Chapter 81

“We have to kill that girl!”

“I saw her drinking blood, I tell you!”

“We need to drive a stake through her heart!”

The mansion was engulfed in flames.

Under a sky blanketed in ash, I was dragged helplessly in front of an enraged crowd, my entire body bound tight.

The gazes fixated on me were wild with madness, shouting that I must be brutally killed.

“Ah, no! I—”

In the center of it all, I trembled and muttered quietly, but my voice would never reach them.

It was the moment when various weapons transformed into instruments of murder—hooks, swords, and stakes—were closing in on me.

“Eek.”

Erzebet flinched.

Gripping onto remnants of a hazy mind, I glanced around, realizing I was in an empty throne room with no one in sight.

“It’s a dream.”

In a time far-off, even dragons had forgotten.

As vivid memories of that day resurfaced, I awkwardly got to my feet.

Opening the refrigerator and standing before it, the cold air helped clear my mind.

– Ding, please close the door.

“Sorry, just a little longer.”

– Ding, please close the door.

“Such cheek.”

Erzebet took a sip of cola, shaking off the drowsiness that was creeping in.

Lately, sleepiness had been hitting her hard.

There were even instances where she’d suddenly fall asleep like before.

“I’ve been feeling so sleepy lately.”

Long ago, after receiving a curse, she had fallen into a deep slumber and had only recently been awakened by unwanted visitors.

Of course, it wasn’t anything significant.

She could just close her eyes and fall asleep again.

But the problem was she had come to know the Gallery, and had learned about the Head of the Gallery.

It had become far too interesting to allow herself to sleep.

“Ugh…”

Her eyelids grew heavy once more, and her body felt slow.

Despite having just woken up, it protested that sleep was still far too insufficient.

“I can’t! I absolutely won’t sleep!”

Originally, Erzebet loved to sleep.

But this time was different.

If she really did sleep and wake up, everything would surely have changed, just like always.

Her colleagues, the Deputy, countless Gallums, and even the Head would all be gone.

Perhaps the monsters would have won the war and taken over the world.

– Ding!

“!”

Just then, a notification from the Gallery rang out.

Without realizing it, Erzebet rushed to check the Gallery.

That refreshing sound was always delightful.

Receiving replies or attention to her writings was something she welcomed at any time.

Most importantly, hadn’t she boldly asked the Head of the Gallery to meet her last time?

“What did he respond?”

Erzebet checked the notification, feeling the delusion of her non-existent cold heart beating wildly…!

Head of the Gallery*: I’m truly sorry. I won’t mess around with the Deputy’s salary again.

What she found was nothing but a sincere, lengthy apology from the Head, mistaking her bravery after much contemplation.

“…You foolish, stupid, waste of space, Orc Head.”

She pouted her lips and expressed her discontent, but didn’t show it in the chat.

Asking for a proper reconsideration of his feelings late would only seem petty and embarrassing.

Erzebet decided to brush it off as if it were a mere joke.

I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire: I’ll let it slide this time.

Head of the Gallery*: The grace is overwhelming!

As she chatted about the absurd, her thirst for cola returned.

Going to grab a new cola from the refrigerator, she caught a glimpse of her reflection on the surface.

The fact that her typically stoic self was now wearing a subtle smile.

– Ding!

At that moment, the refrigerator’s warning bell rang, and Erzebet felt even more irked.

BAM! With a little force, she closed the door hard enough to make the refrigerator shudder, and she curled up in her throne to think.

“…There’s not much time left.”

For now, she was stubbornly refusing to sleep, but who knows?

If she dozed off for just a moment and woke up, it could very well have been several centuries later.

“Should I tell the Head…?”

Erzebet recalled the moments.

The Head had boldly approached her and declared he would name her as Deputy.

Unlike how the Head thought of the Deputy as a lowly, unpaid blue slave, a toilet cleaner, she understood.

She realized how tremendously powerful the Deputy was.

With just her will, she could permanently banish a person from the Gallery, leading them to their demise.

– “You crazy fool, she can’t be the Deputy!”

– “If she becomes Deputy, everything will collapse!”

– “Seriously, rethink this! Drawing lots would spell disaster!!!”

The general sentiment towards her, which had initially been dread, was now increasingly negative.

But the Head was different.

– “What is it to you?”

The Head alone believed in her and appointed her as Deputy.

And the curse that had constrained her was easily resolved with cola and coffee.

The Head had since became deeply embedded in Erzebet’s inner thoughts.

“Yeah, I should tell him.”

Ultimately, Erzebet decided.

It was better to boldly reveal it than to regret not doing so later.

So just as she was about to leave a message for the Head…

[Title: Ah, I want to kill everyone.]

I’m tired of living.

I thought I had done enough by now, and I can’t stand it anymore.

I want to kill monsters, and humans disgust me.

Mom.

I just want to kill everyone and return to my mother’s side.

[Recommended 0] [Not Recommended 3]

– 1 point

– Can’t even attract attention, you idiot, haha.

– Did you miss the marketplace? Haha.

“This is…”

Passing by, it seemed like an ordinary disruptive post.

But Erzebet could see it clearly.

That was 100% an earnest message.

“Let’s resolve this first.”

In managing the Gallery, it sometimes happens.

People afflicted by PTSD from the Great War would suffer and eventually go mad like monsters.

As the Deputy, Erzebet took up her scythe and ventured outside to eliminate disruptions.

*

“Was asking for a lottery ticket too much?”

The Deputy did not receive a salary.

Just that was pitiful, but now the idea of a 100-draw lottery made it seem like her mood had soured.

After all, wasn’t it her that was urged by the ever-silent I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire to form connections (real-life meet)?

“It might be about time to find a new Deputy anyway…”

At this rate, rather than supporting the Deputy, everyone would be avoiding her like stray bombs.

In a gesture of sincere apology, she decided to deliver something the Deputies would enjoy.

[Admin Chat]

Head of the Gallery*: Guys, haha, sorry;

Head of the Gallery*: (Honey Butter Chip bag meme)

Head of the Gallery*: Eat this and forgive me

Of course, settling things with just a bag of chips could instead rouse even more anger.

But if the Deputy was someone she knew…

Full-Peel Elf: Hieeek, snacks! Sweet things!

Full-Peel Elf: I’ll eat it well!

It would resonate well.

The Full-Peel Elf quickly cheered up upon receiving the chips, having never had any worries in the first place.

Most importantly, she had struck it lucky with a cold water refrigerator.

“Now, I just need I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire to accept it.”

Ultimately, the real target was to calm I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire.

Who was I Will Not Die Even If I Am a Vampire?

[Title: Look at the plants I’ve grown]

(A sprout growing meme)

Isn’t it cute? hehe

[Recommended 3] [Not Recommended 3]

– Haha, post the sauce!

– Looks like it doesn’t taste like much?

____

– For real, who’s filling their belly with that?

– (Author) Bad humans, go away!

– I can’t believe I’m being called out by the very people who can’t even share a meal.

– …wait, they’re not eating it, sorry!

“A crazy Elf?”

The Full-Peel Elf, who had been grilled in the Gallery for not receiving her salary, caused a massive uproar with her wild promotional tactics that didn’t discriminate against any other races.