“Hmm… for a temporary shelter, it’s quite well made.”
“… Indeed.”
The KKK’s hideout, into which I entered with the tied-up Princess Clay, was much more sophisticated than expected.
In my mind, I had pictured a simple tent or a makeshift gathering in a humble dwelling, but this place was a full-fledged underground lair.
I couldn’t tell whether it was a natural cave that had been modified or sothing they completely built from the ground up. But just walking through the entrance, I was sure that this place was of considerable size.
“It doesn’t seem to be a space created by magic. Probably, it was an existing space that was remodelled…”
Princess Clay, murmuring with a sowhat impressed expression by my side, seed to share my opinion about the cave’s natural state. That was fortunate. It ant their magical capabilities were within our expectations at least.
However, if they needed such a large space, the number of people might well exceed our expectations.
“This place seems to have been around for quite so ti and looks a bit fragile. Can’t we just collapse it?”
“Hey, keep it down.”
“With my magic, I could easily annihilate the inside… Wait, what did you just say?”
“Keep quiet and keep walking.”
“Ugh?”
As I walked ahead, pondering such thoughts, I yanked the ropes binding the body of the Princess, who was whispering discontentedly by my side, tightening them.
“W-What is this insolence…”
“… You can’t just walk in so boldly. After all, you’re currently a prey of mine.”
“When have I ever been hunted by soone? I’m just playing along with your tempo. At least show so basic courtesy.”
However, the princess remained uncooperative.
While she was a competent individual who carried out tasks promptly and accurately, she was sowhat frustrating to deal with in such situations.
After all, having grown up in a noble ducal family, even leading the vampires from a young age, she was accustod only to the treatnt befitting the upper echelons.
But that was hampering our current situation.
“Well, there’s nothing to be done. From now on, there will be no more of my blood for you.”
“W-W-What…?”
It was slightly necessary to provoke her, to change her attitude.
“And that’s not all. Let’s end the contract.”
“… S-Suddenly?”
“I’ll let you go now. You and your minions can leave or stay. It’s up to you.”
Stopping in my tracks, I spoke those words, and bewildernt began to frost over Princess Clay’s face.
“Y-You’re saying that now…”
“Why? Haven’t you been held hostage against your will until now? It would be better for you if I let you go without any penalty, wouldn’t it?”
“B-But…”
“Take out the contract. You always carry it with you, right?”
Eventually, under my pressure, she slightly bit her lip and soon began to speak in a trembling voice.
“T-The contract… I don’t have it right now. I left it at the hideout…”
“… Is that so? Then let’s go get it now.”
“N-No! It’s not there either. I actually lost it.”
Of course, I had anticipated this response. Princess Clay still needed my blood, after all.
Anyone else might have been different, but Princess Clay, consud by the intoxication of power and control, would not give up an opportunity to be free even if she were to fall in love with .
“So… the cancellation of the contract is not possible. No, it can’t be done.”
“… Then let’s just make a new contract.”
“T-That’s…”
Clearly, she was flustered because she couldn’t extract more power from .
“… I-I-If I’m not around, who will manage the organisation and the accounts?”
“I’ll promote Miss Milverton who’s managing the overall funds anyway. She’s very obedient, unlike you.”
“T-T-Then… who will clean the house?”
“I can just hire a cleaner, right? Since Miss Blaze was seriously injured, I was thinking of hiring a maid anyway.”
As I began to untie the ropes bound around her body, Princess Clay stared blankly and soon began to wear a lost expression.
“H-Hey, w-why are you doing sothing like this all of a sudden…?”
“… What are you talking about?”
“I-I was… the first to join you, wasn’t I? Even though I’m of senior rank… isn’t this treatnt too harsh…”
Eventually, Princess Clay started to show a genuinely aggrieved expression, even beginning to whimper.
“… I believe that rit is more important than seniority.”
But I knew it was all an act, so I continued to respond indifferently.
“Uh, ugh…”
Then, biting her lip tightly, she began to tremble.
“So, Princess, this might be a good chance to prove your worth…”
“… M-My worth?”
It felt like teasing a tsundere, which was a bit strange, and I thought pushing further might backfire, so I started to throw out so hints at that point.
“It’s quite simple, actually. You just have to act as I tell you and be obedient.”
“…….”
“Then, you’ll not only be treated well but I’ll even allow you to feed on my blood. I don’t see what there is to complain about.”
Then, with moist eyes, she looked at and replied in a soft voice.
“But, you’re not feeling well now, are you?”
“What?”
“… You could die, you fool.”
Her voice was a whisper as she added those words, and then she slightly blushed and avoided my gaze.
“…… Ugh.”
Honestly, that was quite dangerous. I almost fell for Princess Clay’s act.
