EP.34 Resistance - Conclusion
"Huu."
Releasing the tension from my body, I let out a long sigh.
I always feel this way, but mind-reading is truly useful yet inconvenient. Every time I kill someone, I end up over-immersing myself in the dying person's perspective. Because life spews out intense emotions at the moment of death, I feel like I'm being swept away by a wave every time I deliver the final blow.
This is why it feels like I've become something special. I merely killed them one by one with great difficulty, struggling desperately just to survive.
Still, I saved my life thanks to mind-reading, so I can't complain.
Phew. My whole body aches. Because I was running around wildly earlier and got grabbed by the collar and slammed into a wall, there isn't a single part of my body that doesn't throb. While I was briefly collecting myself, I heard a voice from behind.
"You have blood on your hands."
A vampire? Did she smell the blood and come? Seriously, like a ghost.
No, she is a ghost. A vampire, a blood-drinking ghost.
I spoke without even turning my head.
"Please take the blood quickly. I just killed them, so it's still warm."
"Even without you saying so, I am already taking it."
Come to think of it, the blood hadn't been staining my body for a while now and was flowing backward. I spoke unnecessarily. Shedding blood in this Tantalus is exactly a vampire's meal.
Ah, right. Since the vampire is here, should I ask her for another favor?
"Hey, while you're eating, could you clean up the corpses?"
"The corpses? I don't think they would like becoming a part of me. Wouldn't it be better to bury them instead?"
"No. Since this place is the Bottomless Pit, there's no suitable place to bury them. The ground is concrete, so no matter how well we bury them, they'll just end up encased in concrete. They won't rot, nor will they return to the Earth Mother Goddess's embrace. They will be eternally taxidermied just as they are. If that's the case, it's better to at least sleep in a vampire's coffin."
"Without even holding a funeral?"
"It's fine. I closed their eyes myself."
"I haven't heard that you are an undertaker, though."
"Isn't a funeral an act of remembering the traces of a past life? In that sense, they had a sufficiently splendid funeral."
When the vampire waved her hand as if she understood, the blood gathered and swallowed the corpses. A sound, whether of melting or crushing, could be heard. It sounded like the sound of waves crashing thousands and millions of times, eroding a rock, compressed into a few seconds.
It didn't take much time. Along with the wave of blood, the corpses disappeared. As if no one had been there from the start, only the stripped straitjackets remained.
Silence fell.
When I stayed still without showing any particular reaction, the vampire, who had been standing quietly, soon grew bored and walked softly through the darkness.
'She recognized it was me without even looking. It's not the situation I expected... Well, if one has excellent Qi perception, they should be able to distinguish Qi presence at least.'
Qi presence? Well, if mind-reading counts as Qi perception, then distinguishing Qi presence is right too.
'Anyway, he isn't moving at all. Is he immersed in sentiment over killing people? Kids will be kids. Should I comfort him a bit?'
Comfort? With what?
As I stood blankly after reading her thoughts, the vampire came right up to my face and spoke.
"Blood also flows, bound to reach the sea someday. At the very least, weren't these your enemies? Although their strength could not reach you, they were warriors just like you. They risked their lives fairly, so there is no need for you to be depressed."
"I'm not really depressed, though."
"You've had your head down since a while ago. Hold your head up proudly. That is the pride in the power you have gained, and the respect for the warriors who were defeated by you."
"No. I said I'm fine."
I had my head down because my neck, which was grabbed earlier, hurts. And I'm also tired from running around overturning the building just a moment ago. I have an average physique, so I need to rest after thrashing around fiercely.
Meanwhile, the vampire looked down quietly at the blood swirling once around her wrist and spoke.
"According to this blood, the owner of the corpse I consumed must have been a renowned knight in life. To subdue and bind such a person without even a scratch. Certainly, you are worthy of calling yourself the manager of the Bottomless Pit."
Not a scratch? She seems not to know because I'm not bleeding right now, but I was just grabbed with one hand and slammed into the wall. The inside of my shirt must be full of bruises.
How should I clear up this misunderstanding...?
Huh? Do I even need to clear it up?
I cleared my throat and spoke.
"I'm not really immersed in sentiment. I just closed my eyes for a moment to honor his martial exploits."
"That is exactly what being immersed in sentiment is called."
"That's a stretch."
"Anyway, you don't even think of facing me while welcoming me. How long are you going to just sit there?"
"I was just about to get up."
As I spoke, I felt like I could live a little now. I groaned as I stood up. Right in front of me, the vampire was standing with her red eyes glowing.
What, so pressuring.
The vampire, whose eyes met mine, tilted her head and smiled with a sense of superiority.
"How is it. Do you recognize me?"
Huh? What does she mean? Of course I recognize her....
'Facing my true body must be a first for him. I don't show it to just anyone, but since I came out of the coffin, it wouldn't be bad to show my face once.'
What is this thought now? She got out of the wheelchair and is putting on airs? Did she succeed in some rehabilitation therapy or something?
