"Well, it seems our infiltration was completely exposed."
"Indeed. We need to find the evidence quickly..."
Kurumi and Tina were frantically searching for evidence in what appeared to be a study. Even with their clones, the sheer volume of material meant there was no end in sight.
"And it's even more painful that there's no guarantee it's even here..."
Spending a lot of time on a wild goose chase would be the worst. Besides, the probability of Vlad leaving evidence of his crimes inside the house was very low. A normal person would dispose of it immediately.
"...? Tina-san? What are you doing?"
She was pushing and pulling books on a bookshelf without even checking their contents. It was a bizarre action.
"There's often a hidden room in places like this, Kurumi-san. Usually, a book like this acts as the switch."
"..."
Just as Kurumi was about to tell her she was watching too much TV, a clicking sound echoed. The sound was a key, and the large bookshelf began to move on its own. Within ten seconds, a staircase leading downwards was revealed.
"Huh?"
"We found it!"
"I feel like saying 'that's impossible,' but..."
Still, what's found is found. They descended the damp, stone staircase.
"It goes pretty deep..."
"And it's complicated."
At the bottom of the stairs was a complex network of passages, like an ant's nest. The two of them (the originals) sent their clones down every visible passage to investigate all at once.
"If it's important enough to be hidden with a contraption like that..."
"The probability of finding something is very high."
Eventually, the two (the originals) arrived at a certain place. Unlike the dim passages, this place was as bright as if it were illuminated by the sun. However, the room's purpose seemed far from the warm image the light suggested.
In a word, it was a solitary confinement cell.
The moment they entered the room, the two were met with countless pairs of eyes. Everyone huddled in the shadows, as if avoiding the warm light that filled the room. Their gazes were sharp but weak.
"Kurumi-san, those people are..."
"Yes, probably..."
The two whispered, a stark contrast to the mismatch between the warm, clean room and the people locked in the cages. They confirmed their thoughts aligned.
"What's happening upstairs?"
One of the figures in the shadows spoke.
"...Before that, a question—"
"I see. So that's it."
"Huh?"
Kurumi was about to answer but was interrupted, the figure coming to its own conclusion.
"You're not Vlad's subordinates. I was already suspicious because you're human. Vlad would never have humans as subordinates. He would treat them as tools or slaves at best. What are you doing here? The commotion upstairs is your fault, isn't it?"
"...Yes. We're here to expose Vlad's evil deeds."
"How foolish. Not even our master could stand against him."
The figure slumped its shoulders and looked down.
"Who is 'our master'?"
The person hiding in the shadows answered Tina's question.
"Our master, she is the vampire known as the 'Dragon Knight,' Lady Leticia Draculea."
---------
"Speed Up"
I easily dodged the black shadow spears that attacked me. The shadow at Leticia's feet. It was clearly denser than mine or Riko's. It whipped like a lash, leaving non-trivial marks on the wall.
Riko was fighting back with a knife she pulled from her skirt.
The key to fighting Vlad was the various Mystic Codes that Kuro had created. Things that inhibit a vampire's regeneration, and things that reduce the power of magical attacks. To Vlad, they might be like a drop in the ocean, but they thoroughly reinforced our combat strength.
I immediately noticed something was off. Riko seemed to have noticed it too.
How do I put it... isn't the attack half-hearted?
There was no sense of intent to kill us in the black shadows. It seemed like she was just attacking the general area where we were. At first glance, the high power might make the attack seem terrifying, but it was essentially a blunt weapon.
There's a very high possibility that Vlad is forcing her to do this.
I've already seen countless times that the original characters in this world, even with changes in their circumstances, don't change their fundamental personalities. Considering that, it's impossible for Leticia to cooperate with Vlad.
(Brainwashing, blackmail... there could be many things, but he's probably using something like that on her.)
I thought while looking at Leticia, who had been standing in the same spot since the fight began, letting the shadow blades do all the work.
In that case.
"Sho. That vampire isn't Vlad's subordinate. She's not loyal at all. He's forcing her."
"Yeah. We want to avoid injuries and exhaustion as much as possible. Let's neutralize her efficiently and bring her to our side!"
"OK! I'll match you!"
Riko pulled out four more anti-magic knives, two from her hair. Since Vlad wasn't right in front of her, Riko's movements were very light. For Riko, who had Al-Katha skills to rival Aria's, deflecting Leticia's current linear attacks was child's play.
