With their escape route severed, it seemed the vampires intended to ensnare them within their lair. Yet Lynn astutely sensed that something was amiss.
This was the vampires' sanctum, a place they knew intimately. Within this labyrinthine underground mine, they were familiar with the terrain and held significant advantages. The drastic measure of destroying the minecart appeared excessive—rather than resorting to such drastic measures, they could simply have cut off the energy supply to the minecart. Why resort to destruction?
Furthermore, upon considering various other elements, Lynn felt an unsettling intuition. He had thoughts brewing in his mind but chose to set them aside for the moment.
Although this predicament briefly dampened morale, Eirich swiftly rallied the adventurers to press onward. Despite the destruction of their retreat, only four or five vampires remained ahead—a limited threat—and the adventurers regained some confidence. As long as they could eliminate the vampires, all would be well.
With a collective force of over twenty, their spirits were high. They employed various reconnaissance methods to explore the unknown cavern.
Lynn followed the main group, refraining from drawing attention to himself. He and Finn exchanged meaningful glances, silently urging each other to remain cautious of their surroundings.
However, the cave proved far quieter than they had anticipated. After dispatching the undead at the entrance, they encountered little resistance. Though they advanced with caution, their pace remained brisk. After approximately half a day, the path before them suddenly straightened. Unlike the treacherous routes of the mine, this area appeared to have been meticulously maintained.
They had located their objective—but before they could celebrate, a cacophony erupted behind them.
"Something is approaching from behind!" Eirich quickly realized the implication; the vampires aimed to drive them forward, but there was no time for contemplation in the current circumstances. "Let's rush in and devise a plan afterward!"
The adventurers hastened forward, surging along the smooth path into a vast rock chamber. Behind them, a massive stone ball came roaring toward them, becoming lodged in the entrance of the chamber with a thunderous crash, sealing their escape.
Trapped within the rock chamber, they found themselves faced with the sound of applause.
"Brave warriors, you have arrived here, and Count Karyel has eagerly awaited your presence. Before engaging in battle, would you care for a drink? I have an ample selection of fine wines."
The rock chamber contrasted starkly with the mine, adorned in lavish decor. Velvet tapestries hung upon the walls, and there were elven-style furnishings and ornaments scattered throughout. If not for the oppressive darkness, one might mistake this for a dilapidated noble's estate, albeit one showing signs of age.
This was indeed a vampire's abode—seated before them was a vampire clad in wizard's robes, the very one who called himself Count Karyel.
Now that they stood before the true antagonist, Lynn and his companions dared not behave recklessly. As a sixth-tier spellcaster, the vampire possessed formidable strength, and they knew they had to tread carefully. Count Karyel regarded them with keen interest, his gaze finally settling on Eirich and Finn. "Do you truly not wish to partake in a drink? Are you not curious why Count Karyel awaits you here?"
"It was to be expected. I found it peculiar; although Eirich and his companions came here in search of an artifact, which could indeed lead to a confrontation, Eirich is notably restrained. If you had exercised similar restraint, you likely would not have found yourselves in this predicament. However, you seem entirely ignorant of what restraint entails; rather, you appear to have deliberately lured us here."
Lynn's words drew a nod of intrigue from Count Karyel, who graciously acknowledged the accusation and motioned for Lynn to continue.
"You killed indiscriminately in the town, inciting the wrath of the adventurers; you ambushed them on the mountain path, uniting them in their resolve to press onward; and even when we arrived at your dwelling, your attack was not executed with full force, more akin to a deliberate show of weakness, allowing your subordinates to fall in a scattered fashion, as if encouraging us to advance."
"I must admit, my plan has succeeded—under my continuous prodding, you genuinely believed that Count Karyel lacked strength, that you could strike with momentum and win the day, thus drawing you to this place, did you not?"
"So you were fishing for us?" Eirich replied coldly. "We are the fish you sought, while those innocent victims were merely bait in your eyes?"
"Do you consider those who come to my home to kill me and seize my possessions innocent?" The vampire retorted sharply. "Is the justice of the Dawnbringer not a laughable affair?"
"And what of Linda?" spoke the previously silent wizard, Tadrick, his gaze filled with hatred as it bore down upon the vampire. "She would never violate the captain's orders; she would not launch an assault against you, yet you still took her life."
"At this juncture, do you truly think Count Karyel would care whether a young girl was innocent?" The vampire paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. "It no longer matters; such details are inconsequential."
Tadrick raised his hand, prepared to cast a spell, yet Eirich gripped his wrist, halting him.
"You mentioned that matters have come to this... so everything has a reason. What was your true intention in bringing us here? Have you perhaps found the Radiant Ring?"
"What is that trinket?" the vampire retorted, prompting Eirich to falter. Finn, however, immediately interjected, "Now is not the time for such discussions! He clearly lured us here with the intent to kill us, is that not so?"
Finn's inquiry captured the attention of several others. The vampire ceased his banter with Eirich and nodded at Finn. "Precisely; I do wish to kill. However, to be frank, the only ones truly on my kill list are the priests of the Dawnbringer and the Dark Lord. Of course, I require some corpses as well, so your presence is fortuitous."
"Do you really believe the Church will tolerate your actions after so many murders?" Finn realized the implications. "You have dwelled here for over a century, with the Church turning a blind eye to your existence because you have maintained a degree of civility, occasionally preying on a few villagers to satiate your hunger, never daring to challenge the Church's authority. Have you truly considered the ramifications of brazenly slaying a priest and orchestrating mass bloodshed?"
"All that will happen is that both of your churches will converge upon Dagger Valley." The vampire chuckled. "But that is of no consequence: I have no intention of remaining in Dagger Valley. My mission remains unfulfilled, yet I cannot linger. Before departing, I intend to prepare a little surprise for my dear old friend."