Secure, Contain, Protect
“Magic, you see, is actually a quite rigorous ‘technology’ with the coherence of actions and results. It’s a firm ‘skill’.”
During their journey, Mialanze received magic lessons from Everis.
In the moonlit forest, seated beside the tirelessly walking mithril golem, Everis used her finger to trace a board of light about the size to fit on her lap, explaining through inscriptions.
“You pour the necessary magical power, set the spell into motion, and then, the result manifests. Hmm, it’s almost like chemistry. People often tend to think of magic as a mystical and miraculous art, but that’s actually not the case.”
“I see…”
Mialanze had some experience with everyday magic, but her knowledge of magic was mostly that of an amateur.
Formerly, Mialanze had almost zero magical talent, but after becoming a vampire thanks to René, her body was filled with sinister power.
Though it was an addition afterward, her talent was more than sufficient; now, all she needed was to acquire knowledge and undergo training to be of use to René.
“Well, there are exceptions, you know?”
Everis tapped the board of light several times, and a small window appeared and disappeared. Eventually, a celestial globe-like object emerged.
“Mialanze, do you know the myths? How this world came into existence.”
“…The ‘Mediator’, who existed alone in the void, understood itself and created everything in contradiction. That’s how this world’s laws were born.”
“That’s right. At that moment, the rules governing this world were established. Magic is no exception. Now, think about it. The force that created those rules might have the power to transcend the world’s laws, don’t you think?”
“Ah… indeed.”
Nobles and rulers, those who create rules, usually aren’t bound by the rules they set.
Mialanze understood it as something similar.
“The power of creation. A force that exists one step above the laws of this world. It’s also called the ‘mystical’ power. When the Mediator tore itself apart to create the world, that vast power of mystical creation was also divided. Each of us living beings also holds a small amount of mystical power, about the size of a grain of sand, but most of the mystical power belongs to the gods of Good and Evil. …Actually, because of that, spells that borrow the power of gods, like holy magic or curse magic, sometimes don’t match the expected results. That exception I mentioned earlier is about that.”
“So, by mastering curse magic, one can borrow a fragment of that mighty mystical power?”
“That’s right. That’s the idea. By the way, someone like Princess-sama is essentially a concentration of mystical power. She received a strong Divine Protection from the evil god.”
Mialanze was slightly elated. The power filling her being connected to the Evil God.
No longer was Mialanze powerless.
She was no longer the helpless girl who had her family taken away and was treated as livestock by humans.
With the power bestowed by her beloved Princess, Mialanze could change the world, even if just a little.
…She could fight for René.
“However, there are complications when you turn the mystical power against you. In the world, sometimes, the concentration of mystical power creates strange force fields or mysterious entities. If you see something like that… you can assume that neither the physical laws nor magical powers of this world will work there. Avoid it if possible, and if you have to get involved, be extremely cautious.”
As a side note, Everis added a warning.
“Even Princess-sama, who is a concentration of mystical power, might not be able to contend with other mysteries, right?”
“Hmm… The Princess leans more towards ‘self-strengthening’ and ‘self-preservation,’ ignoring the laws of this world. She might be helpless against mysteries that impose rules by creating a special environment…”
＊ ＊ ＊
Her mind felt stirred up, but gradually, Mialanze’s consciousness became clearer.
It was a sensation akin to waking up the morning after being plied with alcohol by the p*rverted noble who kept her.
“Ugh…”
It felt like a wall was pressing against her head.
Or so she thought, but it turned out she was just lying face down on the floor.
Yes, the floor.
Mialanze was lying face down on the hard floor, covered only with a thin carpet.
“Where am I…? I should have been in the Gaisenfall Great Forest…”
Raising herself and scanning the surroundings, she found herself in a dimly lit room.
The atmosphere resembled that of a parlour, with chairs and a table arranged, and flames flickering in the wall fireplace.
The magic lamp sticking out from the wall was covered with glass shaped like a flower bud.
Despite having both lighting and a fireplace, for some reason, the room remained dimly lit.
It was an eerie room, everything seeming worn out.
Outside the window, a night as dark as ink spread.
As she stood up, Mialanze noticed a discomfort.
A sensation that should be there was absent.
Reaching around to her back, Mialanze quickly realized the source of the discomfort.
“…No wings? No way!”
The membranous wings born when she was turned into a vampire by René, tearing through the maid’s uniform.
The wings that were supposed to be there were now gone.
In a state of anxiety, Mialanze bit into the nearby window.
The outside of the window was so strangely dark that Mialanze’s figure was vividly reflected like in a mirror.
“My eyes… aren’t red…”
Eyes glowing red like blood were also a sign of a vampire.
However, in the reflection on the mirror, Mialanze had the same amber eyes as her murdered mother. The pupils were round and open in the dimly lit room.
There was no sense of the swirling evil energy inside her.
No, on the contrary, her body felt warm, much like that of a living being.
—Stripped of the power of a vampire? …In the first place, where am I…?
Mialanze tried to unravel her memories, desperately trying to understand what had happened.
Suddenly enveloped in light in the middle of the forest, she found herself here. It might be explained by teleportation or something similar.
However, it was absolutely absurd to no longer be a vampire.
According to common knowledge, those who became undead, having their bodies destroyed and turning into only their souls, could ascend and not return to being human unless purified…
It wasn’t entirely impossible, but miracles wouldn’t be handed out so easily.
Perhaps the elves had such power?
—No… I’ll think about myself later!
While wondering what had happened to her, there were more pressing matters to consider.
In the dim room, only Mialanze was present. Looking at the shadows of the placed furniture, there was no one collapsed there.
“…Princess-sama! Where is Princess-sama!?”
Mialanze considered herself insignificant.
She didn’t know who might be behind this strange situation, but she couldn’t believe it was a grand scheme aimed at her.
It must be something that happened as a byproduct of targeting René.
Whether she got caught up in it or was removed as an obstacle, in any case, Mialanze being here right now was probably just a side effect of targeting René.
Despite calling out, there was no answer.
However, Mialanze’s keen ears caught the creaking sound of the floor, much like an animal.
It was from the adjacent room.
Luxuriously cut from a single board, or so it seemed, she opened the door and found a similar room next door.
And there was a silver-haired girl inside, looking at Mialanze with a surprised expression.
René always wore a pure white dress adorned with a rose of fresh blood, but now she was in a common linen dress.
However, no matter what clothes she wore, her beauty, like the coldly shining silver moon or a fallen star, never faded.
“Princess-sama! Are you okay…?”
First confirming René’s presence, Mialanze breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that at least the worst hadn’t happened.
However, upon seeing Mialanze, René, with a frightened look, took a step back.
“…O-Onee-chan, … who are you…?”
“Eh……!?”
Mialanze trembled as if struck by lightning and fell silent.
Access 10 Chapters ahead of the Novelupdates release on our Patreon. <3
