Chapter 789 – Absence Case Log -13-

000

＂Her Majesty… Why are you here? ＂

Vedika’s voice echoed within the cave.

Arteas, who suddenly appeared in the cave with his knights, had a gentle expression on his face that all those gathered there had never seen before.

When he was awake, he always had a listless expression because the souls of his ancestors weighed heavily on his body and dominated it, and when he let go of the scepter, the original personality of the body, Arteas 67, was revealed, but while holding the scepter, he felt the pain he had forgotten. He always seemed to be afraid of the death that was creeping over his body and could come at any moment.

No, but I guess that’s not the point.

As Ijeal was neutralized, all the shadow clones she had created disappeared, and there were some knights who were injured in that short period of time, but now they had to check the state of the fallen Ilenu first.

“I was watching your struggle from a distance. And, my proud knights were waiting to defeat the traitors.”

＂It is dangerous to come out of the basement where the royal castle is located. If the remnants of Initrad attack the capital during that time… The remaining people and the scholar’s assistants…”

Vedica was well aware of Arteas’ impulsive behavior at times, so she spoke with caution, but Arteas looked at Vedica with a displeased expression.

＂What value do you mean that an underground castle that has been buried underground like that is worth it? The most important thing for Jim is right here.”

＂… Your Majesty?＂

＂…＂

The expressions of Vedica, who said that she did not know what Arteas meant by such meaningful words, and Al, who looked at Arteas like that, fell to her knees and lost her strength, and seemed to be prepared to do something to her, contrasted nicely. There was

＂Over there!＂

At that time, there was a voice that interrupted their conversation, and it was Schrödinger’s voice.

＂It was not your subordinates who captured the leader of Initrad, but Illenu right here. Of course, the Knights and Vedica also played an active role in dealing with other vampire members other than the leader… But it was Ilenu who contributed the most.”

At Schrödinger’s words, the other knights present nodded as if they had no choice but to admit it, although they were upset.

＂Hmm… So?＂

Arteas looked back at her, wriggling her eyebrows, as if she was a little interested in Schrödinger’s words.

However, the overbearing attitude did not disappear, so Schrödinger seemed a little intimidated, but still spoke as if he had something to say.

“… So, use this to free Attis’ assistants. I won’t talk about the Kabalon Kingdom anywhere. After that, you can either resurrect the country in a place we don’t know about or do whatever you want. We also… Won’t interfere if it doesn’t harm us.”

Schrödinger talked about vampires, ancient kingdoms, and other things in the past two days as if he was tired of being involved with such things.

Vedica, who heard the story, also seemed to think that Schrödinger’s opinion was valid, nodding her head and kneeling down on one knee to ask Arteas.

“… It is as she said, Your Majesty. This fight. Ijeal’s power was so strong that without Illenu, we would not have won. Ilenu, who defeated Ijeal, is a benefactor who overcame a doomed situation for our Holy Country. Please, please show mercy-“

“In other words. So this is a stronger body than Ijeal?”

When Arteas, who had heard the story of Vedica and Schrödinger, thought that he had suddenly said such a thing, Vedica, who was unable to understand the situation for a moment, unconsciously made a sound as if she were exhausted.

The next moment, a black, evil wave emanated from the scepter that Arteas was holding.

＂Ugh…!＂

Most of the knights, including Vedica – that is, most of the Kabalon people, lost their strength and fell down on the spot, clutching their heads.

＂This is…!＂

＂An incredibly evil magic power is coming…!＂

Those who were not Cabalonians – Diora and Illenu’s companions also felt as if all their strength was drained from their bodies when they faced the wave.

In particular, Diora and Selena were even more helpless against such attacks because they had consumed most of their magical power while dealing with Ijeal a while ago.

[It would be difficult if my wish of 500 years was interrupted… You will have to watch my death clearly from there now.]

It was a voice that seemed to penetrate directly into my head.

Of course, it was Arteas’ voice – but it was a little different.

If the voice that usually comes out is from the body – that is, that of Arteas at age 67 – then the current voice is the scepter she is holding – that is, the voices of the ancestors are all gathered together and swirling.

A gigantic vengeful spirit created as a result of a grouping together without boundaries, so sticky that one does not even know what generation of Arteas has been in charge of the personality.

And Arteas walked step by step, with a gait that showed the dignity of a king – like a triumphal general.

Now that Al sees her approaching, she tries to move her body somehow, but her heart, which was pierced by Illenu’s magic along with her holy sword, cannot be easily recovered.

＂S-Stop it…!＂

All she can do is use her voice to reject Arteas.

But – Arteas just glanced at the egg and looked at it with the tip of her eyes.

