#Chapter 114
—
Carpe, who had been watching, opened his mouth in shock.
“Tacen… came to his senses?”
How in the world?
Wasn’t that curse on Tacen something that couldn’t be lifted no matter how hard they tried?
*Could it be… because of the few drops of blood that were spilled just now?*
It didn’t make sense, but at this moment he couldn’t think of any other explanation.
Arthur Bayern’s blood had undone Tacen’s curse.
Because of that, Carpe couldn’t hide his sour expression when Tacen’s voice rang out.
“Madman, it’s been a while.”
Arthur smiled brightly and greeted him.
“Long time no see, Mr. Tacen. I heard you had a rough time?”
“Keh keh… that way of talking, still the same.”
Tacen let out a laugh before pausing to catch his breath.
Arthur tilted his head and asked.
“Hm? You’re not fully recovered yet, are you?”
“The pain has lessened a good deal, but my chest still aches.”
“Ah… so that’s why you’re keeping your eyes closed.”
“That’s not it.”
“…?”
“If I open my eyes, I feel like I’ll want to kill you, so I’m keeping them shut.”
Arthur let out a low exclamation.
“Mr. Tacen… you really are insane, aren’t you?”
“Hearing that from you is refreshing.”
“Sorry to say, but I’m perfectly sane. Unlike you, I actually know how to repay a debt of kindness.”
“That’s the same for me. Which is why I’m showing kindness right now, aren’t I?”
“And how exactly is that?”
“By letting you live—that’s showing kindness.”
“……”
At their exchange, Jeannie and Leon muttered with sour looks.
“…What am I even listening to right now?”
“I find this rather troubling too.”
Two lunatics, each insisting that they were the sane one.
It was quite the rare spectacle.
Just then, Tacen collapsed heavily onto the ground.
**Thud—!**
Because of his massive body, the entire plaza quaked once.
Amidst that, Tacen gestured.
“Come closer.”
Arthur tilted his head.
“To you, Mr. Tacen?”
“I’ve something to say. Or should I come to you instead?”
Arthur shrugged.
“Can’t make a patient come to me. I’ll go.”
Arthur walked over and sat down. Tacen slowly whispered.
“You… why is it that the same blood as mine flows in you?”
At Tacen’s question, Arthur’s lips curved into a faint arc.
“Hm? What do you mean by that, Tacen?”
“Don’t play dumb.”
“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Will you only answer properly if I smash that head of yours halfway in?”
Arthur shrugged.
“You think you can?”
“…What?”
“Before that happens, you’d be the one to die, Mr. Tacen.”
At Arthur’s words, Tacen fell silent.
With his eyes closed and now his lips sealed as well, his posture looked no different from a man in meditation.
Tacen stayed like that in silence for a while before suddenly letting out a hollow laugh.
“You… you’re at Sixth Circle now?”
Arthur smiled brightly.
“Hehe… I’ve gotten pretty strong, haven’t I?”
“What did you do, boil and eat a dragon?”
“Something close to that.”
“A dragon heart?”
“Yes.”
At Arthur’s answer, Tacen’s closed eyelids trembled slightly in disbelief.
*The first time I met him, Second Circle. The next time, Fourth Circle.*
And now he was at Sixth Circle?
By common sense, such growth speed was beyond comprehension.
Just as he tried to stir his body to check for himself—
“Hm? Mr. Tacen?”
Arthur tilted his head, waving a hand in front of Tacen’s face.
But Tacen didn’t move at all.
Eyes closed, his breathing calm, as though truly immersed in meditation. Arthur clicked his tongue.
“He fell asleep? Wow….”
At that moment, Carpe, who had quietly moved closer, narrowed his eyes and murmured.
“Hmph… looks like he fell asleep because his wounds still haven’t healed fully.”
“Still, to fall asleep in the middle of a conversation… Mr. Tacen, you’re really one of a kind.”
“…Hearing that from *you* feels odd.”
“Sorry, what?”
“Nothing. More importantly, how did you even heal Tacen?”
