Their hands stretched towards me, yearning for me, inviting me. It is a sight that overwhelms me with mixed feelings. A sense of regret, that some of them could not be saved. A sense of fury, that some of them were thrown aside. A sense of sadness, that all of them are no longer in the living. But towering above all is a sense of fear and disgust. The fear of joining them one day and the fear of the scene itself. The disgust towards how it led to this conclusion and the disgust for myself.
Just like anyone, I wanted to turn away. But my feet that melded with the concrete as one never allowed me to do so. Even if I am desperate enough to break off my legs, my arms that rusted will never be able to help me. It is as if the dream tells me that running is unthinkable.
Not that I can currently move my feet anyway.
I put my right hand on the nearest tree beside me and supported myself. Slowly, I sink towards the ground on my knees, all the while staring forward. As though to make up for the overture, my heart raced from before now felt as if it stopped beating.
The scene of dread before me continued to exhibit itself in an undesired dazzling manner. The usual clear water of the calm, flowing river now reflected the moon in a shade of crimson. To complement the night of the blood moon, a victim is pierced by a stake and erected at an incline on the riverbed. Probably because I ran a longer distance today, the moon appears to wane, but that only makes this scene worse.
For the first time in two years, a scene of violence shows itself to me, bringing me back to the days of the orphanage. The time I escaped from, now comes back seemingly to haunt me.
Her body slouched over the stake, ironically yet to fall due to her murder weapon's support. At a closer look, the opposite side of the river has a pool of bloodstains. Her legs are limp and not fully stood on the ground. In other words, she was not standing in the river before the stake went through her; she was likely by the riverside, penetrated from behind, and fell towards the river. As a result, the thick and bulky stake stabbed towards the ground, keeping her body up.
An ambush – no, more like an assassination.
But why?
I don't care about the reason behind her death, but the time of it. Why is the assassination carried out now? The fact that the death of a royal member within another country is more than just a scandal. The country itself can be in danger of being accused of unreasonable slaughter. Especially when the world is in a state where races have tense relationships with another, the outbreak of war isn't a far-cry.
And I can guess a potential reason behind it. There has been a rumour going about the adventurers back at the Ocean Swarm about the number of rogue vampires on the rise. Expelled and unwanted, they roam deserted lands until they chance upon a prey, hunger catches up or are taken over by madness, whichever comes first.
If generally speaking, the number of vampires is increasing, I can imagine the reason for a declaration of war against the human country. The lack of resources within a country due to overpopulation is indeed a serious problem.
It might be the reason behind the retainer's concealed identity, and the truth of her purpose.
The fact that the country is on the edge of a potential invasion blows away my goal to live peacefully and realising my dream. Maybe I should start considering the places where different races actually get along with one another.
As of now, I have to face a problem of being a witness. The result of a royal assassination right in front of my eyes. I have so many choices, but every single one of them either leaves me with a huge sense of guilt, a huge responsibility, a huge amount of danger, or just any combination of the three.
If I went back and talked to Cheff about it as his employee, maybe he'll do something… no, with how things are now between us, he'll probably suspect me and think I'm somehow leading him to his death, take over Ocean Swarm and the like. Bad idea.
So maybe I should skip over Cheff and directly go to the adventurer's guild to appeal for assistance. However, the guild may decide to take a bunch of adventurers to investigate, and knowing how word spreads fast among them, the secrecy which is non-existent in the first place will only lead to a rumour and eventually tension and war.
Even if the guild staff members decide to handle it on their own, there is a chance of them reporting to the castle. I can only imagine that regardless of what their result might be, they will call for the informer behind this incident: me. If the guild decides to keep it a secret, I doubt it will be as simple as a money transaction between us two parties.
If I rely on others, it spells trouble. If I cannot leave the corpse alone, then what can I do after approaching it?
Do I salvage it? While she was once a being capable of thought, it is also true that everything, including corpses, has a value of its own. If people knew what I planned to do with a beautiful lady such as her, I will surely be branded as a sociopath that knows no mercy. As far as I know from the two years of living in what people call a 'normal' place, there is an unsaid culture and practice to respect the dead.
Though, back at the orphanage we would salvage the dead without problems. If exposed to negative energy such as miasma, the corpse could reanimate into a Yarsth, which are mindless beings. It's rather horrible to turn from an existence that is capable of thought, into a degraded lifeform. Rather than leaving a corpse alone in danger of morphing into an undead, we carry out respect by making use of it and showing value in their usage.
However, more than just that, I'm sure that being the princess means being extremely unique. The items I've salvaged from her would definitely be recognised and I'd be in deep shit.
Do I dispose it? Surely getting rid of it would save a lot of trouble, but the methods of doing so are limited if I am not to leave any evidences behind. It feels like I am cleaning up after the assassin, but if this method saves me trouble I'd do it. The only problem is, I don't have the necessary tools to start a fire quickly before dawn where exposure is at its highest risk. Neither am I affiliated with any religion to be sufficiently holy.
…I can't believe that such violent thoughts manifest within me just with the sight of blood. I thought two years living in normality would have changed me, but that is nothing but a distant hope.
…I can't believe myself.
I should just take it like nothing happened.
If I pretended to not see anything, turn and quietly leave, this will not be any of my responsibility. But I want none of any dreams of her royal highness haunting me when I already have a horrible nightmare to deal with. More than just that, if I am seen leaving like this, the trouble that I could have avoided will definitely reappear and bite back at me. Then again, either option would have my life screwed over if I'm seen either way.
…I think it's best that I disappear.
When I get back to the Ocean Swarm, I'll write Cheff a letter of resignation and leave. If the fox comes then so be it. Probably head towards an area where races coexist and try to start a new life there. Since Cheff likely doesn't want someone like me around anymore, might as well.
