The world has always seemed completely irrational to me.
Roughly fifteen years ago, I was born to a renowned aristocratic family of the Mulnite Empire.
The Gandesblood family.
First thing that probably jumped out at you is that our name has the word "blood" in it. A little on the nose for vampires, don't you think? With a name like that, our family has to suck. Well, they do literally suck, so I guess the name's pretty consistent.
The Gandesblood family has served as commanders in the Imperial Army for a thousand years. If you dig up our family tree a little, you'll find that all kinds of famous Gandesbloods have been written about in the history books. In fact, my own mother served as a Crimson Lord and commander of her own unit until five years ago.
Anyway, all the irrationality begins from there.
I feel like I shouldn't even have to explain this, but I'm actually a peace-loving, justice-seeking sort of vampire. I couldn't possibly be more different from those warmongers in my ancestral lineage. But my family members keep piling pressure on me. "Komari's going to be a great commander one day," they all say, "And she's going to slaughter those foreign fools in a massacre like you've never seen! She'll pen her name in the vampiric!" I mean, give me a break.
At first, I really did try my best to live up to everyone's expectations of me, but I quickly had to give up.
I just don't have what it takes, you know?
First of all, I can't use magic.
Second, I'm a completely uncoordinated clumsy klutz.
Third, I'm super short.
And it's pretty obvious how I developed those handicaps.
I can't stomach drinking blood, you see.
The Gandesblood dining table has always been plentifully supplied with decanters of blood (origins unknown), but I could never understand the mentality of people who drink the stuff. My problem with it is basically the smell, and the way it looks, and just…ugh, everything about it.
Why do I have to force myself to drink such a foul liquid? Why am I expected to pretend to actually enjoy it?
And how can the others glug it down without gagging?
My darling younger sister, Lolocco, is fond of saying: "Those who can't
stomach blood are missing out on one of the finest things in life, hee-hee-hee."
Just…shut up. Get off my back. I'm fine with tomato juice.
In society's eyes, though, I know it looks like I'm the heretic.
And this nonconformity of mine has bent my future path out of alignment.
No blood for a vampire means no growth, either.
Blood contains essential nutrients for vampires, so missing out on them leads to stunted growth and arrested development. My lack of any kind of magical ability, my clumsiness, and the fact that even my little sister towers over me in height…it's all because of malnutrition stemming from a lack of blood in my diet.
My life has been nothing but a series of bitter experiences.
At school I was picked on day in and day out, and sometimes I even got beaten up without provocation. So yeah, my classmates bullied me pretty badly. But I had to just endure it by myself somehow, since my dumbass relatives were all expecting such great things of me. I wasn't strong enough to hold up in that kind of environment, though.
So I decided to become a shut-in. Major introvert.
That was about three years ago.
In vampire society, power is everything. But I couldn't drink blood, couldn't use magic, I was clumsy and a shut-in. I just didn't belong. I was much more suited to entombing myself in my safe, comforting room and writing novels. Yes, that would have been better for everyone…
***
It was morning. I awoke with my biological clock.
But I couldn't get up. Just couldn't do it. Wrapped snug in my blanket, I closed my eyes tight, squeezed the dolphin-shaped body pillow Daddy had bought me, and decided to settle in for a relaxing morning spent lolling about in bed. I was way too comfy to move.
I was a member of the idle rich, after all; someone totally disconnected from the harsh realities of the world.
Just as I was starting to drift back to sleep, I noticed something strange.
My belly itched. I scratched and scratched, but still the sensation persisted.
I was so itchy, I woke right up.
A bug had probably bitten me while I was sleeping, or something. Peeling back my pajamas, I peered down at myself reflexively through half-closed eyes.
"…Huh?"
Then I froze.
A strange pattern had bloomed on my skin just above my belly button.
The mark was very odd. It resembled the wings of a bat, dripping with blood. I had the feeling I'd seen it somewhere before, and the realization hit me a moment later. It was the national emblem of the Mulnite Empire. The one that emblazoned the banners at the Imperial Palace.
I rubbed at it, but it wouldn't come off. Maybe I was dreaming.
"Good morning, Lady Terakomari."
My heart almost leaped out of my chest as a voice rang out.
I turned to see an unfamiliar girl standing in the corner of the room. Dressed in a maid's uniform, she had a cool gaze and a frosty aura about her.
But wait, did we have a maid like her working for us?
I glared at the girl, on high alert.
"Wh-who the heck are you? And what are you doing in my room?"
The maid arched an eyebrow.
"I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Villhaze. I'm with the Mulnite Imperial Army, and my rank is junior lieutenant, Third Division. I have been sent here to serve as your maid from today onward, Lady Terakomari."
What she was saying made no sense to me. Villhaze looked around my room with curiosity.
"Forgive me for my remark, but this room is quite a mess, is it not?"
Wow, how rude.
"What are you after? Is it money?"
"Please don't be startled. I'm here to help you, Lady Terakomari."
There was no way I could trust her. She could have been a burglar, or some kind of sadist sent to kidnap me. I needed to contact Daddy, ASAP. Plus, I needed to pee. But there was no way I could take a leak and leave this girl unattended in my room. Great, now what? Wet my pants?
"…Listen, Villhaze or whatever your name is. Wait here a sec, okay?"
"We don't have time to delay. You're to come with me to the Imperial Palace at once."
The Imperial Palace. Nothing about that sounded good.
Blessed with a nose for danger from birth, I attempted to slink away quietly like a cat. But just then, the maid got her arm around my neck and forced me into a headlock.
"Release me! I hafta go pee!"
"No time for urinating. Listen to what I'm saying, please."
"I'm gonna pee my pants! You want to just let that happen?!"
"You can listen to me while you're wetting yourself. I have no issue with that."
"You…you sick pervert!"
"No one is watching. Feel free to let it flow."
"You're watching!"
What the heck was wrong with her? Maybe she really was some kind of sicko trying to snatch me away. It would make sense. After all, I'm a total knockout beauty (that's what Daddy says to me every day, so I know it's true).
"There's no time. Just settle down, please."
"No way! You're here to abduct me, aren't you? Since I'm so incomparably gorgeous and all?"
"Sorry, but have you ever heard of modesty?"
As the girl and I continued our tug-of-war, someone else spoke.
"Unhand her now, Vill."
A low voice resounded from the hallway. Relieved that someone had come to save me, I turned to find a tall vampire standing there, dressed in a black coat. He took a step inside my room. Yes! Daddy! Tell her off! She's a sicko pervert maid who's trying to kidnap me! As I tried to communicate all this to him with my eyes, the girl immediately released me.
"Waah!"
I fell flat on my face, sliding across the floor. Ouch. That stung. My eyes were filled with tears, and I couldn't see. The sicko maid completely ignored me and bowed her head low before Daddy.
"My deepest apologies, Lord Gandesblood. Lady Terakomari was quite reluctant, so I'm afraid I had to use force to bring her along."
So she was trying to kidnap me!
"Try to be gentler with my daughter. Everyone knows she's a serious shut-in."
"Ah, indeed. She's a dedicated homebody."
Could everyone stop calling me a shut-in right to my face? It's so rude. Besides, I'm the kind of recluse who could go outside if I really felt like it. I stay in only 'cause I have zero reason to go out. Why, I could go and hitchhike around the whole world by myself if I wanted.
"Now, Komari. Are you hurt?"
As I struggled to my feet in an undignified manner, Daddy approached with arms spread wide in a grandiose gesture. He even dusted me off and patted me down, which did nothing for my self-worth.
