True Ancestor
Author: Unicoon
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8138gc/27/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA
“”Ulrika!?””
Lady Ulrika had appeared all of a sudden.
King Zenon and Rudolf held their heads, at a loss.
“Hihihiii~!?”
And Headmaster Neumann was prostrating himself at Lady Ulrika’s feet.
Her mere appearance was chaos.
“Ulrika. Did you need something?”
“Mm! School starts tomorrow, so I thought I’d show you the bag I’m taking…”
Bag in one hand, Lady Ulrika spun around.
Her skirt lifted lightly. A terribly cute gesture.
“You seem to be in the middle of something?”
“Ulrika! Wait, Ulrika!!”
This time a cute voice burst in from outside the door.
A flustered Charlotte had come chasing Lady Ulrika.
“Ulrika! You mustn’t go in on your own!”
“That’s right. Zenon seems busy…”
“I’m sorry, Father. We’ll leave at once.”
The study grew lively all at once.
In the midst of it, King Zenon looked at Lady Ulrika and grinned.
“Wait, Charlotte. This may be convenient.”
“Your Majesty, that’s a nasty look. What are you thinking?”
“Hey, don’t say things that sound bad…”
Rudolf whispered in his ear; King Zenon whispered back.
“Ulrika is the Demon King. In other words, an expert on monsters. She may know a great deal about vampires as well.”
“That’s true. If she’s the real Demon King…”
“I told you she’s real, didn’t I? Anyway, we ought to hear an expert’s opinion, shouldn’t we?”
“But if we anger Ulrika, the country might be destroyed, yes?”
“Leave it to me. I’ll handle it well.”
“Haa… very well.”
The two finished conferring.
When they looked at Lady Ulrika, she was spinning in front of Headmaster Neumann.
“How is it? Does it suit me?”
“Of course it does! It suits you very well!!”
“Is it true! Thank you!”
She was showing off her schoolgoing look.
Lady Ulrika, carefree.
“Ulrika. There’s something I want to ask.”
“What? About the bag? Inside are writing tools and—”
“No, it isn’t that…”
Cut off, Lady Ulrika looked disappointed.
King Zenon went on regardless.
“Would you happen to know a great deal about vampires, Ulrika?”
“Of course I do. I’m a vampire myself!”
“I see. So you’re a vampire too…”
Lady Ulrika answered readily.
A beat of silence passed—
“”””Haaah!?””””
The four of them cried out together.
“Wait, wait! Ulrika is a vampire!?”
“To be precise, a True Ancestor. A little different from ordinary vampires.”
“Oh, a True Ancestor…”
And silence flowed again—
“”””True Ancestooor!?””””
The four of them stood as one.
Charlotte had gone pale from shock.
Headmaster Neumann, white-faced, was on the verge of passing out.
“This is a serious problem. If she’s truly a vampire…”
“What? Are vampires no good?”
Lady Ulrika tilted her head, blinking. King Zenon explained the circumstances.
“Vampires are enemies of humans. In fact, humans and vampires have been at war since the distant past.”
“Is that so? I thought you lived together in harmony.”
The others were left utterly exasperated at Lady Ulrika’s reaction.
Rudolf let a question slip.
“Live together in harmony… why would you think that, I wonder…”
“Even if you ask why…”
A casual question.
But Lady Ulrika’s answer froze the air in the study.
“I see vampires in the castle now and then, you see.”
A chill ran through the air.
The four of them quietly looked at one another.
“Don’t tell me… you said in the castle?”
“Mm. They walk around inside the castle as if it’s normal. That’s why I thought you got along.”
The tension rose.
King Zenon’s questions continued.
“Can you tell us specifically where they are?”
And Lady Ulrika answered.
“There’s one in this room too, you know?”