88 Chapter 88: Engagement circumstances of the Daughter of Haemorage (2/2)

Apparently, I was a demon of noble lineage – with my title, Vampire Lord – as well as my supposed lordship over the domain of Umbra (which remained deserted, and just for official purposes rather than being any real lordship. Not to mention, I had also achieved the feat of slaying several of Evelyn's Chosen and defeating the Iron Knights. Those were achievements that no other demon noble could lay claim to.

”Therefore, I will have you behave as my lover for one week, starting from today. I hope that is all right with you.”

”U…um…well, I've never gone out with anyone before…”

”Oh my? Actually, I don't have any experience either.”

”I…I don't mean that.”

While I was flustered, Lilith smiled mischievously.

”Besides, I've helped you out tremendously in your fight against the Iron Knights. Don't you think you owe me a favor after I've gone through all that trouble for your sake?”

”Yeah, I'm grateful to you for that.”

I took a deep breath and calmed myself down.

”U…um, if you're fine with me, I'll do my best.”

”Thank you. I like that honest side of yours.”

I wasn't sure how exactly I was being honest, but I decided not to reject a compliment when I received one.

Lilith nodded, her smile widening.

”Oh, and one more thing.”

”What is it?”

I tilted my head curiously. Lilith nodded.

”I'll be troubled if the fake lover thing is leaked out to the public, so until this week passes, we'll keep this matter a secret. Can you promise that?”

”S…sure.”

”Good answer. Then, from today onward, you're my lover. Please take care of me, Tomoyuki-kun.”

”…yes.”

I responded with an awkward smile, wondering what I had gotten myself into. Well, I did owe Lilith a favor, especially after she helped me so much during the battle against the Iron Knights, so I guess I could help her this one time.

Thus, the agreement was established.

*

That night, after I returned to my room, I received a call from none other than Emperor Regis himself.

”Your majesty.”

I bowed respectfully as his holographic image materialized above my smartphone. He smiled and gestured for me to relax.

”At ease. It's good to see you again.”

”Huh? Didn't I just talk to you earlier this morning?”

”Yes, I've received your report.” Regis frowned as he glanced at something off screen. ”I'm still surprised, though. The Evelyn's Chosen you mentioned are ruthless enough to destroy Havia City along with the current Emperor of Humanity and you, who are one of us, are opposed to that. It's almost like your roles are reversed.”

It could be that the Iron Knights were treating this as a game, but Takeda had offered his reasoning and explained that he would have done this even if this was our previous world. Sacrificing the few for the many, huh…

That wasn't a concept I could agree with, even if I understood the urgency and value of it.

”I just heard from Captain Kratz and my other officers that Kobayashi's invasion of Moria has been pushed back to two weeks later.”

”Indeed. That's what our latest intelligence tells us.” Regis smirked. ”Apparently, there were quite a few human kingdoms who weren't pleased with how the present Emperor of Humanity usurped their kings and queens by brutally executing them and ruthlessly taking their place as their new rulers. There are pockets of resistance everywhere, and the so-called Emperor of Humanity is crushing each and every of them. He claims he only needs two weeks to accomplish that, and then turn his efforts toward us, but I suspect even then he still woudlnt have united all the human kingdoms by then.”

”In other words, these resisting human kingdoms might be potential allies,” I mused. Regis nodded, pleased that I caught on quickly.

”That is correct. In other news…do you remember the human prisoners-of-war that you captured after you and Lilith-dono defeated two Evelyn's Chosen when they invaded her domain of Haemorage?”

”…yeah.”

I still remembered Major Kracauer and his regiment.

”The Legnica 82nd Regiment and the 7th Battalion of the Marrina Marine Corps.”

Oh, there was a marine company among the prisoners-of-war that I had captured?

”They are under our custody for now, and we had been negotiating with their kingdoms on the exchange of prisoners…but when Kobayashi took the throne, he cut off all negotiations and told us to kill them. Basically he abandoned them and counted them as dead.”

”What the fuck?!”

I gaped at Regis, but he nodded seriously.

”Yes. This self-proclaimed Emperor of Humanity is a lot more ruthless than I thought. He has no compassion, and cares nothing for the soldiers fighting under him. In fact, intelligence reveals that he is using some sort of ability to enslave his followers and brainwash them into fanatically devoted zealots who are more than willing to die for his cause.”

”…”

I rubbed my head, trying to wrap my mind around all that. That sounded like Kobayashi, all right.

”So what are we going to do? With the prisoners, I mean.”

