The Castle of the Full Moon was unusually bustling, as if in the midst of a festival.
Those who had come to witness the Night Tide lingered near the fortress, their reasons unclear even to themselves. Still, expecting to make a fortune from the event, they were already spending their future earnings in advance.
Thanks to that, Hilde and I found ourselves filling our empty stomachs at a lively market street. As she ate, Hilde cast a glance toward the Castle of the Full Moon and remarked,
"Father, a war is raging in the castle, yet here we are, leisurely enjoying our meal. Shouldn’t we be doing something?"
"Even if we hurry, I doubt we could do much about what’s happening in there. For now, let’s focus on making the best possible choice."
"And the best possible choice is sitting in a restaurant and eating? That’s a bit disappointing~."
Hilde muttered as she stared at the darkened fortress.
Something had gone wrong within the castle. She could sense it instinctively, even without putting it into words. Even the drunkards in the streets, despite their intoxication, stole nervous glances at ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the swirling darkness enveloping the fortress.
But that was as far as their concern went.
What happened inside the castle was vampire business. Humans simply turned their heads and went on enjoying their peaceful lives.
"No need to worry, right? It’s a battle that Tyrkanzyaka is bound to win. If she wins, that’s the end of it. And if she loses, she can just stop her heart, take control of the other vampires, and then ask you to bring her heart back again~."
"I can’t do that."
"...What?"
Scraping the last bits of food off my plate, I set down my utensils and spoke.
"I wasn’t the one who revived her heart."
"But you did it, didn’t you?"
"It’s hard to explain, but it’s not exactly like that. I am the King of Humans, and Tyr is human—so in a way, I represent her. But she was the one with the will to reclaim her heart. She even attempted a dangerous method to get it back."
That method was ordering Finlay to take control of her. At the time, we weren’t sure if it was the right answer, but in hindsight, it had been a valid attempt. Even Ruskinia had broken free of his shackles that way.
"It was nearly the right answer, but for me, it didn’t matter whether it was right or not. She had the will to try, and that was enough. And it just so happened that I had the means to resolve it. I restored her heart in her place."
"Oh? That means you had the ability to do it, doesn’t it?"
"My ability and will depend on Tyr. If she ever chose to abandon her heart for the sake of more efficient control, I would respect that decision."
I took a refreshing gulp of water and wiped my mouth with a napkin. Hilde, watching my now-clean face, murmured,
"...Father, you’re rather strict."
"Me? I’m a generous man. Especially with myself."
Animals don’t live with self-imposed burdens. Even Azzy knew that. As long as there was food, she lived the most comfortable and content life imaginable. Only humans strangle themselves with their own expectations.
"Well, even if I don’t help her, Tyr could still break free the way Ruskinia did... But now that her Elders have revolted, that would be difficult."
To order a vassal to take control of oneself—that method was now impossible. Tyrkanzyaka had learned that the moment she cast off her chains, rebellion would follow. She couldn’t give such an order to an Elder anymore.
And as for Ain or Yeiling, their bloodcraft abilities were simply insufficient.
"So, according to you, Tyrkanzyaka will have to give something up—either her life or her heart."
"There’s another possibility—becoming a demon god."
"A demon god? Can someone just become that if they want to?"
"Precisely because she can’t become one just by wanting to, there’s a chance."
"Tyr has already died once. And because of how she spread across the world, the entire species of vampires was born."
The birth of vampires was a monumental event, both historically and globally. Yet Hilde tilted her head and asked,
"But... that’s not the same as becoming a demon god, is it?"
"No, it’s not. Tyr only managed to preserve her life by wielding the power to control blood, and she kept going fueled by her hatred toward the Holy Crown Church. Her power never expanded beyond that. It remained a force meant only for vampires."
When Tyrkanzyaka had died, her bloodcraft had stopped evolving. It had ceased to be something for all humans—it had become a power exclusive to vampires and their vassals.
Specialness cannot change humanity. Specialness is the reason and the power itself. Only ordinariness can change humans.
"But now, with her vassals in open rebellion and her heart on the verge of stopping... Tyr might find a way to restart it on her own. After all, she’s seen and experienced so much on this journey."
