Chapter 365

Chapter 365

“He, he, the Shadow Archduke?!”
Sion was stunned.
She cowered in fear at the insults she’d been subjected to.
Isran von Warsaw.
The world shall call him the Shadow Archduke.
Lord of the vampires, ruler of the world of night, and a participant in the Last War.
It wasn’t as recognizable as Orse, but it was a name that most empires would recognize.
Ophelia, who had been staring at Sion, greeted him.
“I thought I recognized the color of your hair—you must be Gongsheng’s sister. Nice to meet you.”
“Alas, I am now a squadron swordsman, but it is an honor to meet you, Ophelia.”
“Do you know me?”
“Sure. You’ve restored most of the ancient blood magic, and my brother tells me sometimes that he has a friend who’s a great vampire.”
“So Schlieffen considers me a friend—that’s nice.”
Ophelia laughed.
Silence still fell between the Archduke and Erzebet.
After a long moment of silence, Erzebet finally spoke up.
“Kill–you want me to?”
“Yes.”
“All of a sudden, without context, you’re saying—? Why are you saying that?”
It was a very embarrassing request.
The excitement of seeing friends you haven’t seen in a while.
The Archduke grunted.
“As you know, I am not whole. It’s been over twenty years, and still—”
“Wait a minute. Your Highness–there are too many listening ears here.”
Ophelia cut off the Archduke’s horse.
Sure enough, there was a lot going on around me.
“Maisie Sion, are you okay? Why are you yelling?”
“Really?”
“Wait a minute. Isn’t that big guy, Braum, the Knights of the North Wall?”
Zion’s screams startled the mages.
Nancy the Salamander was also looking over, blinking her eyes of flame.
It certainly didn’t seem like a conversation I would have in an open place.
After a moment’s hesitation, Erzebet took the lead.
“Uhm, come with me. There’s a place where we can have a quiet conversation.”
****
They made their way to the library of the Dawn Tower.
The Hall of Knowledge, comprising six floors, was unrivaled by any other tower.
Erzebet moved to a remote, off-the-beaten-path corner.
It was a poorly lit area that housed light-sensitive ancient books.
She pulled a book from the bookshelf titled “Backwards” and took a step forward.
“Come on in. No fussing, just casual.”
“Oooh, I thought you were coming to the library!”
Erzebet’s voice came from inside the bookcase.
The bookshelf that you could touch a moment ago has turned into a disembodied shell.
I followed her in, and a long, dark hallway opened up.
Braum snorted in admiration.
“It’s like a fox licking my ass, I can’t believe it!”
“—Please don’t use vulgar language. This is the most sacred place in the Dawn Tower.”
“Haha, sure. I guess I’ve been rolling around with some rough friends and it’s gotten to me. My apologies!”
“And lower your voice a little bit, really.”
Erzebet sighed.
Braum hadn’t changed a bit from what he remembered.
For a subject who didn’t live forever like Ophelia or the Archduke, he was a very steady man.
Soon after walking down the hallway, we came to an open space.
“This is—awesome.”
“It’s beautiful. It rivals the study in Warsaw Castle.”
Ophelia gasped.
It was a more intense reaction than when I saw the library in the Dawn Tower.
The Shadow Archduke, who had lived for over a thousand years, also raised an eyebrow in interest.
Hundreds of bookshelves lined up in rows.
The books on the shelves were all alive and well.
Another library opened up in front of me.
“Hmph, isn’t it great? It’s gotten so much better since Eri started managing it.”
“Zion.”
“Achacha, Topju. It’s not you, it’s Topju. Yes!”
Sion clucked his tongue.
They stopped and admired the secret library, momentarily forgetting their purpose.
A magically created artificial sun was casting a dusky glow from the ceiling.
The dark greenish sunlight had a calming and sleep-inducing effect on the egotistical gold books.
“It’s basically all asleep, and we only wake it up when we need to look at it. It’s better for us from an administrative standpoint and from a paper storage standpoint.”
“Yes–the Dawn has suffered for her forbidden books before.”
Ophelia nodded.
I felt it was a legitimate action.
In the past, the entire tower was nearly destroyed when the captain of the warband was possessed by a forbidden book.
Suddenly, her gaze, darting from side to side, stopped.
Three pillars stood directly under the artificial sun.
Atop each of the two pillars, all but one of which were empty, were large books.
“That’s—!”
Ophelia’s eyes widened.
I was familiar with both books, but it was my first time seeing them in the flesh.
She pointed to a book with a saccharine cover.
“——Bajura of Destruction. Is it original?”
“Aye. Asel returned it to me a decade or so ago. The Winter Witch is gone, but her power is still strong.”
It was originally a book kept by the Dawn Tower.
Asel returned Bazura after mastering ice magic to perfection.
Winter Witch.
The highest ranking Cold Elemental, Einar, has returned to the Elemental Realm, free after hundreds of years.
“I see—great.”
“Actually, the horse has left, but I’m told he’s staying by your side anyway.
I wish a skilled elemental could sign me up.”
“I know–where did you get the lanyard?”
Ophelia’s finger moved to the side.
The exact opposite of Bazura was a book, all white and sound asleep.
Similarly, it was the Lore of Wisdom, which is included in the Three Forbidden Books.
“Oh, Elsia donated it. She said she didn’t need it anymore. What an unexpected stroke of luck.”
“You’ve collected all but one of the Book of Cain’s tomes–what a feat.”
Ophelia was purely in awe.
The three books handwritten by Cain, the savior, were of immeasurable value, as was their danger.
It was lucky, but it was also Erzebet’s ability.
Elsia, she thought to herself.
“I miss you—I hope Grandpa Alibrije is doing well.”
Ophelia reminisced for a moment.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen either of them.