If he wasn't my dad, he would have been carted off to prison for manhandling me that way.
"Hmm. You seem all right, but should we take you to the doctor for a checkup? It would be terrible for anything to happen to such a knockout beauty, after all."
"Er, no thanks. I'm fine."
"Are you really okay, Lady Terakomari? Do you feel any strangeness at all around the stomach region?"
I scowled at the girl. Her sympathy was the last thing I wanted. But then I quickly remembered.
Oh yeah. That weird pattern on my belly. It was still super itchy.
Quick as a flash, the sicko maid reached out and peeled back my top.
"Oh dear. You mustn't scratch it like that! You'll ruin that silky skin!"
"Don't just pull my shirt up without asking, you perverted maid!"
I knocked her hand aside and quickly retreated three steps. She simply stared at me with her ice-cold eyes in response. Creepy. She had a super-threatening aura.
"Daddy! What's her deal?!"
"This is Villhaze, and she's going to be your personal maid starting from today. She'll do whatever you say, Komari, so use her well."
Whatever I say? But when I demanded to be released from her headlock, she just completely ignored me.
"I don't need a maid. Especially not one as creepy as her!"
"It doesn't matter what you say, Komari. These orders come straight from the Empress. You'll just have to put up with it."
"The…Empress? What are you talking about?"
"Allow me to explain."
The weirdo maid took a step forward.
"Lady Terakomari, do you know of the Crimson Lords?"
"Um, yeah, but what's that got to do with anything?"
The Crimson Lords. The seven mightiest vampires in all the land, the mightiest and most exalted figureheads of the Imperial Army. But what did they have to do with this?
"Now you are one of their number, Lady Komari."
"Say what now?"
"Congratulations! It's very impressive indeed to be appointed as a Crimson Lord at just the tender age of fifteen!"
"Just hold on a sec… Why? And how?"
"Well, your father pulled a few strings…"
That's when Daddy started to smirk in this totally gross way.
"Komari, you mentioned something before about wanting to find employment, didn't you?"
My heart pounded in my chest.
"Um, did I?"
"Oh yes, I remember it well. It was during last year's Christmas party. Lolo asked you if it wasn't about time you got a job, and you said…"
"Employment, huh…? Of course, I understand the importance of labor. But I have a rare, scholarly intellect. There aren't too many jobs out there that are suited to me. Though if there was one, I guess it would have to be Empress of Mulnite, right? Yeah, I wouldn't mind working if I could be the Empress. That would be a sweet gig."
I felt my cheeks growing hot.
Now that Daddy had brought it up, I think I remember saying something like that.
"Ah, I was so moved to hear you say that, daughter dearest! My introverted Komari! My little shut-in! My daughter, who has been holed up in her room for three long years, finally showing some initiative toward work at long last!"
How could I have even responded to that? To be completely honest, I've never had the slightest inclination toward actually working. Sure, I might have been shooting my mouth off at the Christmas party and said something like, "I wouldn't mind working if I could be the Empress, heh-heh," but that was just because I was drunk. Yeah, intoxicated. On, uh, apple juice.
"Y-yeah. You're right. I did say that. But what about it?"
"Well, not too long ago I went to see the Empress and asked if she wouldn't mind abdicating so you could have your turn on the throne."
Have you lost your mind?!
"But I'm afraid to say that put her in a very bad mood indeed."
Obviously.
"But I hung in there, Komari! Anything for my little girl."
Please, Daddy! Don't go taking crazy, unsolicited risks like that just for me!
"Anyway, I explained to the Empress what a genius you are. About that 'rare scholarly intellect' you're always telling everyone you have. About how you lock yourself up in your room all the time meditating and ruminating, totally ignorant of society. And of course, about how you're a bombshell for the ages. And when I laid all that out to her, the Empress was very impressed. In fact, the exact word she used was 'fascinating.'"
Fascinating?! I'd never been so insulted!
"In other words, the Empress is all aboard the Komari train now. But obviously it's not proper procedure to hand over the throne to a young lady who hasn't even been fully evaluated yet. So this is where your tenure as a Crimson Lord comes into play."
The sicko maid nodded along.
"It is exactly as Lord Gandesblood says. Mulnite Empire tradition dictates that only someone with a distinguished military record can be crowned. Furthermore, serving as a Crimson Lord is an essential prerequisite for the position. Thus, you have been assigned a member of the Seven Crimson Lords so that Her Highness can evaluate your abilities. Incidentally, I have also been assigned to assist you as your personal maid. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
My head was spinning.
The Crimson Lords. I knew about them. They were an elite group of absolute war demons who slew other races in the Dark Core Zones all around the world. But I'm a peace-and-justice-loving vampire. There was no way I'd fit in with that band of barbarians.
I was completely unfit for that sort of work. Duh.
This conversation was completely beyond me. Also, I really needed to pee. So I decided to ignore the both of them and head to the little girls' room. On my way out, though…
"Hold on!"
Horrifyingly, the sicko maid dropped to her knees and grabbed me around the thighs.
"I am your personal maid, Lady Terakomari, sent to aid you during your military rule! Please, please say you'll join the Crimson Lords! Otherwise, I'll have no reason to live!"
"G-get off me! Stop shaking me! You want me to pee on you?!"
"I am your personal lady-in-waiting, Lady Terakomari! I am honored to accept your urine!"
"What?! Daddy! Help me!"
"But Vill here is an exemplary servant, the perfect fit for someone with your exceptional level of intelligence. She's going to help you get ahead in life, Komari."
"The only place I want to get to right now is the bathroom!"
"Please, Lady Terakomari, I beg you to join the Seven Crimson Lords and become a Crimson Lord!"
"Never! Never, never, never!"
I gave the sicko maid my fiercest "don't mess with me" look.
"In fact, let me take this chance to say this! I'm going to become a novelist! In fact, I'm working on several novels right now! I'm just going to stay right here in my room and write a whole bunch of stories, without going outside and without dealing with other people! Me, seeking employment? I was clearly just paying lip service! You actually took me seriously? How dumb are you?!"
It wasn't until I'd already finished ranting that I realized…
Realized that both the pervert maid and Daddy were staring at me with flabbergasted expressions.
I felt a pang of regret.
Being a shut-in for so long can make a person's mind a little loopy, I guess.
The way I used to be, up until a few years ago…I would have never yelled at Daddy. The mere prospect would have seemed absurd.
"S-so anyway…the point is, I'm not becoming a Crimson Lord. No way."
"But…"
"Just…get off my back!"
"But, Lady Terakomari, if you don't join the army as a Crimson Lord, you will be fated to die by explosion…"
"…What?"
What did she just say?
Blowing up? Me?
"Vill is right, Komari."
Daddy was gazing at me, brows knitted with concern.
"It's compulsory to make a contract with the Empress in order to join the Crimson Lords… This contract stipulates that, in exchange for partaking in the perks of the Crimson Lord status, you swear your complete fealty to the Empire. And if you break that contract for whatever reason, you'll magically combust…"
"Er, but I don't remember signing anything…"
"She snuck in late last night to do it."
"…Who did?"
"The Empress. She sealed the contract with a kiss while you were sleeping, Lady Komari."
"Whaaat??!!"
A smooch? Are you freaking kidding me? Like on the lips?! Okay, yes, a kiss is a classic magical contract sealer, we all know that, but how messed up it is to sneak in and do that while someone's sleeping?!
"…Wait a minute! Sealing magic should only be binding if both parties agree! I don't recall consenting to anything!"
"Your father accepted on your behalf, as your representative."