'Let's see if you can still treat me like an old hag after seeing my true appearance.'
Eh?
I frowned and looked at the vampire's face once more. A small face, pure white appearance, and red eyes. The black dress she wore was an old-fashioned garment that could only be seen in a museum, and behind her back, a large coffin was following half a step behind as if it were an attendant.
She had a black parasol over her shoulder that looked like it had gathered darkness, but for some reason, being under it, the vampire's face was clearly visible even in this pitch-black darkness. It was as if the black parasol had sucked in the nearby darkness.
No, it's certainly an impressive appearance. But why the 'true appearance'? Did she think I'd be so surprised upon seeing her face that I'd fall over?
Ah, wait. Don't tell me.
This is ridiculous. Should I just play along?
I feigned a startle as I looked at the vampire's face.
"Huh? A woman? W-who? Don't tell me... are you a Tirkanjaka cadet?"
"Yes. Who else but me?"
A faint smile appeared on the vampire's lips as she said that. Feeling in a better mood, the vampire spun her parasol halfway around and spoke.
"What a strange fellow. You called my name just a moment ago. But now you act as if you don't know me."
"No, your appearance suddenly changed, so for a moment... I was flustered, you could say... When did you get off the wheelchair, I mean, out of the coffin?"
"Just now. I revealed my true body for the first time in a while to welcome an unwelcome guest. I originally intended to go back in right after finishing the business, but I came out once because a deep scent of blood wafted from outside."
During our brief exchange, I deliberately avoided making eye contact with the vampire. I would glance up, and if our eyes met, I would immediately bow my head.
Seeing me visibly tense, the vampire narrowed her eyes and thought.
'His attitude looks exactly like a virgin who has never even held a woman's hand. Tsk. The attitude of a man who claims to have trained, changing so lightly just because I showed him my face.'
Although she was scolding me in her thoughts, she was actually enjoying seeing my reaction. The vampire let out a "Hmm," nasal sound and took a step closer to me.
"But, even though you've stood up, how come you can't even make eye contact with me?"
"T-That's..."
"Why is that? You're usually a guy whose mouth is the only lively thing, jabbering away. This isn't like you."
'It seems he hasn't had any experience with women because he's been training since he was young. I wonder if my prank is tormenting an innocent child too much.'
The highly amused vampire came right up to my nose, leaned her upper body forward, and looked into my eyes. Shimmering flowing silver hair and blood-red eyes entered my field of vision.
'Still, this is the first time we've faced each other like this, so it's disappointing that you keep avoiding my gaze. Come on, say something.'
'This is entirely your fault. If you hadn't kept mocking me, I wouldn't have taken revenge in such a childish way.'
Towards the vampire who was basking in superiority in her mind, I spoke in a whispering voice.
"I-I'm... sorry."
"Sorry? For what?"
'Do you think you can be forgiven for your rudeness so far just with an apology? As if. I'll make you suffer as much as you've mocked me.'
Oh, really.
That's the end of your lip service, old hag. I changed my expression completely and retorted coldly.
"What? That I can't flatter you anymore."
"Hmm?"
"Whether you're inside a coffin or outside, if your thoughts and words are the same, what difference does it make? It's exactly the same as always."
But why is she still sticking her face out in that pose? I also frowned and thrust my face forward to meet hers. As we got close enough for our faces to touch, the vampire gasped and stepped back.
With a nonchalant expression, I picked my ear and spoke.
"A battle just took place, so what on earth are you doing? If you're aware that it's your first time showing your face, you should think about identifying yourself first. How am I supposed to know it's you if you approach from behind and ask if I recognize you?"
"U-Uh? That's..."
"What am I supposed to do? Go 'Wow,' and admire you, then recite a poem praising your beauty? Or should I reconsider the Tirkanjaka cadet's appearance and apologize for treating you casually so far? Is that what you expected?"
'I-I didn't exactly think that... I just felt like playing a prank...'
You absolutely thought that.
Many stories have been passed down for over a thousand years, but the tale of the vampire's beauty is a legend that has been recounted time and time again. It's not for nothing that people speculate that vampires have the power of charm. Even though the church stubbornly highlights only their ugly appearance.
However, because of that, hasn't her self-esteem risen too high? I demand behavior appropriate for her age.
Sigh. Seriously.
"Please stop acting so frivolously."
"F-Frivolously?!"
"It's understandable that wanting to hear you look young is a common trait of older people, but you still need to consider the time and place. A fierce battle took place just 10 minutes ago. Please behave properly."
It seems even her age hasn't swallowed up her shame. The vampire gripped her parasol tightly with both hands in extreme shame. She gripped it so hard that the little blood left in her hands holding the handle had completely drained away.
I thought about teasing her a bit more, but the shame radiating from the vampire was beyond imagination. I stopped, thinking she might explode if I poked her any further.
When scolding a childish adult, what's most needed is ultimately an attitude of acceptance. Unlike children, the opponent is older than me. They are the troublesome type who consider themselves superior from the start, and when embarrassed, instead of running away, they immediately get angry.
