vampire the novel

He came in abruptly.

“Are you the saint of miracle ?”

People usually come here to get their wounds cured, but this person had cut in line.

A wild strange person appeared! (it doesn’t have “wild” in raw, sorry but I can’t help)

“… I have no intention call myself a saint, but some people calling me that on their own.”

People like this guy usually get beaten up quickly. But today, no one made a move. In fact no one was even complaining. Rather, everyone in the town was willing stand aside.
The strange person was accompanied by two people, an armored knight that seemed to be strong and a black-haired lady had a sword on her waist.
At first, I thought that it was the intimidation of the companions that caused people to stand aside, but it seems to be different.

“It’s a lord … “

“Hey, the lord is coming.”

“Who is it that released that pervert ?” (a joke that he should be keep in the house, not go out pick up another wife)

“Mommy, look, there is a lord”

“Do not look, you can get pregnant!!” (Don’t ask me just read for yourself, I don’t want spoiler)

Ah, I understand who you are from what the townspeople are whispering.

I certainly appreciate that Zeno-kun had already told me about a womanizing lord, but it seems to be evident from the reaction of the town people. The strange lord looked at me from head to toe. It was hot today, so I was not wearing my hood, so my face is visible. After he finished examining me, the lord begin to talk.

“You are so beautiful…”
“Ha, thanks. Uhm … Erotic Mushroom-san” (Ero kinoko-san)
“Who is the Erotic Mushroom !?”

He had a hairstyle like a mushroom, so I called him the reasonable-sounding name of “Erotic Mushroom”. Even though my line of sight was obscured, I could tell that I was being stared at.

“… Maybe Mushroom Erotic is better ?”
“Are you not just changing the words around !?”
” ” “Buffu” ” “  (sound of people try to hold their laugh)
“What are you guys laughing at !?”
” ” ” Hahahahaha ” ” “
“Do not laugh at me !!”

Oh, yeah. Since this pattern was kind of familiar, there is no mistake he is “that kind” of person. (he is some kind of comic relief character)
Apart from that, the other party is very angry for some reason. He kick the armor from the armored knight and threatening the inhabitants who burst out laughing like throw a stupid tantrum. Only the knight and I are not laughing at him, the woman who is waiting by his side awkward say.  

“You do not have to get so angry … Why not tell her your name if you don’t want her to call you that?”


“Is this terrible situation my fault!? I am the owner of this town, my name is Samaka Swaro! (サマカー・スワロ: Samakā suwaro) I have been appointed to the mainland of Arlesha by the king!”
“Is that so? I am Argento vampear, so what is Samaka-san want with me?”
“Argento … You, could you be my wife?”  (He said her full name not shortern Arge)

… He came with a straight ball.  (A japanese way of saying, he is direct)

His statement was worded as a question, but from his actions, I felt embarrassment rather than disgust. The armored knight and the lady who had her hand on her sword made sure that there was no possibility of escape. (the woman have sword ready is kind of her habit to protect her lord, they want to secure her even by force, they will appologize later though)
The skeptic Samaka-san began to lean closer, trying to accentuate his face, which was his most attractive feature. Suddenly he stopped and took a step back. It seemed that he was concerned with the smell of his breath even though it had smelled fresh and refreshing like a herb. After checking his breath, he steps forward with a Kabe don. (Kabe don: is a pose when senpai want you to notice him, see image at the end of chapter)

“You will not be treated badly” (悪いようにはせんぞ: Warui yō ni hasen zo)

He pressed one hand to the wall and held my chin in the other, he is attacking me with a special combo technique used to get a girl.

… What should I do, my heart doesn’t skip a beat.

While I do understand what he is trying to do, the appeal of his technique depends on his execution and the taste of the girl in question. It would certainly be pleasant if it came from someone you liked.
To be honest, Samaka-san’s face is not so bad. At least it is not so bad as to be called ugly.
The hairstyle which consolidated black colour of the hat is like glossy mushroom no matter how you look at it. The addition of a hat with many expensive feathers covers a lot of his face, makes the area of the face seem strangely small. His hair or hat looks like the main body.
His clothing can be considered to be a light armor, but the decoration, which seems useless here. The whole balance of his outfit is bad. Moreover, why is the breast open firmly for some reason, how would he even think this look good ?
Overall, I think that he is “awesome handsome man but also a person that you feel awkward to be with” type.

“Uhm, about that…” (あのですね―― Ano desu ne)
“- Arge, what’s wrong?”

Hearing the fuss, Ferunoto-san flew out of the house. Her boobs are shaking. Ferunoto-san seemed to misunderstand when she saw Samaka-san, who is kabedon-ing me to the wall of her house, She glared at Samaka with obviously angry eyes.

“Samaka … what are you doing to that child?”
“Ferunoto-dono, no … wait , I just proposed a marriage with her.”  ( “-dono” is same with “-sama”, use for a person you respect a lot)
“You are still not satisfied with thirty-four wives?”
“Thirty six now”
“It’s still bad !!”

Somehow, they are acquaintanced with each other. However, Ferunoto-san’s hostile tone does not contain a hint of friendliness.

… There are thirty six wives, it is an outrageous harem.

Although I was not angry about it, I think he has quite a lot wives right now. There is the possibility that he is forcing them to be with him, but it is rude to think about it without hear the full story from the man himself.
Samaka-san did not seem to be frightened by Ferunoto-san’s glare, shrugging his shouder lightly.

“Fuu … Ferunoto-dono, what are you doing in such a place?
“… Because I’ve blinded, I’ve already retired, haven’t you heard ?”
“I have heard that your eyes have healed. I even heard that after receiving that report, the king personally asked you to return … Is that correct, the former Kingdom Order Third Corps Vice-leader? “
“… “

I was surprised that Ferunoto-san was from the Order, and had such a prestigious occupation.
I am convinced that she always seem busy if she was such great person. Perhaps She was lower her head down to various places to refuse the order from the King.
Looking at her attitude now, I realized that she is not enthusiastic about returning. On top of that, she is probably also feeling guilty about refusing the request from the king. (She still loyal to the king but she found a vampire she interested in ^_^ )

However, this situation is somewhat bad. Ferunoto-san is now clearly angered.
She is a serious person. She won’t give up until the opponent gives up. This type of personality is not suited for quarreling.
On the other hand, Samaka-san is talking calmly , obviously possessing the upper-hand in the conversation. The words that he told Ferunoto-san is also moderate, so that I can take it as if he will not back down. (the raw mean like he won’t accept a “no” for an answer from me but I can’t put it into word properly)
Zeno said that port town Arlesha is an important center of trade for this country. Samaka-san must be competent if the king was willing to entrust him with such an important role.
Even though he has a bad sense of fashion and is a womanizer pervert, Samaka-san would not have been appointed by the the king to such an important position unless he was familiar with politics and economy..
Battle system and political system. Two people with completely different expertise are fighting right now and the current fight is clearly in Samaka-san’s favor.
What are you going to do when fighting your opponent’s field of expertise? She really is a serious person.

… What should I do?

If you focus on your sense of smell, it is the woman who is close to Ferunoto-san and Samaka-san that has a “strong” feel compared to the others. I can understand by the blood reading from the smell of blood.
Ferunoto-san is my friend, I can’t run away without her.
However, it’s still annoying even if I could run away with her. The opponent is the lord of this town, and Ferunoto-san may be held liable.
Besides, I can’t smell Samaka-san’s blood, so I can not distinguish his ability.
From his body, it smells quite sweet. Perhaps it’s perfume, but its odor is too strong to distinguish the smell of blood. Do not overdo it.
I could read it if my skill level is higher, but unfortunately the smell enhancement skill is only at level 1.
I can not grasp the degree of surprises beyond the ability to understand, so it may be dangerous to move inadvertently.

“…For the time being, we can not talk properly here. How about have some tea ?”
“That’s good, Let’s go to my residence, Argento. We can have a talk.”
“Hey , Arge!”
“I’m OK, Ferunoto-san, I just have some tea.”

There is no doubt that it will not be easy to keep maintain peace here, so let’s take advantage of the invitation of the opponent.
It is much better than talking for a long time because it is troublesome. If anything, I want to finish early and take a nap.

“…Even if he gave me three meals a day and a place nap, I think I will not easily fall.”
“…”
“… Then, why not deny him with an immediate answer here?”

No, if you do it really it will be quite troublesome. (I think MC mean Samaka will not accept it and cause trouble)

Chapter 37: Fox and dinner

“Arge-san, Arge-san, please wake up.” I hear Kuzuha-chan say.
“Ni ~yamu.”

I obediently listen to her, and wake up. Pushing myself up, still sleepy, I look up at the hole in the ceiling, seeing a starry sky. Now that I think about it, this hut; what does she do on rainy days?

“It’s still night?” I mutter.
“It’s already night, you sleep well.”
“E he he, that much is nothing~”
“I am not praising you! Why does your voice sound pleased, but your face look serious?”
“It is a vampire’s talent.”
“Oh, I see, that’s amazing!”

While looking at me carefully, Kuzuha-chan seems convinced. Trusting me on something so silly, just how gullible can this little girl be? Since I fell asleep on top of fluffy straw, my body doesn’t feel so stiff. But as a habit, I stretched, my arms raising in the air as I bend my back.

“Nii yam~” Yeah, it’s refreshing.

“Arge-san, front! Your front!”

Vampire After Noon Nap 1
“Fu nya? Aa, I’m sorry.”

It seems that my blanket slipped off; because Kuzuha-chan was bothered by it, I pulled it back over myself. I don’t really mind; well, it was her fault that I don’t have any clothes, and I think she already saw everything when she burn my clothes with her first fire spell. But it is rude to let a little girl see me like that.(T.N: but you also see her no-pan when she use wind)
After my nice stretch, I pulled out another blanket, rubbing it over my body and got off the straw of, before noticing two dishes lined up on the ground.

“What is this?”

I know it looks like a meal but, was it really? The plate itself is flat and round, the bowl a bit deeper. I think this is a soup dish. What I do not understand is what is in it. It’s hard to say its soup; the color is yellowish white, and it seems to be sticky. Such a thing was served as food? On top of that, I can smell a strong sour odor coming from it.

…Is this, rotten porridge?

I can only call it that; it’s hard to call this food, no matter how you look at it, it’s worse than dog food. Kuzuha-chan was sitting in front of the dish, with both hands clapped in thanks. Her long hair tied back so it won’t get in the way; and she’s bowing deeply.

“Itadakimasu ~wa” (Itadakimasu: is mean like “let eat” or “bon appetit”)
“Please wait.”

With almost a reflexive movement, I pick up the dish from her front.
And I put it in the ‘blood-bag’, I than do the same thing with my portion.

“…Arge-san?”

Kazuha gives me a strange look.

Although she was trying to eat it, it’s bad, I can’t let her eat something like this.

…this would break your stomach.

It is not good to eat something that can not even be called as food. It’s something that makes me feel uncomfortable even looking at, it would more so, seeing someone eating. I think that children should eat fresh and nutritious things. Perhaps she eats such things on a daily basis, but I couldn’t overlook this.

“…It was a feast. Is this food from the lord?” I ask.
“Well, yes, I got it while Arge-san was sleeping, I am sorry that it isn’t good, but… you ate it just now, is not it?”
“Yes, vampires can eat meal from their hand”
“Is that true?!”
“Yes, I can even eat from my elbow.”
“Wow, that’s amazing!”

Yes, she really believes it, since it’s a little funny, I’ll leave that alone for now. Because those sparkling cat eyes, no, fox eyes, are cute. After taking away the ‘food’ I pull out some nuts and fruits from the ‘blood-bag’, handing them to Kuzuha-chan.
You better eat these; they’re far better than eating something I can’t even call food.

“I apologized for eating all you’re food. So, as an apology.” I say.
“…no, it’s alright, I don’t mind”
“Even so, I still must apologize.”
“…Arigatō gozaimasu ~wa” (Arigatō gozaimasu: mean “thank you very much”)

Kuzuha-chan starts to eat the fruits, lowering her small head deeper than when she said ‘Itadakimasu ~wa’ before; it seems like she get my intentions. I don’t have to eat for a few days, and I still have plenty of food anyway. Since Neguseo seems to be eating the grass that is growing around so far, giving the fruit to Kuzuha-chan should be fine. After waiting for Kuzuha-chan to finish eating, I start talking.

“Is Kuzuha-chan satisfied with how she’s being treated?” I ask.
“What do you mean?”
“Living apart from your mother, and living here alone. Then given meals like this, aren’t you sick of it?”
“…my esteemed mother is still doing her best, I can’t selfishly expect anything.”
“Is that so… aren’t you lonely?”
“…just a little; I have not seen her for a few months already. The lord’s telling me all the time that my esteemed mother’s still doing her best… But I’d like to hear it from her not just a report from the lord.”

I thought that the lord, and her parents were terrible, but when I heard Kuzuha-chan’s story in detail, I thought that the circumstances may be different.

…Are her parents like this too?

If the child as well as the parent are easily deceived, I can understand the current state somehow. I don’t mean to say that parents are absolutely not going to treat their children bad, but in this case, it seems more like the lord is the bad one.

I look at Kazuha-chan’s plate, looks like she is already finish eating. As I re-absorb the plates back in the blood bag, I was reminded of the dish that Kazuha-chan prepared. I don’t she has even been given a decent meal, but for her it was surely great hospitality from the lord.

“I’m sorry, Kuzuha-chan, I’m going out for a while.”
“Where are you going?”
“Because I’m full, I’ll go on a walk, and I don’t mind me, if you fall asleep before I get back.”

I don’t wait for Kuzuha-chan’s response before I stand up, and head for the exit.
Pushing over the ruined board of a door that could no longer cover the entrance, I go outside.

“Well, then I should go?”

I slept well and also took meals.

In a sense, I owe Kazuha-chan a favor.

Concentrating on smell looking around, I find the smell of humans. Probably a small village, since I can’t smell as strong of an odor as Arlesha. I put my blanket in ‘blood-bag’ and changed my body to a bat.

…I guess it’s time to show a little gratitude.

I wasn’t actually served much of a meal, but that’s not a problem. What’s important for me with how I feel about it. Her treatment earlier is sufficient for me, and now I feel a burden.

I’ll meet her mother, I will verify the truth, and I will bring her back, if possible.

I will repay that much for the favor I owe.

So I flapped my bat’s wing, pushing myself forward. Since this will be troublesome, so I choose the shortest distance, a straight line.

Chapter 36: The fox’s repayment

“I’m sorry that I attacked you…”
“No, no, it’s fine, as long as you apologize.”

The Fox girl deeply lowers her head. So I found myself trying to calm her down, saying that it’s ‘okay’ as I look around her home.

Or…stable?

After out fight, she brought me is a very sad cabin. A wooden building that clearly was not built, or decorated, with comfort and daily living in mind. There’s nothing I could call the furnishings of a home. Though, if I must say there was anything, I can only point to the pile of straw resting in a corner. Adding on to the sad state of her home, there are holes in the ceiling and the walls, so it really can’t protect anyone from rain and wind.

Far from a stable, it was more like a broken down food storage for horses; a ruined structure from long ago. There were no private houses around, so I feel like she has lived a very lonesome life in this place.

Speaking of horses, I’m acting separately from Negseo for now. Since we have a ‘blood-contract’, If I need him I can just ask him to come over. We’re just acting separately because there no space to fit him here.

While thinking about all this, I’m still facing an apologetic fox loli; after a while, she finally lifts her head.

“My name is Kuzuha.”
“Kuzuha-chan, right. Then, Arge is good for me.”
“I see… about that… uhm… I’d like to give Arge-san something, as an apology… If possible. I’d like to do something, or give you something, rather then just apologize, but…Ugh, if there is anything I can do to make it up to you, I’ll try, as far as I can.”
“Hm, is that so?”

Apparently, Kuzuha-chan is very poor; her clothes are ragged and her home is a ruined building. She herself is also saying ‘as far as I can’ so I can’t expect much.

…I’d rather not be fed by a loli.

Rather, as an adult, I don’t think it’s good to ask anything of a small child. Children are an existence that should to be protect. While her tone’s calm and she’s not human, even though I can’t be sure of her age… Even though, I can’t guess her real age, she looks like a child, her actions still immature enough that I can only see her as someone very young. Since I can only distinguish by appearance, and atmosphere, in my eyes, she is a loli, so she can’t be a parasitic target.

Loli-gramp also has that loli voice, but she’s apparently a long-lived God-like existence, so she is a parasitic candidate. That person’s a, no… maybe I should call her goddess? But even she’s an option, I wonder if she would accept, and feed me for life.

I guess, if there is something I’d really want, it’s clothes. But given Kuzuha’s ragged clothes, and no-pan style. How can I expect any clothes from her, when she doesn’t even have clothes for herself? It is troublesome.

Because of that attack, I’m covering myself with a thin blanket, but I also want to avoid others mistaking me as a lewd person.

“For now, what I want is… clothes?”
“Well… I’m really sorry…”

Yes, I know, it was an impossible request…

But, thinking about it, why’s she living out her? I want to ask her, but since long stories are tiring, I’d probably get sleepy in middle. So, I’m better off not asking in the first place. Oh, it looks like she’s going to explain anyway.

“To tell the truth, I’m out here on someone’s order… If I get reward from him, I think that I can repay you a little…”

Kuzuha-chan seemed sad while saying that, her tails falling down. I don’t want to see a small child get sad, I need to listen to her story. I have to be careful not to fall asleep.

“My esteemed mother is cooperating with the village lord.”
“…Cooperating?”
“Yes, he asked help from my esteemed mother, he promises that with her help, he could create something with enough power to protect the kingdom… Since she’s a gentle and proud Kitsune, she agreed.”
“Hmm… Then, what is the lord actually doing?”
“I heard that they’re going research on weapons that can end our war the empire. The land’s been ruined thank to the war between the empire and the kingdom, which has also effects a lot to us beastkin. Esteemed mother’s working hard because of that.”
“A..a… fuu~”
“Arge-san?”
“No, no, it’s nothing.”

I couldn’t help it, because the story was so long, I got tired and yawned. I am sleepy, but even tired, I can understand she’s been deceived.

…Honorable parents treat their children like this?

Making her live in a ruined stable, dressed in ragged clothes, then attaching some sort of collar. She probably doesn’t realized she’s been deceived. Kuzuha-chan, you’re stupid… No, it’s still too soon to judge; I don’t know what her parents are thinking.

I wonder if it’s okay if I get involved, intervening in a battle between countries, or so on, seems a bit…

Kuzuha’s story continued for a while, and I decided to pay attention. To summarize, her ‘esteemed mother works hard on her own’, a simple story that I didn’t feel like memorizing in detail.

“…that’s why I can’t leave here, so I don’t have anything to give, I wish there was something I could do for you…”
“No, no, you don’t have to worry.”

She’s just a child, so she’s not a parasitic target, more than that, it seems she has her own problem too. So I can’t ask her for anything, and I can’t expect her to do anything to apologize, however, she seems to be very sorry.

She seems like she won’t forgive herself until I get something from her. I wonder if there’s something…

“… Ah”

There is…
A perfect apology, sitting right in front of me. Inspired, I point at my idea, making sure she notices. Confused she looks at my finger, following it over to where I’m pointing.

“Straw, since it looks like it’d be comfortable, please let me take a nap there? If you need to apologize, I’d consider a nap good.” I say.
“Eee!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, why? Are you sure?”
“Is there something wrong with it?”
“Well, I do not mind… but…”
“Well, good night.”

Since I got her approval, I decide to lie down without any hesitation.
Since I’d naked, straw stuck in my skin, so I pull a blanked out of my ‘blood-bag’ and lay down, wrapping myself in it. Well, it’s fluffy, so not bad.

“Uhm… Arge-san?”

I can hear her saying something, but since I’ve already gotten her approval, I decided to go to sleep.

Ah…right, I should tell Negseo, so I think ‘I’m taking a nap, so please do as you like in the mean time.’ and then transfer that thought. Since, I have nothing to worry about anymore.



Good night.

Chapter 38: A Vampire goes out for a walk in the evening.

The scenery around me is darkened by the night, barely lit by the moon. Which is fine, with vampire’s eyes, I can see everything even without moonlight. I can see a small village with no more than 20 houses. Since there are fields around every house, I guess I can call it a rural village. From the smell, it seems like there are also several small villages around…

But this is the largest village I can find, and the nearest one to the ruined hut where Kuzuha-chan’s living. Her mother is here, I think, in the two-story mansion in the center of the village. Even though the surrounding houses are made of wood, that house is built with solid bricks, or at least something that looks like bricks. It’s like a small castle compared to the buildings around it. When I smell around the structure, I notice that the drifting scent from the mansion I smell more than humans.

…I smell a beast.

On top of that, a sweet smells mixed in with that animal like smell. It’s a unique smell that I don’t think I’d notice if I was not a vampire. A smell of someone who is not Kuzuha-chan, but is similar to Kuzuha-chan. I don’t even have to think about it, it can’t be anyone else but her mother.

I flap my bat wing and go to the mansion.

When I fly around through the sky, I notice there is no one keeping watch. Because it is a small village, they probably lack the population to do that. Although, they might have a guard in the house. After confirming that no one was there, I fly at a random window; I’m not planning to break it. I use the skill ‘atomize’, changing my body just before hitting it. Turning into a literal fog, I slip through the gaps in the window and the wall, and slip into the mansion.

“It was easy.” I say when I turn back into my vampire form.

Just from looking around I can see, that this place was built a long time ago. Considering the worn down state of the surrounding buildings, and the wooden leftovers I could see in the walls. It looks like this place was built in a hurry a long time ago…

This house seems not only old, but also very rough, as there were gaps in the closed window, which made it easy to invade from there. It’s a gap that you couldn’t enter unless you’re fog though. Since it’s a gap that only things like mist, liquid, or the like can easy go through. So it would be enough to keep people out, that the owner wants to keep out.

I can only smell a few human beings around; It seems that the number of humans guarding this place are small. Obviously, because it’s deep in the countryside. So I guess this is natural? It seems like I can walk around in a dignified manner rather then sneaking around. I lightly push up my hair that reflects the moonlight, and I start walking through the mansion. Night air on the bare skin is a little cold, but since I still have to search and sneak around, if only vaguely, I have not pull out a blanket.

…I’d like to get some clothes. I’d rather not be mistaken as some sort of streaking pervert again.

Sadly, I don’t have any clothes, so all I can do is walk as I am, though, I still don’t want to be seen naked. If there are any young women in this mansion, there may be clothes, but looking around through the mansion for them would be troublesome. Furthermore, I don’t know if there’s even someone as childlike as me in here, so I guess I’ll give up for now.

