“Please... I’m counting on you, Guide.”

With those words, Kaio lowered his head.

Thankfully, his breathing did not stop and continued on.

“My disciple has not been fully in his right mind ever since he met me.”

Karhin watched as that breathing gradually steadied and spoke.

“A tiny bit of reason remained, so he was good at learning what he was taught. But he had a great deal of trouble, especially with long-term memory. So, even for me, what he just said was the first time I had heard it.”

“I see.”

“This child... chose to tell you that before telling me, its teacher. It could have passed the story to you through me, but it must have been afraid that something might get distorted or left out in the process. Speaking as its teacher, I’ll admit that stings a little.”

It looked at me for a moment, then let out a small laugh and said,

“But since the one in question is you, I can’t exactly complain.”

“I’m not that special.”

If this had been Gangwon Province instead, I would’ve felt confident I could figure something out with Taejun’s help.

But this place was far too far from where he was.

Astrology was affected by geography more than one might expect, so it wouldn’t work here.

Right now, I was just one ordinary awakened.

“My disciple seems to think a little differently.”

Even so—

“After seeing what you have shown, it must have become convinced that if it were you, you would be able to draw something out of that story...”

That big man had trusted me and passed that story on.

“Counting on me, huh.”

At Karhin’s words, I scratched my head and thought.

Honestly, it was a pretty difficult request.

Even figuring out what I was supposed to learn from that story was more than enough for the current me.

But... how should I put it.

'He passed out before I could even answer whether I’d refuse.'

...So what was I supposed to do?

“Whatever. I’ll give it a shot.”

If refusing wasn’t really an option anyway, then the only thing left was to try.

“I know my disciple’s request is unreasonable. Even so, you are willing to help... I am truly grateful.”

“What’s with the thanks.”

I scratched my head again and got to my feet.

There weren’t many clues to be gained from that story.

Still, I had gained something.

'If I’m right.'

It looked like I’d have to drastically revise the plan I had put together before.

Which meant I was about to get very busy.

So I was about to head back to the place with the lord’s chamber, but—

“And.”

As though he still wasn’t finished speaking, Karhin looked up at me and said,

“I have something to tell you as well.”

“Huh?”

Come to think of it, when I first came into this hospital room, he had said he had things to tell me.

“Thanks to your consideration, I was able to follow your procession while covered in a blackout cloak.”

He had only let the general speak first because the general’s condition was bad.

This one had had business with me too.

“That sunlight was so unbearably scorching that I had to move by hiding inside the shadows of small building ruins... but thanks to that, I was also able to witness Valarak using my master’s body however it pleased.”

He seemed furious about that.

But that wasn’t what he wanted to talk about.

“And thanks to that as well, I was able, even from a distance, to watch your battle with that human.”

“Ah.”

“That creature wielded quite an insulting power. The power bestowed by the Progenitor, permitted only to the bloodline... and yet it used it however it pleased, taking only the advantages for itself.”

There was more than a little dissatisfaction in his voice.

Ariella had also been startled when she saw the blood exploding.

Apparently, Jinlei’s method was not thought of very highly in their culture.

'...So Grand Duke Valarak doesn’t mind that part?'

And yet Jinlei seemed to be under that Grand Duke’s protection.

That part was a little strange.

“So? What about him?”

“Ah, I’ve gone on too long about something else. What matters is not him.”

“Then what?”

What was surprising was that even when it came to Jinlei, Karhin only seemed mildly displeased.

He didn’t look deeply interested at all.

“At that time, in the conversation you were having... I heard a certain name.”

And then, what Karhin meant to tell me was—

how should I put it.

“A name I never imagined I would hear in a place like this.”

For me, it was something I never could have guessed.

***

And then, a short while later.

After finishing my conversation with Karhin, I returned to the lord’s chamber in the center of the city.

“You’ve returned, Sir Knight!”

“We were just waiting for you.”

The ones in the lord’s chamber—

Kangil and the two old men—came over to me and spoke.

“As you ordered, we’re gathering only the most exceptional among our brothers.”

“We’re doing the same. Since the wounded are mixed in, it looks like it’ll take a little more time, but fortunately, treatment is progressing at an oddly fast pace. It seems we’ll be able to depart as soon as their injuries are healed.”

They were reporting that the forces I had requested would soon be ready to move out.

But after hearing that, I thought for a moment, then—

“I’m sorry, but.”

Soon after, I spoke with an apologetic look.

“I’m canceling that order.”

“...?”

At those words, Kangil widened its eyes and asked,

“Do you mean you’re giving up on going to find my mistress?”

“No, that’s not it. Just assign me one of yours who can tell where Ariella is.”

“That is something I could personally do...”

“Hm? Would that be all right?”

“...What?”

“If you’re fine with it, I don’t mind.”

Then, as if sensing something strange, Kangil opened its mouth with a look that said surely not.

“What you mean is... perhaps.”

“You, me, and one soldier to erase our traces.”

Looking at Kangil’s stunned expression, I shrugged and said,

“The three of us will be the ones going to find Ariella.”

The moment I said that—

...well, naturally enough.

“That’s absurd!”

Kangil’s expression  turned to shock.