What can I do. I, the young and weak, must endure.
"Sigh. Well. The cadet look is a bit better, at least. If you look at it objectively without knowing anything, she is pretty. Still, please restrain the frivolity. You need to consider the time and place."
'W-What is this? I'm clearly offended... But it's not wrong, and if I get angry, I'll seem petty... But if I stay quiet, it feels like I'm being ignored...'
"I have no more business here, so I'm going to check the supply box. There happens to be a blood supply over there too, so shall we go?"
"Ah, yeah. Let's do that."
I walked away without even looking back. The vampire, with a bashful and confused face, tightly gripped her parasol with both hands and followed behind me.
There was still a corpse left abandoned where the supply box had dropped. The vampire swallowed that corpse as well. As expected, a human sewer... Ah, I shouldn't say this. She might actually get hurt.
Phew, this minor consideration of distinguishing between what to say and what not to say. I'm quite sweet.
Now, let's check the supplies. I whistled as I opened the supply box.
Inside the supply box were numerous cans of compressed beans.
"Huh?"
It's strange. No matter how much the military nation is a lover of canned food, they aren't people who don't know the importance of nutrients. Not a single piece of bread or rice?
Wondering about it, I was soon able to discover the tragic debris left inside the supply warehouse. Traces of what used to be bread, as if mice had gnawed it all and run away.
Even the cheese bags were torn, and the milk cartons were completely empty.
Ah. Right.
The five Resistance members had hidden inside the supply box.
What did they eat to survive? It's obvious. They couldn't have opened and eaten the compressed canned food inside which requires a lot of moisture and a cooking process, so they must have simply eaten the bread and milk.
Haha. So. The supplies are ultimately just canned food, right?
"Aaaargh! These sons of bitches!"
Enraged, I kicked the supply box right away. I was able to confirm the sturdiness of the military nation's supply box once again. Damn it, my foot hurts.
I screamed and turned back to look at the vampire.
"Tirkanjaka cadet, spit out the corpses right now! I'll show you what dismemberment really looks like today!"
"Why are you acting like this again?"
The vampire asked, still with a sullen attitude. She must have clearly seen the bread crumbs, but she didn't react much since it wasn't her food. I pointed inside the supply box and shouted.
"The bread! It's gone! These intruders ate it all! What are we supposed to eat!"
"Isn't what's inside those round cans also food? There seems to be quite a lot, so if there's no bread."
"Telling us to eat canned food is a trigger for revolution. Don't even bring it out of your mouth! Unlike a vampire like you who only eats age and people's blood, humans need gourmet food!"
"W-What?! Just eating age?!"
Oops. In my haste, I revealed my true feelings. The vampire was on the verge of exploding with age-old hysteria.
Someone walked out from the prison entrance. It was the regressor. She was bleeding from her mouth, perhaps injured, but for someone hurt, she had a rather satisfied face.
Well, compared to the regressor's opponent, it was bound to be satisfying. In her other hand, a headless corpse was being dragged out. The giant corpse wearing military gear was spewing blood from its cross-section and trailing limply.
'To be able to cut through military gear even after sealing Qi... It must mean I've grown a little.'
How can she cut through steel without Qi. I really don't understand.
The vampire welcomed the regressor warmly.
"Shei, do you perhaps know who I am?"
"You're Tirkanjaka, right? You came out of the coffin. Here, there's blood, so drink it."
The regressor immediately handed the corpse to the vampire. Suddenly called out, the vampire felt a bit slighted and swallowed the corpse with blood.
'Do kids these days carry my portrait around or something? They aren't surprised at all. When I used to toy with those who visited my mansion in the past, regardless of age or gender, they couldn't even bear to face me just by revealing my appearance... Men these days are like stone Buddhas.'
Look at her touching her face to see if wrinkles appeared. What an unsightly sight. There's no way a taxidermied corpse from that time would develop wrinkles.
More importantly, she hasn't noticed she's cross-dressing even while drinking blood? Really, this vampire is good for nothing.
The vampire, who swallowed the corpse with a wave of blood, stared intently at the regressor and spoke.
"It seems you've made progress. I can feel that the blood inside your body is entirely under your control."
"When it comes to increasing your capacity, actual combat is the best after all."
The regressor grinned and wiped the blood from her mouth.
Even with the vampire right in front of her nose, her blood didn't fly toward the vampire. It merely clung waveringly, still dampening her skin.
Not letting the blood that came out of her body be stolen. It was proof that the regressor had the ability to control at least her own blood.
Smiling with satisfaction, the regressor looked around.
"Where are the other guys?"
"It seems this kid took care of them all. When I went there, only corpses remained."
"Hmph."
'Tch. I thought he might just die, but it seems he does have some skills. I can't trust that man's character, but I can rely on his ability.'
Rely on what, you brat. Please don't rely on me and handle it with your own power.
I don't even have the energy to speak now. I stood blankly, staring at the mountain of canned food.
It can't be helped.
Azi. You're going to have to eat all of that.