"Daddy! How could you?!"
I turned and started pummeling him with my fists, but he just laughed. Oh, ha-ha-ha you colossal idiot!
Now it was all coming together. The weird symbol that had appeared on my stomach was proof of the contract. Unbelievable. Talk about a violation! I could totally sue for this!
"This is the worst thing ever. My life is completely over!"
"Lady Terakomari, please accept a personal letter from the Empress."
The weirdo maid handed me a gaudy, ostentatiously designed sheet of stationery. I quickly scanned it.
Komari, I have decided to appoint you to the Crimson Lords. It has already been settled by blood oath. At this juncture, you have no way of defying my orders. If you do not wish to be blown to bits, you will take up your position in the Crimson Lords and do your utmost to impress me so that you may succeed me as the next Empress. Your potential as supreme commander and Crimson Lord aside, I must admit that I have already evaluated your looks most highly. You are indeed the most beautiful girl in the whole empire. Simply watching you as you slumbered gave me full-body tingles.
By the way, I have heard the rumors that you are loath to imbibe blood. This is highly irregular for a vampire. Still, I have made allowances for this odd circumstance. Instead of exchanging blood to seal our agreement, as is tradition, I instead shared my saliva with you, by way of a kiss of the extremely juicy variety. This is exceptionally special treatment indeed, so you should savor the lingering taste of my noble spittle upon your lips. See that you comprehend the honor it is.
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!
"Isn't that nice, Lady Terakomari?"
"It is not nice! It gives me the creeps! I hadn't even had my first kiss yet…"
"Well, it was as good a time as any, and now you can join the Crimson Lords. Oh, you're going to be such an exalted member of society! I'll be able to puff out my chest with pride and brag about my daughter now!"
Daddy was roaring with laughter, but it sounded far away and muffled to my ears.
Supreme commander. Crimson Lord.
Why did I have to take up such a violent vocation, of all things? If I simply had to have a job, why couldn't it have been a more peaceful one? Like working in a cake shop or something…
"Congratulations, Lady Terakomari. Now, let's dive straight into your upcoming schedule. First, you have an audience with the Empress two hours hence. Afterward, you'll be meeting your subordinates for the first time. Tomorrow, you have your first battle with the neighboring Lapelico Kingdom. And then after that…"
The sicko maid was grinning as she reeled off the itinerary they'd prepared for me. None of her words made any sense to me.
Why? Why was this happening to me? I never should have said all that stuff about wanting to become the next Empress. And how did Daddy manage to convince the current Empress to consider me anyhow? Even his connections shouldn't have stretched that far. Could it be blackmail? Daddy, no!
But ruminating on it wasn't going to change anything.
This was my current reality now. Stark, harsh reality.
All those years I'd spent desperately trying to avoid real life had caught up with me at last. With a vengeance.
"Noooo!!!"
My last vestiges of self-control abandoned me as I fell to my knees and wailed in despair.
But only for a moment. I still had to pee, after all. I quickly got to my feet and scuttled off to the bathroom.
This time, no one tried to stop me.
***
One hour later.
"Hey, you. Whatsyername. Villhaze."
"You can just call me Vill."
"Oh, okay… In that case, you can just call me Komari. Everyone in my family calls me that."
"Certainly, Lady Komari."
"Um… Anyway, Vill…how many subordinates am I getting? Like five?"
"Five hundred.
I almost fell on my butt. Not only was that a big number to process, but the bright sunlight was also making me feel dizzy. I hadn't been in the sun in a long while.
"Ugh, it's far too bright outside."
"Oh, Lady Komari! Please, hang in there! I am escorting you right to the bathroom."
"Why the bathroom of all places?!"
"Because you seemed to want to go so very badly."
"I already took care of that!!!"
An hour had passed since the sicko maid came crashing into my life.
Oh, reality was truly unbearable.
I kept pinching my cheeks, hoping this might just be a dream after all. But all that did was make them sore. No, this was real life, my idiotic fate…to join the Crimson Lords under orders from the Empress, on pain of being blown up. Okay, so I probably deserved it on some level, but wasn't this all just a bit too cruel?! I clutched the hair on my temples in despair.
"Ohhh! I don't want to be a commander in the army!"
"Well, do you want to die?"
"No…but…"
Of course I didn't wanna die. That's why I was outside in the first place.
Let's go back an hour. Realizing there was no way I could dodge my impending military service, I announced the official end of my shut-in period in front of all the servants, who broke into uproarious applause. Even Daddy was bawling. My elder sister and brother appeared from who knows where and started congratulating me. Despite my despair, I actually started to feel a tiny bit pleased, maybe even moved. Although hearing my younger sister—who had also shown up to wish me well—mutter "Is Big Sis Koma gonna die?" was going to stick with me for a while. Don't jinx me like that.
Daddy explained what was expected of me. It was only one thing.
"Every three months, you must do battle with one of our enemy countries and emerge victorious."
That was the minimum duty expected of a Crimson Lord, and if I couldn't manage that, I would automatically explode and become a star in the heavens high above. It was all so cruel that I couldn't help bawling a little. But there was an additional clause as well.
"If you can win a hundred battles, then you will earn the right to stand as the heir apparent to the Empress."
Right now, that part of the deal meant less than nothing to me.
"Please, let us make haste. There are only twenty minutes until your audience with the Empress."
I quickly swung myself up the steps of the horse carriage Vill had called for. I hadn't ridden in a carriage in, like, three years. Actually, I hadn't even been outside the house in that entire time. Unused to physical exertion, I couldn't suppress heaving a huge sigh as I stumbled over and flopped down on the seat.
Then we drove for a while before arriving at our destination.
I gazed up at the Imperial Palace for the first time. Under the circumstances, it looked creepy and foreboding in its splendor. Our house was pretty big, to be sure, but it seemed tiny when compared to this sprawling castle.
After announcing ourselves to the guards, they smoothly escorted us to the audience chamber.
Oh yikes, now I was getting really nervous.
"Aha! Welcome, welcome, Komari! As lovely as ever, I see!"
The Empress leaped lightly off her throne and came bounding toward me, a huge grin plastered on her face.
She resembled a young girl around the same age as me, with distinctive bright blond hair. But I knew better than to let her angelic looks deceive me. The Empress was a true demon who'd slain countless enemy commanders during her time in the prior generation of Crimson Lords. Even worse, she was a notorious lady lover, who, upon seeing a cute girl, would defy all laws of decency and decorum and immediately start groping her. Yes, she was a witch! A sapphic witch! And…whoa! She was all up in my business! Too close! Back off! Oh gosh, she really is a pervert!
"Komari, darling! I am so happy to meet you at last!"
Her nose was less than an inch away from mine. I could feel her breath on my cheeks. She smelled sweet. Her eyes were the color of moonlight. I felt a strong urge to run screaming, but that might have been misinterpreted as lèse-majesté, which could have earned me a spot under the guillotine.
"Uh, excuse me, Your Majesty, but don't you think you're a bit too close?"
"What's wrong with an Empress and her top commander being close?"
"Uh, I don't mean that, I meant in terms of physical proximity…"
"By the way, I'd very much like to fondle your breasts. Do you mind?"
As she spoke, she reached out brazenly toward my chest. Oh yeah, I was spot on. She was an undeniable pervert. I was going to have to exercise extreme caution whenever she was around.
"Your Majesty, please be moderate in your japery. Lady Komari is about to weep."
