Vol 3 Chapter 1 (1/2)

The Orange Officer Tastes Delight, and

“Now this is so else, O Great Leader Caldimir Aleksandrov”

A self-assured voice entered the quiet conference hall

“If you’re going to scatter to dust, I’ll gladly play audience to your death throes”

A lone woman entered the rooht

She was dressed much like a military officer, and her short hair and tone of speech made her look soe in appearance, and her youthful features clashed with the uniform she wore

She was in the process of addressing the other person in the room But this addressee was, at the moment, not quite a ‘person’ in form

“Grk Argh Don’t just stand there and watch, Laetitia Help me”

The owner of the anguished voice was a human pincushi+on, crucified on a cross of blood His body was filled with dozens of wood splinters

Most people would have died after being subjected to such violence But the pincushi+on known as Caldimir was not human His nature as a va, and his luckily uninjured face was still able to enunciate the voice squeezed out through his ragged lungs

“I was in a h In this state, I can’t even turn to fog”

“Duly noted I passed by the Black Gravekeeper on the way here Garde’s handiwork?”

“Yes! shi+t That barbarian! You have no idea how glad I am to see you here If you could just pull out the splinters around h” Caldimir pleaded But the wo of her elegant appearance

“No”

“W-why?!” Caldirin

“shi+ts and giggles”

“This is no time for jokes at my expense, Laetitia!”

“Who’s joking? One soldier’s misfortune is another’s lifesaver”

“”

Realizing that no aet him off the wall, Caldimir elected for a more sensible approach

“If you’re going to play soldier, why don’t you try and act a little ly

“Of all the jarhead questions I a to impersonate a soldier”

“You’re not?”

“These clothes are a hobby of mine”

“What’s the difference Never mind”

Caldimir refused to allow hi to continue speaking for hi with the other officers, hly eccentric personalities and characters To lose hiic would only serve to put hiotiation

This was a strategy he only learned after his dealings with Gerhardt

Though sickened by the recollection of his old friend, Caldimir held onto his temper and continued:

“Never thought you were the kind of scoundrel who’d forget everything her master’d done for her”

Laetitia sighed and shook her head

“That Actually kind of hurts”

“Then why are you laughing as though you’re embarrassed?! If you have time to play around, you have ti you”

The wo way to a mask of iron

“Let’s hear it I’m all ears”

“What are you talking about?”

“That schemund cooked up”

“That’s Wait Soht here, Laetitia Gitarin Aztanduja, the Orange Magic Lantern! How did you knoere planning so the conference!” Caldiot it! You have this entire rooed! You claimed that you couldn’ton us the entire time! You saw it all, didn’t you?! How I rolled around on the floor by myself, hoas beaten to a pulp by Ishi+bashi+ and Bridgestone, hoas nearly lorious lines in secret before the et lost~?’ to a cat that wandered into the hall! You reprobate! What are you up to? Planning to kill anization?! Hah! You have no right! And even if you did successfully take e your leadershi+p! Knohat it means to feel shame!”

Caldirew steadily more forceful as he shook the conference hall with his voice alone Although he wasn’t necessarily being loud, his tone was dignified enough to make any human freeze up in fear

Laetitia, however, looked at him with an expression of utmost pity

“I told you I met Garde on the way here”

“Hm?”

“I only happened to hear soood”

“”

The conference hall was now filled with silence

Caldimir was frozen still for a fewfrout

“Kill ht to take my life”

“No”

Caldimir’s expression was defeated but determined And for the first time in their conversation, Laetitia allowed her emotions to show clearly It was an expression of annoyance at the situation at hand

“Didn’t know you were a cat person”

“KILL ME NOW! Don’t embarrass me any further!” Caldi his head like a child throwing a tantru

“And because a slimeball like you happens to come up with so to be left FUBAR Incredible”

“So you knew after all”

“No, but you sent in Sig”

Laetitia’s expression had been growing h onwards Her face isting into a rin

“What’re you planning, our oh-so-hty leader Caldimir?”