"Aha! So you’ve even been planning for the possibility of acquiring a demon god! You truly are remarkable...!"
"Not exactly planning. More like..."
A test.
At that moment—
Boom.
A dull, heavy sound echoed. A massive impact had struck the castle walls. The people in the streets flinched, startled, and began looking around in alarm.
"What was that?! An earthquake?"
"The sound came from the castle...?"
"What’s happening?"
The answer soon became clear.
Crumble—!
The walls of the fortress shattered, and a colossal black arm emerged from within.
A titan, cloaked in darkness like a living fortress, let out a suffocating roar.
The darkness surrounding the castle quivered, amplifying its cry.
["Kyaaaaaaah—!"]
A scream filled with hatred, as though it would tear apart the entire world.
Only now did the people truly begin to feel fear, their gazes drawn to the giant that had shattered the Castle of the Full Moon upon its birth.
"Kyaaaaah!"
"What is that?! Is it an Elder’s power?!"
"D-Do we need to run?!"
The people of the duchy were remarkable. If it had been me, I would have fled the moment I saw that.
Perhaps it was because they lived in a world where monsters like Elders roamed freely—they seemed to lack a proper sense of danger.
Well, livestock in a pen rarely consider the option of running.
"That giant... it oddly resembles Tyrkanzyaka~. Is that the demon god you mentioned, Father?"
"No. That..."
Before I could finish, a deafening roar ripped through the air.
As the giant swung its massive arms, the swirling darkness was pulled inward like a vortex.
The sounds of shattering, collapsing, and wailing echoed through the air. All manner of ominous signs spread from the fortress. Crimson energy surged through the cracks—as though the Castle of the Full Moon itself was bleeding.
Boom!
A section of the fortress wall crumbled, sending dust—not darkness, but dirt—spilling into the air.
A fierce battle was raging inside.
If Tyr had simply reasserted control over them all, this never would have happened.
But instead—
"...She’s choosing to remain human."
"That thing? That doesn’t look human at all!"
"I can feel it—the will to survive. She’s chosen to fight. Wow, that’s surprising. For someone who spent over a thousand years relying solely on her authority, I would’ve expected her to stop her heart, reclaim her power, and resolve everything that way..."
To fight in order not to abandon her heart.
She must be feeling pain right now.
Regaining her heart and restoring her senses had been her own desire—but desires always come with obstacles.
Tyr’s wish had stirred the winds of rebellion among the Elders, and as their winds clashed, I had wondered what the outcome would be.
More than I expected... her will was strong.
"She hasn’t stopped her heart. She’s fighting for it. Ha... this is unexpected."
The Tyr I had come to know was a weak person. She had already lost everything, and in a world where she could resolve problems with mere thoughts, she had acted without hesitation.
She wandered, searching for something to lean on, something she could cherish.
I had simply granted her wish. She regained her life, and with it, a body, strength, and a world that no longer bent to her will.
Thrown into such a harsh world, I had expected her to take the easier path.
Instead, she chose the opposite.
Maybe it was because I had revived her heart. I wouldn’t know. I’m human, but even I can’t always understand humans.
"Father... why are you smiling?"
"Huh?"
"Isn’t this bad news? Tyrkanzyaka chose to fight with brute force, and whether she wins or loses, it will deal a severe blow to her power. Either outcome is bad."
"Why? Isn’t it a good thing? It’s... human."
Hilde opened and closed her mouth in disbelief.
Still, as for me...
I felt oddly excited.
I slid my empty plate aside, a strange thrill coursing through me.
Like ‘she’ had once said—perhaps I, too, had grown ordinary.
Even amidst so many people, reading all their thoughts, even as I blended into the crowd... even as I was swayed by other desires, something within me remained firmly rooted.
My heart was pounding.
Ordinariness is fascinating.
To think that I could come to see a single human as special.
"Father, then what about us?"
"What else can we do but root for Tyr? Go grab some snacks. We’ll watch while eating."
"Even after eating all that, you still want more snacks...? Do you have a black hole in your stomach?"
Despite her grumbling, Hilde obediently went to buy some food.
We sat there chewing on dried meat, watching events unfold.
Then, another arm burst from the ruined castle.
This time, it was a massive, clenched fist, and it hurled something in our direction.