Just as I was about to start bawling all over again from fear, the sicko maid interjected on my behalf. Her assistance was…unexpected. So it looks like even the weirdo maid has some common sense. Just as that flashed through my mind, the Empress tossed her head back and laughed. "Only joking!" she trilled, trotting back over to her throne and sitting down. Joking. Great. Just great.
"I like to get verbal consent; it's just the way I roll. So I won't fondle the goods until you say so."
"You already kissed me without consent…"
"Hmm!"
The Empress looked taken aback for just a moment.
"…Wa-ha-ha! Fascinating, simply fascinating! You didn't even call me 'Your Majesty'! Why, it's almost as if we've been best friends for a decadeor so already! I like it!"
Friends? I've never had a friend in my life.
Ignoring my blank expression, the Empress crossed her legs daintily before speaking again.
"You know, you're really so much like your mother. I mean, your vibe is sorta different, but chatting with you kinda takes me back!"
"What…really?"
"Mm. You've got the same beautiful face as her. Yulinne Gandesblood was a real siren, a true beauty back in the day, and you've got the exact same facial features. It's uncanny, it actually gives me the shivers! Ah, Yulinne, how I hoped to make you mine one day, but that rogue Armand stole you away with his man-charms… Oh my! That pendant around your dainty neck —it's Yulinne's, is it not?"
"Er…"
I cringed back as the Empress's eyes bore into my neck.
Now I was completely mute and frozen. She chortled breezily. "Sorry, my bad!" she said, waving her hand.
"None of my business really, is it? Anyway, Terakomari Gandesblood. You are about to join the Crimson Lords. Are you feeling prepared?"
"Sure."
Not in the slightest.
"Because if you're feeling apprehensive, I find a nice juicy smooch often helps…"
"Y'know what? I think I do feel pretty confident…"
"Come on, let's smooch! It'll give you a real boost!"
"N-no thanks! I feel confident Super-confident! Paws off!"
"Ah-ha-ha! You really are a fascinating little thing!"
Fascinating?! How?!
But the Horny Empress was obviously deaf to my internal screaming.
"Well, that's enough jokes for now. Let's get back to the topic at hand. With you all set to join the Crimson Lords, there's a few things I need to warn you about."
"…Warn me?"
"Yeah. You're actually super weak, aren't you?"
I twitched.
But there was no real reason for me to hide it. My complete lack of any combat skills would be immediately apparent to anyone who did even the slightest bit of digging into my personal background.
"So what if am? Oh, are you saying I'm too frail to join the Crimson Lords after all? I totally get that. So I think the best thing for me would be to return home at once, and—"
"Fear not. My kiss is the only seal of approval needed for your appointment as a Crimson Lord."
Drat.
"The issue is whether you can do the job or not. You probably know this already, but being a Crimson Lord and supreme commander is a very important role. If you can't manage to slay the enemy commander, your wages will just continue to decrease and decrease."
"So you mean…if I do a poor job, I'll get…fired?"
"Yeah. Fired right into the sky. BOOM!"
Oh great. Just when I was thinking I'd actually managed to find a tiny shred of hope.
"Anyway, that's what I expect of you. Now, are you prepared to slay the enemy commanders?"
The Empress's gaze grew solemn.
But I refused to be rattled this time.
"Just so you know, I happen to possess a rare scholarly intellect."
The Empress folded her arms, eyebrows rising. "Aha," she said.
"I've heard all about that from Armand…I mean, your father. Apparently, what you lack in physical prowess, you more than compensate for with your quick mind."
"Precisely. The amount of knowledge I've managed to amass in a mere fifteen years of life is enough to put the average grown-up to absolute shame. So even if I lack prowess on the battlefield, I have enough knowledge of warfare and tactics to direct an army to victory. Why, I've read every volume of The Andronos Chronicles, I'll have you know. You're probably familiar already, but that series has fourteen volumes, and each volume is over four hundred pages. I've memorized every single battle plan that appears across the entire series. It's all up here. I'll make an amazing supreme commander. I don't need practical battle skills, not even the tiniest little bit."
Right. The reason I agreed to go along with joining the army as a Crimson Lord in the end was because I was confident I wouldn't need to do any actual fighting. If I had been ordered to become a regular soldier instead, I would surely have thrown my dignity out the window and got down on my knees to beg for clemency. That would have been my only option. Yup. I mean, nope.
"Lady Komari, that just sounds a bit too…"
For some reason, the pervert maid was looking at me with sympathy.
The Empress, however, was grinning with amusement. What did I say that was so funny?
"…Very well. Let's assume that you are as talented a commander as you say. Nevertheless, are you confident your subordinates will accept a weakling's orders? Strength is everything in vampire society, after all."
"What, you think my subordinates are going to force me to do push-ups or something?"
"No, I think they're going to mutiny against you and overthrow you."
I felt a huge lump in my throat as the Empress continued.
"The previous leader of your unit, your direct Crimson Lord predecessor, was sadly overthrown and killed. All because he happened to be weaker than the people he was supposed to command."
"Just…just hang on a second! And you just let them get away with that?!"
"Not officially. But it happens a lot, you know; mutiny in the ranks. The vampires responsible for murdering the previous commander are all still members of the army in good standing. Why waste good soldiers? I have no plans to punish them at this time."
"So your point is…?"
"Ah, yes. Should your subordinates find out how weak you really are, they will no doubt beat you to death. You know our kind—we all strive for domination, don't we?"
"Domination…"
A bead of cold sweat slid down my back. I could hear my pulse throbbing in my ears.
"…You can't just let that happen to me! Dying like that has gotta really, really hurt! Worse than trapping your finger in a desk drawer!"
"Oh, you loathe the thought of expiring that much?"
"Obviously!!!"
"But if you die, you can go back to being a shut-in again."
"Agh…"
Thanks to the power of the Dark Core, we vampires can regenerate over and over after death. It's basic vampirology, something every kid grows up knowing. So theoretically, if my unit ended up murdering me, and I was forced to retire from my position in the army, that would solve all my problems, right? But…I didn't want that to happen.
"I don't wanna kick the bucket. Besides, Daddy worked hard to get me this opportunity. I have to see it through. Failure is…not an option."
The Empress gave me a hard, piercing stare for a few moments, before her cheeks crinkled into a smile.
"Then you'll just have to hide your true nature, won't you? No matter what happens, you need to pretend to be brave and strong as long as your subordinates' eyes are on you. That maid standing beside you will support you every step of the way."
"You can count on me, Lady Terakomari. Together we'll pull the wool over the eyes of every last one of them!"
"Why does that not make me feel better?"
I had been given no fixed term for serving in the Crimson Lords as a unit commander. My options were either to keep fighting in the wars indefinitely,get overthrown, or achieve the rank of Empress Heir Apparent. I had no other avenues of escape. My seemingly endless tour of duty was about to commence.
"Vill…you won't mutiny against me, will you?"
"Never. I love you more than anyone else in the universe, Lady Terakomari."
You filthy liar. You've only just met me.
***
At the Mulnite Palace's Bloody Hall, located in the Crimson Tower, the vampires assigned to the nascent Commander Komari were all lined up in a row. All wore crimson-colored attire and looked most fearsome. Their bloodshot eyes rolled around as they awaited the arrival of their new commander. However…
"Hurry up! What are you doing, Commander?!"
A golden-haired youth stamped his foot in unrestrained frustration.
His name was Yohann Helders. A rookie genius who specialized in fire magic.
"Look, it's five minutes past the time we were supposed to meet her! This tardy slacker is supposed to be our new leader? Seriously? I'm not having it! We should march to the Empress and demand that she fire this new Crimson Lord immediately!"