“Hmm…”

As I adjest myself and sniff around the mansion, I notice the smell of a beast has gotten stronger. The scent seems to be coming from under me, so I can only assume it’s coming from a lower floor. Since I’m on the first floor, that means there’s an underground basement. So I have to find a basement; even though I know the general direction with my sense of smell, I can not grasp the exact route; this is troublesome.

If the smell was outside, this would be easy, just dig or shove my way through, but I don’t think I could do that in a building. All these walls and floors are in the way, so I can only look for stairs or a door, since I can’t just run in a straight line.

Then, I felt that sparkly-like sensation, that feeling that I only learned recently when ‘playing’ with Kuzuha-chan. Magical power hanging in the air.

“…Is she calling me?”

Somehow, I felt that way, like a small child grabbed my hand started pulling me. The sensation is very weak, but I can still feel it, enough to know it’s not my imagination. Following that feeling, I walk through the corridors bathed in moonlight.

Following the sensation, I pass through several doors and hallways before I finally stop, the feeling guiding me to a door. A otherwise unremarkable door, if I had to describe it, I’d say it’s a little bigger then the other doors I went through to get here. I open it with a light push, and I look inside. Inside I see a large, vertically oriented room with a big table in the center. The table is covered with a oversize white cloth, with a three-pronged candlestick placed in the center.

“Is this a dining room?”

The sense of being pulled by little fingers is still going, so I enter the dining room, walking past that large table, all the way to the other side of the room to another door. When I opened that door, I see that it’s a kitchen. It’s much wider than the kitchen at Felnote-san’s house.

Looking around the room, I feel like all the equipment in here was built up over time, creating a big kitchen. Fitting that, the oven is large, as well as the refrigerator, which looks like it could store twice as much food as Felnote-san’s house could. On the kitchen’s walls, I can see utensils hooked on, mostly a large assortment of knives, spoons, and so on. All tidily arranged, the knives for example were ordered from long to short from right to left.

…She is not here either.

It’s irritating, the smell’s getting stronger little by little, so I know I’m getting closer, but it’s still a thin, distant smell. The sensation of magical power has not disappeared though, those small fingers are still pulling at me. Looking around the kitchen one more time, I start following the sensation again, letting it navigate me through the room. Passing through most of it, I find myself in front of a small door next to the cold storage. You can probably imagine what the next room is like.

“A food storehouse?”

As one would expect, its a space to preserve ingredients that need to be kept cold. The smell that I’m getting from the other side of the door is a very unpleasant.

I can only guess this is the smell of onion…

But this door was strangely sturdy for the food storage; Three locks. The door itself is obviously made with thick metal, far better made then the rest of the mansion. As if the owner doesn’t allow people to enter or leave. I understand that food is important, but isn’t this a bit excessive?

“If it’s not normal, then this might be the place I’m looking for.”

I change my body into a shadow; The shadow is literally a shadow. There is no thickness, and it can enter any gap. Since its dark, with no lights in the kitchen, it’s very dark, the best time to use this skill. I have a high skill level for ‘shadowing’, so I can become a shadow even in the sun, though, its a lot more tiring to do that if there are no shadows around. ‘Shadowing’ is probably the most area and time sensitive skill I have. Anyway, as a shadow I could move through the solidly build door, so I slowly broke into the food storehouse.

I can feel the flow of magic power getting stronger.

It looks like I’ve finally found her.

Immediately after I changed back into a vampire, I covered my noise.

…Onions are bad.

The smell was strong enough to give me a headache, those green onion’s left a strong scent that overpowered the room. After I was reborn as a vampire, my sense of smell become sharp, I don’t know if it’s a side effect of my new species, but I know the smell strengthening skill made it even sharper. While I can ignore most smells, enough that I feel human, strong smells like this are hard to ignore.

Right now, the smells so bad that it might kill me. I’m fine with cooked onions, the smells not bad, and I could even call them delicious, but the unique smell of uncooked onions burns. I can faintly see, and smell, rice and wheat flour in this food storage area, but the odor of green onion is overpowering.

“Uhm…this way, right?”

While covering my nose, I hurry through the food storehouse, nearly running to the back. Luckily, there’s a staircase to the basement, the updraft strong enough to blow away that horrible smell. Looking around, I notice that the walls around the stairs are somewhat uneven, like it’s not properly connected with the floor above. I guess this basement was made later, after the mansion was built. They made a new space by digging holes, and breaking the floor of the food storehouse.

…Aren’t hidden rooms like this normally built in the bedroom?

This is a large renovation; there’s no doubt that the lord himself organized this. But why didn’t he set up an entrance to his room? This is a staircase to the secret basement, no matter how you look. It is natural for the entrance of these things to be built so that you can get out your room. The whole point of these secret rooms is so that you, and anyone else you care about, can sneak out from there without being noticed.

But the hidden entrance to the basement is in the food warehouse; this is very weird.

…Is the lord of this mansion a cook?

If so, I guess I can see why they would build an entrance to the basement in a food storehouse that only they can enter…well, I can’t help but wonder. Rather then waste time on troublesome thoughts, I decided to accept the facts in front of me, and go down the stairs. The air is gradually feeling colder as it rushes around me, I feel cold, but unless I wear something, there’s nothing I can do about that. So, pressing on, I go down the stairs little by little, and eventually arrived in one room.

The first thing I see when I finally reach the bottom step, is a huge painting. The pictures drawn with a circle of purple paint, with several complicated patterns decorating that circle.

A strange picture like drawing of a circle, with lots of symbols overlapping it.

The phrase ‘magic circle’ immediately comes to mind. The purple paint is even emitting light, filling the room with a strange atmosphere. Further enhancing that mood, is several full-plate suits of armor, posed with swords; arranged so that they surround the magical circle.

And at the center of it all, the beast I smelled hang. A woman, held up with chains extending from the ceiling, keeping her just slightly off the ground. Only her nine tails that hang down powerlessly are touching the floor. She’s a curvy beast woman, with blonde hair tipped with brown, her hair dirty with grime; her ears that poked out of her head hanging, without any life in them. And finally, she’s dressed in a torn up kimono.

“Ah…”

I could tell just from looking at her; I understand. Kuzuha-chan’s mother has been dead for a long time. If she had just being hung, weak and suffering, it wouldn’t feel this way way; she is not unconscious. Her soul is missing; her heart isn’t even beating.

It was a very natural, corpse.

Even though I understand that, I still respectfully approached her, ignoring the magic circle as I walked up to her.

“…Good evening”

Looking into her face from below, I can say she’s surprisingly beautiful. Her eyelids with long eyelashes are closed and her plump red lips are thin open as if breathing. Somehow, her body is mostly intact, there’s no scratches or damage in general. While I know she’s a corpse, I can not smell death on her or even the smell of decayed flesh. All there is, is scent of beast, and that sweet scent peculiar to women.

Rather than dead, she just looks like she’s sleeping.

Still, she is not alive; she’s not asleep, she is dead. She can’t say anything or reply my to words. She she can only hang there in silence. Her body is beautiful, so I wonder if her killer applied some sort of kind antiseptic treatment.

…But, even though I know she’s dead, what’s this feeling?

The flow of magical powers still here. The source is definitely from her body.
I wonder if the corpse called me.

Why, how?

When I still in doubt, the purple magic circle started to shine beneath me.

I thought it was a trap at first, but it doesn’t feel like one.
The purple light turns into gold after a moment. A woman appearing before me, with the same appearance as the hanging before me.

Kuzuha Mother

Her fox’s ears are up, and fox’s yellow eyes are open. The kimono she is wearing is somewhat flashy, a red flower with a unique shape was drawn, which is similar to Higanbana, far cleaner then what her corpse is wearing. From her thin smile, beast’s fangs peek out.

“You are?”
“This will only activate when someone other than a human being appears here, a special record I’m leaving.”
“…record?”
“I was invited by the Lord of this mansion, he want my help to stop the war, he wanted me to help seek out ways with him, hoping to help the kingdom… that kind of story.”

She keeps talking, ignoring me, neglecting the question I asked. From her opening, the woman in front of me is probably the same person who was hanging from the chain I cut. Before her life was exhausted, she left images and words magically. A will set up like a video in my former world.

In the world that I knew, audio and video recorded wills were not treated as a legal way to transfer things, but… This is a different world, the one talking is the fox lady using her magic power. The one watching is a vampire. You don’t have to tell me some stupid things. I know it isn’t a video will. (T.N: break the four wall ? Author)

Looking at her living figure she gives a similar feeling to Kuzuha-chan, but with a more calming and mature pose.

“I was tricked… I don’t want get revenge… Though it’s a bit devastating to know my life is coming to an end. But, my only worry is my daughter, Kuzuha… Since she’s such a pure child… Oh, by the way, have you seen her yet? She was such a pretty baby, and she’s still so cute.”
“What are you doing in the middle of your will?”

Even though I understand that she’s just an illusion, even though I know she can’t understand me because she is a picture…

Since she can’t hear my word, she arranges photos one by one of her daughter. I’m starting to get how she got caught and tricked given this carefree attitude. Though, I wonder if she’s really dead given how she’s acting in this… Also, somehow, there are pictures in other worlds mixed in.

“…Well, I sorry for the distraction, I’ll get back to the story soon, please hold on.”

I don’t know the exact time, since there’s no clock down here. But after a few minutes of her doting on her daughter, she finally calmed down, her tone of voice switching to a far more serious one. She is a kind of up-and-down person isn’t she? I can see where Kuzuha-chan got her personality from.

“I don’t know who’s watching this video, and I know that I have no right to ask, but… I wonder if I can ask you to take care of my daughter, please? I hope you do.”

She then deeply lower her head, then, with that posture, the fox lady’s figure turned into golden particles, scattering and then disappearing. At the same time, the gold light inside of the basement change back to that mysterious purple color.

“…she is a stupid person, isn’t she?”

As she was dying, she prepared words to tell her daughter, because her daughter’s so important to her. But, the problem is she got killed, hung in the basement, and was forgotten. Rather than wish to be save, she thought about her daughter too much, and depended on someone. Given how much power she had when she made this, she might have had power to call someone. But rather than that, she left behind a image, betting her life on a small possibility of helping her daughter. (ED: I had to guess what this paragraph was saying. The whole thing was a bit of a jumble.)

“I can not fulfill your wish.”

I think that her feelings are precious. But why should I, and how can I do such a thing? Far from looking after someone else, I’m looking for someone to take care of me. I have no connection with her, I don’t even know if I can live for myself. Even if I could help, all I’ve met today is a dead body, so I have no answer.

“…all I do is to return the favor.”

I just want to return what I’ve found. To that end, I will bring her back to her daughter. What to do after that is Kuzuha-chan’s decision. She is neither an outsider (me) nor dead (the mother), she is a girl who has to keep on living.

I unwind chains wrapped around the body of the fox lady, a woman who I don’t even know the name of. She was not tied or locked up, so it was not that difficult to remove the chains, as she rolled up in them. But it was still troublesome, I’m not all that tall.

“Okay, I’ve got you”

The the fox woman’s taller than me, and because she’s dead, there is no power in her body, in other words, she is heavy. Nonetheless, I’m a vampire with cheat like powers, so I can carry her just fine. Politely, I shift her into a princess carry.

‘Let’s return to Kuzuha-chan’s hut.’

The moment I think that, the shine under my feet increased again. Different from before, light does not turn gold, rather the purple light shines, filling the entire room.

“Who dares come into my basement this late at night?” Called a voice from the staircase, a man’s voice with a calm atmosphere. I guess there was a mechanism that would alert them if someone moves Kuzuha-chan’s mothers corpse.

So troublesome.

Chapter 40: Ruts’s ambition

“Who dares come into my basement this late at night?” (ED/Jae: I dragged this line over from the last chapter, I figured the reader would be confused without it; I was at first.)

He says in a loud, yet relaxed voice, his footsteps echoing through the basement as he calmly walks down the stairway. He’s clearly trying to play the part of a magician with his clothes. Starting off his pose, is a really expensive looking robe, decorated here and there with golden embroidery. Dark hair colored a mix of black and blue hangs from his head. Though I can’t be sure, from his face, I think he’s in his mid-twenties? Because the robe is thick, I don’t know what kind of physique he has, but it’s clear at least that he has a narrow face with purple pupils.

“Welcome, intru…buffu!”

Somehow the lord stumbled when he tried to say something. He quickly looked away from me, and covers his mouth with his hands.

I wonder what happened?

“What’s the matter?”
“Why is there a pervert in my basement?!”
“Excuse me, it’s just that I don’t have any clothes to wear.“

That’s because it was burned down by Kuzuha-chan, I’m not naked because I want to be. The reason why that happened was also because the lord (T.N: PIG) who tricked Kuzuha-chan.

“Okay, I don’t really understand, but… That thing you’re holding belongs to me, so I’m going to take that back now.”
“You think she’s yours, just because you deceived and killed her?”
“Of course, when a hunter kills their prey, isn’t the body theirs? Same thing, I killed that fox… so it’s body belongs to me, Ruts Shivua.” (ルーツ・シヴァ: Rūtsu shivu~a, TN: I don’t even want to know what his name should be, I just let it as that) (ED/Jae: When I tried machine translating it, ルーツ kept turning into ‘Roots’ for me.)

A man named Rut, took out a cane from his bosom; it was a familiar color. It is almost gold with a tip of brown on the wand…a short wand colored gold and brown. The design is simple, it looks just like a polished stick with a thimble on it’s tip, but that color is really familiar. Not only color, both the smell and the magical power that I feel from the cane are definitely of the same as the Kuzuha-chan and her mother.

“That staff is….”
“I dwell with demons and demi! Through my research into magical artifacts, and the magical power that overflows from the dead body of a powerful being, I was able to make this. “
“So, It was really you who kill this person?”
“It was easy to deceive an idiot fox. I just told it that I can make use of it’s power for peace, and it completely believe me. Then when it was careless, I simply poisoned her. Well, it lived through that, for a while at least, but as it made a perfect power source hanging here in the basement, I left it here. Though, it stopped breathing a couple of days after that.”
“…”
“But that hardly matters, it has a daughter, though it’s still young a young fox, it’s going to grow up to be a fine research material. Even better, that fox is similar to it’s mother, a gullible idiot; easily tricked with a few simple words. I even tricked it into putting on a slave collar.”
“I see and…I get that you want to take back her corpse by force, so why are you even telling me all of this?”
“Oh… Of course, I just wanted to waste time till my prototype charged up… and now, it’s fully charged!”

It seems that he prepared something, so he was talking to stall for time. It wasn’t an amusing story, in fact I feel disgusted.

A golden light flew from the fox staff shining brightly. I thought that it was an attack, but it was not the case. The light emitted was not aimed at me, but the armored suits around the room.

“Trial production Magic Artifact, ‘Conjure-Division’! Now… Dance! “

An euphoric voice resonates throughout the cellar, then the armors in the cellar start moving. Not just one armor, all of them start to move, clanging metal sounds fill the basement; with nine bodies in total. (ED/Jae: In English fiction, actual numbers such as 1-9 and so on are usually avoided in favor of their written form such as one through nine and so on. This is done to avoid any jarring stops, that might come out of the sudden switch in symbol usage. So if anyone spots any 1’s 2’s or so on, please tell me or the translator in the comments.)

“It’s wonderful, through it takes a little time to cast the spell, it calls upon an immortal soldier, who has no life. Even if it’s destroyed, there’s no risk of loosing human troops, and we can even mass produce them! This will be popular in the empire!”
“Ha, is that so?”
“From your body, I can feel huge magical energy… Whether you’re a vampire or some sort of demon, I’ll use your body for more experiments!”

I don’t care about his plans, but I can’t bring Kazuha-chan’s mother back with someone attacking me. Since might be a difficult fight while princess carrying her body; I sit down the body of Kuzuha-chan’s mother on the floor.

I do so carefully, gently, ‘don’t let her body get hurt’ I think as I lay her on the floor.

The flock of armor completely surrounded me while I focused on that. The movements of the armor are smooth, as if there people in them, then they pull out their swords, and charge at me, planning to attack.

If no one’s inside, I don’t have to hold back…

“Wind-san, please.”

First I need to take some distance to not involve Kazuha-kun’s mother’s body.

I use my magic and thrust my hand at the armor that was to my right side, which is the closest one to me. A small gust of wind covers my hand, then I make a magic fist, my punch blowing the armor away at a wall. (see, translator corner)
The armor that knocked into the wall fell down and stopped for a moment, but then it got back up. The helmet’s dented, and from what I can see, perhaps the torso as well. Even so, it does not seem frightened, or bothered by the damage, nor does it drop it’s sword. It acted like it had never been hurt, not a single response to the attack; it hasn’t been defeated yet. Immortal soldier might be a suitable name for it.

“This is quite troublesome thing, isn’t it?”

While I mutter to myself, the remaining eight rushed at me. They all charge at me, slashing as soon as they get close enough. Because I don’t want to get hurt, I decide on avoidance, rather than defense. I run around them at a high speed, passing around the armors and then coming at them from the left. Confused, the charging armors who lost sight of me, collide with each other, and a loud sound reverberated throughout the basement.

If there were humans in those suits of armor, that would have been a big accident, but but since there are no people inside the armors. They quickly get up, and start running towards me again. Though, the enemy is not just the armored suits. I notice Ruts pointing that wand at me.

That sparkly-like feeling; here it come.

“Thunder, come forth!”

Light flew from the tip of the want; It came…
Different from the band of light that he use to move the armors earlier. This attack is powerful, strong enough that ‘lightning’ is the right word for it; a Lightning strike. It’s the king of speed you can avoid, just by watching it, its already too late; it hit me directly.

“I feel a little numb…”
“…what!?”

It hits like this…

If this was a physical, genuine thunder, I may have gotten hurt pretty badly, but fortunately the opponent’s attack was pure magic. Since it’s magic, my resistance can significantly reduce the damage.

“That impossible, my thunder spell! Conjure Division, get her!” He yelled.
“Whichever is okay, but since it’s troublesome, I’ll finish it now…”
“Huh?”

He can manipulates nine soldiers and can attack fire incredibly fast lighting strikes, troublesome. Well, it’s easy to deal with; rather than avoid them, I can just defeat the opponents before they attack again. (T.N: attack is the best form of defense)

I stepped down with all my strength. Now that I think about it, this is the first full strength move I’ve made since being reborn.

…I’m fast.

I moved at a speed that even left behind sound. First of all, I’ll put the armors together and finish them. When I speak the word ‘please’ while passing the armors, the wind hears my words and acts; wind rises up from the ground, blowing nine armored suits into the ceiling. Without even seeing my attack, all the armors were quickly taken care of.

“What!?” He yells again.
“These things were troublesome, so I blow them away.”

I stop in front of him; grabbing his arm and quickly sweep him off his feel, knocking him to the ground. I then take out the disgusting soup that was given to Kazuha-kun from my ‘blood-bag’ and thrust it into his mouth, a voice filled with agony leaked out between forced swallows.

I will not let you scream and alert anyone.

Well, the armor that hit the floor from a little while ago, were making loud metalic sounds as they collided with each-other, so it might be too late. So I guess, I don’t have to worry about sounds for now. If the guards come, I’ll just beat them as well.

Like always, I just want to return favors.

“It was a feast, I will repay you in full.” I say.

This is the food Kuzuha-chan had been given and tried to share with me, since he’s the one who prepared it. I want to I return the feeling that Kuzuha-chan got from this, so I decide to share this ‘food’ of his.

“Mo, go, goooooo!?” He screamed.
“What’s wrong? It’s a meal, isn’t it?”

To give others what you can not eat… This strange thing, I’ll make him eat all of it. I open his mouth stuff more of it in. Since this is of no use for me even if I have it, I will return everything; PROPERLY.

I hear loud sounds in the background; the sounds of the armors that were getting up, falling back on the ground. Ignoring it, I continue returning the meal.
Ruts was squirming violently, but I keep going. Then his reactions got weaker, and he eventually passes out. The wand fell from his hand, losing power, and a dry sound echoed as it hit the ground.

“Hm… I still have more, but it can’t be helped…”

He is not dead; he just fainted.

Let’s put the rest in his hood.

I look back, and notice that none of the armors are moving. It is not surprise, because they’re magic, and only moved thanks to that wand. Since the caster’s unconsciousness, and he left go of his wand, the magic spell ended. It is the same as the battery running out, or the user letting go of a remote controlled toy.

I avoid the the scattered armor, and talk over to Kuzuha-chan’s mother.

“Kuzuha-chan is waiting for you, let’s go home…”

There is no reply, even though I knew she can’t reply. I lifted her, and raised her up in a princess carry again. I take the soul-less lady out of basement and leave the mansion.

On the way back up, I worried a little about the metal door out of the food storage, but Ruts seems to have opened the door for me. So I walk out of the mansion easily.

I wonder if Kuzuha-chan is still awake.

When I return to the hut, I see that Kuzuha-chan’s already asleep, resting in the pile of straw, using her tail as a pillow. Her clothes are damaged, so there are many exposed spots, and ripped places, she may get jabbed by the straw.

It seems very lonely, sleeping on her tail. (see translator corner)

I sit Kuzuha-chan’s mother close to her; from my view, they look like mother and daughter sleeping together. (see translator corner)

I thought about waking Kuzuha-chan up, but I don’t want to disturb someones sleep; ‘let’s explain when she wakes up’ I think. I put some straw over Kazuha-chan and her mother to keep them warm instead of blanket; and then, I took out my blanket from my ‘blood-bag’, sit down, leaning against a nearby pillar.

‘I’m a bit tired, so let’s sleep,’ I think, so I closed my eyes, but just as I close my eyes, I hear a sound. I open my eyes again and I see Kuzuha-chan waking up.

“Mmmm…?” While leaking a small voice, Kuzuha-chan got up.
As she got up, the straw I use to cover her starts falling apart.

“Arge-san?”
“Did I wake you up? Sorry…”
“No, it doesn’t matter…but what’s going on, I can smell my esteemed mother?”
“Your mother is over there.” I point my finger to her side.

Her mother is lying next to Kuzuha-chan. After hearing that, she looks at my finger, following it till she notices her mother. She seems to be very happy, jumping into her mother’s chest.

Just like a small fox playing with it’s parents.

“Okaa-sama!” (母様: Okaa-sama = esteemed mother)

While calling her mother ‘Okaa-sama’ ‘Okaa-sama’, Kuzaha-chan rubs her face against her mother’s chest. (see translator corner)
She had a ‘I will proudly tell you what I was doing by listening to the lord’s speech’ looking in her eyes, as she wanted her mother to praise her. She talking to and bragging to, her mother.

