Ch.201Chapter 201 – Five Orange Pips (7)

“…Sigh.”

Returning to the hideout in the back alley after leaving Sharlotte’s side, I quietly sighed as I sat down in the empty chair in front of me.

“This is driving me crazy…”

My head is throbbing with pain. What did I just see? What was lurking behind Sharlotte Holmes?

‘…I almost lost another precious person.’

To be honest, I have trauma about losing people around me. Quite severely at that.

If I seem overly sensitive, I can’t help it.

But not everyone experiences having their closest high school friends suddenly disappear one by one overnight.

Even the one who remained until the end had an accident while working with me at my previous job.

Because of that, I quit my previous job like I was running away, lived like a shut-in for a while, and then got a job as a programmer at a game development company due to financial difficulties.

I never imagined I would end up being transported into the game we were making.

‘This time… I absolutely cannot lose anyone…’

I tried not to get too attached. I tried to keep things casual and empty my mind.

But now that things have come to this, I have no choice.

Before I lose the connections I’ve made in this other world, it’s time to get serious for a moment.

“Where did you go, Master…?”

“…Moran.”

As I finished my thoughts and raised my head, Moran was tilting her head with a blank expression in front of me.

“Grr… ugh…”

“Kill… me…”

If only her face and hands weren’t splattered with dark red blood.

“You filthy inferior species. You were laughing when you burned Blaze’s shoulder, so why the long faces now?”

“Aaaargh…”

“What, aren’t I also a subspecies that needs to be overthrown from your perspective? Why don’t you try burning my shoulder too? You dirty, lowly…”

And if only the culprits weren’t screaming in agony as they were having their blood actively drained by Lady Clay behind Moran, who was behaving completely differently from how she had made excuses to me just hours ago.

“W-what? When did you get back?”

“………”

“F-forget what you just heard! Those were just made-up threats to intimidate them. So don’t misunderstand…”

That sight would have looked quite cute.

“Did you find out anything else?”

“Yes, I found out that they gather at a temporary hideout periodically.”

“…Temporary hideout?”

But since I was proud of Moran for working so diligently, I gently stroked her head while asking the question, and an unexpected answer came from her mouth.

“It’s like a regular meeting where members infiltrating England gather to report on the progress of their operations.”

“Hmm…”

“I haven’t found the location yet. But it’s the most useful information that came out of their mouths during the past few hours…”

“I see.”

I nodded quietly at her words, and after watching my reaction for a moment, Moran began to speak faster after reading my dark expression.

“I-I’m sorry for not getting more useful information. Should I increase the intensity of the torture?”

“…….”

“So far I’ve been using methods that maximize pain without endangering their lives, but if we don’t care about keeping them alive, I can multiply the pain several times. Then surely…”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Patting her head, I shook my head and then turned toward the guys tied to chairs behind her.

– Bzzt…

“Ugh… huurk…”

When I sent an electric shock to the guy who had told me that Sharlotte Holmes was the next target, he trembled and groaned.

“Why aren’t you telling me where the meeting place is?”

“T-that’s…”

“Let’s assume you’re just a low-level member and you really don’t know who’s behind this. But there’s no way you don’t know the meeting place, right?”

“I-it can’t be helped…!”

He began making excuses with a pale face in response to my cold question.

“I-I don’t know the exact location either… I only find the direction through a magical mark engraved on me. The location is announced before each gathering…”

“…Is that so?”

“S-so… if you spare me… I-I can take you there myself…”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Are you trying to negotiate now?”

“I-if you kill me, you won’t get what you want. I’m just pointing that out.”

“You seem to be mistaken, but there are plenty of people who can replace you.”

“U-unfortunately, that’s not true.”

In this situation, the guy started to get bolder as he watched my reaction.

“Among the people here, I’m the only one with the mark. I-I’m the leader…”

“……..”

“Those guys are just trash who can’t even attend the regular meetings without me. But I can provide what you want.”

“…Hmph, I thought your mana scent was slightly stronger than the others. So you’re the boss.”

As I glared at him, Lady Clay, who had been quietly wiping the blood from Moran’s face with a handkerchief, began to mutter in a cold voice.

“Since when have you been following Blaze?”

“That’s…”

“Never mind. It’s telling that you didn’t follow someone who looks strong like me walking openly through back alleys, but targeted Blaze who seemed easy. That says a lot about your organization’s level.”

“…….”

At those words hitting the mark, the man quietly closed his mouth.

– Swoosh…

“…What, are you feeling bad now?”

Looking at him with narrowed eyes, I leaned my face close to his and whispered in a low voice.

“But that’s your true nature, isn’t it?”

This must have hit the mark too, as there was still no answer.

“…So, where is the mark?”

“……..”

“Even if you’re a low-level leader who doesn’t know the mastermind or meeting place… you can’t possibly not know where the mark is on your own body, right?”

“I-it’s here…!”

So when I smiled and deliberately provoked him more strongly, he quickly extended his hand with a slightly humiliated expression.

“I-it’s on my hand because it’s used like a compass. With this, I can go to the meeting place.”

“…I see.”

