A ruler is busy. One who takes on the duty of managing the subordinates ends up taking on as much work as their number. Even if Tir was a 'god' and a figurehead, she still had quite a lot of work to do. Considering her absence of over a hundred years, it was impressive that Valdmir had filtered it down to this extent.
"Opening of the Full Moon Castle? Is it open here?"
"The Full Moon Castle was originally a fortress built for vampires to gather and live in. As our numbers grew and the land we had to rule expanded, everyone scattered, and it became my territory. However, what use is such a large castle when I reside here alone? So, when vampires have a reason to gather like this, I lend out the guest rooms."
True, even if they gathered all the vampires of Yalelin's rank and above, there would only be about 1,500 of them. Rather than preparing lodgings for them, stuffing them into the castle would be more effective.
"No one but the Elders would dare come up. You won't run into them unnecessarily, so do not worry."
"I'm not particularly worried. It'd be nice to meet new people. You're right behind me, after all."
"I am here. Hehe. Yes. As long as I am in this country, you have nothing to worry about."
"There is one thing. Your heart changing, Tir. They say a favored mistress is treated as a spy once the love fades—wouldn't that be exactly my case?"
At that, Tir feigned an angry expression.
"Do you think I, who has lived for over a thousand years, would abandon you over some trivial matter?"
"Who knows? How the human heart turns."
"I am a vampire. I have lived harboring a deep and dark hatred for a thousand years; would my affection for you not even last a hundred?"
"The past thousand years had neither a beating heart nor sensation, but the next hundred years will have both, no? I know it better since I'm the very one who gifted them to you."
"Even so, the grace of you gifting me a heart and sensation will remain. Just as I engraved grudges in my heart, I will certainly repay my debts of gratitude. Not that it means my heart will change."
Recalling my memories of working at a host bar in the past, I solidified Tir's heart a bit more. Giving a hint of fear of being slightly abandoned by an older woman made them more entangled. It was questionable whether that applied to an older woman by a thousand years... but fortunately, it seemed only the fact that she was older mattered, not the magnitude of the difference.
"Right. To fully receive the grace, your sensation must be perfectly restored. How is it, Tir? Is your shoulder better now?"
"Yes. It feels somewhat refreshing yet ticklish; it is quite peculiar. I find myself wanting to shrug my shoulders without realizing it. Is it normally like this?"
"It's normal. When I was young, maybe because my body was soft, it felt ticklish, but as you get older and your muscles stiffen, it feels refreshing when touched."
"Ahem. No wonder the ticklishness was greater."
"It follows your body's age. Your shoulders are done now. The exposed parts are finished."
Since the head was on top, regaining sensation had to proceed from top to bottom. The face, neck, shoulders, and part of the back. Tir examined her newly regained sensation. Unlike smell or taste, the body only had touch, but having lacked even that, Tir—who had freely shattered and torn her own body—felt a little anxious at the unfamiliar sensation.
'So this was the reason Hu repeatedly asked if I was okay. Sensation will make me an entirely different existence from before. I will chase more comfortable touches, and covet sweeter tastes. As sensation changes me, I too will become bound by sensation...'
However, Tir's worries ended there. Changing as she pleased—that was what Tir truly desired.
Nothing is eternal. Even the great principles that existed from the beginning will change as time flows. We who live within it are also swayed.
Tir, who felt weariness at herself remaining the same while watching the world change... unknowingly craved change, which led to her wish for her heart to beat again.
She didn't know how she would change, but she believed she would become better.
'There is nothing to worry about. The duchy still stands, and Hu is by my side. Rather than that...'
"...that, Hu."
"Yes?"
Opening her mouth to say something before hesitating, Tir sharply turned her head away.
"...No. It is nothing. Forget it."
"What is it? Leaving me hanging after starting to speak."
"Did I not say it was nothing?"
"Tir. There are two ways to make a person angry. The first is starting to say something and then stopping."
Tir, who had been quietly listening to my words, urged me.
"Why only mention the first? What is the second?"
"I'll tell you if you finish speaking. What is this 'nothing'?"
"Did you make up those words just to hear that? Did I not say it was nothing!"
Tir firmly raised her voice. I had chosen that rhetoric to make her feel what it's like to be in my shoes, but she seemed too stubborn to listen to words. I had no choice but to rely on mind reading.
I'm sorry, Tir. Because I have no privacy.
'To restore the sensation of the body, I must be touched. Because the threads of lightning Hu emits must be implanted, if thin cloth is covering it, the effect is greatly reduced. The lint of the fabric swallows up the small bolts of lightning.'
Having experienced it many times, Tir now understood the principle to some extent. Demon god or whatever, once you get used to it, it's just common sense, not even magic.
'...T-Then. To revisit the sensation of my entire body. Hu's hands would have to stroke my entire body. Without a single thread of clothing on.'