But, of course, her mother does not respond. She’ll never open her eyes and never move her fingers. It seemed that it was so strange that Kuzuha-chan’s face got cloudy.

“Mo…-ther, what’s wrong?” (Ka a,-sama? Dō shita ndesu no?)
“…your mother is not going to wake up any more.”
“Huh…”

Kuzaha-chan turned her yellow eyes toward me and immediately returned to her mother. She is a child, with a pure heart, easily deceived. But she quicly under the meaning of my words, even a pure young girl like her should realize what I mean by, ‘ not going to wake up any more’. Her tail and her ear that were standing because of happiness just a moment ago wilted in a blink of an eye. Her small shoulder trembled and her big eyes were wide open. Salty water dripped on her mother’s cheeks.

Her daughter’s tears.

“Okaa-sama…… Oka a-sama, Okaa-sama……!” (母様……かあさま、母様……！ T.N: everything is mean mother)

Kuzuha-chan does not shout or rage, she just stared at her mother ‘s face, repeatedly calling her mother, tears raining down her face. She never asked why, nor got angry; just repeatedly called out to her mother, tears overflowing from her face.
Trembling slightly, I pulled up my shoulders, and I stretch out my hand to her, before I stop myself. Staring at her while she keeps calling for her mother.

Touching and stroke her head; so how could that help?

It may be comforting; but it wouldn’t solve her problem. Her mother can not revive, even with all my skill, no even I can do something like that. All I can do is heal wounds; that’s it.

I can not bring back the dead.

My hands can conform her, but it can not save her mother. After that, I just looked at Kuzuha-chan, until she stopped crying; without touching.

“I’m sorry, I showed you something unsightly.” She finally said.
“No, I do not mind.”
“I appreciate it if you say so. Thank you, for bringing my mother back.”

After all that crying, Kuzuha-chan smiled, she bow her head deeply with a smile on her face, looking at me with swollen eyes. I touch the fox girls neck as she bowed her head; not her skin, but the collar.

“Is this collar from that lord?”
“I was told that if I put on, the lord will be able to know my location… Mother said that it’s safer that way, since she could find out where I am even from far away. Since that lord told her so, and it’s a lie.”

As expected, Kuzuha-chan is not deceived anymore; it no wonder. Since she didn’t ask ‘why’ her mother died. She must have realized and understood the moment she saw her mother’s body. She already understood, so she cried.

“As long as this thing on your neck, you can not go anywhere.”
“That’s right, I can not take it off, because of a powerful curse.”
“‘Please give me freedom’.”
“Huh……?”

Those word were directed at the collar, not to Kuzuha-chan; magic to dispel curses. I removed the curse on the collar. As soon as I say those words, dispelling the curse, cracks appear in the collar, then the iron collar brakes apart.

Kuzuha-chan looks down with a surprise face, starting at the iron fragments scattered at her feet.

“Arge-san, this is….”
“You can now live freely as you like.”

It is not because I was asked.

I do not feel like taking care of her.

It is not a kind of repayment.

I just thought that I should do so.

Just like I sleep when I want to sleep, I thought that she should do what she wants to do. She already understands what happened.

You can do as you want, if there is place you want to go, if there is something that you want to do, you should do it as you like. You may find a new hope. I can only do as much as break the curse though. I can’t help you anymore. (ED/Jae: This looks like Arge is talking to Kuzuha, but there’s no “” around it. Odd.)

“… I understand” (Wakarimashita ~wa)

From her eyes, I could see a strong determination. Understanding eyes that tell me, she has decided on something. I can’t do that, show strong, determination eyes.

“I’m leaving.” (Itte mairima su)

Bowing deeply, Kuzuha-chan kicked the ground. Jump up through the hole in the ceiling of the hut, and leaves as it is.

…her physical ability is pretty high.

She seems to be a beastkin; regarding magic, she was manipulating fire attribute magic strong enough to hurt me, even with my maxed out tolerance, and she’s even able to make an alter ego.

She is still a child, but she has enough power to take care of herself. It’ll be difficult, since she is easy to deceived. But, as she lives, she can learn from her mistakes, and survive, somehow. She can walk with her own power. She do not need anyone’s help.

“It’s a bit cold, isn’t it?”

I’m talking to Kuzuha-chan’s mother. Her daughter’s free now, and determine to do something, I think Kuzuha-chan can live properly. There is nothing I can do. There is no need to do anything. I placed my blanket that I was wearing over her body.

“Keep yourself warm until Kuzuha-chan returns.”

I understand that there will be no response, but I repeat those words and leave the corpse.

I do not really know why I am doing this.

I just thought that I should do something like that.

…I respect her feeling for her daughter, I can’t do anything for her, but I think the least I can do is keep her body warm.

I take out a new blanket from the blood bag, wear it, and then leave the hut. Unlike Kuzuha-chan, I go out the door properly. Since it’s still early dawn, a cold wind strokes my cheek. The smell that the wind brought was someone I know. He’s currently on the other side of the meadow, and he came to me in a flash. It seems that he’s gotten much faster.

“Neguseo. You come?”
“Oh, I felt a bit uneasy.”
“Restless?”
“No…your heart seems to be hurt, so I thought something happened and came to see you.”
“I am sorry…I don’t really understand, but thank you.”

…What does he mean by my ‘heart hurt’?

There is no lie in what Neguseo says. We have a relationship, with a ‘blood-contract’. Just as I can understand how Neguseo feels, He can also understand how I feel .

Of course, he knows not to tell a lie.

That’s why I do not understand, I wonder what makes my heart hurt?

In the first place, why am I in so much-

“…………”
“…Arge.” Neguseo calls.
“Oh, yes, what?”
“You ought to get on. Will you head for the border now?”
“I will, thank you.”

I don’t understand by, but Neguseo stop talking.

It is a question that I can not answer either. It is troublesome to keep thinking, so I decided not to worry about it anymore. Getting on Neguseo’s back, he understands me without talking, so he start walking without saying anything.

“I’m going to sleep for a while.”
“Oh, I’ll call you if something happens.”
“Thank you, Neguseo…”

As soon as I closed my eyes, drowsiness overtakes me.

It seems that I was more tired from that exercise than I thought. For now I will stop thinking, and just go sleep.

Chapter 42: Ceremonial bonfire

My body feels light…

I’ve never felt like this before, something like… floating came to mind. Although I feel sad, my beloved Okaa-sama lost, my heart heavy. When my feet kick off the ground, I still feel so light. I can feel my whole body filled with energy, force filling my insides with each step as understanding dawns on me.

As I move more and more, overflowing power spreads throughout my body, energy flowing through me to form something new; another tail, my new, third tail. This didn’t just change my tails, my physical body changed as well, with my new tails came new height, new power. Along with that power though, I’m a little concerned, my clothes feel tight, and a new tail forced it’s way through my lower back, ripping a new hole through my clothes.

“‘Beast-Division, Triplet body’.” Pushing magic into my tails, two of them split off.

Filled with magic, and under the influence of my spell, those two tails had split off from me was instantly becoming exact copies.
A beastkin skill, especially common among the fox and cat family’s, a unique skill. After detaching the tail from myself, it transforms and creates a copy of my body with the same skills and abilitys.
I become, we, three beastkins; so we run through the forest. Because I already know where to go, it doesn’t take long to reach my ‘hunting ground’. It’s the mansion of the lord that I’m aiming for. The one who tricked and hurt my beloved Okaa-sama.


“Beat up every human being other than the lord, other mes.” I say.
“Then I’ll go repay their ‘hospitality’.” One of the copies replies.
“Then I will follow the main body.” Says the other.

Both of the bodies spoke those words in the same voice as me, and they went to their respective positions as soon as they finished speaking. These copied bodies have exactly the same abilities as me, they even have the same thoughts. Because they are the same as me, mutual understanding is instant. One stood at my side, the other destroyed the window and invaded the mansion. Following that, I and one of my alter egos quickly head into the mansion.

“Okaa-sama’s smell…” (Okaa-sama is a repect way to call mother)

Okaa-sama’s smell, even from outside the mansion I could feel her magical power, and after entering, the concentrated scent became even stronger. So when I enter the mansion, I run along with my alter ego, rushing after that scent. My Okaa-sama’s body that Arge-san brought back, was kept as beautiful, as if she was just sleeping.

I understand the reason a little, it’s simply because he thinks it’s better to keep my Okaa-sama’s body that way. I do not know what value Okaa-sama’s body has, and I do not want to know. No matter how great, no matter how wonderful Okaa-sama’s body has been kept, I will never forgive him.

I smell Arge-san…

A comfortable smell, and a remnant scent of strong magical power. While I just me her, I can not forget her; this comfortable smell of Arge-san. I bet she looked for my Okaa-sama for me, and I didn’t even thank her properly.

Following the smells of my Okaa-sama and benefactor, I run along with my alter ego. Since even opening doors is troublesome, I destroy them as I run, breaking my way through the frames in my impatience, pushing my way through as I follow Arge-sans’ and Okaa-samas’ smell. As I passed through several rooms, and went down to the basement, there was a pleasant smell, and an unpleasant smell.

Okaa-samas’ scent and Arge-sans’ scent are pleasant. As for the unpleasant smell, that was mixed in with the two; with was smell of violence.

“What the fu@&? fu#%, fu@#$%g! After everything I’ve done! After everything I’ve done! I worked so hard to kill that fox! Fu%#ing sh$#!” (T.N: Never in my life, I intend to say these vulgar word, but he isn’t me, his word can’t be translate in lighter mean)

The lord looks angry, and keeps kicking loose armor that is rolling around on the ground as he keeps repeatedly cursing. While doing so, he seems to be devoting magic power into a venomous circle letting off a purple magic .

Perhaps that magic circle was used to drain up my Okaa-sama’s magical powers. Looking at it, I could tell it consumes magic power by draining a target, even if they are running out, a special magic. Long ago, my Okaa-sama told me about those kinds of magic circles. It’s a terrible thing that a infamous Devil thought up.

That magic circle’s given off a very faint light. Perhaps because my Okaa-sama, it’s original power source, is gone. I can faintly feel Okaa-samas’ magic power leaking from that magic circle. There’s no doubt that, that man’s magic power is locking it.

“How much time and sacrifice have I devoted to make this thing? Even though this magic circle is stable, finally stabilized! -but I can’t keep it going like this for long… Since this happened, I’ll use the daughter!”
“What do you need me for?”

He let out a surprised gasp when he heard a voice behind him, he quickly turned around and looked at me. For a moment he expressed how upset he was, but he immediately distorted his face into something ugly on a face like his, a smile.

“This is perfect, Kuzuha, I can save the trouble of going to the stable. Did you figure out everything and come here?”
“Yes, because I realized everything, I come here.”
“I do not know what that monster was thinking… It doesn’t matter though, regardless of where it went, you seem to have come alone. Foolish child, did you come here to become my next test subject!?”
“You!”

Has my Okaa-sama been killed by such a man? She was deceived by such horrible man, and was used as a tool. I feel my hair stand on end, as murderous intent blurs my vision. I hear my heart shouting out to kill this man in front of me. But, I push down that feeling, then I take a step forward. My copied body mimics me as I do so.

I am not going to forgive him. Even so, I- we have to ask questions. If I don’t know why he did this, I can’t settle my heart.

If I can’t at least find out why he did this, I won’t calm down.

“Why did you deceive Okaa-sama and me?”
“It’s because you were both perfect test subjects!”
“Is it because you wanted power to end the war?”
“Oh, that’s right, I should finish that war while I’m at it.”
“…what’s that supposed to mean?”
“I am a genius, so I can’t satisfy myself as lord of such a small piece of land! Look! Please add your power to this magic circle left by your Okaa-sama’s magical power, I worked on it all for this.“

Then he raised a wand, that has the same color as our fur. It is Okaa-sama’s power; I can feel it from that wand. No doubt, that was made by taking away magic power from my Okaa-sama.

“‘Conjure-Division’.“

Magical powers released from the staff, a bright like moving through the surrounding suits of armor. What he is doing right now is similar to my beast division, he is using my Okaa-sama’s power to make divisions. We use magical power of the tail as the nucleus, and manipulate it as an alter ego. He borrows from our kind of power, then using those armors as the nucleus, he manipulate the armors instead.

“I should be respected more! I should have a higher rank! Because I have so many talents and powers, if the kingdom doesn’t want to use me, then I’ll go to Empire. They’ll treat me well”
“…you’re a foolish man, aren’t you?”
“What!?”

Desire for self-expression, suffering from a inferiority complex, drunk on ambition. All I can see are small and ugly emotions in him. Hearing him, all I see is a hunger for fame under the pretext of peace, no desire for actual peace. He was merely using those beautiful words as a pretext to hide his dirty intentions from me and my Okaa-sama.

I wonder why Okaa-sama was tricked by such a person. My Okaa-sama was intelligent, so she should have figured it out easily. Is it because my father was a kingdom citizen, did she want to believe the royalty of the kingdom? Did she think she could stop the war that kill my father; Bring peace, so that I could live happy?

I don’t understand, and I can’t ask her anymore, so I can only imagine. Knowing that it’s impossible ask, forever. Tears start overflowing, raining down my face without pause. My feelings are overflowing, and I can’t hold them back.

I feel such murderous intention; hatred and anger. But beyond that, there is something much more important that I have to do now.

“I will not allow you to use my beloved Okaa-sama’s power for such a thing.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll send you to the same place with your Okaa-sama, you do not have to shed tears of sorrow like that!”
“Your drunk ravings are getting annoying.”

I feel my blood boiling in rage, as tears keeps flowing down my face, scattering in the wind of a spell as I start using magic. The armors start moving, walking towards me with an aggressive stance. I raise my hand up, my alter ego next to me makes mimics my motion.

“”Distorted breaking, Double-misery“” I say, as does my copy.

Letting out magic at the exact the same quality, ‘overlapping-expression’. This skill was directly taught by my beloved Okaa-sama, a memento of my Okaa-samas’. A extremely strong skill, as it’s so strong, Okaa-sama told me this skill is ‘prohibited’ unless I need to kill. Powerful winds blast around me, like a natural disaster running through the room.

All the armors are quickly twisted, bent, and broken, until they fall apart. The basement is is destroyed, with the only safe place left around me. Even that magic circle on the floor is shredded, fading away into nothing…

The room has been destroyed, so he can do anymore research here.

“What’s happening! What is happening!? For a child fox to have such a power!”
“You do not understand anything, since you only see and care about yourself.”
“What!?”
“This kind of magic power can’t even reach my esteemed Okaa-samas feet!”
“But… this wands magical power was drawn directly out of your Okaa-sama!”

With my alter ego, I walk towards him. Step-by-step I slowly travel toward him, slowly emphasizing my walk. Thanks to this, he apparently started to fear me, waving the wand at me.

I feel magical power concentrating into a spell. But it’s took weak, it’s not force that could extend to my Okaa-sama’s, or even to my feet.

“Fu, get her! Thunder!” He shouted.

…I do not avoid it.

I don’t even feel like avoiding it, it’s is too weak. I could easily block it with my magic power, so I do that.

“Got you!?”
“This is too weak, did you put my esteemed Okaa-sama’s power into that tool? Did you take away my Okaa-samas life to make a tool this weak?” I feel my voice raising.
“”Do you think our Okaa-samas power was really that weak?!”” Me and my copy yell.

I have to finish off this man. A man like this shouldn’t exist, no more people will be harmed like us.

I and my Okaa-sama must be the last.

“Wind-Sickle” (Kamai-tachi)

The spirit magic fulfills my wishes.
The blade of the wind cut off his right shoulder, the wand and his arm rolled onto the scarred ground.

“AH! It hurts!” He screams.
“For someone like you, this kind of pain is hardly enough.”
“Hiii~ ii!?”
“Someone as useless as you, expecting praise, gathering achievements, everything you have was probably stolen from others.”
“You kept on drinking it in, drunk on your own fantasy world, I think it’s time you wake up. Pain’s just the kind of wake up call you deserve.”
“Help me!”
“I will not save you, I will destroy your ambition. But don’t worry, I won’t kill you, I do not want to become a dirty murderer like you. “
“Well then, I’m waiting outside.” My copy said.

My alter-ego leaves the basement, carrying ‘it’, that man away, as it lets out dripping noises. The magical power I had given that body is abundant, even if I leave her alone. She’ll keeps moving on my own judgment for the entire night.

If the alter ego that I sent out earlier is not enough, I will help her. If the lord is still noisy, she will punish him more. Since we share the same mind, and can think about the same things.

“It is really an item made from my Okaa-sama’s power, but its power is even weaker than my power.”

I walk over and pick up the wand sitting by ‘its’ arm. The arm on the side is unpleasant so I throw it away.

“Okaa-sama…”

I embrace the wand with a nostalgic smell. This is what Okaa-sama left in her last moments. Even if she did not want it. Even if it was poorly made, I don’t feel a grudge from it, just regret. For me, it’s the only thing I can feel my Okaa-sama from.

“…Okaa-sama, I have to go.”

That is why this wand has to be destroyed. Such things are not my beloved Okaa-sama’s true power, it can not fulfill her wish. I’ll destroy the wand together with my Okaa-sama’s power left in it.

Please send me a fire so that my feelings will reach my beloved Okaa-sama.

“Flower of the heavens, take my Okaa-samas soul… to the heaven…’Blooming!! Higan flowers’!” (T.N: see translator corner)

The magic that my Okaa-sama was the most proud of. While I was crying, I managed to use it. I can not really reproduce the spell, not like Okaa-sama did, but I can at least mimic it.

Flower blossoms blooming around, burning slowly as they wrap around the room. Neither the beauty, nor the fire power reach my Okaa-samas level of skill. If my Okaa-sama’s flame was a field of flowers covering the shores, then my flame should be a small flower garden.

Still, I used this magic.
‘Flower-of-Higan’ is worthy way to say goodbye, mostly because it’s the magic spell that my Okaa-sama loved the most.

“…goodbye, Okaa-sama.”

Sayinh goodbye to my Okaa-sama’s power, I throw away the wand, and its swallowed by the flame flowers immediately, disappearing in the wind.

Even the tears on my face dried from the heat as I turn away. After that, even if I leave and do nothing else, the flame will burn the underground and the mansion to ash.

I buried my Okaa-samas power.
Next, I have to mourn my Okaa-sama…

===============================================

Chapter 43: First friend

“… Fuuu ……”

Shaken by the back of Neguseo, I let out a big yawn toward the sky.
I take in fresh air while yawning, I feel a little cold.

“I want clothes”

It is unavoidable to say. I’d like to buy it somewhere as soon as possible, but … it is impossible until I cross the border. Do I have to put up with blanket to endure it?
I must cross these mountains in order to reach the Republic from the Kingdom.
Speaking of Neguseo, we start really early today. It seems that it will be faster if he run, but I got him stopped because it makes me feel uncomfortable.

“Well then, I will sleep a little more”
“Arge, didn’t you just wake up?”
“Well, what’s wrong with that?”
“… No, nothing.”

Speaking like have a tired throat, Neguseo continue walking.
It seems that his mind is else where, or his way of walking has become wild.

…Did I say something weird?

I have a doubt, but if Neguseo says nothing, I do not have to ask him for detail. It is troublesome.

“Please tell me if you are hungry, tired, or if you want water.”

I abandon the doubts in my mind, talk to Neguseo and close my eyes to sleep.
As soon as the scenery was blocked, drowsiness came. But then I felt something when I tried to sleep.

“Neguseo, can you stop for a while? Because I think that this smell is probably that girl”
“Oh, it looks like she is getting closer”

Because we are also share our smell, so we easy to reach a mutual understanding. Neguseo stops his feet.
Faint fox smell and sweet scent peculiar to girls. It definitely belongs to Kuzuha-chan.
It seems that the her bad smell from yesterday is gone. She may have taken a bath.
The stimulus for smell becomes stronger and stronger, so obviously she is headed for us. When turning my eyes, the color of a fox was floating in the meadow.

“Arge-san!”

Kuzuha
Calling out to me with a loud voice, Kuzuha-chan is running even faster.
She is not dressed shabby anymore. Her Kimono is a red flower drawn in the same way as her mother was wearing, it is clearly better clothes than before.
Is the number of tails increasing from two to three, did she level up?
She wave her triplet tail and came up to me, her breath is still light.
She is carrying a backpack as big as her body right now. Won’t she get tired if she run full strength in such a condition. “Arge-san!”
“Oh, yes… what?”
“Why didn’t you wait for me!?”
“…Huh?”
I could not understand the meaning of the words she just told me and it stuck my head.

… wait? What?

For me who does not understand the translation, Kuzuha-chan is getting more angry. She put the bag she carried on the ground looked at me with a strong gaze.

“Hey, Arge-san, I said ‘I am leaving’ and I still left my mother’s body there, right?”
“Yeah, you are right”
“If so, don’t you normally think that I will come back? Why didn’t you wait for me? After mourning my mother properly and I must chase you in hurry until now”
“No, I also thought that you would come back, but my role has ended. I received an apology from the mistake attack and returned my gratitude for the meal. So I think I can already go “
“… You, you have no friends?”

I was told with terrible eyes.
When she told me so, It’s true, none of people I know is my friend.
I never thought that I wanted a friend.
I just received what I was given, as given.

“Yes, I do not have one.”
“Here, after all … No, I can not say too much about friend. But I have been taught properly by my mother! A way of going out with friends! The preparation is perfect”

… That is not an air friend, right ?

I thought, but I did not say it out. Because Kuzuha-chan is too proud, If I say anything … no, I thought it was bad to say anything right now.
Kuzuha-chan shook her big baggage and walked to here, she stroked Neguseo’s body. Then she look up at me and say.

“That’s why, I’m counting on you from now on,”
“……? what do you mean?”
“I would like to thank so I will follow Arge-san.”
“… Why is that, Kuzuha-chan, you don’t even know where I am going?”

I did not understand the meaning, I did not understand her intention.
After return the favor at that time, it should have ended our relationship, but still I can not understand what she say to me now.
While I still in doubt, Kuzuha-chan smiled happily for some reason, looking at me.
Her face somewhat resembled to her mother.

“Wherever you are, I will go there. And it is you, who told me that I can live however I like. Isn’t what you said mean ‘I am free to follow you’ ? “
“… I only said that you can live as you like”

It was the word that I told her, I can’t refuse as she is.
Because I do not like to hurt other people’s freedom, my freedom will be harmed.
I do not want to do that much, I can’t even take care of myself right now and I have to look after another girl. I only working when I return my gratitude to someone.
Fortunately, we have plenty of food and water, and if that big luggage is available for Kuzuha-chan too. It does not seem to be a problem even if I take her along.

“As a friend of mine, I’m counting on you, Arge-san!”
“Uhm, thank you.”

