Chapter 6: Millicent Bluenight

"Get stronger. More powerful than anyone else."

Her father's lectures had always been straight and to the point.

Millicent Bluenight was certain that these endless lectures had distorted her innocent mind, to the point where they began to seem normal, even reasonable, to her.

Politics ran in the Bluenight blood. Since the Imperial Court was awash with backstabbing and trickery, the Bluenights had only their own strength to rely on. In the Mulnite Empire, might made right, and weak politicians always ended up on the chopping block sooner or later. No wonder Millicent's father was always admonishing her to "get stronger."

He also pulled whatever strings he could to further his daughter's education. The endless extracurricular magic and traditional performing arts classes were fine. They didn't hurt.

No, the thing that really caused Millicent to suffer was the battle training. They'd called it training, but it had been more like systematic abuse. Total hell.

The first time she'd met him, Millicent had been eleven years old.

"One day, you'll be the Empress. Do you know what you need in order to ascend the throne?"

Father had called Millicent out to the courtyard to lecture her once again.

"Power, I think?"

"Precisely. Sometimes you really do seem to understand."

Millicent couldn't help breaking into a smile. She did so love those rare occasions when he praised her.

"You need to get stronger. Otherwise, you'll never be the Empress."

"Right."

"But I'm not talking about ordinary levels of might. Those with the capacity to take the throne have extraordinary strength. So, Millicent, you, too, must become…extraordinary."

"What should I do, Father?"

"Your battle master will show you."

That's when Millicent noticed him for the first time.

The strange man standing next to her father.

His presence was so faint and ethereal, she might not have noticed him if her father hadn't pointed him out. He seemed somewhat otherworldly. He had black hair and red eyes. He was dressed in a kimono with long, thick

sleeves, one side of which wrapped over the other on his chest and was held together with a thick band of material. Its sleeves flapped in the light breeze. His face was refined, his eyes sharp and shrewd.

"This is Battle Master Amatsu, from The Heavenly Paradise. Starting today, he will be serving as your new combat instructor. Do not displease him."

The man extended a hand, which poked out from underneath his long, flapping sleeve.

"My name is Kakumei Amatsu. Pleased to meet you."

Millicent flinched. Not because she was nervous to be meeting her new teacher, but because this was the first time in her entire life she'd laid eyes on someone not of vampire lineage. And he was the person who would instruct her. Fighting back the feelings of reservation deep within her chest, she reached out and took his hand.

Then the world flipped upside down.

"Gah!"

He suddenly grabbed her arm and twisted it. The pain was unbelievable, and the next thing she knew, her back had slammed against the ground. She realized she was lying in the dirt, gazing up at the sky overhead.

Millicent couldn't process what had just happened. All she could focus on was the pain. She couldn't breathe.

As she blinked, the figure of the man in the robe looming over her suddenly became clear. He had procured a long rod like a laundry pole from somewhere. Spinning it, he brought one end of it down upon Millicent's stomach.

She screamed.

As she rolled around in the dirt, mewling with agony, Master Amatsu looked down at her with distaste.

"Entirely lacking any sense of self-awareness. We'll need to get that fixed right away, or she'll never even have a shot at the Seven Crimson Lords, let alone the Empress's throne, Lord Bluenight. Training her will be an arduous

task."

"I'll pay whatever you want. And you have complete freedom to utilize any teaching methods you deem fit."

"Hmm. If you're willing to pay, then I'm willing to put in the time."

Amatsu smirked. Millicent felt a chill pass through her. There was no hint of any humanity in his smile—no kindness, no warmth, no compassion.

And so her training from hell began.

And the evil that would come to be cultivated in Millicent's soul soon began to take root.

Millicent, I believe he said your name was? I am about to teach you to safeguard your mind. In order to be strong, it is most important to cultivate a mindset that cannot be shaken, no matter what.

As soon as she returned from the Academy, her daily lesson in suffering began.

For his weapon, Master Amatsu used what he called a "Meteor Staff," the laundry-pole-type stick he'd used to whack Millicent in the stomach on their first meeting. Millicent was free to use whatever magic or weapons she could find to counter it.

But none of her attacks ever got anywhere near him. Even her Magic Bullet attack, which her magic teachers at school had deemed "most accomplished," could not hit him, no matter how hard she tried. He evaded every shot while barely breaking a sweat, then countered her with a blow that knocked her to the ground.

This went on day after day until nightfall.

