Vampire (1)

I stood in front of the office labeled Field Team 1.

I smiled slightly at her appearance, which still didn’t look good, then said:

“What are you doing? Hurry up and go in to report.”

In other words, it means that the children who were called new hunters were covered in blood and taken to the infirmary. Since it’s strange that they ended up like that while being trained, if she doesn’t tell the truth, it’ll only make her position difficult.

I pondered.

What if she says it’s all her fault?

Somehow, I ended up meeting the gaze of Erica, who was looking at me with a sad face.

“Ah, before I grab the doorknob, let me ask, what are you going to say?”

“……”

At that, she just avoided my gaze without saying anything. Suddenly, anxiety took precedence.

“Tell me properly. Say that a wanted criminal barged in and this happened, and if they ask who, answer that it’s me. Understand?”

“……”

“Add that they shouldn’t worry. Because she plans to kill her today.”

“…There’s no need to go that far.”

“Hm, are you talking back?”

Blood that hadn’t been wiped off flowed from her crushed lips. I approached slightly, wiped her mouth with my finger, put the blood on my tongue, and licked it.

“I don’t know why you’re doing this. It’s just that an irredeemable piece of trash caused murders like a beast again. The fault lies entirely with me, and the duty to report that is yours, isn’t it?”

So there’s no need to hesitate.

I smiled slightly. It’s all because she’s developed a habit of trying to cover for me. It was clearly fine for a while, but since the criminal got entangled with me from Seoul Station, she’s been constantly trying to match my mood, or more precisely, my feelings.

Maybe there was something at the headquarters too. Thinking about it, I wonder if I unnecessarily provoked her. Until recently, at least when we were in the Gyeonggi area, she was someone who acted without hesitation when it came to reporting. In the end, it’s just a childish manipulation of emotions.

“Let’s just, skip it.”

I reflexively tried to say something, but closed my mouth.

“I’ll gloss over it, saying there was an accident.”

“Those people might criticize you.”

“…It’s okay anyway.”

A slender hand grasped the doorknob.

“As if hearing that you’re wrong is.”

I stared blankly and cut off the latter part of her sentence.

“But I am wrong.”

Only my hollow voice echoed softly in the corridor. The office doorknob was turned, and Erica entered silently.

Silence flowed.

For what purpose.

We returned to Gyeonggi-do by train. First, we arrived at the Association branch and went through the reporting sequence and various procedures.

As we spent time like that, night quickly approached. I was about to leave after watching Erica sitting in the office, seemingly still having work left, when.

“Where are you going?”

“Hm. Home.”

“…Can’t you not go today?”

Hearing a voice that sounded somewhat tired and worried, I frowned for no reason.

“Why?”

“I’d like you to, stay by my side.”

I exhaled with a “hoo.”

“We’ll see each other again, so bear with it a little.”

After meeting her gaze, I turned and left.

Walking down the street, I recalled the remnants of Uijeongbu geography remaining in my head. Due to the Gate surge, there’s a place with a wide field on the outskirts of the city.

First setting that place as my destination, as I kept walking, a red bead escaped as the subspace tore.

[It’s been days since I appeared!]

“Yeah.”

I replied calmly.

[Why do you look so down?]

“I think I’m tired from the Seoul business trip.”

[Where are you going now?]

After pondering, I opened my mouth again.

“Something like, a last date, I guess.”

Only a quiet stillness surrounded us. Because we were walking on cement, not even footsteps echoed.

Bloody, who had been silent, looked ahead and then replied like this:

[So that’s what it was.]

“Yeah.”

[No regrets?]

After walking absentmindedly, I hurriedly nodded.

“There’s no way, I could have such things.”

[Is that so. Then that’s fine.]

When I raised my gaze, there was an artificial field in a place slightly away from the city. It’s the place I had added first to the list of locations for the last date.

[Is this the right place?]

“It is, but.”

There’s a lot to clean up, and first of all, it’s too cold. The wind blows strongly in this open area.

Above all.

I chose such a quiet place in case of damage to nearby buildings and various key locations, but looking back, I thought that in a place like this, Erica wouldn’t have the intention to fight seriously.

Usually, I wouldn’t care about such things, and yeah. Even with the hostage situation, I knew better than anyone that remnants of the city and people to hold hostage were necessary. It was strange.

Is it because it’s the last?

Nevertheless, I have no intention of delaying.

I turned my steps and returned to the city. Desolate streets. Various collapsed buildings, damaged places, complete night.

Because it was the daily life I walked with her, I was prepared to destroy it. Because she’s someone who has to protect many things, this place would rather be a good location.

Yeah. This should be right.

Watching Bloody flapping his wings, I muttered softly.

“Let’s clean up.”

First, I looked around the surroundings.

I blew away everything that would interfere with the fight and leveled the ground. I destroyed buildings that hadn’t been fully completed, and ones where restoration work hadn’t even begun.

I also neatly cleared away terrain features blocking the path. What if Erica trips while fighting? I can’t wait for her either.

I forcibly crushed cracks and Gates that seemed likely to occur and finally checked for signs of magical beasts.

That’s how the preparations ended.

[Good job.]

“Thanks.”

As I was preparing to return to the Association, I unconsciously blurted out:

“It was a time of endless endurance.”

