Chapter 260: 137. Slaughterer (Part Two)
Translated by A Passing Wanderer
Edited by RED
**
“The investigation has been completed, Your Highness.”
Inside Count Jenald’s manor.
I was sitting inside the conference room, listening to Harman’s report. Alice, Hans, Count Jenald, and Charlotte were with us.
“Our opponent this time is a Vampire Count named Timong.”
Here in the northern region was a castle of ice that used to be the Necromancer King’s headquarters. Right now, it was home to a Progenitor Vampire, this Count Timong, who allegedly had been working together with Second Imperial Prince Ruppel.
I received the documents Harman handed over and scanned their contents. They consisted largely of the new information acquired through torturing the captured lycan, as well as the things learned by torturing the Second Imperial Prince back in the Theocratic Empire’s secret prison.
I continued to peruse the documents while Harman resumed his report, “It seems that Count Timong has been researching the warp gate for more than one thousand years.”
Hans reacted the most to that report. His brows shot up, and he began poring over the information on the documents.
“Their plan is to use their findings to open a doorway between different dimensions, and…” Harman glanced in my direction before continuing on. “…bring ruination to the entire Imperial Family.”
“Like, opening up Purgatory?”
I interlocked my fingers and leaned against the back of the sofa.
The warp gate, the dimensional doorway… those terms really bugged me.
That doorway to Purgatory back in Aihrance? Such a thing opening up elsewhere would present a massive headache that even I would have a hard time trying to stop.
But now it sounded like this Count Timong was planning to complete something even worse than a doorway to Purgatory itself.
“And also, it seems that the vampires have almost completed the process. They are at the final hurdle at the moment.”
“But that’s impossible!” Hans shouted out, shooting up from his seat. He shook his head wildly in agitation. “Some mere vampires completed such a warp gate?! Such a thing, that’s completely, utterly…!”
“Don’t forget that these bastards gave the necromancers back in Aihrance the info on the magic. Those necromancers used that info to cast the warp magic connecting to Purgatory.”
Hans flinched at what I said and froze up. He looked back at me.
“So, you still think the Vampires can’t pull it off now?” I continued.
Hans clenched his teeth as if he didn’t want to acknowledge it. But a short bit of silence later, he slowly admitted, “…Yes, it’s possible. Honestly speaking, I’ve already accepted my defeat in that regard.”
Hans held his forehead and sat back down in his chair.
I glanced at him for a moment before shifting my attention back over to Harman. “Okay, so? What exactly are they planning to do? Open another pathway to Purgatory or something?”
“No, Your Highness. It doesn’t seem that way, but we just don’t have enough information. However, if that is indeed their plan, then…”
The ends of Harman’s sentence grew quieter.
He probably wanted to say that, if that was what the vampires were planning, then the Theocratic Empire would be in grave danger.
We shouldn’t forget that the Tide of Death would soon flood this place. The curse of the Necromancer King, which sought to dye the entire continent in demonic energy, would begin.
Before that happened, we needed to do something.
I fidgeted around with my interlocked fingers, before rubbing my face after checking out the contents of one of the documents Harman had handed over.
It didn’t contain the information related to the vampires, but a report concerning the current situation back in the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Family was enjoying a period of peace, but Holy Emperor Kelt’s body was exhibiting some strange signs lately.
He was quite vigorous for a man his age, but lately, he’d get fatigued by his daily routines and even fall asleep often during work.
The symbol of the Theocratic Empire, the strongest man on the planet, and also the object of pure terror for the vampires, was gradually getting weaker.
The end of one’s life, which couldn’t be altered even with the holy water or abundant divine energy…
Kelt’s life was steadily reaching its end.
Even then, this wasn’t just some random nobody, but the one and only Kelt Olfolse. It’d be another ten years before he departed this world for the side of dear Goddess Gaia.
That’s what I firmly believed. For the time being, I needed to focus on the vampire threat.
‘But once we deal with this matter, I better quickly return to the Imperial Palace…’
I looked around at everyone present in the conference room. “These punks managed to create that warp gate connecting to Purgatory.”
Everyone focused their attention on me.
“No one knows what else they might do next.”
The Tide of Death, December 25th, was rapidly approaching us.