If Millicent ever showed any weakness, her father would appear in an instant. "Get it together!" "You're the heir to the Bluenight name!" "How dare you inconvenience Master Amatsu?!" Every day was torture, but Millicent couldn't defy her father. All she could do was try to get through it somehow.

The worst of it all was the "Meteor Staff" that Amatsu would use on her.

It looked like an ordinary laundry pole at first glance, but it was clearly cursed with the ability to cancel out the healing properties of the Dark Core. This made the wounds it inflicted exceptionally serious and painful.

Because any injuries it produced refused to heal.

Each day's beatings were overlaid on top of yesterday's cuts and bruises. Terrified of the pain, Millicent took to fleeing instead of fighting, but this only enraged her father, whom she was terrified of as well. So she stopped fleeing and took to desperately swinging at her master, who merely inflicted

fresh wounds on her with a cold smile.

Why was this happening to her? One day, at the end of her rope, she asked Master Amatsu this question.

"Your father wants you to have extraordinary strength."

"Extraordinary…?"

"A special ability known as Core Implosion. Surely you've heard of it?"

She hadn't. But later on, he explained it to her. Core Implosion was a force that didn't abide by any of the physical laws of this world. With it, you could shatter the very crust of the earth, or even move the stars in the sky.

But using Core Implosion would paradoxically inflict grievous damage upon the wielder; paradoxical, because this went against the Dark Core's regenerative effects. Core Implosion was thus metaphysically unfeasible. If you wanted to wield it, you had to take certain steps to bypass the Dark Core's influence.

"Few are born with the innate power needed to wield this force. But recently, we've discovered that some can achieve it through specialized,

rigorous training.

"…Amazing, is it not?" stated Amatsu.

"What kind of training?" asked Millicent.

"Forging a mind that can remain impervious to outside circumstances. For some reason, Core Implosion needs an individual with a special kind of mental state in order to become effective. And the fastest way to strengthen one's mind is to temper the body. Through enduring the endless agony of unhealing wounds, the mind grows strong and hard, like crystal."

Millicent had thought this man was talking nonsense.

But he continued on in complete earnestness.

"I know, I know. You loathe our training sessions with all your heart and soul. But if we can hone and focus those feelings of negativity, we'll be on the path to success. And then your father will be proud of you. So persevere and do your best."

Then he whacked her with the Meteor Staff again.

Not expecting the blow, she received another fresh bruise on her chest.

Listen to me, Millicent. Core Implosion is within our grasp. If we can wield its power at will, then for the first time in history, we'll be able to show people what it means to truly live. And if you learn how to master it, your

father will be proud of you. Doesn't imagining that make you smile? Doesn't it make you feel…alive?

"Why?! Why can't you use Core Implosion?! Speak!"

Father began berating Millicent as soon as she walked into his study. Afraid, she hung her head in silence.

"It's been a month! A month! You're just not trying hard enough, are you? Amatsu is one of the Five Grand Masters of The Heavenly Paradise! The problem clearly lies with your lack of effort, not his teachings!"

"…"

"And I had a look at your school report card as well. Care to explain? Huh? You've slipped to second in your class! Have you forgotten that you're a member of the noble Bluenight lineage of vampires?!"

Obviously, Millicent's grades had slipped. She had time neither to do homework nor to study, what with training sessions after school every day until nightfall.

"F-Father…"

"Don't talk back to me!" he barked, plopping down heavily in his chair and spinning it around so his back was to her. Then he continued to huff and puff and mutter under his breath. "Gandesblood would laugh himself sick. Damn it all! To have such an embarrassment as an heir! Why, his daughter is far more…"

Gandesblood. A political family that rivaled the Bluenights. Father was always making some snarky comment or other about them.

Millicent stood there frozen in terror.

This time, Father's disgruntled mutterings had been laced with a particularly cruel edge.

Blinking back tears, Millicent fled. She didn't even hear her father call after her.

She had been trying so hard, but to no avail. Why couldn't Father acknowledge her efforts? Was she just not trying hard enough? Maybe she didn't have enough physical injuries yet? Or perhaps her mind was just too weak.

Millicent flew into her room, her body a mess of aches from her many cuts and bruises. Her soul felt like it was bruised, too.

Burrowing beneath the blankets of her bed, she wept. After a few moments, however, she became aware of something slowly approaching the bed.

"Oh, Petro. Are you trying to lick my tears? Thank you."