Yohann looked around at the other vampires, seeking agreement.
Some nodded along, but they were all sycophants who agreed with whatever left his lips. The majority of the vampires were actually against him.
"Seriously? Doesn't it piss the rest of you off? Basic timekeeping is, like, rule number one of adulting!"
"Be quiet, you annoying gnat. We are to fulfill the commander's orders. It's not our place to voice complaints."
A low voice rumbled across the room. It belonged to a large man with the head of a wolf who was leaning against a wall, arms crossed. This was Bellius Hund Cerbero.
Shooting a look of hatred at Bellius, Yohann spat, "What's that you say, dog-head? You want to be sent back to the beast-folk kingdom in a crate, hmm?!"
"Excuse me, maggot? What did you just say to me? Someone ought to cut out that flapping tongue of yours, you impudent little brat."
"Excuse me? Who are you calling a brat? I'm twenty years old!"
"With a mental age of three. We should inform the local kindergarten that you've escaped from the sandbox."
All of a sudden, there was a loud snapping sound.
It was Yohann. He'd snapped.
"I'm gonna freakin' kill ya!!!"
With a silent spell, Yohann conjured the flames of hell and launched himself across the room with floor-shaking might. Now he was a mere sixteen feet away from his opponent. Close enough to punch him in the kisser in the space of a second.
"Quick to anger, I see, like all brats are."
Bellius readied his hatchet. The rubberneckers all cheered in approval, and flames licked the ceiling as the two immediately launched into an all-out attack. But just at that moment…
CLANG! Yohann slammed into an invisible wall, before ricocheting off backward.
Sprawled on his back, the vampire scrambled to get back to his feet and regain his dignity. His eyes were darting all around. That was when hespotted another man, right hand still outstretched.
"Caostel! Don't interfere!"
"Comrades fighting among themselves…pitiful. Sheathe your weapons, the both of you."
"Pah!"
But the man simply smiled, in a "that puts an end to that" type of way.
His name was Caostel Conto. He was as tall and imposing as a stark, branchless tree. Of the vampires present, he was undoubtedly the most evenly matched magic user with Yohann.
As Yohann gnashed his teeth in frustration, he felt someone pat him on the back.
He whirled around.
Before him stood a flashy-looking man, flipping him off with both hands.
"The name's Mellaconcey, check this sexuality! Little brat from the sandbox, you ain't no match for me! Who's the greatest? Mella-con-cey! DIG IT!"
Infuriated, Yohann jabbed him right in the face.
Why was this unit composed solely of the most irritating specimens?
"…Ahem. Let's put an end to these silly quarrels, shall we? The new commander is on her way, and we don't want her to see us behaving so shamefully now, do we?"
"I agree. We should wait patiently for her to arrive."
"Dig it! Kindergarten brat, don't know how to wait and see? Let's get lit and bust it up, then lay it down real freaky!"
This back-and-forth between the three of them was nothing new to the rest of the unit.
Infuriated, Yohann made a leap toward Mellaconcey, but this time his sycophants all intervened and grabbed him, holding him back.
Caostel crossed his arms, casting a sideways glance over at the struggling golden-haired rookie.
"Still, I do understand your sentiments, Yohann. None of us knows anything about this young lady, this 'Terakomari Gandesblood' who has been appointed to the Crimson Lords. She's a complete stranger to us."
Bellius snorted air through his nose.
"Lady Terakomari's mother was in the previous generation of Crimson Lords. And the Gandesbloods are one of the Mulnite Empire's finest families. I'd hardly call her a stranger."
"Dig it! Gandesblood, Empire, aristocrats, yeah! Bellius the Imperial dog is barkin' everywhere!"
Mellaconcey went flying after being decked again. Courtesy of Bellius this time.
Caostel rolled his eyes and sighed.
"I wonder if this Terakomari girl has the slightest hope at all of leading a bunch of wild and uncouth misfits…"
"If not…then it's gonna happen again, isn't it?"
"Oh yeah. And who will do the honors this time? Bellius?"
"If the situation called for it, I would. I'm not as hasty as half the idiots in the Seventh Unit, though. It's thanks to the unfettered actions of those morons that we're saddled with this 'Blood-Smeared Unit' reputation after all."
"Man, this revolving door of commanders is a serious pain in the ass."
"Then why don't you assume command, hmm?"
"Not me. The Empress hates me, and all of us guys here."
The Seventh Unit of the Mulnite Imperial Army.
It was a ragtag bunch, consisting of misfits who hadn't managed to fit in elsewhere. Half of the vampires in this squad of five hundred had beendemoted from more important teams following incidents of rule-breaking and troublemaking. The other groups in the Imperial Army looked down on the Seventh Unit and regarded them as nothing more than a motley crew of uncouth, undisciplined, rowdy losers.
Mutinies and uprisings were common throughout its history.
"I do hope the commander manages to hang on for longer this time, though. We can't very well go to war without a leader in charge. Ah, speak of the devil—it sounds like she's arrived!"
Bellius turned his head to where Caostel was looking.
The great doors of the Bloody Hall opened with a bang.
From the corner of the room, someone sprang forward.
"En garde! I don't know where you came from, but you're crazy to think you'll ever stand in charge of ME!"
It was Yohann. His sycophants all scrambled to stop him, begging him to stand down, but he silenced them with wildly swung punches then dashed forward with fireballs streaking from both of his outstretched fists.
"…Huh. Should we stop him?"
"Nah, let's see how this plays out. We can gauge the capabilities of the Crimson Lord."
Caostel smirked wickedly.
*** (Let's go back a bit, shall we?) ***
After the audience with the Empress came the first meeting with the subordinates.
I followed Vill as she escorted me to the East Tower, accessible to all high-ranking Imperial Army personnel. It was otherwise known as the Crimson Tower. According to Vill, the tower was a fairly subdued part of the palace complex. And indeed, its thick white walls gave off a sturdy, military aura, without a hint of luxury. It was hardly the kind of place one would expect to find someone with such a superlative mind like myself.
Vill dragged me excitedly to a dressing room.
"Here, change into this."
She handed me a Mulnite Imperial Army uniform. It was pretty stylish, but as I stared at it, I couldn't help wondering all over again how I'd ended up here changing into something worn for combat.
"I'll help you undress. Arms up."
"N-no thanks. I can do it myself."
"Nonsense. I am your attending maid, Lady Komari. It is my duty to undress you."
"No it's not! You just stand over there! And don't move!"
"If you insist. Then I shall simply stand here and observe your striptease, Lady Komari."
"No! Don't look!"
Was it my imagination, or was she getting more depraved by the minute? If I didn't do something about her soon, I got the feeling I'd end up on the receiving end of a serious personal space violation. Feeling awkward and exposed, I changed as quickly as possible. Then I checked myself out in the full-length mirror. Hmm, not bad. The Mulnite uniform was pretty chic. Military officers certainly made waves when they were spotted about town.
"That looks wonderful on you, Lady Komari."
"D-does it? Well, I am a knockout beauty after all, I guess. I'd probably look good in anything."
"Yes, you look amazing. Adorably adorable. Once we get home, I'd love it if you would give me a fashion show… I'll prepare a variety of period costumes for you to model. It will be such fun. You'd look amazing in formal wear, I bet, but also very pretty in something more coquettish… Perhaps a nice party dress, or even a Gothic Lolita ensemble…"
"When hell freezes over!"
I rolled my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was indulge the sicko maid's perverted dress-up doll fantasies. Taking the initiative, I swept out of the dressing room even though I knew there was nowhere to escape to. It would be better to just get this meeting over with.
