After I released the princess from her stake, I sat her by the riverside.
The hole in her chest is getting smaller, but it is at a slower rate. She's probably running low on blood. When I pulled her off her stake, her blood loss became faster than usual, but I'm sure the person herself prefers to be off the stake than to be on the stake.
I considered offering my clothes to the princess since there's a gaping hole in her chest that came from the stake. Princess or not, being exposed is definitely a shameful experience for a female. But it's sweaty from the run even before the fight, so she might not like it…
[This is a pain… Don't you agree?] (Me)
I slapped the vampire whom I knocked out. I had dragged her next to the seated princess and removed her cloak for the princess to use.
Yes, it is a her. Without a doubt, it is the retainer from before.
Probably why this vampire I did an uppercut on, was light enough to be lifted into the air somehow.
The princess, unexpectedly, did not show much surprise. Maybe she knew from the start, or she's just good at hiding facial expressions.
Awoken from my slap, Ms Retainer sits up while staring at me in shock. Probably in reflex, she pointed her hand at me, but I reached out and grabbed her outstretched arm while gripping her face with another to stop her chanting.
[Should I leave her to your highness?] (Me)
[Just kill her off, and Torand over there. You shouldn't have even woke her up and left her to Solus' care.] (Princess)
Wow. Harsh and merciless. I guess that torture from before really ticked the princess off. While the two perpetrators are pure-blooded nobles that likely possess a certain degree of resistance to the sun, I presume that the sun will still weaken them to the point of unmoving. Dramatic Torand will probably bleed dry before the sun sets, and Ms Retainer will be food for the wild. Though in the two years I've been here, I haven't encountered any dangerous beasts yet.
[If your highness allows, I'd like to question her. I would advise your highness to seek refuge under the shade of the trees.] (Me)
I turn to Ms Retainer.
"So, right now there's probably only you and I here that understands this conversation. You can speak freely without care, but understand that there will probably be no one that can pin me down for anything, and I will use it against you." (Me)
Held motionless by my grip, she can only look at me.
[…Is your highness not planning to hide from Solus?] (Me)
[Do not mind me.] (Princess)
[Then I would like to know if vampires consume the blood of their kin.] (Me)
[...What? Are you mad? You do realise that you're asking the equivalent of eating human flesh yourself!] (Princess)
[…My apologies.] (Me)
If common sense dictated by another race differs from the orphanage, I guess the orphanage is really consisted on weird people.
You're right Mr Niterias. I should shut up about where I come from, for many reasons.
"Well, no matter. If her highness doesn't drink your blood, I don't mind doing it myself. I did hear of blood recipes from the kitchen so it isn't too surprising for me. Now…" (Me)
Ms Retainer, I think you peed yourself. I released her from my grip to allow her to speak.
"Firstly, purpose behind the assassination." (Me)
"…" (Retainer)
There is no reply, only silence. I guess force is the only way huh.
I sighed, bent down and grabbed her middle finger. I bent it backwards, and applied force downwards until cracks could be audibly heard and the fingertip touched the back of her hand.
[Aaaaaaaaaaa!] (Retainer)
"You think death is the threat I'm granting you? You're wrong. Death is only a salvation. I'll dirty your blood and leave you to bleed dry under the sun. I'll make sure that the night that arrives is not your saving grace, but the start of your dishonour. And after you turn into a Yarsth, I'll ask the princess and go after your family." (Me)
She shook.
I guess the difference in races and cultures does work in threat as well. Once I touch on the subject of pure blood, she immediately fell from her seat of pride.
I guess I'll relief her temporary of that question.
"What happened to the other followers?" (Me)
"Dead, Torand and I killed them in an ambush." (Retainer)
"No exceptions?" (Me)
"All dead." (Retainer)
"I see. Then, why this river?" (Me)
"…The princess found this place by chance, and we followed her." (Retainer)
I turn back and look at the princess, getting only a look of wonder back in return. What was she thinking when she came to this river?
