Chapter 34

◈ Chapter 34: Fire Marjelo opened the book and spoke.

"I looked through the Monster Encyclopedia," she said.

"I know what that book is. So, why?"

"Specifically, the entry on vampires."

"Vampires? Are you still worried about Mago? I already told you, we're leaving him alone for now..."

"I was just looking for ways to deal with the air raids. Anyway, here."

Marjelo pointed to a specific passage.

Vampires.

Subsection: On Half‑Breeds.

"It seems that if a human drinks a vampire's blood, they can become a vampire themselves. But the success rate is low. And even if it works, the result isn't a complete transformation."

"Just the idea that drinking blood makes you into the same kind of being as the blood's owner doesn't sound normal. Drinking turtle blood doesn't make you a turtle."

"Turtles? Where did that come from?"

"I just thought of it."

"Anyway. But that imperfection could be an opportunity."

"An opportunity?"

"Because half‑breeds have vampiric traits, but only imperfectly. They're weaker than purebloods, so their vampiric nature is diluted. They can even live in sunlight."

"Hmm..."

"They can bask in the sun, but they're not stronger at night. They can look at a cross, but touching one doesn't give them immunity."

"So they're ambiguous in every way. I guess that's why they're called half‑breeds."

"Don't you think we could use that? Against the raw forces of the Demon King Army."

"Maybe."

"You're not very enthusiastic. I thought this was a huge discovery."

"Mago will handle it. He's the one investigating vampires. If he found out that much—if he discovered half‑breeds who could cooperate with the Imperial Army—he'd tell us first."

"You know we don't have time."

"Marjelo, the truth is you just want to help Mago."

"Excuse me?"

"Be honest."

Captain Simena's expression quickly cooled.

"What do you mean?"

"I understand you want to cooperate with Mago. You want to keep testing his abilities. And once you're satisfied he's good enough..."

He looked straight at Marjelo.

"You plan to pawn it off on him. You know better than anyone how similar you two are."

"Pawn what off? Me?"

"Marjelo, you've set Mago up as your successor and now you want to run away. You, who are famously uninterested in anyone else, have recently shown an unusual interest in Mago. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know the weight of all your nicknames is crushing. Every time the Imperial Army loses, it feels like your fault. I respect that part of you—no, I already do respect it."

"That's an interesting story. Though I have no idea who you're talking about."

Marjelo feigned ignorance, shaking the Monster Encyclopedia in her hand.

"But you still haven't..."

Just then, someone knocked at the door.

The door opened cautiously.

Kinzo entered and gave a crisp salute.

"Kinzo Shua, 42nd Unit."

"Perfect timing, Kinzo Shua. This is Marjelo Arnis. She'll be with you starting tomorrow."

Captain Simena pointed at Marjelo.

"Sir...?" Kinzo stammered.

"I hear you can use clairvoyance magic. You'll go with Marjelo to the ruined Capital. You must see through the structure of the Demon King's two wolves—the moving castle. See that you accomplish this. Consider the fate of the Empire to be in your hands."

"Yes... yes, sir!"

Kinzo answered with all the force he could muster.

Marjelo let out a sigh and led him out of the room.

Even in the hallway, Kinzo wore a dazed expression.

"Uh, ma'am... it's not like I can see a thousand miles. I have to get close to make it work."

"I know. We're going to the Demon King's Castle. We'll search every inch, down to the wolf's paws."

"Are you serious... including the underside...?"

"Better write your will, recruit."

"B-but... you'll be there with me, ma'am. Marjelo Arnis herself."

Marjelo silently pulled an envelope from her inner pocket.

It was her own will.

*

The Demon King Army officer was Kal.

Breaking things – or taking them away.

From the start, I chose to break them.

I knew about half‑breeds.

It was common knowledge, even in the Monster Encyclopedia.

Still, I wanted to crush them.

Because half‑breeds turned into vampires just to escape the war.

It wasn't that they refused to fight.

"I..."

I could have tried to convince Captain Simena by mentioning the ability to turn into a bat, but I gave up early.

For a simple reason.

"I've never actually seen a human reborn as a vampire."

Vampires that move during the day.

They don't exist.

Madam Anne, from the start, only took money and blood from humans.

Then she killed them all.

It was daytime, when vampires can't move.

I headed for the new building Madam Anne had prepared.

_She bought another building recently. She's setting it up there. Still just a warehouse for now._

My senior's words came back to me.

That three‑story building was still under preparation.

Literally a warehouse.

The oak barrels stacked outside were still there.

It had remained a storage space all along.

I opened the shop door.

The lock made it rattle.

I kicked it several times, smashed it, and stepped inside.

First floor.

Nothing.

But there was sound.

"Krrrgh..."

"Hic... huu..."

An unowned groan slipped into my ears, followed by a wave of cold.

I climbed to the second floor. Then the third.

Even on the top floor, the sound was still there, its source impossible to pin down.

So I went back down to the first floor and cast Lake.

The ripples felt different in one spot compared to the rest of the floor.

I walked every inch, stomping the boards until I found it.

At the far corner, one plank vibrated with a different frequency.

"Here."

I kicked the board away. Underneath lay a large door.

When I lifted it, the groans grew louder.

The basement was one story deep.

Inside were humans who had almost become vampires—just like that man from before.

"So this place really isn't a warehouse..."