"Gashakon Para-Blay Gun"
"10 Strike!!"
"Enlarge"・"Musclize"・"Musclize"
"A Knight Dies Not with Empty Hands, Knight of Honor!!"
Red, vein-like patterns extended from the hilt I gripped, and the Gashakon Para-Blay Gun transformed into a Mystic Code.
Perhaps to avoid the scorching heat of the blazing axe on her face, Leticia gathered her shadows to form a shield. That won't be enough to block this attack.
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
I crushed the shield. A single strike became a 10-hit combo, penetrating the shield. Unable to fully absorb the impact, Leticia was slammed into the wall, and a large slash mark was carved into it. The heat wave incinerated the tablecloth and potted plants.
I was stunned by the immense firepower, even with all the enhancements.
"That was... close..."
"S-Sorry. I didn't think it would have this much power..."
"It's fine since we're safe. More importantly, look at that."
"Hmm."
She pointed to the battered Leticia. I thought she had taken some damage, but she seemed to have already regenerated.
Riko and I approached cautiously.
"Ugh... ah..."
"That's a good enough excuse. Don't get up again."
"If you want to keep fighting, we'll have to use a silver bullet."
"...I, see. Then I'll take your offer."
Leticia, who had been trying to get up, let the strength drain from her body. Her body was trembling.
"We have to go help our friends fighting outside. If you have nothing to tell us, we'll go now."
"No, you were gathering evidence of Vlad's crimes, weren't you? My kin are being held captive in the basement of this mansion. It's a mass confinement. If you can defeat Vlad, I want you to use this as one piece of evidence."
"Wait. A vampire confining other vampires? What did you all do to Vlad?"
Ura-Riko raised a very valid question.
"Right... we're running out of time. I'll make it quick."
---------
"Lady Leticia heard rumors that Vlad was committing atrocities and came to this mansion to confront him directly. As a fellow vampire, she couldn't tolerate such behavior. It wasn't just once or twice. Since she's not a person who seeks conflict, she never resorted to physical force, but he evaded her every time."
The vampire, Leticia's subordinate, began to recount the story.
"Then, one day. At a time when Lady Leticia was away, Vlad came. We couldn't turn him away, so we showed him to the reception room, but... somehow, we ended up in this place."
"...Huh? 'Somehow'? Did Vlad do something to you?"
"Maybe you were affected by Vlad's Stand ability?"
Tina and Kurumi asked, confused, but the vampire just shook his head.
"I don't know. I have no idea what was done to us. All I know is that when I came to, I was sleeping in this place. The light source in this room is an artificial sun created by magic. When a vampire is exposed to this light, they can't move as they wish. If we stay in the shadows, we can break the cages, but it's difficult to get out of the room."
Artificial suns are developed to replicate conditions on the surface for growing vegetables underground. The number of people who can create a sun powerful enough to rob a vampire of their freedom is limited, but Vlad forced the matter with his financial power.
The vampires in this world don't turn to ash when they are exposed to sunlight. They just lose their strength. It's like a Devil Fruit user in One Piece falling into the sea.
"Taken as hostages, Lady Leticia had no choice but to obey Vlad. Even now, she must be forced into a fight she doesn't want."
He spoke with a mournful voice.
---------
"...Now that you mention it, Whitesnake said something about a vampire rebelling. Was that you?"
I went through my memories with my perfect recall. Whitesnake had indeed mentioned a vampire rebellion.
"Yes... that's right. I did try to defy him and take him down once. The title of Dragon Knight is a joke. I was in a near-perfect state, not even restrained, but... I was no match for him."
What? No match? How strong is this Vlad?
"I might have stood a chance against Vlad alone. But the problem was the other person. There was another one. A man with devilish strength. He might even be stronger than Vlad."
"Someone who looks like me?"
"Yes, that's right. His words and thoughts are those of a small-time crook, but he is incredibly strong. He has a vampire's immortality and seems to be using something invisible. He can probably steal other people's abilities as well."
Those are the characteristics of Dangerous Zombie and Whitesnake. There's no mistake.
"That man's name is 'Kohei Shintani.' It's not just Vlad. Be careful of this man as well."
Kohei Shintani... I haven't heard that name. It's not a particularly rare name either.
"...Wait a minute. Is that Shintani guy here!?"
