Azure_Fog Finals are basically over, so uploads should normalize again :D

Also, thank you all for 800 ️s!

Chapter 40 — The Day After

Editor: GREETER (PROCRASTINATOR is on break D:)

 

[???’s POV] (A/N: The same one as last time [bakery person])

 

The battle seems to have subsided and the energy as well. 

 

Hmmm… I sense the presence of an Entity as well. It feels like INSANITY. This situation keeps becoming more and more interesting.

 

Ah… It seems that the surviving Vampire lost her friend. Perhaps that’s why the energy reaction was so large. Though, it seems abnormal. I should look into this one.

 

This attack seems to be related to the others… If Earl Voltrek keeps ignoring our envoys, I might have to go see him myself.

 

 

[Ei’s POV]

 

…An unfamiliar ceiling. I'm in a plain, wooden room with a bed I’m lying in. There’s two people here too…

 

My head hurts… It feels a little fuzzy. What happened again?

 

“You’re awake!” (Sylventris(?))

 

Is that Sylventris?

 

“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s me, Luna!!” (Luna)

 

“I’m here too!” (Kurui)

 

Oh… Right. Sylventris… died… because of my failure… I can feel tears forming already…

 

“Hey, Ei, it’s alright!” (Luna)

 

“No… n-no it’s not. S-sylventris is d-dead… because of me…” (Ei)

 

“It’s not your fault, Ei! It’s those Vampires that attacked the school!” (Luna)

 

“But… I wasn’t fast enough…” (Ei)

 

Tears are openly streaming down my cheeks now. 

 

“It’ll all be alright, EI.” (Luna)

 

Luna pulls me closer to her. It’s warm…

 

 

A few days later…

 

I’m being forced to stay in a hospital bed. I’m fine already, but they insist that I’m “sTiL hEaLiNg”. Crate and Umbra visited me. They said that only they knew about me being a Vampire. I guess that’s why…

 

“Ei, you have a visitor from outside the school. She said her name was, ‘Flan’. Should I let her in?”

 

Flan…? Like, as in the desert? Huh… I don’t know anyone with that name. Maybe Flan could be a shortening of Flandre… and my classes said, Flandre makes flan… And we’re both Vampires. Coincidence? Probably not…

 

“...Sure.” (Ei)

 

Maybe this will be slightly interesting…

 

“Hi there, young one!” (“Flan”)

 

A girl with short blond hair and a white mob cap tied off with a red ribbon walks in… She’s wearing a red dress and has a short yellow tie.

 

“...Hi. Why have you decided to visit me? I don't know you.” (Ei)

 

“We don’t! I’ve just taken a bit of an interest in you. You’re a Vampire, right?” (“Flan”)

 

“Yeah…” (Ei)

 

“Alright! Good! I got the right person. Well, I’ll introduce myself properly. I’m Flandre Crimson, Shogun of the Vampyric Shogunate. Ah, and sorry about your friend. We’ve been trying to deal with the attackers but it’s not that easy.” (Flandre)

 

“Vampyric… Shogunate…? I’m Ei… leader of the Moon’s Shadow party.” (Ei)

 

…Last time I introduced myself, I said the same thing. Shouldn’t Luna be the leader though?

 

“Hmmmm… Aha! My suspicions were correct! You’re a pretty new Vampire, right? Lemme guess… around three months!” (Flandre)

 

Huh. Have I been here that long already…? I haven’t actually been keeping track of it… That sounds about right…

 

“I think that’s about right.” (Ei)

 

“Well, you’re irregular. Really irregular. So, how much do you know about True Vampires?” (Flandre)

 

“My classes said True variations of things have their mana replaced with something else… Primordial Energy… maybe…” (Ei)

 

“That’s right! Hmmm… You don’t seem to be doing too well. I’ll tell you later then! Come visit my bakery some time. I’ll be watching you.” (Flandre)

 

“...bye.” (Ei)

 

And she left… just like that. 

 

 

[Earl Voltrek’s POV]

 

That idiot son of mine went and got himself killed. Screw diversions, for the remaining eight points, I’ll turn the scene into a massacre personally.

 

I’ll relish the screams as I tear children away from parents, just as they did from me.

 

 

Three weeks later…

 

[Ei’s POV]

 

Kambia has avoided me ever since the attack. Three more have occurred and nothing is happening… Maybe I should go take out the other Vampires myself.

 

Luna, Kurui, and Nadia have been trying their best to console me and I’m attending classes again. It’s just like before I died… I’m all alone.

 

“Hey, Ei, are you sure that you’re fine? You’ve been barely doing anything in class. I mean, there’s not much for you to do in this class, but whenever you duel you don’t hold back at all.” (Crate)

 

“I said I’m fine.” (Ei)

 

They had a funeral and there’s a memorial of Sylventris… but what does that do? It’s still my fault…

 

 

Another three weeks later…

 

Slightly more than a week has passed since the attack. Attacks continue every week and I’m feeling a bit better. Today I decided I would visit Flandre. I want to take down these Vampires myself, but I don’t know where they are located.

 

She doesn’t really feel like a Shogun though…

 

“Hello! Welcome to my bakery~ Oh. It’s you. Feeling better?” (Flandre)

 

“I want to kill the attackers. Do you know the location of their base?” (Ei)

 

 “Oh? So that’s why you’re here. Well, we do! I was getting ready to go there myself. Things are getting too out of hand. Negotiations between us have broken down and everyone else who we sent never made it back. Wanna come with?” (Flandre)

 

“Yes.” (Ei)

 

I would call Luna, Nadia, and Kurui here to help… but I don’t want to risk losing them.

 

“Let’s head out then! {Teleport}” (Flandre) (A/N: See author’s comment for bracket explanations)

 

The world around us turns red, then scarlet, until nothing else but pure scarlet can be seen. Then, it drips away like blood, revealing the new location.

 

“We’re here!” (Flandre)

 

“How did you do that? Can you teach me?” (Ei)

 

“Maybe someday! It took me a few centuries to learn though. We don’t have time for that right now.” (Flandre)

 

Looking around, a massive castle stands before us. Cracks run along the walls. It’s completely dark except for a few torches barely visible through the windows. The trees around it are all withering.

 

We walk up to the door. It’s in the same state as the rest of the castle, but I can see a few runes on it.

 

“Hmmm… Protections runes. And recent ones too. Well, not like that can stop me. I’ll give Earl Voltrek a chance to come out though.” (Flandre)

 

*knock knock knock*

 

“Who dares encroach upon the territory of Lord Voltrek?” (Raspy Voice)

 

A raspy voice calls out from within. It makes me think of zombies…

 

“Tell him that Flandre Crimson is here and that his end is near~” (Flandre)

 

***BANG***

 

Flandre kicks the door and it flies through the hall. The only thing left of it is a trail of ash from it burning up from the speeds at which it went flying… Could I do that?

 

“Ahh… I overdid it again!! Ei, you take the lead. I wanna see what you can do! I’ll still take charge if I need to though, so don’t worry~” (Flandre)

 

Time to take down these Vampires. They’re ruining our race’s reputation. And, I have a grudge to settle…

 

Azure_Fog It is very hard to write about grief (and also survivor’s guilt) without having felt it myself… Still, I’m trying my best.

Also still thinking about what Kambia thinks… so she’s just been avoiding Ei for 6 weeks straight.

Also also, more magic explanation. Today's topic: BRACKETS!

[] = Normal spell

{} = Old magic (basically normal magic but without the restraining circle. Set amount of nodes though and some ones that are unrestricted)

『』= Entity magic (basically magic but with infinite nodes of any effect without restraint)