The night sky rippled, as if darkness itself had been disturbed.
This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.
A vampire—wreathed in crimson blood energy—came hurtling down like a falling meteor.
Crash!
The figure slammed into a building, shattering the wall and leaving a long red streak—whether of blood energy or actual blood, it was unclear.
"Aaaah!"
"The giant threw a boulder!"
"Run!"
The panic finally set in.
People scattered in blind terror.
Amidst the chaos, the fallen vampire rose from the debris.
And at that moment—
Hilde grabbed my face and pulled me close, blocking my view of the scene.
"Stay still, Father!"
"Ugh—so forceful!"
A figure emerged from the rubble—one of the greatest and most noble Elders among them.
Countess Erzebeth Aine.
Her snow-white skin was unblemished, but her dress, having scraped against the building’s exterior, was torn and tattered.
For a fleeting moment, as her exposed form was revealed beneath the shredded fabric, the humans watching swallowed hard.
Erzebeth, looking visibly displeased, snapped open her fan.
A wave of blood energy rose up, supporting her body.
"Surely, you do not think that such barbaric brute force can stand against us. And yet, you dare subject me to this disgrace?"
About to take flight once more, Erzebeth suddenly paused.
She glanced around at the people who had been staring at her in stunned silence.
They were not afraid of her.
They were looking at her like livestock staring at a human who had fallen into their pen.
"E-Erzebeth...?"
"What’s happening?"
To the livestock, humans were not a threat.
Vampires were the ones who nurtured them, cared for them, and only took what was needed in return.
They were revered—feared, perhaps, but respected, like sheep following their shepherd.
Even after watching one of their own crash into a wall, they had only reacted with shock, not terror.
But—
"...Since we’ve come this far, I suppose I might as well take what I need."
With a sharp snap, Erzebeth flicked her fan.
Droplets of blood formed at its tip—then fired like bullets.
Curiosity turned to screams.
The blood bullets pierced through the crowd, spraying the air with crimson mist.
An efficient harvest—just a few drops of blood, and already she had enough to fill a bathtub.
The blood drained from the wounded, flowing into Erzebeth’s body.
With the progenitor weakened, she was now the most powerful bloodcraft user in this land.
Even the smallest wounds could allow her to extract half the blood from a human’s veins.
As she drank deeply from her harvest, she murmured,
"Hmph. Not enough, but this will do."
"Erzebeth—why are you doing this?!"
A shopkeeper’s assistant, kneeling beside his fallen boss, shouted in desperation.
Erzebeth looked down at him like an insect and replied,
"Livestock are raised for their blood. Normally, I would be careful not to take too much and ensure your survival. But in desperate times... even a goose’s belly must be split open."
"How could you...!"
"I have gathered a fair amount, but I do not drink merely to wet my throat. I require more."
Erzebeth had no particular desire to kill humans.
She simply needed blood.
That was why, under normal circumstances, she was considerate, even generous.
But when necessity demanded it, she could become cruel and merciless.
Without even glancing at the wounded, Erzebeth scanned the remaining humans with the gaze of a predator.
"Ugh... Ugh!"
At last, the people of the duchy realized the truth.
The vampires who had been their rulers and protectors were, at their core, nothing more than beasts driven by bloodlust.
Life under them was comfortable and safe—but it came at a price.
The quick-witted and decisive among them turned and fled first.
But even that was too slow.
Erzebeth swept her fan through the air, unleashing a wave of blood.
She was not merely attacking—she was harvesting.
And in that harvest—Hilde and I were included.
Shit.
We’ve been found.
With a swift kick, I flipped the table over.
At the same time, Hilde swung a plate infused with her martial energy, deflecting the incoming blood droplets.
Against rebounding ki techniques, such attacks were useless.
The blood projectiles ricocheted harmlessly away.
We had successfully defended against the blood spray, but the real danger wasn’t the attack itself.
It was part of the harvesting process.
Erzebeth, having been interrupted, turned her wrath upon the insolent human who had dared to resist her.
Then—
Her eyes landed on my face.
And instead of anger, a smirk tugged at her lips.
"So this is where you ran off to..."
"Hiding right under our noses, like a mouse in its burrow. How amusing, my dear concubine."