Chapter 55

“It’s not Gallum.”

Erzebet rested her chin in her hand on the throne.

(4.444.404) A peculiar IP with a flowing nature.

There were several Gallums operating anonymously without setting a nickname.

However, the numbers provided enough information, making the anonymity somewhat meaningless.

After all, they could be banned anytime.

“An intruder, huh.”

But this Gallum was different.

No, it wasn’t even a Gallum.

Erzebet immediately sensed it was a disruptor that had infiltrated the gallery from outside.

She slowly trailed behind the flow.

Meanwhile, (4.444.404) wandered through the gallery categories and system.

[Title: Wait just an hour, and the Marketplace will appear!]

Because from now on, every time I wait over an hour,

I’ll smash my head so hard my brain will be a chaotic mess!

If you can’t remember waiting,

Does that mean you didn’t wait at all?

An hour’s wait leads to the Marketplace, huh!

The thought alone fills me with joy~!!!

– (4.444.404) How do I get into the Marketplace?

⇨ Author) ??

⇨ (4.444.404) When I tried to enter, it said access denied due to IP.

⇨ Author) Isn’t that a bug? Normally, all Gallums should have access, right?

It was even boldly demanding information from the Gallum.

At least there was some relief in the fact that it couldn’t access the system of the Head of the Gallery.

Erzebet could no longer just watch.

Not only had it interrupted the small celebrations with the refrigerator, but now it dared invade the gallery?

“I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire) What are you doing?”

Erzebet created a secret post using the powers of The Deputy of Gallery and invited (4.444.404).

In an instant, the flow was trapped within the post, but it showed no signs of panic.

⇨ (4.444.404) I thought I was on the verge of annihilation, but it seems I’m doing just fine.

⇨ (4.444.404) Is this all thanks to that Head of the Gallery?

It even seemed to respond nonchalantly, aware of the Head’s existence.

⇨ I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire) Are you gonna ban me?

⇨ (4.444.404) Do as you please. I can always come visit in person.

⇨ (4.444.404) (Worship! Demon Con)

Threatening with a ban was of no use.

It even displayed such nonchalance using a nonexistent Demon Con.

Erzebet could bear it no longer.

[Blocking this IP]

[Ban Duration: Permanent]

[Ban Reason: Creepy Stalker]

⇨ I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire) Disruption, die.

Erzebet immediately used the powers of The Deputy.

At the same time, (4.444.404) vanished and was permanently kicked out of the gallery.

Yet, its relaxed demeanor and the forceful intrusion into the gallery showed that it was not light.

“The Head is in danger…”

Erzebet clenched her nails, then rose from her seat.

She was the owner of the abandoned castle and the Deputy of the Gallery.

This meant she had an obligation to protect the Head.

In the blink of an eye, Erzebet disappeared without a trace.

*

Weeks had passed since the refrigerator incident.

I had spent more time on the bed than walking, and during that time I had become well aware of the atmosphere in the gallery.

– Refrigerator ← God

– Damn refrigerator! What is this coldness!

[Title: Wait just one day, and the refrigerator will appear!!!!]

(Grasping my head like a porcelain con)

Why!! is it!! this way!! Ihiihihihi!?!@!

My head!!

Every single day!?! Hooray!!!!

– (Matak… Con)

– Are you out of your mind?

– What’s wrong with this fellow?

⇨ Didn’t he buy a refrigerator?

⇨ LOL, there’s still an idiot who hasn’t bought a refrigerator? Damn.

⇨ Head, if you don’t reveal the refrigerator, it’s really over!!!

Of course, the refrigerator hype hadn’t cooled down.

Gallums were beating their heads to lose their memories while maintaining the anticipation that a refrigerator would appear tomorrow.

And some Gallums had lost their sanity after hitting their heads too often.

Meanwhile, a very small number of Gallums that had bought refrigerators continuously fueled the refrigerator hype.

⇨ Head*) LOL

⇨ ? K? LOL???????

⇨ Damn, are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?

⇨ Pure Evil

⇨ (Cat icon with a bright red face)

⇨ Die, die, die, die, die, die.

Of course, there was no plan to reveal more.

Even with this much, the usage of Mana Stones was already high enough for a decent supply.

“Mana Stones… must be maintained.”

I slowly rose from the bed.

Looking at the time, it was finally time for a walk.

Having lived so lazily, my leg muscles were on the verge of giving out.

It was survival walking, after all.

“Agh.”

Carefully standing up from the bed, I placed my feet on the floor.

Was this what it felt like to return to Earth from the moon as an astronaut?

After taking a deep breath to prepare for going out after a long time, a system notification echoed in my ears.

[Admin Chat]

I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire: Head

Head*: yes

I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire: Be careful

Head*: ?

I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire: If you don’t want to get hurt

Head*: ??? I’m sorry. I don’t know what you mean, but please forgive me just this once.

“Oh, just a typical threatening message.”

Is there a Deputy threatening the Head?