"Amazing… You look just like a real Crimson Lord."
"Well, I am about to become one. Against my will, of course, but here we are."
Examining myself in the uniform had caused a heavy feeling of resignation to wash over me. My heart was still thumping like crazy, and I was afraid that my knees and hands would start shaking if I didn't keep myself distracted.
We strolled through the building for several minutes, passing quite a few vampires, who stopped and bowed before me with a strange sense of reverence. Then, at last, we reached the door to our destination. This was the "Bloody Hall," where my subordinates were waiting to greet me. Curious about the weird name, I asked Vill about it. "Oh, there was a murder in there once," she told me. If that was meant to be a joke, I didn't find it particularly funny.
Taking a deep breath, I placed a trembling hand on the door to push it open. But it wouldn't budge. Sheesh, this is heavy! What was with these giant double doors? Not exactly friendly to elderly or disabled visitors, were they?
"Guh! How much does this entrance weigh, a million tons?!"
"Nonsense. Any vampire of average strength could open them."
"Oh, well, ex-CUSE me for not being of average strength! Ex-CUSE me for being feeble!"
Grumbling, I began slamming my body weight against the doors. I really wanted to make a dramatic entrance by flinging open both of them at the same time, but if I actually had that amount of physical strength, I really would have used it to subdue the sicko maid and run home to the safety of my bedroom instead. Oh, I think it budged a little.
"You can do it, Lady Komari."
"Don't just stand there! Help me!"
Vill just placidly ignored me. I was furious. Beyond incensed. But anger wasn't going to serve me in this situation. Trembling with fatigue, I managed to scrape one of the doors open about halfway. Yes! Entrance! Then, just as I was about to step triumphantly through…
"Die, Commander Scum!!!"
"…Huh?"
Through the crack in the door, I saw it.
A demented golden-haired youth, barreling toward me with murder in his eyes.
"Wait, what the—?!!!"
"Hyah-ha-ha! My flame attack will burn that shining mane of yours to a crisp! Taste the wrath of my…GAH!!!"
There came a thick, heavy boom, followed by a juicy crunch. I think it was the sound of the door closing?
I wasn't exactly sure what made it, 'cause I wasn't looking. As soon as I clapped eyes on that psycho running in my direction, I instantly went into tactical retreat mode. I released my grip on the door, leaped behind Vill, and adopted the brace position as a strategic means of… Oh, all right, then. I ran away in terror and hid behind the skirts of a maid. I mean, I had no idea what was going on! What was wrong with that lunatic back there?! He was shouting about killing me! Someone contact the authorities!
"Are you all right, Lady Komari?"
"Y-y-yeah, I th-think s-s-o…"
"There, there. Good girl."
Vill hugged me gently as I crouched there trembling.
I was so totally overwhelmed. That crazy dude back there must have been one of my subordinates, right? Why was he trying to take me out?! Surely they at least wanted to meet me first before mutinying against me? Were they all just brain-dead morons? And while this hug from Vill was nice and all, did she really have to be kneading my butt and boobs with her palms? Gosh, she really was lecherous, wasn't she?
"What…what should I do, Vill? Maybe they've already found out about what a weakling I am…"
"Fear not, Lady Komari. You have already proven victorious over the lawless traitor."
"Er, what?"
I gazed at her in confusion before I followed her eyes to see what she was staring at.
Then I thought my jaw was going to drop clean off.
The golden-haired youth was sandwiched between the two portals, and he wasn't moving.
"Vill…Is he…"
"He's dead."
"He's dead?!"
There was a murder in the Bloody Hall all right! And I was the perpetrator!
"That was wonderful! You took out a vampire without employing weapons, magic, or physical force at all. Such skill! You truly are an unmatched genius, and the rightful Crimson Lord and Unit Commander, Terakomari Gandesblood!"
"Stop clapping! Shit, why did this have to happen to me?!"
I quickly hurried over to the dead guy trapped in the doors. Thanks to the Dark Core, no one really expires in the Mulnite Empire territory, at least not during their natural lifespan. Even this dude would regenerate good as new in a few days. Still, killing a person, however temporarily, made me feel pretty bad about myself.
"Oh dear…I feel like I should lay flowers or something…"
"Flowers? Just spit on the body and step over it. Besides, we have more important matters to attend to. Your subordinates await within!"
Vill scoffed then slammed her palms on the doors and swung them open with ease. It made my pathetic huffing and puffing from earlier seem even more shameful in hindsight. I suddenly felt too small and insignificant to reply. Saying a silent prayer over the body of the fallen man with golden locks, I quickly hurried after my maid.
The next instant, an overwhelming wave of dread washed over me.
The vast hall was filled with vampires, all lined up waiting for me. But these were no ordinary creatures of the night. Though clad in military attire, they appeared disheveled and rough. And all of them had their eyes fixed on me.
Ah, nope. Can't do this.
I turned to flee, but Vill grabbed my arm straightaway. After seeing how she pushed open those heavy doors, I knew I had no chance of shaking her off. I was done for.
"Terakomari Gandesblood. We've been expecting you."
One of the soldiers stepped forward. He was tall, like a stark, leafless tree, and clad in a crimson uniform. Obviously a vampire. I was so nervous, I thought I was gonna die, and when he dropped to his knee in front of me, I was sure I was going to go into cardiac arrest.
"It is an honor to make your acquaintance. I am Caostel Conto, First Lieutenant of the Mulnite Imperial Army's Seventh Unit. May your tenure with us be long and fruitful."
"Oh, uh, thank you…"
Caostel beamed, gazing up at me as I stammered out a basic response.
"Supreme Commander, I am extremely impressed. To have slain the bloodthirstiest member of our troop, Yohann Helders, in a single blow…I can scarcely believe it."
He must have been talking about that blond kid. But I didn't mean to kill him. I mean… Oh, wait. This might be my lucky break. I should try to affect an air of confidence, without being arrogant about it.
"Hmph. I could kill a weakling vampire like that with only my pinky finger."
The crowd all began to murmur with excitement.
Uh-oh. Maybe the pinky finger bit was overdoing it a little? But it was too late to back down now. I would have to push through. Caostel was staring me right in the eye, one eyebrow arched.
"Your…your little finger, did you say?"
"Yup. This one here."
"But…Yohann is a highly trained vampire soldier…"
"I, too, am highly trained! You all don't know much about me, that's clear, but those who are aware never even make so much as a pinky promise with me, lest they wish to have their finger snapped clean off!"
"Oh my…"
I was pushing it, for sure, but they all seemed to believe me somehow. But yikes, I sure was playing with fire. I resolved not to come out with any further rash, boasting claims. If they found out I was lying, I would be destined for a painful demise. I should adopt a more laid-back persona and rely on my tone of voice and body language to convey confidence. Yeah, I could do that. With my rare scholarly intellect and all.
"Actually, Lady Komari killed a hundred vampires in her youth using her pinky finger alone. If she wanted to, she could eviscerate every vampire present in this hall within the span of a mere five seconds."
Excuse me, sicko maid?!
I couldn't believe what she was saying. And no one else would believe insane claims like that, either! Wait, why was she shooting me a thumbs-up?! Did you seriously think I'd actually be pleased to have you "back me up" like that?!!!
"Furthermore, Lieutenant Conto, your tone is completely inappropriate. If you truly wish to pledge fealty to Lady Komari, then you had better get down on the floor and lick her shoe."
Ack! Shut up! Lick my what?! Yikes, he's gonna kill you for that! Eek, look at his eyes! There's bloodlust in them! There's… Oh, wait, not so
much…?
