**Prologue: Freedom**
The silver moon hung high in the sky. A cold wind swept through the trees, brushing against my cheek.
The undead created by the Necromancer are influenced by the lunar phases—gaining or losing power with the waxing and waning of the moon.
Perhaps this is why we, the undead, are referred to as the dark kin or the night kin. It is likely due to the curse woven into the very fabric of the magical undead. Even I, a lower-ranked Vampire, am no exception; my strength peaks during the full moon and diminishes significantly with the new moon. Well, the time when I am at my weakest is undoubtedly the bright morning when the sun relentlessly shines down. Those who hunt us monsters calculate not only the time but also the lunar phases when they pursue us.
I managed to escape from the Order of the Final Knights not because of my cunning, but because they were—foolish.
Not because they underestimated me, but because they underestimated Senri. Her aptitude was likely something rare even for the elite Order of the Final Knights. Only a handful could hope to become a First-Class Knight, and for someone of Senri’s age to be on the verge of achieving that was extraordinary. Thus, they chose to believe in Senri rather than hunt me down.
However, it is not only the Order of the Final Knights that seeks to eliminate Vampires. There are those like the Necromancer from the outside, who would collar and tame us, and unbelievably, there are Vampire Hunters who specialize in hunting Vampires. Even ordinary mercenaries and guards would band together to kill me if they discovered I was a Vampire.
I needed to act with caution. Vampires are incredibly strong, possessing numerous powerful abilities, yet we also harbor astonishing weaknesses.
It is common knowledge that we are vulnerable to sunlight, garlic, and crosses, but we cannot cross flowing water, and we cannot enter another’s home unless invited. We do not cast reflections in mirrors, and if pierced through the heart with a wooden stake, we turn to ash. Additionally, we are also weak against silver and holy water, which are typically harmful to magical beings. I am still a lower-ranked Vampire. My weaknesses are not as severe compared to a pure-blooded Vampire, but regardless, it is too early for me to descend into human territory.
I was certain of one thing. The Annihilation of the Order of the Final Knights destroyed the shadow amulet not out of emotion, but because it was a necessity. If that amulet remained, they would be unable to pursue me, so it was destroyed.
That was a declaration of war. Though they might overlook me now, it was a firm resolve to kill me without fail.
The End Knights can sense the presence of the undead through negative energy. I do not know the specifics of their technique, but if the End Knights can do it, it would not be surprising if other Knights or Vampire Hunters could as well. With the amulet lost, even if I managed to blend into the city and live peacefully as someone who merely dislikes mornings, the sudden attack from an End Knight could happen at any moment.
Perhaps such tools are not easily obtainable. I lightly searched the remnants of the Lord’s estate, but ultimately found no spare amulets. I have no way of knowing how the Lord acquired them.
It has been ten days since I abducted Senri. I continue to flee deeper into the forest, but since then, there has been no sign of the Lord’s remnants. There is a chance they may never appear again.
I peered into a lake that reflected the moonlit night sky. There, I saw my half-transparent form staring back at me.
Now, I am Freedom. Complete Freedom. Though I am being pursued, the choices for my actions are infinite. And there is nothing that can obstruct that.
Ah, how heavy that fact weighs.
In my previous life, I had been bedridden. After my resurrection, I was under the Lord’s protection. The freedom to act means that the responsibility for those actions weighs heavily upon me. I felt that fact acutely once more.
How shall I live? How shall I attack? How shall I defend? How shall I escape?
Yet, that anxiety is also strangely comforting. Even if it leads to hardship, I no longer wish to have my freedom taken away by the Lord.
From between the trees, a large black lizard slithered into view. The magical beasts that appear around here seem different from those near the Lord’s estate. Its fierce golden eyes watched me intently, and I could see rows of sharp teeth glimmering within its slightly open mouth.
But that lizard does not know. I am—far more terrifying than any beast around here—a dark kin with inhuman strength and a regenerative ability that allows me to survive even if my head is severed.
The tips of my fingers crackled and transformed, sharpening into deadly points. This was the ability I gained when I transformed into a Shiki—a “Sharp Claw.” Though it was merely an extension of my claws, they boasted a sharpness that could rival a knife.
With a light flick of my hand, I smiled.
“I’ll take this as a souvenir for Senri. I need to—make some blood for her.”
And with thoughts of the girl who has recently begun to regain her spirit, I pounced on the lizard before me like a beast.