37. Not Madness, but Ignorance

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/40/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Camilla Dilideed.
It was the first time Chigusa had heard the full name, but if it was someone connected to the captain of the knighthood, and the name was Camilla, it could hardly be unrelated to that vampire Camilla.
Inwardly shaken that Camilla’s name had come up in such an unexpected place, Chigusa listened to the rest.

“The Dilideed house is a noble family, not especially wealthy, but they keep a villa in the royal capital. Camilla was a handful from childhood, and she used to sneak into our estate in secret.”
“What were the guards doing?”
“Exactly. Well, perhaps they saw that she and I were close and looked the other way.”

Whether that counted as being considerate was a dubious question.

“And so, after those secret meetings, once Camilla and I began attending school in the capital, we were finally able to associate openly. She was good with a sword as well, and we often clashed as rivals.”
“To go up against you, Captain—that’s considerable skill.”
“Well, at school we were among the top, at least. Camilla may have thought that if she surpassed me, who already had the captaincy lined up, she could enter the knighthood.”
“… Perhaps so that you could be together?”
“Who knows. Neither of us was honest, so I don’t know what she was thinking when she tried to join. But she was certainly fixated on strength.”

Hearing that, Chigusa thought.
Perhaps Camilla, too, had been a being granted a vampire’s power, as she herself had.
She did not know the finer circumstances, but Camilla had probably been unable to surpass Lily.
And so she had not been able to join the knighthood.
Still wishing somehow to catch up, she had—offered herself to the inhuman.

“What is that Camilla doing now?”

Chigusa knew the answer, but she asked anyway.
There was a chance, however slight, that it was a case of mistaken identity.
Lily answered at once.

“She’s dead. I cut her down.”

The reply she had expected.
In other words—the Camilla Dilideed she spoke of was, after all, almost certainly the very person who had made Chigusa a Demi-Vamp.

“It’s about time… If you wouldn’t mind, would you listen again sometime?”
“If someone like me will do.”
“Thank you. That’s a help.”

So saying, Lily left the mess hall at a quick pace.
Watching her back, Chigusa felt, strangely, a little forlorn.
Perhaps Camilla’s feelings inside her were appealing for something.

◇◇◇

 

“Ahahaha, hahahaha, this feels the best! Hyahahahahahaha! Did you see that face? Lalilalai looking frustrated, and still wearing the expression of a loser who couldn’t do a damn thing!”

After defeating Lalilalai, Ashera remained alone at the training grounds, dancing as she swung her greatswords with all four arms, spinning round and round.
She must have been in an excellent mood; the laughter would not stop, and her voice went on echoing through the room.

“Ahh, I wanna fight somebody more, I wanna cut loose! Anybody’s fine if we can try to take each other’s lives. Ain’t there anybody who’ll let me work this feeling off!?”

Hearing that voice through the door, Miyako swallowed hard in front of the training grounds.
It was she herself who had said she wanted to be of use to Chigusa.
If she did not bring down at least one knight, she would not be able to hold her head up.
And so she had chosen Ashera as her opponent—but the woman’s battle-mania was worse than she had imagined, and she was already frightened. Or rather, she was already put off.

“Nobody told me they were people this dangerous… But if I don’t do it, I’ll have been lying, and besides…”

Miyako opened the door a crack and looked at Ashera’s body.
Her cheeks colored faintly.

“… If that person became a Demi-Vamp, she’d be wonderful, wouldn’t she.”

A bewitching smile.
Inhuman desire pushed her from behind.
Seeing the woman who had come through the training-ground gate, Ashera warned her with an excited look.

“You there—I’ll say this once. If you don’t wanna die, get out. Unless you’re here to fight me!”
“That’s what I came for. I want you to spar with me.”

Hearing Miyako’s words, the corners of Ashera’s mouth warped into a crescent, baring her teeth.

“You’ve got guts. Looking at me like this and still wanting to go at it head-on! Either you’re a complete idiot who’s lost her mind, or you’re the real thing. Nah, either’s fine. Dead or alive, I’ll still toy with you!”

If she used her shadows, defeating her would probably be easy.
But at this stage, Miyako must not let her realize she was inhuman.
She took a sword that had been left at the training grounds and faced Ashera, who was handling four greatswords counting the grotesque arms.

“Is that weapon enough?”
“Something that handles well suits me better.”

To tell the truth, fighting with a weapon other than her claws was a first for Miyako.
Rather than suddenly using two swords or some unfamiliar arm, an orthodox sword would still be better.
Technique was unnecessary.
All she had to do was trade blows with a physique that surpassed the human—

 

◇◇◇

 

“Hihihi, never thought there’d actually be somebody who could go at it with me. I’m surprised, Miyako.”
“I had a good experience myself.”
“Yeah, you were enjoying it. Going all-out against somebody who can enjoy a fight! There’s no happier moment than that!”