But I had gotten used to it by now.

For several weeks, I had been consistently receiving threatening messages from I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire.

It seemed like there was more to say, but I had no way of knowing if it was because the curse hadn’t lifted or its true feelings.

I then closed the gallery and opened the long-sealed bunker door.

With it, the sunlight, which I had almost forgotten, washed over me warmly.

“Should I go back in?”

For a moment, that thought crossed my mind, but it had already been months since I had postponed going out.

My skin, pale from not seeing sunlight, was almost to the degree that I wouldn’t be surprised if a vampire considered it a friend.

I led my tired legs and began to follow the minimum routine I had planned.

“I’ll walk around the plaza while catching as much sunlight as I can, then head back.”

As I strolled, I leisurely checked for cityscapes that I hadn’t seen in the gallery.

Fortunately, the city appeared much brighter and cleaner than the last time I had been out.

Of course, it was hard to picture an intact atmosphere due to the occasional incursions of monsters.

At least, compared to when it was in ruins, it felt almost like a blessing.

“That’s enough…!”

Ten minutes into my walk.

I immediately turned my steps back toward the bunker.

No, it was just when I thought I could return safely that I heard a sound.

“Ugh…”

A groan echoed from somewhere.

It was too close to ignore; it sounded like someone was at death’s door.

Without thinking, I turned to look in the direction of the sound, where a ragged little girl was crouched.

“Must have just collapsed from exhaustion.”

“I’m hungry… it’s hard…”

“You must have worked really hard then.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to die…”

The voice of the girl trembling beside the garbage pile reached my ears.

I halted my steps toward home and walked toward her.

*

While walking, recounting the time I picked her up.

“Is this really happening…?”

“Ugh, hmph.”

I had just finished a ten-minute survival walk and now I had picked up a girl.

While I, confused with hands on my head, the little girl was hurriedly devouring food.

I had arranged easily digestible food for her since it seemed she hadn’t eaten in days.

It was shocking how much food disappeared into her tiny frame.

“Ugh, it’s delicious…”

With her round eyes brimming with tears, the little girl couldn’t lift her head from the food.

How long had it been?

After a few minutes, with a blissful expression as she savored her meal, she abruptly glanced at me.

“Human, what do you want from me?”

“What.”

Was the concept in the gallery a bit too extreme?

The speech of this unbelievable disruptor girl was absurd.

But this is another world.

Nothing would seem strange.

A girl using the speech of a friendly disruptor was far from surprising.

“If I desire something, do you really have it?”

“Ugh…”

The girl clearly had nothing.

Even if she did, she wouldn’t have the moral deficiency to steal it.

More importantly, her state hadn’t looked good since the first time I saw her.

Pale skin, cloudy pupils, and a body that trembled even after I dressed her in new clothes.

“C-cold…”

I stared at the girl and gestured.

“Follow me.”

“W-where to?”

She had blindly followed thinking I would give her food, but now that her hunger was satisfied, it seemed she was regaining consciousness.

The little eyes peeking out from her tightly held hands over the table shook endlessly.

But realizing it was no use, she nervously followed me to my room.

“This is a temperature-controlled water bed, so I’ll lend it to you until you recover.”

“…Which one?”

“The entire room.”

After all, I had more rooms.

Getting a bed wasn’t particularly difficult.

There were enough points, so there was no need to be stingy about lending a room.

As soon as I said this, tears welled up in the girl’s ruby-red eyes.

“But why? I came here with bad intentions…”

Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

Was she trying to say something about stealing?

“Then did you act on those bad intentions?”

“Ugh? No, I couldn’t. I tried to force my way here, but then I lost my strength…”

“So you didn’t do it.”

“Yeah, wait!”

I suddenly picked the girl up and laid her on the bed.

Wrapping her in blankets like a sushi roll, her bewildered eyes were quite the sight.

“I can generously forgive an attempted disruption.”

“What, what?”

“Stay here until you recover. I have many questions to ask, but that can wait.”

During that time, I turned on the gallery to check in.

Hours had slipped by, and not engaging with the gallery was simply not an option.

“Well, it shouldn’t be anything serious.”

It was likely only the same old refrigerator hype circulating like the past month.

With that thought, I was about to check the gallery while leaving the girl lying there.

– Kraaack!!! Kraaack!

– Head! Head!

– W-what is this? I suddenly vomited blood from my mouth?

– Hahaha, damn, I’m Torchman now!

– My whole body has suddenly become like a burning inferno!

“Oh.”

The state of the gallery was far from normal.

It seemed like everyone was suffering from what felt like an epidemic.

As something flashed through my mind, I heard a cough from beside me.

“Keek! Keck!”

“Oh damn.”

The girl’s eyes seemed to lose their strength, and blood mixed with her cough stained the blanket.

Only then did I realize the chill in my mind.

“Black Plague.”

The worst disease that wiped out 20 million people at the time.

The disease that clung to the Middle Ages had seemingly returned.