That is, until I am able to stand again.
I am probably numb from the shock at the death of someone unlikely. Even as my stature lowered, the eyes of the vampire princess never left me. I feel an extremely strong urge to hide behind the bushes, but her eyes flashed a dim light of crimson, reflecting the light of the river.
Hold on.
I'm sure that the river is murky from the blood. It shouldn't be sparkling like it used to when it has clear water, so the eyes of the princess shouldn't be flashing from the bloodied river. If the cause isn't the river, that means…
What the heck, how are you still alive with a stake thicker than my thigh right through you!?
Seeing my expression of bewilderment, I thought I saw a small smile from the princess, and her lips moved in small movements, as though trying to mouth words to me…
'Got-you'
…If you're trying to take revenge for shocking you with my knowledge of your language, having a stake through you is taking the joke too far.
Tension relieved, I finally managed to catch a breath and heave a sigh.
If she is well enough to crack a joke, I don't see a need to ponder about a death of a royal member of foreign origins. I'll just leave her to herself and skip my daily routine of enjoying my time at the river, head back and start a new day. I don't know anyone who thinks well of soaking their feet in a bloody river anyway.
I got up on my shaky feet while supporting myself with the tree beside me. I should take a bow and quickly leave. I don't want her to have a chance to use mind reading and discover my thoughts of disposing or salvaging her. There won't be anyone else knowing it except her since she desires secrecy of her mind reading skill, so I won't be trialled officially in a case of Lese Majesty. However, it is a fact that knowing someone thinking such cruel thoughts about you is unpleasant, and I wouldn't be surprised if she comes after me to torture me personally.
Besides, there should be her followers near her to help her with the stake. I don't think anyone is sane enough to pierce themselves with a stake, so she won't be alone. Though, it is a wonder how she knew that I'd be here to see this ridiculous play of hers…
[You're still alive?]
A sonorous voice is heard. Immediately after, a figure appeared, followed by small but faint chanting.
…What is this? Does this person like himself so much, that he has his own auditory performance when he makes his own appearance? That is a whole new level of narcissism that I'm seeing right now.
The princess kept her head low, but I can see her legs struggling to move. Responding to her futile actions, two magic circles appeared behind her. With the sound of a swift wind, two objects could be seen rushing out from within.
[Gyaaaaaaaaaa!] (Princess)
…Princess, if this is an act to fool with me, I think you already shocked me enough. There is no need for a stake through each of your legs, right? I can't even tell if you're an unbelievable sadist that is willing to take it so far just to play with me, or simply a perverted masochist that enjoys exhibitionistic torture.
[Daughter of the undying king… Indeed, your vitality lives up to your honoured father's name.]
I really want to leave, but at this point I'm unsure if exiting a play granted to me by a foreign princess herself is the taboo of Lese Majesty.
[It would be a terrible shame if someone of your calibre passes on, and I'm sure that the king himself would dislike a fall in war potential within Darscendeleas, but sacrifices are at times necessary. The king is benevolent, he will understand.]
[I believe, that prolonging the death of a person, is unnecessary.] (Princess)
[Indeed, but so are wasting resources. With that being said, you shall be subjected to the rise of Solus. But a pure-blooded royalty such as yourself should be resilient against Solus, no? Yet, I hear of a certain princess that burns her skin under Solus. Do you know her?]
The rise of Solus. To some races, they refer the sun as Solus, a divine entity that represents beginning and conclusion. Some see sunrise as a giver of life and sunset as the reaper of life. Some see sunset as a gate to revival and sunrise as the light of damnation. To vampires in particular, the rise of Solus is an execution that slowly immolates those vulnerable to the sun, a despicable and cruel method.
[Silence? Well, no matter. I will leave when the time approaches as I fear the light after all. Since there is still time right now, how about a little gift of farewell? Yes, just as that human did. I guess I do hate losing after all.]
And when he finished, the chanting restarted again. How much does this guy like himself? And what's with that sore-loser attitude towards me? I think I am starting to really get annoyed by him. It's not like I wanted the princess to visit us and land me in this state with my employer right now.
It's not any better that I've done nothing but watch right now, and he's planning to attack me with magic. I was about to leave and have nothing to do with this, but this noble upstart decides to drag me into their farce. If my death or torture is your farewell gift, then no thank you. I just want to be a non-alcoholic bartender.
It will soon be sunrise, and it would appear to be a better option to retreat. However, it is still dark, and against the rulers of the night, I doubt outrunning them is possible. I'd rather stay within the covers of the trees and play for time; if possible I'd like to take them down. There's no need to run if there's no one chasing you after all.
Two or more. One, is this dramatic sore-loser. He's right in my sight, and the fact is that he already knows of my presence. When he mentioned me, I can sense the killing intent directed by him. However, since he has his big mouth shut when the chanting occurred, there should be another person with him.
Two, the person with the sound effect. Probably adept in earth magic, since the stake that appeared from his magic circles are fast, efficient and silent. If the first bulky stake through the princess is also his doing, then it confirms his proficiency. I will have to confirm his location, and watch for any other types of magic at the same time.
Lastly, I need to be wary of my surroundings for any additional aggressors. There are no signs of them, but that could either mean that there are none or they are extremely good in stealth. For that noble upstart in my sight, I have to approach with caution. I know nothing about his abilities, but as a vampire their pride are definitely not baseless. I should also consider the fact that the princess herself might attack me from behind for unknown reasons. Furthermore, I don't have my weapons with me.
Damn you, Cheff.
I inwardly sighed and braced myself for the trouble to come.