**Chapter Thirteen: Crystals of the Night④**
Every night, two mysterious figures appear at the ruins of an ancient castle. One is an unparalleled beauty, a stunning girl, while the other boasts the strength of a formidable warrior. They part ways after finishing their work, never crossing paths during the day. The only time they encountered each other in the town of Desenador was once, at a rare tavern that didn’t serve garlic.
I can’t help but think that Lazar and his companions, who have no qualms about associating with such suspicious individuals, might be a bit reckless as mercenaries. If I were in their position, I would have severed ties immediately or reported to my employer. After all, they’ve been repeatedly attacked by an unknown entity, yet they still refuse to back down. Their stubbornness is truly astonishing.
However, I found myself somewhat fond of Lazar and his mercenaries. As long as I have my own motives and there’s no harm done, I can empathize with their laid-back attitude. It seems that Lazar and his group receive bounties based on the appearances of the unknown entity. In exchange for transferring all those rights to them, I asked them to keep our existence a secret. Our interests align well, making it an ideal temporary alliance.
Yet, it seems like another move is necessary soon. There are too many things I don’t understand, so I should tackle them one by one. If things get dangerous, I can always make a quick escape.
Having finished our duties for the day, Senri and I were sharing information at the inn in Desenador.
“I think Desenador is hiding something,” I said.
“…I agree.”
It’s strange that, despite being involved in incidents related to the unknown entity, they haven’t contacted the Order of the Final Knights. The “Shadow King of the Void” was a foe that the Order had defeated long ago. It wouldn’t be odd for them to reach out now that the unknown entity has resurfaced, especially since the Order doesn’t demand payment, so it’s not a financial issue.
As I gazed intently at Senri’s bare shoulders, exposed to the air, I nodded in satisfaction at our shared opinion.
When I wrapped my arm around her delicate back, Senri turned her body to accommodate my touch without resistance. The softness and warmth of her flesh, the occasional hardness of her bones, the luster of her hair, and, of course, the blood flowing within her—all of it was utterly intoxicating.
In the single bed meant for one, with no one else around, I was contemplating where to bite on this long-awaited night of vampirism.
Senri’s voice remained calm, but her heartbeat was slightly faster than usual, and the pauses in our conversation felt longer. Though the darkness made it hard to see, I could tell her skin was faintly flushed. A lower-rank vampire’s senses never miss even the smallest changes.
Feeling a bit different from what I had expected, I gently pushed Senri onto her stomach and tugged at the collar of her thin nightgown, sliding it down slightly to assess her. While I didn’t know everything about Senri, her flawless skin, likely due to her immense blessing, had no visible scars, making it difficult to choose a spot to bite.
Suppressing the urge of my fangs with my tongue, I continued.
“There must be a reason why the crystals of the night are increasing. I want to confirm the moment of their appearance.”
“…”
The crystals of the night induce a unique discomfort in the unknown entity. At least during the time I spent hunting the entity with Lazar and his group, there were no signs of the crystals appearing. This implies that something occurred after we left—between morning and night.
That was a significant problem. While sunlight doesn’t penetrate the underground passages, a vampire’s power diminishes during the day regardless. It’s a bit dangerous to lurk in the underground. Of course, I would do it if necessary, but is it worth taking such risks?
I had my nose close to Senri’s neck, like a dog sniffing, but sensing something was off, I lightly grasped her shoulder and turned her to face me. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, and the sight of her collarbone was irresistibly enticing.
“Perhaps I should investigate the upper echelons of Desenador that hired Lazar and his group… But if I reveal myself, it would expose Senri’s location, and I can’t threaten them, so it’s complicated.”
I had heard that powerful vampires possess the ability to manipulate the minds of their targets, but I lacked that power. There were suspicious movements happening, and this town was potentially more dangerous than the unknown entity itself. After all, strategies against vampires were well-prepared.
Senri’s chest, wrapped in her loose nightgown, rose and fell slowly.
“…Indeed, we must proceed with caution. But before that, end—”
Senri let out a small sigh and said.
“If you’re going to drink blood, just do it already.”
“…I’m just choosing where to bite. You said I could take my time with that.”
“True, you did. But you’ve already turned me over three times. At this rate, the night will end.”
That was a valid point. However, it was hard to make a decision. Senri allowed me to drink her blood once every ten days. That meant I could only do it three times a month, and since I was careful not to push the limits of my bloodlust, there were times I could stretch it out even longer.
And Senri—being stingy—only allowed me one bite per session. She barely permitted any touching at all.
