28. Engagement

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/30/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“Welcome back, Leia.”

When I returned to the church, Chigusa greeted me in the chapel as if she had been waiting.
It had been a very long time since anyone had welcomed me home.
But I could not bring myself to answer, “I’m back,” so I passed her in silence.
The fact that I tensed up at the thought of offending her only made me feel small.

“Still haven’t found your answer?”

I paused before replying over my shoulder.

“ … I think I have.”
“But you still haven’t fully come to terms with it.”
“When someone suddenly tells you to stop being human … you can’t just say, ‘All right,’ and accept it. What was it like for you, Chigusa?”
“In my case, I had no time to hesitate over the choice. As you know, I did not regain consciousness until a vampire gave me life. Besides—”
“Besides?”
“I knew human ugliness better than most, and I had already lost faith in humanity. Even if my body had been whole, I doubt I would have struggled with the decision as you have.”

It was easy to guess that something had happened to her in the world she came from.
Given what her classmates were like, their school could hardly have been a decent place.
And people did not change merely because they came to another world.
They became corrupt, trampled others without remorse, and lived only to satisfy their own desires.
When their interests collided, they readily killed their own kind and betrayed their companions.
Vampires probably avoided that because their interests never conflicted.
They all faced in the same direction.
I did not know whether that deserved to be called love, but Chigusa and the others apparently called it that.

“But if you came back, then at least you’ve made your choice concerning Lina, haven’t you?”
“Yes …”

Which meant my own choice had effectively been made as well.
I had no intention of making Lina abandon her humanity while irresponsibly refusing to do the same.
I would remain with her to the end.
Even if I became inhuman.

“Um … I don’t know whether this is possible, but may I ask one thing?”
“Go ahead.”
“If someone has to drink my blood, I want it to be Lina … after she stops being human.”
“That is fine, though I will need to establish direct contact with Lina to transfer the power.”

My cheek twitched at the humorless joke.
Did she truly have to say that now?

“Please don’t be angry. I’m not teasing you; physical contact is necessary to transfer the power.”
“ … Does it have to be a kiss?”
“Not necessarily.”

“Then a kiss … is fine.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to leave her first kiss for you.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”

Chigusa giggled and headed deeper into the chapel.
Surprised that I could speak with her almost normally, I followed.

Continue reading →

27. The Inhuman Being Called Human

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/29/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Nothing is more unwelcome than kindness forced upon you.
Even if you try to explain that it is wrong, the other person will never stop believing that they are right.
That is why I cannot deny that what I am about to do is nothing more than selfishness.

There are two choices.
One is to accept Chigusa’s offer, turn Lina into a Demi-Vamp, and restore her body.
The other is to kill Lina with my own hands and let her life end as a human.

I have no way of knowing which one Lina wants.
Whichever I choose, it will surely be an act of selfishness.
Even the standard by which I make that choice will be nothing more than my own values.

Which is right: humanity or vampirism?
I came to Count Fenburg’s estate to find out.
He was the man who led the troops that rescued me from my ruined village. Immediately afterward, he retired from active service, and his son inherited the territory.
Apparently, he had always been close to the king. Now he lives quietly in retirement on the outskirts of the royal capital.
For a while after I first came to the capital, he acted as my guardian and looked after me.
That is why I affectionately call him “Uncle.”

Given our relationship, the guards let me into the estate without trying to stop me.
A maid immediately showed me into a drawing room.
I settled into a plush chair and sipped tea as I waited. A few minutes later, Uncle appeared.

“This is unusual. Leia, coming here without so much as a message.” Continue reading →

26. Simple Manipulation: Leave Them the Choice and Make Them Bear the Responsibility

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/28/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Thinking back, I should have realized it from Chigusa’s clothes when we fought before.
The stronghold of a Demi-Vamp dressed in a robe resembling a nun’s habit was, quite literally, a church.
Then again—perhaps she had simply judged that it would not matter if I discovered where she lived.

“… By the way, Leia, is it all right for you to leave the castle without permission?”

I did not want to walk beside Chigusa, so I had been following a short distance behind her when she abruptly asked me that.
I frowned.