Arthur chuckled at Carpe’s question.
“Trade secret.”
At that smile, Carpe opened his mouth to press further but stopped short.
*He really has no intention of telling me.*
Asking again would just waste breath on a lunatic.
Carpe shook his head and muttered.
“Phew… just looking at you gives me a headache.”
“Oh? Have you been suffering from migraines?”
“I said, *you* give me a headache… anyway, let’s go.”
With that, he floated the sleeping Tacen into the air.
“If we don’t keep moving, we won’t reach the temple. Unless you want to spend the night in the tunnels, we’d better hurry.”
—
—
Following Carpe, they walked the underground passage for quite a while.
By the time their legs began to ache, the grueling march ended.
“Oh….”
Arthur’s eyes gleamed with fascination.
At the end of the passage spread a massive underground plaza.
Inside it was a sight that could only be described as a village.
Not only that, but an underground river flowed through, and just as Carpe had said, a huge temple rose behind the shacks.
But most surprising of all—unlike the dark tunnel earlier, this entire plaza was lit as though it were broad daylight.
Arthur whispered in amazement.
“This isn’t the surface, right? How could it be this bright underground….”
Carpe, standing beside him, explained.
“Vampires can only move at night, so they always longed for light. That’s why the mages joined forces and created an artificial sun.”
Arthur turned to look at him.
“But Mr. Carpe.”
“What.”
“I’ve been wondering— you’re not a vampire, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“Then why are you in the Black Cross?”
Carpe wrinkled his nose at the question.
“The Black Cross isn’t made up of just vampires.”
“So, there are others besides you?”
“Of course. In the beginning, this religion started as a charity group.”
“A charity group?”
“Yes. A group that helped the sick and homeless. That was the origin of this faith.”
Arthur blinked.
“…Hm. Vampires helping others—now that’s curious.”
Carpe didn’t answer. Instead, he turned his head.
Arthur followed his gaze to see several people from the village looking toward them.
Carpe, with a lighter tone than usual, spoke up to reassure them.
“Don’t worry, everyone. These people are here to help us.”
At his words, those in black robes asked anxiously.
“Is Mr. Tacen… all right, sir mage?”
Carpe tapped the floating Tacen.
“Oh, this fellow? He’ll be fine. He’s the sort to survive even if thrown into hell.”
“Oh dear, there you go again with that.”
Carpe smiled faintly.
Arthur, who caught that smile, thought to himself.
*Oh ho… so Carpe does know how to smile like that.*
Carpe then moved into the village.
“Mr. Carpe?”
“You’ve returned from your mission!?”
“Waaah—! It’s Mr. Carpe!”
Just as he said, the Black Cross wasn’t composed solely of vampires.
There were children, humans, and even some who carried unusual bloodlines like Tacen.
Other than the fact this was the underground city of the Black Cross, it looked like an ordinary village found anywhere.
The villagers, however, looked warily at Arthur’s group.
“Mr. Carpe, who are those people?”
“They’re mercenaries who came to help us.”
Each time, Carpe stepped forward to explain, and so nothing more happened.
After strolling through the village for a while, Carpe finally stopped.
“Oh? A church?”
“Yes. This will also be where you’ll stay for a while. Come inside.”
He opened the church doors and went in, then pointed to empty seats while wiping sweat.
“Sit for a bit. I’ll go put this guy to bed.”
Arthur raised his hand.
“I’m thirsty. Can I have some water?”
“There’s a jug over there, help yourself.”
Arthur stood, fetched a cup and jug from where Carpe pointed.
Meanwhile, Leon muttered as he looked around inside.
“Hm… not only is there a village down here, but even a church. Remarkable indeed.”
Beside him, Jeannie rolled her eyes.
“But… is this really the Black Cross headquarters?”
“Wouldn’t it be, Miss Jeannie? Who else would build a city beneath these snowfields?”
At Leon’s words, Jeannie sighed deeply.
