Chapter 2221: Troubled Thoughts

Chapter 2221: Chapter 2221: Troubled Thoughts

"Cough, cough."

Of course, unlike the Power of Silvermoon with its faint warmth, during the process of spewing out the Corrupt Blood Fog, Shard felt as if his entire lungs and throat were being scorched. So after confirming that the monster was truly dead this time, he still coughed several more times. But the people around him, watching this scene in tense silence and afraid he might open his mouth to "Dragon Roar" again, only assumed he was deliberately feigning weakness.

Shard didn’t care what the others thought. He waved toward Mr. Benhart in the distance, first retrieved the monster’s last remaining bodily fragments from the sea, then turned into a streak of blood-red light together with the Vampire Viscount and vanished from above the waves.

The three members of the Dragon Feast Cult were all unconscious, and after the High Ring Vampire from the Blood Spirit School exchanged a glance with the three members of the New World Mutual Aid Society, they each departed as well.

Almost in the very second that they disappeared, the Dawn Church Ring Sorcerer squad—just now delayed briefly by Mr. Benhart’s blood fog—finally arrived on the beach. They did not immediately begin recording traces at the scene, but together cast various Reconnaissance Arcane Techniques to make sure that this inexplicable chaotic battle on the beach had truly come to an end.

Only after confirming it was safe did the fully manned squad of eleven end their Reconnaissance and move toward the three unconscious people. But bad news soon came: the two whose right arms had exploded were both already dead, their cause of death was heart shattering, and that man whose face was covered with a layer of black Dragon Scales over half his features had actually taken advantage of the swelling waves flooding over his "corpse" to disappear completely.

"Ignore that fellow who escaped. His blood is still on the beach; we’ll have ways to conduct Divination later. As for those two Deceased... looks like the Dragon Feast Cult has put spells on each of their members to keep their Secrets."

The bearded captain leading the team made his conjecture, then looked at the blood-tainted seawater left on the uneven, pitted sand, carrying a rancid stench:

"Crimson Decay? Be careful, don’t step in that blood... that Ring Sorcerer who used the blood fog just now, what’s his background? Do we have anyone like that locally?"

The tall deputy beside him thought for a moment:

"We shouldn’t. In a Archdiocese like Moon Bay, Magicians who possess such land-corrupting High Ring Arcane Techniques aren’t allowed to stay for long. That Vampire Kind should also have come from elsewhere because of The Chosen One business. I couldn’t identify the Arcane Techniques he used, but they didn’t look like normal Arcane Techniques."

They did not suspect the God Summoner; after all, the God Summoner had never displayed similar abilities:

"The Dragon Roar was the real thing. The Alchemical Items prepared by the Church reacted to that sound, so... a candidate for The Chosen One?"

But that was only speculation.

By the time the Witch and Emilia saw Shard in the manor, it was already eleven o’clock that night.

Shard, weighed down by heavy thoughts, returned out of the night, and the Witch directly pulled him to the dining room. Emilia wasn’t much in the mood for food, but she wanted to hear a story, so she followed as well, and then, by the dining table, saw Shard handing several blood‑stained bones to the Countess:

"These are the bones of that Vampire Beast. Please help with some Divination to see where it’s been hiding these past few days. I think if we can find its lair, there’s a good chance of an unexpected harvest."

"Honestly now, don’t take that sort of thing out at the dining table."

The Witch scolded him lightly, but still applied a Sealing Skill before having the Maid put them away properly. Miss Matilda arranged for someone to bring a basin of water for washing hands, and Mia happily leapt from Emilia’s arms into Shard’s.

Holding that cat, Shard’s mood improved a great deal.

The Miss Maids wheeled in a trolley with the late‑night snacks. Considering it was already very late, the kitchen hadn’t prepared anything too greasy. Fish rolls, raspberries, fruit tarts, and sliced fluffy cheese filled the table, and the drink was red wine. Shard actually was somewhat hungry, and after quietly voicing his thanks, he reached out to eat and began recounting the night’s events.

Miss Belindel and Emilia listened very attentively, and when Shard spoke of leaving the beach together with Mr. Benhart, Miss Belindel finally asked from the side:

"Since things went so smoothly tonight, why do you still look so worried?"

Shard glanced at Emilia and, seeing that she was quite interested, did not conceal anything from her:

"Although not many people showed up tonight, it was already chaotic. Dragon Feast Cult, Blood Spirit School, New World Mutual Aid Society, the Church... the situation right now is very delicate. Everyone is conducting Investigation, but no one knows how much information the others have actually grasped.

Right after we left the beach, the people from the New World Mutual Aid Society followed me and my friend from afar and left us a way to contact them. They think we’re part of the local Vampire Kind faction and want to meet and discuss some matters. I suppose it’s about cooperation. But it also means that this organization, which rarely meddles in Old Continent affairs, must have its own plans this time."