"I apologize for my lack of decorum. Supreme Commander, may I have permission to lick your shoe?"
"No! No way! Ewww!"
I yelped by pure reflex, but then I instantly regretted it. What if he felt rejected and got violent? But no, Caostel was already prostrating himself on the floor before me with lightning rapidity.
"Please, forgive me. It is just as you say. A lowly wretch such as I should have never deigned to touch the feet of one so exalted as you, Supreme Commander. I ought to be thrown into the dungeon for even suggesting it."
I felt my skin crawl.
Yes, the groveling was pathetic. But it was enough to finally convince me that this man truly meant no harm. Feeling a little bit less frazzled now, I composed myself and spoke in a calm tone of voice.
"Now, now…lift your head. Enough of the introductions—hadn't we better get on to the speech?"
"Yes, Supreme Commander! Right away! The members of the Seventh Unit…I mean, the Komari Unit…are all waiting to hear you speak!"
Komari Unit? How embarrassing.
Well, whatever. I had more important things to worry about. I would let it slide, along with the pinky finger thing. If I didn't keep pushing forward, I was going to have a full-on emotional meltdown.
I glanced around the room, trying to stand tall even as I trembled. Just then, all five hundred of the rough-looking vampire soldiers took a knee in unison. Now I was so terrified that I was certain I would break out in tears before this was through. But I couldn't run. I had to stand firm. I had to get through this. I took a deep breath, then let it out. Deep breath…and let it out. Okay… Go for it, Komari!
"Friends, vampires, countrymen!"
Oh, yikes, that sounded far less cheesy in my head… Still, no time to dwell on the cringe. I had my whole speech planned out, and I'd been practicing it over and over on the way here. Now was the time to say it aloud. Just say it. Say it!
"I am the newest member of the Crimson Lords, Terakomari Gandesblood! Now that I am your commander, the slacking off slops here!"
…Did I just say "slops" instead of "stops"? The silence in the great hall was deafening. I could hear myself gulp. Save me, Vill.
"Lady Komari is a little nervous and has muddled her words! Isn't she adorable?!"
You're just making it worse!!!
Turning to the sicko maid for help was an exercise in futility; that much was clear. Trying desperately to start over, I resumed my speech.
"The slacking off stops here! From now on, every day is war! Not a moment will pass without bloodshed! The rivers will run red! But you are not to fear! Just follow me, and victory will be yours! Put all thoughts of mutiny and
uprisings out of mind, and simply accept the orders of your new leader, the brilliant, arresting Terakomari Gandesblood! As long as you continue to fight loyally under my command, I swear to you that every day will be like a never-ending party!"
The crowd all murmured appreciatively at this.
Gosh, what nonsense was I spewing, though?
War? Slaughter? Blood? I hadn't the slightest bit of interest in any of those things.
"Yes, absolutely! I am the vampire who will conquer the world! As long as I exist in this realm, I shall hold sway over all! For I am a mighty warrior! With the skill and power to win a hundred battles! I've got the brains! I've got the magic! Indeed! All you people need to do is follow me and believe in my might! Always be obedient, faithful, with all inclinations of mutiny erased from your minds, as you put your faith in me and lend me your protection! Do you heed me, most noble and beloved soldiers?! The future is as bright as fresh crimson blood spurting from the necks of our enemies!"
They were all staring straight at me. Yikes. I felt like I was gonna hurl. Why did I have to make my speech so wordy and rambling? This is what reading too many novels does to a person.
"Now is the hour! Take up your arms! Are we all on board? Is everyone ready to follow me? No stabbing me in the back, now! If ever the thought of rebellion should cross your minds, I promise that you will meet the same fate as that golden-haired young man I just painted the floor with! I'll choke you out with my bare hands without a second's hesitation, so be warned! Got that? Do you? Good! Now, all those who wish to follow me may stay. The
others know where the exit is! Are you ready to taste true glory under the steady hand of Terakomari Gandesblood? That is all you need to ask yourself! Period!"
With my speech concluded, I clamped my lips together and shut my eyes tight.
I said everything I wanted to say, I think. But the last part was totally ad-libbed, to be honest. Still, not bad for someone who'd never had a public speaking engagement in her life. Talk big, and the people will be fooled. This
ragtag bunch of soldiers would certainly swallow it all, hook, line, and sinker. Right?
…I wished my knees weren't trembling so much.
Unable to bear the silence any longer, I cracked open my eyelids and peeked out at the crowd.
Just then…
"HAAAAAAIIIIILLLLL!!!!"
They all suddenly began cheering, loud enough to shake the great hall to its very foundations.
"Wh-what? What's going on?"
As I stood there flummoxed, the vampires began to cheer and chant my name in a frenzy, as if they were high on some kind of illicit substance. My ears rang with the sound of "KO-MA-RIN, KO-MA-RIN!" I could feel my
cheeks burning with embarrassment. Komarin? They had a pet name for me
now? What was I, a pop star? I looked over at Vill, who dropped me a sassy wink.
"Congratulations. The people love you, Lady Komari."
They love me?
Wasn't it all a bit too easy, though? I thought winning them over would be a much…lengthier process.
"Anyway, it looks like you've got them right where you want them. All that's left is to keep your true self squirreled away for the foreseeable future."
"Yeah, that's the whole problem…"
My spirits sank just as I realized that several of my new subordinates were approaching me. Oh gosh, could these ones be…insubordinates?! I felt myself getting ready to dash, but what they ended up saying sent me stiffening instead.
"Supreme Commander! May I have permission to lick your shoe?"
"Supreme Commander! Please! Step on me!"
"Supreme Commander, Supreme Commander! Would you crush me like you did Yohann?"
Now I wanted to turn tail for entirely different reasons.
What was wrong with this unit? Were all of them this messed up? And that last guy… If he wants to die so bad, fine, but don't get me involved!
Eh, not that it mattered much to me. My job was the same, whether these guys were the sickest perverts in the land or not. I just had to keep playing the tough girl, so they didn't rebel and try to kill me. I managed to get through
my speech, full of lies as it was, but now the hard work of keeping those lies rolling was about to begin.
Just thinking about the grueling, difficult, and terrifying days ahead made me heave a huge sigh.
I wished I could go home and dive into the safety of my bed.
***
The Mulnite Empire, domain of the vampires.
The Lapelico Kingdom, domain of the beast-folk.
The Enchanted Lands, domain of the Immortals.
The Gerra-Aruka Republic, domain of the Warblades.
The Haku-Goku Commonwealth, domain of the Sapphires.
The Heavenly Paradise, domain of the Peace Spirits.
Each of the Six Nations of this world has their own customs regarding the Dark Core.
The Dark Core is a source of never-ending magical power, an unholy font of sorts. Many say the current magical society was built upon the regenerative powers it bestows.
Take the Mulnite Empire, for example. New vampires who are born into the Empire undergo a special ritual two weeks after birth. In this rite, they offer up their blood to the Dark Core. This serves to pledge the infant's soul to the Empire forevermore in a blood pact, but it also fulfills a far grander purpose. Through mixing their blood with the Dark Core, the vampire child accepts it as part of themselves and gains an unholy blessing. In other words, the vampire is reborn, as a part of the Core itself.
Then what happens? The answer is simple.
The Dark Core releases nigh-ending magical power, including that of infinite regeneration. Since the vampire has become a part of the Core, they share its abilities. All the folk of this world can use magic without limits (although the specific strengths of the individual dictate what kinds they can use), thanks to the energy of the Dark Core. As long as they remain within a certain range of the Core's true source, known as a Dark Core Zone, they will
arise good as new following a short period of death, regardless of how gravely injured they might have been.