Once I pierced her skin with my fangs, I could only drink from there. The pace at which I consumed her blood was left to my discretion, but since Senri was delicate, the amount I could take without causing issues was limited. Even if I wanted to prolong the time of vampirism, there was a limit to how much I could take.
While she was somewhat lenient about touching her skin during the feeding, what I enjoyed most was the moment of biting. The reaction she had at that instant was the best. Depending on where I bit, her responses varied, so I had to be careful and selective.
“It’s because Senri only allows me one bite. It doesn’t increase the amount of blood I can take…”
Senri shot me a glare.
“Initially, I allowed you some leeway. But how many times have you bitten me since then?”
“…I don’t remember. But there are no marks left.”
“Even when I told you to stop, you kept biting me all night.”
What’s the problem? I wasn’t draining her blood. It was just a gentle nibble, a sign of trust! It was, to put it mildly, the best experience ever. I protested while staring intently at Senri’s neck.
“That’s a lie. You never told me to stop.”
“That’s not true… You covered my mouth with your hand.”
Did that really happen? Since Senri wouldn’t lie, it must have occurred.
However, I had also made some compromises.
When I experimented with Monica, I bit her more than I did with Senri, but the most significant reaction came from the inner thigh. Yet, I had never asked Senri to let me bite her legs.
I held back from biting her while we showered together or from tearing off her clothes, even though it was agonizing.
I might be boasting, but I doubt there’s a more gentlemanly vampire than me. If only she’d let me go that far, I’d do it without hesitation.
Moreover, I knew it would take time to choose, so I was selecting while discussing our plans for later. Was there anything wrong with my actions? No, there wasn’t.
Senri narrowed her eyes, then turned onto her back, asking me in a solemn voice.
“Are you seriously not enjoying this? Can you swear you’re only doing this for sustenance?”
“…I’ve decided. I’ll go with the front this time. Here I go.”
It’s best to feed while watching her expression.
As I reached out to immediately sink my fangs into her, Senri grabbed my hand, speaking in a tone that felt almost accusatory.
“Stop saying ‘here I go’ before you bite.”
—
“? What’s wrong? Did you two have a fight?”
“It’s a delicate matter, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t pry.”
“…You’re quite straightforward.”
Lazar’s eyes widened in surprise. Senri shot me a glare. The ancient castle was desolate. We had arrived here in the evening, carrying our luggage, but there was no unusual atmosphere.
The only thing out of the ordinary was that some guests seemed to be visiting. It appeared that Desenador was promoting this castle as a sightseeing spot, and since there were no strong magical entities around, it made sense.
And it seemed that today was an ‘Outside’ day.
As usual, we headed to the underground passages to wait for the unknown entity’s raid.
“The one who gives us jobs is suspicious. He didn’t think we were that skilled,” Lazar said.
“Well, the truth is, Lazar and his group aren’t that strong.”
“Damn, compared to hunting vampires, we’re nothing.”
Humans, unlike the unknown entities, cannot kill living beings or magical objects to gather death energy.
However, based on my experience—powerful beings exude a certain aura. The opponents I’ve faced so far have all been warriors of exceptional skill.
Among them, the only pure human who didn’t inflate his strength with blessings or curses was the Master Beast, but even he had an enigmatic presence.
However, Lazar and his companions could not sense it. What lay between them was a difference that was hard to define—surely, it was a vast wall.
Albatross harbored such a deep-seated hatred for Anadoro that he could have transformed into a black dog, yet the resentment held by Master Beast was likely no less intense.
Having received Blood, power surged within me. And tonight, the moon was full. My strength had reached unprecedented heights.
Perhaps that was why it was I, not Senri, who first noticed it. It was surely not a matter of mere senses; there was likely a certain connection between me and my kin.
As Senri’s eyes widened in realization, I declared in advance, “Tonight, I will take the lead.”
The dense presence of my kin surrounded us. Its intensity surpassed even that of the ‘Giant Skeleton’ we faced the other day. Though they had yet to reveal themselves, I understood that they were serious about tonight. It seemed our enemies had grown impatient before we could make our move. There was even a possibility that the spellcaster might show up. If we could capture them, we might glean some information.
Senri, as if to dampen my enthusiasm, muttered, “Even if you do your best, I won’t reward you.”
“……”
It was unpaid labor, but I had already received more than enough in return. Feeding on Blood was not the sole instinct of a vampire. Perhaps sensing the situation from our side, Lazar and his companions stood frozen. I steeled myself, shrugged my shoulders, and dashed upward.