Caldiravity hich Laetitia e for the moment, and calmed himself as he responded to her with a smile

“Ha I suppose there will be no harnificent plan to you”

With that, the leader of the organization finally regained sonity

“Before that, our dear leader Caldi”

“What now?”

“What’s this about so?”

“KILL MEEEEEEEEEE!”

Dozens of minutes later

Caldih he was still stuck to the wall

“Do you recall the research Melhil? With the watermelon?”

“That business aboutthe abilities of vampires”

“Yes At first, the research was focused on creating a ‘purebred’ by selective breeding, but Gerhardt got his hands on the final product--Relic--before we could”

Although it was a rather unflattering way of describing Gerhardt’s adoption of Relic, Caldied the sequence of events in his memories to match his claims

“So that hen Melhilenetics, perhaps we could gather these abilities together via a transcription of the soul”

“News to me”

“Not surprising in the least I didn’t know a thing myself until Melhilm told me after his recuperation”

The officer Melhilreat deal of time and effort in the pursuit of the ‘ultimate vampire’

The kind of vampire that most resembled the ones from myth and stories

A ht

A monster

A God

A va the powers of all van supreme over his brethren

But before the first result of this experiment was born, the vampire couple who should have been the final catalysts escaped the clutches of the Organization and sought asylum in Growerth Thus, the experiment ended in failure

Having deterreat a risk, Melhil an eye out on the island

“At the ti Eaters to transfer abilities had not yet been discovered So at first, the new experi different souls into a vampire that had been turned for the specific purposes of the study But all of his efforts ended in failure The varotesque mess of a monster His body and psyche were brutalized by the experiments, yet the experi fruit”

“We’d have gotten word if he’d succeeded So what happened then?” Laetitia asked, her tone as cold as ice

“So that’s when the idea of plant-based va types, but plants that are turned after being showered with the blood of a vampire Soon after the plant underwent the metamorphosis, he would pour h this method, he would transcribe the souls of multiple vampires into the newborn creature, which would ideally cause it to develop all kinds of different powers”

“Let uess Another failure”

“A disaster Though plant he used for the experi close to huence, the problem was that this vaation”

Caldihed and chuckled bitterly Laetitia looked at him with her stony et was this failure of a va the most important part of the story

Perhaps Caldimir had noticed this; he spoke up before she could complain

“Don’t rushin order So this waterlance, a failure Its only ability was telekinesis and the ability to create illusions that made it seem like it was a shapeshi+fter At least, that’s e thought But just before Melhilm was nearly devoured by a certain Eater, he ca conclusion Even that failure would be capable of success!”

“Clarification?”

Laetitia had taken a seat in a nearby chair She seemed to have decided to lend Caldi-winded explanation Her youthful eyes glinted all the while with several centuries’ worth of experiences lying in wait

“Let e Think about this fro-lived vampire like yourself Let’s suppose that there was a vampire who somehow became the President of the United States, or some sort of powerful mob boss”

“Not entirely impossible”

“And let us suppose there was another vah walls, and he can turn invisible whenever he wants to No one can touch him, but he can attack people with ease And he has no weaknesses He can get a tan on the beach while kissing a crucifix However! This va humans or vampires”

Though Caldimir spoke in a theatrical tone, the exa that this description was meant to point at soed him to continue

“So, Laetitia Given the choice, which of these two vampires would you envy more?”

The woman in the uniform took a moment to think over the matter

She see over several scenarios in her mind, but she soon tilted her head with a response

“The first vae the world But the second’s freedom is undoubtedly attractive But there is no such vampire Even Relic was born eaknesses”

“That’s correct Think of the first example as Relic von Waldstein The syth incarnate I would have no qualest vampire in the world But in comparison, the second vampire Is invincible”

“The strongest versus the invincible Straight out of a cheap B-movie Get to the point Does ‘Invincible’ exist?”

“Yes”

Caldimir’s response was quiet but firm

That one as enough toled by the flow of the conversation, she recalled the earlier part of their conversation and reached a conclusion

“That ‘Invincible’ The plant vampire?”