He stroked the obedient cat patiently waiting to be fed:

"It feels like the light rain before a storm."

"The New World Mutual Aid Society? At least their reputation is fairly decent."

The Witch remarked, and Emilia softly asked:

"Mr. Watson, how are relations between the local Vampire Kind and those who came from elsewhere? The Vampire Kind classmates I know at the Academy always say that the New World Vampire Kind are traitors to the clan."

"Yes, my friend said the same thing. With the Blood Spirit School getting involved again, it’s hard not to suspect they have some new scheme, and who knows if the Weeper will show up this time. He may be considered the weakest of the Thirteen Rings, but he’s still a genuine Thirteen Rings. Last time I saw him, his right hand had been replaced with a mechanical arm, so I suspect they have deeper ties to the Truth Society."

Shard sighed again, and the Countess, whose brow bore a fat-crimson birthmark, grabbed his hand:

"Don’t worry so much, our helpers will be here soon. I know what you’re fretting over, but at least for now, you’re doing quite well."

As she spoke, she didn’t care that Emilia was present, just tilted her head and kissed Shard on the side of his face. Shard nodded lightly and turned to Emilia. The Elf Girl blushed for no apparent reason, and Shard asked:

"Emilia, are you getting used to living here today?"

"It’s very nice here, and the Earl treats me very well."

She didn’t want to cause Shard any more trouble, and in fact she was living quite well here.

Emilia had thought Shard would also stay here, perhaps even move into Earl Belindel’s bedroom, but in reality, after having a late-night snack, Shard took the contented Mia and went back to his own home.

The fretful thoughts before sleep always bring Dreams, so that night he again had a series of strange dreams. But when the "Mia alarm clock" woke him right on time early Monday morning, he only remembered that at the end of the dream, the gigantic Red Dragon that Fiona had become was entwining necks with the silver "Moonlight Dragon" he had turned into.

"Oh, does that count as a wet dream?"

Stretching lazily, he thought to himself, even he felt that dream was not normal.

The brand-new week didn’t bring any change to the Outlander’s daily life. At the breakfast table, he was still thinking about the tasks he needed to complete this week and all his various plans.

After breakfast, when he was carrying the God’s Gift Box up from the basement, someone actually knocked at the door. Standing on the stairs, Shard turned around. When the sound of the key in the lock ceased, Luviya and Iluna were standing outside, smiling and waving to him:

"Good morning, Shard. We knew you wouldn’t leave home so early on Monday."

With a brand-new week, of course he had to try to obtain a new gift. Last week it had been Emilia, who was temporarily staying here, that had gotten a yellow scarf with a cat pattern, and this week Shard drew out a packet of white candles.

The candles were wrapped in paper, and after a careful count there were 8 in total. These weren’t ordinary candles; according to the text on the wrapper, they were candles processed through Alchemy, and each one could burn for about 24 hours.

Of course, this was still of no real use to Shard, but he hadn’t set his hopes too high in the first place, so he wasn’t disappointed at all. As for this week’s task, it was to try, when going to the toilet at night, not turning on the light and only using candles for Lighting.

At first Shard thought this was training children to use candles, but later he realized it was training their courage.

As for why Luviya had brought Iluna to visit so early, that was naturally because of the Moon Bay matter.

"The Church has given me a business-trip notice. I have to leave before Friday this week, but they haven’t set the exact time yet."

Iluna held her teacup, looking as if she couldn’t wait to get started:

"Back when I was at Low-Level and killed that Green Dragon, I relied on the help of my Church companions on the same ship. Now I’m already at Eight Rings. Before I reach High Ring, I absolutely have to try accomplishing the great feat of Dragon Slayer all by myself!"

The purple-eyed girl smiled as she explained to Shard on the side:

"This has been Iluna’s dream since she was little. Stories about Heroes and Dragon Slayer and such—you boys understand that better."

"But Shard, did you know? This unique Arcane Technique, the Sunlight Gun, has a special damage effect against Dragon Species."

As Iluna spoke, she mimed throwing a "Sunlight Gun." Shard actually didn’t know much about this; after all, the Thunder Spear he had mastered didn’t have such an effect:

"Why is that?"

"According to the Church classics, it has to do with how, in Ancient Times, the Ancient God—the Supreme Binder of the Sun—once hunted Ancient Dragons."

Though Iluna didn’t act particularly devout in her daily life, she remembered at least those entertaining religious stories quite clearly:

"The ancient Sun God once walked the World in the form of a Saint. On the road he encountered an Evil Dragon, and so he cut off a ray of Sunshine as a spear, led Mortals to hunt Ancient Dragons, and taught Mortals the techniques for hunting Dragons—that’s one of the legendary tales about that Ancient God, one of the Miracles of his that has been passed down to this day. Precisely because such a Miracle once existed, we Mortals who learned of the Ancient God’s Miracles in the Sixth Era can use the Sunlight Gun to inflict special damage on Dragons."