Although I do not understand well, I have been approved by my friend, and it is troublesome to refuse. The number of accompanying people increased without paying attention, But what I should do is not changed.
Leave the kingdom and find a person to feed me for life. Only this.

“Let’s go then, Neguseo”
“I understand”
“Oh, please wait! Arge’s clothes before that!”
“Have you brought clothes with you?”
“No, I will make it now, so please come down, … Come on!”

Kuzuha-chan beckon me to come.

… I can sew.

I can sew clothes that were torn, but it is amazing to make clothes from scratch.
Somehow seems to be rough, but I appreciate it if I could have my clothes on, so I obediently come down from Neguseo.

“… I’m just around here, please call out when you are done again.”
“understood”
“I think it will take about a day, is it okay?”
“No problems, young lady”

It seems that he is really care about my body, and Neguseo goes away.
I do not mind if he saw my body, but as he himself is concerned it would be bad to be detained. Let’s leave him alone.

“Well then, uhm, do you need to measure?”
“Yes … I will be careful to make a fitting clothes … Ha~aa … Arge-san, your skin is white!”
“Is that so? Maybe because I’m a vampire?”
“…then, are you okay with the sun? My mother told me, a long time ago vampire is a race with dark attribute magic power, and when they get hit by the sunlight that is the sacred attribute, they will considerable pain …”
“Because I have both sunlight resistance and holy attribute tolerance at high level, it is okay. Well, should we back to work?”
“Yes, please stay just like that, I will measure and make clothes right now”
“Is that so”

I do not know the reason, but Kuzuha-chan is shaking her ears and tails in a good mood.
I wonder what. I wonder why she is so happy, become friend with me won’t really benefit anything.

… Friend, is it?

A word that I had never thought of before. The first conscious existence.
I rolled the word that I did not realize yet in my head, I took off my blanket.
The wind that blows is a bit cold to raw skin, but it is also comfortable.
I close my eyes and I leave the rest to be Kuzuha-chan.
There are lots of doubts, but as you always feel when you close your eyes.
Ah. I want to finish early and take a nap.

Chapter 44: The boy’s feeling.

When my consciousness start fading, I have a dream.
It is memory of my past life. I will experience again what I’ve done, in the form of a dream.

The house where I was born has always produced excellent people.
Exercise, science, medicine, politics, economics, education, archeology …… Anyway anyway, a house that has always sent people to the top. That is Kuon’s family.
Kuon’s family is moving the world. Recognition in the world. It is the world. That’s where I lived.
And Kuon was a house not accept anything other than “excellent”.
There are only two things that are ‘excellent’ or ‘un-usable’.
It was only those ‘excellent’ one are being recognized as human beings, the others were not.

And I am a member of Kuon’s family, a human being never called ‘excellent’.
Whether you are ‘excellent’ or ‘un-usable’ the family still allow you to live normal when you are still a child.
It’s not i’m bad at anything, attually I’m quite good at it, but of course I’m not ‘excellent’ at anything. I was like that.
If there is something that is superior, that was my robust body in the Kugon family who are all merely consanguineous marriage and have a weak constitution.

Move your body, sit down and learn.
There is no excess and deficiency in anything.

It was early for my parents to give up on such a child like me.
That last day they visited. I remember the day when my life was finished well.
There were quite a lot of “caretakers” visited my room on that day.
Not only those who are in charge of housekeeping, but also people who are about to protect my parent, came to my room.
It is the elderly man who is the head of the “caretaker” who brought in many “caretakers”. His name is Haregi
Haregi-san always wears a suit while other caretaker is wearing kimono. On this day as usual, he has spoken to me.

“Young lord, can you come over here?” (お坊っちゃま: O bōtchama = how servant call a young lord)
“Do you mind if I change clothes? As you can see, I’m awfully sleepy, I’m still in bed clothes.”
“No. Go as you are without holding anything”
“Okay, I understand.”

While I felt a sense of incompetence in my bed’s temperature, I went out of there.
It is a bit strange that everyone is watching me with caution, I laugh a little.
I understood the meaning that they came here. So even if I do not look like that, I will not run away.
I followed them, saying, “I’m all right,” to the followers who have strange faces.
The surroundings are protected by strong guards, or they are blocked, and they are taken me to a room that I has never been in. It’s like I’m escorted by them rather than to follow them.

I knew this place.
It is because it was a place that anyone could enter, anyone who was treated as ‘human beings’.
It is my first time to step in, but I knew about this place for a long time.
This is “garbage dumping place”. When a Kuon’s family child reach a certain age and still ‘un-usable’, they will be kept here forever.

… It is normal.

Underground of the mansion. That room separated by iron grates was a space that seemed to be unexpectedly comfortable.
Because I had never seen it before, I thought how bad the environment is, but it is more ordinary space than I imagined.
There are chairs and desks, and beds are placed. There were items that look like cooking areas in the back. Flooring is flooring, walls are white wallpaper.
Perhaps this room is more comfortable than and my room. That is the evaluation I gave when I first saw the scenery behind iron grates at that time.

“Is there a bath and a toilet?”
“Of course.”

Haregi-san takes out the key ring from his bosom, and opens the door of iron grates.
It is not similar to the ordinary scenery that lies ahead, there was a high sound that the metal rubbed.
While I’m frowning my face with annoying sounds, Haregi-san open the door and gives me a word of encouragement.

“Please, get in young lord”

The size of the entrance is enough to pass without having to lower head. I enter inside as prompted.

“If you need something, please tell us”
“Yes, I understand”
“… Young lord, are not you wondering?”
“About what?”
“About the treatment that you are receiving. That is ‘dead’ now, why did you still calm …?”

Until I came here, Haregi-san who was doing business with expressionless face more than usual was distorted.
It is not question of hate or anger that comes to the Haregi-san’s face.
On the other hand, it is easy for me to answer. It was just one word.

“Because it is the Kuon’s family”
“……Is that it?”
“Yes, there are no people in doubt about throwing away things that you can not use?”
“You parent isn’t see you off or say anything, just ‘kill’ you!? And you accept it without even expressing it, what kind of child are you !? Until now, there was not such a child in Kuon’s family! So I… this is how they … !”
“You brought a lot of guards so that I can not run away?”

Everything is understood.
I wonder what will become of people who can not do anything like me, what kind of reactions have been taken by people who have been here before.
Everyone at the Kuon’s family did not give anything to what they would throw away.

Because I know everything, I have no surprises, anger, no sorrow.
I know that resistance is in vain. I also know not to cover it.
Because I know that myself, “I can not become a part of the Kuon’s family”.
That’s why it seems wonderful for Haregi-san to have a doubt expression.
Until now, other children has made meaningless resistance. And still, for the one who took us “defective items” here to feel strange.

“It’s all about understanding, isn’t it okay to just accept it?”
“… …!”

At this time, I still remember well that the line of sight directed to me changed from me obviously.
Because the fear has filled the doubt that came up to that point in an instant.

“… Maybe you are the most damaged one in the house of Kuon, aren’t you?”
“Well, I think it was because I was broken and I could not be use, so I was sent here.”
“In that sense …… No, let’s stop it … I got frightened by the young lord, in a sense, even more than the family’s head, so I will leave it here.”

Kachan (SFX) and the door are closed and locked immediately.
While listening to a lot of footsteps going away I was thinking about the future.
I do not need to learn anymore, I do not need to study. Nothing to do as an obligation has disappeared.
Because I am already a ‘dead’ child.

“… for now, should I try to sleep?”

I did not come up with things to do, I decided to take a nap.

…… Do I have any hobby?

While sinking my body in the bed, I closed my eyes considering such a thing.
My consciousness of my dream is end, and my consciousness of reality comes to mind.
Along with the end of my dreams, my memory went down.

Chapter 45: High tension loli

“I did it!”
“Nya”

First thing when I wake up from my dream is a loud voice make me leak out a scream in surprise.
I take the blanket which spreads on the ground to replace the mattress, and cover myself.
Looking at the direction where the voice came, Kuzuha-chan is holding something as if she was in a good mood.

… My clothes?

Yesterday, after my measurements were over, Kuzuha-chan began to make clothes immediately. And she’s not alone, she use her beast division skill increasing to three people.
She brought dough and tools by herself. It took her a while to make clothes, so I decided to take a nap and wait.
Looking up at the sky, the color of vermillion still remains. It’s still not even morning yet .
Perhaps she was making clothes all night.
I wrapped a blanket around my body for the time being, and I called Kuzuha-chan.

“Did you make it overnight?”
“I leave it to the alter ego half way and I am taking sleep properly.” (T.N: Good girl, loli must eat and sleep properly)

Well, She can do such a thing. Convenient.
I should have become a fox beastkin. Why didn’t you tell me about this, Loli-gramp? Loli-gramp is totally useless. (Yes, you can ONLY command things with blood arm and blood contract, if you want, with time you can command over 9000 things or living beings, :v Worse than 8 copies of yourself and they are also lazy like you ^_^ right ?)

“Arge-san, what’s wrong?”
“Oh, no, it’s nothing. Good morning, Kuzuha-chan”
“Yes, good morning”

Kuzuha-chan comes close to me with a joyful expression. It seems that the alter ego was removed and her triplet tails was swinging joyfully.
I don’t know the details of clothes because she is still holding it, but the color seems to be two colors, black and white.

“Come Arge-san, I will put it on, so please come here!”
“No, I can wear myself”
“I made it, please let me put it on properly and check if it is good enough”
“Haaa, if that’s what you want”

Even if the girl who made it says so, somehow it is still a matter of concern. But I obediently listen to her.
When I take off my blanket in front of Kuzuha-chan, she starts dressing me at once.
She raise my arms and start dressing me. I thought I was like a mannequin or something, I also close my eyes as it is troublesome.

“Afterwards wear this on your head … and … It’s done!”
“…HM”

Since it seems it has ended, I look at my body from head to toe.
It is a black long skirt, long-sleeved clothes. It is covered with an apron with a frill.
Touching the hair clip put on my head, there frills.
It’s a fluffy decoration and an apron, but it is strange and harmonious that there is black chicness.
I have such an impression by looking at the large hand mirror that Kuzuha-chan delightfully presented.
A girl in the mirror, a silver hair girl wearing on her head is a head dress called White Brim.
Although it is not a mirror that can see the whole picture, clothes that you can fully understand by just checking up to the shoulder.

Arge Maid

“Maid clothes?”
“You know?”
“Well, well,”

Some of the “caretakers” who were at the Kuon’s family, they were dressed like this. It can be said that this kind of clothing like cooking wear, is the work clothes of a woman’s care staff other than the escort.
Of course the details are different, but they are roughly the same. For me it can be said that I am familiar.
Somehow, I familiar with work clothes, and costumes so I feel a calm atmosphere.

… It is easy to move.

When looking at the mansion, it looked like it looked cramped but it’s quite comfortable to wear.
It may be surprisingly excellent as a costume for a follower.

“Oh, I am perfect while you …”

Kuzuha-chan is worry whether I’m satisfied with the result. I can tell from her tails and ears. I pick up the helm of clothes and move around, let Kuzuha-chan watching from various angles. (See translator corner)
I was wondering if Kuzuha-chan would make even a kimono from how she look, but she can make an unexpected costume.

“Is there anything uncomfortable ? I will fix it soon”
“All right, it’s perfect”

Bending and stretching of arms, etc. are not uncomfortable at all.
However, because it does not feel too loose, it is a finish with no sense of incongruity.
I’m impressed. Even though she has three people, she must work hard to make this dressy clothes overnight, even more she make with hand sewing and measurements is perfect fit.

“It matches very well with Arge-san’s silver hair …. Huh, it is possible to be a centerpiece. Please do not hesitate to tell me, I will repair as soon if it is torn.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
“Please wear it for the moment, next time I will make a Japanese clothes, so let’s wear matching clothes and go out together!”

… Ah, I think I get it now.

It seems that Kuzuha-chan likes that kind of dress like clothes. Is maid outfit the first step?
I do not have the right to veto because she is the one make it.
I am thankful that I’m now have clothes to wear again.

“Well then, what shall we have for breakfast … Uh … are you okay with dried meat?”
“No, because I am fine without eating … … let’s depart when Kuzuha-chan finishes eating. we still have your luggage, let me carry it.”

Kuzuha-chan’s luggage is big.
She try to bring as many as possible. There is no doubt that there will be considerable weight.
It is troublesome, the moving speed slows down, bring such a big baggage.
Since storage can be done indefinitely, it is better to put what I can put in blood bag.

“My baggage is pretty heavy, I can not let you or horse-san carry it…”
“It’s okay, except for meat, it can be stored by my ability”
“Cleaning up …?”

I decided to explain the ability of Blood Bag to Kuzuha-chan, who has a strange look.

… We still don’t know anything about each other yet.

She says that she is a friend, but what exactly do you want with that? How is it supposed to be friends?
I just started to understand her and understand myself.
I can not be understood how to make friends with such a child.
It is troublesome to keep thinking about not understanding, so I decided not to be conscious of it.
Now I just need to speak what I need.

Chapter 46: I am not desperate enough to prepare in 40 seconds

“… then, does Arge-san plan go to the Republic?”
“Yeah. Secretly, I do not want to stand out too much”
“So, you are heading towards that mountain, certainly over there … beyond Mariot (マリタット: Mariotto) is the republic of Yotsuba”

“Magic cap?” (マグカップ : Magukappu)

“Mariot, That mountain’s name”

Kuzuha-chan answer me while she’s still sorting the Backpack.
The little Backpack she is sorting now is a simple tool made by her alter ego while she is eating.
I only see one string insted of two. Was it a single shoulder backpack?
What is inside is dried meat which can not be put in the blood bag, it is more convenient to carry this way.

“Well, shall we aim for the Helmet mountain?” (ヘルメット: herumetto)

“It’s Mariot moutain“

“Sorry, sorry. Well then, I will call Neguseo.”
“… Um, I’m already thought about it since yesterday, is that the name of that horse-san, that isn’t a good name, right?”
“Yes, I named him, I am confident.”
“Arge … No, it’s nothing.”

Kuzuha-chan try to talk about something, but she stop.
It seemed not to be an important story, so I call Neguseo.
I direct my thought to him, we only have to wait a bit.
It didn’t take long for the blue maned black horse to appear in front of us.
Neguseo is running toward here, even he has a powerful and fast running he doesn’t lose his elegant.
He gradually slowed down and finally stopped in front of me. That gesture that gently sniffs when stroking your face, he seems to be happy.

“Wait, Arge, that clothes will look great,”
“Thank you. Neguseo, do you need meals and water supply?”
“I only need water”
“I understood it.”

Pull out the tub which is as big as you can with my hand from the Blood Box and pour the water there.
I do not remember the total amount exactly, but since I secured a considerable amount of water in the forest that Oswald-kun was protecting, I do not need to pay attention to the water. I know when it has less amount though.
As for horse, it is certainly necessary consumption, because he should drink water about 20 liters a day.
As for me, there is almost no need for meals and water supply, so give water and food to Neguseo and Kuzuha-chan. We still need a long time to reach the border, and more time until we reach the village.
Regarding food, Neguseo is mostly eating the grass around here, and Kuzuha-chan is saying that she can hunt wild animals, so we dont need worry about anything but water.

“Do you need a substitute?”
“No, it’s enough.”

Because it seems that he is satisfied, I store the tub in blood bag.
That’s all there is to it. There was something unexpected, but there was not a particularly big problem.
I am thankful that clothes were available, or rather Kuzuha-chan’s gifts. Let’s start now.

“Arge-san, you understand Horse-san’s words ?”
“Yes, because I have language translation skills, please get on Neguseo, Kuzuha-chan”

To be honest, walking is troublesome, but I felt bad let a child, a loli walk by herself, I urged Kuzuha-chan.
Because it is only a month since I was born as a vampire, in terms of years I will be younger than Kuzuha-chan.
I do not know her exact age, but I should be younger than her.

However, counting from the previous life I will be about twenty years old.
The age of the body is young, but the actual age or the soul’s age is older.
If you are asked as to which one you should use for yourself, I think about the age I actually live is better.
Since I got to move my legs alot, I would like to ride and move if possible, but I think that as an adult should give priority to children.
If we are both adult, we will take turn to ride, but the other party is a child.

“Because I will walk”
“If that is the case, there is no problem, Arge, can you please carry this?”

Kuzuha-chan suddenly pass the backpack to me, she nodded once in a satisfying manner.

“Okay, here we go” (Original don’t have this, I add it to easy understand)
She close her yellow eyes, she arranges breathing.
What is she going to do? When I wondered, Kuzuha-chan’s body begin to change.
The body of the little girl who was originally small shrinks even smaller. No, it is not just shortening. The shapes of limbs and faces clearly change.
She is not a bipedal walk but a quadruped walking.
Not on the face of a girl, but on the face of a hox.
Kimono sticks to the whole body to be stretched and it becomes fox color instead of red flower.
When all the changes were over, she become a little fox.

“How about this, we can ride Neguseo together like this, can’t we?”

The fox looks up at me and speaks so proudly somewhere.
Honestly I was a little surprised, but it surely seems to be okay if you ride Neguseo together.

“Neguseo, are you okay?”
“There are no problems even if we ride two people in the first place. We will be lighter and that’s a welcome if she gets smaller.”

I got permission from Neguseo, so I ride on his back. When I confirmed the position of my butt, Kuzuha-chan also settle down.
Kuzuha-chan settled down her body so that it is caught between my thighs. She lay her stomach down on Neguseo’s back, breathed satisfactorily,

“Neguseo, are you okay?”
“Neguseo, is the position of Kuzuha-chan, is it okay?”
“I can stand even she has nail.”
“It seems good if you do not have to stand your nails.”
“I will do my best”
“Well then, shall we go?”

Because Kuzuha-chan and Neguseo can not talk, I will be like a translator and complete mutual understanding. I have the skills of language translation.

“I will sleep now, please make it suitable”
“Do you sleep on Horse-san !?”
“A vampire does not come out regularly unless she sleeps on a horse.”
“I see, it’s amazing …!” (T.N: I love naive loli)

“Arge, do not tell a lie”
“Here, Neguseo is also say ‘it’s true’.”
“I did not say that!”
“If Horse-san also say that, there’s no mistake!”
“Do not believe her, young lady!”

Oh, what should I do, this may be quite funny.
Ignoring Neguseo who shouts as correcting, I closed my eyes with a half laugh. Good luck Neguseo. (T.N: Arge, you bully)

By the way, Neguseo sometime calls me “Arge” now, but why? Well, anything is fine. Good night.

Chapter 47: A narrow world, a wide mountain

We reached Mariot mountain late at night, we decided to cross the mountain as it was.
Oswald-kun said that because there seems to be some border guards, it is better to leave the kingdom secretly because of the darkness.
Fortunately, everyone including me is good at night. Even at night there is no inconvenience to sight.
However, it is not as ordinary as it is said to cross the mountain. No-one ever use the mountain, so it doesn’t have any road to walk or climb.
There are many places where the slope is steep, the ground is raised up and down. Besides, the soil is soft and slippery.
Mariot mountain seems to be a mountain that consider as the country’s border, and it is not a place to come casually. To avoid people cross border illegal they don’t make mountain road.
It was truly difficult to cross the mountain while ride on Neguseo, I and Kuzuha-chan got off of him and was moving in the mountains.

“Arge-san, please watch your feet”
“Thank you, Kuzuha-chan”
“If clothes get caught on the branches of the tree and it is torn, I will fix it properly later so please do not hesitate to ask me”

Kuzuha-chan is walking ahead, she already change back to human form.
She seems to be accustomed to mountain walking. She will tell me if there are obstacle or slope.
According to her instructions, we begin to cross mountain little by little.

“Is Neguseo-san okay?”
“Are you OK? Neguseo?”
“No problem with just this slope”
“It does not seem to be a problem”
“Even so …… It takes more time than I expected”

Kuzuha-chan looks up at the sky.
Follow her, I also look up, I saw a soft red color in the sky.
It is a pale light that is different from orange and red, dawn will coming soon.
We don’t have much time before the sun rise.

“Does the night end?”
“It seems like that, it is dangerous to cross mountain in daytime. We will be spotted. Let find some place to hide and rest until evening.”
“Well … I’m sorry, I am walking slow”

The reason why we are slow is obviously me.
I did not sleep this time. Although I was a bit disappointed that it’s impossible to ride Neguseo cross the mountain. It would be ineffective and dangerous if we forcibly ride and fall.
I feel troublesome and reluctant but I did walk properly.

It’s take time until I am accustomed to mountain climbing.
When I just started climbing Mariot, Kuzuha-chan is going with a cool face. I try walking the same way and I nearly fall.
Walking in the mountain is difficult and different from the forest. The forest I met Oswald-kun was the same as Maritat about no road and there were roofs of trees. But it was still flat and the ground was harder than here. The mountain is just too hard to walk.

… It’s really hard, mountain.

The mountain is also foggy, the speed of travel was slower than walking and I got tired.
I can change to bat form and flying away. But I can’t leave Neguseo and Kuzuha-chan behind.
As a result, I make everyone go slower.

“Please don’t worry”
“But … kya”
“Oh … that was dangerous. Here, give me your hand.” (See translator corner)

And now, I hold hands with Kuzuha-chan.
Kuzuha-chan is smiling like she doesn’t care. Look like I make her worry again.
However, the apology has been denied just now. Rather than repeat an apology here, it should be said like this.

“Thank you, Kuzuha-chan”
“You are welcome, have you both got tired yet?”
“Neguseo, aren’t you tired?”
“Oh, no need to worry.”
“He seems all right, I am fine as well.”
“I am told that this area is near the top of the mountain, so you can go down the road a little early. Both of you, please do your best for a while.”

When we trying to descent from the mountain according to Kuzuha-chan’s guidance. I felt something wrong with the sense of smell.
It is neither a smell of wood nor a scent of soil. It is also different from the smell of beasts.
Well I knew this smell, yet it is this place – a scent that gets a sense of incompatibility in the mountains.
This sweet scent is the smell of human.

“… It is a human smell, is not it?”

When Kuzuha-chan turns around, she obviously frowns and says such a thing.
It seems that human body odor is a bit unpleasant for Kuzuha-chan.
On the contrary, I feel that this smell is “sweet and nice smell”. Is it also because I’m a vampire?
I thought that the difference between me and Kuzuha-chan from the same smell is a little funny, but I can not afford to think deeply.
Because this smell drifts is evidence that there are humans in the vicinity.

“The direction is over there … … straight, it is heading to us, is not it?”
“What are you doing, Arge?”
“Well … Please leave Neguseo’s saddle and rein to me, in case of emergency, Neguseo acts like a wild horse, Kuzuha-chan puts the baggage somewhere and becomes a fox. I can become a shadow.”
“I understand”
“Understood!”
“Let’s take some distance and avoid them, doing that way is better than hiding.”

