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Chapter 340

The night in the Epiaux fortress was harsh.

The relentless snowstorm showed no signs of stopping. However, Epiaux was peculiarly well-insulated, preventing drafts from entering.

Of course, that didn’t mean warmth circulated within the castle, making the nights in Epiaux even colder and more chilling.

Nevertheless, the true masters of this place were unaffected by such cold.

Night in Epiaux.

The Elf Vampire Luruien and the Orc Vampire Gallarush were seated facing each other in the conference room.

“Lucinil will likely cooperate, right?”

“Yes, she’s been feeling guilty for not participating in the Great Demon War alongside Eleris.”

“Hmm. I’ll accept that about Lucinil, but…”

Luruien narrowed her eyes as she gazed towards the corridor.

“I just can’t figure out what Antirianus is thinking.”

Luruien’s long ears drooped. The Vampire Council didn’t convene often, but they had existed for a very long time.

Though they didn’t see each other frequently, they couldn’t help but observe one another for ages, except for Antirianus, who had relatively recently ascended to the position of Vampire Lord.

As a result, Gallarush knew that Luruien’s drooping ears were a reaction to worry or being sullen.

“He’s an enigma. The circumstances of his ascension as Lord are also questionable.”

At Gallarush’s words, Luruien’s ears perked up.

“…So you’ve been thinking the same thing.”

“Weren’t you somewhat suspicious as well?”

“Well, I’ve heard that Antirianus has been involved in several inscrutable actions, but I can’t be certain…”

Luruien’s response seemed hesitant, to which Gallarush nodded.

“I see. But I am certain.”

Gallarush’s red eyes stared intently at Luruien.

“It’s clear that he killed the previous Lord of Saturday.”

“…Why would he do that?”

“If Maximilia had chosen death as Antirianus claims and Antirianus was her successor, then it would have been after she created the Philosopher’s Stone. But that never happened.”

“…Right.”

A reason to live.

The previous Lord of Saturday’s goal was to create the legendary Philosopher’s Stone, the pinnacle of alchemy. To achieve this, she became a vampire and the Lord of Saturday.

After striving for so long and suddenly dying without completing her mission, Antirianus appeared, claiming to be the successor. Amidst these suspicious circumstances, Gallarush had been doubting Antirianus from the start.

Maximilia didn’t choose death; she was murdered by Antirianus.

At Gallarush’s words, Luruien tilted her head.

“But is it even possible for a family member to kill their Lord? That should be impossible.”

“Antirianus was a mage before he became a vampire.”

“…Right.”

“He may have found a way. A method to avoid being controlled.”

Gallarush, struggling to cross his muscular arms, murmurs quietly.

“Antirianus became a vampire and became the lord of Saturday in just 20 years. That’s suspicious, isn’t it?”

“…Indeed, it is.”

Twenty years is a long time, but for them, it’s like the blink of an eye. In their eyes, it seems as if Antirianus had become the lord of Saturday as soon as he had joined them.

There are suspicions that Antirianus had killed the previous lord and taken her place.

In the end, it’s the business of another family, so there’s no reason for them to interfere. Even if they did, it’s an internal family matter.

However, regardless of the facts, they both agree that Antirianus is dangerous and his intentions are unclear.

That’s why Eleris is cautious about Antirianus, who willingly offers his cooperation.

“But to cooperate with the Demon King this time…”

Gallarush murmurs with a serious expression.

An orc’s serious expression is quite different from that of a human.

From a human’s perspective, it looks as if he’s contemplating who to chew up and kill.

“Who knows if he plans to kill the Demon King and become the new Demon King when Darkland is restored?”

“…Oh, come on. He’s not an Archdemon.”

Luruien shakes her head slightly, as if to say that’s too simple of a thought. Gallarush murmurs towards Luruien.

“There are many ways. Countless.”

At those words, Luruien’s ears tremble as if she’s shuddering. Possessing an Archdemon means possessing the demon realm. Regardless of whether Antirianus has a reason to do so, there would be ways if he intended to.

Mages, as a race, find ways even when there aren’t any. Gallarush, with his arms crossed, seems to have come to a decision as his eyes widen.

“I’ll cooperate. If only to keep an eye on Antirianus.”

“…What?!”

Luruien’s eyes widen at the sudden decision.

“I can’t stand by and watch his suspicious actions any longer.”

“…I didn’t know Gallarush disliked Antirianus so much.”

“Luruien, I dislike you more. Why do you keep forgetting what you already knew, forcing me to explain it to you?”

Oblivion.

At that, Luruien laughs.

“That’s how I can endure time.”

Every 200 years, Luruien erases all but the most necessary memories.

That’s how she can continue to exist without going mad, despite being the oldest living among all the Vampire Lords.

Because of that, Gallarush cannot help but get angry whenever he has to explain something to Luruien, who has forgotten past events.

