Chapter 44
"I-I'm dying. Isn't this just telling someone to get beaten to death? This is crazy. I'm dying. Help!! Neighbors!! Lee Seonghoon is killing someone!!"
Is she crazy? For some reason I smacked Ishia's head which seemed to have lost a screw. Only then did she seem to come to her senses, grabbing her crown while glaring at me.
What can you do.
"Sigh. I know too. This is good. The more I fight the more I feel it so I hate it more."
Well of course. Whose idea was it? Completely awesome right? Makes you see me differently right?
"I don't think so?"
"Do you know what you're saying?"
"I don't know what you're thinking, but anyway no. You have a face that obviously had some useless thoughts."
My personal opinion is that this one taught Gungye mind reading. I'm sure of it.
Anyway, we're currently at a cafe in downtown. We came because Raphael kept saying things like 'The cheesecake here is delicious!' and it's quite a nice place.
"Do you know what my ranking is now? It dropped to 21st. Does this make sense?"
"You'll go back up to 9th when you beat Lucy anyway. Don't worry and keep getting knocked down."
That sounds a bit weird. Ishia said while pouting. She's even closing her eyes from exhaustion.
Of course she won't be physically tired much. After battles, fatigue and wounds are healed by the academy. But the problem is mental fatigue.
Ishia naturally got crushed and beaten by Park Hosoo. After that she threw away her staff and fought hand-to-hand for all incoming challenge rights.
The result was naturally defeat, but think of it as valuable defeat.
"Don't you feel anything? Like getting new techniques?"
At my words Ishia opened her eyes and looked this way drowsily before opening her mouth. Sorry but let's get up from the desk when talking.
"There are. First I succeeded in using "High-speed Chanting" for 2-line chants during hand-to-hand combat. Besides that, how to make magic explode definitively. Things like if I mess up this magic here it changes to this magic~ Also~"
From Ishia's mouth with her index finger on her lips came close combat methods I couldn't even imagine.
Things like explosion types differing by deployed magic, blocking vision with pillars of darkness for surprise attacks, self-enhancement magic getting stronger.
Words that absolutely shouldn't come from a magician's mouth.
As expected making her roll around all day was the right choice. I couldn't help but smile imagining Lucy Violet crawling between my legs with a face of humiliation.
"Why are you smiling like that? Creepily?"
"Thinking about disciplining a queen bitch."
Ugh. After throwing a chop at the damn blonde making weird expressions, I opened my inventory thinking maybe I should organize it until Ishia's next opponent appears─
I doubted my eyes.
[Item status in inventory has changed.]
[Grim Reaper Robe in Holy Water -> Purified Grim Reaper Robe]
[Skull Mask in Holy Water -> Purified Skull Mask]
[Holy Water -> Holy Water Touched by Archangel]
[Holy Water Touched by Archangel: Water whose blessing changed from being touched by Archangel Raphael. Can break any powerful curse.]
"....Is this real?"
Though two people's gazes gathered at my muttering, I couldn't react. The blue window hadn't ended.
[Purified items are being enhanced by Lair(Benia).]
[Purified Grim Reaper Robe -> Mana-infused Grim Reaper Robe]
[Purified Skull Mask -> Mana-infused Skull Mask]
[Death Reaper in Raphael's Holy Water Purification Rate 43%]
I finally took my eyes off the ended blue window and looked at Raphael watching me with eyes like 'sigh here we go again'.
And there was only one thing to say.
"Want some cheesecake?"
Eat as much as you want.
***
"Y-you're not getting angry even though I ate this much? Who are you? You're not Seonghoon right? Who are you!!!"
"Ishia's paying anyway so what does it matter. More importantly, nothing else you want to eat? Today eat everything you want."
"Really? Who is it? Who's using transformation magic pretending to be Seonghoon? Michael? It's Michael right?!"
"Who's that? Stop and just eat."
Making nom─! sounds while stuffing all the cafe desserts into her mouth. Watching that, Ishia's face turned pale. Making expressions at me like 'really I have to?'
Who else if not you? Me? That's not right.
"Tutoring fee."
"There's no such thing.."
"Here there is."
"Sigh."
Now seeming to have given up, she also collapsed on the desk with closed eyes. Right. Better not to see the gloomy future.
I nodded while crossing my arms. About time for another challenge right to come to Ishia─
While having such thoughts something entered my view.
Could tell even from far away. A sick person. Injured somewhere, walking this way limping while bleeding.
Well, if there's such a person it's courtesy to run and help. When it's one person that is.
"Wh-what is that?!"
"R-run away─!!!"
Voices of nearby seated people are heard. Ignoring the surroundings falling into panic, looking straight ahead.
There are zombies. People covered in blood to the point calling them zombies isn't an exaggeration, looking gaunt. At least 20. No more than that.
Thud. Thud.
I stood up watching them slowly walking over. Surprised Raphael says things like 'Wh-what is this?!' and Ishia seems to have already grasped the situation as she stands without a word.
What could this be. There wasn't such an event.
