Chapter 128 – The Saintess and Her Guardian (6)

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“Ugh… the stench.”

I wrinkled my nose at the faint traces of divine energy, but what really made me gag was the putrid miasma clinging to the air.

Vampire, one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

The moment Edel and I set foot in the eastern lands, I knew she was here.

The earth was blackened and rotting.

Vempir tainted the land with her blood mist, creating terrain that empowered her vampire kin while draining the life from anyone else. Left unchecked, she’d suck them dry until they turned to mummified husks.

“Khh… Blood…”

The Holy Kingdom must have sent forces here, but judging by the vampire-infested paladins wandering aimlessly, they’d only served to bolster her army.

Even now, those creatures were slowly crumbling to ash under the sunlight.

If mere paladins could stop a Heavenly King, there’d be no need for heroes. Not that I cared to enlighten the Holy Kingdom—not after they’d branded Josie a heretic. Served them right.

“Edel, doesn’t this bother you? Smells like a decade-old fart.”

“If you find it foul, then it must be. Worse than rotten potatoes.”

I hadn’t expected him to agree, but Edel pinched his nose just like I did.

“Whatever. Let’s finish this quickly. I don’t want to stay in the east any longer. Where’s the Heavenly King? Follow the blood mist?”

Even if Vempir had just awakened, letting her amass thralls would be trouble.

We’d barely sealed the Cursed Doll before it could create its named puppets—and Vempir was just as annoying once she started converting people.

In the game’s second phase, she’d borrowed her thralls’ strength or even transferred her soul between bodies. She’d been the one to kill the warrior in the original hero’s party.

“Careful.”

Edel stepped forward as tendrils of blood mist crept toward us, dispersing them with his demonic energy.

I could’ve handled it myself, but I wasn’t about to complain. Still, it was strange—he hadn’t lifted a finger against the Cursed Doll, so why fuss over some mist?

His help was supposed to be limited to tracking the Heavenly Kings. I hadn’t expected him to intervene.

“A woman’s body is delicate, is it not? If this foulness clings to you, I won’t be able to savor your sweet fruit-like scent.”

“Huh…?”

W-What the hell is he talking about?!

Fruit-like scent? Sweet?!

I’m not some damn perfume!

I sniffed my sleeve just to be sure, but there was no trace of fruit—let alone anything sweet. Aria Chronicle didn’t even have fabric softener!

And I wasn’t wearing perfume either. Did Edel even hear himself?

You little pervert… I’m telling your future bride about this.

What kind of creep goes around sniffing other women?

More irritating was how he kept spouting nonsense about “delicate women” while manhandling me.

But I wasn’t about to just take it. If he wanted to play this game, I’d give him a taste of his own medicine.

“You know, you smell kinda fruity too? Like apples. Weird for a demon.”

Rising onto my tiptoes, I buried my nose near his collar and inhaled deeply.

Instead of the reek of an old bachelor, a warm, comforting scent filled my senses—like biting into a ripe apple.

Strangely addictive, too.

I kept sniffing, savoring it, until Edel suddenly shuddered.

A far cry from the rancid stench he’d had when we first met.

See? Even demons should bathe.

And that beard? So much better now that it’s trimmed.

“Ngh… Back off. You’re too close.”

This guy had no problem holding my hand, but this made him flustered?

“Why? You sniffed me first. Fair’s fair.”

“…My apologies. I was out of line.”

Avoiding my gaze, Edel carefully pushed me back, putting distance between us.

“Sexually harass me again, and I’ll return the favor tenfold. But I’ll let it slide today.”

“I merely complimented you… But noted. Shouldn’t we focus on the Heavenly King?”

Oh. Right. Vempir.

Now wasn’t the time for this.

This is all your fault, Edel, with your weird fruit-scented nonsense.

Following the blood mist with Edel at my side, we soon reached a dungeon.

The paladins had been here—their markers and the ashen remains of vampires littered the path.

In the game, Vempir had lurked in a ruined cathedral, her thralls greeting players with eerie hospitality. Now, she was holed up in this damp, musty dungeon.

“Estelle. A question.”

Edel spoke up as we navigated the dim corridors.

“Hm? What?”

“Why are you hunting the Heavenly Kings?”

Hadn’t I told him before?

Oh, right. Last time, he’d said he wasn’t interested.

“Why the sudden interest? You didn’t care last time.”

“I do now.”

I wasn’t sure what sparked his curiosity, but I didn’t mind.

“Remember how I told you I have a lovely daughter?”

I kept walking as I spoke, eyes fixed ahead.

“Josie’s traveling right now. If the Heavenly Kings run wild, she could get hurt. So I’m sealing them first.”

Honestly, I couldn’t care less about the Kings themselves—but Josie changed everything.

“Disappointed? You expected some grand reason, like saving the world?”

Edel might find it ridiculous. As the strongest Heavenly King, he’d probably think it absurd that I was doing all this for one human. The Demon King would clutch his chest in disbelief.

But Edel didn’t laugh or scoff.

He just nodded, like a child finally understanding something.

“No disappointment. If anything, it’s very you. And isn’t that love in its purest form?”

“Ehehe. Exactly. Josie’s the one I love most in this world.”

They say parents always see their children as babies, don’t they? Even though Josie was nineteen now, I still remembered her as she was that first day—small, fragile, so adorable I couldn’t help but smother her with affection.

Is she eating well? Sleeping enough?

She’s not crying for me, is she?

That ungrateful girl. It’s been over a month—couldn’t she send one letter? I’m always the one worrying!

I grumbled internally, but just picturing Josie’s smile melted my irritation away.

“She’s ahead.”

Edel’s voice snapped me from my thoughts. He pointed toward a passage shrouded in darkness.

I didn’t need him to tell me. The thick blood mist and demonic energy radiating from beyond confirmed it.

Let’s make this quick.

I wasn’t staying in this nasty place longer than necessary.

Summoning Triceratops, I stretched lightly, mentally reviewing Vempir’s annoying patterns. A sealing circle flared to life at my feet, blocking the blood mist.

“Wait here. I’ll be back soon.”

“Call my name if you need aid.”

“Ehehe. Won’t be necessary.”

I flashed him a grin before stepping into the shadows.

The stench grew thicker the deeper I went, so potent my nose nearly went numb—

—until I saw her.

Vempir.

Her crimson hair spilled like spider silk as she dined happily, her fangs buried in the neck of a burly man whose bushy beard reminded me of Edel’s old look.

“Not an adversary, I see. An ally here to aid our conquest? The Demon King mentioned assistance… though you’re dreadfully late. Plenty of insects have already gathered. I did find one useful thrall, however.”

So she’d already turned someone.

Just woke up and already causing trouble.

“A little late, but one thrall won’t be an issue.”

“Oh?”

I’d just seal them both.

As mana surged into Triceratops, its three horns glowed blood-red.

Lucent