Chapter 4
Kanade woke up in her royal bedroom. She took a look at the ceiling, wondering how she got there. Wasn’t she fighting…? Who bought her there? Did her subordonate survive?
“Your Majesty?”
Kanade looked at the door and saw a young lady with brown hair standing there. Her clothes gave away her high status, her dress resembling an army uniform. Kanade knew who she was: lady Midori Hanasato.
“Enter,” said the queen.
Hanasato-san bowed and entered.
“Your Majesty, do you feel better?”
“Yes.”
Nothing hurt. It was like the fight never took place. Kanade wondered if Mafuyu survived. Was she eaten after her defeat? Did someone die because of her?
“Was someone else hurt?”
“No…our knight managed to run. But we have a problem.”
“What is it?”
“It seems that the one that brought you here was no other than Miss Decay Nurse. She capitulated while having Your Majesty in her hands.”
Miss Decay Nurse…? She was one of the high ranking vampires, many of the spirits calling her the vampires’ princess. It won’t make sense for her to betray her people…but it looks like she did.
Kanade remembered Mafuyu’s cold and pale hands. She remembered her hair. It was possible that…Mafuyu was really a vampire? But it won’t make sense; if she was, Kanade would probably be dead already. Mafuyu had many moments where she could just kill her. But she didn’t.
“Can I see her?”
“Of course. I’ll wait outside the door while you arrange yourself.”
Kanade got up from her bed, but a sharp pain invaded her mind. It was probably the vampire’s poison. She clenched her teeth, trying to support the pain.
The poison had a secondary effect: to make the one that was poisoned see some of their worst moments. Kanade didn’t know if something could cure her, but it wasn’t something too important. If the memories end, the poison is going to disappear. She needed to just endure.
The way people made fun of her…the way she became queen…the way she lost so many fights…the way she was poisoned…the way a purple haired girl begged her to stop overworking herself…
A purple…haired…girl? But it wasn’t Mafuyu. It couldn’t be her. This…these were some of her lost memories?!
Kanade faited on the floor, unable to keep up with the flow of new memories that entered her mind. It was too much, but they were there. Her numerous low moments that seemed to describe her past life.
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Even if death was waiting for her, Mafuyu could do nothing but smile. The cold wall behind her didn’t bother the vampire. Her chains were fragile, so fragile that she could break them and run away. But she still remained there, knowing that this was her end.
After Shizuku-senpai told Mafuyu that she can take Kanade, the purple haired vampire didn’t hesitate and brought her to her castle. After she took care of her numerous injuries, she received a message from Shizuku-senpai, telling her that she needed Kanade. After a little bit of talking, Mafuyu found out that Kanade was actually the spirit queen.
She sighed while looking at the white haired girl and blocked her communication. Mafuyu knew that she needed to return Kanade to her own world. A war was ready to break out between the Hermits and the vampires. As the spirits were planning to help the Hermits, Mafuyu knew that Kanade was going to be they’re first target.
Knowing that she helped someone, Mafuyu didn’t regret anything. She brought Kanade in her own hands to her castle, holding her head gently. It was the last time she could do that. When the army gathered at the massive gates, Mafuyu allowed them to get close. This was her purpose, in the end. She gently put Kanade in the hands of a brown haired girl and allowed herself to be taken to the dungeon.
It hurt when they threw her here as a bag of potatoes and she hit her head. It hurt when they tied her with chains. But did it matter? Kanade was probably sleeping peacefully in her bedroom. Nothing mattered more than that, not even the wound on her head. A little smile appeared on her lips. Kanade should kill her. She did nothing but betray her. As blood poured from her hand on the floor, Mafuyu closed her eyes. She didn’t need to die peacefully.
In the distance, she heard voices. So this was the end. Her smile widened, ready to pay for all the things she had done. Her saviour wouldn’t like it. She’ll regret the fact that she even helped Mafuyu in the first place. This was the only thing that she deserved.
The door opened. Mafuyu prepared for her inevitable end. It wasn’t a mistake. She really did save Kanade.
“Mafuyu…”
The gentle whisper made Mafuyu tremble. This wasn’t the tone she expected.
“Don’t worry for me, Kanade.”
The spirit shouldn’t worry for her. She needed to pay for what she had done. She let herself get too close to her.
“Everything is gonna be good, Mafuyu.”
The vampire felt a hand on her head, gently searching for something. Shortly after, Kanade found her wound and sighed in with disappointment.
“Hanasato-san, thank you.”
Kanade spoke powerfully, completely different to the way she spoke to Mafuyu. Even so, her kindness was still pouring in every word she said. Mafuyu wondered how someone could be so good.
“My pleasure, Your Majesty.”
“Regarding this, I have a request for you.”
“What is it, my queen?”
“Can you see if the knight is in a better condition? I want to ask him some questions.”
“Of course, but…”
“You don’t need to worry about this, Hanasato-san. I’ll be good.”
“Of course, of course…”
Hanasato-san turned and went away. Mafuyu and Kanade remained silent until they couldn’t hear her steps anymore.
“Don’t forgive me, Kanade. This is what I deserve.”
“You saved my life. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here.”
It seems like the only option was to tell the truth.
“I knew about what was going to happen. When…when Lady Poison Rose saw you in the restaurant, she told me that she'd contact the general and I just…stood there. I…I didn’t even say anything to you.”
“There wasn’t any need. You still saved my life.”