When I turned my head, Bloody was flapping his wings slightly.

“Right?”

[Orli.]

Looking at the sky, dawn was approaching.

[Do you have any happy memories?]

“Of course.”

[That’s good. Because you were pretty when you smiled.]

After pondering, I opened my mouth.

“I didn’t know coffee could be so delicious.”

[It’s good if you enjoyed it.]

“By any chance.”

I hesitated.

“You won’t stop me?”

[Do you want that?]

“I don’t know.”

A moment of silence.

[Don’t you have something you want?]

I nodded at the change of subject.

[Do as you wish. You’re worth it.]

“For a life that’s already over, do such words have meaning?”

Bloody smiled slightly.

[At least, I hope you realize your own heart.]

It was the middle of the night.

Arriving at the Association, I moved along the corridor indicated by the sentence floating in the air. Everyone must have gone home as there was no one around. Turning on the ceiling lights one by one with hand gestures, I moved calmly following the air current that matched the color and texture of the blue sentence.

Well, it was as expected.

That there are separate hospital rooms prepared in the inner space of the Association’s hospital ward.

That her younger sister is at the end of that.

It wasn’t something I couldn’t know.

I had always spent my days savoring Erica’s blood, and when a scent so similar to that blood stimulated my nose, I would involuntarily frown at the too intense stimulation.

Moreover, when I occasionally felt her blood scent doubled, it was always after her magic power was depleted. Probably she had devoted herself to that healing.

The hospital room was tightly closed, but I could easily open it by letting blood seep into the wall.

With a click, the doorknob turned.

A wide space no different from an Association hospital room, various clothes, furniture, and a bed.

And on it, a delicate long-haired girl sleeping.

“This feels like I’m doing something bad.”

[Isn’t that right?]

A somewhat calming scent pressed against my nose. The girl seemed to wake up slightly at the sound of approaching footsteps.

“Mmm…? Si… sister…?”

A faint voice was heard.

She’d be very surprised if the face she sees upon waking is mine.

I slightly curled my hand and interfered with her blood. Soon, she lost consciousness before she could even open her eyes fully, and I exhaled watching her.

Touching her directly is troublesome.

I just need to do something with her heart.

Fortunately, she was sleeping obediently facing the ceiling, so I just reached my hand towards her heart.

The blue sentence flashed.

5. The extreme of healing arts, a flower blooming from the heart. <Mist>.

As if blood was overflowing, blue water dripped from the letters,

And in response, the area around the girl’s heart began to emit light.

The vastly blazing light spread widely, coloring the dim interior.

Wind started to blow.

Transparent vines that began to wrap around the girl’s chest became visible. As they started to intertwine with each other, they gathered together and rose into the air, and by my hand injected with enormous magic power, they bloomed into a flower.

Inserting my hand into the fierce whirlwind that disturbed the surrounding air currents, I plucked the flower that was showing off its form from the root.

Crack.

With the spread of noise, the wind and air currents rapidly subsided, and in the quiet surroundings, I blinked my eyes and felt relieved as the light that had been gushing from the opened chest closed and faded.

Her twitching body stabilized too.

Did she have an illness? Now that she’s cured, she won’t have to worry anymore.

Only good things should happen to her.

I held up the flower in the air.

The sentence flashed once more.

The transparent blue flower decomposed into dust and seeped into the bare crown, and soon the crown began to drip blood and turn bright red.

The finale.

A time of endurance.

“Huff… huff…”

My breathing is rough.

It’s soon.

Now I just need to feel.

The weight of the crown that bore enormous power.

For the last time to end all of this.

I looked around. The hospital room was not intact. Come to think of it, there was a loud noise earlier too.

That’s when.

I heard someone running.

That’s strange.

Everyone should have gone home.

When those footsteps running to the end of the corridor stopped with a thud.

“…Err!”

Erica, breathing roughly, was grasping the door and facing me.

“Looks like your sister’s name is Err.”

“…Don’t, do this.”

You didn’t go home, I see.

Were you hiding in the Association?

Or maybe you were standing in front of the entrance, but I didn’t come out.

“Please put it down. …This, this isn’t right.”

“Why? Is it going too far?”

After twisting my hair, I opened my mouth.

“You’re not asking how I came here, why I’m here.”

“Stop, please stop.”

“Well, I guess. That’s not important.”

What’s really important,

For her, and for me. It was elsewhere.

“If you want to save your sister.”

Then, holding the unconscious girl in both arms,

Backing away towards the wall with a huge hole broken open,

“You’ll have to play along with the last hostage situation.”

I laid down my body.

With the sound of an agitated voice in my ears,

The sound of wind enveloped my body.

“Can you help me a bit, Bloody.”

My heart hurts a little.

Though I don’t know for what reason.

[Lean on me.]

A huge cloak wrapped around my body. Many chattering spirits supported my back, landing my falling body. It seemed like vitality was imbuing my body.

“It was worth gathering strength.”

Thud.

I sprawled on the floor with the girl. First raising the long golden-haired child, I put her in my arms, then stood up myself while dusting off the crown I had kept in my chest.

I could see Erica running from far away.

The place. The hostage. And you.

It’s the last hostage situation.