Seria had to endure unfair treatment for a long time.
It was primarily due to her sister Delphine’s one-sided assertions, who was acting as the effective head of the Yuridina Clan. Delphine had tasked Seria with a crucial mission.
“Seduce Ian.”
Seria had barely any friends, let alone a boyfriend, throughout her life. Naturally, she had no idea what to do, but as a vassal of Yuridina, she had no choice but to obey her clan leader’s orders.
Above all, it was something Seria had secretly hoped for.
With that resolve, Seria left her clan and, not long after, had to present her report on the results.
There was no need to return to the North. Throughout the Empire, there were loyal vassals of Yuridina positioned, and she could communicate with her clan leader in real-time with their help.
Her first report to Delphine began with Seria’s new treasure.
A limited edition Ian doll handed to her by Imperial Princess Shi-en.
Upon seeing it, Delphine had to remain silent for a long time. Regardless of that, Seria’s excited voice continued to brag without a clue.
Eventually, Delphine’s eyelids tightly closed.
“Wait, wait a moment… Seria, could you repeat that?”
“Yes?”
What kind of nonsense was this infuriating woman bringing up again?
Seria tilted her head, filled with pure intent. She was wary that this devilish woman might take credit for her achievements.
Delphine’s hand, unable to overcome her headache, pressed against her forehead.
“You’re not saying you missed your chance to dance at the festival over that doll, are you?”
“Wh-what do you mean by that doll?!”
Seria’s voice naturally rose as she fought back her frustration.
Yet, Delphine’s expression only grew darker.
“It’s a limited edition that exists only three times in this world! And by the way, the detailed depiction of this collar is remarkable. The calculated direction of the bloodstains on it is especially…”
“…me.”
Seria’s ramblings halted at that moment.
Delphine was spewing out a painful voice while gnawing on her lips.
It was a sight Seria had never seen before.
Did her sister truly look like that when regretting something?
“I must have raised you wrong. I didn’t pay enough attention… I never thought you would be this inept.”
At that blatant accusation, Seria’s expression turned blank momentarily.
“U-inept?”
“Right, inept… You’re as clueless about romance as a talking potato. If I had to define it in one word, it would be ‘inept potato.’”
Being called an ‘inept potato’ out of nowhere made Seria’s face turn even more upset.
Just as she clenched her fists to retort…
“I suppose I have to teach you.”
It was a tone filled with firm resolve.
No one could bend Delphine’s stubbornness when she looked like that. Seria knew this well, but her pent-up feelings surged forth, viewing her adversary as something pitiable.
Yes, an adversary.
Looking back, it had always been this way since childhood. Delphine had lived as someone who had, while Seria had lost everything. The sword she desired, the friends she wished for, even her mother.
In truth, she had few memories of her exiled mother.
As she grew older, however, Seria naturally came to understand the reality. It was a decision ultimately made by the Marquis Yuridina after much deliberation, aimed at solidifying Delphine’s status as the heir after losing their mother to illness.
Perhaps that was why she felt even angrier.
She felt as if she might lose someone precious, just like that day.
Though she won the hunting festival with Ian’s help, the nightmare that had tormented her throughout her life would not vanish so easily.
As she slowly reflected on her emotions, a cold smirk rose to Seria’s lips.
“What are you trying to teach me? How to seduce men by flaunting a cheap physique?”
“Exactly.”
However, Delphine’s reaction was unexpectedly calm. Seria was even more flustered, struggling to find her words in response.
Delphine’s determination was unmistakable.
“Have you forgotten, Seria? What Yuridina seeks is victory. Whether in honorable combat or in underhanded tactics, victory is always just. But what are you doing right now? Apart from that childhood friend whose name you can’t even remember, you were the first among us to connect with the lord, right?”
“T-that’s…”
Her words were undeniably correct.
Unable to find a counterargument, Seria fumbled and lowered her gaze. Although she had grown somewhat fierce compared to before, she was still the same Seria.
She couldn’t completely shake off her intrinsic nature.
“Thus, do as I say before I erect a statue of ‘The Eternal Virgin’ in the middle of Yuridina Castle… Of course, the inscription on the base will say, ‘In honor of my sister, Seria.’”
Seria couldn’t find a way to erase the sense of injustice, but what could she do?
In the Yuridina Clan, the authority of the clan leader was absolute, just like in other noble families.
In the end, after that day, Seria was forced to sit in front of a mirror for at least an hour every day.
The techniques Delphine taught were incredibly humiliating.
Pouting, pretending to accidentally touch someone, or deliberately reducing the distance to make the other person flutter.
There wasn’t a single aspect that felt unfamiliar.
As she endured the shame for several days.
Feeling she could no longer hold on, Seria decided to visit her only friend.
Celin Haster.
She was Ian’s childhood friend and one of the few women who had known Ian longer than Seria.
Also, she was Seria’s rival.
Yet it was clear that the two cared for each other. Celin and Seria often stuck together and trained together to build their friendship.
So Seria trusted that.
Since Delphine, the Lady Virgin Saint, and even Elsi were redefining their relationship with Ian, it seemed plausible that they could find a new breakthrough with the information exchanged between two people left behind.
However, when she approached her friend’s residence with such expectations, it was already too late.
It was a strange sight.
Celin was under house arrest for having made some sort of contract with the Dark Cult. Of course, there should have been guards guarding the entrance, yet there was not even a single trace of a living presence.
There was no need to go in.
It was too late.
She was missing. Just as expected, all that remained in the underground prison where Celin should have been were a few strands of gray hair.
How strange.
Seria thought so.
She couldn’t deny the possibility that the Dark Cult had some form of involvement, but Celin had already opened up to Seria about her circumstances several times.