After a good hour of combat training, the two of them were washing off the sweat in the showers.
At first, Ashera, more used to fighting, had pressed her; from the middle Miyako had begun to grasp the knack and counter, and by the end they had been nearly even.
That had apparently been the peak of enjoyment for Ashera; Miyako recalled the expression on her face when she had struck in a frenzy of delight, and gave a wry smile.
Then again—from midway through, Miyako had been thoroughly absorbed in the fight herself, so there was probably not much difference.

“You—that swordsmanship… no, where’d you get that physique?”
“Self-taught. Same as you, isn’t it, Ashera?”
“Well, yeah. I’ve been thinking about fighting since I was little. The other knights give me a hard time for it, asking if I don’t have any other hobbies.”
“That’s fine, if it’s fun.”
“Damn right. Fun comes first, obviously. So, Miyako, you’re keeping me company tomorrow too.”
“Of course. I’m looking forward to it as well.”

There was no reason to refuse.
Contact increased during combat; as the charm progressed, she would be able to touch her on purpose.
The charm had barely taken effect yet.
The reason Ashera was smiling at Miyako like this was simply that she had taken a liking to her.
Miyako’s role was still ahead of her.
Imagining Ashera, who seemed interested in nothing but fighting, gradually falling, Miyako gave a little shiver.

 

◇◇◇

 

The next day, as promised, Ashera and Miyako’s combat training took place.
Miyako disliked having anyone else see those fights, so while the two of them were at it the training grounds were shut.
And so no one knew of their relationship.
Unseen, their bond deepened; unseen, she fell.

After the second day’s bout, Miyako invited Ashera to a meal.
She knew a good place in the castle town; they should go eat together.
Ashera was not much given to that sort of socializing, but if it was Miyako asking, she accepted readily.

From the castle to the shop, Miyako linked arms with Ashera.
Ashera took it as no more than “she must like physical closeness,” and since it did not feel unpleasant, she did not particularly shake her off.
Once they were in the shop, Miyako sat beside her rather than across, and clung to her; for the same reason, Ashera did not refuse.
Without knowing that Miyako’s magic was steadily being poured into her, the two of them closed the distance.

 

◇◇◇

 

The third day.
The night before, Ashera had dreamed, which was unusual for her.
It was nothing special: only a dream of talking pleasantly with Miyako.
For someone interested in nothing but fighting, that was rare. She must have enjoyed last night’s dinner with Miyako more than she had thought.
When she finished getting ready and met her at the training grounds, a smile came naturally, and the conversation flowed.
As she had thought—she seemed to like Miyako more than she herself had realized, and Ashera was inwardly surprised.

The racing of her heart in combat already surpassed the fight in which she had defeated Lalilalai the other day.
Could there be anything in this world more fun than fighting Miyako?
She was so absorbed that she genuinely thought so.

In the middle of the fight, Miyako suddenly hooked Ashera’s leg; her balance broken, Ashera tumbled to the ground.
Miyako did not miss the opening.
She straddled the one who had rolled, in a posture very like pinning her down.
This was combat training; she ought, then, to have followed with an attack—and yet Miyako was gazing steadily into Ashera’s eyes.

“Hey, Ashera, may I kiss you?”
“Wha… of course not!”

At the out-of-nowhere proposal, Ashera said it with her face bright red.

“I thought so yesterday too, but maybe you’re… into that?”
“Mm. I think you’re terribly cute, Ashera.”
“Cute, huh. You’re the first person who’s ever said that to me.”
“Everyone else has no eye. What a waste.”

Eyes narrowed, cheeks flushed, Miyako drew her face closer.
Ashera pushed a palm against that face.

“Honestly, being with you is fun. And, uh, if that’s your thing, I wouldn’t say I won’t go along with it… but not now. At least wait until after the fight.”
“Nfufu, so after the fight is all right?”

After hearing Miyako’s words, Ashera fiercely regretted what she had blurted out, but it was too late.
Miyako stood, raised her sword, and smiled seductively. “Then let’s resume.”
Ashera’s head was so full of what would be done to her after the fight that she lost badly from then on.

When the fight was over and they left the training grounds, the two of them headed for the showers.
Ordinarily, of course, they used separate stalls, but that day Miyako forced her way into the same one as Ashera.

“Hey, Ashera. You said it earlier, didn’t you? After the fight.”
“Wait. Don’t go into heat. At least after we’ve washed off the sweat—”
“I don’t mind. You’re slick with sweat, and you smell so strong—it’s terribly indecent.”

The stall door was frosted glass, made so that only the torso was hidden.
Through that mosaic-like glass, two bodies of the same skin-tone could be seen tangled together.
From shame, Ashera weakly pushed Miyako away and protested.
Miyako sealed her mouth with her lips, as if to say, be quiet.

At first Ashera was startled and confused, but she seemed to take to the feel of Miyako’s tongue sliding through her mouth; soon she closed her eyes and yielded.
Before she knew it she had put her own arms around Miyako’s back and pressed their bodies together.
Miyako opened one eye for an instant, confirmed the look on Ashera’s face as she twisted pleasantly, then put more strength into her arms and held her tighter.

That day, the “occupied” sign hung on the shower room for some two hours—but what went on inside, no one knew but Ashera and Miyako.