***

According to Kangil, Ariella was growing at a terrifying speed.

At her side, there were probably countless retainers of the Grand Duke helping that growth along.

That was why, at first, I had planned to gather forces on our side as well before setting out.

“...Over there.”

But—

“Haah, I still can’t believe this is really the right way to guide you.”

Even so, I decided to come here with only a few people.

Rumble...

The sounds of battle could be felt coming from far away.

Just like when she had gone hunting with Jinlei, she was probably still hunting the rebel forces inside the territory even now.

The difference from before was—

Tingle...

the strange sensation prickling at the ends of my skin.

How should I put it.

'Someone’s gaze.'

It felt like someone was watching this area.

“You two stop here.”

They had nearly lost Ariella to Kaio and the death squad’s ambush.

So this time, it seemed they hadn’t forgotten broad-area surveillance even in the middle of battle.

“From here on, I go alone.”

If I followed the direction those sounds were coming from, I didn’t need Kangil’s guidance anymore.

When I said that,

“Yes. Please be careful.”

Whoosh!

The escort soldier immediately erased its presence and vanished into the distance.

“...D-did that one really just leave?”

On the other hand, after seeing the soldier who had been beside us only moments ago disappear, Kangil spoke with an expression of disbelief.

“And are you really planning to go in there by yourself, Sir Knight?”

“Yeah.”

“Good heavens. Wasn’t that person your subordinate? You say you’re going somewhere that dangerous alone, and it isn’t even worried...?!”

“No, it’s not that, um...”

I started to explain that part in more detail, then shook my head and gave up.

'If anything, that bastard probably trusts me even more than you do.'

The loyalty Kangil showed toward me was certainly extraordinary, but the escort soldiers had been handpicked solely from among those with especially high loyalty toward me.

In terms of loyalty alone, they were no less devoted than Kangil.

And because they were so loyal to me, they naturally worried about me too.

Especially in sudden, unplanned situations, they would throw themselves forward without hesitation and place my safety above everything else.

That had been true in the fight with Luca too.

But—

“I’m doing this because I actually have a plan, damn it.”

This time was different.

“...A plan?”

Unlike Kangil, what that soldier possessed was—

'Trust.'

In a situation like this, where I had formed a plan and was moving according to it, no matter how dangerous it looked, they would trust me.

“Well, that’s how it is. So you stay back too.”

“...Yes.”

Saying it out loud myself was a little embarrassing, wasn’t it?

[Hero-Class Chef’s Blue Water Droplet Jelly]

[Trait - Environmental Assimilation]

Now that I could no longer manipulate the shadows beneath my feet, I chewed on one of the last remaining strips of jerky inside my uniform and started moving.

Slip...

I could feel the intangible gaze sweeping over the area nearby, but traits and skills were affected by the ability of the user.

Very few would have eyes sharp enough to see through the [Environmental Assimilation] I was using now.

Rumble—!

And like that, I approached the site where a fierce battle was underway.

I could see powerful monsters that appeared to be the Grand Duke’s direct retainers slaughtering their enemies.

And besides that—

'Are those nobles?'

Like Jinlei, who had directed Ariella’s growth last time, there were nobles who seemed to have taken over that role.

And not just one—there had to be at least five of them.

In Rashir’s case, the noble I’d first met after arriving in this land, despite the power inside his body, he hadn’t felt especially capable.

But those bastards were different.

'...You can tell just from their eyes.'

They possessed the arrogance unique to nobles, but even that arrogance felt justified, judging by the sharp eyes they used to watch over the battlefield.

When Jinlei had been directing Ariella’s growth, not only had he nearly lost Ariella once, he had actually let an important figure—me—slip away.

So this time, the Grand Duke must have sent people it trusted ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) more.

...And then.

Lastly—

'...Gulp.'

I had been suppressing my presence so I wouldn’t be noticed, but the moment I sensed the being deep at the very center of that group, I swallowed involuntarily as tension rose inside me.

Rumbleeeee...

It wasn’t even participating in the battle, and it wasn’t making any especially noticeable moves either.

Even so, its presence was massive enough that those nobles with their blazing eyes couldn’t even be compared to it.

An overwhelming aura strong enough to make my flesh tremble.

As if it had no intention of hiding that power at all, it was raging like a storm...

'Indigo.'

A complete, unclouded indigo mana.

Shudder...

Fear took hold of my body so completely that I wondered if this was what prey must feel when it comes face-to-face with a predator.

And yet, even so—

Step.

Avoiding the gaze of the nobles watching the surroundings, I approached that vast presence.

“How’ve you been?”

Because although that being was clearly an enemy so powerful that the current me couldn’t possibly match it, inside that presence,

“Ariella.”

“...!?”

I could feel a familiar aura.

The moment I spoke to her, I felt that tremendous presence turn its gaze toward me.

And when I felt that gaze, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

'Whenever Karhin’s strength as a vampire grew stronger, its personality changed a little too.'

The identity of those nobles was arrogance and savagery.

And the thicker their blood became, the more violent that savagery grew.

-Foolish...

Perhaps—

the one I knew might have changed a little.

The moment that thought flashed through my mind—

Whoooosh!

That immense and savage mana came rushing straight at my body.