That’s why… “We are going to hit them first.” I scanned everyone in the room and continued, “As soon as the supply corps returns, we organise the convicts and attack the ice castle.”
Even if the convicts weren’t all that skilled, it shouldn’t be too hard for them to subjugate the undead in the Land of the Dead Spirits with Count Jenald commanding them, while Alice, Harman, and Charlotte travelled alongside.
As for me…
“Hey, Hans.”
“Y-yes, sir?” Hans tilted his head as a puzzled look floated up on his face.
“Get the warp magic ready. I’m going to wipe them out from the inside.”
Hans was stupefied for a bit, before crying out in alarm, “Y-you want to try the warp magic, sir?”
“It’s possible, right?”
“O-of course, sir. But I need some time to…”
“How long do you need?”
“…”
Hans held his head and fell into silent contemplation.
His eyes were darting around. He muttered to himself in some indecipherable language, as if he was mentally calculating something.
Eventually, he clapped his hands and yelled out. “December 24th! It will be completed by then.”
“…One day before the Tide of Death, is it?”
Now that was cutting it really close.
But that also meant I’d have some time to deal with the vampire punks hiding in there. My plan now was to wipe those bastards out completely in one night.
“Alright, I’ll leave it up to you. I’ll be directly infiltrating their headquarters using the warp magic.”
Hans nodded at my words.
**
“Hurry and get the weapons!”
“We ain’t gonna stay here as sitting ducks anymore!”
I watched the convicts busily moving about outside from the window of the manor. They were bursting at the seams with fighting spirit, probably because they were anticipating our total victory.
“Will it be really alright, Your Highness?” Charlotte asked me, her voice full of concern.
She had tried very hard to dissuade me after learning that I’d step into the middle of the enemy camp by myself.
I settled down on the office’s sofa and replied to her while munching on a snack, “Can’t be helped, since Hans’s warp circle can only send one person at most.”
Hans was right next to us, and flinched visibly in the middle of drawing the warp magic circle on the floor.
He snuck a glance at me and said testily. “…Please search around the rest of the continent, sir. See how many people you can find out there who are capable of completing a warp circle like me.”
I waved my hand at him lightly, trying to cool his ire.
In any case… vampires were far too dangerous to let them escape. I learned how dangerous this warp magic could actually be back in Aihrance, so I was planning to stop at nothing and do whatever it took to put a screeching halt to their plans.
From this moment on, I’d be infiltrating their inner sanctum and start massacring some vampires.
If any of the survivors made a run for it, then the convicts laying siege to the ice castle would simply deal with them outside.
And since it was only a Count-class vampire, I alone was enough to deal with that vampire. There might be other unexpected threats inside, but I didn’t have a choice here. I needed to deal with them as they happened.
Well, both Alice and Charlotte were going to participate, so they would surely support me if something dangerous happened to me.
“Whatever the case may be… I’ll believe in you, Charlotte.”
“B-but…” Before she could say something, I pushed a piece of biscuit in her mouth and stopped her.
Charlotte stopped talking and munched on the snack while staring at me.
“No need to worry about me.”
“…Understood.”
She seemed to have finally given up, judging from her depressed expression. However, she still snuck glances in my direction, and there were obvious signs of hesitation in her eyes.
Charlotte took her time before finally opening her mouth. “Not too long from now, the supply corps will return, Your Highness. The ice castle is about half a day’s travel away.”
Her gaze remained quiet, yet focused. “I pray that you stay safe until then.”
“That’s obvious.” I smiled brightly back at her to assuage her worries.
“It’s complete, sir!”
I turned my head and stared at the warp magic circle Hans had drawn on the floor.
“All you have to do is to inject your divinity into it. The transfer will become safer the more divine energy you dump into it, sir!” Hans said while stepping away from the warp magic circle.
Unlike him, I was stepping into the circle, instead.
‘But, uh, I’m getting a bit nervous here…’
I recalled what happened back in Aslan. ‘Back then, I was totally surrounded by enemies, wasn’t I?’
“…You sure it’s safe?”
I stared at Hans, and he gave me a thumb-up and a loud, confident shout on top as well. “Of course, sir! Just who am I!? Aren’t I the genius Alchemist?”
‘…Well, I sure hope that the end result matches your confidence.’
“Oops! By the way, take this with you, sir.”
