episode_0529

rattly

Sigh… !

I open the door and leave the prison, making as little noise as possible.

A long hallway soon appeared.

Shin Yu-jeong is shocked to see the torches placed at a certain distance.

“Concept Geography.”

“… … .”

I wonder if it’s right to talk about the concept of a vampire, but it’s not entirely wrong.

This is a world where a few light bulbs can make an entire hallway bright as daylight.

If it were a torch, someone would have to change it several times a day. How much trouble would that be?

“I feel grateful once again for the advancement of science… .”

“That’s right.”

After easing the excessive tension with a light joke, we finally set out.

The disadvantages and advantages of an old castle that retains its medieval feel quickly become apparent.

Again!

Again!

“… My footsteps are so loud?”

“Sure.”

Every time a foot steps into a stone hallway, a loud noise spreads out.

The physical capabilities of vampires far exceed those of humans.

This means that hearing, which is one of the five senses, is also unique.

「Silence.」

Silence, a magic that completely blocks noise occurring within a certain area.

We use this to block out noise by creating an area that fits our body, and then lightly roll our feet a couple of times as a test.

Even though the feeling of stepping on the ground is quite heavy, no sound is heard.

“Good. Let’s start again.”

Eventually, the search began again.

Two hours of searching around the castle without any friction or crisis.

It was only then that we realized the problem.

“… The castle is too wide?”

“If I look for it like this, I don’t think even one day will be enough.”

Even if the castle is wide, it is too wide.

We searched for over two hours, but we have just finished exploring the basement where the prison is located.

Even this was possible because there were only a few vampires coming and going here, but I wonder how much time it would take if I went upstairs.

Shin Yoo-jeong, who stretches once, becomes irritated.

“Ah… ! I’m this tired for two hours, how do I get through the day?”

Searching is tiring in many ways.

You have to walk silently, constantly watch the enemy’s movements, search each room until you find the item you are looking for… .

In addition, there is the psychological pressure that your life may be lost the moment you are caught.

The guy who was already starting to feel disillusioned with these factors spoke in a whining tone.

“How about finding it another way?”

“Another way?”

“Uh. Wouldn’t it be okay to just kidnap a vampire and ask him about it?”

“Uh, um.”

It’s not an operation I haven’t thought about.

In fact, I think that might be better.

Of course, there are some risks, but… .

“Okay, let’s do that.”

Is there anything in the world without risk?

“It is difficult to take an active role… , Let’s set a trap in the right place.”

However, we are just trying to reduce that risk as much as possible.

Find a suitable path using the information obtained while exploring underground.

“I like it here.”

“Okay.”

The chosen location was a hallway where the torch’s lifespan was not long.

Install various magic there.

「Silence」

We installed thick soundproof walls to prevent our noise from leaking out.

「Magic Trap: Paralyze」

When stepped on, it immediately activates and sets up a trap that paralyzes the opponent’s body.

「Mirror Image.」

Lastly, if we hide ourselves by overlaying the illusion created by projecting the hallway wall in front of us.

“Preparation is complete.”

Now all it takes is for an unsuspecting vampire to get caught.

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A time of long patience.

The torch, which seemed like it would go out any moment, burned longer than expected.

Maybe it’s because of our expectations.

Isn’t there a reason for that?

When you think the end is not far away, it suddenly feels like time is not going anywhere.

That was exactly the case now.

It’s boring, but I wish I could look at my phone and move around as I want.

The boredom creeping up from under my feet reached the top of my head.

Again and again!

“ came… !”

The distinctive sound of footsteps made by the stilettos that vampires often wear echoes throughout the hallway.

The sound is getting closer.

A burning flame approaches in the black darkness.

A pale face appears behind him.

“Damn… , How long do I have to keep changing torches like this?”

A guy who doesn’t look like he has a high rank at first glance frowns and pours out his dissatisfaction.

“But it wasn’t far. As soon as Jinjo wakes up, there will be a lot of things under me.”

Looking at the grumbling, I guess it’s a vampire born almost at the end before Jinjo falls asleep.

Among the commonly known rumors is that if you are bitten by a vampire, you will become a vampire, but this is half true and half false.

There are two reasons why they suck human blood.

The first is simply sucking blood to fill one’s stomach.

The second is the act of sucking out blood and then filling the place with one’s own blood to turn it into a familiar.

Humans who inherit vampire blood undergo changes after a certain incubation period.

Their molars grow longer, they develop a thirst for blood, they become extremely averse to sunlight, etc.

So you’re saying he’s a vampire?

Unfortunately, no.

Although some of the vampire’s blood was mixed with the human body and changes occurred, the root human species itself did not disappear.

Strictly speaking, the ratio between humans and vampires can be considered to be about 7:3.

People who have changed in this way are placed in the unfortunate situation of being treated neither as humans nor as vampires.

If you live in the human world, you will be caught and killed or imprisoned because you cannot control your desire to suck blood.

Even if you visit a vampire, you are not recognized as one of their own and have no choice but to remain in the role of a servant.

But there is only one exception here.