It was her corgi, Petro, who had been a gift on her tenth birthday. The dog was the only comfort she had in a life that was filled with school, training, beatings, and Father's harsh words.

"I have to keep doing my best, right, Petro? Yeah. It's gonna be okay."

As she stroked his soft back, Millicent found new resolve within herself.

No matter how hard it was, no matter how much it hurt or how badly her soul was wounded, she would endure everything and make her father proud. She would learn to wield the mysterious, elusive power of Core Implosion.

Core Implosion is a marvelous force. But as long as one remains connected to the Dark Core, one cannot evoke it. Do you not see how the Dark Core interferes with the natural order of life and death? Do you not see what a true curse and plague upon society it is?

After that, Millicent redoubled her efforts. All to please Father. She would grow mightier, join the Seven Crimson Lords, then ascend the Empress's throne. She would bring glory to the name of Bluenight.

Recently, she had even learned to anticipate and evade some of the blows from Amatsu.

"If you keep going at this rate, you may be able to evoke it after all," he told her. This was high praise indeed. And while the training was as grueling and painful as ever, Millicent felt pleased. She was starting to feel…hopeful.

But her high spirits were soon smashed to pieces.

"You know that girl in the other class? Apparently, her magical ability is exceptional."

Exhausted and sleep-deprived though she was, Millicent couldn't help overhearing gossip in the hallways after class.

"Oh yeah, I know the one. The teacher was going on about her. She can use a kind of ability that ordinary folk can't!"

"You mean advanced-level magic? That is impressive."

"No, no, that's not what I meant."

"What, then?"

"It's some kind of rare, crazy power. Cord Explosion? No…"

"Excuse me, do you mind explaining that?"

Millicent couldn't stop herself from going over and confronting her classmate.

That's when she learned that there was a girl in the other class who could use Core Implosion. The very same ability that Millicent had been practically breaking her back in pursuit of…

Suddenly, feelings of hot, burning jealousy and panicked inadequacy overcame her.

She quickly rooted out the girl in question to confront her. She was sitting in a corner of the classroom, her nose in a book. At first glance, she was mousy and nondescript. This was the girl who could wield Core Implosion? This…this…frump?

"Hey, you. Is it true you can use Core Implosion?"

The girl looked up from her novel. There was fear in her expression.

"That isn't possible, right? 'Cause the only way to do that is awaken it through really harsh training. Right?"

"…It's true. My teacher said so."

The girl's hesitant, trembling voice made Millicent want to scream.

She snatched the book from her hands and glowered down at her.

"Show me, then."

"B-but…"

"Go on. Why not? It's not like it can be used up."

Cowed by Millicent's pressuring tone and menacing body language, the smaller girl eventually acquiesced. But still, she seemed hesitant to do it in the classroom.

"If you want to see, we have to go someplace where there aren't any people." The girl's voice was barely a whisper, and Millicent had to strain her ears to make out her words.

They headed behind the school building.

"I really don't want to have to show you this…"

"Just do it."

Reluctantly, the girl reached out her right hand, palm facing upward. Then she said something that Millicent hadn't been expecting.

"Suck."

"What?"

"Suck my blood. My Core Implosion power allows me to see the future of anyone who drinks my blood. It's called Pandora's Poison. It will show me what's going to happen for the rest of the day with one hundred percent

accuracy."

There wasn't a spell in existence that could tell the future. If what this girl was insisting was true, that meant Core Implosion was truly miraculous.

Millicent was curious…fascinated, in fact. She leaned in and brought her lips to the girl's index finger. Baring her teeth, she bit in, and her mouth filled with the taste of blood.

The change was immediate.

The girl's eyes turned instantly bloodred. Master Amatsu had told her that this was one of the sure signs of evoking Core Implosion.

"I saw it all…"

The girl's expression was…troubled.

"It was…I…"

"What? What did you see? Just spit it out."

"You…you've got a really sad home life, don't you?"

Millicent blinked at her, speechless for a moment.

Then, as the words sank in, she felt anger flare inside her. Somehow, having this mousy girl pity her made her burn with a fury she'd never felt before. Millicent was fine with her life. It wasn't that bad. How dare this little dork look at her with those doleful, empathetic eyes?

She couldn't bear it. She exploded.

Millicent raised her hands and aimed her Magic Bullet straight at the girl's face. At such close range, there was no way the incantation would miss. But somehow the girl managed to evade it. It was as though she'd seen it

coming…

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to say that just now. Sorry…"

"Get back here!!!"