They were bound in heavy handcuffs and leg shackles. Chains connected the shackles to the walls.

I couldn't find a trace of life in them. They looked like they hadn't seen light in ages.

They were still human. Even though they had failed to transform into proper vampires.

Sunlight had been denied to them.

"I'll rescue you," I said. "Just... hold on a little longer."

I returned to the inn and scribbled a letter to Captain Simena.

All the conditions I had promised him were met.

First: prove Anaconda is a vampire nest. The existence of the third and fourth floors already did that.

Second: prove that vampires are enemies of mankind. Madam Anne's warehouse said it all.

Third, the last one.

"Push in the Special Forces and kill them all."

Only that step remained.

I stripped off the white tunic and brown pants I'd been wearing and changed into my old training uniform. I buttoned it up, fastened the belt, and adjusted it to fit snugly.

I slid the Red Sword into my belt.

No more reason to hide it.

My act as an Anaconda staff member was over.

The final battle was coming.

I tucked the letter into my pocket.

As I stepped out of the inn room, I caught my reflection in the mirror.

This outfit felt more natural.

I went to Anaconda, smashed the wagon, untied one of the horses, and swung onto its back.

I guided the horse toward the Imperial Army checkpoint.

"As much as possible during the day," I muttered. "And as far as I can."

Once night fell, Madam Anne would wake.

*

Captain Simena folded Mago's letter and tucked it into his breast pocket.

"Perhaps... I was too quick to judge him as overly independent."

His eyes lingered on the final sentence.

_[So I really need my comrades' help.]_

That line struck him the most. He even found himself liking it.

He slipped the letter away and raised his voice.

"For that reason, the 42nd and 43rd Units will move south."

Eight recruits stood in formation before him. He looked them over and continued.

"Only two of the 42nd are available to move right now."

Simena's gaze swept across Amon and Bell in turn.

"Cooperate closely with the 43rd Unit—they're from the Second Training Center. I know there's bad blood between the First and Second, but..."

He scanned the entire group.

"Any straying from the mission will not be tolerated."

He added that one last sentence with extra gravity.

"Yes, sir!"

Eight voices, each different, rang out as one.

"The letter took two days to arrive from the south. Reinforcement from the Special Forces will also take two days. That means at least four days total. After sending the letter, Mago will be isolated alone for four days. He'll be expecting that much. Make sure we show up exactly when he expects us."

With that, Captain Simena walked away.

"That bastard Mago... what the hell is he up to...?" Amon muttered, his voice barely audible, just short of reaching Simena's retreating back.

But Simena turned around on the spot.

_He's got sharp ears,_ Amon thought.

"Amon Coster."

"Yes, sir!"

"You'll need to do especially well."

"S-sir, you're counting on me—?"

"That's what Mago said."

"...Yes, sir. Understood."

Amon waited until Simena had disappeared from sight before speaking again.

"Do especially well? There's no way that guy said that about me."

"Right? Ugh, just imagining it makes my skin crawl. 'Amon Coster, you'll need to do especially well,'" Bell mimicked Mago's voice.

"Hey... that's creepy. Stop it."

"Amon Coster. You'll especially—"

"I said stop."

"Especially get on my nerves."

"Oh, Bell. That one was pretty close."

"Right? Nailed it?"

Bell grinned mischievously.

"Aren't you guys a little too relaxed with a mission right around the corner?"

Voices rose from the 43rd Unit.

"Who the hell is this Mago guy anyway?"

"Why are all those First Training Center guys so full of themselves..."

The grumbling continued.

"What would they know? They never even lived through the Second Invasion..."

Amon shot back.

"Hey, Amon. They keep bringing that up, but back then—"

"Back then, what?"

"We just got lucky, didn't we? You said some incredibly strong person helped us. Someone with a presence like Marjelo Arnis."

"Elizabeth?"

"No, that wasn't the name. Anyway, without that person..."

"Then it was Mago."

Amon jerked his thumb toward Bell.

"Elizabeth? No, it was this guy's sister."

"It had to be Mago."

"What?"

"That person you're talking about? That's Mago. The same recruit we're supposed to support."

"That guy was a trainee...?"

*

By now, Madam Anne must have heard about my visit to the warehouse.

She'd mobilize the entire Entertainment District to find me.

I expected that. But not this fast.

"Mago, Anaconda isn't just some ordinary tavern."

It was my senior, the one who had stuck with me the whole time.

It had taken half a day to ride to the Imperial Army checkpoint. By then, night had fallen. Nearly midnight.

And it didn't take her long to catch up, transformed into a bat.

Anaconda's doors opened at exactly eight in the evening. Even if she left right then, it wouldn't have taken her more than four hours.

She chose to confront me head-on.

"And I'm a vampire."

I tightened my grip on the sword hilt, ready to strike back instantly.

"Why reveal your identity now? I already know everything. So what are you going to do about it?"

"Then tell me, Mago. What can you do?"

The question caught me off guard.

"This is a market, Mago. Blood is just a commodity. It circulates without issue – like blood in a healthy vein."

"Circulation..."

"We don't kill. Instead, we take blood from guests who come to Anaconda of their own free will."

She stressed the phrase "of their own free will."

"We drink human blood as fair payment, and in return, we offer our own blood. Everything is the humans' choice, not ours. There is no problem. Even if you go around shouting this truth, nothing will change. Nothing at all."