Jinjo is called the king of vampires.

Its blood destroys the human species itself and announces the birth of a new species called vampires.

There is only one reason why that is possible.

Because it’s just strong.

The blood flowing through the body of the person called Jinjo is powerful enough to change the species of living things.

“Damn… They say torches are not needed in human dwellings, so maybe we should just accept that.”

The guy keeps grumbling and coming closer from afar while sharpening the torch.

I received important information from him.

The abode of humans.

That means there is a separate home for humans somewhere here.

“… Are they the seven deadly sins?”

I thought they were just using part of the old castle as they pleased, but it turned out they were collaborating with vampires.

It’s amazing.

How could it be that vampires who were obsessed with playing noble nobles would join hands with humans?

There is only one reason for such a thing to be possible.

It means that our goals are perfectly aligned, or at least the paths we take are similar… .

What on earth?

It’s a goal that both species agree on.

I hope you get lost in your thoughts for a moment.

“Whew… , Is this the last time?”

The moment he reached the last torch, his steps touched the trap that had been set up.

Puzzle!

“Keuuk… !?”

The flow of magical energy rising from the floor entered the guy’s body and constricted his entire body.

dump!

A low-level vampire that hardens and falls down stiffly like a piece of rotten wood.

“This, this, this, something suddenly happened… .”

I’ve already blocked out the surrounding noise for a long time, but just in case, I quickly erase the illusion and place my index finger on the guy’s mouth and whisper.

“Shh.”

“Huh… !”

The guy who freezes in invisible fear and pushes his lips into his mouth.

good.

The atmosphere isn’t bad.

“Now I’m going to ask you some questions.”

“What question… !”

“Uh-huh, even if I tell you to be quiet. Only answer when I tell you to. Or wow! You know?”

“Ah, ah, I understand.”

First thing first.

“Where did you store the equipment of the humans who were captured a while ago?”

“2, stacked in the warehouse on the second floor.”

“Is there a guard?”

“Uh, none.”

“How many people are patrolling?”

“… I understand that they patrol at certain times.”

“When is that time?”

“I don’t know either. Only the second floor security personnel know.”

Umm.

I don’t think you’re lying.

There is no choice.

Let’s just leave this here.

Next second.

“Where are the priests who were captured together are imprisoned?”

“Well, I don’t know that either.”

haha.

Look at this bastard.

“If you get caught lying… , No, everything flies away.”

When I brought the sharply forged wind to his neck, the guy, who had become even more gaunt, hastily shook his head.

“G, I really don’t know! The priests took the Holy Blood to take care of it themselves, so low-ranking people like me… !”

“Precious blood?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

It’s holy blood.

If I were to translate it literally, it would be holy blood.

“Explain what Precious Blood is.”

“… It refers to the ten people who most deeply inherited the noble blood of the first ancestor.”

Even among vampires, there are ten people who are exceptionally strong.

“Is the power of the Holy Blood very strong?”

“You are strong. So much so that it cannot be compared to the likes of us.”

“… … .”

Usually, the level of a vampire is between B and A.

If, as this guy said, his blood is incomparable to that of an ordinary vampire… , should we say that there are more than ten people with skills equivalent to at least S level?

This is a pain in the ass.

Hiding his complicated feelings, he asks the shivering guy lying on the floor.

“Where is the residence of the Precious Blood?”

“5, from the 5th to the 15th floor. The Holy Blood each uses an entire floor as their residence.”

The scale is also incredibly large.

The size of the castle is much bigger than I thought.

When I saw it from the outside, it didn’t seem to be this bad… , What secret is hidden?

“Good. I think I’ve gathered all the information I need.”

Although there are still many things lacking, it seems that I have obtained everything that can be obtained from a low-level vampire.

First, go up to the second floor and retrieve the stolen equipment… , hmm.

Next, I’ll have to discuss it with everyone first.

Just as I was getting ready to move, the guy lying on the ground shouted.

“No, I answered the question sincerely. So release me now.”

“… … ?”

what.

This sounds absurd.

“That… , I’m just asking because I’m curious about one thing.”

“What, what?”

“Did I ever say I would save your life?”

“… … !”

I’m really asking.

I don’t think I ever said I would save my life.

The guy’s face distorts wildly when he realizes his mistake while remembering belatedly.

Grumble!

Summon a huge fireball and aim it at him.

“What… , If you were a really good vampire, I might have let you live.”

This is sincere.

But he didn’t meet that standard of goodness.

“But you smell so much blood, man.”

It also smells like human blood.

It’s probably the blood of soldiers patrolling around the wall or the blood of humans passing nearby.

If not even that… , or a human sacrificed by the Seven Deadly Sins who joined hands with him.

therefore.

“I will make you nice.”

Pow-!

“Boo, fire… , Oh, my whole body is on fire… , Wow!”

A guy who is slowly being burned by bright red flames that cling to his entire body.

Eventually, the fire goes out and he looks satisfied as he looks at the pitch-black ashes that remain.

“Hmm, you seem kinder now.”

After all, the only good vampires are dead vampires.