The girl set off at a run, fleeing as fast as her legs would carry her.

Millicent shot a dozen Magic Bullets at her, but none hit their mark.

Later, Millicent would lie awake pondering over this moment. She'd blasted the girl's face at point-blank range. What if one of her Magic Bullets had actually struck her? With her power of Core Implosion currently evoked, she had disconnected herself from the Dark Core. Would one of Millicent's attacks have ended her permanently?

What's that? You loathe people with innate abilities? What an amusing thing to say. Yes, yes, focus your abhorrence on this Villhaze girl. But know that your hatred for her will never be sated, even if you manage to kill her.

Murdering her won't remove her permanently from this world. Because the Dark Core is always active… Isn't it?

From that day forward, Villhaze became Millicent's archnemesis. Villhaze was from one of the poorer neighborhoods in the Imperial Capital. Usually, a girl like her wouldn't have been able to enter the same

social circle as someone like Millicent. But she'd gotten top marks on the Imperial Academy's entrance exam and had been admitted. Ever since, she'd kept her excellent grades up, and to add insult to injury, it transpired that she was the girl who had recently bumped Millicent off the top spot in the class ranking.

And on top of everything else, she could use Core Implosion.

The thing that Millicent had been training for until she puked up blood…that girl had just been born with it.

She couldn't stand it.

And so she decided to get even with Villhaze.

It was easy enough. The Bluenights were one of the finest families in the Empire.

All Millicent had to do was make one loaded comment in a public setting.

"That Villhaze girl is totally stuck up, if you ask me."

That was all it took to make that little urchin from the poor side of town into the whole school's whipping girl.

There had been a few justice-minded souls who'd tried to sticking up for the weaker girl on principle, but Millicent had soon leaned on her political influences to get them to shut up.

It started with simple shunning. Then came the malicious gossip. Followed by straight-up name-calling. Then on to direct physical violence. The bullying escalated further and further. Millicent knew that if Villhaze activated her Core Implosion skills against her, she'd be able to read Millicent's every move and evade her. To ensure Villhaze didn't somehow slip some of her blood into her food or drink, Millicent surrounded herself with an army of minions at all times.

But the girl didn't even try to fight back. Millicent wasn't surprised. Villhaze had seemed weak and feeble from the start. All she ever did was cry silently in response to Millicent's worst treatment. The tears were more than validation enough for Millicent, though. Somehow they seemed to make up

for all the pain she suffered at the hands of Master Amatsu and his brutal Meteor Staff.

Little by little, her soul grew tainted.

Not bad, not bad. I have to admit, you've definitely grown stronger. Your unhealing wounds have steeled your mind and firmed your resolve. You see how the Dark Core is nothing but a hindrance? It stunts and neuters us all, holds us back from what we were truly meant to be…

That year, Millicent had earned the top score on the end-of-semester exam.

On the other hand, Villhaze had plummeted to thirty-first in the rankings. The reason for her sudden downfall was obvious. Millicent's torture campaign had so disturbed her that she hadn't been able to focus on her studies.

Millicent rejoiced. She still couldn't evoke Core Implosion, but she'd clawed her way back to her position as the top student in the Academy. Now Father would have no choice but to reassess his evaluation of her.

"Hya-ha-ha! Guess what, Villhaze, you're ranked thirty-first! How does it feel to be a loser?"

Kick. Punch. Stamp.

Villhaze didn't even try to move out of the way when she saw Millicent striding down the hallway toward her. How was it fair that a feeble weakling like this could evoke Core Implosion? It only added fuel to the fire of

Millicent's fury.

"Get up. You're supposed to be superstrong, right? You can use Core Implosion, right? Surely you ought to be able to kill us all dead right here. Why don't you try it, huh? Loser!"

But Villhaze said nothing in return. She merely lay on the ground as they kicked her and stamped on her. If the healing and regenerative powers of the Dark Core that acted on everyone hadn't been around, even this shrinking mouse would have been forced to try to evade the blows. Millicent scowled,

reeling from the familiar pain that Master's cursed staff had inflicted all across her body, her unhealing wounds.

"Hey, Millicent. I think we should just leave her. She's obviously lost her mind."

"Yeah, it's no fun if they don't cry out or try to fight back."

Her minions were beginning to lose interest. True, the girl was hardly much sport for them. Millicent racked her brain for a few moments. Then she had an idea.