It’s not an attitude of not needing to mention old things. She actively asks about what happened in the past, annoyingly. It’s as if she finds it extremely amusing to hear about what she, herself, did in the past, without any knowledge of it.

Gallarush is fed up with that.

“Do you know why Maximilia tried to create the Philosopher’s Stone?”

“Could it be… Ah, right. Was it Lucinil?”

“Yes.”

Gallarush answers quietly.

“It was to give a soul to Lucinil.”

The Philosopher’s Stone, said to be capable of causing any miracle.

It’s the final destination of alchemy, and although everyone knows that it doesn’t actually exist, it’s an item that alchemists dream of at least once. The previous Lord of Saturday, Maximilia, pursued it.

That’s why Gallarush couldn’t believe that Antirianus, who suddenly appeared, claimed that The previous lord of Saturday had taken her own life.

If Antirianus had killed Maximilia.

“Hmm.”

Luruien’s ears perked up, and she showed a subtle smile.

“So, you’re worried about Lucinil, not the Demon King or the demon world?”

At her subtle laugh, Gallarush scowled as if her words were not even worth getting angry over.

“I had something like a friendship with Maximilia.”

Though his face was fierce enough to terrify six hardened warriors, Luruien’s expression was like that of someone teasing a child.

“That’s all.”

Gallarush emphasized, as if to prevent any misunderstandings. Luruien looked at Gallarush with a twinkling expression, as if she found his words amusing.

“What about me?”

“Our relationship is just annoying.”

“How disappointing…”

Luruien’s ears drooped down, crestfallen.

——

Following Lucinil’s advice, I didn’t babble any nonsense or say anything provocative to Gallarush and Luruien, as the situation was going favorably.

I already considered it a great success to have gained the cooperation of two Vampire Lords. I had no intention of attacking them if they ultimately refused to cooperate.

“We’ll cooperate.”

However, the next morning, when Gallarush said he would cooperate, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

What happened?

Had there been some change of heart overnight?

For what reason?

But that fierce-looking orc vampire didn’t seem to have submitted to a threat of murder, nor did he seem to have suddenly developed any goodwill towards me.

It’s the same feeling as when Antirianus offered to help. Why does it feel like I’m getting a bargain?

“Working together is definitely more fun!”

Lucinil hopped excitedly and clung to Gallarush’s muscular arm.

It looked like a cicada clinging to the enormous arm of that giant.

“Don’t bother me.”

-Whack!

“Ouch!”

Of course, when Gallarush swung his arm, Lucinil was pathetically thrown off.

“Ouch, that hurts, you monster!”

“I told you, I don’t like it when people cling to me. And don’t call me a monster.”

Lucinil complained, but Gallarush seemed to be used to it and ignored her completely.

This is the feeling.

Among the aged Vampire Lords, the one with a childlike appearance acts like a real child, the other elderly vampires watch her antics as if they were watching their granddaughter’s playfulness, and only Gallarush finds this situation utterly loathsome.

That’s it.

Could it be that this was just a gathering of elderly vampires who were past their prime?

The Vampire Council…

Perhaps it wasn’t such a formal occasion after all.

It felt so strange, like watching a bizarre role-playing game, that it was almost painful.

Among the elderly gathered, was there one who suffered from severe dementia and behaved like a baby?

Of course, Eleris might not know, but once they returned to their own territory, they would likely be a lord vampire with subordinates, so they wouldn’t be living alone.

“Anyway, I will fully cooperate with you as well.”

“Then… naturally, there’s only one left.”

Following Antirianus’s words, everyone’s gaze naturally shifted to the last remaining person.

The elf vampire, Luruien.

“…How did I become the minority in just one day?”

Even when she laughed at the idea of the nonexistent king’s arrival, Luruien was the only one not on my side in this gathering.

No matter the specific circumstances, Luruien had become a lone duck in this situation.

“Ah, no… If I say I’ll cooperate here, I’ll feel like I’m being swept up in the atmosphere and acting without thinking…”

Luruien sighed deeply, furrowing her brow as if annoyed, and stomped her foot.

“Whew… Well, Gallarush did say yesterday that he would side with you, and I did think about it. I did, but…”

Luruien shrugged their shoulders.

“You should know that I’ll only help to a certain extent. I won’t swear loyalty or anything like that. If you demand a military-deity relationship or something like that, it’ll be tiresome for you.”

It was loose cooperation, not loyalty.

But considering who the ally was, that much was enough. Antirianus looked at me with a satisfied smile.

“Now you hold the power of the five vampire houses. Oh, great being.”

I was the one who asked for help, and I achieved my goal.

However, I couldn’t help but feel that the situation was unfolding as Antirianus wanted it to.

Still, it was a success.

I managed to form an alliance with the five vampire lords of the Vampire Council, all bare-handed.