It was okay to wait for the other party to pass by, but it is troublesome. we better get off early.
Neguseo and Kuzuha-chan nod to my word, and start to move.
Collect the saddle and rein equipped in Neguseo to the Blood Bag. We made it faster and we started going down the mountain.
Carefully descend the slope and go different direction from human smells.

“… …!”

I notice from the clearance of the trees that the morning sun pass through, there was an abnormal light reflection.
I’m usually lazy, but if it is necessary I will respond and move quickly. Both Neguseo and Kazuha-chan are here so I can’t just evade it.
Clearly something is flying toward here. Understanding that, my body moved.

“Wow …!”

I take out the sword from the Blood Bag and parry the incoming object.
I can handle sword. Because Kuon’s family teach such things to children.
A hard sound is made, and the thing which flew here is knocked down.

…That was easy

Even I’m not ‘excellent’ with sword and I don’t practice for many years.
I can not believe I was able to do it well. However, while moving, my feed was in a slope and I’m fallen on my buttocks.

“Front!”
“Arge !?”
“It’s all right, I’m not hurt …”

The one that flew was a knife and the trajectory was low. The other party is aiming at us.

I take up Kuzuha-chan’s hand and stand up. I wanted to sweep the fallen leaves on the butt, but it seems there’s no need for that..
The smell is getting darker and steadier. It is obviously getting closer as soon as possible.
Moving between the trees, yet it is a light movement. It’s not as fast as Chrome-san, and there is one thing different from her.
This precise movement is a movement that is clearly accustomed to a bad road. They are getting speed with technique, not with physical ability.
If you observe carefully, you know that the number of opponents is three.
And three people, each emerged from the gap between different trees.
Three people jumped out of different places, they gathered in the same place and decided each pose.
I remembered that figure. With a familiar voice, the three begin to speak to the mouth.

“I am the chain and sickle, Chihuahua!”

“I am the explosive, Dachs!”

“And finally there’s the amazing me, the knife thrower, Terrier”
“““ All together we three are the Terrier Bandit Troupe!! ”””

Terrier Trio

I saw a similar play before. I say that because I saw it.
The bald head with the cap attached like when I first met, as usual the nose hair which is still stick out a little, somehow the last one already shaved leg hair but still visible”

“The entertainer came … !”
“““ Who is the entertainer Trio!!? ”””

The answer as expected resounded in the mountains.

Chapter 48: Welcome, Bandit Troupe

“Oh … well, you are the pervert woman at that time!”
“Oh, you remember, and I’m not the pervert woman”
“And we are not entertainers!”
“Well, Arge-san, are you acquainted with these people?”

I was at a loss as to how I should respond to the question being thrown to the place where I talked with Terrier-chan. (Oniichan translate as Terrier = real name of dog, but in raw, Arge call their name with -chan)
It is true that if you ask whether I know them, I think that it is not asked they are a good acquaintance.
The other side was trying to slave me and sell me and I blew three people to get meal from Zeno.
If you explain that to Kuzuha-chan, it would be correct to say “I am acquainted as an enemy.”
However, I don’t hate Terrier-chan trio that far. It is rather favorable. Because these people are funny.
I thought that they should be introduced with such feelings, I start talking to Kuzuha-chan.

“Kuzuha-chan, they are traveling entertainers”
“Wow, a performer!” (Kuzuha)
“““Do not tell a lie !!!”””
“They are crying something, but that is what the entertainers prefers.”
“That is a pro!” (Kuzuha)
“““Damn it !!! We are thieves !!!”””
“It’s a setting”
“They’re into their role!” (Kuzuha)
“““Why does it happen !!!”””
“There is a habit of involving people in that setting, and it gets pretty stinky here, okay?”
“It’s a pro!” (Kuzuha)
“““Let’s get it over with, pervert woman !!!!”””
“Who is a pervert woman? Will you please stop give me a disgraceful nickname without my permission, funny puppy jokes”
“““Look at a mirror before say it !!!”””

Ah, what shall I do, these people. After all, they are amazingly funny.
It also was a lot of fun to have with Felnote-san tsukkomi but this time three people tsukkomi at once. It is a perfect synch for their reply. (tsukkomi: a come back)
Neguseo is obviously amazed by the eyes. he will see this, but he leave it as he does not say anything. I want to see these people a bit more than that.

“So why are all of you in such a place?”
“Huh, listen and be amazed!”
“Listen and entertain?”
“Do not laugh! I do not care whether you want to listen or not!”

Terrier-chan who got angry, then he stood up try calm down.
He clear the throat with ‘ahem’ and begins to talk about it again, he is taking whatever pose he like. Perhaps he would also like to dress up, but I am at a loss as it is interesting.

“We overdo in the kingdom, we’ve become wanted in the whole country”
“Oh … “

I listened to Terrier-chan’s explanation while shining his head with a smug face, I was honestly surprised.

… You’re just an idiot, aren’t you?

I thought that they are a funny entertainer corps, but I guess that they’re also wickedly enough to be wanted.
Moreover, in that state, they are escaping to the border like this. The three people who showed me earlier that they were able to quickly move through the gaps between the trees, and it seemed quite sophisticated. In other words …

“It’s a veteran entertainer”
“You do not want to hear it seriously, do you?! That’s right! I’ll kill you!”

Terrier-chan pull out the knife. And when I thought he was going to throw, but he immediately put the knife back.
Although there is hatred but there is no murderous intent, look at me with his eyes, Terrier-chan start talking.

“Chick, we can not cross this place like this … It is troublesome if we are found by a border guard.”
“I agree”

To be honest, I am the same.
I think that it is easy to repel them, but even if Dachs-chan’s bomb exploded or it was made too much for entertainers, I’m in trouble now.
It is the purpose not to be found by anyone, go out of the country. And that is our and the Terrier-chan trio’s common goals.

Looking at Terrier-chan’s behavior, as Dachs-chan and Chihuahua-chan do not say anything, there is such a relationship of trust, and both of them will know the situation.
If what each other’s thinking is the same, this is one thing to say. I store my weapons in Blood Bag and speak.

“Let’s go together without make noise until we cross the border.”
“Humm, that will be the best for now … let’s go, you guys!
“Hei, boss!”
“Aye aye, boss!”
“I understood, boss-san! (Kuzuha)
“Which way should we go, Terrier-chan?”
“Oh, first of all, the slope from the other side … Hey! What are you so casual about ?!”

Well, that sounds easy.
Apparently, the three people are used to walking down the mountain.
They are bandits. They’re good with bad condition area.
Kuzuha-chan also seems to be good at walking in the mountains, but with many people, there are such human resources. I am not accustomed to mountains, so I will use them conveniently … let them help us.
Also, they are also afraid of get caught by the border guards and it is troubled if the alertness goes up. I guess we can break through border, and then they will makes a fuss later.
Terrier-chan trio may be strong as bandits, but I do not know how strong they are, and I do not know the strength of the border guards. I want to avoid troublesome things and uncertain things as much as possible.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?”
“It reduces! Our motivation will reduce!!”
“You are not pleased that such a pretty girl comes with … Oh, Terrier-chan trio are like that … So three men gathered together …”
“What are you trying to imply, put three of us together again?”
“You three truly commit with yourself, not a bad things, right ?”
“Damn you pervert woman, Hey!”
“It’s amazing! It’s a real acting performance! Both of you, you seem to be really mad!”
“I am mad! You are as I saw!”
“You should notice it soon!”
“What is this pure foolish girl!”
“Oh well, I will go with you from now, shall we get going?”
“““Why do you decide your own !!!”””

Terrier-chan trio refuse it too much, I guess they don’t want that so I change my mind. If they don’t do it together, maybe they do it alone. Well, it’s rude to think about it so I should stop.
Kuzuha-chan also seems to be completely enthusiastic, going closer to Terrier-chan while making eyes glittering is interesting.
Neguseo saw the Teria-chan trio with eyes as see something pitiful. He is spreading something like a deep sorrow. (TN speak in Neguseo place: Bros, I know that feeling real well)

“Are you toying with me …… Pervert Woman”
“Oh, my name is not Pervert Woman, I’m called as Argento Vampear. Just Arge is good, is that right, entertainer?”
“My name is Kuzuha, I would like to thank you for the entertainment performance”
“““Stop calling us entertainer !!!”””

That reaction is already a performer.
Thus, although temporarily, we decided to cross the mountain with Terriers.
Even if they understand it is necessary to keep quiet, but look like they can’t do it.

Chapter 49: Together with the Bandit Troupe

“The sun has already risen, Chihuahua, let’s move.”
“Ok, it’s okay!”

Chihuahua-chan moves as he listens to Terrier-chan’s words. Among the three, the slim body slid into the gaps of the trees.
And Terrier-chan walks in the direction opposite to what he disappeared. As Ducks-chan goes with it as well, we will follow the two of them.
While watching Terrier-chan’s slippery head that looks good, I ask him a question.

“Why did you send Chihuahua-chan away, what did you do?”
“Since we will hide until night, he will erase footprints and camouflage as if a beast passed around.”
“Is it okay until evening … what’s about border guard are patrolling?”
“Well, but this place is relatively under-monitored, there must be places to hide”

After Terrier-chan said that he went with dachs-chan.
Because the sun leaves are reflected on Terrier-chan’s bald head, I will not lose sight of it, but it is quite difficult to follow, but those two’s feets are quick.

… It’s a familiar movement.

The Terrier-chan Bandit Troupe are moving with the ease as if they were walking in the garden.
I would believe if they said they live in this mountain.
Kuzuha-chan also goes the same way and Neguseo seems to be fine. It is late for me to clearly step forward.
I am a vampire now. I have high physical ability and physical strength. However, it is hard to walk on unfamiliar footing.
Because it is likely to slip your feet occasionally, you will become cautious about going by all means.

“Are you alright, Arge?”
“Yes, it’s okay. Thank you, Neguseo”
“Oi, we are not waiting.”
“I do not mind, I will follow properly”

Indeed, I do not expect such kindness. I also know that it is not good to have it.
It’s a pain, but I will try harder. When I thought that, I had a feeling of floating.
My feet get away from the ground and my posture collapses as it is. Terrier-chan bald head disappeared from my sight, I saw the leaves and blue sky.

“Kya … !”

I think that I fall and leak out a strange voice.
I quickly understood that was my misunderstanding.
The sense of floating happened because I have been lifted from behind. The face of the fox girl in my view.

“… Kuzuha-chan?”
“Arge-san, I will carry you”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Don’t be like it, I am the body divided by Kuzuha”

I understand the meaning of her words.
That’s it means Kuzuha-chan, who is princess carry me now is an alter ego created by the tailed beast.
When I turn my head, I saw Kuzuha-chan who is likely the main body stepping forward while shaking the tail.

It makes me feel a little sorry to have a small girl carry me.
However, when look at Kuzuha-chan’s movement so far, her physical ability seems to be high, and she can also carry me as I am.
Because the alter ego is made with magical power, there is no consumption of physical strength, food consumption is also none.
It is faster than how I’m walking and with the thought we need to move faster in mind. Let’s obediently do as Kuzuha-chan want here.

“I’m sorry, thank you.”
“You are welcome, I’m your friend after all.”

Even if she said to be natural, I am not sure.
Because as for me that there was no friend until now.
Kuzuha-chan also said that she doesn’t have friends, but they say that their mother taught her how to go out with them.
That mother is a bit strange woman or something like overprotection, but it is no doubt that she valued Kuzuha-chan, so what she teach Kuzuha-chan should not be a lie.
If the Kuzuha-chan is my friend, as a friend it would be rude to let others down as friends. I decided not to say anything and keep nodding to her.

I try shrinking the body for Kuzuha-chan alter ego easier to carry me.
Kuzuha-chan’s alter ego is careful walk as she carry me, I’m embraced and not bothersome, even though there is little shaking. A shallow shake seems to be a cradle, and it seems that I will fall asleep when I’m distracted.
In the sight where my eyelids close down to about half, the fox girl smiled at me.

“If you are sleepy, then you can sleep?”
“No … Oh … that’s okay, Bushiha-chan”
“Bushiha!?”
“Because you are Kuzuha-chan’s tail, Bushiha-chan…… bushi…… bun-chan…… bu-chan”
“”Arge-san!? You are getting more and more sloppy!?””
“Be quiet and walk faster”

Terrier-chan sends cold words to Kuzuha-chan, who began to run with the her alter ego.
The two Kuzuha-chan nods seriously and started to chase Terrier-chan and Dachs-chan silently. I will stop talking as well. *Yawn* I will do it.
How many times yawn it is? Terrier-chan stops walking around the time when I’m about to sleep.
Before he stopped, there was a hole about enough for one person to get through.
It is a sideways hole which seem like dug by a beast, facing the mountain instead of underground.

“here……?”
“It’s one of the hiding places we use when we cross the border.“

As he said so, Terrier-chan enters the side hole.
Dachs-chan come after him, he is a little big but still seems enough to pass, they disappeared into the hole.
I do not know how deep inside the hole is, but it seems that there is still room in the hole.

“Arge-san, I’m going ahead”
“Okay, I understand.”

Kuzuha-chan doesn’t scare, and slides her small body into the hole.
I ask Kuzuha-chan alter ego, obliged Bushiha let me down and decided to follow everyone.
Although it is called a hideout, what kind of structure is it?

“I’m waiting outside”

I was sent off by Neguseo’s cool voice and I went into the Terrier-chan trio Bandit’ s hiding place.

“I got it fixed !!”

I hear her cheerful voice and wake up.
In my blurred vision, I see Kuzuha-chan, a Fox girl, she jumps over the meadow with my maid clothes. Kuzuha-chan is happy jumping around the area.
Every time she jump, her short skirt is fluttering, isn’t that dangerous. I wonder if she already wear panty yet, but from my side, it still look like she go no-pan.

… The clothes got fixed.

In the battle with the Terrier Bandit Trio, Kuzuha-chan’s handmade maid clothes got ruffle and skirt’s end got burned slightly. It seems that Kuzuha-chan didn’t like it at all.
When I got a bite after having finished eating, Kuzuha-chan suddenly said “I will fix it!”. She quickly stripped me nake and began to repair the maid dress.
Because I can not help it, I was sleeping in a blanket and … It seems that the repair work has ended.

“Ah … Good job, Kuzuha-chan”

Even I don’t really care about appearance, but she is working hard to fix it, I must say thank properly.
If she couldn’t make and fix clothes, I would be treated as a lewd wherever I went.
Well, but the reason why the clothes I wore have disappeared is because Kuzuha-chan surprisingly smeared me with a high heat, but that is that, this is this.

“No, I don’t think it was anything great … Come on, please wear it !”

Take off the blanket after receiving the maid dress.
Although I was dressed by Kuzuha-chan only once. I remember how to wear, I don’t need Kuzuha-chan help this time. I can change my clothes by myself.

“I will make another clothes ahead of time, so when Arge-san clothes get torn again like this, Arge-san doesn’t need to be naked.”
“I think that it is fine as it only lightly torn though ….”
“What are you saying, a girl should wear proper clothes if she can help it!”

What was that ?

“If you have clothes with open holes or dirty clothes, you will have a hole in your heart and become filthy! Therefore as much as possible, you need to wear proper clothes!”

Because Kuzuha-chan look serious and say something amazing, I decided to nod and obey her in silence.
Her words feel like sermon. She must endure a lot, after all slave life seemed to be painful. I wonder if it’s normal girl also love to wear costume.

… Well, it is Kuzuha-chan and Bushiha-chan making it.

And she say that she can make dress while I am asleep, I’m appreciated, so I will leave it to her.
I would prefer clothes that are easy to move, if possible, but I will leave it to the mood of the creator. Since she is the one make it, it is bad to have many demand from her.

“If Kuzuha-chan said so, shall we do so?”
“Yes, that’s OK, leave it to me.”

Kuzuha-chan nods in satisfaction. She is an obedient child.

“Well then, shall we leave?”
“Oh, please wait, Arge-san”
“What’s the matter?”
“No …. about that Arge-san, where is your destination in the Republic?”
“… … For now, I think I will aim for the capital.”

In the sense, that it is the final destination, it is to find “people who feed me for life, allow me to sleep whenever I want ina fluffy bed” but in order to get it, I am planning to go to places with many people.
I do not know where the capital is and what name it is, but if you walk properly you should be in town and you will meet travelers, so you only have to get the information from them.

“Well, are you in a hurry to go to the capital?”
“No, I’m not in a hurry,”

It is true that I want to live that kind of life quickly, but I don’t really rush.
I know that people who do such things are really rare, so I’m thinking to look for them slowly.
Or rather, I do not want to get tired, so I’d like to look for them while I am resting moderately. My pace is important.

Kuzuha-chan heard my words and smiled. Shaking her triplet tail, it seem like she feel relieved.

“In that case, there are some cities where I want to visit … is that OK?”

I don’t know her intention, but Kuzuha-chan is seriously appearing.
Kuzuha-chan was treated as slave for a long time by Ruts.
I do not know how long it is, but during that time, she would not have had the opportunity to contact anyone or going anywhere.

She seem to have buried her mom properly and chased me as soon as possible.

… Well, it’s not bad for foreign world sight seeing tour.

It reminds me of the port city of the kingdom, Arlesha.
The sea breeze is pleasant and the meal is delicious. It was a nice town to take a nap.
It isn’t bad to go to other towns as well, if you like them. I may be choose it as the place to live in the future.

“Okay, then can you show me around?”
“Well, please leave it to me!”

When Kuzuha-chan stretches her body, her face start changing.
The size of her body and the clothes she wearing are shrinking, even the shape of the body changes. Fox mode Kuzuha-chan is completed.

“I will show you the way, let’s go, Arge-san”
“Yes. Neguseo, please.”

I picked up Kuzuha-chan and I call out to Neguseo.
Neguseo rises from the ground. It seem he also rest for a while just like me.

“Departure, Arge-san.”
“Okay … please help us for a while longer.”
“All right. You should get on, lady”

Following a gentlemanly urge, I ride on the back of Neguseo with Kuzuha-chan.
The position for line of sight became high and it became possible to see far. The wind is pleasant and I’m sleepy, but Negseo and Kuzuha-chan can not communicate, so I have to stay awake and become an interpreter.

“Is the city you want to go far?”
“If you walk slowly and take a rest at night, you will arrive at noon tomorrow.”
“Well then, shall we go then, which direction?”

Tell Kuzuha-chan’s instructions to Neguseo and we will resume our trip.
Republic? What kind of country is it? I hope there will be someone who will feed me.

Chapter 56: Flower surrounded Town

“… Sakura?”

Words that I said almost unconsciously, are directed to the flower petals in the air.
there are a lot of spectacular cherry blossom trees come into my view while staying on the back of Neguseo.
Sakura trees are planted so that it encloses the entrance of the town and the road extending from there. Cherry blossoms are overflowing on one side of the main street and I can’t take my eyes away.
As I went straight ahead, I saw a big mountain. There are no cherry blossoms there, but a lot of tree make a deep green colour, and it is beautiful as it seems that the mountain is surrounded by cherry blossoms when looking at the scenery.

“It is not in full bloom yet, but it’s still as beautiful as ever”

Kuzuha-chan get off Neguseo and returned to the human form.
The background of cherry blossom petals is a good match for her in Japanese clothes. Her figure and the background make a beautiful picture.
Shaking her colorful fox ears, she looks back to us with a smile.

“How is it Arge-san ? One of the many tourist destinations of the Republic of Yotsuba, this is Sakura-zaka! It is the famous cherry blossom trees that was brought all the way from the capital city Sakura-nomiya!”
“Ha, I see. This is certainly amazing, isn’t it?”

The name is different but I obediently accept it. This is really are a sight for eyes..
It’s sort of a sight that I’m familiar with.
Not to mention the main street where the cherry blossom surrounded, there are many people here wear Japanese clothes, the building is also made of wood, all of them have roofs made from tiles
As if I came to the ancient capital of Japan. I almost forget for a moment that this is a different world.
It feels like I came to the shooting studio of a TV drama. I want to walk around this town for sight seeing.

In any case, it is dangerous riding a horse to enter the town. Thinking that way, I get off the Neguseo.
When I stood on the ground, I felt that the scent of cherry blossoms was more intense. I feel like I’m getting into a nostalgic feeling.

… I did not see cherry blossoms for years.

At that certain time, I could not go outside anymore. The opportunity to see real flowers was lost forever.
There used to be someone who replace flower vase, but she never brought cherry blossoms in front of that room.
Cherry blossoms are weak. Sometimes it withers as soon as it folds. I wonder how she is doing right now. Because she was a kind person. I hope she is doing fine in that world.
It’s been a while since I saw raw cherry blossoms, more like a petal touches my cheeks and hair. Salted cherry blossom is delicious.

“Arge-san, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Kuzuha-chan, what do you want to do in this town?”
“Tee hee hee, you will know when we reach there. Come on, let’s go, while hold hand.”

Kuzuha-chan takes my hand with a cheerful appearance. Her right hand holds the reins of Neguseo, and her left hand hold mine.
Because I don’t resist her hand pull, my feet will walk naturally, following Kuzuha-chan. Neguseo follows obediently to the drawn reins.

Cherry blossoms and streets are reflected around our sight, and my own silver hair peeps at the edge.
As I walked, the nostalgia that I felt at the entrance became stronger.
I can feel “harmony” from the scenery here and there, and the whole scenery’s impression is still “nostalgic”. But I still haven’t smell soy sauce and miso yet.

… If this place only have human beings are walking, I will feel that I’m really time slipping in my old world.

People who walk and pass by are mostly human, but many aren’t.
A man with a beast’s ear like Kuzuha-chan.
A brown person who looked like human and reptile, whose body was covered with scales.
A person whose elbows of both hands are on the wings of the birds, the knees to the head are of the humans and the feets are of the birds.
Obviously, I am wandering with various races, not human beings in my world.
It is a lot compared with the kingdom, or the rate of demi-human is high. Since I could not remember the name of this city a while ago, I would like to attach an interesting nickname from one end.
I keep talking with Kuzuha-chan, I should stop that mischief.

“There are quite a lot non-human races”
“This is a sightseeing spot, people gather from various places”
“Most people are in kimono … it seems they are wearing kimonos,”
“There are shop to rent kimono”
“It become more like a ‘Eiga-mura’.” (A movie village, like Toei Kyoto Studio Park)
“Eiga-mura?”
“Oh, no, never mind that.”