Hans pushed a crystal sphere to me. It was the same explosive sphere he had used against the orcs way back in Aslan’s desert.
“It will have the same effect as exploding holy water, sir.”
“That sounds like a useful item.”
I took the crystal sphere and sucked in a deep breath. I then pressed my palm down inside the warp magic circle and began injecting divinity into it.
“Well, then…”
Bright light emitted from the magic circle next.
“…I’m off.”
And then, my body broke down into tiny particles.
**
The vampires under the command of Count Timong were not specialised in combat, but more in magic research and alchemy.
Before their vampirification, they were already renowned researchers in their respective fields, and upon turning, they had gathered in one place and performed all sorts of experiments together.
The one field of research they were all interested in was, of course, warp magic. Especially the part about creating a doorway that led to another world; the possibility of that allowed the Alchemists and Magicians to dream and have visions of what it would be like.
In the basement of the ice castle…
There were dozens upon dozens of warp magic circles connecting to the rest of the continent to be found here.
The Vampires kitted out in leather aprons and goggles tilted their heads and began gathering near a particular warp magic circle.
This circle had begun emitting light, which was the expected reaction when someone used warp magic to reach this ice castle.
“Who can it be?”
“Is anyone scheduled to visit us today?”
They exchanged glances and continued to tilt their heads in confusion. After scanning through the list of the scheduled arrivals, they were left even more confused.
“No, no one’s scheduled to come today, and I don’t think it’s going to be Count Timong’s guest, either, whoever it is.”
They confirmed the list of arrivals and became certain that no one was scheduled to come. The vampires naturally became wary and began grabbing various weapons hanging on the nearby walls.
Just as they got ready… they flinched in surprise and clamped their mouths shut.
It was because the gentle aura of divine power began spreading from the warp magic circle.
The bright white aura quaked and undulated like ripples of water.
‘What’s this? Divinity? This is a Vampire-exclusive warp magic circle, so how come divinity is…?’
The Vampires began stumbling back as their pasty complexions grew even paler.
Right at that moment, the disparate particles began gathering rapidly on top of the warp magic circle written in ancient runes.
The vampires felt their hearts tumble to the pits of their stomachs at the sight.
Clack-!
A metallic creature was taking a step forward.
No, wait; it wasn’t a creature made out of metal, but a person covered entirely in metal armour, instead.
An existence wielding a musket in his right hand and a huge shield wrapping around him on his left was walking out from the magic circle.
That wasn’t all, however – more Paladins kitted out from head to toe in armour also accompanied him, as well. And every single one of them was holding onto a musket!
“W-what the…?”
Paladins? Never mind that for now, why were they all wielding muskets…?
Dozens of them stood in a line, then raised the muzzles of their weapons.
The vampires failed to understand the unfolding situation. Why did dozens of Paladins suddenly step outside the vampire-only warp magic circle and not only that, while brandishing muskets, too?
‘H-hold up, muskets?’
Only then did some of the vampires recall a rumour they had heard in the recent past. Their complexions promptly became completely devoid of all colour.
The existence they called the Slaughterer of Vampires and the Butcher of Lycans…
The Seventh Imperial Prince, from the empire of devout believers, who was capable of hunting Progenitors down with a mere musket…
“The Holy King, Allen Olfol…!”
Right at that moment, the head of a vampire exploded into bits. The undead, now headless, was instantly enveloped in bluish flames and began the process of being purified out of this world.
The headless body flailed about in torment, while the remaining vampires urgently turned their terrified gazes back to the warp magic circle.
Hot smoke came from the musket wielded by the one in front of the Paladins. That served as the signal and the holy undead, their glowing eyes burning even more fiercely than before, began breathing into their muskets as well.
The musket regiment slowly and steadily stepped outside the warp circle.
As the dense smoke wafted about, dozens of holy undead began aiming their muzzles at their new targets.
The Paladin at the head of the pack stepped up, then opened the mouth hidden beneath his helm. “Well now. Vampires…”
The vampires all flinched nastily.
The Paladin raised that large shield and hid himself behind it. But the musket in his right hand was still aimed at the Vampires.
“…It’s time to hunt.”
That one sentence caused the vampires to scream their lungs out.
< 137. Slaughterer (Part One and Two) > Fin.
