room, emanating sharp murderous intent aimed at the two intruders.
“But do you think that power will work against me? If you thought that, you’d be hilariously wrong—”
“Why didn’t you come out when I told you to? Others got hurt for no reason.”
“…Are you crazy?”
“I killed Kuoh and revived him. It was difficult to bring him back with Blood-style magic for the first time.”
“……”
He’s definitely insane.
That’s what Juruinas thought.
‘He’s completely lost his mind.’
He’s probably drunk on power to the point where he can’t tell what’s what.
Earlier, that inferior Baron Kuoh came looking for him, so he must’ve stolen the book from him and used him to gather information.
‘To seek even more power.’
What a truly ridiculous thought.
Logically, a bloodsucker who gave a ‘part’ of their power can’t possibly be weaker than the bloodsucker who received that part.
“No need for conversation. Die.”
Kwaaaaah!!!!
Thousands of weapons come crashing down.
A storm like thunder sweeps through the audience room…
“…!”
“Should I do it?”
“No.”
Both remain unscathed.
The cause lies with the little vampire yawning, having used the Shield of Blood.
While the power embedded in the shield isn’t particularly great, some sort of unknown harmony occurs and blocks all attacks.
‘That girl. Something’s off…’
Wooong…
“I should test it out.”
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