Return to the Capital

I inspected the vampire who had turned into ash.

Whether or not there was a medal. If there was a possibility of resurrection.

These were important things to check.

“Hmmm. I don’t sense any magic. I doubt it will ever return.”

“Of course, it won’t. This is the power of the God Fowl.”

“Cluck.”

Luchila looked very smug. It might have just been me, but Gerberga looked smug as well.

Well, it was a chicken, so I was really not sure.

Still, I put my hand over the ashes and activated Drain Touch just in case.

I sucked out the magic completely just to be safe. I would not let it come back under any circumstances.

Then I searched the ashes for the magic stone which was the proof of the hunt and checked if there was a medal.

“…No medal either.”

“Medal?”

Luchila looked at me strangely, and so I explained about the medal.

It was a medal that Vampire Lords buried in their bodies in order to collect curses and open the gate between dimensions.

“What a horrifying plan…”

Luchila looked serious. He had a sharp sense of danger.

“Now Lord Gerberga will be targeted even more…”

On the other hand, Serulis was looking rather dazed.

She had not understood how the vampire had suddenly turned into ash.

She muttered,

“Um. What just happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“The chicken suddenly…”

“Lord Gerberga!”

Luchila was quick to call her out for her error.

“Lo-lord Gerberga cried, and then it turned into ash.”

Serulis was so shocked that she sounded different from usual.

“Indeed. It turned to ash.”

“But how does that work?”

“It is the power of the God Fowl.”

“Cluck.”

Luchila declared proudly. Gerberga clucked softly.

“Wait a second. If he can turn vampires into ash by crying, then why are you afraid of being attacked by them?”

Serulis was quite right.

“That’s true. It does not seem like you have to run from them?”

“About that, it is not so easy.”

“Are there limits to it?”

“I would not say limits…”

According to Luchila, Lord Gerberga’s cry was only deadly when they were in the middle of transforming.

The God Fowl’s power manifested itself by creating borders.

It was forcefully drawing a border when vampires started to transform into bats or mist.

Because of this, it is not effective before or after a transformation.

“He is able to stop them from escaping.”

“That’s still amazing. Vampires are most troublesome when they escape.”

Serulis praised Gerberga.

“O-of course. Lord Gerberga is amazing.”

“Cluck.”

“You really were amazing, huh?”

Serulis said as she petted Gerberga.

“Hey, don’t act so casually with Lord Gerberga…”

“Cluck.”

Luchila was about to stop her, but Gerberga clucked.

It sounded very pleased, as if it was enjoying it.

And so Luchila stopped.

“You’re so cute, Gerbie.”

“How dare you!!”

“Cluck.”

Luchila became angry again.

However, Gerbie was clucking happily.

After that, we continued to walk back towards the capital, while being cautious of our surroundings.

Serulis had now become fond of Gerberga and continued to make comments.

Luchila would complain about this every time, but Gerberga did not seem to mind.

While we were taking a break, Serulis asked,

“This was the first time I’ve encountered a vampire… Was that a lesser one? It seemed quite strong.”

While we were fighting, I had called it a lesser vampire in order to provoke it.

I guess she had heard it.

“That wasn’t a lesser a vampire. It was likely an Arch Vampire.”

Arch Vampires were among the top ranking vampires.

They were not scrubs.

“So it was an Arch Vampire. And that means Vampire Lords are stronger than that one, right?”

“Yes.”

“But I wasn’t able to react in time.”

“It’s difficult to react to attacks from the sky. But still, I saw that you had your sword drawn.”

“But if you hadn’t been there, Mister Locke, Luchila and Gerbie would have died.”

“It’s Lord Gerberga!”

Luchila butted in without fail.

I ignored him and said to Serulis,

“That might be true. But it was a difficult thing and could not be helped.”

“I want you to teach me to be able to move quickly.”

“It’s not something that can just be taught.”

“Maybe you’re right, but…”

“You should always be wary of danger, and eventually, you might get there.”

“I understand.”

Serulis said with an expression that suggested she didn’t understand at all.

Getting familiar was what was important.

It wasn’t just about practicing.

After that, Serulis repeatedly went into a defensive stance as we made our way back.

I suppose it was her way of staying on edge.

I didn’t think this was going to do her any good, but it was commendable that she was putting in the effort.

We arrived in the royal capital a little while after the setting of the sun.

We finished making a report at the Adventurer’s guild and then returned to Goran’s mansion.

“Ah, Mister Locke! I was waiting for you!”

Shia had been waiting in front of Goran’s mansion.