I understand that Kuzuha-chan don’t know such a word, for her it is a different world story.
Although Kuzuha-chan turned her head with my words, she immediately return to lead the way.
Without falling behind, I’m walking in the main street surrounded by cherry blossoms. After a while, the end of the main street came into sight. And at the end of the road there was a building.
A Japanese-style building with a mountain in the back, as if towering above it. It is a two-storey shop, not a flat shop like others.
A large entrance that you can see at a glance that it’s a shop rather than a house, and a wooden sign on it. The letter on the signboard is not the language I know, but it is easy to decipher the meaning. I have that kind of skill.
Almost at the same time I understood what it is written on the sign of the signboard. Kuzuha-chan told me.

The Sakura-zaka signboard is “Sakura garden“ It is an Onsen inn!“
“Ōbōna misa?”
“It’s ‘Sakura garden’.”

I am satisfied with what I could not do earlier and think about the reason why Kuzuha-chan returned here.

… I wanted to take a bath.

Even though I can become neat with my recovery magic, it is more pleasant to take a bath.
Even so, I prefer to take a nap than a bath, I do not think there is any particular problem in the style of not having to take a bath just by removing dirt by the recovery magic.
However, I understand the feeling that it is not tasteful. Indeed, Kuzuha-chan has always been forced to work.
There are still a lot of things she want to do. Beside she just lost her mother, I don’t think she get over her sadness yet. Slowly soak in hot water may calm her down and make her feel better.

“Is there any stable for Neguseo?”
“Yes, of course it is!
“Thank you. Neguseo, can you come over here?”
“Oh, I understand”

I understand from Kuzuha-chan’s guidance that she knows well about this neighborhood.
Perhaps she has been here many times. Maybe she was with her family who is no longer here anymore.
There’s something other than fatigue or injury. I feel like a nostalgic atmosphere from her. (Kuzuha’s heart still isn’t heal yet, MC used to know the nostalgic feeling of hurt)
Well, I will leave her alone for now, if she want to talk I will listen. I pulled the reins of Neguseo according to her guide.

Chapter 58: The Coffin carrier, Satsuki-chan

“But, well, it was a disaster. Although I came all the way to enjoy a bath with a lot of cute girls, to think something like this happen, the hot spring dried. Your young mistress must feel the same”

Pick the fifth skewer on the plate, Satsuki-san says.
Right now, we have a meal in dinning room inside the inn, and we are standing in the back of the inn. Because, Satsuki-san is a vampire that can’t take direct sunlight.

The surroundings, the dining room seats are quite busy and crowded.
You can still enjoy meals without entering a hot spring. Let’s enjoy a hot spring bath elsewhere. That would be okay.
It is the same for Kuzuha-chan who is next to me and is eating on the eighth line. Far away, Satsuki-san completely eat it. Oh, she took the ninth one.

“No. Indeed I am wearing a maid outfit, but because this is the only clothing to wear, we are not a master-servant.”
“Oh, then you two are?”
“Well, uh …… Friends.”

I still feel a little doubtful about the word friends, but Kuzuha-chan is so serious about it. I decided to say so.

“Is that so? It is wonderful … Fu fu fu. Either way, it’s a disaster. The hot spring here is famous.”
“Well, I didn’t expect this”
“It’s horrible, I was really looking forward to it” (Hōre fuwane! Ta no himi ni hite ori ma hita no hi) (Kuzuha is talking while she is still eating)
“Kuzuha-chan, let’s speak after swallowing, you have stain around the mouth”

The hot spring she was looking forward to was dried up, I know she is upset, but that’s a bad manners.
Kuzuha-chan honestly nodded and began wiping her mouth with a handwrap.
Satsuki-san looks at us and squirts enthusiasticly,

“NICE … is scolded by a Silver Hair Loli Vampire … It is a nice reward … Oh, but if you can. I hope you will gently wipe out the mouth of that girl with 『Jeez … here, let me clean it for you, mistress』 … I mean … like Maid take care of her young mistress !!
“Sorry, I do not understand what are you saying”
” … “
“Kuzuha-chan, I will not wipe it for you if you gets dirty on purpose.”

Kuzuha-chan is looking at me. She was subtlely frowned. I will not do it because it’s troublesome. And because I do not know the meaning, I leave them alone and I bite the last bite of the third one. I pierced the dango gently with my pointed fangs which is the characteristic of the vampire and pulled out the skewer.
To the rich elasticity, sweet sauce. Chewing is more fun, biting sweetness of dango comes out.

… No way, to think that you can eat dango in different world.

Actually I was hoping for it because the impression when I got to the town was “Japanese style”, but I could really eat Japanese sweets as I expected.
It is Japanese style sweetness, familiar to Japanese people. It is simple and in some cases seems to be sticky, but it is still nostalgic.
Even though I have not been a long time in this different world, I want to eat this unique soy sauce based, its bitterness and sweetness is a terrific taste. (terrific don’t mean taste bad, but addicted)

“The dango here are delicious, there’re shops that serve the same level of cuisine and sweets around here. And you can even look at the whole town filled with Sakura-zaka, This is the best place in the Republic.”
“Sure, it is delicious, isn’t it?”

I was satisfied, but Satsuki-san call for a second helping. (T.N: second don’t mean 2nd in Japanese but like “more”.)

… She is big.

It’s about her height. Not just torso length, basically everything about her have different height than me. My height isn’t even reach her chest, if I want to talk with her I must always look up.
Satsuki-san puts hers chest on the table so she can relax her shouder. On her chest, I can see a strange crest like in my stomach. It seems that the location of the crest is different depending on the individual.
Of course, the coffin that she carried on her back is on the floor. She can not sit down otherwise.
There are quite a lot of gaze gathered in the coffin which still gets distinct when placed on the ground, but she does not seem to care. I pick up the dango and talk to her.

“Well, for Sakura-zaka view, this hot spring is an important tourist resource, so if we wait several days, the cause will be investigated and it will be settled.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“Well, the hot spring can’t sudden wither, so there must be reason for this, it quite troublesome for everyone so they will try to fix it as soon as possible.”
“Well then, Kuzuha-chan, shall we stay at the inn until we can have an onsen bath?”
“Okay, but staying long is …”
“Well, I am not in a hurry.”

It is true that I want to have a calm parasitic life quickly, but a strange person who kind enough to feed people isn’t easy to find.
It isn’t bad to spend time and sleep here for a few days. It is only tiring to search for things that are not easily found. There is something I want to store.
Because I have come so far, I think that it may be enough to take it slowly until I get into hot springs.

“You girls really are good friends”

Satsuki-san nods to me, Kuzuha-chan is also happy to tenfold. but I don’t really understand what she mean. (tenfold: don’t really mean 10 times but a lot)
I do not have friends, I do not know at all, I do not know what kind of actions and words are suitable for friendship.
I just want to make her feel satisfied. Because I don’t want to see her sad. Well, just leave it and drink tea. Oh, it’s green tea. This is nostalgic.
Perhaps the citizen of the Republic are the people similar to Japanese. When I’m thinking about such a thing, Satsuki-san stood up and said.

“Well then shall we go?”
“Where are you going to?”
“I said that 『if we wait several days』 , I can not wait for three days. If I can, I will settle it right now”
“Resolve … Can you do such a thing?”
“Whether or not you can do. It is a pleasure to see at the scene. And if you can’t do it, it will be easier after investigating the cause”

While replying, Satsuki-san carries a coffin.
The treatment of the coffin is polite, and it seems that the inside isn’t empty as it seems.
Nonetheless, it is hard to believe that anybody carries corpses. Perhaps the coffin simply content clothes to change.

“Okay then. Because Satsuki-chan is happy to have a meal with two cute girls, Satsuki-chan will pay for everything.”

I don’t know what her reason when she pay for us, apparently she seems to have some satisfaction.
There is no loss if she give me something. In this case, there is something I must do. Show my gratitude by lower my head.
This also seems to be a kind of gratification, but since Satsuki-san herself said “Eye Candy”, has she benefited with something. I don’t think I have anything to lend or borrow.
Kuzuha-chan also lower her head next to me.

“Thank you very much, uhm, about that. Satsuki-san, can I ask you something?” (Arigatōgozaimasu wa. Ē to, sono. Satsuki-san. Hitotsu, yoidesu no)
“Well, what is it?”
“I’d like to come along with you to investigate the cause of the hot springs withered … Do you mind?”

… Surprising, isn’t it?

Kuzuha-chan also want to go with her. Satsuki-san said that she will try to fix hot spring soon. But it is the words of the person we met for the first time.
There is no confirmation and there is no basis. I am uncomfortable. I know she isn’t a bad person but can we trust everything she said. (T.N: I think Arge mean the info maybe wrong, not mean Satsuki try to trick her, and Arge don’t want to do anything un-certain)
Since there is no reason to stop Kuzuha-chan, I should let her go with Satsuki-san.

“Well … Because I only go back to the waterways to investigate the cause, there is no danger, so it will not be a problem if you come along.”
“Yes, thank you. Arge-san, shall we go?”
“What? … ah, yes”

I never thought that I am also supposed to go with them.
But if I think about it, Kuzuha-chan hopes to take a bath with me as soon as possible, so it is natural that she should take me. Just when I was going to go to bed with a soft, luxurious futon after a long absence, I was a bit perplexed.

… It is inevitable.

It seems that Kuzuha-chan already make her decision.
Looks like I don’t have a choice here.
Although I almost reflexively flushed, I also nodded. So I will follow obediently.

“Well then, I’m paying and then we will go!”

Cheerful smiling, Satsuki-san took out what looks like a wallet from the cleavage of her chest. I thought that it was big, but it is my first time to see someone who takes things out of there.

“Ara… Did you want something?”
“No, nothing at all”

I only had a personal impressions, so I have nothing special to say.
I confirmed the flatness of my chest and I felt that I could not understand. And I followed the two girls.

Chapter 67: Former knight and merchant’s journey

“… Tto”

My body bounces from a big shake from the carriage. It was enough to wake me up from my sleep.
Although the highway is well maintained, it is made mainly of compressed by soil magic. If a horse carriage passes many times, it becomes distortion, and eventually it will start to have holes.

“Sorry, Felnote-san. Are you okay?”
“Well, I’m fine,”

I swing my arm and repond to Zeno who is driving the carriage. There is nothing serious, as my buttocks are numb and my chest bounces. I only need to adjust the position lightly, to calm the chest that got sluggish.

By the way, we are current talking with republican language. I remembered everyday conversation to some extent, and now I can use it fairly well.
It is quite different from the language of the kingdom, and there are places where language is a bit confusing, but I am used to it. If I keep use it, I will get better.
When I remember, the confusing phrase from before come beautiful words, so it was mean “wind flow” in the republican language.

“How long will we arrive to Sakura-nomiya?”
“Well, I think we will arrive by nightfall.”

Zeno is a Merchant. He have worked in several towns before we came here, so it takes a long time to come so far.

… Well, it will be faster than Arge.

That girl is lazy and want to an easy. Even if she aim for the capital city, she will take a lot of time to sleep.
Unless she is picked up and carried by someone, she will not be ahead of me. No doubt.

“Arge, are you sure she come to Sakura-nomiya?”
“maybe”

It is quite uncertain to say here. But, perhaps Arge will aim for the capital.
Her aim is to have a three meal, sleeping and to be feeded, and it seems she don’t know anything about the world. Because her power is serious deal, it will be extra bad. Someone may take advantage her.
She has such a funny goal, but there are also unexpectedly cool parts.
If she moves, she will choose place with high possibility that there are people who will provide her. In other words, in order to raise the possibilities, she will go to many capital cities.

I have not thought how to find her, but I have asked around a lot. Zeno also told other peddlers to look for her.
She is a beautiful girl, with beautiful face and silver hair, pointed ears. A beautiful girl of absurdity. Once you have met, you can not forget her. And it will be easy to find her if she is walking in town.

It is no use trying to think about her when she was not found. So much time to reach this far. Yes, I can find her.
I will absolutely catch her. And let me tell you a true way to live.

“… Ah”
“What’s wrong?”
“Just now, cherry blossom petals are falling …”
“Sakura-nomiya is already close, and we are planting trees in villages and towns around here. so it’s no wonder why you see it here.”

A small petal that fits in the palm of my hand.
When I was wondering whether or not to touch it, the carriage shook tremendously. Apparently it seems to have gotten into a hole again.

“Ah”

By the time I realize, fragments of flowers are already flying in the sky.
Winds scoop petals, carriage movements leave it behind. I watched the petals that could not be seen beyond the meadow.

“The road maintenance is surprisingly bad, isn’t it?”
“Since there are a lot of carriages go back and forth, this place still far from capital. Even if we want to maintenance, it will be impossible to do immediately, maintenance itself is pretty much done by the commercial guild. We don’t have many earth magician to cover this far”

It’s true just like Zeno said.
I have passed many other peddlers and merchants as we travel. Certainly with that many carriages, the road will also get damaged. And we are still far from capital, we can’t expect they maintain to even here. I said something foolish.

“I’m sorry, Zeno”
“No, I’m the one must say sorry, that we can’t go through a very pleasant road”
“It’s not Zeno’s fault.”

He only glance at me when we are talking. The basics of drive a carriage are he must look forward and manipulate the horses.
I can see it on his back. Even from here, I can see the sign of his bitter smile.
I haven’t been sleeping together (with Arge) for more than ten days already. (Withdraw symptoms ?) Unless she isn’t interested in me anymore or she doesn’t know how to meet me. That much subtlety will make me realize.

… I don’t care, though.

Even though I say we should have a dinner, she doesn’t have anything and just sleeping.
When I change clothes, she is still sometimes feel sorry for seeing it. So if you show your concern too, it’s confusing, so I’m trying not to say anything.

In the carriage that shakes strongly occasionally, I try to sit down but don’t relax. I must prepare myself for the next vibrations, to protect my butt. And also to move as soon as there is something happen.
Because the capital is near, I see that there are no thieves and demon raids, but I’m worried about meeting a big enemy. One moment distract during battle, it could be fatal.

As I prayed that there would be no trouble in our way, I was shaken by a carriage.
Sakura-nomiya is almost here.

Chapter 81: Visitor’s Request

It was a surprising person that visited me.

“Kon… hello” (in raw only have have Ko_n, I think she plan to say Konbawa ‘good evening’ but change to Haro ‘Hello’ )

It is the person we just met yesterday, she lower her head to greet us.
Daughter of the Rencia village chief, she was called Renge-san, right?

“You are Renge-san, aren’t you, did you need something?” (Renge)
“Oh, no, I just want to talk a bit …” (Arge)
“Oh my, girls talk? Well then, Satsuki-chan will withdraw to prepare tea, so I will not get in the way, and please put the tea on a suitable table” (Satsuki)
“Sorry, Satsuki-san” (Renge)
“Nooo, because you always sell us good quality honey, this is just a small return favor. Well then ♪” (Satsuki)

Just like she said, Satsuki-san returned to the kitchen of the shop and prepared tea before arranging it on the table, and then she returned to the residential area.
I was left with Renge-san and Kuzuha-chan, who always follow me.

Renge-san has a subtle look, staring at herself reflected in tea. She seems like worry about something.
Because I am not particularly in a hurry, drink tea slowly, wait for her to talk. Satsuki ‘s hands are amazing, this tea was so delicious.
And then, she start to talk.

“Actually … I want you to visit Rencia once more, so I came to ask.” (Renge)
“Once more? But we’re already there yesterday.” (Kuzuha)
“Yes …” (Renge)

When Kuzuha-chan asking, Renge-san nods with a low voice as if to be sorry.
She keeps talking while looking at me.

“… Um, after Akisame and Arge-san resolve Honey devourers problem and return, we have new problem occurred” (Renge)
“Ha, is that so?” (Arge)

There was nothing to be surprised with the word she told.
Kuzuha-chan already said and I also saw how strange the behavior of the honey devourers.

It can be convinced if the abnormal behavior of the honey devourers was caused by some kind of magic and skill that can manipulate living things like my blood contract.

“There are thieves who aim for honey … They magically manipulated the Honey Devourers and make them rampage. And honey devourers is just a distraction for them to steal honey …. I only notice yesterday … after you return” (Renge)
“Thieves …?” (Arge)

When I hear “thieves”, a bandit trio appear in my head, but it is probably different.
If that was Terrier Bandit Trio, they will not use trick like this to steal honey.
Or rather, those performers will proudly show up before us and pose their favourite pose while demand the honey.

But then that was a different thieves’s work.

“Please, return to Rencia one more time … Please help us” (Renge)
“Yes, I refuse” (Arge)
“…Eh?” (Renge)
“I said I refuse” (Arge)

I am sorry, but I am don’t want to do troublesome thing.
In the first place why am I supposed to do such a thing? I’m not a saint or a hero of juctice to help out everyone in trouble in this world.
I just came back just a while ago and I have not taken a nap yet. It is natural to refuse.

“Wa… wait a minute, Arge-san !?” (Kuzuha)
“I think that she should ask Akisame-san about something like that, because he can move soldiers, beside the capital also have mercenary guild, right?” (Arge)
“… It is certainly true just like you said.” (Kuzuha)

Kuzuha-chan who just stood up in a panic, is calming down with my words.
In other word. If problems arise, they should ask professionals or report them to the administration of their own country, there is a proper way.
Asking us such a thing even we met just yesterday. It is a pain.

“Well, about that … If I ask Akisame-sama, it will become a bigger problem. And since we are only a small village, we can’t afford to hire Landsknecht.” (ランツ・クネヒト: Rantsu kunehito) (Renge)
“Well, but I have nothing to do with it.” (Arge)
“Well, … we’re asking you, of course we will thank you properly …!” (Renge)
“Even if you tell me that you are thankful, I don’t have anything I want especially.” (Renge)

… She look just like she become depressed, this girl.

Something is strange about her.
The thing itself doesn’t seems to be a lie. If she rely on Akisame-san, it will become a bigger problem so she doesn’t want to bother him even he will happy to help. The product value of honey may be reduced, so I can also understand that there is not much money in a small village.

But something is wrong.
And if she want to, it is possible to rely on Satsuki-san.
It seems like they know each other, so it will be easy to depend on, Satsuki-san is a nice person, so she will not refuse such request.
It seems like she need it have to be me, she is only thinking of bringing only me by all cost. I feel such discomfort.
It looks serious but it looks like something is missing.

Perhaps, I should ask Akisame-sama or someone to help her.

“…about that, Arge-san” (Kuzuha)
“what is it?” (Arge)
“Somehow … she is asking you this far, I think I can help her in your place. If I solve it soon and return, I think that I can meet with the person Arge-san waiting for” (Kuzuha)

Apparently, Kuzuha-chan seems to misunderstand that I refuse to help Renge-san because I want to meet up with Zeno-kun here. Actually it is just troublesome and suspicious, but it is also troublesome to explain everything to Kuzuha-chan, so I will leave it alone.

However, it seems that Kuzuha-chan will go to Rencia even if I remain here.
I know about her high fighting power, so I do not think there is any problem if I let her go. But Renge-san’s appearance and behave is really strange. No matter what troubles may be awaiting, I can’t let a child go alone. I admit that Kuzha ‘s fighting power is high, but Kuzuha-chan is naive, she will easy to be tricked. I might be overthinking things but I’m worried about her.

“… Well … you said you will thank me, but what exactly is that?” (Arge)
“Uhm… I will repay with whatever I can do” (Renge)
“Well then … uhm … can you sell honey cheaper and give priority to this shop?” (Arge)
“… OK, I understand, my father would agree with that, we do not want to disgrace the village.” (Renge)

Satsuki-san so far has taken care of my lodging, meals, town guidance and much more.
The owner and the employees also said to me “you don’t have to worry about it”. But for me it has become something that I can call as a gratitude.
She is a trading partner of Satsuki-san. Help her here also mean in-direct help Satsuki-san shop, and I can use that to return my gratitude.

Although it is troublesome and there are something strange, and I also feel uneasy to let Kuzuha-chan go alone. Kuzuha-chan is strong and I also have my cheat skills to help her out, I don’t think we will have problem with just some thieves. Let’s do it quickly and return.”

“Okay, I agree. Let’s go to Rencia again” (Arge)
“Arge-san …!” (Kuzuha)
“Oh, thank you very much!!” (Renge)
“Renge-san, did you come here by a horse?” (Arge)
“Yes, I ride the fastest one in the village … because Kuro-san is with you, I think that I can find you here.” (Renge)
“That was nice, we will also use the horse, so please lead the way.” (Arge)

It was a day traveling by the carriage, but at that time it was a rather relaxing journey. Perhaps it is a concern for Akisame-san.
If we ride on Neguseo, we can move much faster than the other day. If we go now, we may arrive before night falls.

“One thing, I need to ask Satsuki-san leave my message for commercial guild before going, is that okay, Kuzuha-chan?” (Arge)
“I understand!” (Kuzuha)

I do not think it will take long, but there is a possibility that Zeno-kun will return early.
Satsuki-san said that she need to go to commercial guild and I let her where we are going and leave message to Zeno-kun if he return.

“Fu fu fu, after all, Arge-san is kind!” (Kuzuha)
“… I don’t think that I’m kind …” (Arge)

I am not acting on behalf of Renge-san, so I feel it different from kindness.
My purpose is to say thank and repay Satsuki-san. Beside I worry about let a child like Kuzuha-chan go alone.
Because I help Renge-san for my own reasons, I think that is more like my selfishness than kindness, but Kuzuha-chan is somewhat happy.
Even if I explain, it will only ruin Kuzuha-chan’s mood, so I decided not to say anything.

Chapter 82: Golden color

We arrived at Rencia. It’s evening and the sun already set.
As we need to run fast, I couldn’t sleep on Neguseo as expected.
To be honest, I’m getting sleepy, so I’d like to take a good night sleep and resolve it tomorow

“It is strange, isn’t it?” (Arge)

The village is too quiet.
The time is night, a small village as a scale. It is normal to be quiet, but this is far too quiet.
I can’t hear any sound or feel the sign of any person. The Village is quiet like a ghost town.
Even I can feel the smell of sweet flowers, but it only emphasized the eeriness.

“Renge-san, is this …?” (Arge)
“… I’m sorry … I had to do this, it can’t be helped.” (Renge)
“… What does that mean?” (Kuzuha)

Kuzuha-chan in her fox form that was carried by me, is suprised and asks a question, but I got some predictions. After all, I knew there was something troublesome.

“Huh … !”

I held fox form Kuzuha-chan in my arms and get away from Neguseo.

“Neguseo, please stay away” (Arge)
“I understand” (Neguseo)

Because we have blood contract, my intention is transmitted without even saying. It is very convenient to have a contract at such a time.
As my words and desires, Neguseo is leaving the village. And then I release Kuzuha-chan from my arms, she quickly returned to the human figure.