The girl with “black hair” who had appeared from somewhere.
If that statement were true, then there shouldn’t be a reason for gray hair to remain.
That’s when it began.
A strange intuition started leading Seria. She couldn’t even arrive at the simple conclusion that she needed to inform others and initiate a search.
After meeting Ian and confirming the results of her intense training.
It was something that normally would have caused her heart to race to the point where she couldn’t act appropriately. She would have probably blushed and bitten her tongue in the process.
Nonetheless, something felt off.
The tingling sensation of a heated needle penetrating her spine, mixed with a chilling emotion rising within her heart.
Eventually, the path led to a secluded place in the forest.
Before long, Ian was following Seria with a serious expression. Seria’s steps, which had been almost trance-like, halted at a place filled with a strangely sweet scent.
There, Seria saw it.
“…Huh?”
Gray hair and blue eyes.
“Who are you?”
A color reminiscent of her mother, lost in her childhood.
Seria is strange.
It didn’t take much time for her to realize that fact. She had crossed the line with Seria multiple times, and recognizing the abnormalities within a companion was one of the basics.
Today, Seria was unusually friendly.
She would sneakily grab my sleeve or speak in a cute tone.
The decisive statement came right after.
“I went to visit Miss Haster, but I heard she was missing. Then I ran into Senior Ian, so I wanted to thank her separately…”
At first, I didn’t notice.
It was because it was something typical Seria would say. There was something about her emotions that raised either obsession or insanity to an unusual level.
Even if she showed a strange reaction, I could only accept it.
However, upon reflection, wasn’t it odd?
She had come to find Celin, but there seemed to be no interest in Celin at all. Moreover, a contractor from the Dark Cult went missing, yet the Academy was too quiet.
Did that make sense?
Moreover, Seria’s steps were devoid of hesitation. It was an attitude that could only be held by someone with a strange conviction.
And at this moment, I recalled another fact.
Seria’s mother was of the Vampire bloodline.
The stories I had heard from the North suddenly heated my spine.
My mouth instinctively fell into silence. Following Seria in that unspoken way for several minutes.
Seria, who had occasionally clung to me, showed no reaction after a certain point. She simply walked vacantly, moving toward the forest located south of the Academy.
The route itself was strange.
Going in circles around the same spot or deliberately taking detours from a straight path she could have walked.
Yet, I didn’t voice a single complaint.
The reason was simple.
Every time Seria displayed such strange behavior, the surrounding atmosphere changed moment by moment.
Temperature, humidity, even the scent tickling my nose was erratically shifting.
And at the end of that march.
I gradually held my breath, hiding behind a tree.
“…Huh? Who are you?”
It was a clearing filled with a gentle floral fragrance.
Every time that artificial scent pricked my nose, my consciousness became foggy. It was evident that some dangerous gas was spreading around this area.
And right in the center stood.
A woman with striking gray hair and blue eyes. The scar crossing her right eye indicated a troubled past.
A descendant of the Vampire bloodline.
Feeling a premonition, I desperately hoped Seria wouldn’t regain her senses.
If she regained her rationality, it could lead to an even more troublesome situation.
However, Seria brutally betrayed my expectations.
“Uh, um…?”
A blank question slipped through the girl’s lips.
Simultaneously, the ominous atmosphere surrounding Seria quickly dissipated. Seeing her struggling to understand the situation while looking around indicates that her memory was somewhat hazy.
So, I secretly sent out a subtle signal.
It meant to stay calm.
The only fortunate part was that Seria understood that signal.
Seria’s body trembled, tensing up. She seemed clueless about how to respond.
What should I do?
I couldn’t let such a good opportunity slip by. This was the first time I was seeing a descendant of a vampire.
If I could extract some information from her, that would be great.
Wouldn’t torture be the only answer?
Just as I moved my hand toward my waist stealthily.
“Not going to answer? Who are you, I’m asking… Huh?”
Unluckily or fortunately, the vampire descendant tilted her head. I quickly scanned the surroundings with my senses while she turned her attention away.
Not visible.
At least Celin was not here. That was all the more reason I needed information.
But were the Heavenly Deities watching over us?
“What? So you’re also her sister? You should have said so earlier! I almost made a mistake, ahahaha!”
The vampire’s descendant burst into a friendly laugh and then draped her arm over Seria’s shoulders.
It was undoubtedly an expression of intimacy.
Before Seria could react or give any sign of discomfort.
“So, did you bring ‘food?’ Everyone is waiting…”
Seria’s body froze again at that unfamiliar topic.
She was in no position to grasp the true circumstances. It was hard enough to revive her fuzzy memories, let alone take such a puzzling question.
The vampire still hadn’t relieved her suspicion.
My mind began to spin. Given what I had observed about Seria and her sociability, there was little chance of her coming up with an adequate response.
Thus, the only conclusion I could arrive at was one.
“…Quack.”
I emitted a distinctly artificial sound and pretended to faint.
To be honest, it was a gamble with a higher probability of failing. Not only the Dark Cult, but my name had also spread throughout the continent. There was no guarantee I would not be recognized.
However, there was one thing I had faith in.
“Hmm…”
The blue gaze started to scan my entire being. Meanwhile, Seria subtly moved her hand toward the hilt of a sword.
As if to say that if the other party threatened her, she would kill them immediately.
Fortunately, Seria’s resolve did not translate into action.
“…Alright, a quality meal, huh? My sisters will be pleased!”
Because the vampire’s bloodline was also somewhat hazy in her left eye.
And I was a high expert.
Pretending to be a corpse was no trouble at all.
Seria also did her best to respond to my intent.
“Yes, y-yeah… um… yes!”
She ended up accidentally biting her tongue, though.
No matter what, Seria was still Seria.