She hadn't been embarrassed at all to show her heart, but perhaps due to customary resistance, the 12th-century girl felt reluctance at exposing her bare skin.
Actually, it was the same for me. The emotion I felt when Uiseon cut open my stomach wasn't embarrassment, but terror. There wasn't much difference whether vampire or human.
'I am too ashamed to say that out of my own mouth. But even if Hu brings it up, it would be awkward, so what should I do...'
Ah, that thing. Ugh. Indeed. It's difficult.
As a mind reader, how importantly the other person views it matters quite a bit. You could say the value follows the counterpart. If there is reluctance, I won't force it.
If there isn't? Then it's good for me.
'I-If you ask if I dislike it, that is not it. But is this not too fast? I want to progress a little more slowly and calmly, sharing our words and hearts sufficiently. I do not want to hastily handle such a precious first time for the sake of work.'
However, Tir's heart was more complex. The reluctance was great, but a strong desire could be felt, wishing someone would tear down that wall for her.
Tsk. At this point, there seems to be no need to interfere any further.
"Tir. I think this is enough."
"Hmm?"
"You've become human enough now, Tir. You're equal to me or even greater."
I cleanly withdrew my hands.
"Actually, there's no need to forcibly restore the sensation below the neck. This is enough. As long as you have taste, smell, and even touch, you've restored them all."
"E-Excuse me?"
"Even among people who aren't vampires, there are those without sensation in their bodies. Since you can move your body freely, you're better off than them. Plus, you feel both taste and scent, and even got to experience stiff shoulders, so you've practically got it all."
"Is... that so?"
"Yes. What if you fully restore the sensation in your body and end up feeling pain? There will still be some fights to be had in the future, so it's better to minimize the pain."
"I... see."
It was a remark that poured cold water on Tir's heart, which had been fluttering with a thrilling feeling just a moment ago. Feeling strangely upset, Tir stood up and said.
"Then, why did you sit me on your lap in the first place? If I knew it would end this quickly, there was no reason to stay like that even in front of Kabila."
"I wanted to quickly restore all your sensations for you, Tir."
"Hmph. You did it in the blink of an eye. I didn't even fully realize whether the sensation returned to my shoulder or not."
"And you're just the right size to sit on my lap. It felt nice."
"As if..."
Scoffing, Tir paused for a moment. She was pondering whether being small, soft, and nice to hug was a compliment or not. Be that as it may, the work was now done.
"I'm done here. If there's anything else you'd like to try out, call me again. This—though I used it simply to restore sensation—seems to have infinite applications."
Massaging my stiff hands myself, I stepped outside.
Alright. That's satisfying. It was a bit tough, but it was easier than when I revived her heart before.
Back then, it looked easy but was dangerous. I focused my mind reading on Tir, and as the King of Humans, I became the spokesperson representing only 'Tir', capturing myself at that time in my mind and engraving it into Tir's heart. You could say I directly overwrote it with Tir's childhood memories.
It was only possible because it was the Bottomless Abyss with almost no people, and because the opponent was Tir, frozen in her old body. Even then, the side effects were severe, and I almost lost 'myself'. The memories were so intense that I almost lost my ego and became the girl.
...No, it might have been possible because I had lost the power of the King of Humans. Representing only one person right in front of me—that's not something the King of Beasts could do.
Anyway, with the Demon God now, it was easier than that. Since I had cards left, I didn't need to empathize with Tir like back then.
So, what should I do now? I've finished one task, shall I take care of the rest? They say there's no grave without a story; I found the culprit who killed Ruskinia, but I'm still curious about the background.
The one who inherited the True Blood was Lir Nightingale, Yalelin. Naturally, there is a kin who made her a vampire, and that is Ruskinia's Sire. Her identity was Lily, Lir's mother.
However, Lily was executed. On the charge of desertion.
Something is weird. The Elders are perfectly fine, yet a Sire fled?
Ruskinia's Sire, Jazra, said that Lir had severed the bond. The words asking me to kill Lir contained something more than just anger over the death of her patriarch. She died so quickly that it was regretful I couldn't read all her thoughts.
The dead not only lack a voice. They cannot think either. If there is a part of human affairs that I, with my mind reading, do not know, the clue must lie with the dead.
Having come down a floor from Tir's level, I looked back at the presence following me.
"Count Erte."
"Did you call for me?"
"By any chance, is there anyone among the late Mr. Ruskinia's Sires whom I could meet?"
The watcher of the Crimson Blood Duke was slightly troubled by the unexpected proposal. However, the Crimson Blood Duke's command was absolute to his Sire, Count Erte, and he had ordered him to obey me. Count Erte was not to object, no matter what it was.
Even if it was quite a dangerous act.