“You’re the one who brought me out here… Is that something you would normally ask?”
“I didn’t expect you to come along so readily.”
“It was practically a threat.”
“I had no such intention. Though if you had stubbornly refused, I was planning to use my shadows just a little.”
“… So you were going to threaten me.”

Using her shadows—what a terrifying thing to say.
This creature truly was inhuman.
Even the thought of them made my body react involuntarily.

“Come to think of it…”

I looked at her and suddenly noticed an alarming fact.

“The sun… doesn’t bother you?”

The sun was ordinarily a vampire’s weakness.
In fact—setting aside whether the culprit truly had been a vampire—the attack on my village had happened at night, and so had the attack the other day.
Naturally, I had assumed these creatures were weak against sunlight too.
Yet Chigusa was strolling calmly beneath it now. She looked a little warm, perhaps, but otherwise entirely unaffected.

“I am a Demi-Vamp, after all.”

Chigusa answered with a bright smile.
Once again, she casually said something horrifying.

“Sunlight is harmless to us. We can eat garlic, we appear in mirrors, and running water poses no problem. We can even live without drinking blood.”
“… That makes no sense.”

Could something like that even be called a vampire? Continue reading →

25. When I Learned the Truth, I…

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/27/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Holding Reese in my arms, I walked through the castle.
I had been chronically short of sleep of late.
Even after waking, my mind showed no sign of clearing. I had set out for a walk in the hope that a change of pace might help, but—

“Man, even I’m finally getting bored. Guess it doesn’t matter how many girls you have—sooner or later, you get tired of them.”
“That’s because you overdo it all day long, Saiji.”
“You’re hardly any different, Taka. What about you, Oya? Starting to get bored yet?”
“…Not particularly.”
“Oh, right. Your situation was unusual, wasn’t it? Maybe I’ll go get myself someone new. If Ms. Mikage were here, I’d have gone after her.”
“…What about Sakuna?”
“I got tired of her ages ago. I’d rather choose one of the girls here.”
“Can’t argue with Saiji there.”

They passed me with coarse, braying laughter.
They were some of the six people I had summoned—or seven, if Chigusa was included.
The especially vulgar man who appeared to be their leader, with not a trace of intelligence in his expression, was Saiji Kataoka.
The slimmer but equally vulgar man perpetually at his side was Taka Kagan.
And the pale man who alone affected an air of cool detachment, though he was little different from the others, was Oya Chizaki.
Those were the only three men who had been summoned.
The two others still in the castle were girls named Sakuna Akizora and Toka Sato.
Sakuna had apparently once been in a relationship with Saiji. Perhaps it was a case of like attracting like, for her manner and conduct somewhat resembled his.
Toka was part of Sakuna’s entourage.
She was plain and quiet, which seemed to be precisely why Sakuna valued having her nearby as someone who made Sakuna herself stand out.
Toka, for her part, was comfortable in that position.
…Disgusting.
The humans I had summoned certainly possessed powerful magic, but—with the exception of Miyako—they were so base that I could hardly bear to breathe the same air.
Chigusa was no different.
She had sold her soul to a vampire, and she must surely be plotting to bring about another tragedy like the one that befell my village. Continue reading →

24. Believing We Will Meet Again Someday, I Will Keep Calling Your Name

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/26/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Can human desire truly be so ugly?
Even though the world I came from had shown me that ugliness in vivid detail—and forced me to experience it firsthand—I could not help but frown when Ai told me what she had learned.

“An establishment beneath the city holds an event known as a slave auction. It is exactly what the name suggests: nobles bid as little as they can for slaves abducted from various places. A thoroughly vile form of entertainment.”

As a member of House Lindforg—and therefore a noble herself—Ai had apparently received invitations of that kind many times.

“I declined every invitation. Such things are not to my taste.”

For that reason, she had never attended one herself.
According to Ai, however, nobles who kept slaves were hardly uncommon. Like the people of the Discard District, slaves had no recognized rights and were subjected to appalling treatment.
Most of those put up for sale were very young girls. Boys were reportedly offered on occasion as well, depending on the buyers being catered to.
That distinction was beside the point. Once I had learned that human beings were being bought and sold, leaving matters alone would have been intolerable.
And so, on the night of the event, I dressed in a suitably aristocratic gown borrowed from Ai and made my way to the establishment.
The sun had long since set. It was dark outside—a most pleasant night.