Kuzuha-chan is in a state of vigilance her tails and ears are standing up. It seems she finally understood that the current situation is dangerous.

“…I’m sorry” (Renge)

Renge-san keeps apologizing to us.
If we look carefully. her eyes are empty, there’s no will in her honey like golden eyes.

This was more troubling than I expected. Despite all this, I must first observe carefully.

… Maybe, she is manipulated by someone.

She said that honey devourers had been manipulated by thieves.
So it’s also possible that they could manipulate her and the villagers as well.
However I can’t understand why they would make her call me here. If they can manipulate the villagers at will, isn’t calling us here are more dangerous for them, why have they brought us here?
In fact, when Akisame-san came to visit, she hid the existence of thieves that manipulated the honey devourers.
Even if I uncover what they hide, but I don’t know the reason why they brought us here.

“Arge-san, that girl …”
“Yes, she probably is manipulated, I will cure her right now”

While answering Kuzuha-chan, I will hold out my hand.
It is unknown whether the curse is due to magic, but Renge-san is clearly affected by something. If I remove it, I will understand a little more.
I concentrate my magical power and prepare to use magic.
What I feel is the flow of magical power over my body. It’s what I’ve done it many times since I was reincarnated. I can say that I am used to it.
Then I only need to speak the key words to activate. Breathe in and let the words…

“You better stop it ~♥”
“What …!!?”

Suddenly, I got chill down my spine.
My concentration scatters in an instant and cancels the magic.

The voice that stroked my ear was a terribly hot and ecstatic voice.
I turn to the direction the voice is.

And I saw a golden colour.

“Good evening ~♥”Vol 3Vampire 3

The golden colour is standing out in the darkness of the night, it was the colour of the twin-tails hair.
A girl with golden blonde colored hair, she has a bat-shaped hair ornament and wears a black night dress. Her eyes are red like blood.
Sharp fangs that stick out when she smile, she has a white skin similar to vampires. There’s no mistake, the girl before me is a vampire.

She narrowed down her red eyes and gazed at me like melting.
No, her gaze is sticky rather than hot. It was a gaze that I had never felt before.

… Who is this girl.

I felt like I’m in danger at the moment when I looked at her eyes.
I was trembling. The air of the night became cold.
She looks like the same as me, it can also be said that she is a beautiful girl. I think that she is a perfect beautiful golden vampire girl, in contrast to me, a silver vampire girl.
But it’s obvious that this girl isn’t good news.
She seems to be someone more heterogeneous than I am.
Is it my instinct as a vampire or something else? I felt obvious danger and I feel like breaking into a cold sweat.

And the golden vampire talks to me quite happily.

“If you try to forcibly dispel the curse of that child, she will die, you already saw that kind of curse, right ?”
“…you are?”
“Yes, I would like you to hear my name! Well then, listen carefully, my bride! From now on, You will call me with love all the time!”

While she said things I don’t understand, she turned the dress and she danced in the night.
She stepped by steps like bouncing in a good mood and came closer to my eyes.
Our height is about the same. Her eyes with the same color as mine looked at me intensely.

“Elsee, that’s my name.”
“What …!?”

What she’s spoken is a familiar name.
Elsee. I heard it at Sakura-zaka, it is the name of the vampire who cursed the hot spring. So It’s her who made this troublesome situation as well.

I wonder what kind of dangerous person she is, and why is she targeting me.
It seems that she just call me her bride, but I don’t understand the meaning at all.
All I can tell is that the person in front of me is dangerous. I do not know what to do. And my body is shivering.

“…you!!”

Unlike me who can not move, Kuzuha-chan is readying herself.
She knows what Elsee had been doing at the hot spring. And she was obviously angry about it.
Kuzuha-chan finished her preparation in a moment and became three.
Three foxes, triple fighting power. And she begins to attack from multiple directions.

“Ha ha ha …So Intense”

Her (Elsee) mouth is distorted and smeared with a smile. “Atomization”. The basic ability of vampire race that I know well. Her figure became fog.
Kuzuha-chan and two of Bushiha-chan lost sight of their target, they stopped the attack and looked around.

“Where …!?”
“Over here~♥”

A teasing voice echoes through the dark night. That voice direction is where Renge-san is. The fog gathered, Elsee return to human form. She appears next to Renge-san.
Elsee-san who just appeared, attached her fingers cheerfully on Renge-san’s cheeks who had an empty eyes.

“Calm down, let’s talk a little, shall we ~♥?”

While saying that, her fingers are attached to Renge-san’s neck.
Her fingers are thin but it is obvious that they have enough power to kill Renge-san.
It would be too late for me and Kuzuha-chan to do something, she emphasize it with her fingers.

“… Kuzuha-chan”
“… Yes, I understand.”

She use words inviting me to talk, but in reality it is just a threat.
Renge-san isn’t a bad person, and I can’t take responsibility for the loss of her life.
There is nothing we can do for us now but listen to her now.

The golden vampire is burst in laughter in front of us.

Chapter 85: To suck blood
ED: Lowe

“Ya…!” (やっ……！)

My bare skin is exposed to the air of the night, my body trembles.
Even if I want to cover the exposed parts, the chain that binds my limbs will not allow it. Just a faint sound will echo.
Looking down at me with a gaze, Elsee-san is getting excited as she talks.

“Ha ha ha … this pure white skin … no-one can resist, such beautiful body … such pleasure, so pleasurable! No, no! I’m looking forward to it, it’s time to enjoy myself now! !” (Elsee)
“Hey …!!” (Arge)

Her fingers gently crawls through my body. It was as if a handmade crafter checks their product. She touch me all over my body.
Even I always want a fluffy bed to sleep, right now it looks like a soft cage to catch me, it makes me terribly uneasy.

“… You are quite naive, aren’t you?” (Elsee)
“Huh…?” (Arge)
“You’re like a child that is puzzled by the birthday feelings, while you even have more power than me, or even more than anyone in this world” (Elsee)
“Say what, …” (Arge)
“Still, you do not know real fear, real pleasures, real feelings. Okay, I will tell you everything~♥” (Elsee)
“What did you mean…!?” (Arge)
“N, chiyu” (ん、ちゅ) (Skin sucking sound) (Elsee)

A moist creeping feeling on my skin.
She start sucking around sometimes she licked, sometimes bites with her fang.
The cranky sounds arrived at my ear, even with all my might, the best I can do is twist my body a little.
I can only sense her smell and hear her smile because my sight is limited when I was bound.

“Hi…” (Arge)

It is different from when I feel bad. If I do not speak out, my head will be going crazy and I can’t bear it.

Even my consciousness is low, I can sense my skins are being pressed by her thin lip and slim tongue.
My sucked skin got numb and it was badly hot.
And then her fangs bite lightly on my skin.
It is rough, but my skin isn’t hurt like bitten by a dog. Even it is irritated, unpleasant, and my voice is forcibly pulled out.

“Wa~an, … th…is is… !? (Wa, ~an, …na, ni, kore …!?) (Arge)
“N 〜? …… Fu fu. Then I’ll tell you what it is” (Elsee)

Elsee-san is laughing as she elaborate, she licked her lips softly.
Reflecting the moonlight, her fangs glittered. And her eyes look as if the eyes of a blood starving beast.

“Ya~ … Please stop …” (Ya~tsu… yamete kudasai ~tsu…!) (Arge)

I had a very bad feeling. I’m unable to stay calm.
I knew that it was in vain but I’m still shaking the chains like a scream.
Looking at me who struggle, Elsie laughs happily.

“Oh, yes, yes, that face! I wanted to see that face! It’s cute! It’s so cute! Very nice! … Hey Argento.“ (Elsee) (It’s not a mistake copy pasting, she really repeats it a lot)
“Ah…!” (Arge)

An ecstatic smile comes down to the neck.
Even if I shake my head in eerie state, I will not able to escape and she will not let me go either.
Her fangs stabbed my skin, penetrate my skin and it digs deeper.

“Hi~, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah !?” (Arge)
“N, chi ~yu… n ku…♪” (Blood sucking sound) (Elsee)

It is totally different from when she’s biting me.
Bleeding doesn’t involve pain, just blood flows out from my body. There is a strange feeling of relieve, yet, her stabbed fangs are terribly hot.

“Ah, wa, as expected … it’s delicious … it have the best taste ever ♪” (A, wa, yappari, oishi ~tsu…sa ikkō no aji ~tsu…♪) (Elsee)
“Hi, a ~aaa…” (Arge)

It was much stronger than being sucked on my skin.
I hear a regular throat swallowed sound, and I realize that she was sucking my blood every time.

The sight from my eyes are getting blurred, it simultaneous become bright and dark.
My whole body feels numb, and the biten place feels hot.
I can’t stand it and I’m shaking my body. I can’t afford to protest, deny or refuse, my strength is leaving my body.

“Nn ji ~yuru, nn … fu fu… nn, n, ga pu” (Blood sucking sound) (Elsee)
“Ya~a!? A hi aa…!! “ (Ya~a ~tsu! ? A hi aa~tsu…!!) (moaning) (Arge)

I could have no time to think as she keep sucking my blood, under the night sky, the unpleasant feeling made me raise my voice.

Every time I squeeze, it’s a sweet voice like a girl, I realize how much my current body is different from “before”.
Even I don’t want to feel it, the unpleasant feeling is slowly eatin my consciousness.

“Puha … ♪ … wa, a … as I thought, you have the best magical power!” (Puha~tsu……♪ wa, ā…… omotta tōri, saikō no maryoku ne!) (Elsee)
“An fu~a, what … are…?” (A, n fu ~a… ma,ri ~yo… ku…?) (Arge)
“Oh my (Ara), don’t you know about vampire’s blood-sucking? We’re sucking blood to steal our opponent’s magical power. The vampire is a mass of magical power, so we are originally unstable, so we need regularly sucking magical power from someone to stabilize our existence … How did you survive if you don’t even know that ?” (Elsee)
“Hi~ya,… hi~u…” (Hi ~ya~tsu… hi~u~tsu) (Arge)

I do not know what she is saying.
Even though the inside of my head is dizzy and I can still hear her words but I can’t put it together.

“The important part is what the vampire will give when sucking blood, when we suck blood, we often give the opponent what we thinking the most in our mind?” (Elsee)
“In here, is … ?” (Arge)
“Yeah … what we want to give to our opponent, is what we feel and want the most. In my case is 「pleasure」 .I make you feel pleasure and when I keep doing it, all you can think is pleasure. And soon you will devotes everything to me.” (Elsee)
“But I’m still … “ (Arge)
“Yeah, I already sucked your blood, and you are still depressed?” (Elsee)

As she said, she use her index finger press on my lip, my body become hotter.
I don’t know what she had done. And I wonder what happens if she keep it like this. My awareness is similar to when I got a cold, my breathing become faster, my body feels hot. As it is, it seems to be impossible to think anything.

“You seems to be strong resist to curse and magical … but what I give by bloodsucking is a bit different from curses … It’s such a characteristic of blood sucking … even so you still haven’t yet thought about me, so this time for sure. I will make you fall” (Elsee)
“Hi~ya … I, already become… like a girl …” (ひっ……や、僕、ほんとに女の子になっちゃ) (Arge)
“Hehe, if you told me such a pretty thing, I will feel hot …, Well, Isn’t it time for girls to do something pleasant?” (Elsee)
“A, I don’t want it, stop … don’t, please don’t …” (A, yada, yamete… dame, damede su~tsu…) (Arge)
“A ha ha ha ♪ Didn’t I say already ♪ that we will play together until our breathing stopped. I will make you mine right here and now. From tomorrow onward, you will be my one and only cute bride, So … … Let’s enjoy our first night?” (Elsee)

Elsee-san laughs with a satisfied voice. And again, she slowly brings her face close to my neck… to suck my blood again. I think so, I close my eyes as I escape from it. I think that I have no choice but endure it because resistance is futile.
Feelings like resignation and despair. Her fangs are pressed and her voice naturally leaks out from excited.

“He he he, so you get it no…!” (Elsee)

Her speaking is end abruptly. Elsee-san take distance from me.

“Fu ~e…?” (Arge)

I can open my eyes as the weight on my body abruptly disappears.
Then, a moment later, something went just above me, where Elsee-san had been.
Elsee-san probably left me to avoid this. But what is this … now?

“Wh…at …?” (Nani, ga…) (Arge)
“Arge, are you alright?” (only Arge, not-san or Argento)

A dignified voice talked to me like a mistake of the fog of doubt.
I know this voice. Even though I only hear it in a few days, but I heard it a lot.
Everyday, that person is always wake me, calling me, talk to me with this voice.
I try to shake of the chains as much as possible. Even though my body have no strength, I still thought that I wanted to see that person face.

Gently narrowed down, left eye of purple, right eye of gold.
Have a warm atmosphere, with brown hair side pony.
The big breasts are shaking because the breathing is rough. I’m sure that ‘you’ came in a hurry. (T.N: in raw all of Arge thinking don’t have a ‘she’ or ‘her’ just that person or you, If you edit people don’t change to ‘she’ or ‘her’ or ‘Felnote’)

“Felnote-san …?” (Arge)

Just like a knight in a fairy tale that I seen a lot in books.
A nostalgic person was there for me.

Chapter 86: Former knight’s heart
ED: Lowe

Felnote’s POV

Argento Vampear is my benefactor.
A benefactor who brings back my lost sight of both my eyes from a curse.
If Arge weren’t there, I would still be living in a peaceful but boring area at a port city Arlesha.

When she is gone, even I can still see but my world already lost its light because I can’t see her anymore. I keep chasing her, the light of my life.

… I got here on time, I made it in time! (Maniatta, maniatta wa)

I was relieved that Arge was safe and I smiled.

It was just a coincidence that I came here. It’s all thanks to Zeno, a peddler who traveled together with me.
After Zeno return to the commercial guild earlier than planned, and he ask about Arge. Arge knew Zeno, she seems to have left a message to him.

“We are in Rencia”, after we knew about it, we soon ran the carriage and came here.
After arriving at the village there was a sign of battle, Arge was pushed down, so I rush in to help her in a hurry.

“… Arge, it’s been a long time ago” (Felnote)
“Felnote-san …” (Arge)

Arge is now bound on the bed.
It seems that her clothes are torn, and her skin is almost exposed. There were kiss marks around her body. There seems to be a bit of scratches on her neck which seems like a bite mark. And there is a bit of bloodshed from there.

“N, ha~a…” (Arge)

Her breathing is short and heavy just like she has a fever and when I look up at her eyes. They are moistened. Her red iris peculiar to the vampire is fluttering but it is different from the usual sleepy atmosphere, It seems like she feel uneasy somewhere. Her pure white chest is half exposed are full of sweat, is it from her fever. Aligned herself, Arge turned her face away from me.
Her ears become bright red, and Arge tells me with a shivering voice.

“Ano … Felnote-san …” (Arge)
“What is it?” (Felnote)
“Please, don’t look at it too much … in such a place …” (Arge)
“Ha~ …, I’m sorry!” (Felnote)

I only plan to see if Arge is fine but look like I’m stare at her. While reflecting on what I’m just doing, I turned away from her.

Arge who is always cool and sleepy is quite mature.
More than that, she’s always forgotten about my existence. (TN: like sleep without even care that her body is exposed or change clothes before Felnote)

If you look at it from the sideways, right now Arge is considerably embarrassed, she turned her eyes away from me and talks with a shivering voice, not the usual sleepy voice.

… She is way too cute!

I think my heart is crying (for more), I need to calm down and regulated myself.
If I keep watching, I would most likely try to touch her. That cute girl. I want to give her a lap pillow, no no … wait, calm down.

I want to do something, but what Arge is feeling right now is different from a curse. The effect of blood sucking on the body cannot be cured with recovery magic.
Fortunately, Arge has quite high magic and curse tolerance skills, so if she calm down she can escape from restraint by herself.
Now, it seems better to let her concentrate on that. So I concluded, I turned the blade to golden hair vampire.

“Such a … you do such an envious thing, you won’t get out unscathed for doing such thing!” (Felnote)
“Did you envy me?” (Elsee)
“… I made a mistake … I won’t forgive you for doing such thing!“ (Felnote)
“I can’t wait to enjoy more” (Elsee)
“Uuu, shut up!” (Uuu, urusai wa yo!) (Felnote)
“Hehehe, you are horrible, I am just trying to get what I want.” (Elsee)
“There is a problem with ‘what you want’ and what I want…!” (Felnote)
[EDN (Lowe): Damn right straight to the point.]

Even if I gaze strongly, my opponent has a cool face like toying with me.
A girl with golden-colored twin tails hair with a bat-like hair ornament, she has a beautiful appearance.
But, it is an apparent story. This girl isn’t a small girl like she look and of course she isn’t cute (personality).

Blood Princess Elsee. Long ago, she is the vampire spreading disasters all over the world since the time even before I was born.
There were a number of serious crime that she had been doing, and sometimes she even destroyed a small country overnight.

Many bounties are hanging in the Kingdom, and in the kingdom she is designated as the top target of the subjugation. It will be so in other countries as well.
The Mercenaries Association Landsknechts also pay a large prize money, to the extent that for us to live for the rest of our whole life.

In other words, if I defeat that girl, I will get a lot of money enough for me to take care of Arge for life and inevitably we will stay together … no no no. That’s not it. It is my purpose to properly rehabilitate Arge on the right path. To that end, we must eliminate that girl (Elsee) first.

“Huh … Are you planning to fight me?” (Elsee)
“Well, isn’t that natural?” (Felnote)

I only have a sword right now. This equipment is not a good one like when I serve the Kingdom.
To be honest, my winning chance are thin. It is better to think that girl (Elsee) as a “living disaster” before fighting.

Still, it is not impossible to win with this sword.
This sword I got from Xeno isn’t bad. I swung it several times already and dismissed the threat. Both length and weight are close to those I used in active days in the Kingdom.

“From your clothes, you are the knight of the kingdom, why are you here in the Republic?” (Elsee)
“I’m not a knight, just a former knight, I am here for my personal reasons” (Felnote)
“… You are unreasonable, the world is so unexpected and unreasonable, I never heard that there is a supporter like you” (Elsee)
“Like you are the one to talk” (Felnote)
“Well, yeah yeah … And the crime that robbed my enjoyment is heavy?” (Elsee)

Signs swell up make my skin tingle.
Not only her battle aura but also magical power aura are enormous, they stab my skin, a bad amount of sweats appeared on my back.

Rather than living beings, I feels like confronting a raging storm. My feets that seemed to shiver unconsciously but I can still stand firm with my will.

“You seem to be acquainted with Argento, so I will not kill you, even so … I need to make you be quiet.” (Elsee)
“If you can do it, try it.” (Felnote)

She breaks into a smile just like a crescent moon, and she moved.
She made her dress flutter like a wing of a bat and flew.

“I don’t like unpreparedness in battle, I dislike unexpected elements. Curse Maker,「Will o wisp」” (Elsee)

While spinning in the air, she spoke the magic words. By the time we landed on the roof of a private house, there was a black wing on the other side.
It is the appearance of a curse that shakes like a swaying flame. It looks like a bird or a bat. And It flew towards me.
I can’t slash a magical power body without entities with a sword. I abandon the choice of interception and choose avoidance.

“He~e, I guess you have quite the talent.” (Elsee)
“I won’t be pleased even you praise me.” (Felnote)

With minimal movement, I avoid the curse without touching it.
However, even if I avoid it, it doesn’t end there. The wings of the curse turn around and rush to me again as if having a will. It also change direction many times.

…I don’t understand!

Continuing to avoid will consume physical strength as it is. That would only make me disadvantageous.
But if I receive a curse from the front, it is probably impossible to prevent with my tolerance.

If it is not clear, I will avoid it until I have a chance.

“Fu~u …!!” (Felnote)

At the moment when I dodged them several times, I strongly take one step.
I start rushing to her after an evasive action.

“Bloodcraft,「Chain」” (Elsee)
“Tch! Don’t get in my way!” (Felnote)

I swing my sword on the crimson chains that have stretched from the ground.
I hooked them rather than slashing, and I throw the bundle away.
I also accelerate further and leaving the curse behind.

“Too bad, your tricks won’t work” (Elsee)

Apologizing to the owner of an unknown house, I swung the sword.
A blow with assistance of swordsmanship skill also makes the sword pressure sharp. A slashing more than the length of the blade occurred, and the house was cut at an angle.

“You wrecked thing a lot … You, are you really human being? As far as I can tell, it’s likely that you nearly reach the limits that people can reach.” (Elsee)
“I said that I am not happy even if I am praised.” (Felnote)

While listening to the collapsing sound, I aim for my opponent. Push yourself against the distance that your attacks reach.
Before the house collapsed, the vampire was detached from it. Chase the blonde vampire after she steps down and kick the ground while avoiding the wings of the curse that flew from behind.

“Fu fu, did you have eyes on your back?” (Elsee)
“I can avoid it even if I don’t see it …!!” (Felnote)

It isn’t a skill. The experiences of the fighting at night until now giving warnings to me. It is a so-called intuition. The trick is simple, use minimal movement to avoid the curse without even looking and when it change direction, I rush to attack the vampire.

In order to break down the harmful one, I further speeded up.

“Arara, you are quite passionate”

Fluttering her hair, the moving disaster laughs.
Looking at the situation, now I am pursuing my opponent. That is the distance the sword can reach in a little while.
Still, she doesn’t change her smile filled with composure. She moves as if she is enjoying a dance.
Obviously, she played with me. Instead of angry, I will be happy if she feels that way because I will have more chance to win.
And I take the invitation.

“Fu fu … “Bloodcraft,「Chain」” (Elsee)
“Just waste of time!” (Felnote)

Three chains appear again so as to close the eyes.
I judged that the time, and I try to hook three of them together at a time and…

“… !?”

I felt something wrong with my response, because I wasn’t had my usual power and speed.
Even though I slashed all three together, the response was much lighter than before. It look like I got abnormal status debuff, I felt it from the way I attack. I try to avoid but it’s already too late.

“If she (Arge) were as skilled as you are, I maybe dead by now” (Elsee)
“Eh!?” (Felnote)
“Spellbinding Circle” (Elsee)

As she speaks the magic words, my feets are affixed. No, It not just my feets, I can’t even move my fingers and neck.
I feels like being bound into the space rather than the ground.
Looking at me who was caught, Elsee looks happy.

“Argento’s resistance was way higher than I thought, so I afraid that you might have resistance as well. Fu fu … but looks like you don’t.” (Elsee)
“n … nn … !!” (Felnote)
“A strong curse that seal movement, you can’t even move your mouth. It’s a bit difficult to install it though?” (Elsee)

Slowly, slowly, she comes near me.
She puts her hands on my chest, ascertained the prey she capture.