“B-by the way… if you cut off my hand, the magic will be canceled immediately. So don’t do anything rash…”

– Swoosh…

“……Huh?”

Ignoring his words, I placed my finger on his hand and then lifted my hand with a cold smile.

“T-that’s…”

“For an organization that supposedly has a grand magician, your magic is quite sloppy.”

“Ah…”

“…No security measures on the magic at all.”

On my hand was an identical seal to the one engraved on him.

“Y-you won’t be able to do anything with just a copied pattern…”

“The meeting place is to the west.”

“……!”

Of course, it had the same functionality too.

I’m the one who implemented this world’s magic system—did he think I couldn’t copy such a simple spell?

“I have no more use for you now.”

“P-please spare me…”

“…When you were killing Ayn species with your own hands, did you ever stop when you heard those words?”

Realizing his usefulness was gone, he begged for his life with an ashen face, but fell silent for the third time at my question.

– Bzzzzzzt…

“Lady, I heard vampires have been short on blood lately…”

After sending electricity through his neck to knock him out again, I turned my head to call Lady Clay, intending to reward some of my most loyal vampire subordinates.

“Excuse me, mmph… please… stop.”

“…Hold still. The blood isn’t coming off easily, is it?”

Seeing the Lady still wiping Moran’s face with a handkerchief while scolding her for fidgeting, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. I’m wiping it off because the sweet scent of blood on you is distracting me from the torture. There’s no other reason…”

“I’m saying, it’s not necessary…”

Could it be that she, who had always acted haughty since becoming my slave, had already grown attached to her companions like I had?

“Lady, I need your help.”

“…Huh?”

Thinking that with a wry smile, I approached the Lady who was concentrating on wiping off the blood and whispered in her ear.

“Y-you mean me?”

She looked blank for a moment, then stared at me with a dubious expression.

“…You wanting me is like the sun rising in the west.”

“Why would you say that?”

“After taking me in such a petty and shabby way, you barely pay attention to me now that time has passed…!”

She began raising her voice with a slightly hurt tone.

“I-I have royal blood flowing in me…! Yet for the past few months, I’ve been wearing a maid’s uniform, and my hands are all blistered from cleaning the house alone! While you’ve been happily embracing women!”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Hmph, forget it! It’s quite outrageous that you’re trying to use me now! Don’t expect me to help…”

Listening to her, it seems I might have been a bit harsh, but I have no choice now.

– Shing…

“Huh? Why are you suddenly taking out a knife…”

I have to use the ultimate technique that works on her.

– Slash…

“……..!?”

With that thought, I stabbed myself in the neck with the knife and cut my skin, causing the Lady’s chattering face to instantly fill with bewilderment.

“Y-you didn’t need to apologize that much… huh?”

After muttering with a slightly timid expression, she suddenly bit her lip hard and stopped speaking.

– Step, step…

Then, with dazed eyes, she staggered toward me and began to stare at my bleeding neck with heated eyes.

“…Haup.”

And a moment later, she bit into my neck.

“Haaauuuuugh…”

She closed her eyes with an ecstatic expression and trembled.

– Click…

“…No, it’s okay.”

Carefully embracing the waist of the Lady who had begun drinking my blood, I raised my hand to Moran, who had quietly begun aiming a pistol at the Lady’s head, and whispered those words before surrendering myself.

“”………””

After about a minute had passed.

“That’s enough, Lady.”

“…H-huh?”

As I pushed her away slightly and whispered, Lady Clay finally came to her senses and looked at me with a blank expression.

“J-just a little more…”

“…….”

“…Can’t you give me just a little more?”

For her, my blood with the power of a pure-blooded vampire must be like a drug, or rather, a mysterious liquid with an effect beyond that.

It’s only natural that she’s making such a desperate expression, having abandoned even the outward haughty appearance she had maintained until just now.

“If you help me with this matter…”

Therefore, what I’m about to say now.

“…You can have me.”

“……!”

Would be an offer she cannot refuse.

“W-what exactly… does that mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I’ll give you the right to feed on me whenever you want.”

“……”

“You can consume me completely at once if you want, or if you prefer, you can feed on me whenever you desire. I won’t resist or refuse.”

Hearing those words, the Lady’s eyes slowly began to change.

Seeing that, it seemed my offer had worked perfectly.

“So please help me just this once.”

“…What do I need to do?”

Of course, honestly, even I think it’s a bit excessive.

“Well, it’s nothing much…”

But considering the importance and danger of the role she needs to play in my plan, this level of compensation seems necessary.

“Be a sacrifice for the KKK group.”

“…What?”

This is a role that only someone who is at least the fourth smartest woman in London could properly perform.

.

.

.

.

.

Several days later. The day of the KKK group’s regular meeting.

“Stop right there!”

“”……..””

“Who’s that person you brought with you!?”

A member guarding the entrance stops a man wearing their uniform who has appeared with a thoroughly irritated woman tied up.

“A vampire.”

“…W-what?”

Looking at him, Adler answers with a voice mixed with amusement.

“I’ve captured a vampire, everyone!”

“…I’ll really eat you alive when this is over.”

“So, can we go inside?”