 

Continue reading →

23. Hatred and Love Are Equivalent

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/25/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“Hmm …”
“What is it, Chii-chan?”

I lay with my head on Mya-nee’s lap, resting my index finger against my chin as I thought.
We were relaxing on a sofa in one of the rooms at the back of the church.
The matter before my internal council was simple: our growing number of companions had made the church rather cramped.

“I was thinking that it may be time for us to consider moving.”
“We have gained a lot of people. We’re all usually crowded together anyway, so it hasn’t been a problem yet.”
“… Speaking of which, you spent last night with Ellis, did you not? How was it?”
“How was it …? I can only say it was wonderful. Nunnally, Rellie, Miri, Ai, and Chelsea—everyone made me feel welcome.”
“I am glad to hear it.”

I exhaled in relief.
It seemed Mya-nee had completely adapted to life here as a Demi-Vamp.
… But enough of that digression.

“Returning to the matter of moving—”
“Oh, right. What should we do? Borrow Ai’s manor?”
“About that. Our family will only continue to grow, so I wondered whether we might as well seize somewhere truly grand.”
“Truly grand …?”

Mya-nee tilted her head. I looked her directly in the eyes and smiled fearlessly.

“The royal castle. If we mean to change the country—and the world—then taking over its greatest symbol would be the quickest way.”
“Do you mean to deal with the students who were transported here with us at the same time?”
“I do want to determine what should be done about them. More importantly—some seeds have already been sown.”

I closed my eyes.
The image that came to mind was the girl who had faced me on the night Ellis acted so recklessly.
That pitiable girl could speak to other people only through a doll named after her closest friend.
Come to think of it, Lina—the name behind that black-cat doll—sounded rather like Lilina. Yet Lilina’s heart was far stronger.
Leia’s heart was a fragile castle built on sand, ready to collapse at the slightest disturbance.
Even tonight, she was surely recalling what happened and suffering between the supernatural compulsion I had left in her and her bitter remorse.

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22. Blood and Flesh Make the Best Birthday Gift

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/24/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Even after her father, Merrick, came home, Lilina showed no desire to leave Liza’s side.

She clung to her mother from behind as Liza stood in the kitchen, wearing a dreamlike expression.

“What’s gotten into you, Lilina? You’ve been awfully attached to Mama since yesterday.”

Knowing nothing, Merrick smiled as he spoke to his daughter. Lilina, however, no longer had the slightest interest in her father and gave no sign of answering.

Sensing the awkwardness, Liza tried to smooth things over with her husband.

“She says she had a frightening dream.”

“A dream, huh? Come to think of it, I haven’t had one in ages.”

“That just means you’re sleeping soundly. It’s a good thing.”

“Ha ha, perhaps so. A soldier’s body is his livelihood. I’m no use to anyone if I can’t sleep properly.”

Merrick drank his evening liquor and picked at the food served with it. He did not notice how his wife had changed since his return. Nor did he notice her trembling as she stood in the kitchen.

Out of his sight, Lilina was covertly exploiting the Mark on Liza’s swollen belly. It was the heart with demonic wings—the proof that Liza’s body had finished preparing to abandon its humanity.

Liza struggled to conceal the Mark’s overwhelming supernatural effect from her husband. Even a glance would have shown that something was wrong, but the pleasantly tipsy Merrick noticed nothing.

Even if he had, it was already too late. Lilina had long since ceased to be human, and Liza was completely in her thrall.

“Mama, who do you love more—Papa or Lilina?”

Lilina whispered so Merrick could not hear. Liza answered at once.

“Lilina. Of course it’s Lilina.”

“Who makes you happier—Papa or Lilina?”

“Compared with you, he doesn’t even—”

“Then we don’t need Papa anymore.”

“No … we don’t. As long as I have you, Lilina, I don’t need him.”

Lilina nodded in satisfaction, certain that her mother now belonged entirely to her.

Just then, Merrick abruptly stood. Liza stiffened at the thought of him seeing her expression, while Lilina looked almost as though she would not mind being discovered. If that happened, so be it. Merrick might have honed himself as a soldier, but Lilina was a Demi-Vamp and could kill him with ease.

