Chapter 273: The Vampire King, Desmond (9)

As soon as Desmond died, a notification window appeared as if obvious.

Kai read through the messages without much emotion.

[You have defeated Desmond, the Vampire King.]

[Level increased.]

[Level increased.]

.

.

.

[Acquired 40 stat points.]

[You have acquired a Vampire Count’s Suit.]

[You have acquired Skill Book-Memory Dive.]

Eight level-ups, one item, and one skill book.

Not as much as I expected.

However, when an additional message appeared, Kai’s eyes widened.

Ding!

[The Poetic Justice effect has been activated.]

[You have slain an evil vampire lord.]

[The title of the lord you slayed is Count.]

[+60 Benevolence.]

[Due to the effect of Witness of the Sun, your Benevolence stat has additionally increased by 30.]

Kai had never expected Poetic Justice to activate upon slaying a monster lord. Not only did it apply when stripping them of their title, but it also worked when directly taking their life.

This was an unexpected bonus.

A 90 point increase in Benevolence stats meant that, through various Witness titles, all his stats increased by 360.

Obtaining a reward that couldn’t be measured in money, Kai’s lips curled into a smile.

"

Hmm

. But what about that..."

Something had been bothering him for a while, and his gaze turned toward Desmond’s corpse. Just like with Zirukan, a small light hovered above his forehead.

This is the same thing, isn’t it?

Kai glanced down at his ring before reaching out his hand.

"Eternal Rest."

The Holy Ring Petra shone.

Ding!

[You have used Eternal Rest.]

[Summoning the soul of Desmond.]

—

Ugh...

Now in a translucent form, Desmond appeared with a clean appearance, just as he had been before the battle.

As he recalled his memories, his gaze landed on Kai, and his fangs bared instinctively.

Unfazed by the hostile glare, Kai casually pointed to the ground.

—

Hm?

Desmond looked down and stared at his own corpse, momentarily dazed.

Then he asked,

—Am I...

"

Yeah

, you’re dead."

For a moment, Desmond fell silent, then smirked.

—I see.

That was all he had to say upon seeing his own corpse. Even in death, his pride as a noble refused to waver.

He looked at Kai with an arrogant and oppressive expression as he asked,

—So, why did you bother summoning the one you killed?

"I have something to say." Kai sat cross-legged on the ruined floor and said, "I was thinking about what you said."

—Something I said?

"You claimed that all humans are the same—that we only acknowledge what aligns with their own standards and reject everything else."

—

Hah.

Desmond scoffed.

—You summoned me for such a ridiculous reason.

"But I really wanted to say this. You were right."

—...What?

"You heard me clearly. You were right."

Since he never expected a human to acknowledge his words, a look of bewilderment surfaced on Desmond’s delicate face.

"But you need to understand that this isn’t something unique to humans. All living creatures in every ecosystem view themselves as the standard. In the harshness of the wild, there’s no room to consider the emotions or feelings of others."

—Even if you try to justify it like that...

"It’s not justification. It’s the truth. Then let me ask you the opposite—after becoming a vampire, have you ever once considered things from a human’s perspective? Or even from the viewpoint of the ghouls guarding the first floor?"

Of course, there was no way he had.

Desmond clamped his mouth shut.

"I figured. It’s only natural. Because, just like humans, your standard was always yourself."

—Th-that’s sophistry... Even if you say that, it doesn’t erase the dirtiness of humanity...

Thrown into confusion, Desmond started spouting whatever came to mind.

Kai calmly raised a hand and silenced him. "Do you truly believe humans are dirty? Then that means your mother was a dirty human as well."

—W-what? How dare you!

Hearing an unexpected insult toward his mother, Desmond surged with rage.

—Every human in this world despised and mocked me, but that woman—my mother alone raised me with love. She never saw me as a monster, never thought of me as one. She was an exceptional woman!

"Exactly. And that exceptional mother of yours was also a human."

Kai’s calm eyes were like a still lake.

"There are all kinds of humans in this world. The ones from your village who abused and tormented you. Judging all of humanity based only on them would be a faulty generalization."

—The majority of humans I’ve encountered were people like them.

As if he did not want to continue the conversation, Desmond crossed his arms and turned his head away.

Watching him, Kai chuckled. "You’re like a frog trapped at the bottom of a well."

—... What did you say?

"A frog inside a well believes the sky is nothing more than a small, round space. Tell me—what does the sky look like to you right now?"

Having said his point, Kai stood up and dusted himself off.

—Wait.

Desmond called out to him.

—So why did you summon me? Was it just to say that?

"Of course not. I wanted to give you a choice. If you don’t want to deny the beliefs you’ve held all your life, I won’t force you. But if you truly want to see the real sky, then say it."

—I...

With a conflicted expression, Desmond bit his lip. After a brief hesitation, he looked at Kai with rebellious eyes.