"Let's just kill her, then."

Her minions raised their eyebrows, entertained by the prospect. That's when Villhaze visibly paled for the first time.

Thanks to the power of the Dark Core, killing a person wasn't really considered worthy of a murder charge, since they would just regenerate anyway. But to deliberately exploit that loophole just for the pleasure of hurting another person…that was monstrous. Anyone with basic common decency would agree.

Now that she had her minions on board once more, Millicent raised her right hand.

It was elementary light magic, a Magic Bullet. One direct blow to an opponent's forehead would be enough to strike them down.

"D-don't!"

Villhaze's expression clouded over with fear.

Yes. That's the face I wanted to see. How dare she possess what I've been so desperately seeking, all without putting in a shred of effort? How dare she overtake me in the student ranking when she's nothing but a grubby commoner from the slums? She deserves to die. Die. Die. Just lie down and

die, why don't you…

Millicent's mouth stretched into a demonic grin.

The seeds of evil that had grown within her soul had begun to blossom.

But just then…

"Stop it!"

Someone grabbed her other arm.

Millicent turned, blinking, feeling as though she were staring directly at a beam of light.

But it wasn't that. It was a girl. A very pretty girl with blond hair and red eyes.

Despite the bravery of her actions, she was visibly trembling. And yet her gaze was still filled with determination.

Terakomari Gandesblood.

Millicent's true archnemesis. The girl who would turn her life completely on its head and send her cascading down the path of true darkness.

Hmm. Yes, indeed, you do have talent. I shall tell your father that you are almost ready…almost ready to finally invoke Core Implosion.

Millicent was furious that someone had interrupted her bullying, her sole source of joy. But the moment she'd realized that this intruding girl had been a vampire of her own social standing, not to mention the daughter of an aristocratic family that had long been enemies of the Bluenights, she'd backed down immediately.

Actually, that had been the best course of action. Besides, Millicent's spirits were still pretty high. She hadn't managed to kill Villhaze, which was a bummer, but she'd finally been able to get a reaction out of her. That girl had looked like she was about to pee her pants! What was more, once Millicent went home, she would be able to tell Father all about how she was once more top of her class. He would be so pleased. So she decided to leave dealing with Terakomari for another day. Reflecting on the day's events, she walked home with an uncharacteristic spring in her step. However…

"Top of the class? That should go without saying!"

When Millicent excitedly shared her news with her father, his reaction was less than stellar. In fact, he shouted at her, spittle flying out of his mouth.

"Never mind that childish nonsense! What about Core Implosion? Can you use it yet?!"

Millicent choked back tears.

"Master Amatsu says I'm nearly ready. I should be able to use it soon."

"Enough lies!" This time his saliva landed on her face. "Master Amatsu is deeply aggrieved by your complete lack of effort! If you had a shred of talent, you would already be able to evoke Core Implosion by now! He's asked for

more money to go on training you!"

This news struck Millicent like a blow to the head.

Had Master Amatsu really said that?

"Why are you so stupid and useless?! A daughter of the esteemed Bluenight lineage ought to be able to activate Core Implosion at least once or twice! This is yet another thing Gandesblood will be able to hold over my

head and mock me for!"

"Gandesblood…?"

"Right. Armand was bragging about his daughter yet again today. His second eldest daughter. Apparently, she has 'special abilities.' Your complete opposite, hmm? Compared to Gandesblood's girl, you're a total failure!"

An outsider listening in might have started to feel an ironic sense of pity for Lord Bluenight upon hearing this jealous, insecure rant.

But that thought still hadn't occurred to Millicent. Instead, she'd blamed herself. She was awash with misery. She turned her back on her father and ran away blindly down the hallway, ignoring the eyes of onlookers.

Why did nothing ever work out for her? Why wouldn't Father ever praise her? Why didn't she have any talent?

But there was no one to answer her cries. It felt like the entire world was conspiring against her.

That was when Millicent began to see things from a different angle.

No. This wasn't her fault at all.

It was all because of her. That little witch, Terakomari.

Why hadn't she realized this before? All of this pain was on Terakomari. Because her father was constantly comparing the two of them.

It was her fault.

If Terakomari wasn't around, things would be different…

Eager to hide away, Millicent hurried up to the door of her room, muttering curses. But when she got there, she found something black and

lumpy lying before her door.

"Petro?"