Instead of giving her a straight answer, Caldimir recounted a certain name

“Valdred Valdred Ivanhoe The wateroal I seek”

<=>

Waldstein Castle, on the island of Growerth

“Valdred I I don’t kno to thank you”

“You can thank s I wanted to ask you, too”

Valdred Ivanhoe stepped out of the castle, conorant of the fact that there was a conversation about hi place many miles away

He was holding the hand of the bespectacled girl who followed close after him

“So You’d like to ask?”

“We can get to that later For now, let’s just enjoy the party What do you say?”

“Oh, yes!”

The girl--Selihtly hesitant Val responded with an eh

It was a heartwarht to behold, but no one marveled at the sweetness of the scene

This did not, however,with more visitors than it saw on any normal day

There were only a fewcere the island’s most venerated artist Countless people froathered here to participate Although Val and Selim were near the back of the castle, which was not quite so packed yet, the front of the castle was beginning to like the stands of the Formula One Grand Prix

Because the visitors were all captivated by the sights of the castle, from its beautifully-lit architecture to its perfectly cultivated gardens, no one gave Val and Selihtest bit of attention

Even their conversation was being drowned out in the lively chatter, forcing them to speak more loudly than usual

Because the crowds and the noise were so overwhel, it had taken soister with Seli of people

“Oh”

“Is so?”

“Oh Um Aaaahh Um I”

Finally understanding what she had gotten herself into, Seli onto Val’s arm

Val, whose character was currently that of a young boy, blushed like a tomato at Selim’s actions If he had been in the forht not have been so shaken But he could not transfor no attention to hi a commotion

In contrast with Val, who stared at the girl on his arm with his face flushed, the alraune trembled with a pale look

“I I’ since I was surrounded by so many humans”

“Oh Right I I’ed you out like this I’ Selied at the back of his mind

‘Huh?’

A moment later, he understood what it was that bothered him

‘It’s “Been so long”?’

Seliround all this time So how could she ever have been surrounded by people?

Val prepared to voice his curiosity But at that moment,

“Eek!”

There was a light iirl

Realizing that the screa to Selim, Val hurriedly turned toward the owner of the voice

“Oh, I’ towards Val She was speaking in English

As soon as he registered the fact that the girl had bu in theside-by-side with Seli that he ran into someone the moment he let his attention waver

“No, it’saround like that I’ sure to draw on his knowledge of the language in order to give her a fluent reply

Selietic bow Because she was the reason they had been standing in theresponsible

“Oh! What a lovely flower you have there!” The girl said with a s at the top of Selim’s head

“Oh”

Val tensed Part of Seliht that itin the oers, the fact that a stranger so readily noticed it pushed him towards panic

But the girl said nointo the croith a brief word of goodbye

There was an aard moment of hesitation But Val eventually s for a place fro ceremony

“Excuse me”

A voice he had never heard before whispered from behind him

“You, with the green hair I would like to ask you so”

The voice was not speaking in German, but Val instantly realized that it was japanese The city of Rukra, was sister cities with a town in japan--this led to a good deal of japanese influence to enter the city Val was also acquainted with quite a few people of japanese descent Not only that, the knowledge that had been transcribed into hie

“Yes?”

And so, he responded

It was much too careless an act for a creature who should have been running fros

When Val turned, he caer The man looked around to make sure that there was no one of Asian descent within earshot He smiled

“So you are a vampire after all If you happen to be a relative of Sir Gerhardt, I’d like to ask you to take me to him”

For a h he did not possess such an organ to begin with, even his illusionary body broke into sweat as he responded to the man with trepidation

“What Do you mean?”