Mafuyu sighed. How difficult was it to get her to understand this? It was her fault; if she advised Kanade to not go, she wouldn’t even get hurt.
When Mafuyu tried to balance her words, the two of them heard a loud noise. Then, someone made their way down the corridor, with powerful steps.
“Let’s see, let’s see…Mafuyu, where are you?”
They both knew the voice, as it was no other than Mizuki, also known as Lady Poison Rose. The purple haired girl took a look at Kanade.
“Hide under the bed. She won’t spare you.”
Mafuyu could hear how powerful Kanade's heart was beating. She didn’t seem scared, just sad. Tears seemed to collect in her blue eyes.
“This…this won’t be the last time I’ll see you, Mafuyu.”
“No, it won't be.”
Mafuyu asked herself why she even said that in the first place. Kanade needed to be safe, and if that meant that she needed to be away…
The steps began to get closer and closer. Having no other option, Kanade hid under the bed. Mafuyu just hoped that the sound she made wouldn't come out.
“Ha ha, look who’s here!”
Mizuki broke the door with her power and entered. She took a quick look at Mafuyu, who was laying on the floor. She seemed to be full of blood and her clothes were dirty. But even so, she still seemed to be calm.
“Mizuki, thank you.”
Mafuyu knew how to maintain a mask, but under it she was crashing. Kanade. They’re going to be separated, but….wasn’t this what she deserved? It is for the better. For Kanade’s own good.
Mafuyu got up. “I have a little question. How were you alerted?”
“Oh, about that. So, you know, we didn’t hear from you for a while. Knowing that you had the Queen of Spirits, we guessed that they probably found you. Rui took some liberty to help us crack the security. It seems like I was right.”
Yes. Of course that they were right. Mafuyu took some steps to be closer to Mizuki.
“Oh, Mafuyu…can you stay here a little longer?”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Nothing! Just…stay a little.”
It looked like she obtained a message from Shizuku-senpai. A vampire could process such a message only if they detach from all of their physical senses. It was a secret shared by the high-ranked vampires, who vowed to never speak of it. Before, Mafuyu wouldn’t think that this moment of weakness could be so important to her. She clenched her hands and reached under the bed.
“Shh…Kanade, you can get out.”
The spirit queen didn’t waste any seconds. She took a look at Mizuki just when Mafuyu took her hand.
“Is she…ill?”
“No.”
They ran past Mizuki, who was still struggling to process the message. It was something long, perhaps quite complicated. Ideal for the pair. Mafuyu led Kanade to one of the interrogation rooms and quickly shut the door behind them.
It looked like Mafuyu couldn’t distance herself from Kanade. Even if she was in danger because of her, the vampire couldn’t help but compare her with her saviour. It was useless, she knew it, but she wanted to think that now she has something that she didn’t have before.
“Mafuyu…” said Kanade, sitting down on one of the chairs, “thank you again.”
“You don’t need to.”
Kanade smiled warmly. “You saved my life for the second time.”
“I know, but I also made the other vampires come here with my negligence. I’m sorry.”
“It’s good. It wasn’t something you did intentionally.”
Looking at Kanade’s warm smile, Mafuyu could feel the corners of her mouth also rise. Really, that smile reminded her of someone.
Mafuyu couldn’t think of it anymore as a brown haired girl ran into the room, gesticulating like she was crazy. At a closer look, the vampire understood that this was the girl she handed Kanade to. She seemed to be of high status.
“Your…Your Majesty, you…how…how…”
“I got lucky.”
The girl seemed to calm down a bit, until she met Mafuyu’s gaze. Instantly, all of the calm was gone like it wasn’t even there in the first place.
“She…she…”
“Don’t worry. She’s with me. Did you get more information about this sudden attack?”
The brown haired girl took a look at Mafuyu once again, then tried to calm down.
“Yes, my queen…it seems like almost all of the high ranked vampires worked together for this. The Divine Comedian worked behind the scenes, while The General and Lady Rose Poison attacked. There is also the vampire’s army.”
So it was just like Mizuki said. “I know what to do. Does this castle have a secret chamber?”
Divine Comedian (Rui) had only one weakness: his source of power was technology, so he can’t see anything if there isn’t anything powered by that. The dungeons didn’t have any electricity system, so this is why Mizuki was sent there. If they could hide in a place where there wasn't any source of electricity and that vampires couldn’t enter, Kanade and this girl will be safe.
“S…secret chamber…? It…it has one…”
“Good. Is there any sort of electricity?”
“Yes…”
Mafuyu sighed, then took a look at Kanade. If she doesn't run, she’ll end up killed. This wasn’t what Mafuyu wanted to achieve.
“I understand…then I think it’s better to take Kanade to my own castle.”
Mafuyu knew that she'd be denounced publicly as an enemy of the vampires if she did that, but it didn’t matter. If Kanade was going to be saved anything will be good.
Suddenly, they heard something ring. Kanade reached for the phone that was standing on one of the offices and turned it on.
“Hello?”
“Hello. May I wonder why this place is full of vampires?”
Based on the voice, it seemed to be the leader of the Hermits. Pharphes this was the day that they wanted to attack the vampires. Unfortunately, the tables were turned.
“We’re under attack. All of the high-ranked vampires and their army attacked us way earlier than we expected.”
“...damn it. Wait for me.”
Even if the spirits weren't that strong, they had good allies. Besides the Hermits will probably come even more creatures. But this raised a question: how powerful were really the vampires?