episode_0053

Revenge is like food that tastes better the colder it is.

It was the first lesson taught by ‘The Organization’, which takes in children who lost their beloved families to vampires and trains them as vampire hunters.

Ordinary humans cannot defeat vampires. Even most knights or mages can only confidently guarantee victory against lower-ranking vampires, ‘Young Bloods’ with short histories of blood.

Once a vampire has absorbed enough blood and entered a stable period where they can be called a full-fledged adult, from that point on, they are beyond the reach of even national-level powerhouses or entire knight orders.

Their organization was a group that trained ‘hunters’ to hunt those very monsters.

There was no other special name. It was just The Organization.

One of the countless secret societies rampant in this chaotic world, whose exact purpose or composition remained unknown.

One thing was certain: hunters raised by The Organization possessed superhuman strength and abilities that ordinary humans could not even fathom.

Individuals who, driven by an obsession to dedicate their entire lives to revenge, endlessly honed themselves with burning hatred until they were forged into a single blade.

The Organization raised hunters in this manner, and these hunters, now human weapons, sought out the monsters who had taken everything from them, exacting their revenge.

There was no end. As long as a single enemy species remained on this land, their revenge would not cease until every last one of that species was annihilated.

The hunters who came to Báthory County were also of that kind.

Their personal revenge may have been achieved, but the embers of their blazing hatred would never die out.

Thus, like human weapons, they became vengeful spirits, seeking new fuel to throw into the furnace.

In that respect, ‘her’ existence was the perfect prey.

Countess Scarlet Báthory.

Rumors said she bathed in the blood of village maidens, and mummified corpses drained of blood were often found within her territory. Additionally, their organization’s intelligence had uncovered various credible pieces of evidence.

However, it seemed she had left her territory and disappeared somewhere in recent weeks.

What she had done during that time didn’t matter. International news reports about the Black Serpent appearing at an exhibition in the Bretonian Imperial Capital and causing a massive catastrophe didn’t matter either.

Because the affairs of the world were not their concern.

Their work took place on moonlit nights when the sun set, in the shadows of the world.

“Considering the detection barrier installed in the territory, the monster is likely a highly skilled mage.”

“Did it flee?”

“Precisely because of that, it will have pride. It will offer a vampire’s reception.”

Vampires are arrogant. That is why they do not lose their decorum even in front of hunters who come to hunt them, rather calling the act a ‘vampire’s reception’ and maintaining formality.

A composure only possible because of their perception of themselves as absolute predators.

“I wonder what kind of monster awaits us. I’m looking forward to it.”

A man with an impressive beard, pulling his hunter’s hat low, spoke. Two other men in identical hats and leather coats, and finally a lone woman, followed him.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

To face the monster awaiting to receive them in the count’s castle.

Then.

“Wait a moment!”

Behind the group, who were ready to depart for the castle, someone was urgently riding a horse and shouting.

It wasn’t a mechanical horse spewing steam, but a real, living horse. And the person riding it was a liaison for ‘The Organization’, providing information and connecting with hunters.

“What is it?”

The mustachioed man, who seemed to be the hunters’ leader, asked back. The man’s name was Billy. He had lost his beloved daughter and wife to a monster.

“Orders have come down from above.”

The only entity these people referred to as ‘above’ was The Organization.

“What are the orders?”

“To immediately withdraw from this territory and cease operations.”

“…Why?”

Billy blinked his eyes and asked again.

“From what you’re saying, it doesn’t seem like we’ve picked the wrong house for no reason.”

“I know nothing more than that. The orders from above are to withdraw.”

“I must have misheard. Are you telling us to pretend we don’t see the monster even though it’s here?”

“Yes.”

Billy said.

“Unfortunately, we can’t do that. In fact, I’m itching with curiosity now.”

“Are you intending to defy The Organization?”

“I’m always grateful to The Organization. Immeasurably so.”

He slung his long rifle, which had hunted countless monsters, diagonally across his shoulder.

“But don’t be mistaken. I’m not loyal to The Organization; I merely joined because our goals aligned.”

“…”

“If our goals no longer align, then our partnership ends here.”

He turned his back.

The other hunters following him also did the same. They remained vigilant, wondering if force might be used to stop them, but there was no further movement to restrain him.

As if to say his role was finished.

And so, Billy the hunter and the four men and women moved forward.

Towards the vampire’s castle, where it would now be preparing a reception to welcome them.

*

“Welcome.”

As Billy and the other hunters entered the solitary castle, a blood-red lady greeted them in the central lobby.

Báthory County’s lord’s castle was devoid of people. There were no castle managers, no gardeners, and no knights or vassals who should have been protecting the count.

Despite being such a ghostly castle, Báthory County had long maintained its solid position as a territory, and strangely, nobles from surrounding areas did not covet it or reveal any ambitions towards it.

It was not difficult to guess the reason.

“Countess Scarlet Báthory.”

Because she was there.

Furthermore, a massive rectangular dining table stood in the central lobby, with various dishes laid out on plates, silver candlesticks lit. Each dish looked appetizing, a meal befitting a noble. And judging by the steaming food, it seemed to have been cooked just in time.

“You must all be hungry after your arduous journey. Why don’t you have something to eat?”

Scarlet said with a smile.

“Coincidentally, I was just about to serve a meal to some very important guests.”

Important guests? Billy’s eyebrows twitched at her words. Did she mean there was more than one? Usually, vampires lived alone as a rule.

“Oh, food?! Food!”

Just then, a shrill girl’s voice echoed from the second floor of the lobby, as if on cue. A blonde girl in a gothic dress, seemingly having waited, dashed down and stopped in place.

After stopping, she alternated her gaze between the dining table and the group of hunters, then tilted her head innocently.

“Ugh, but… which side should I eat first? There’s so much delicious-looking food, I can’t decide!”

“—”

Following her, a man and a woman appeared.

A man in a raincoat, and a woman whose eyes were covered by a black bandage.

They didn’t seem to be merely kidnapped victims.

Only then did the hunters realize that, along with the vampire, everyone else present was wearing the same black attire.

As if they were a single group with a common bond.

At the same time, they instinctively realized that the aura emanating from each of them was ominous.

Did The Organization know this from the start and warn them? What exactly did they know?

They had known for a long time that The Organization’s goal wasn’t merely to aid their revenge and exterminate monsters. Yet, they hadn’t cared.

“Who… are you?”

Hunter Billy asked. Silently, he hooked his finger onto the trigger of the long rifle slung over his shoulder, ready to pull it at any moment.

The other hunters were no exception.

“Are you kin to that monster?”

“Human.”

The man in the raincoat replied. At his words, the lady with her eyes covered by a black bandage smiled silently.

“Why is a human with that monster?”

Billy asked. The answer came not from the man, but from the vampire standing before them.

“Because he is my boss.”

“…What did you say?”

Hunter Billy asked again, bewildered by the outrageous statement.

“What, is it your first time seeing a vampire serving a human?”

Of course, it was his first time. It was an unheard-of tale. For a vampire, who viewed humans as nothing more than prey or livestock, to actually serve under a human and bow their head…

He knew that the woman before him, Scarlet, was no ordinary vampire at first glance.

If that were the case, then a human to whom such a powerful vampire pledged loyalty must be─.

At the end of his thoughts, the hunter raised his head. Towards the man in the raincoat.

“Did you come all this way to hunt her?”

The man in the raincoat asked.

“Heh, hunting monsters is our job, you see.”

“…I see.”

The man nodded calmly. After nodding, he replied.

“There’s no need to show mercy to those who came to kill my subordinate.”