The Undead King of the Palace of Darkness

I feel like our relationship has changed a little.

Although I still cannot let my guard down, it was a good change. She has started cracking jokes and also shares her knowledge with me. We train together as well. If this were all a ruse, I would stop being able to trust in people. As long as I keep strictly to the straight and narrow, I am sure she would continue to stay by my side .

I realized several things over the course of our journey.

The cycle of blood lust and the amount of blood I needed to intake. My response to the difference in strength between a Death Knight and me and my weaknesses. My thirst for violence and how to quell it.

These are things I need to know in order to survive in this world.

Senri was knowledgeable in matters regarding the Death Knights and ways to kill vampires, but was unaware of how a vampire could survive longer in this world. I slowly came to understand things about myself, one by one.

Also, I was beginning to understand Senri. She may appear too serious, but she also smiles and cracks jokes. Appears stubborn but is also flexible. Kind but also broadminded. And she has her equal share of weaknesses too. Not to mention, she likes to tempt me at times–.

She is a very complex person. However, her standing, strength, knowledge and her finest blood, make her the perfect travel companion.

It may have been my greatest fortune that it was Senri who was sent to dispose of the Lord. I need to make the best use of this fortune. While she is still by my side, I need to determine my next course of action.

And thus, without any further incident, we safely reached town.

It was a mid-sized town much like Engey. The outer walls were not too high, there was a river nearby and a lot of people were lined up at the gate even at sunset.

Merchants, who came on horses and their carts, were having their goods examined. The travelers, as long as they were not suspicious, were allowed to pass through. Even in Engey, you do not need any papers to get you into town. The outer wall is probably more of a safety measure against beasts.

Well, I do possess the papers the Lord had prepared for me…

As we stood in line awaiting our turn, Senri whispered to me.

“End, watch your step…”

“…”

There was a small ditch outside of the gate. Water slowly tricked down it.

It was clearly a measure taken against vampires. If it ran around the entirety of town, then even a true vampire would not be able to transform into a bat and try to get into town.

Had I stepped into it carelessly, I would have lost all my strength and collapsed to the ground.

This kind of thing frightens me. There is no doubt that I would have been caught if I was not warned by Senri.

In this world, invisible to the human eye, there are undead countermeasures set up everywhere.

However, I should be able to overcome such a small ditch as long as I am prepared.

“Is this common?”

“Yeah. It’s properly maintained in bigger cities. Engey had it too… but maybe it was out of order, the water wasn’t flowing.”

Engey is near the Lord’s base. If the Lord really intended to assume control over my body, then it would not be too strange if he had taken measures against the vampire countermeasures.

Vampires possess several other weaknesses besides running water. I need to be careful…

A gatekeeper armed with a spear, looked on at the travelers passing the gate, with a bored look on his face. I reckon he is checking for any strange behavior on part of the travelers crossing the running water.

Senri casually moved closer and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back her slightly cold fingers.

And so, I crossed the running water in a single breath and succeeded in making it into the town of Cemeserra.

☠☠ ☠

We walked the streets of the town as the dusk light shone upon us and quickly found a place to stay. The rooms were acceptable except for the fact that the curtains were on the thin side.

We got two single rooms and gathered in my room to discuss future strategies.

Senri’s eyes looked as cold as ever.

“There’s a chance that people may come after us in a town of this size. We need to leave quickly.”

“That could be said of any place.”

“…End… are you… in a bad mood?”

“… a little. But no need to worry. I understand what needs to be done.”

Cemeserra was about the same size as Engey.

The population and hustle and bustle around town seemed similar as well. There was only one thing that made it distinctly different from Engey.

Likely due to the presence of a big river nearby, the town had several aqueducts running the length of it.

I could step over a ditch but I would not be able to cross a long bridge by myself.

It might be possible if I push my limits, but I would be unsteady on my feet for an extended period of time and as such run the risk of exposing myself.