“Off to the toilet …”

Instead, he left the room without so much as looking at them.

“Hee hee. Good thing he didn’t notice, Mama.”

“Lilina …”

The moment Merrick was gone, the strength left Liza’s body. She paused her cooking, gently removed Lilina’s arms from around her, and turned to face her.

“My, Mama. The instant Papa leaves, you can’t wait any longer.”

Laughing, Lilina accepted her mother’s corrupted affection. In the kitchen, the two crossed another forbidden boundary until Merrick was about to return. Liza understood how grotesquely the charm had distorted their family, yet she surrendered to it all the same. Continue reading →

21. Let Us Fall in Love as Though Returning to the Womb

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/23/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

The Lenglands were the very picture of an ideal family.

Lilina’s father, Merrick Lengland, always devoted his days off to his wife and child, and routinely helped with the housework as well.
He kept the city safe as a soldier, and because he was employed by the kingdom, his pay was respectable.
Indeed, he was prosperous enough to build a home in the royal capital—where land prices continued to rise—at the age of thirty-two.

Lilina’s mother, Liza Lengland, was twenty-eight, four years younger than Merrick.
She was currently eight months pregnant.
Like Lilina, she wore her blond hair cut to her shoulders. She was a kindhearted woman who offered the same warm smile to everyone she met.
She kept the household in good order, and her cooking had improved greatly since her marriage. By now, Merrick looked forward to coming home every day.

Lilina loved both of her parents dearly.

At least, she had until the day she was changed into something inhuman.

After Chigusa saw her off, Lilina left the church and made her unsteady way home. Her body still carried the aftereffects of what had happened there.
In truth, she wanted to remain at the church—or even spend the rest of her life there, receiving Chigusa’s attention.
But she still had a task to complete.

Her mother was waiting at home, and Lilina loved her just as much as she loved her new companions.

“Mama should come over to this side too…”

She had to drag her in.

It was what Lilina wanted, and it was also Chigusa’s instruction.
There was therefore no reason not to see it through.
Her steps quickening, Lilina hurried home.

 

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20. Happy Family Plan

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/22/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

The following day, during another abusive encounter, the Mark appeared on a concealed part of Lilina’s body.
I deliberately pretended not to notice it and prolonged her conditioning for another three days, amused by the conflict between her remaining judgment and the supernatural influence imposed upon her.

On the third morning, a school holiday, Lilina came to the church as usual and threw herself into my arms.

“That means I can spend the whole day with you, Lilina.”

No one else had arrived. Taking advantage of our isolation, I prompted her to repeat the secret behavior I had taught her.
What followed is omitted. It was another calculated act of abuse intended to erase her boundaries and equate obedience with love.

When it ended, Lilina was disoriented but still desperate for my approval.
Her response showed how completely the charm and my conditioning had undermined her ability to recognize wrongdoing.

“Lilina loves you too. Hee-hee.”

The innocence that remained only strengthened my resolve to overwrite her humanity completely.
I had delayed long enough. It was time to transform her.

“Shall we go to my room?”
“Yes! Stay close to me all day, Big Sister!”

I took her eagerly offered hand and led her to the bedroom.

 

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Continue reading →

19. Let Us Drizzle Honey over Unripe Fruit

Author: Kiki
Raw: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n2498fn/21/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

By its nature, a church receives visitors of every age and gender.
That had not changed even now that Demi-Vamps had taken it over. People continued to arrive, knowing nothing.
Lilina Lengland.
This innocent girl, far younger than I was and still of school age, was one of them.
In her case, however, she had only recently begun coming to the church.
For reasons I did not understand, she had grown remarkably attached to me and seemed to visit solely to see me.
She was a tremendously energetic child who begged, “Play with me, play with me!” whenever she came. I did not mind, so we often played together.
I would sit her on my lap while we read, chase her until she caught me in a hug, or hold her hand—all perfectly innocent.

“Big Sister, let’s play!”

And so, as on every other day, Lilina came to the church.
I welcomed her with a smile from the bottom of my heart.

 

◇◇◇ Continue reading →