Ascalon and The Ice Queen - Part 3

By this point, some of the food had already been brought to me. All the cooks are working hard to serve me as efficiently as possible. Talking to my bar companions, the tiger and the boar, I decide to invite them to eat with me.

I'll leave the meat for them only, as I'm not too keen on eating any kind of meat.

And well, we've been chatting for a few hours, so we've got to know each other quite well, I might say.

The tiger is called Hik, while the boar is called Grop. And they both work in a hunting group in the outskirts of the city, where they usually hunt non-sapient animals to bring sustenance to their homes.

Today they are indulging in an unconventional luxury, which not everyone in this city can afford due to the nature of their economy.

-So, how does Orphelia treat them? -. I decided to ask them, just before I popped a bread roll with melted cheese into my mouth.

Grop took a looooooooooooooong swig of his drink, before answering me.

-She treats us well. But there's been something strange with her lately, ever since she started disappearing people.

I was about to bite into the next loaf of bread until I heard that. I stopped in my tracks. And put my food down.

-Disappearing people? How does this happen?

Hik answers me:

-Once a month, someone from the village disappears. We don't notice until there are meetings in the mayor's office. Sometimes children, women, old people. It's totally random when it happens.

...

-Do those who disappear leave traces?

-Sometimes. A shoe or a piece of clothing. But most of it is covered by snow, so we don't know where they are taken. -. Hik answers, with a bitter tone just before he eats the big piece of chicken in one bite.

-Has Orphelia said anything about it? -. I continue to ask.

-She just told us to stay calm, and now there's a... curfew or whatever it's called. -. Hik himself continues to answer.

While Grop finishes swallowing his food and continues the chatter.

-We're guessing it must be one of us who has suddenly become aggressive and decided to be a killer in the shadows. He most likely swallows every last drop of blood from his victims, and that's why there's hardly any to be found.

-How long has this been going on?

-I think it's been going on for three years now.

...

...

...

Ah, I really didn't want to have my doubts about this. But it's more than obvious, isn't it?

You don't have to be very clever to know that everything that is happening in this town is the work of no one more and no one less than Orphelia. She is doing these things behind the backs of her people.

-Do you know... how a vampire kills her victims? -. I throw that question at them.

They both turn to look at each other, and shrug their shoulders in a sign that they have no idea of the answer.

-A vampire first takes the blood of her victims, drains everything from the body. That's enough to kill anything, but what if the individual is more sadistic, what if the thing becomes more and more unhinged and it's no longer enough to kill normally?

-I've heard something like that before, my mother used to tell me stories about [The Calamity].

...

-Really? -. Taking a step back from the seriousness of a few seconds ago, I ask.

-That's right. Her majesty is the spitting image of [The Calamity], so we have an idea of what she's like. We basically praise her as a deity.

-... I understand... Is Orphelia really like that for you?

-Of course, she is our beacon of hope always. She never let any of our ancestors die at enemy hands.

I see...

So, if that's how you think of Orphelia...

-What if I told you that I am like Orphelia?

-I'm sorry for my insolence, but that's impossible. There are no other vampires left in the world.

Well, that's enough.

I get up from the table and before I leave I just say to them:

-Thanks for the chat. You can have all the food that's left. I hope to see you again.

And with that I started walking through the tavern. I exchanged glances with the bartender and said goodbye in passing, just waving my right hand a little.

I walked out, and the frosty air immediately made my cheeks twitch.

I don't understand how he manages to create a time cycle here, but it's already getting dark. If the curfew is true, then I'm going to be in trouble if I stay on the streets any longer.

From what I understand, these kids have a very distorted image of Orphelia itself.

Although... I forgot to ask them if they know anyone capable of using [Suggestion]. But I'm pretty sure it's someone related to Orphelia in some way or another.

But what I still don't quite understand is how Olivia easily fell for this manipulation. I don't think I have a higher mental defence than her? do I?

Ugh, there are too many things to take care of and I seem to be obliged to work alone.

I have to find out more about this city before I make a rash decision.

What the heck is with this anyway, don't they realise that their saviour is the one who's making them disappear? It feels like they're just looking away from the obvious.

I mentioned the vampire thing because I wanted to test how much attention they were paying me, but they're all sunk in the brainwashing.

There's nothing to be done...

How can I convince everyone that Orphelia is a monster?

I can't think of a plan right now...

-Sorry to bother you, you are Lady Orphelia's guest, right?

While I was thinking about everything, a voice suddenly came and asked me that. I stopped my walk and turned to the source of that voice.

Unlike the ones I've seen so far, this [Beastmen] is something different. Starting with the fact that she's a female, and the only animal features she has are her ears and tails...

Oh, a cat girl.

-You're not bothering me. Is something wrong?

Just as I finished asking my question, I suddenly felt a tug on my back and the next thing was a prick in my neck.

- - -

[Involuntary loss of consciousness. An unknown sleeping pill has entered the body. "Status Change Resistance" will begin to synthesise a psychostimulant]

- - -

I was only distracted for a moment and this is what I get.

Shit. Cat girls are not to be trusted.

-You're coming with us... -. Is the last thing I hear before my consciousness disappears into the void.

----[Orphelia's perspective].

All the plans are going further astray than I thought. It's strange, because for some reason, it's as if the will of the dungeon's creator has seeped out from within all these walls.

Things started to go wrong since I saw how a gigantic crack was opened and went through this floor to the next one. After that, Drïmur dies at the hands of a monster never spoken of before.

All of us sapient monsters learned that time the ferocity with which this girl attacks. And that she was someone to be very afraid of. It was also confirmed that the monster on the first floor was killed by her.

First she killed Drïmur, and now she's coming for me...

I have to make preparations. It won't take long for her to realise the things that are wrong with this city and she will come for my head. Being that way, it is very certain that there will be no one who can defend me.

She won't come to this castle even if her life depended on it.

However, there is still someone I was able to successfully catch. I may not have been able to catch the vampire girl, but she condemned herself by bringing one of Gulliver's descendants within my walls.

The [Cross Family] is highly susceptible to mental attacks and so I wasn't even surprised that I was able to control her with resounding ease.

And even if [Suggestion] didn't work on Elise, Olivia is still at my service. Eradicating the other vampire is going to be a very simple task by giving Olivia one of the weapons in her name.

When the rift opened, a sword fell on my barrier and shattered it at my touch. By the time I was able to get my hands on it, I knew it was a weapon of very high power as it immediately rejected me. I couldn't hold it for more than five seconds.

So I thought, if the sword fell here, it meant that the bearer went with the gigantic torrent of water that shook the dungeon and finally stopped until [14th Floor].

It was just a matter of waiting for that person to come here personally. And it was faster than I thought.

That woman has reached the limit of her full potential at a very young age. Even I couldn't face her and come out of it completely unscathed. No, in fact, she would kill me in a few minutes without any problem.

She was born to be a vampire slayer...

-Tsk.

I click my tongue a little. Sick of overthinking things.

-Aegis! -. I raise my voice, turning to one of my maids.

Her presence materialised in front of me, and she finds herself ducking her head slightly.

-You called for me, Lady Orphelia? -. She asks as soon as she finishes appearing.

To which I reply:

-Give the sword [Ascalon] to Olivia. I'm sure she misses having a weapon of her own.

-As you command. Is there anything else?

-Yes. Prepare the castle defences. It won't be long before we have a special visitor.

-Danger level?

-I estimate he may be at least four times as strong as Drïmur... so take her more or less as if she were me in person.

-I understand, Lady Orphelia.

A storm is brewing over this city... and I will not allow myself to be brought down by a mere brat.