He walked a few more steps and stopped, laughing as if he had nothing to do with you now.

The place where Arteas stopped was next to Ilenu, who fell unconscious after using up all her strength after defeating Ijeal.

“If you already have one, wouldn’t it be a wise king’s choice to have a stronger body?”

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty… What…”

Vedika, as if she had vaguely realized what she was trying to do, moved her body in panic and moved towards her to stop her.

＂Hoo. I never thought there would be a Cabalonian who could move even a little within the burden’s waves. … That means, Vedika. Are you saying that your loyalty to Jim is not complete?”

＂That kind of thing…＂

Vedika stops her steps for a moment as if something is caught in her words, but the next moment, she feels a shock as if a stone had fallen on her head, and Vedika falls heavily on the spot.

A mass of invisible magical power attacked her body from above.

Of course, the one who created it was her queen, who was holding her scepter and looking like a crushed frog, with a wicked smile on her face.

“Ah. Bedika. Jim trusted you more than any of the knights… I am disappointed.”

However, she is not the only one who is disappointed.

Immediately, the same was true of Vedika, who tried to reach her somehow.

＂Her Majesty… Are you planning to create a kingdom of traitors-vampires…!? Until now, we have been educated and trained that all vampires are monsters whose existence cannot be forgiven…! Even in the scriptures of the Holy Kingdom of Kabalon… Vampires are an evil that is eating away at the continent and must be destroyed…!”

A voice filled with anger rang out, but Arteas only smiled and did not respond.

＂We… What exactly is it that the people of the sacred country that disappeared due to the earthquake have believed to be true until now?＂

＂… The Holy Kingdom of Kabalon, the Holy Knights, and the people… ＂

Arteas mutters as if repeating Vedica’s words.

With that, perhaps she is trying to remember what she needs to protect.

However, that vain hope was shattered by herself in the very next moment.

“What value is that now? The Holy Kingdom was destroyed by Vedika. More than a thousand years ago, at the same time that I buried it underground with my own hands.”

＂──＂

Vedica made no reply to Arteas’ words, but looked at her with an expression as if she had been hit on the head with her hammer.

＂You thought that the earthquake was a disaster caused by a great magic caused by Al and his gang… But she has surrounded her capital and is afraid that at any time, she will storm into her castle with her traitors who support her. It was momentum. In such a situation, is there really a need to have a bad hand that buries the people who follow them?”

＂Well, like that…!＂

Vedica shouted once again as if she couldn’t believe it, but Arteas laughed and then turned her head and straightened the scepter she was holding as if she had nothing to say to Vedica-

She hit the ground hard.

Although it is decorated with gold, the scepter can be said to be the body of the Queen of the Holy Kingdom.

Of course, it would be right for it not to break with even the slightest impact, but it’s as if it was made of glass from the beginning.

As the hilt collides with the ground, the scepter gradually breaks apart from below.

Naturally, it was a scepter that had to be held to control the body, so the 67-year-old body was freed from the queen’s control, and at the same time, the fatigue accumulated in the body during the journey to this place attacked the weak body.

＂Ugh…!＂

As if she was collapsing, she sank down on her legs and looked at the shattering scepter between her pale face and deep dark circles, as if she had no idea what was going on.

And – the uppermost part of the scepter.

When even the part with the ornate, human-head-sized sphere symbolizing the king’s authority was broken, what was inside was revealed.

A huge gem with a black and purple glow – a vessel containing the soul.

Vessel of Soul.

─It was the core that lichs often made to protect their souls.

＂… After hearing the story, I thought it couldn’t be possible… It was really Rich…!”

As Schrödinger speaks in astonishment, the jewel slowly falls to where Illenu’s body is.

“For a moment…! Could it be that that guy is trying to become a parasite on Illenu’s body!?

By coming this far, even Dio could figure out what her purpose was.

As she hurriedly shouted and tried to move, a wave came out from her jewel once again.

Then, the knights brought by Arteas suddenly began to move and grabbed Diora and her companions as if they were restraining them.

[Do not disturb my rebirth.]

As Arteas’ commanding voice rang out, the jewel soon moved slowly, slowly-

Finally, it reached Illenu’s body.

Then – a huge, black wave of powerful magic began to spread in all directions.

The jewel disappeared into Illenu’s body as if it was melting, and its appearance was enough to bring despair to everyone else around her.

And – Illenu slowly wakes up.

However, those eyes were somehow empty, and the wry smile on his lips was no different from what Arteas had seen before.

“… Haha…! That’s awesome! Although this is only half of the body, is it the body of a vampire? My arms and legs are light… It’s completely different from my weak body that screams at the slightest movement!”

