**Epilogue: Light**
**Chapter Two**
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**Epilogue: Light**
I had a truly terrible experience.
The ability created by Lord, known as *Curse Absorption*, is a fearsome power. While it requires utmost caution due to the nature of the objects being absorbed, depending on how it is used, it could grant me immense strength.
However, the curse I absorbed from Alba was far too dreadful. Despite being a girl clearly younger than me, she could transform into a large and robust dog, while I ended up as a small, toy-sized dog. The reflection in the mirror Senri lent me showed a very adorable, translucent puppy. Its long, fluffy fur was pure white, and if I had owned such a creature in my previous life, it would have brought me great comfort.
This was just too much. My combat capabilities were clearly diminished compared to my human form. Moreover, no matter how much I tried to grow larger, I couldn’t transform like Alba. The only fortunate aspect was that my sense of smell had been enhanced, and the fact that I no longer had to worry about being tracked by Alba due to the absorbed curse.
As for the future… well, being small might prove useful in certain situations.
In this sealed space where not a single ray of light penetrated, the world swayed gently. With nothing to do, I closed my eyes and strained my ears. If I concentrated, I could hear the voices of those outside.
“Is it a puppy? Can I see it?”
“It’s a puppy. It’s sleeping, so I can’t show it. Is it alright if I keep it here?”
I perked my ears at Senri’s voice coming from directly above me. Her usually blunt tone was now laced with a hint of urgency.
“Of course. However, if it makes too much of a mess, there will be an additional charge…”
“It’s fine. It’s well-trained.”
“Of course. It seems very calm.”
I couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy about the rubber collar wrapped around my neck. However, I couldn’t remove it since it contained a shard of the *Night Crystal*. While Alba had seemed calm and emitted no negative aura, that was only because she was technically human; I was still a dog, and a vampire at that.
I was inside a small pet carrier designed for puppies. It had been slightly modified to ensure that no sunlight could enter. A little light would be fine, but…
Putting aside my personal feelings, this was a tremendous improvement compared to the days I spent hiding in a closet during the day. Until now, my inability to move during daylight had been a significant drawback, but in my dog form, I was small enough for Senri to carry easily, which greatly increased my mobility during the day. At night, I could simply run while carrying a sleeping Senri on my back, significantly raising our chances of escape.
The others likely believed I was still with Senri, so they would be searching for a pair. However, we were now just one person and one dog.
“By the way, what is its name?”
The inn staff, who seemed to be fond of dogs, asked. Senri hesitated for a moment before answering in a soft voice.
“The name is… Baron.”
“Baron…? That’s quite a name.”
“Yes. It’s a noble name. A very good boy.”
How cruel, Senri. I felt a pang of sadness and let out a mournful whine, pouring my emotions into it.
§
Upon entering the room, I closed the curtains, and once I was taken out of the carrier, I returned to my original form. My small paws rapidly expanded, limbs and torso stretching out, and the charming fluffy fur disappeared. The only thing that remained unchanged was the elastic collar wrapped around my neck.
The transformation back was initially unclear, but I quickly figured it out. It felt like my body was growing. While I instinctively understood how to transform into a dog, it seemed that returning to my original form was a bit more challenging.
It appeared that there was a slight clash between the curse I originally possessed and the new one I had absorbed. According to Senri, Alba had been forced into her dog form in the morning, but I had not experienced that. There seemed to be several things to verify.
As sunlight filtered in faintly through the curtains, my skin prickled. I had returned to my original form and immediately crawled away from the sunlight, which was not too harsh, but still uncomfortable. Senri turned away, throwing me a rare, troubled look as she spoke.
“First… put on some clothes.”
“If only I could transform with my clothes, this curse is so thoughtless.”
“You are a bit… too carefree.”
“There’s no point in worrying about it. Besides, being a dog isn’t so bad. I could earn money by performing tricks.”
However, not wearing clothes felt quite strange. Even when I was bedridden, I had always worn something. I couldn’t believe Alba had attacked me while completely naked.
As I bantered, I slipped on my underwear and pulled my arms through the sleeves. Senri glanced back at me, checking.
“Are you feeling alright? Having multiple curses… I’ve never heard of such a thing. I can’t predict what will happen…”
“It seems… the vampire curse is stronger.”
Well, there was nothing I could do about that now. However, Lord had intended to take my body. He wouldn’t do anything to put himself at a disadvantage, so I could only trust in his abilities.
I had successfully escaped the Baron territory. There were no signs of the Master Beasts attacking. For now, I could say we had escaped a dire situation.
“Was it fine not to say goodbye to your family?”
“Yeah, it was fine.”
I had already heard the circumstances. My father had entrusted me to Senri.
My father, whom I hadn’t seen in years, had helped me more than I could have imagined. It would be a lie to say I felt no sentimentality. I did wish I could have seen my mother and siblings… but it was probably best to avoid that. I was already dead. The fewer people who knew, the better. Even if it held no meaning, simply having received the name Baron was enough.
According to Senri, the Master Beast was dead. After using every trick in the book—from traps to smoke screens, and even poison gas—to stall Senri, he ultimately self-destructed along with the mansion. He was a remarkable man, even as an enemy. If he had managed to stall just a little longer, Alba would have killed me.
