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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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The Demon Lands, 300 years ago.
Even on a moonless night, countless stars illuminated the world.
It was a silent night, all living creatures holding their breath. Even the crickets were quiet.
A blonde-haired woman fidgeted, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. Knights clad in black armor stood guard around her.
Her Death Knight Order.
Their helmets were like empty voids, only their glowing red eyes visible in the darkness.
Aster, the Vampire Lord, looked up at the starlit sky.
The Queen’s wish had been simple.
She had wanted all races to live in harmony, like the stars in the sky.
Born from darkness, she had created her own family. She had taken in those who were injured, those who were dying, those who had been abandoned and forgotten.
She had made them her children, her thirteen apostles.
She had taught them order, instructing them not to increase their numbers recklessly, for vampires grew weaker with each generation.
She had taught them to love all beings, including humans.
And she had dreamed of a world without murder, discrimination, tragedy, or war.
Perhaps it was a dream all the more precious because it was impossible.
“…Is this the end…?”
The Queen smiled sadly. She had wanted to live a peaceful life in the Demon Lands. Even that small dream had been denied to her.
Ashron clutched his chest, gasping for breath. His wounds weren’t healing.
Neither were the Queen’s. Blood poured from the gash in her side.
“Ashron, you fought well. Now, listen to my final command.”
The blonde woman watched Aster with a bored expression. She almost yawned.
“My Queen…”
“Do not avenge me. This is my final command.”
The Queen continued, her voice calm and steady.
Despite her wounds, she stood tall and proud. Even the Death Knights hesitated to approach her.
“This is so boring. You should have chosen your allies more carefully. Tsk.”
The blonde woman was willing to listen to her last words, but she didn’t want to hear anything sentimental.
“Gamigin… I didn’t side with the humans. I simply loved all living beings.”
“Is that so? I love all things dead.”
Aster smiled at Gamigin’s mocking tone. She didn’t seem angry.
“Give me your heart and disappear.”
Gamigin found Aster amusing. The first vampire could have raised an army.
She could have conquered the empire.
Gamigin, who could create an army of the dead, and Aster, who could turn any living creature into a vampire, had similar abilities, but their philosophies were diametrically opposed.
“You want my heart?”
Aster placed her hand on her chest. Her long, elegant fingers became translucent, then passed through her flesh.
She pulled out a blue gem, a heart with intricate markings. Gamigin’s eyes widened.
Her green eyes were filled with greed.
“Gamigin, take it if you can.”
Suddenly, Ashron’s body glowed. And so did the bodies of the other apostles who had fought alongside him.
“Astaroth! Capture them!”
Astaroth’s sword flashed, piercing the Queen’s body.
She had already been gravely wounded.
The Queen stumbled back, blood gushing from her mouth.
But her final spell continued.
“You won’t win.”
She smiled faintly, then collapsed. The heart in her hand disappeared.
Gamigin lunged for it, but it was too late. The gem vanished.
“Aster—!”
Gamigin roared, her voice filled with rage. The Queen, her heart gone, stood motionless.
Only the trees of the Demon Lands swayed in the wind, their branches rustling ominously.
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“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
It was an ancient proverb, often used in historical contexts.
It was the principle that had led to the division of the Three Kingdoms.
And the gray-skinned vampire queen had been killed by a demon.
300 years ago, before the Great War, the Vampire Queen had been assassinated.
She had been killed by Gamigin and her forces. Before dying, she had removed her heart and teleported it away, preventing Gamigin from obtaining it.
“What do I have to do?”
Ashron asked. I held up three fingers.
“Grant me three wishes. You can decide after you hear them.”
“…Tell me your wishes.”
“First, turn this woman into a vampire. And give her free will.”
Ashron, having inherited the Vampire Queen’s power, could turn Lunia into a vampire. And then she would be able to walk in the sunlight.
There was no other way for Lunia to live as a human again. She was already dead.
