128 Dying. (2/2)

A true vampire's intense instincts would have been unbearable without my previous experience.

The Lord's voice was no more. As he reached out, he saw Lefley's eyes widen as he rolled to his side.

His eyes were unfocused. He was dazed.

The damage to Lufrey and the others, though not as severe as Senri's, was not something that could be recovered in a short time.

The Blessing Shield was also down. I can kill them whenever I want.

Lufrey speaks up.

”You're going to suck Senri's ...... blood, you ...... monster.

”............

Lefley says all he has to say and falls unconscious. I avert my gaze.

Thinking. All I need is to think. I can't afford to waste my mind on useless things like our old feud.

A pent-up heat burned in my brain. He could move, but his vampire powers were already useless.

I can't suck Senri's blood. Bloodsucking is the absorption of power. If you suck the blood of a dying senri, you'll kill her.

You can't just leave her there. Senri dies.

But-- the dawn is near. I knew with my senses that my natural enemy was almost upon me.

I can't even withstand the light of the sunrise now, as I once could.

I desperately turn my fading head.

It's a long way to [Descend]. In addition, the surrounding area is a plain. Even if you manage to get there before dawn, there's nowhere to hide.

Besides, that town is fully vampire-proofed. There's no way they'll help you just because you're carrying a wounded person.

The moment felt like an eternity.

There's no time to be lost for long.

No--no hesitation. But I had to be ready.

The lone king had entrusted me with everything and gone to his eternal rest.

But if there is an afterlife, what would the king think if I, the one who supposedly defeated him, came to the same place soon after?

§ § § §

I remember the past. The days when I lay on my sickbed in pain and couldn't move a single finger.

My body was heavy. Senri's body on my back, a body that I could normally pick up with one hand, felt like a heavy stone.

A trickle of blood dripped from my flesh, wetting the ground.

The vampire's monstrous power comes from the power of death. According to a book I once read, the power of death, unlike blessings, does not diminish, but what does this weight mean?

Thinking about such trivial things, I just moved my body forward.

The sensation in my fingertips, the sensation of moving my limbs, was gradually disappearing. I couldn't feel the warmth on my back or the urge to suck blood anymore. There was no time to feel.

And of course, no more fear of death.

Let her live. Save Senri. The paranoia that had once been directed at her own survival had already changed direction.

There must be demons on the plains, but fortunately they did not come near her.

Wild animals instinctively avoid the undead. I'm really glad I'm a monster.

Dawn was steadily approaching even as I was doing this. No more thoughts of going back, no more thoughts of hiding.

If I fell, I might not be able to get up. I take each step firmly and move forward.

I felt as if it had been a long time since I had been resurrected as an immortal. At least, the concentration of my experiences is not comparable to what I experienced before my death.

I have seen many things. I've gone through many fierce battles. There were hard times.

But all that comes to mind like a running lantern are the memories of Senri.

Good memories. It was a great time. It's because of Senri that I'm not an enemy of humanity.

Bones, flesh, creak. The sun hasn't come up yet, but the air is already morning. My body is about to turn to ash.

What?　What's wrong?　Are you okay?

--And so I made it to Descend just in time.

A city that abhors vampires, surrounded by deep moats and flowing water. A few silver-tongued guards came running up to us when they spotted us in our rags.

Thank goodness. Now Senri is safe. Senri's life isn't gone yet. She mustn't die yet.

I can support her body. Senri is off my back. Senri didn't regain consciousness until the end.

Darkness creeps into her vision. A vampire's eyes are supposed to see through all darkness, but I can't see anything.

For some reason, I felt a deep familiarity with that darkness, not fear.

”Hey, hey!　What's going on?

I felt my body shake. But it's already too late.

My physical senses will disappear. You won't be able to hear straight. No pain.

Maybe this was the last thing Jet had felt.

I forced my throat to move.

I forced my throat to move.

If this is the real end, if this is the disappearance, then being immortal is not so bad. Perhaps it was the relief of being able to save Senri that made him feel less alone.

Sunlight is coming. The body disappears. Ashes.

But you've saved someone you care about.

Before I completely lost consciousness, I moved the muscles in my face and smiled.