“What the hell is going on here?”
One of the Church’s Trackers asked scornfully. It was clear they weren’t just in the mood for a friendly chat.
These guys had consistently shown hostility towards me. But at least in this moment, their attention wasn’t on me.
“…”
Plona didn’t respond.
Before my eyes, her sky-blue hair swayed. For some reason, I was looking at Plona’s back.
With a sword that had never left its sheath today, Plona Moonlight stood with her back to me, facing the other Trackers from the same Church.
‘Why?’
It was an unavoidable strike.
Weakened from expending energy and injuring my heart while carelessly firing off blood magic I barely understood, I instinctively felt I wouldn’t be able to dodge the sharp blow aimed at my heart.
‘What’s she thinking?’
But then Plona saved me. After just watching while I fought three Trackers amidst a bloody mess, what made her decide to jump in?
Could it be that her earlier insistence on chatting was meant literally? Not just to buy time until the Trackers arrived?
No way. You’re human, and I’m a vampire!
Selin abandoned me too. Now you expect me to trust humans?
Regardless, what I had to do didn’t change. I needed to shake off the enemies and get through the safe barrier. That was my only win condition.
But searching for a second chance after failing once wasn’t easy.
I wasn’t completely immobile, but my body still felt heavy like I was carrying a hunk of metal. Even in perfect condition, I barely managed to create an opening with a half-cocked gamble; I couldn’t just pass by the Trackers like this.
In the end, I was probably not being attacked now because of Plona.
If she hadn’t been blocking the front, those guys wouldn’t have stopped attacking. No matter my trust issues, this was an undeniable truth.
Faced with the uncomfortable truth of receiving human protection made my heart uneasy.
However, while the strange standoff between Plona and the Trackers continued, three approaching Trackers finally joined in, doubling their numbers.
“Knight, do you know what you’re doing?”
“Well, I wouldn’t want to hear that from you trailing behind.”
“It’s treason against humanity. You wouldn’t misunderstand what it means for a Knight to shield a Progenitor of Vampires, would you?”
A calm but charged dialogue exchanged.
I could only see her back, so I didn’t know Plona’s expression, but I could guess she was biting her lip from her breathing.
Treason against humanity. I didn’t know what guts Plona had to act so bold, but that was no joking matter.
Moreover, with the Luminous Church being the speaker, it went without saying. Those in an advantageous position wouldn’t conspire with me to deliberately confuse me.
But Plona didn’t sheath her sword even when the questioning felt more like a threat than a joke.
Unlike when she awkwardly stood by earlier, the sideways view of Plona now looked steadfast, as if she had made a resolution.
“This is your last chance. If you behead the Progenitor’s heart now, I’ll overlook everything that happened today.”
Slowly, Plona shook her head. The strong rejection behind her silence spread an uncomfortable tension among the Trackers.
“You’re going to regret this.”
“…I’ve already regretted enough.”
For a brief moment, I made eye contact with Plona when she turned her head slightly back. She seemed to want to convey something, but my mind refused to understand human emotions.
However, the Trackers didn’t give me time to interpret the silent signal Plona sent.
As soon as they realized Plona had no intention of reversing her words, one of the Trackers solemnly stated.
“By the command of Cardinal Benelian Lior, under the judgment of the on-site commander of the Inquisition Execution Division with delegated authority, from this moment, we excommunicate Knight Plona Moonlight. Moreover, as she has committed the grave sin of sheltering the Progenitor of Vampires, she is to be immediately deemed an enemy and executed.”
Is that really all you’re okay with?
Excommunication. If she’s excommunicated, she can no longer live in human society.
What do they want from me? Did they think by betraying the Church and siding with me I could go back to how things were?
My complicated thoughts were interrupted by the resumption of the battle.
The only change was the number of enemies doubling from three to six, and nominally adding one ally, turning the fight from 1v3 to 2v6.
While the headcount on both sides had merely doubled, the ratio of friends to foes hadn’t changed. However, the nature of the resumed battle had markedly shifted from earlier.
A silver flash surged across the battlefield. Every time the slender sword sparkled, the sound of steel clashing echoed, and the advancing Trackers were sent flying.
Behind me, I heard metallic sounds, and at one moment, the enemy facing me fell back, only to be replaced by Plona’s silver blade.
She moved with astounding grace. If I wanted to fight to determine victory or defeat instead of fleeing, I wouldn’t be so easily confident against six strong foes; Plona was handling them almost single-handedly.
Thanks to that, despite being weakened from the backlash of reckless blood magic and injuries to my heart, I found myself gaining a moment to think.
Can I leave it all to Plona and make a run for the barrier?