He became close to two of Nebula Clasier’s top lieutenants as they were rebuilding their war-torn world.
Apparently, Alibrihe is still in the Dragon City, and it wouldn’t hurt to pay her a visit.
Of course, this is only possible if you resolve the anti-aircraft issue properly.
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out from not far away.
“What, Master?”
At the same time, the upper half of a girl’s body suddenly rose from the floor.
The orange bob gave him a fresh look.
Braum stumbled back, furious.
“Whew! Surprise!”
“You were out on patrol, Aire.”
Erzebet smiled.
A girl emerged from the floor and stood facing the five of them.
Her body floating in the air was proof that she was not human.
A spirit sealed by Sarante in the distant past.
I was Aire, the librarian of the Dawn Tower.
“And them?”
“You’re my guest. Is there anyone else on right now?”
“Yeah. Well, yeah, but–you’ve got some big names here.”
Ayre swallowed hard.
She was a high-ranking elemental, unstoppable, but today’s visitors were different.
The restorer of ancient blood magic and the Shadow Archduke.
The Knights Templar of the North Wall were almost shabby.
“I’m glad no one’s here, I’m going to use a little bit of a bullshit.
“Alas, you’re serious, I’ll be going then, my patrol is over.”
“Thank you, you’re always a pleasure.”
After greeting them, Aire disappeared into the ceiling.
She was still the only librarian in the Dawn Tower, able to move around freely without taking the elevator.
Erzebet led the group to a private room in the center of the library.
Upon entering the room, all outside noise and signs of life disappeared.
“The sound is—!”
“Hmph, a place protected by at least ten different types of barrier magic. Is it safe to say it’s another dimension? There are few better places to have a secret conversation.”
Erzebet smiled triumphantly.
Called the Orb Chamber, it was originally an emergency shelter built in the event of an outbreak of banned books.
We could have gone to Topaz’s room, but I wanted to show him around.
Like a secret library, it was a space of his own making.
“That’s great, let’s get to the point.”
The Archduke grunted in satisfaction.
I felt like I could talk about anything here.
He removed his robe and began unbuttoning his shirt.
“No need for long words. See for yourself.”
“Eh?!”
I didn’t even have time to argue.
His shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a stark white top.
Angrily, Sion shielded his eyes with his palm.
“Bam! Go, what do you think you’re doing?”
“Oh my God, this is—!”
Erzebet blushed with embarrassment.
It was the first time she’d seen a man’s body since healing Ronan, but that wasn’t the only thing that surprised her.
The Archduke’s upper body was covered in unspeakable wounds.
“—— You were in that war.”
“Yeah. It’s been festering for twenty years, and since that day I’ve never had a full rest.”
The Archduke nodded.
He was covered in slashes and gouges across his body.
I figured this is what it would look like if I glued dozens of chunks of flesh together.
Each wound was unhealed, blackened and rotting, and if you looked closely enough, some of them wriggled as if they were alive.
Everyone in the room knew who had created this horrible wound.
Erzebet said.
“But Master—but Abel is already dead, isn’t he?”
“It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the wounds I’ve already sustained. I’m holding on with what’s left of my blood essence, but it’s wearing thin. Why do you think I’m still in the shape of a damned child?”
The Archduke gritted his teeth.
Remaining a child had nothing to do with volition.
To regain her original appearance, she had to gather her strength, but the act of keeping the wound from opening was taking up most of her energy.
“I can’t take it anymore. This body is broken.”
“Why, why are you going to such extremes? Yes, the Savior was wounded by Abel once before, but he was healed, and if you go to Ronan first—.”
“I’ve already been there. I need Abel’s blood for a cure, but he’s as dead as you say. I’d do something if there were a body left, but Ronan told me it had disintegrated into light and vanished, so my only option is for you to burn me.”
“What the—!”
Erzebet clamped her mouth shut.
I was at a loss for answers.
The Shadow Archduke’s death was as fateful as an arrow to the heart.
‘The war is over, and then this tragedy. He was one of the heroes who saved the world.
I felt like I was going to cry.
I didn’t have much of a relationship with the Archduke, but it was tragic to see someone who had dedicated himself to saving the world meet this end.
But if it’s the best I can do, I’ll do it.
Barely choking back tears, she was about to grant the request.
Paaaaaaah—!
A ball of red light hovered above the Grand Duke’s palm.
“Unfortunately, I have to throw this body away and start over.”
“—Huh?”
“I said I’d start over. After a lot of hard work, I’ve gathered enough essence to make a bud—what’s with the look on your face? Don’t you know much about the Night Clan?”
The Archduke arched an eyebrow.
Erzebeth’s brow furrowed, her axe-eyes raised.
“——I thought you were going to die for real.”
“My brother died for me, and I can’t go like this. I’m going to survive somehow.”
“If that’s what you’re asking, why are you here? Fire can breathe dragons.”
“Dragon fire hurts. That’s not a good thing.”
“Oh, my God, what is that?!”
Impatiently, Erzebeth screamed.
The ebony-red mana on his shoulders crackled like flames.
Sion was shaking as he held Ophelia in his arms.
The Archduke shook his head.
“Only those who have seen it know its dizziness, and the fire of the Fire Dragon Clan is especially disgustingly painful. This is a matter of great importance.”
“It doesn’t matter, I noticed the lightness in the other two’s expressions, if that’s the only reason you came to see me—!”
“The difference in pain aside, it’s a grave matter. As you say, the dragon’s fire could kill me, but if it did, the entire region would be destroyed.”
“——what?”
“Literally.”
The Archduke’s expression was still far from joking.
The Archduke, his index finger on his heart, spoke.
“I must not die any other way. Only the Mage of the Dawn can give this body full rest. I have come to you. Erzebet de Acalusia.”