—Fine. I’ll follow you and confirm whether humans are truly dirty beings. But if they fail to change my perception...

"I’ll set your soul free."

With that, a deal was made.

Ding!

[You have recruited the Vampire King Desmond as a Warrior of Light.]

[He has been transformed into a Warrior of Light through a soul contract.]

[Vampire King Desmond will follow you to learn what humans are like.]

[You have acquired the skill Army of Light.]

Oh?

Kai hadn’t expected to gain a new skill as well, and immediately checked its details.

[Army of Light Lv.1]

Grade: Unique

A unique technique of Cherantia that guides souls toward righteousness.

Allows the summoning of a powerful soul that has completed the Warrior of Light contract.

Contracted Souls: 1/3

Consumes 500 Holy Power per second per summoned Warrior of Light.

Finally...

The Army of Light was a skill that could only be used when Cherantia descended, but now, there was no need to activate the Descent skill. Because now, Kai had his own Army of Light.

—

Hmm.

After the contract was completed, Desmond's appearance slightly changed. First, his body, which had been translucent like a ghost, regained its solid form, just as it had been in life.

—Can you give me my clothes back?

Kai nodded and handed him back his suit.

Even now, wearing his attire again, Desmond looked more fitting as a young noble than a vampire lord.

—And this may be shameless of me, but I have one more request.

"It's about the women and children, isn't it?"

Desmond's expression showed a hint of surprise.

—How did you know?

"How could I not? I was the one who took down the vampires on my way here. Michael mentioned that there were women and children inside the castle, but none of the enemies I fought were them."

—I do not care if the warriors of my clan die in battle. It is only natural for the weak to perish. But they... they are neither warriors nor possess any power. I ask that you show them mercy.

For someone as proud as Desmond to even utter the word request was significant.

Besides, killing children who looked just like humans was something Kai wasn’t very fond of as well.

"

Hmm...

Alright. I'll grant your request. But in return, you’ll have to do something for me," Kai said while looking toward the active battlefield in the plaza.

***

"

Argh

, just hold on a little longer!"

"My arm’s about to fall off! Damn it!" Balter groaned as he struggled to hold back the relentless attacks of the vampire nobles.

Seol Eun-Yeong, who had been fending them off with her rapier, had dark circles forming under her eyes.

This isn’t good.

The situation was bad. Kai’s dullahans were strong, but the vampire nobles vastly outnumbered them. Now, only seven dullahans remained, as the relatively weaker skeletons had long been wiped out.

Just when is Unknown going to show up...

Seol Eun-Yeong wasn’t the type to rely on others easily. Relying on someone meant setting up expectations, which only led to the possibility of disappointment. However, this time was different.

If it’s Unknown, he’ll figure something out.

It was an irrational belief, pure trust. Yet Unknown had always performed miracles, even in the most impossible of battles. That was why people went crazy over his battles and placed their blind hopes in him. And this time was no different.

Desmond. The Lord of Vampires.

An absurd existence that ruled over a city of monsters. Naturally, no player was expected to defeat such a being in a one-on-one fight. But what if that player was Unknown?

Seol Eun-Young found it ridiculous even as she thought it, yet she couldn’t help but believe that he could actually win. Perhaps that was why...

—Everyone, stop.

Whoosh!

When Desmond appeared, riding on a swarm of bats as his platform, she was despaired more than anyone.

"

Oh

..."

"So Kai lost in the end."

"Well, nothing we can do. No matter how strong Bro is, a level difference that massive was impossible to overcome."

The party braced for the inevitable death that would come.

—All of you, withdraw.

"... Pardon?"

"Lord Desmond..."

The vampire nobles, doubting their own ears, asked again.

Desmond’s red eyes glowed as he glared at them.

—Do you dare make me repeat myself?

"N-no."

"We were careless."

Realizing they had incurred their lord’s wrath, the vampire nobles wore startled expressions and hastily retreated from the plaza.

"Are you planning to finish us off personally?"

"A Batman with a twisted sense of humor,

huh

."

The party members gripped their weapons tightly, determined not to go down without a fight, even if death was inevitable.

Desmond looked down at them arrogantly and let out a sigh before saying,

—Is this good enough?

A voice came from the ruins of the collapsed building in the plaza. "That was excellent. You really know how to act."

"Kai!"

"

Oh

, my Bro!"

The party lit up with joy at Kai’s arrival.

Balter, still wary of Desmond, asked, "What the hell happened? Is the fight not over yet?"

"No. I won.”

"For someone who won, the Vampire King looks a lot better off than you do."

Desmond, reborn as a Warrior of Light, didn’t have a single visible scratch. Meanwhile, Kai, covered in dirt and dust from rolling on the ground, looked utterly battered. Judging by appearances alone, it seemed as if Desmond had easily won.

Kai looked at his party members, who were looking at him with concern, and softly said, "Dungeon has been cleared."

With that, the chaotic and eventful party hunt had come to an end.