“There’s no need to play dumb I’m also a vampire”

‘How’d he know? All I did was answer him’

Generally, only Eaters had the power to sense other vampires But if this o to the trouble of greeting Val--after all, all he had to do was ambush them when there was no one around

Val would likely be able to avoid being devoured by an Eater But he could not speak for Selih he knew that she was skilled in coainst an Eater

All he could do noas pray as he continued to stare down at the stranger

First, he would pray that the man was indeed only a vampire

Second, he would pray that the man was not an enemy

The aze He said sheepishly:

“Please excuse me I promise you, I am no Eater Let me introduce myself”

Theso deferent to Val because he was certain that the latter was a vampire This was because it was ie froe before their growth halted coe-dependent courtesy even to younger vampires

“My name is Ishi+bashi+ Aiji”

But Val was the one freezing up at the introduction

“I’anization, I ao’”

<=>

An underground conference hall, somewhere in Paris

“So you sent Siget your paws on that watermelon”

“Yes” Caldirinned as Laetitia recounted the situation he had laid out before her

“This is ht you were doing this to capture Relic”

“And who gave you that information?”

“Ishi+bashi+ I came here to confirm his intel”

Caldimir made a face at the mention of the name

“Of all the probleh I’ht even have gone to the viscount to negotiate--to take custody of Relic before Siget to him”

“Doubtful Ishi+bashi+ is a man of honor He would never cross Gerhardt so easily”

Caldirew anxious

“Hes to attract such loyalty”

“Refrain frohteous envy, Caldimir”

“Tch”

“I could tell you fifty-three s about you that bother me Care to hear them?” Laetitia said coldly

Desperate to change the direction of the conversation, the anization said forcefully:

“Bak to the point! During the conference, I emphasized my intent to retrieve Relic in order to keep everyone’s attention on Relic and Gerhardt But these vah That’s why I sent in those two as bait”

“Hraesvelgr and Nidhogg I agree that they’re powerful assets of the Organization But you knoill happen if you send the to clarify Caldimir’s intentions

However, Caldiaze In fact, it alh he welcomed her question

“Of course” He said simply “But it’s none of my business how uish in pain, begrudge ainstfor anyone other than myself”

Though his words were reat force--not because of the terrible nature of his clai behind Caldimir’s facade of serenity

And yet she did not show a hint of having been rattled Laetitia responded to hi

“You’re still a mystery, even after all these years Sometimes you’re a shameless clown, and other ti one-on-one, you’re aainst multiple enemies, you’re the weakest of us all On one hand, there’s the you that rescuedthe Hunters that chasedyou alone and eventually wiping them all out And on the other hand, there’s the sad self-proclaimed leader who fails to invite Black, Mirror, Gold, Silver, Pearl, and Clear out of fear of retaliation” She said, listing off his contradictions one by one Caldimir responded in an attempt to cut her off

“Is there a proble humans one-on-one is pure simplicity for me And it’s also true that those like Black and Mirror honestly intimidate noreI say one by one”

The gloom that perer there Such was the nature of Caldimir--quick to shi+ft between eed the topic

“In any case, Rudy and Theresia reak havoc on Growerth now Once Rudy hears about the Waldstein fah Theresia may exercise more restraint”

Caldirin rose to his lips as he continued

“Once she finds out that he lives on that island, she’ll move on our behalf, whether she likes it or not As soon as she sees Theodosius M Waldstein”

<=>

Waldstein Castle

“I see So you were one of Watt’s subordinates I’d heard about a shapeshi+fting newcoanization before, but to think I would run into you here”

Once their respective identities had become clear, Aiji addressed Val without a hint of restraint

‘Ishi+bashi+ Aiji, the I-Shadow’

Though Val’s tianization had been rather short, even he had heard of this man before

Within the Organization that was created for va hu officers known as ‘Rainbow’ This man was one of them

The Organization was now technically his ene his name to the man for two reasons One was that Aiji, despite hisa part of the ht of Aiji’s eyes

Although there was a smile on his face, there was a sharpness to his dark eyes that et aith it Making false claiood reason would only leave a bad iht that, perhaps since he had also betrayed Watt--a traitor who had inflicted so ony upon Melhilm--an enemy of an enemy could possibly co boy whose shape he was assu, at least, hoped so

And that hope ca promptness

“Hm? Come to think of it, Watt is still technically a anization Under whose jurisdiction, now?”