Chapter 35 – Ominous Movements

R̂ëäd̂ ̀õń ́K̈â​t̂R̀ëãd̈​în̈g̀C̃ã​f̂ë

We recklessly pursued traces of mother and arrived in an unfamiliar land far to the east. However, it didn’t take long for us to realize that this place was nothing short of hell for us.

Eyes of surveillance scattered everywhere. A society so tightly connected through social media that the moment contact was lost, everyone around would immediately know. ID checks and inspections embedded into daily life. Streets so brightly lit that even in the depths of night, darkness was nowhere to be found.

A hot and humid climate. The overwhelming scent of garlic lingering in the air. Red crosses visible no matter where we turned. The constant blare of loud music. No proper living quarters befitting members of our noble house. Countless rivers running through the heart of the city.

Everything about this environment seemed designed to deny and reject the very existence of vampires.

Not all of us were weak to crosses and garlic, so a few families were able to move about with some level of freedom. Yet, even they couldn’t properly feed.

In this society, there was no such thing as a blind spot.

And even if we did manage to find one, it was impossible to discreetly drag a human there. We had no choice but to starve.

Those lacking self-control, those who were desperate for blood, couldn’t withstand the thirst and rushed out to feed—but none of them ever returned.

They were either taken away by the authorities, never to be heard from again, or executed on the spot by magical girls.

Even those who tried to steal pre-collected blood met a similar fate. And even when we tried to give up human blood and survive on animal blood instead, we found that not even suitable livestock could be found here.

It is truly hell.

To make matters worse, the language barrier was suffocating. We couldn’t seduce prey with words, nor even hold a simple conversation with ease.

“Illyé… This time, you were really wrong about this.”

My sister, who had requested a private conversation with me, had visibly grown gaunt over the past few days. She pleaded, asking if it wasn’t time for us to go back.

“…Go back to our land, already overrun by them?”

“That would still be better than this! And don’t act like this doesn’t concern you—how many of your own children have already gone missing?! How can you remain so indifferent?!”

She finally snapped, her voice dripping with resentment. She said that if we hadn’t come here, at least we could have died with the dignity of nobles of the night.

“…You’re right. At the very least, we wouldn’t have had to worry about starving to death.”

Even I, the one who had insisted on coming here, couldn’t argue against that. I could only admit it bitterly.

“Exactly?! Then let’s—!”

“No, Elise. It’s already too late. And… I haven’t even had the chance to ask Mother what she was thinking.”

At those words, my sister’s face darkened, her voice now dripping with hostility.

“…Even if we all end up dying like beasts, you’re going to stay?”

So your heart has already left this place long ago.

As I looked into her eyes, I wondered—where did it all go wrong?

Was it when we failed to find Mother in time? Or when I chose to inherit her dream?

There must have been a moment when everything took a turn for the worse.

When was it? Where?

“…Once we find Mother, you can do as you please. You can join forces with the others and return, or go wherever you wish. But until then—until we find her—you’ll have to stay with me.”

“…You promised.”

At those words, Elise finally relented. She hooked her pinky with mine, warning me that if I went back on my word, she wouldn’t forgive me.

“So? Have you found out where Mother is?”

Having regained a bit of composure, Elise asked about the whereabouts of the monster that held our mother within its body.

“Yes, I found it. The humans here call the place… Incheon. I don’t know exactly what kind of place it is, but I hear it’s a lawless zone. We should be able to secure blood without too much difficulty.”

“…Well, that’s the first good news I’ve heard in a while.”

Leaving behind those words, Elise exited my room, as if she had nothing more to say.

Back when Mother was with us, Elise and I had been so close.

Mother… What on earth happened to you, for you to end up inside that monster? What were you thinking?

I asked the question, knowing full well that no answer would ever come. As the first hints of sunrise peeked through the window, I pulled the curtains shut.

I reviewed the latest damage report from the Incheon branch. It only reaffirmed my decision—this incident could not be ignored.

A group had broken into the branch, slaughtered the monsters guarding it, and, as if to mock us, specifically chosen to kill one of the senior researchers.

If her principles had merely dictated that she had to interfere with my work, I would have let it slide with just a warning. After all, I understood what it meant to be in a similar position.

But in her case, that wasn’t the issue. She had no reason to interfere with me—yet she did. That, I could not forgive.

No matter how much of a fellow kin she might be, there were lines that should never be crossed. I had overlooked her impersonation, assuming she had her own reasons. But an assault on the branch? That was unacceptable.

It had been quite some time since she had been let loose into this world. Someone needed to teach her a lesson.

And mere lackeys wouldn’t be enough.

I picked up the communicator and contacted the Ox, the Tiger, and the Pig.

“It’s me. My kin, I have a request for you. If you have the time, I’d like you to lend me your aid.”

-A request, you say? As if you wouldn’t hunt us down if we refused. Tch, stop wasting time and just tell us what you want.

-Oh, Rabbit! If it’s your request, I’ll help! But you better pay us handsomely again!

-Chomp, chomp… Ugh, burp… Busy right now… still eating…

Tiger and Pig responded somewhat half-heartedly, but since Pig was preoccupied with eating, I decided only Tiger’s attitude needed correcting before delivering my request.

“Good. Since you all seem busy, I’ll keep it short. That monster, Hemorrhagia—the one who should have taken the dragon’s place—I’d like to give her a lesson.”

-Is this about your private organization being attacked a few days ago?

Tiger bluntly asked if it was out of resentment. It wasn’t entirely wrong, so I admitted it.

“I’d be lying if I said no. But isn’t she rampaging recklessly like a headless beast? If she doesn’t get herself together soon, her life will be at risk. As fellow kin, I figured we should step in and help.”

-You resent her, yet you claim you’re worried? How laughable. I get what you mean. You just want us to beat up that crazy dragon, right?

Tiger still looked displeased, but the mention of a fight seemed to lift his mood ever so slightly.

“That’s exactly right. Pig, Ox—you two as well.”

-I think I’m enough on my own. Do we really need those two extras?

Tiger made a dismissive remark about his comrades, but given his abilities, it wasn’t entirely baseless, so I didn’t push back too hard.

“You were created to be the strongest among us, but even you might struggle. That’s why I’m sending them with you, so don’t take it personally. Pig, Ox, no objections, I assume?”

Pig remained uninterested, too focused on eating, while Ox, being mild-mannered, had no complaints. In fact, he even said he felt reassured having allies.

“That’s good to hear. Then be prepared. The next time she appears, I’ll have Rat send you to the site immediately. May you all fulfill your principles.”

With a formal farewell, I ended the communication and reviewed the next report, assessing the progress of my ‘misfortune’ collection.

“…It won’t be long now. All that’s left is to find the right one.”

Where could the person destined to bear all the world’s misfortunes and die be?

“…Ah-choo!”

As I scrolled through my phone, a sudden sneeze burst out.

Am I catching a cold? Me? As if this body would succumb to such a petty illness.

“Pfft, puhaha!! What was that sneeze?! Pffft!!”

Hearing it, Narae couldn’t contain her laughter, rolling around on the floor, gasping for breath.

Oh, has this brat finally lost it? Should I seriously summon a magical girl into the house?

Still, even I had to admit that my sneeze sounded ridiculous, so I couldn’t really argue back.

“I’ll let this one slide. But if you laugh like that again, I swear I’ll bring Radiant White straight into this house. You know I’m not bluffing, right?”

At that, Narae’s face twisted. She must have remembered that yesterday, I had actually told Radiant White the address of my lodging.

Yeah, that’s right, you better watch yourself. Got it?

…But still.

Why do I feel this strange chill in the air?

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