——

I didn’t expect the outcome to be this good. I thought it would be a great success if I could confirm the cooperation of just one or two, but in the end, I succeeded in getting all the Vampire Lords to cooperate.

What’s important is that while their cooperation is good, I should not be overly optimistic about it. I must accept the fact that they are not entirely on my side.

It’s not a military-deity relationship, but rather cooperation.

Among them, I felt Antirianus, who called me a great being and was the most submissive, was the most uncomfortable.

Of course, I didn’t just gain the power of the Vampire Lords.

I also gained the influence they held.

Antirianus explained to me about the families of each house.

The Council was just a meeting place, not where they lived.

Luruien had a stronghold in a large coniferous forest region called Rainwood, located in the northwest of the continent.

Gallarush had established his base in a desert region called Gelkorgis in the southern part of the continent.

Antirianus had mentioned that he had chosen a village in the province of Alphanera, one of the vassal states of the empire, as his base.

These three had their own factions, whether near or far from the human world.

“I believe you may have expected this to some extent, but I am alone.”

Eleris said that she was the only one in her Tuesday faction. It was not surprising, as Eleris had never mentioned her faction even though she was the Lord of Tuesday.

“Same here.”

Lucinil, too, had no faction. One could have anticipated this, as her appearance suggested that she wouldn’t be able to lead a group.

Powerful Vampire Lords, and their factions as well.

It felt as if I had gained an army with just a few words.

The fact that I had become increasingly involved in dangerous affairs and had achieved some success in them sent shivers down my spine.

Now, I could really wage a war.

The weight of that thought made it hard to breathe. But I couldn’t hesitate. Somehow, I had decided to stop the Gate catastrophe.

“Strictly speaking, I sought you out not for your strength but for your knowledge.”

As if to ask what that was, they all stared at me intently.

Could this really be the key?

If it was the right key, I would be freed from all the troubles that had plagued me thus far.

Hoping that it would all start here.

“First, do you know how to open a dimensional gate to another world?”

I asked the powerful Vampire Lords and magicians if they knew the secret that could free me from my terrible fate.

“Second, if you don’t know, do you know of any magical experts who might know, and their whereabouts? Perhaps someone like a member of the Black Order or Cantus Magna.”

At that, they all wore incredulous expressions, which was to be expected.

“A dimensional gate to another world?”

Luruien cocked her head.

“Why are you curious about that?”

Gallarush demonstrated the bewildered expression an orc would make.

“…I’ve never heard such an absurd idea in my life.”

Lucinil seemed to have given up on understanding.

“Another world…”

Antirianus wore an intrigued expression.

The crux of the matter was why I wanted to know about such a thing.

They wouldn’t believe that it was to save the world, and I had originally sought their cooperation for the purpose of rebuilding the demon realm.

“Darkland has lost much of its power. We’ve suffered nearly irreversible losses. Even with your cooperation, it would be difficult to bring down the empire.”

As flimsy as it sounded, I had no choice but to say it.

“That’s why I want to join forces with beings from other worlds.”

It seemed like a far-fetched statement, like I wanted to summon an army from another world since there were too few who would support me in reality.

It was inevitable that my words would elicit even more baffled expressions from them.

——

There was a commotion.

They protested that what I was saying made no sense, that the existence of another world was uncertain at best, and even if it did exist, there was no reason for them to help me.

In particular, Luruien and Gallarush were visibly alarmed, having suspected that I was strange, but now certain that I was mad.

Their reaction was that I was so absurd, it was even becoming frightening.

Lucinil stared at me, wide-eyed.

This kid must be truly insane.

That seemed to be the conclusion she had come to.

Antirianus, on the other hand, found my words so unexpected that he couldn’t help but chuckle.

His laughter was rather eerie.

“Well, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. There’s no harm in trying, right? Besides, no one else has any other solution, do they?”

There’s no harm in trying.

The matter was only at that level, so why not discuss it? Although it wasn’t a topic to bring up lightly, in the end, it was the only excuse I had.

So, they answered my first question, whether they knew or not.

Judging by the expressions of Luruien, Gallarush, and Lucinil, it seemed that none of them had ever considered such a thing.

Antirianus was no different.

The Vampire Council knew nothing about how to travel to another world.

“Alright, if you don’t know, that’s fine. What about the next question?”

Information about a mage who might know such things.

Their reactions were lukewarm once again. No matter how long they had lived, these immortals were living somewhat jaded lives.

Therefore, they couldn’t be expected to be sensitive to information from the world.

However.

“As for Cantus Magna, I once worked with them.”

Antirianus suddenly mentioned this.

“R-really?!”

“Yes, Lucinil.”

The one who blurted out in surprise wasn’t me, but Lucinil.

From the looks of it, the other Vampire Lords present were also taken aback, unable to hide their astonishment.

“It was before I became a vampire, though……”

Antirianus turned out to be the key to reaching Cantus Magna.

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