”I was hoping you can tell me.” Regis looked bitter. ”They aren't taking the news that they've been abandoned too kindly. We're still treating them well enough…but the moment they lose their will to live, it's all over.”

”We could win them to our cause. Get them to ally with us.”

”I'll try to convince them. I've been feeding information about Kobayashi's current reign of terror – and without being exposed to whatever brainwashing magic he used, they're furious at what they think is his betrayal. You might be right…we might be able to win them over to our cause.”

Regis thought about it, and then smiled.

”I'll talk to them about it.”

”Thank you, your majesty.”

”Well, but that's not the main reason I contacted you.”

I was about to salute and sign off when Regis revealed that. I gaped at him, having thought that he called me this late in the night because he wanted to consult me on what to do with the human prisoners.

”What is it, your majesty?”

Regis leaned closer, linking his fingers as he stared at me seriously.

”Understand that I'm only revealing this to you because I trust you. It also happens that you and Lilith-dono are the nearest forces stationed near the ruins, so it's most convenient to dispatch you and a contingent of vampire forces to these ruins.”

”Huh? Ruins?”

I gaped at Regis, puzzled. He nodded.

”A tomb, if you will…of the former Vampire King who ruled over Haemorage a few millennia ago. He was finally brought down by the Evelyn's Chosen of that time, and the surviving vampires buried him inside a massive tomb, filled with treasures and ancient weapons. And it's also supposed to be lurking with creatures that possess unimaginable powers…said to be the former familiars of the fallen Vampire King, cursed to protect his corpse for eternity.”

”Sounds like an urban legend.”

”Perhaps it is. But as you know, the Demonic Alliance doesn't interfere in individual domain affairs, so we don't really have much information on the tomb. Lilith-dono or the vampire elders should know more about it.”

”I see…” I paused and stared at Regis. ”So what does this tomb have to do with me?”

”Oh, it has everything to do with you,” Regis assured me with an enigmatic smile. ”After all, you're the one who informed me of the Emperor of Humanity's plans to invade the nine strongest domains in Morten. And Haemorage, where you're right now, is one of them.”

I felt a chill.

”You don't mean…”

”Yes. Intelligence suspects that Kobayashi will be sending one or two Evelyn's Chosen over to the ruins to scout out Haemorage for potential weaknesses…and if possible, to raid the former Vampire King Alucard's tomb for ancient weapons. We cannot let those weapons and treasures fall into their hands. In a few days time, I will dispatch you and your battalion to intercept that scouting party. They'll meet up with you in Haemorage in several days. Your first mission once you retake command of them will be to intercept the Evelyn's Chosen's scouting party and defend the ruins from them. That's the primary objective, anyway.”

”What's the secondary objective?”

From Regis's tone, I had a feeling there was one, otherwise he wouldn't mention the term ”primary objective.”

”With Lilith-dono's permission, you're to explore the tomb and see if there are any weapons you can make use of in the inevitable clash with the human armies…especially before you go to Moria. Any advantage we can get, we should.”

”Yes, your majesty.” I saluted. ”You can count on me for that!”

”Good.” Regis smiled warmly. ”Good luck, Major. The fate of Haemorage might very well rest on your shoulders.”

Giving me this much pressure already?! Ugh…

”Oh, one last thing…a couple of your friends want to see you before you go.”

”…friends?”

”Tomoyuki!”

Richard and Yuan showed up on screen. Regis smiled indulgently before he receded to the background, allowing his son and daughter-in-law to take center stage in the hologram.

”Your highnesses.”

”Congratulations! We've heard about your relationship!”

”…relationship?” I blurted out, puzzled.

”It's all over Helsfort,” Richard explained, his eyes twinkling mischievously. ”We hear that you and Lilith-sama have become a couple!”

”That's right…from tomorrow onward, you will be with Lilith-sama,” Yuan agreed.

”Er…your highnesses, I think you're misunderstanding something…”

It was pretty obvious that the prince and his wife were teasing me, so I smiled wryly. However, Dragon Princess Yuan suddenly turned serious.

”But…please be careful. Especially of her.”

”By her…do you mean Lilith-san? She's amazing in a lot of ways, but I don't think she's a bad person. She has helped me out a lot.”

”Maybe. It's just woman's intuition.” Yuan looked troubled. ”Somehow something about her bothers me. Not only the fact that she once broke away from the Demonic Alliance for a short while, but it's also as if she's hiding something…”

That was true. Despite Lilith helping me out, and us being together for quite some time, there was still a lot of things I didn't know about her.

”Thanks for the warning.” I took a deep breath and nodded determinedly. ”I'll stay on my guard.”