In this world, war is not a matter of life and death.
Instead, modern combat is more like a demonstration of power. Lands do battle with one another to assert dominance, to show off their prowess, or simply for the fun of it. Warfare is their primary source of entertainment.
As a director of war, the commander was responsible for projecting a good image for their country. A Crimson Lord suffering a humiliating public defeat would be the same as publicly smearing mud on the face of the
Empress.
Although personally, after stealing my first kiss from me, I think the Empress deserved a face full of dirt. No, something worse than that…
I got the feeling my impending explosion would only be hastened if I actually spread mud or whatever on her, though.
"This whole situation is completely insane."
I sighed and gazed upward.
We were right in the center of the world, the heart of the Dark Core Zone.
Actually, this area was where the six countries' Dark Core ranges overlapped, so it was the perfect place to duke it out.
Today had been a fine slaughter. The land was awash with blood.
The Eastern Army, composed of brawny beast-folk. The Royal Army of Lapelico.
The Western Army, composed of a select vampire elite. The Imperial Army of Mulnite.
It was only yesterday that I had been looking my subordinates in the face for the first time. I'd been planning to stay shut up in my room alone today to think and ponder, but then my sicko maid suddenly appeared and dragged me out to the battle. Apparently, the previous commander had scheduled this battle before being usurped, so I was duty-bound to take over. Thanks a lot, ex-Commander. Get wrecked. Oh, I guess you already did.
"Battle report! Battle report! Lieutenant Bellius has felled the enemy commander! I repeat! Lieutenant Bellius has felled the enemy commander! We've won!"
I felt all the tension drain out of my body as the battle reporter bellowed this message of victory.
Oh, what a relief! Now there would be no need for me to step into the fray and expose myself.
"Ah, ah-ha-ha. Good work, ol' Bellius. He can have a treat later."
I couldn't remember which one he was.
"Ack! But we were just about to see the commander in action!"
"Way to spoil everyone's fun, Bellius. Thanks for that."
"Wait, a treat? From the supreme commander? I'll kill that mutt!"
"I'm gonna put pins in his boots! That'll learn him!"
Wait, aren't you supposed to be his buddies?
"Congratulations on your first victory, Supreme Commander. Victory is ours."
Caostel bowed his head low before me as I sat there grinning weakly over my troops' banter. It seemed that he was the only one who could reliably keep the others in line.
"W-well, of course we did! This is my unit, after all!"
"Amazing, Supreme Commander. While it is a shame that we did not get to see your skills in action, there will be other opportunities. I look forward to it."
"Oh, please don't. All this praise is embarrassing me, tee-hee."
"No, I am desperate to witness it. Let us build upon this victory and progress to the next bout. Our next opponent is the Gerra-Aruka Republic, as I recall."
Please, no more. I've had enough. I need at least three months alone in my room to recharge. That's what I wanted to say, but I knew doing so would look suspicious and lead to my doom. Just then, my maid leaned in to whisper to me.
"…Lady Komari. This is your cue to smile and nod."
"Eugh…"
I clutched at my temples. There wasn't a single soul here who understood me. I felt so lonely all of a sudden. It sucked so bad.
"Come, Supreme Commander! We must return to the Crimson Tower and begin forming a battle strategy for the upcoming fight! There's no time to hesitate! After all, you are the commander who will conquer the world!"
Hang on, I never said anything about wanting to conquer the world! …Did I?
Though I scowled internally, I pasted on a bland smile outwardly. There was no way out of this. That much was clear.
"Y-yeah, you're right! Okay, good job, everyone! But there's no time to loll about enjoying victory! I promised you a life drenched in the blood of your enemies! We return to the Mulnite Palace at once! No dawdling! No
stragglers! Or I'll turn you into fertilizer! Got that?!"
Before I could even finish speaking…
"HAAAIIILLL!!!"
They began yelling and cheering for me like they were demented again.
I wanted to die. They were just like sheep. Sheeple!
"Um, excuse me, may I say something?!"
Just as I was seriously contemplating wringing my own neck, a high voice rang out. It was such an odd voice to hear in a setting like this, so I looked around in surprise.
The voice belonged to a young girl holding a pen, a notepad, and a camera. She was smiling over at me. Her skin was as white as snow, which made me immediately guess that she was a Sapphire, from the Haku-Goku
Commonwealth.
"Hi, I'm Melka Tiano from Six Nations News! Can you just confirm for me that you're Terakomari Gandesblood, the new Crimson Lord of the Mulnite Empire? I'd love to get an interview if possible!"
Whoa, she was standing way too close all of a sudden. Her face was practically smushed up against mine. Wow, what long eyelashes. No, no, forget about that right now, Komari!
What was up with this pushy reporter? To be completely honest, I kinda hate perky girls like her…
Troubled, I chanced a peek behind me.
Vill was gazing at me in silence. Caostel nodded, grinning away.
What? He wanted me to do the interview? Oh, all right, then!
"F-fine. You can ask me anything. Just…take a few steps back first."
"Thank you! Whoops!"
Yikes! Don't cling! Ouch! We just bumped noses!
"I was having a lot of trouble with my story, actually, because I had no idea what you were like at all, Lady Terakomari! So please let me ask some questions. To start, allow me to just jump right in and ask how you were able to become a Crimson Lord? And is it true that you're one of the famous Gandesbloods?! What is your relationship with the Empress like?! What's your favorite food?! What's your favorite animal?! Where have you been all
our lives?! Is it true you killed a hundred vampires using just your pinky finger?! What are your future battle plans?! Do you have a lover?! When was your first kiss…?"
Oh my gosh! Shut up!
"Just…get off me, will you?!"
"Yeek!"
Gathering up my courage, I shoved the reporter away from me by pure reflex.
"A truly strong warrior doesn't boast of their exploits! But I see that you need assistance. You're a reporter. It's your job to write stuff. So very well, I'll tell you a little. My future battle plans? Simple. Complete world domination! I, Terakomari Gandesblood, will slay all five of the enemy commanders and spread the influence of the Mulnite Empire across the
globe! Did you get that? Oh, and by the way! My favorite food is omelet rice! Komari out!"
Exhaustion washed over me as I finished reeling off this little speech.
But could you blame me? So much had happened since yesterday. Dragged out of my safe and comfy room by a perverted maid, worshiped like a goddess by a scary bunch of soldiers, then forced right into conducting a
battle. This was all too much for a weakling vampire like me to handle!
But it was odd. The people around me didn't seem to see me that way at all.
"W-wow!"
The reporter girl's jaw was hanging as if it had become detached. What was there to be wowed about? I'd just rattled off whatever came to mind, something that would sound good in a newspaper.
My subordinates, who had been observing all of this, began to murmur among themselves.
"Now, that's what I call a true Crimson Lord."
"She really is a perfect specimen of the vampire race." "Has there ever been a commander with such zest for battle before?" "This will go down in the history books." "I totally agree with you." "This is a legend being born." "I'm so glad I get to walk these lands at the same time as the supreme commander." "We owe the gods our thanks for her," and so on. Give me a break!
Still, it's better to be overly worshiped than the alternative. I mean, if they all found out what a weakling I was, they'd rip me to shreds for sure.
At this rate, though, I was liable to drop dead from stress before they even had the chance to do that.
Just thinking about the days, weeks, and months ahead made me heave a sigh that was almost a scream.