She recognized the corgi immediately. He was the one member of her family who understood her. He'd probably come to soothe her, knowing that his mistress was in pain. Feeling a huge sense of relief, Millicent hurried over to him.

"…Petro?"

But he didn't turn around.

Petro was sprawled on the floor, unmoving. A wave of dread assaulted Millicent. She could feel her heart rate increasing as she scooped him up in her arms. He was so cold. He wasn't moving. There were no signs of life.

"Huh…?"

"It looks like that dog is dead."

She felt a presence looming over her from behind. She whirled to find the man in the long robe. Where had he come from? He was glaring down at Millicent with his usually frigid gaze as she clutched her dead family member

in her arms.

"It must have been sick. That's a real shame."

"It doesn't make any sense! He was fine this morning!"

"The Dark Core's influence doesn't extend to pets. It's not like this is a rare occurrence."

Despair overwhelmed Millicent. It had been too sudden. She hadn't even gotten to say good-bye. Tears rolled down her cheeks. But Amatsu still had more to say.

"A friend of mine has the ability to reverse time. Core Implosion, of course, you understand. But unfortunately, I can't ask him to come all the way here just for a dead dog. So there's no reviving your little friend. A shame. But you know, if you had a special ability of your own, you might have been able to save Petro. But you don't, do you? Like I said…a shame."

"But…but…"

"It's absurd, isn't it? The Dark Core. If it can't even save the person you really love. Well, a dog in this case. And yet it safeguards the worst of humanity, when really their lives deserve to be flushed down the drain. Do you really think this is the way things ought to be?"

Amatsu's lecture was too complicated for Millicent to comprehend. She was still too stunned from the loss of Petro to think straight.

It was all over for her. She had lost her only friend. There was no one to praise her. No one to offer her kindness. All that was left was her empty existence…her miserable life of beatings and cruel words. There was no point living that way…

But just as Millicent was about to lose all hope…

She felt a warm hand come down on the top of her head.

Shocked, she looked up, and her jaw fell to find the coldhearted Amatsu looking down at her with a warm smile.

"Do not waste tears. The pursuit of strength is all that matters. People grow weak when they forget that."

His gentle tone struck a chord in Millicent's heart.

"Don't you despise this world for making you suffer so? Don't you want to get revenge? Don't you want to kill them all? Ah, except for me, of course. If you could only harness that hatred, nurture it within your soul, then I know

that you could become mighty beyond all measure. I'll help you to achieve that. I'm the only one who's on your side now, you know."

Millicent gazed up at Amatsu, her jaw hanging open.

He had never spoken to her this kindly before. It was as though she had been dying of thirst this time entire, and now he'd offered her a cup of clean, cool water. Like he was her savior.

"What…what should I do?"

"Do as you wish. We have free will after all, do we not? Love those who are dear to you. Kill those you find disagreeable. Whom do you most want to exterminate, Millicent?"

She knew the answer right away.

The cause of all her suffering.

Terakomari Gandesblood.

"Then kill them, no matter what it takes. I'll give you all the power you need to pull it off."

As she gazed into his solemn eyes, Millicent could hear her heart throbbing in her ears.

In the end, Millicent had been easily swayed to darkness.

I'll be honest here. You have no talent. Core Implosion won't come to you. But you're not a hopeless case. You have other talents, many of them. So don't feel too disheartened. But Core Implosion…it isn't going to happen for

you.

Amatsu arranged a funeral for her corgi. After chanting over the body in a strange language, he nodded to the attending priest. "May Petro rest in everlasting peace."

After that, Millicent went through a sort of spiritual transformation.

Her father's teachings had been correct. This was a dog-eat-dog world. She needed to be strong if she wanted to survive. If she wanted to learn how to kill.

Master Amatsu was as strict as ever. Every day brought fresh bruises. The pain was never-ending. But unlike before, Millicent's mind had opened to the teaching. She focused everything on her goal of getting stronger. She dedicated herself to the training.

But there was no peace for her sickened soul.

Villhaze.

Terakomari Gandesblood.

The mere fact that these two existed, with their inborn talents, affronted Millicent to her core.

And she especially loathed Terakomari.

Her social standing was equal to Millicent's. But she had that gorgeous face. And she was kind and brave, the sort of girl who would step in when she saw someone else being bullied. On top of that, she apparently had some special ability. Maybe even Core Implosion. There was so much to envy about Terakomari. She didn't even know how good she had it. If there was any vampire in the land that Millicent secretly, desperately longed to be, it

was her.