No. Right now, I’m only able to endure because I’m within the range of her protection; if I widened the distance carelessly, with my current state, I’d definitely get caught before shaking off the pursuers.
While pondering countermeasures in my head, I grit my teeth and moved my body. Though operating aggressive blood magic was out of the question, I could still use it for detection if I controlled it tightly.
In the midst of the fighting, I suddenly felt an odd discomfort.
An inexplicable unease. Before long, I discovered the identity of this discomfort.
‘The numbers aren’t going down.’
We had been exchanging blows for a considerable time. Yet, while I lost some flesh and some enemies sustained minor injuries, no one had died.
‘That can’t be right.’
The Trackers, who identified themselves as the Inquisition Execution Division, were strong. Individually, their power was among the highest I had faced, and with six of them, their cohesion was alarmingly perfect.
But Plona boasted an even more overwhelming strength. The fact that she was fighting while protecting me against those six intimidating foes, without suffering a single scratch, proved that.
It might seem strange at first glance, but shifting perspectives allows for this interpretation.
Our ally could push back multiple foes without even proper gear while being unscathed, yet none of the enemies had died.
‘She’s hesitating. To kill a human.’
Caught up in fending off oncoming attacks, I hadn’t noticed, but once I realized it, Plona’s hesitation was starkly visible.
There had been countless opportunities. However, in critical moments, she flinched and took a step back instead of finishing them off.
It didn’t seem like she was intentionally holding back. I could tell even that much.
She wasn’t being kind; she was at least trying her hardest to fight. But in crucial moments, it felt as though she was bound by invisible chains, her blade losing its edge.
And despite Plona’s superior skill, the enemies weren’t weak enough to be overwhelmed while revealing gaps.
It was clear she dropped her guard even while fighting. Facing enemies who had formally declared her excommunication and execution, Plona hesitated to take lives.
‘What a fool.’
That’s why she’s getting betrayed. Can’t you see? The Church folks you trusted so much are ready to kill you the moment you defend me.
You should learn from that; it’s pointless to hesitate when you can’t go back after being excommunicated.
‘This is maddening.’
Plona has probably never killed a human before.
The Knight protects humans with the sword. Their main task is fighting Ain, not battling other humans.
Dealing with fellow humans falls to those Inquisition Trackers right in front of me. With her education to protect people, it isn’t strange that Plona hadn’t killed anyone before.
How ridiculous.
You’ve killed plenty of Ains already, yet you can’t bring yourself to kill a fellow human?
So human lives and Ain lives are different, huh? But I’m not human, so what are you thinking? You went out of your way to save me with such a half-baked resolve?
…Whatever. I didn’t expect much from the start.
Plona was merely a stroke of luck that came my way. Nothing more, nothing less.
I thought of her as a tool to be used rather than an ally. If Plona can’t do it, I’ll just kill them all myself.
I can do this. It’s impossible with just my strength, but if I use Plona’s power, it’s feasible.
I started to synchronize my movements to Plona’s breath.
Calmly, I waited for her to clear the enemies away and protect me.
Before my eyes, an enemy raised their sword. Ignoring the trajectory meant to pierce my heart, I lunged at them.
Clang!! As expected, Plona’s sword intercepted in my place. The sword that should have struck my heart went off to the side, and when the Tracker’s eyes widened, I had already closed the distance.
With a piercing sound, my hand penetrated through their heart faster than they could grasp their sword. To minimize blood loss, I didn’t pull back my hand but embedded it deep into the nape of their neck.
Alright, that’s one down.
It was a perfect plan that accounted for Plona’s support. However, there was something even I hadn’t calculated.
“Y-You?”
Plona’s face went pale at the sight of me drinking the enemy’s blood.
I didn’t know what she had expected from me to be that shocked, but the undeniable fact was I had misjudged a crucial element that might decide life and death.
“Plona!!”
In her state of shock, Plona froze. My shout returned the light to her dazed eyes, but the price of momentarily becoming utterly defenseless against five enemies was horrifying.
Of the enemies who hadn’t approached due to Plona until now, three rushed in on me in the blink of an eye.
A decisive strike coming in from three sides. It almost seemed like they were sensing their only chance now that Plona had faltered, their desperation apparent.
I calmly and coldly analyzed the situation. And I reached the conclusion that no matter what, I could never fend off all three attacks.
At least one sword would strike my heart. Just as that thought crossed my mind—
“Plona!!!”
With a silver flash, a stream of blood erupted right before my eyes.
Thud. Traces of life rained down like a shower.
Plona’s hands and clothes became stained red. Beneath the shower of blood, another stream gushed out.
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