“Second, there’s going to be a war against the demons. Fight alongside the humans.”
Ashron seemed to be considering my offer. I continued.
“Third, you and your clan will not harm any humans, elves, dwarves, or any other race in this world. Demons and monsters are exempt, of course.”
Ashron spoke.
“I cannot agree to the third condition.”
“I don’t care what you do with the Thirteenth Apostle and his followers. Boil them, roast them, whatever.”
He looked at me, surprised. Ashron had three missions:
Retrieve the Queen’s heart.
Avenge the Queen’s death.
Annihilate the Thirteenth Apostle and his followers.
The Thirteenth Apostle had been excommunicated and stripped of his title. And he was the one who had created the vampires that humans knew.
“How… how do you know about our clan’s secrets?”
“Dragons never forget.”
I used the dragon as an excuse.
It implied that I knew a dragon, and that the dragon had told me everything.
Ashron’s expression changed at the mention of a dragon.
“You… know a dragon?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Which dragon?”
There was no way Ashron would know Calciater. She lived in Atlan. I shrugged.
“A dragon in Atlan.”
“…”
“So, will you make a blood oath with me? Then I’ll give you the Queen’s heart.”
I waited patiently while he considered my offer.
“Very well. I swear.”
I nodded at Rutea, and she melted the ice around Ashron’s right arm.
“I, Ashron Beatrice, swear on the honor of the Beatrice clan…”
He recited the oath, and I agreed. A magic circle appeared where our hands touched.
My heart pounded. The contract was complete.
“Wait here. I’ll go get the Queen’s heart.”
I snapped my fingers, and the Spirit King’s barrier vanished. I was back in the auction house.
I had about 40% of my mana remaining.
―Are you alright, Master?
―Yeah, I’m fine. I managed to resolve the situation peacefully.
I sighed inwardly. I had been hoping to conserve my mana, but I had ended up fighting again.
“Ethan! Are you okay?”
Tesha’s voice startled me. She was looking at me anxiously.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I resolved the situation peacefully.”
“You used the Spirit King’s barrier, didn’t you?”
I nodded. Tesha bit her lip, as if she had something to say.
“Where’s Sepia?”
I looked around. Tesha and the unconscious people were the only ones here. Then I noticed the broken door.
Sepia must have blasted it open with her magic.
“She went to get help.”
As expected. I stretched.
“Ethan… you did it again… all by yourself…”
“It just happened.”
It was about the Blue Gem. It was my responsibility.
“And…”
Tesha hesitated. I waited, looking at her troubled expression.
She took a deep breath and nodded.
“I… I have something to tell you, Ethan. It might sound strange, considering the situation, but…”
Just then, we heard footsteps approaching. It wasn’t just one person.
“Sepia and the guards are coming. We’ll talk later.”
I turned towards the door.
I had to deal with this first. Tesha grabbed my wrist.
Her intense gaze made me pause.
“I… I want to tell you now. I don’t think I can wait…”
What was it?
I nodded, though I had no idea what she was about to say.
One of the unconscious people suddenly sat up, his voice trembling.
“Guards! Guards—!”
As if triggered by his shout, the others began to wake up.
They had slept through the entire fight.
“What’s going on…?”
“It’s… a long story…”
Tesha’s eyes darted around nervously, then she closed them, muttering something I couldn’t hear.
She sighed.
Question marks floated in my mind, then turned into exclamation marks.
Ah.
It was about the Blue Gem. Tesha had also come here for the gem. She must have been trying to retrieve it before the demons got their hands on it.
That was so like Tesha.
“Ethaaan! Ethan, are you okay?”
Sepia rushed in, gasping for breath. She looked at Tesha and me.
Tesha quickly let go of my wrist.
Sepia’s eyes filled with tears as she ran towards me and threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly.
“Ethan! I was so worried!”
I blinked, stunned. Even Tesha looked surprised.
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