“You’re pretty fleshed … Well, you are pretty lively, aren’t you? I guess you will be interested to play”
“n…!” (Felnote)

As weigh the palm of her hand touch me, I felt unpleasant.
But it is not about being touched but because instead of slashing down the opponent that came near me, I can’t even move my eyebrows.

“Hehe, you don’t have to worry, I will immediately release the curse, if you have no voice, it’s boring.” (Elsee)

Elsee laughs and exposing his fangs as if she had seen my discontent.
The hand which pressing on my chest was turned to the neck, it became a posture to be embraced.

I can feel her breath on my neck. And her fangs are pressing on my skin

“Well then, I will unravel the curse … will you give me a good cry?” (Elsee)

I feel a sense of my flesh are plucking.

“You are cocky, aren’t you?” (Felnote)

I welcomed the opponent.

“Dzu~… gi~,aaaaaaaaaaaaa!?” (Elsee)

She screamed, pulling out her fangs and take distance from me.
Unleashed from the curse of movement seal, I stretch out my body to check if there was any hinder left.

“Cure” (Felnote)

The hole opened on my neck is just a small scar. It can be cured with simple recovery magic.
Satisfied with my body which became normal again, I looked at the opponent.

“A… aaaargh! ? Uuuuuu… guuuu !!!” (Elsee)

She is obviously suffering while suppressing her mouth. It seems that she can’t keep the bird-shaped curse.
Unlike before, she can no-longer smile because her mouth is melting, she stared at me with the eyes like burning with anger.
Contrary to before, this time I decided to make fun of her to pay back.

“That was pretty good cry, want some more?” (Felnote)
“Aaah…, you… are … a Holy… Knight … !?” (Elsee)
“As I said, I’m a「Former knight」. Don’t make me say it over and over” (Felnote)

Among the knights, there’s an existence of people was good at holy magic. That is the Holy Knight. But if people only have 「Holy attribute」, they can only become a priest. Only the knight who has achieved a certain level of both Sacred magic and Sword skill is called so. It is a past story, so I do not want to talk about it.

What I did is a very simple thing.
It’s a Sacred magic, a magic that fill the Sacred Attributes inside the body. I just cast it inside of myself before we fight.
The vampire is the magical beings of the dark attribute, they are a mass of magical power that gained consciousness. They are weak with the sacred attribute.
As long as they are vampires, Holy attribute is their natural enemy even just a touch of it.
By not casting Holy attribute on the outside my body but inside instead, I injected high concentration of magical power of holy attribute at the moment she’s biting.

… It was worth it.

From the beginning if I using sacred magic even a little, she will be on her guard.
Thanks to that, I decided to fight completely different from my original battle style, but the result was a huge success.

Burnt by the holy powers, Elsee looks at here so as to hide her mouth.
Although I succeed, I do not know how much damage was done to her. Still, there is no choice to change the plan, because she won’t be tricked again.
Now is the time I threw away the sword. To do my original fighting way.

“A holy sword that opens the way to the light” (Felnote)

The magic words are spoken, it takes my magic power and produce light from within me.
The holy light strongly bearing the magical power of the sacred attribute gathers in my hand and eventually forms an obvious entity.
It’s a Proof of power. A favorite sword that I shook several times.
My real weapon.

“Gather in my body, manifest! Materialization !!!” (Felnote)

The holy magic became a sword of light in my hand.
The weight is as light as a feather, but the blade is sharper than any sword.
A sword that cuts down obstacles and opens the way. The power born by such prayers.

“「Sacred Weapon」, whether you are a fog or a shadow, you won’t be able to escape” (Felnote) (Sacred Weapon is katakana)
“Nn … Two coloured eyes, Holy knight … You are … Felnote Lyria … !” (Elsee)
“You remembered well the name of an antique that retired and covers in dust.” (Felnote)

I mean, I am also quite famous. There are some things I can think of, but it is not something I care now.
Exposing magical powers that no longer have a meaning to hide.
From here on, it is a real game.

To Be Continued

Chapter 87: To Confront

“Gu~ … Curse blade!” (Elsee)

The moment Elsee speak the words, a number of black blades extended from the ground. Those things looks like shark’s dorsals themselves. It crackles and come straight to me.
A powerful “attack” containing a curse. It seems like she gave up on capturing me intact.

“Even only your limbs are remain, I can make use of it … I will cut you like an insect!” (Elsee)
“… finally, you got a little serious.” (Felnote)

Hold a manifested holy sword「Sacred Weapon」. This is a stance similar to Republic’s「Iai」. (T.N: Iai is a sword quick draw stance) [if you don’t know its just like the famous Rurouni Kenshin anime (if you don’t know this anime watch it, you new generations seems to not know old good stuffs)]

“Enchantment,「Holy」 … just disappear!” (Enchanto,“hōrī”… kie nasai) (Felnote)

I cast a sacred magic on the holy sword「Sacred Weapon」 and use a magic sword skill. The swinging sword scattered a bunch of light, not a slash.

And it isn’t just a skill I randomly released, it is a magic that automatically traces the curse and erases it.
It is a dexterous skill, it has a favorable attribute and it can erase the flocks of blades.

… It’s been a while that I have to go all out.

Because of creating and maintaining a magic weapons consume a great amount of magical power so it wasn’t easy to use. And I didn’t meet any opponent that I have to put all the power to this in the first place.
But right now, I have to use it to confront the most dangerous criminal in this world. And of course I can’t keep this for long, I have to defeat her before my magic power runs out.

Rather than worry about it, I must concentrate to the battle right now. Chanting the prayer as I was taught in the past, I moved again to close up the distance.

“Blood cage!” (Elsee)

The opponent takes out the sparkle crimson gem from the bosom and strikes the ground while retreating.

… It was in the report.

When I was in the Order, I read about it in a document.
「Blood Cage」 is a skill that Elsee is good at, and it is a rare ability among vampires that can hold living things if they approved.
Originally, due to the constraint that blood can’t be mixed with blood, so living things can’t be confined in the blood.
But the「Blood Cage」creates a special space in the blood and makes it possible to put living things in it … I think it certainly was written like that.

Actually, this is for the first time I see it, but I shouldn’t be in hurry. I must concentrate and careful to deal with the demon she summons.

It was a huge dragon that appeared from the crimson gem.
The bulky thing that appeared have black scales covering its body, reflecting the moonlight and staring at me with a burning eyes. It open its mouth and roars at me.
Its slender and stretched tail is somewhat beautiful like an artwork and it sways like swimming in the night sky.
The body height is about 3 meters from my observation. It is quite large as a dragon.

“This is a child who has not played much yet, so I will let him play with all his heart!” (Elsee)
“From what I saw, a Fafnir grade dragon … To think that you can even tame big things like this” (Felnote)

In rank as a dragon, it is the second from the top. Only under Yggdrasil class.
Perhaps it was controlled by dark magic that have attractive effects, but it is quite a surprise to be able to manipulate the dragon.
Usually, there are military armies under my command to defeat it, but right now, I only have myself.

“Go, Jabberwocky!” (Elsee) [EDN: I feels like her naming sense is really bad]
“ROOAAARRR!!” (dragon roaring) [idk how to make a dragon roar]

I avoid by jumping behind as the nails that are swaying from above with an annoying cry. Five of its rigid nail make five clean-cut on the ground with the pressure generated. I was right to avoid it.

“You are naive to think that I will be knocked down by monster of this size! Materialization!”

If the opponent is huge, then I will just create a suitable blade.
With the additional magical power as fuel, the light sword stretches. (Just like Fate Illya’s Excalibur, see translator corner)
Sacred Weapon is a semi-energetic body made by magical power. We can freely change both length and thickness. The only thing matter is our magic power.

To combat all disasters, the trump cards that the past Holy Knight created.
Whether it is human type, large type, single body, plural. With enough magical power to pour in, we can finish everything in one swing.

“Seeeeeei!!!”

Ultra long sword, longer than 3 meters was swung down.
The body of the dragon was divided, it was eaten by light rather than being cut with a sword.

It was manipulated, it is a lot of weaker than the original dragon. It is a threat, but there is too many gap.

“Next, I will slash you”
“Ha ha ha, I don’t have anything else, but have you realized it yet?” (Elsee)

Even the dragon was cut in two, but she just smiled wickedly.
Blood was blew out of the carcass of the dragon, as I remembered that it was cut, I realized my mistake.

“Ha ha ha… ♪ That’s right, you handled him beautifully and I was saved.” (Elsee)

Mushy and messy, she soak herself in blood.
Her jet black frills become brilliant scarlet color, the opponent took a scoop and drink the blood.
Part of her face that got burned by my holy attribute has been restored. She is cover in blood.

… I made a mistake.

The huge flesh with the corresponding blood stored. That is also a dragon. the Magical power contained in blood is more than of humans.
If I kill such things and let the blood flow, they all become the food for Elsee.
In that situation, it is impossible to leave the dragon. Even though I know it, I have regret that I killed it. I shouldn’t kill it, but raise the speed to avoid and kill Elsee…!

“It’s been hundreds of years since I was injured by a single human … I praise you for that … I’ll admit your power. So I will become serious and crush you! Ahahahahaha!” (Elsee)

In the huge blood puddle, the other party moved as if dancing.

“Vampires are best to bring out magical powers in the blood.” (Elsee)

I can understand without being told.
Elsee’s magical power is clearly become enormous.
Her enormous magical power of darkness right now enough to overturn the advantage of attributes. For example, we can stop the fire with water, but the raging flame can evaporate water.
With the dragon’s life as a food, her magic is activated. Around Elsee’s feets, the red light runs, forming a magic pattern.

“Twilight Zone” (In Katakana) (Elsee)

The moment the word was spoken, the surrounding space changed completely.
The air stagnates, the moon gathers a shining purple sparkle, the scenery is distorted.
My hands that hold the holy sword were trembling, It isn’t because I was frightened but because I was cursed even before I can engage.
The curse that I could not prevent caught on my foot. I felt an unpleasant weight as if my feet was sank in a swamp.

“As long as I am in this, the power of existence like myself will increase, your power will decline. In republican way, It was「Ominous time」… “ (Elsee)
“Curse on the space and everything in it, also strengthening specific attributes …!“ (Felnote)
“In theory, it is necessary to carefully prepare before any battle, I prepare this for Argento, but … to think you can force me to use it.” (Elsee)
“Ku~ …!” (Felnote)

I knew about it, it’s basic to prepare before going to battle.
It is much more difficult with an enemy with a high ability, so we must deal with it carefully and plan ahead while measuring our enemy’s abilities.

“Even in this space, the power of the holy sword still fatal to you” (Felnote)
“Well, well, only if you can reach me with that heavy foot.” (Elsee)

Smile as to mock me, Elsee starts to concentrate magical power.
I tried to move my legs, if I can close enough to swing my holy sword, but it hurts, my feets are heavy. The other party is at an advantageous space. The magical power is overflowing and the scale is more than ever.

“Ha ha ha! Resistance is futile! Engulf in the darkness, Fatal bind !!” (Elsee)

An enormous amount of magic develops around Elsee and rushes to my place.
Binding is a movement sealed as usual. In other words, the opponent has changed the attack because she got the upperhands now. She is going to capture me alive to the end.
But this degree is seriously different from what I have ever had. Because the flame of the curse is raging and covering everything in the sight, it is directed to one person.

“… I will not give it up! Enchantment,「Holy judgment」!” (Felnote)

Enchant the holy sword, I put my magic power and swing down my holy sword.
The magic of the light that is emitted from it erase any flame or curse in contact.
However, there are too many in numbers. In a swing I can not deal with to many of them.

… If I have time to think about this, move it, swing more!

As I tried to swing the light sword again. The curse is already in my sight. To be honest I knew it was too late but I don’t want to give up.

“… replace” (Arge)
“Kya …!?” (Felnote)

I heard a nostalgic voice, and I was pulled from my back.
Suddenly I see silver hairs appears as to replace me.

“As expected, this is really a troublesome work.” (Arge)

As she speak, the flock of curses has fallen on Arge’s body.

Chapter 88: Silver and Gold
ED: Lowe

The curse clings to my body. With my resistance, my movement will only be restricted a little (Slow debuff).
But if Felnote-san receives this kind of thing. Not just her movement will be restricted, even her consciousness will be reaped.
Even I still got a little fatigue from it.

“Pain pain … go away” (Arge)

But I can solve it easily. No matter how many curse in my body, if I erase it with recovery magic, there will be nothing left. Haaaa, it was refreshing.

“Arge … are you okay?” (Felnote)
“Yes, thanks to you” (Arge)

To tell the truth, I still feels very tired (mentally = want to sleep), but I have to keep it together.
Because Felnote-san is sacrificing herself to help me, I wouldn’t be able to see her in danger.

Take out the substitute for torn clothes from the Blood Bag. Now that my clothes are gone, there is nothing to wear beside the maid clothes at hand.
I usually don’t care about the exposure of the skin, but I want to avoid exposing the skin in front of that sticky line of sight (Elsee’s gaze).

“…You are quick to return, Argento” (Elsee)
“It may be thanks to this space” (Arge)

Although I felt a lot of fatigue when I got through the restraint, I felt a little better the moment I stepped in to this space following after Felnote-san.
Probably, thanks to the red magic shining under my feet. Maybe it’s a gimmick that strengthens the vampires in range.

“No matter how many times you come, you can’t win against me, don’t you get it?” (Elsee)
“Well, as it is, perhaps” (Arge)

I just rely on my skills as it is.
Elsee-san doesn’t just rely on her own power, but thinks of plan and uses skills more effect than me.
In front of me right now isn’t the opponent that I can win by merely using skill.

Even I understood it, I can’t do it right away.
I’m lacking experience and knowledge. I don’t think that my skills will have much effect with her no matter how strong they are.
Still, I have one thing left to try.

“Felnote-san, could you please stand down?” (Arge)
“E!? Wait a minute! Usually, this is when we will fight together ?” (Felnote)
“Yes, but … I do not know what will happen to me” (Arge)

No matter the outcome, I don’t want my acquaintance get hurt.
There is no guarantee that what I’m going to do will go well. I hope it will be useful anyway.
Seeing me prepares for battle, Elsee-san asked.

“You still have some tricks that you haven’t use yet?” (Elsee)
“I do not know if it is a Win or a Lose” (アタリかハズレ、僕にも分かりませんけどね) (Arge) (TN: Arge mean like when catch a coin don’t know it was head or tail)

I take out the katana from the blood bag.
I got it from Oswald-kun, a Minotaur that I met in the forest at the rear of the Kingdom country.

Magic Artifact, it is called a special tool that exerts its power by being contracted with the owner. But its effect is still unknown. Because I still haven’t made a contract with it.

*Sha rin*, The sound when I draw the katana out of sheath is a majestic tone.

“Arge, that is… why do you have that Magic Artifact!?” (Felnote)
“I do not know what kind of ability it is, but … unless I have some weapon, I won’t be able to defeat her.” (Arge)

Felnote-san seems to be really surprised. Maybe she knows about this sword.
I think I will ask, but regrettable that I don’t have time. Let’s finish the contract quickly.

I do not know how to sign a contract with Magic Artifact, but I can understand it somehow. I can understand what the katana in my hand is seeking just by holding it.

“I will dedicate my magical power.” (Arge)

I speak the word and send my magical power to the katana.
The katana in my hand glow like being delight and a lot of images appear in my head.

… Is this the katana memory?

In my mind, someone’s memories came in.
It’s not vivid, it’s only some fragments of it.
A lot people covered in blood, someone else is smiling in that scene. And there’s anger (flames) that evaporates even tears. Two sister blades (katana’s blade without handle) were born and dropped on the blood pool.

“…「Dream of Water Lily」“ (Arge)

At the moment I called a name that came into my mind, I felt that we (Arge and Katana) were connected perfectly.
Now, this katana, 「Dream of Water Lily」 has become mine.
The contract was completed.

“It is ironic, isn’t it?” (Arge)

I mutter, knowing the reason why this katana was created.
People who created this katana to eliminate things like me, demon.
The smith swings his hammer with a curse, tempered the blades by anger, with the hatred for demons.
He asked for revenge, so that he could kill what robbed his family, his tear are burned dry with his burning heart of hatred. The heart of suffering after the lost of a dear person.

Of the two katanas that are made up, one is now in my hand. The other one is in the hands of the vampire that the smith want to kill.

“But the tools are just tools.” (Arge)

Even if the smith who made this did not intend, he can’t overwrite the contract of the katana in that vampire hand. The vampire he want to revenge was now using his katana.

As if the katana itself taught me, I can understand the ability「Dream of Water Lily」.
Fortunately, this ability would be enough to compete against Elsee-san.
Because this is a blade make by someone who never sleep again ever since, to cut illusions, shapeless things.

“Here I come” (Arge)

My physical condition is back now. And I also get the benefits of magic pattern under my feet. I accelerate and run at full speed.

“What …!!?” (Elsee)
“I think it will be hurt a little.” (Arge)

My attack isn’t to take her life. My attack isn’t aim at vital position, it aims at her arm, enough to disable her.

“Atomization …!” (Elsee)

It seemed that she thought that there’s no other choice but to make an urgent evasion, and Elsee-san changed her body to fog.
I’m looking at the golden colour fog, when I atomized it thought that it was silver colour fog different from her, well whatever. I slash the katana though the golden fog, it leave an after-glow trace. (like Rurouni Kenshin, see translator corner)

“Nn…!?” (Elsee)

A scream that doesn’t become voice, and Elsee-san materialize her human form.
The black dress that she wears was cleanly cutted, and her pure white skin beneath it was exposed to the moonlight.
She doesn’t change back. It was the attack make her materialized at the moment when she was cut. As expected this katana is sharp.
She get a surprised from the injury, she looks at me with her crimson as she’s muttering in a strange manner.

“You … hurt … my … atomized body …!” (Elsee)
“Because this katana is a Magic Artifact with ability「Dream of Water Lily」. It is possible to slash things without shape” (Arge)

A blade that can cut any intangible thing. That is a「Dream of Water Lily」 ability.
I can cut fire, wind, curse, fog and even light. I only need to provide magical power for this katana, but it isn’t a big deal because I have a tremendous amount of magical power.

A blade that can cut any un-touch-able thing or any un-reach-able thing, with an eternal sleep.
Like an endless slumber, a water lily floating in a dream.

… But I feel that it is different from sleeping. Sleeping is the most enjoy-able thing not a killing tools. That was my opinion though.
The smith probably saw his “dream” on this blade. If he want to name it so, then that’s fine. Hold a katana with un-suit-able name (in Arge opinion) and point it toward Elsee-san.

“You should back out while you still can, because this is a bad weapon for us Vampires.” (Arge)
“Nn …” (Elsee)

A silver hair vampire girl with maid dress pointing a katana to a blond hair vampire girl with torn black night dress under a scarlet moon in a distorted scenery. From the outside, it looks like a fantasy picture. (TN @ Artist: I demand this picture)
While I’m thinking about such a trivial thing, after a while, Elsee-san moved.
She dropped her shoulders and was out of power.

“As expected, I can’t handle it anymore.” (Elsee)
“… Did you give up?” (Arge)

To be honest it was surprising.
Because I thought that she was a persistent person, to think she world say that she will withdraw so easily.
Elsee-san is smiling at me when I’m still thinking. It is not a wicked smile like a before, but somewhat satisfying and charming.

“Just changing the date, the sun will come out soon, then my time is over” (Elsee)
“… please say it again” (Itte kudasai) (Arge)
“Arge! she mean she will escape!?” (Felnote)
“Yes, perhaps, as an insurance for that, I should have taken hostages” (Elsee)
“Hostage … Residents of Rencia!?” (Arge)
“Hehe, as expected you understand me well, my bride. You know, I will not take hostage to make you surrender, but I use hostage to make you can’t withdraw!” (Elsee)

Elsee-san turns, turning her torn dress. She breaks the sparkling Crimson Gems, and it creates fog.
There are people who lost their consciousness that appears after the fog fade away. It is the inhabitants of this village.

“Their curses haven’t cured yet, if I hand them to you like that is cruel, isn’t it?” (まだ呪いは解いていない。私に手を出すと、ひどいわよ？) (Elsee)
“There is no guarantee to solve them?” (Arge)
“Fu fu, you can if you do it properly, good luck… It was a good fight” (Elsee)
“Do you think that we trust such words?” (Felnote)
“Please wait, Felnote-san … Is it true, Elsee-san?” (Arge)
“Yes, of course. I’m quite annoyed because I can’t get you, however, your resistance was very wonderful … I wanted you more and more, Argento. Next time I will give you more honorable hospitality, let’s play again! ” (Elsee)

Without giving us a chance to talk, after saying all that as a preliminary announcement, she changed the body to a small bat like a deformed figure, similar to her hair ornament, and fly through the night sky.

“… she really ran away, was it good?” (Felnote)
“Perhaps, I think I will overlook it this time” (Arge)

I think what she said was true, because if she wanted to, she can use hostages to make us surrender instead of hand them back to us. And she really keep her word, because I didn’t withdraw so she don’t harm the hostages, it would be fine to overlook her this time. Although I don’t think I owe her anything.

“Huh …” (Arge)

The crisis has passed. While thinking so, my body gave out at once.
I feel a soft feeling supporting me who is about to fall down from behind.

“Arge, are you Okay?” (Felnote)
“Felnote-san … Sorry, but please …” (Arge)
“Yeah, what do you need?” (Felnote)
“My friend, Kuzuha-chan …” (Arge)
“Friend … Ah, that fox ears child, she is with Zeno, she is fine.” (Felnote)
“Then, that’s good … I’m glad … thank you very much, cushi(on) … Felnote-san… ” (Arge) (Sō,desu ka… yokatta… n … arigatōgozaimasu, kussho… ferunōto,-san…)
“Wait a moment, what did you call me just now!?” (Felnote)

Dangerous. I felt that the feeling on the back of my head was too much comfortable, so I almost spoke cushion.
Because I don’t have any powers left, I lean my body back, things of unbelievable mass wrap my head. Oh, this is really are a nice pillow …

“Arge!? Hey, Arge!?” (Felnote)
“… Fu~nyan …” (Arge)
“Do not sleep with people’s chest as a pillow ! Uhm, but Arge is smelling nice … not that! … Wake up!” (Felnote)

I hear a scream-like protest, but since fatigue has already come to its limit, please excuse me for ignoring it.
Like a water lily, I was invited by a fluffy drowsiness.
I relax my mind, and I will have my dream. (basically, Arge mean she will get her nap but she want to use the name of magic artifact “Dream of Water Lily”)