**Chapter Four: The Town of Immortality**
The castle of the “Phantom Magic King” is said to be perched atop a mountain, much like Rainer’s castle. Generally, magic kings have many enemies. Humans, of course, and it’s not uncommon for them to be in conflict with other magic kings as well. If one were to become the despised magic king of the Anadoro, all living beings would surely turn against them. It was only natural for such a magic king to build their castle on a mountain that was easy to defend. Though, it has since fallen into ruin.
The “Phantom Magic King” was destroyed by the Order of the Final Knights, along with their subordinates, leaving only the sturdy castle behind. The Order attempted to raze the castle, but it seems that a noble supporting the magic king’s subjugation intervened at that time. The area surrounding the castle was under the dominion of magical objects, and the existing sturdy castle was likely deemed too valuable to destroy.
In fact, the nobles of that time effectively utilized the “Phantom Magic King’s” castle, pacifying the surrounding area and establishing a nation. Afterward, the castle, which had become inconvenient, was abandoned but was intentionally left intact. This is the reason why the “Phantom Magic King’s” castle still retains its form even after hundreds of years.
Now, the ancient castle is known as a symbol of humanity’s victory in that nation.
I love traveling. Even if I find nothing, I won’t be disappointed.
After several days of being carried by Senri, we finally arrived at a nearby town without incident. During that time, we were not suspected at all. It seems that this country, which was once on the front lines hundreds of years ago, is now known as a relatively safe place.
I was placed in a carry case and entered the town, remaining very still in the shade where no sunlight penetrated. My strength drained away all at once. We had come upon flowing water.
I heard the sound of flowing water. The fact that there was sound meant that the town’s vampire countermeasures were likely thorough.
Generally, towns implement vampire countermeasures using flowing water, but the degree of these measures varies by town. For example, the countermeasures in Lainburg, which was under heavy assault from Rainer, were nearly perfect, surrounded by deep moats. However, the feeling of this town was among the strongest I had encountered.
Peaceful towns often neglect their vampire countermeasures, but it seemed this one was different.
“The objective is… to see the castle.”
“You came to see the castle too, huh? There have been quite a few lately. Is there something going on?”
A young man’s voice reached my ears. Damn it, if I were up on Senri’s head, I could have stolen the spotlight… It seems that a delicate woman traveling alone like Senri tends to stand out. I often received inquiries during our journey. While it was nice not to be on high alert, it didn’t feel great to be treated like a pet. Conversely, when I was on Senri’s head, she transformed from a lovely maiden into a girl with a dog on her head, drawing all the attention toward us. Sometimes, showing a bit of charm would earn us some treats.
However, I was powerless now. No matter how long I waited, my strength did not return. I couldn’t even move my tail.
I had visited many towns before, but this was the first time I had to undergo an entrance examination over water. It was indeed a place once ruled by the Anadoro magic king. Skeletons are not supposed to be weak against flowing water, but they likely dug the waterways as part of their vampire countermeasures.
“I’m in a hurry…”
Noticing my discomfort, Senri quickly wrapped up the conversation. As my strength returned, I protested by tapping the carry case with my tail, urging her to hurry.
—
Senri wandered around the town for over an hour with me still in the carry case. This was a first for me. She was kind. She always prioritized my needs, and it was customary for her to find an inn that could block out the light as soon as we arrived in a town.
Though my strength had returned, I felt a bit unwell due to the sunlight. Occasionally, the smell of garlic wafted in, exacerbating my condition. Garlic is a natural enemy of vampires. Ingesting it would lead to dire consequences, but even just the smell was unpleasant. Moreover, it seemed this town had many rivers.
After what felt like an eternity, Senri finally stopped. I patiently waited. I could hear her making a reservation for a room, and we entered. The swaying of the carry case ceased, followed by the sound of curtains being drawn. With nothing to do, I continued to protest with my tail.
From outside the carry case, I could hear Senri’s voice.
“Ugh… This room can’t completely block out the sunlight.”
“Yip!”
“No… The inns I searched were all like this. They had them on the gates too, so I couldn’t take you outside.”
“!? Does this town have a grudge against vampires!?”
“Maybe they do. Well, it seems they did once upon a time. It’s a phenomenon often seen in towns that fought against the Anadoro. The local specialties are garlic and silver products. They cremate the dead on the water. There are many rivers flowing through the town.”
This was the worst. This country fought against the Anadoro hundreds of years ago, yet it seemed that the culture had taken root. If I were a true vampire, I would have been in a much worse situation. How terrible…
With a hint of anxiety, I cautiously asked, “There’s not… a constant sunlight issue, is there?”
“…No town has that.”
It seemed I had avoided the worst-case scenario. Resolving myself, I released my transformation back to my true form.
My body tingled. However, by manipulating the power of my blood to cover my surface, the pain subsided. It was a discomfort I didn’t want to endure for long, but it wasn’t unbearable. The trembling from the presence of the crosses nearby was annoying, but it was something I could manage.
With shaking hands, I flipped over my belongings and got dressed.
“End, don’t push yourself too hard. The castle isn’t in the middle of town. We can leave soon.”
Senri’s words were reasonable, but I hadn’t fully enjoyed this town yet. It would be impossible to walk around as a vampire. However, as a lower-ranked vampire, I should be able to manage. I could mask the garlic smell to some extent with a mask.
I lay on my back, pleading with Senri, “Senri, let’s go to the bathroom. I need a bit of blood.”
I felt like hugging Senri tightly while asking for blood. If I replenished my strength sufficiently, I should be able to endure going outside.
Without much hesitation, Senri dismissed my weak request.
“…The bathroom has windows too. So it’s impossible. Besides, it seems there’s silver decor everywhere, so be careful.”