Episode 62 – A Grave Threat (2)
“Why have you come here now? You must surely know the situation here.”
“I’ve merely come following orders. And precisely because I’m aware of the situation is why I’m here.”
Agor asked with a stern expression, and his counterpart replied with a look that suggested disapproval.
“Our Lord is also quite interested in those demons.”
The vampire with silver hair and a skin tone as pale as snow referenced his master, thereby placing pressure on Agor.
Even Agor, the tyrant and ruler of the domain, couldn’t refute that statement. After all, the one who had sent this vampire was a duke-level lord commanding far greater strength and influence than himself.
“In any case, since our neighboring allies, with whom we share common defenses, are in trouble, our Lord can’t help but be curious.”
“Hmph, if he was this curious in the first place, it would’ve been better if he’d acted accordingly.”
Agor responded with a derisive snort.
Vampire Duke Irwan is similar to other Demon Realm lords. While coveting the expansion of his territory and eyeing surrounding forces, he also refrains from causing significant damage, biding his time.
This is why Irwan was extremely wary of nearby lords, including Agor, uniting their forces or engaging in wars that might consolidate them into a single powerful entity.
To Agor, one of the biggest hindrances to his own territorial expansion was none other than Vampire Duke Irwan, who consistently acted to thwart any movement toward expansion by either directly intervening or supporting rivals.
“Don’t take it too negatively. There’s considerable interest arising from the appearance of these mysterious monsters. Although these creatures may seem like mere pests, they’ve already toppled several peripheral lords. We’ll offer whatever small assistance we can.”
“Hmph…”
Despite the courteous tone, Agor still dismissed his words with a haughty sniff.
In reality, although this counterpart humbly referred to his aid as “minor,” Agor was well aware of the strength of the individual who had come to him.
Vampire Knight Marcela—a noble vampire, a member of the elite, and a superior demon of formidable power—was on par with Agor, himself a lord.
Moreover, Marcela was accompanied by a contingent of knights. This was undoubtedly a significant reinforcement.
‘It seems even this so-called minor help surpasses my top five in his territory. It’s certainly a reminder of the vast gap. And now with these strange creatures appearing in the northeast, how am I supposed to catch up to the other domains?’
Agor sighed as he watched the retreating back of his guest.
The closer one gets to the center of the Demon Realm, the greater the disparities. While ambition to unify the Demon Realm was natural upon becoming a lord, the structural barriers were proving too high to overcome.
And likely, only one individual in the Demon Realm today could fully understand the root cause of this hierarchical disparity.
*
“Looks like the players are systematically consuming the surrounding forces, expanding their reach. So… what about that person?”
“I’m unfamiliar with the knight Marcela, but I’ve heard about Duke Irwan.”
Initially, upon learning the news, the interference of a higher-tier lord only irritated him. However, when this information spread throughout the collective consciousness, Syla reacted intensely.
“That man is my sworn enemy.”
“Among those who destroyed your family.”
Syla, originally from a vampire noble lineage, saw her family wiped out in an internal power struggle, leaving her relegated to the farthest corners of the periphery. Her fall was such that even a lowly goblin once humiliated her.
Power struggles among the elites are common, but the grudges and karmic ties that arise from such events are deeply enduring. Even now, Syla seethed internally with vengeance.
“This is your chance to take your revenge.”
Revenge was undoubtedly one of Syla’s reasons for fighting. Given the situation, he was willing to offer her the opportunity.
Marcela, the Vampire Knight, was known to be a formidable opponent, yet Syla had been steadily growing stronger.
Since becoming the first knight of the Collective, Syla had continuously improved and honed her body and skills.
Reborn as an entirely new race different from a vampire, she was undoubtedly the strongest warrior in the Legion.
If Syla were to triumph, it would not only bring her victory but validate the success of her development. He also intended to invest more resources into her.
If she triumphed in this encounter, it would prove that he could personally create a warrior of that caliber, a significant achievement.
While mass-producing regular soldiers allowed for more trial and error, cases like Syla and Rozalyn, who required intensive nurturing, offered fewer such opportunities.
“It seems this vampire is summoning us.”
“Us?”
But before he could investigate Marcela’s movements himself, he learned via Cruiger that she had already summoned them. This was an unexpected call.
“Though it’s expected that the Orc Lord might need our help, this is a bit surprising. After all, she’s merely external support—why us specifically?”
“This can only mean they have a genuine interest in us. Still, we have nothing to worry about. We are officially employed by Agor, so there shouldn’t be any unnecessary trouble.”
As Grash spoke, Cruiger nodded in assent, his face grim.
While renown had its advantages, it also came with a price.
“To what I’ve heard, numerous enemies have already converged in large groups, invading and pillaging the borders of several territories. There’s no time to waste, so I’ve summoned you.”
Marcela, upon their meeting, turned out to be a quite typical vampire, both in appearance and demeanor, embodying the quintessential knightly and militaristic archetype.
Until directly meeting her, there were various speculations, but Marcela had summoned Cruiger’s mercenary band purely to question them, having identified them as the most suitable forces to counter his army in the region.
“Very likely, a large-scale battle will break out soon, and I require as much information as possible beforehand. I’ve judged it best to consult those who know the most about the enemy.”
“We will cooperate as much as possible.”
As they had with Agor, the mercenaries, aware of their disparity in strength, diligently responded to Marcela’s inquiries.
The questions were predictable: precise details about the mercenary band’s nature, their properties, the missions they’d completed thus far, etc.
Naturally, these were handled by Cruiger, the captain of the mercenaries.
“You’ve heard of him?”
But at that moment, Marcela, who had remained quiet, suddenly perked up and spoke, directing her gaze at him.
“The real brains behind the mercenary band. It seems all the major strategies are your doing.”
“…”
This direct addressing of him, combined with her evident knowledge of him, caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Without enough information on her intent, his vast mind struggled to quickly deduce her aims.
“I won’t deny it. If I lacked such ability, I wouldn’t even be here.”
“I agree. While the battles in the field are crucial, the most important thing is always the planning. Those capable of doing that deserve proper respect.”
Though he tried to answer humbly, her sharp gaze remained fixed on him.
Again, he regretted not opting for a less conspicuous form, like a hobgoblin or orc, during such instances when unnecessary attention was drawn.
Her interest in him persisted until they left her presence, a fact noticed by everyone nearby.
“Speaking of which, there’s a myth that vampires are particularly fixated on human blood…”
“That’s a misconception. There’s no specific attachment to human blood.”
Grash attempted to interject, but he shook his head.
Having a former vampire’s mind linked with his easily allowed such matters to be verified.
‘Still, it’s best to clear them out as soon as possible.’
He had already planned to eliminate the vampire reinforcements, but now had even more reason to hurry. Though only an instinct, he had a foreboding feeling that leaving them unchecked might lead to unnecessary complications.
Now, with Cruiger’s mercenary band elevated to a core position within the allied forces, he began fine-tuning the deployment of his soldiers discreetly in response to their real-time movements.