It is said that vampires lose most if not all of their abilities when atop water. Losing the special abilities would only be natural, but they also lose all strength and probably their regenerative capabilities as well. Although in my case, I do not possess any of the special abilities of a vampire, I would not be able to use the abilities I learned before as a ghoul, such as ‘Sharp Claw’ and ‘Sharp Fang’. I would be so weakened that even an ordinary human would easily be able to kill me.

Of course, I could cross any bridge with Senri by my side, but I would be no more than deadweight in that situation.

“Don’t pity me. I’m well aware that I’m a fugitive. I’m just being selfish. I just wanted to take in the sights and walk around town and maybe try some of the food. Since I’d never done it before.”

Senri’s eyes grew wide. You do not need to look at me like that, I know full well that it is a very childish wish.

Even when I tagged along with Roux, I did not get to take a look around town. In my previous life, I had become unable to walk since I was ten years old. I had almost never walked around town by myself or tried the food from stalls in the vicinity.

So, I may have gotten my hopes up a little, but it looks like a place of human settlement is far more difficult for me to live in than I expected.

It is said that most vampires choose not to settle down in human towns, but the ruins of old castles or underground labyrinths.

I had considered that to be almost animalistic in nature, but I see it now. If all human settlements are this hard on vampires, then it makes complete sense.

To make matters worse, the curtains were too flimsy. It is likely that sunlight would seep into the room even if I shut them well.

Which means, even with the rare opportunity of a bed in front of me, I still cannot sleep on it. I would have to make use of the closet in the room to hide from sunlight during the day.

Well although my body would not particularly ache if I sleep in the closet, I still wish I did not have to.

Senri sighed and her eyes were kind as she looked at me.

“Tell me if you want something, I’ll get it for you.”

Something I want. There is a lot of that. I need a change of clothes. I want to have some good food and I want Senri’s blood too.

Also, we could not possibly buy anything that would add to our load and we will be leaving here soon.

“… books on magic, if you can find them. As for money, we can exchange the gold and silver I picked up from the Lord’s manor.

“ What kind of magic?”

“Any kind. Oh, something that would help us on the run.”

Maybe I will happen upon something. I did not get to read any books on magic in my previous life as one would expect and the ones in Lord’s manor were too complex to make sense of.

Senri looked lost in thought at my vague request for a moment, after which she nodded.

“… Got it. I’ll just use my own discretion then. Anything else?”

“… I know I have no right to say this, but be careful. I’m sure people are after you as well and not just me.”

Senri looked dazed for an instant at my word of caution, but soon smiled at me.

☠☠ ☠

A manor that was burned to the ground with nothing but ashes left behind. Silhouettes of a human and animal fell upon the simple grave nearby.

One of which belonged to a man in the prime of his life, who was clad in a long, dark cloak. He was a man of large-build with his head sunk deep into the hood of his cloak and he carried three long swords.

There was a stench of blood on him. His appearance added a strange intimidating air to him.

“Alba…?”

“…”

The other silhouette belonged to a black dog. It was at least two meters long and one meter tall.

With glossy fur and strong, supple limbs, it had beauty particular to animals. It had a sharp, golden pair of eyes and one could certainly see the intelligence behind them.

The dog called Alba, sniffed at the grave with his large snout, soon raised its head and directed its gaze deep into the woods.

“So… they decided to leave the woods… just as I’d expected. I see they aren’t stupid enough to try and face off against the Destroyer.”

“…”

Alba looked at his master as if he fully understood his musing.

The man looked at his dog and smiled wide.

“Yeah, you’re right. They wouldn’t go to Engey. However, they would need supplies. The only path that they could have taken after leaving the woods, would lead them to Cemeserra. But that town is not very vampire friendly… ahh, don’t worry, Alba. A lesser vampire that has lost its master and a naive Death Knight who’s still a child should pose no problem at all. I guess we should at least do some work… that’s worth the compensation.”

His murky, black eyes peered into the dark and his zealous voice, echoed through the empty woods.

And the man and his dog quietly dissolved into the darkness.

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