And the worst thing of all was that by simply existing, Terakomari caused Millicent's father to be disappointed with her. To scream at and rebuke her endlessly.

Terakomari needed to die.

No matter what it took, Millicent was going to murder her.

Henceforth, she resolved to do whatever Amatsu told her.

There was no need to hold back. Master Amatsu had given her permission.

Terakomari was an insult. An affront. She didn't deserve to exist.

So Millicent launched an intense bullying campaign against her, just as she'd done against Villhaze. She got all her minions on board. Even though Terakomari was an aristocrat's daughter, she didn't have as large a social circle as Millicent had, so it was relatively easy.

"Ha-ha-ha! Look! Look! If you don't like it, why don't you evoke Core Implosion or something and stop us, hmm?"

Millicent had lured Terakomari behind the school building, where she launched her attack.

If Terakomari used Core Implosion, well, that was no big deal. Millicent would just use one of her minions as a human shield. In fact, she's incorporated that into her plan to find out what kind of special ability Terakomari possessed before she killed her.

But Terakomari didn't even try to defend herself.

She refused to do anything with her power.

But while Villhaze had crumbled, Terakomari refused to break. Even if they punched and kicked her, that fire in her eyes never seemed in danger of dampening. She was like a shining beacon of pure light. One that made

Millicent's darkness seem even more absolute in contrast. It infuriated her.

Utterly infuriated her.

But what truly made Millicent lose it was what Terakomari had muttered during one of her beatings.

"I feel sorry for you."

Millicent could hardly believe her ears. Was this girl insane? Why would she say something like that to her?

But Terakomari kept on talking as she lay prone on the ground at Millicent's feet.

"Is there something that's bothering you, Millicent?"

She wanted to scream at Terakomari to shut up. "You're the cause of all this, you stupid wench! Because of you, my life is a living hell! You don't know anything about other people's pain! So don't you dare look at me with pity in your eyes! I'm strong. Stronger than you'll ever be!!!"

But even as she screamed at her, Millicent was filled with a sense of wonder.

To say that even in the face of all this physical violence…the girl had a kinder spirit than Millicent could have imagined.

She would need to break that spirit.

Desperate to find a weak point she could use against Terakomari, Millicent dug into her background. She needed something that couldn't fail to be effective.

"Hey, nice pendant. Give it to me."

Millicent had hit the bull's-eye. Finally, Terakomari trembled. In fact, she seemed so desperate, so panicked, that Millicent had gotten a rush off her reaction. She remembered cackling harder than she ever had before, looming over the girl. That…that was the last thing she remembered.

***

The memory of what had transpired after that had never returned to her.

She woke up on an infirmary bed.

But in this world, infirmaries were more like temporary storage facilities for people who were awaiting regeneration. In other words… Millicent had died. But she had no idea why, or what could have possibly happened. She'd

only been toying with Terakomari. How could she have died from that?

After lying there in shock for a while, one of the Imperial officials showed up to talk to her.

"Millicent Bluenight. You are hereby banished from the Empire for the crimes of mass murder and treason."

Millicent was paralyzed with disbelief. She couldn't even begin to process this.

The official went on. He informed her that on the day she'd tried to steal Terakomari Gandesblood's pendant, there had been a huge massacre at the Imperial Academy. A hundred people had been wiped out. At first, Millicent assumed she'd been one of the victims, but apparently that hadn't been the

case; in fact, the newspapers were all reporting that the perpetrator of the massacre had been none other than Millicent Bluenight herself.

"What's the meaning of this?!"

"Ask yourself that question. You are no longer a vampire of the Mulnite Empire. So now you have two choices. Incarceration in the dungeons for the rest of your life. Or leaving the country immediately. What's it to be?"

Millicent simply blinked.

Now there was only one thing she knew.

Fear. The metallic tang of it in her mouth, the sensation of a fist closing around her heart.

Bloodred eyes. Blood drops spurting. A little finger, stained bright red. The moment she had touched Terakomari's pendant, something monumental had occurred.

That's when Millicent knew the truth.

Terakomari had killed her.

"That can't be…!"

At the very last moment, she'd played her ace in the hole.

Millicent couldn't process it. She'd been so sure that she'd be able to counter any attack Terakomari came up with, even if it did involve Core Implosion. After all, she'd been training day in and day out until she vomited up blood. She was the strongest student at the Academy, wasn't she? How could stunted little Terakomari have done this to her?