It was a cry of joy that burst from Illenu’s mouth and in her voice, but it was not her own voice.

＂… Illenu…! That…”

Schrödinger’s despairing voice rang out, but Arteas stopped moving as if she were dancing, looking down at her new body without even giving her a look.

“Ah… But definitely. It seems like a lot of things were used up to defeat Ijeal… Besides – if it’s only half as good as this, you can get even stronger by absorbing more human blood.”

＂Stop it! Ilenu does not drink human blood!”

“So? Now I am a burden.”

Arteas, who thus dismissed Schrödinger’s appeal, looked at the knights who had been tying up Illenu’s companions – disposable puppets who owed all their loyalty to her – and waved her hand and gave an order.

“Offer your blood to me.”

＂Her Majesty the Queen… As she wishes… ＂

The humans of the knights broke away from those who were holding them and pulled out the swords they were holding at their waists.

＂No, stop!!!＂

Vedika’s cry rang out, but their hands did not stop.

They cut off their own heads with their own swords.

There was no fear or pain on his face, as if he had been separated from his body from the beginning.

They just laughed and sacrificed themselves to offer blood to the queen.

＂Aaaaa—─!!!＂

Vedika’s heartbreaking scream shook the inside of the cave.

When the blood rose like a fountain, Arteas, who had taken control of Illenu’s body, waved his hand to take it.

Then, the black magic power emitted from the bodies of the knights was lifted into the air and compressed.

In one lump – the blood, which was a huge sphere, was compressed again and again until it changed from liquid to solid form – and became a red hardened bloodstone the size of her thumb.

“… Hehe. It’s worth eating.”

It was a moment when Arteas said that and tried to pull it towards him.

Quack! If you hear her shouting and think she feels something bothersome in her own feet-

There, as if throwing her body, there was the figure of Ijae Al, biting her own leg.

“… What? Was he still alive?”

＂A piercing of the heart will not kill you… To kill our vampires – you can either use a sword made by processing the vampire you are holding… Or, directly, insert the fangs of your kin into this neck and suck out the essence of the vampire’s soul. Until you get hit…”

＂Hoo…＂

When Arteas heard her words, he bent down and grabbed Al’s neck, which had fallen.

“Surely. If you want to increase your strength, it would be better to take the blood of a vampire rather than that of a human.”

＂…＂

Saying so, Arteas opened her own mouth and sank Illenu’s fangs into the nape of her egg’s neck.

＂Ugh… Ugh, ah… Ugh…!＂

And, for the first time, Lee Je-al was trembled in the air, overcome by the sensation of being sucked by someone else-

Soon, it sank down, as if all the life remaining in its body had escaped-

It no longer moves.

Arteas, who threw her body to the ground, closed her eyes for a moment and then wiped the area of ​​her blood-soaked mouth and smiled.

＂Ah… That’s amazing magical power…! Now, all the lives you have collected over the past thousand years were meant to be presented to me…!”

She spoke with a voice full of joy – it seemed like Illenu no longer existed.

At that time─

＂Here! The place pointed out on the map…!”

As she said that, she came across Attis and Baylin. And it was Draine from Bangui University.

But soon, the scene they saw was Illenwa standing alone, the other members of the group who were restrained and unable to move, and the corpses of the knights lying on the ground.

Likewise, it was the appearance of Vedika that seemed unable to move.

＂…＂

Arteas tilted her head and said nothing for a moment as she looked at the women who suddenly appeared.

“─Could it be that we are one step too late?”

“… I guess so. From that guy, I feel an evil magic that I couldn’t feel before.”

Baylin frowned as she felt a presence flowing from her body that she had never felt before when she competed with Illenu.

In response to that answer, Arteas and Drayne are wary of Arteas in the form of Illenu – Arteas speaks calmly.

“There is another vampire… If you drink that guy’s blood, you can become even stronger, right?”

The moment I said that and was about to walk towards Berlin.

＂Ugh…! Well… My body…!”

Arteas suddenly feels that his body cannot move freely, and is unable to control his body properly.

Then, a voice resonated in her head.

[You used to dominate other people’s bodies, but this must be your first time feeling like your body is being controlled by someone else… How do you feel?]

＂Now I know…! This traitor…! Was this the purpose…!”

Ijeal’s soul, absorbed by Illenu, was running rampant inside her, pushing away Arteas’ control.

Now, as Al and Arteas were competing for control of the body, Emma, ​​who was standing behind Arteas, heard something humming in her bag.

There – her magic tool was emitting a subtle magical power as if responding to Illenu’s change.

As if he was asking me to use him.