But I already knew from the professor that she was secretly building her power behind my back.
It’s good that I already knew…
I wonder if they taught acting in the social skills classes at the ducal house?
Even I, who had an eye for discerning most acts, found it hard to distinguish such a high level of acting.
After all, I rembered how well she had played the part of a simple country girl during the Red Mana League incident when I first t her with the professor.
She really is the fourth smartest woman in London.
“I’ll take care of that myself. So, will you help or not?”
“Hmph.”
Steeling myself inwardly, I asked in a slightly relaxed tone, and after watching for a mont, she answered in a low voice.
“If it must be done…”
“It would have been easier if you had just said so earlier.”
Her tone was still sowhat brusque, but it was passable nonetheless.
.
.
.
.
.
- Creak…
As the door to the underground sanctuary slowly opened, the eyes of the gathered mbers began to focus in unison.
“Shouldn’t all the existing mbers have gathered by now?”
“… It seems to be a newcor. There are quite a few in Britain who have joined our cause.”
“With the recent pressures coming from various places, the integrity of the organisation is weakening… A new face is always welco.”
“But who is the woman next to him?”
Soon, the mbers started whispering about the two people who had just entered.
“Argh… this, this guy!”
Just as the interest was heavily shifting towards the new faces.
“Can’t you… just… release now…!”
The woman in red, who had been looking tense, suddenly raised her voice to the man next to her.
“D-Do you even know who I am…!”
Her face was deeply imbued with sha, humiliation, and a fear that she could not hide despite her efforts.
“”………””
And this sight was all too familiar to those gathered here.
“Who is that woman?”
As the atmosphere turned hostile, soone with a slightly different emblem on their chest erged from the crowd.
“… She’s a vampire.”
In response to the question posed by the presud leader, the man, holding the rope binding the woman, answered.
“… A, A vampire?”
“They still exist…?”
“I-I’ve heard stories. One of our officers is a descendant of vampire hunters…”
The atmosphere quickly beca chaotic.
“… Silence.”
With just a word, a mber with a distinctive insignia quickly subdued the atmosphere and then quietly tilted his head to ask.
“Where is the evidence that she is a vampire?”
“Well, it would be faster for you to see for yourself.”
With that, the man snapped his fingers.
- Whirrrr…
“… What?”
The ropes binding the woman in red swiftly unravelled with a crisp sound.
- Gooooooo…
“”……..!””
At that instant, a monstrous red aura began to fill the main hall where the mbers were gathered.
“How dare… you insult… ?”
The unbound woman began to murmur fiercely, gathering all her strength to face the mbers in front of her.
“All of you… will be burnt in the fires of hell…!”
“That’s enough.”
“… Kulluk?”
However, the next mont, as the man snapped his fingers again, the woman was quickly bound by the ropes, dropped to her knees, and collapsed on the spot.
“Retract your energy.”
“Uggrh…”
“Do you want to crawl around again with your limbs torn apart?”
As the man caressed her chin with his hand and whispered coldly, the woman, clenching her teeth, soon ekly withdrew her energy and bowed her head.
“……..”
Then there was silence.
- Clap, clap, clap…
In that silence, soon a small round of applause began to echo.
“Excellent.”
A mber with a peculiar insignia, looking quite satisfied, was applauding.
“Wo-Wow…!!”
Noticing his cue, the mbers began to clap and shout in unison.
“Take that vampire with you and follow .”
In the suddenly noisy atmosphere, the mber with the peculiar insignia quietly moved to the back and whispered to the man.
“Let introduce you to the senior officials including myself.”
“… Understood.”
Politely responding to him, the man bowed his head and then quietly grinned a triumphant smile. And this man was none other than Adler.
.
.
.
.
.
“… I-Is this sufficient?”
“Well done, Princess…”
Having successfully completed the initiation ceremony of the KKK as planned, and even managing to catch the attention of one of their officials, I gently answered the timid question from Princess amidst the cheers and began to follow the official.
Wait a mont!
But at that mont, a bright red ssage appeared before my eyes.
The area up ahead is dangerous.
“Well, has there ever been a ti when it wasn’t dangerous?”
After reading the ssage, I chuckled and tried to flick the ssage away…
I sense the presence of a being trying to break the rules of the world.
“……..”
So please step back. Neither you nor I are ready to face the harbinger of the erosion yet.
After hastily checking the urgent comnt from the Miss System, I had no choice but to stop for a mont.
“… Miss System.”
Yes?
“Do you know what a developer’s destiny is?”
What is it?
Apparently, Miss System had forgotten who designed this world.
“What is it, if not fixing bugs?”
... Are you fucking serious right now?
As the creator of this world, it was ti to et the troublemakers who dared to ruin my world.
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