And yet…she had.

She'd TKO'd Millicent Bluenight with a single counterattack.

"Oh…ohhh…"

As anguish overtook Millicent, her tears began to flow.

How could it have ended like this?!

Was this the difference between hard training and inborn talent, after all?

But Millicent didn't have much time for crying. Before she knew it, she was being escorted to the border.

She was still half in disbelief.

However, after endless digging, she'd uncovered the real truth.

This had all been a plot against her.

Terakomari herself had slaughtered all those people. But her father had been desperate to shield his little princess from the public's reaction. So he'd resorted to playing a dirty hand. He'd managed to frame Millicent for the

crime to get his daughter off scot-free. At the same time, he'd also destroyed the house of Bluenight, his greatest political rival.

It was a ridiculous story, a tale no one should have believed.

But Terakomari's father, Armand Gandesblood, was a crooked politician, who would stop at nothing to further his own political ambitions. That was what Millicent's father had always impressed upon her during his many rants. To make matters worse, Armand had apparently been one of the current Empress's favorite little pet students when the two were at the Academy together.

With the Empress backing up his claims, Armand could have sold the public any story he felt like.

At any rate, this was how Millicent had come to be banished from her homeland.

Her father and Amatsu, too… She had lost track of the both of them.

After her exile, Millicent sobbed all the time. She wept even harder than she had when Petro died. She wandered the towns of the unfamiliar outside world, living like a vagrant. At night, she curled up into a ball and sobbed. And with every tear she shed, her hatred grew more and more oppressive.

Hatred for her own weakness.

Hatred for this cruel, unfeeling world.

Hatred for Terakomari, who had killed Millicent with such incredible ease.

Yes…Terakomari.

She had spurred Millicent's downfall.

Millicent couldn't bear to have been defeated without even getting the chance to strike. She would have to murder Terakomari to set things right. This time around, she would crush that runt and her stupid Core Implosion

power. Yes. Millicent would destroy her. And it was right when she'd made up her mind that a devil had come to pay her a visit.

"Millicent. You don't seem to be faring too badly out here alone after all."

Black hair. Red eyes. Flapping robes. A quick, swift way of moving, as fast as the wind. Millicent would never have forgotten him.

It was her old battle master, Amatsu.

He flashed a demonic grin at her.

"Well, I certainly never expected things to end up like this. But our reunion has to be fate. So, Millicent…would you like to come with me? I'd

like to officially invite you to join Inverse Moon. I can guarantee you'd be most welcome."

***

From that day forward, Millicent had kept fighting. Her father's words—"Get stronger"—were always in the back of her mind. But this time, she wasn't trying to grow more powerful for the sake of the Bluenight reputation. No,

she was getting stronger for herself. So that she could assassinate Terakomari and feel reborn for the first time. To that end, she immersed herself in Inverse Moon activities along with her mentor, Amats.

She'd never worked harder at anything in her life.

And then, one day three years later, she'd stumbled upon her rival's name in the newspaper.

NEWEST CRIMSON LORD SPEAKS: "I'LL TURN THE ENTIRE WORLD INTO OMELET RICE"

At first, she was certain it had been some kind of joke.

But at the same time, she was greatly disturbed.

Her hands shook as she clutched the article. Memories she'd been blocking out came flooding back. And the old rage boiled up inside her once again. Millicent's days as a terrorist had been grueling and blood-soaked

(even though she'd chosen that life, sometimes she wondered what she'd gotten herself into). But while she'd been suffering, Terakomari had been strutting around as a commander in the army, a Crimson Lord no less. Millicent was so incensed and offended, she could barely breathe.

So she returned to her homeland for the first time in three years to gather information on Terakomari. She even headed to the Imperial Palace itself, just to see with her own two eyes how her rival was getting on.

She'd found the girl laughing.

As though she was having the time of her life.

Not only did she have all the power, but now she had personal fulfillment, too?

Millicent almost lost her mind with rage.

She bit her own lip so hard that blood dribbled forth.

She was going to kill her.

Millicent was going to KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL…

She was going to freaking KILL HER!

But before she did that, Millicent was going to break Terakomari mentally and emotionally. She was going to make her wish she'd never been born. Punish her for strutting about, showing off like she was some great commander. And she would off Villhaze, too, just to wrap up all the loose ends and settle all her old school scores.

And when all that was done, Millicent would start over. She would go straight and live a decent life.

She swore it.