Getting closer and closer. They keep advancing while pouncing on nearby people.
Fallen people get up again and join the group. Though it's a situation where anyone would say they're zombies!
As they get closer and their outlines become visible. I could tell their identity.
Sharp fangs, unfocused red eyes, dirty drool dripping.
"Apostles."
"What? What's that?!"
I didn't answer Raphael's question. Grasping the situation came first.
These guys are apostles. Poor things bitten by vampires but unable to become lower vampires, unable to live or die.
Just monsters trying to live a bit longer by sucking blood from people. Of course those bitten by apostles become apostles too.
I haven't heard any vampire warnings from Sophia. Though she sometimes goes hunting alone without saying anything, if that were the case this wouldn't have happened.
Then there's only one answer left.
There's only one vampire that true ancestors can't sense.
"Lachesis. Sophia's location─"
As I turned around to order something to Ishia while speaking.
Gone.
Both Raphael and Ishia gone. All that's there is faintly spread mist.
I smacked my forehead at the mist spread just up to me.
"I'm fucked."
Forced into multiple choice. Save Raphael and Ishia, or go find Sophia.
The one who did this is a true ancestor other than Sophia. If left alone Sophia might be discovered, and if discovered then─
Though I don't know how things got twisted for that to come here, one thing is certain.
"I have such bad luck!!!!"
Why does this happen right when Sophia went to meet someone, should have kept her beside me.
Plus why does something that shouldn't happen originally happen right in front of me.
I cursed my terribly bad luck while moving my feet.
There's only one place to go.
Though I said multiple choice, I have to resolve both anyway.
At times like this people should set priorities.
"Put out urgent fires first."
I started running following Lachesis's guidance while ignoring screams echoing from all directions.
***
"Sophia! Look at this! I've become someone suitable for you!!"
What nonsense is this. Sophia is fighting while trying hard to endure the dirty feeling.
On the way back to Lee Seonghoon.
Suddenly feeling vampire energy and turning around, the man who was a friend until just now had become a vampire.
Of course he was a weak person from the start. Though becoming a vampire increased his magic power a bit and raised his physical abilities, that's it.
Not even a match for Sophia. However the problem lay elsewhere.
'Can I kill this?'
To live in human society you must follow rules made by humans. This guy was human. Until just now.
Though she probably guesses the cause, dealing with this man comes first.
Would killing him count as murder? Would that mean she can't live in human society? Such thoughts.
Unable to do this or that and just deflecting his attacks, he thinks he's even overwhelming Sophia because he got stronger.
Someone who would die instantly without even using magic, let alone not even reaching 2-line chants, just 1-line chants, is running his mouth.
'Feels bad.'
Until earlier it was just somewhat disgusting, but after becoming a vampire his expressions and tone, every word choice brought physiological disgust.
Wanted to kill him right now, but one phrase kept echoing in her head.
─Dear. To live in human society you must follow rules made by humans.
"Tsk."
When she jumps back, the man follows. Red eyes staring only at her, made her want to throw up like they had hearts drawn in them.
"Now I'll take you away and make you happy. First cutting off those legs that keep moving away from me. Then─"
"Shut up for a bit."
This is disgustingly killing me. While blocking attacks enduring rising nausea, his talk level kept rising.
Starting from legs to arms saying will she only look at him then, that Lee Seonghoon guy dies next.
Let's go to a remote island together. Don't worry I'll feed you.
Magic power squirmed with each word that popped out. She swung her arm aiming to subdue while forcefully enduring.
'Hard to control power.'
Couldn't get a feel for how weak the opponent was. Would this swing kill him? Though he'd live even with head cut off, needed to catch him with body intact. If something goes wrong─
"Your struggling looks good too. Hope your face doesn't get scarred."
"Fucking hell. I said shut your trap."
Finally unable to endure she spat out curses. The man was stunned briefly then soon grinned.
"Even cursing looks sexy!"
"Crazy bastard."
"Yeah. I'm crazy. Crazy for you─"
The man's words couldn't continue. Were unable to continue.
Sophia stopped moving in surprise. Well anyone would stop moving seeing this sight.
The man's head flies through the air. Blood spurts from the body, and it collapses powerlessly.
Nothing around. Yet it happened.
Sophia was confused. What is this? Did I do it? Too angry? What should I do? How do I explain? Am I becoming a murderer? Like this?
Such thoughts. Though her head was full of only question marks, she soon calmed down.
The reason is simple.
"Ah fuck. Can't stand listening. Both that guy and this guy, do these guys only shit from their mouths? The mouth is an entrance not an exit. Put food in why do you keep spitting shit."
Lee Seonghoon popped out of thin air. Wearing a black robe.
He looked at Sophia then grinned.
"He's still alive you know? Sophia. Repeat after me. Don't talk shit, you crazy bastard."
Sophia with mouth gaping wide met eyes with the falling head.
Eyes still looking only at her even in this situation.
It was the natural progression for these words to come from her mouth.
"D-don't talk shit. You crazy bastard."
That felt refreshing!