And even after self-detonating, Senri had arrived to rescue me, almost unscathed, and had flown a considerable distance in an instant. She was far more inhuman than I was.
I had no idea what kind of life Alba would lead now that she had lost her master, but even if she lost the curse, her memories and experiences remained intact. She would likely continue to live. All I knew was that Alba would never stand before me as an enemy again.
It seemed that the Master Beast’s terrifying tracking ability was due to Alba’s sense of smell. Perhaps he had also gained speed from riding on her back or something. Now that I had taken that power from her, and with the *Night Crystal* in my possession, there was no one left who could pursue me. I could finally take a breather.
Fortunately, *Curse Absorption* was not an ability that required constant vigilance. While absorbing numerous curses could make me stronger, the current danger level was low. If it had been a power that caused indiscriminate destruction, Senri might have killed me, but this ability had no effect on her and was meaningless against the vast majority of opponents. For now, it seemed I could enjoy a little leeway.
I approached Senri, who still had her back turned, and hugged her from behind, nuzzling my nose against her neck. I could smell the sweet scent of blood flowing beneath her skin. While Alba’s blood had been delicious, it paled in comparison to Senri’s.
Senri did not flinch and resisted with a voice that held a hint of reprimand.
“Stop… that’s not allowed.”
“But you said I could bite you. It’s not good to lie.”
“I bit Alba’s blood. No, that’s not allowed.”
“Alright, alright. I won’t bite.”
I rubbed my nose against her, brushing my lips against her pale skin, tracing it gently. The fragrant scent made my mouth water.
Senri let out a small, lustrous moan. That sound stirred a dark joy within me, and I tightened my embrace around her delicate, soft body.
Even at this point, Senri was not wearing her *Blessing Armor*.
Senri-Sylvis’s blood drives vampires mad.
Surely, I, who could take her blood whenever I wanted, was the happiest vampire in existence. Yet, that also meant—our very existence could be targeted even by other vampires. As long as I was near, Senri would not don her *Blessing Armor*. And without the energy of *Sei*, which vampires instinctively feared, Senri emanated a delicious scent that could be detected even from hundreds of meters away.
I would kill them all. Vampires were Senri’s enemies. And they were my enemies as well.
“The Vampire Bride.”
The term the Master Beast used to refer to Senri described someone who, without becoming a familiar, offered their blood to vampires while remaining human. Senri did not flinch, but for her, still possessing the soul of the *End Knight*, it was a grave insult.
Her silver hair brushed against my nose. Her white skin glistened faintly with sweat. A scolding voice rang out.
“Transform into a dog… you were better like that.”
“I won’t bite. But when I’m like this… it feels so—”
――Calm down.
The moment I tried to say that, an intense heat surged through my entire body. In the blink of an eye, the world was filled with it, reminiscent of some cataclysmic event.
The shock forced my eyes open. The heat was pain—Sei’s power, burning me to ashes. It surpassed the light of the sun――.
My body, my soul, began to fade. The Negative Energy I possessed, which had absorbed the blood of Alba-tos and boasted an unprecedented amount, was being consumed. I was reverting to Zero. My fingertips vanished, my arms disappeared, and my legs, as if they had never existed, were gone.
This wasn’t Senri’s power… No, this was――.
Senri, usually so calm and composed, stared at me with wide, purple eyes, filled with disbelief. He hurriedly lifted my upper body from the ground.
“‘Light of Liberation (Soul-LiLiース)’… This can’t be… impossible. It should be at least a thousand kilometers away…”
It was E-pe. I thought, as my consciousness began to fade. Only Annihilation’s E-pe, radiating power that could be mistaken for the sun, could do something like this.
My awareness slipped away. Resistance was futile. I was returning to a lifeless state. This wasn’t just aimed at me. It was indiscriminate—a long-range, indiscriminate attack against An/N/AdeN/ADoro.
No, I don’t want to die. The abyss within me struggled, but it was swept away by the overwhelming amount of Energy, barely putting up a fight.
At that moment, Senri lifted my head and, just like before, pressed his lips against my neck. In a frenzy, I sank my fangs into his pale skin.
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Thank you for accompanying me this far. This is Tsukikage.
With this, the tale of the King of the Dead in the Dark Palace concludes. Part Two is now complete. How was it? Compared to the first part, the second was a bit brighter. With the powerful partner Senri by my side, I believe we’ve caught a glimpse of the End’s Element. Various circumstances surrounding the Vampires have also come to light. I hope you enjoyed it.
Now that we’ve reached a stopping point, it seems that the army of the Demon King mentioned in the synopsis hasn’t appeared at all. While it feels like a good place to pause, I think I’ll take a little time and write Part Three. Expect some excitement!
Additionally, I have one more announcement regarding this work. Currently, a project for publishing this story is underway. I can’t disclose the details just yet, but I will announce them as soon as I receive permission. There are several areas I feel I haven’t fully explored, so I’d like to add some new content.
I’ve come this far thanks to all of you, my dear readers. I will do my utmost to ensure you enjoy NowAfter, so please continue to support me.