[Is your highness knowledgeable in aspects of magic?] (Me)
[I can manage a few attributes.] (Princess)
[That is fine. Without turning around, please take aim behind your highness, slightly to your left, and shoot an attack magic.] (Me)
The princess is about to question me, but thought better of it and follows my instructions. With quiet chanting, she quickly assembled her magic and shoots it in the general direction I told her of.
The magic explodes into a crystalline structure of ice, and within is trapped a figure.
[Acquaintance?] (Me)
[…Not mine.] (Princess)
We both turn to look at the retainer. Surprisingly, her expression of shock tells us that it isn't the answer we're looking for. I stood and dragged the retainer with me towards the ice, with the princess trailing behind us.
[…The royal crest of Darscendeleas.] (Princess)
[Ho… So someone was not trusted and followed. When the task failed, they made sure to follow up with insurance to finish the task and wipe out remaining witnesses. But I doubt it to be as simple as this.] (Me)
I took a fallen branch and pointed at a particular point of the ice.
[I'm sure that with his mouth agape like this, he is no vampire. In fact, more than the royal crest of Darscendeleas on his shoulder, there is something else hanging by his waist. If I am correct, that is…] (Me)
[The royal crest of Skairolmr…] (Princess)
Too shocked to even react, the retainer turns rigid, till the point where her eyes are seemingly hollow. The betrayal in which she experienced must have been deep.
Being a member of the royal family, the princess probably studies and recognises other crests and emblems of foreign nations, likely for diplomatic issues. Her mind is probably whirling over how a human is carrying the royal crest of Darscendeleas and skilled enough not to be noticed by her, her followers or even her own assassins.
Gazing from afar, the dramatic sore-loser starts to shout angrily.
[What is this nonsensical set-up!? Outrageous! How dare a mere human stay in my shadows without my prior knowledge!? How was I defeated by a mere human? Impossible! Such atrocity!] (Torand)
I was lucky. And I happen to feel a little less pain than others, but I'm not about to tell anyone that asks me. Not all questions are answered, fool. If it is ever this easy then questioning the vampire before me will be a piece a cake.
Speaking of which, looks like my interrogation target won't cooperate even if I force her. But this is fine. I've gotten what I wanted to know when I saw the human with the both royal crests of Skairolmr and Darscendeleas.
The two ladies before me are motionless before the revealing of a shocking truth. If I am to continue waiting for them at this rate, I will probably start having anaemia. I move towards the back of the noisy noble upstart, take the hem of his shirt and rip off a piece. He only begins to yell louder but I ignore him and wrap my bleeding left arm.
Since his yelling shows no signs of stopping, it only grates on my nerves. Surprisingly, this guy is still so energetic after a stake through him, unlike the princess just now. I bend down, select a suitable sized pebble and grabbed his face.
[What…] (Torand)
I shoved the pebble in his mouth while avoiding his fangs. Please, shut up.
He'll probably spit it sooner or later, but I'll just have to leave earlier.
The sun is about to rise. Well, it looks like the two over there is pretty much finished being stunned, so I should hurry. I am welcomed by a crude remark from the princess.
[I'd like to execute Bethany myself, but I have hardly enough strength.] (Princess)
You just fired off ice magic like nothing, and you claim you don't have enough strength? This feels like you just not wanting to give her the satisfaction of dying by your own hands.
Who am I kidding? If you can't kill your own follower, just tell me directly.
I turn towards the retainer Bethany.
"So I doubt I have any use for you. I can't exactly release you either, so I'll grant you a painless death, and make sure you won't reincarnate into a Yarsth. Any last words?" (Me)
[…I am glad that your highness is safe. Despite what I've done, I wish for your safety and joy in the eternity you will come to embrace.] (Bethany)
Till the very end, her pride still made her turn away from a human. Seemingly disgusted by this, the princess only gave her a set of cold eyes.
I sighed.
[May you seek solace in the utopia after death.] (Me)
Offering words of blessing, I take her head in my arms and twist.