"I don't know. He wanders off somewhere. He's not here every day. But you should be cautious."
"Speed Up"
"Riko, I'm going ahead!!"
"Ah, w-wait—!!"
I started running before Riko could even reply.
---------
"Oh, you're awake, Kohei-san."
"Yeah, I was woken up. Damn it, if there was going to be a festival, you should have told me from the start. If I'd known, I would have been ready and waiting."
"My apologies. I was prepared for some resistance, but I didn't expect them to attack so recklessly."
By the time Vlad arrived in the garden, the battle was already over. His vampire subordinates were watching from a distance.
Around Dangerous Zombie, Yukina, Kuro, Asuna, and Yo lay fallen. Their weapons had fallen from their hands, and their projected weapons were shattered.
"Who are these reckless girls, Vlad? Do you have any idea?"
"They're probably the girls your junior summoned. Though there might be others mixed in."
"My junior!? No way! Why didn't you tell me sooner?! I shouldn't have been sleeping so leisurely!"
"I reported it thoroughly a few days ago... This is why lower-class animals are..."
Vlad muttered the last part under his breath. He didn't see humans as equals. His only interest was in Kohei's special abilities, tools, and circumstances.
"M-O-R-E-O-V-E-R,"
Dangerous Zombie crouched down, grabbed Asuna's hair, and pulled her up roughly.
"My junior is so lucky. He got a catch like this. Let's see, 1, 2... 4 of them. Two are barely in the strike zone. I'm not interested in kids."
"Let... me go...!"
Asuna resisted weakly, but it had no effect.
"Don't be so impatient. A struggling woman is right up my alley. It makes it hard to hold back. After I kill my junior, I'll have plenty of fun with you. Hmm, wait... maybe I'll half-kill him and do it in front of him. Haha! What a great idea! Hey, which one do you like better? My strike zone might be normal, but I'm open-minded when it comes to playing, you know?"
Vlad watched Dangerous Zombie get excited on his own with a cold look, but he put on a perfect fake smile and spoke.
"It's fine to indulge in your fantasies, but there are two intruders in the mansion, your junior and the Fourth, who are eager to find evidence of my evil deeds. How about we think about that after?"
"Hmm, you're right. Let's get a light workout before the feast. So? What's my junior doing?"
"He's fighting Leticia-san right now."
"Oh-ho, you're really a cruel one, aren't you?"
Dangerous Zombie feigned a comical gesture. Vlad's iron mask didn't slip.
"I only consider it a way to buy time. With that drug-addled body of hers, she won't be able to win."
Upon hearing the words, Yukina let out a raspy voice.
"Drug... addled...?"
"Yes. Leticia-san is a disgrace to our race, trying to curry favor by 'protecting humans' and lacking a single shred of vampire pride. She was getting on my nerves, so I held her clan hostage and enslaved them..."
"And she betrayed you, huh? Well, she wasn't that much to handle, even if they call her the Dragon Knight."
"I was trying to show her a final act of mercy, but if she's going to act like that, I have no choice."
Vlad continued, "Do you know this?"
"Vampires don't consider injuries to be a big deal because of our magical organ. They heal quickly. The same goes for poisons that destroy the body. However, there are always exceptions. For drugs that don't directly destroy body tissue, we are no different from you humans."
"In other words, aphrodisiacs. I'm the one who suggested it."
Vlad was annoyed by the sudden interruption but didn't show it.
"...I adopted it because it was useful. For a month since the rebellion, I've been meticulously 'remodeling' her, day and night. It's troublesome to have a pet dog that bites you. It was finished just the other day. She couldn't even take a proper shower. Just putting on clothes made her moan. But now she looks normal on the surface, so I might have to re-evaluate my thoughts on her."
Yukina and Asuna's faces turned pale at the terrible treatment.
"H-How...?! You're a vampire just like her...!"
"To call such a disgrace the same as me... even a gentle person like me would find that unforgivable."
"By the way, my junior is so kind, huh? He's the type who says he only has sex with love, isn't he?"
He couldn't hold back and started laughing, clutching his stomach.
"What are you talking about, calling Sho 'my junior'?! What does that mean?!"
"Huh? What are you saying? It's obvious. With all these hints."
Asuna wasn't stupid. She had already figured it out.
"I'm not from this world either."
--------------------------------------------
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