*…In the end, I’ve walked straight into the fanatics’ headquarters.*
Her late mother had always warned her—beware religion, beware men.
And here she was, defying both.
Her mood sank. Just then, Carpe returned, looking utterly worn out. He dropped into a seat.
“Phew… I’m exhausted.”
Arthur chuckled.
“If you’re tired, should we leave the talk for tomorrow?”
“No. Business must be finished tonight.”
“Oh… that’s the spirit, Carpe.”
Carpe didn’t answer, but spread out a map.
Arthur, Leon, and Jeannie all looked at it.
After a moment, Arthur blinked.
“Hm… Mr. Carpe? Is this supposed to be a map?”
Leon and Jeannie tilted their heads too, agreeing.
No wonder—Carpe’s map had no symbols, no directions, not even terrain markings.
But what Carpe said next made sense of it.
“It’s a map. All maps of the northern snowfields look like this. There’s nothing to mark in a wasteland.”
Arthur tilted his head again.
“Then why show it to us?”
“Because I’m about to mark it now.”
“…?”
“Watch carefully. You’ll see something interesting.”
As he spoke, magic welled at Carpe’s fingertips.
Arthur and the others silently watched as a red blot appeared on the map.
“Oh…?”
Arthur’s eyes sparkled.
“Don’t tell me this is…”
“That’s right.”
Carpe smirked proudly.
“They’re the red marks of Ian Dormund’s troops moving across the northern snowfields.”
—
—
Arthur stroked his chin.
“I’ve never seen magic like this. How did you do it?”
Carpe shrugged.
“During battle, I engraved my mark on one of them. Through that, I’m tracking their position.”
Leon let out a low whistle.
“Even so, that’s no easy feat. Your skill is impressive.”
Carpe smirked in pride.
Leon then asked again.
“So… what’s the plan, Mr. Carpe?”
“You mean, how we’ll stop them?”
“Yes. It would be too much for just us to hold back Ian Dormund’s army.”
“As I said, don’t worry. The Black Cross will join in.”
Carpe’s face turned serious.
“Except for a few knights and Ian himself, the rest we can block on our side.”
“Hm… so all we’ll need to do is face Ian himself.”
“Exactly. We’ll open the way, you only need to stop him.”
Jeannie raised her hand.
“What about a surprise attack?”
“Good point, pointy-ears. We’ve thought about that too, but….”
While the group discussed strategies against Ian’s army, Arthur kept his gaze on the map.
*Hm… they’re heading further north.*
The red blots kept moving.
Just as he silently observed, suddenly the blots vanished.
“…?”
Arthur blinked in confusion.
*What the?*
He hadn’t touched anything. Could it be broken?
Then faint noises pricked his ears.
“Huh…?”
Arthur stood up.
The other three, deep in discussion, stopped to look at him.
“What’s wrong?” Leon asked.
Arthur narrowed his eyes toward the window.
“Interesting.”
“…?”
“Looks like that spell was something they let themselves get caught in.”
Carpe’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean—let themselves get caught?”
“Put simply, Mr. Carpe, you were being used.”
Carpe tilted his head.
“Used? What are you—”
Before he could finish, the sound of cannons roared.
**Boom—!**
With the thunderous blast, the church roof was blown away.
Carpe’s face turned to shock as Arthur leapt.
With a single bound, Arthur landed atop the ruined edge of the roof. His mouth dropped open.
“My word… what is this.”
Rubbing his eyes, but the sight didn’t change.
In the distance, a banner fluttered—bearing the red rose.
*The red rose—the crest of the Dormund family.*
Unbelievable, yet there it was. Ian Dormund.
That mortal enemy had come to him of his own accord.
At that thought, Arthur’s vision spun.
“Ah….”
With heavy dizziness, the world warped.
He felt it—the old madness returning after lying quiet for so long.
Arthur burst into laughter.
“Haha….”
A strange laugh, flat in tone, without rise or fall.
With that eerie laughter, Arthur murmured.
“Ian… so you’ve finally prepared yourself to die?”
—
