Volume 8
Chapter 27
Early in the morning, two days after Irisdina had been told by her father about the agreement with the Wajiart family, she was walking alone on the path to the academy. Combined with her naturally dignified expression, she usually had an otherworldly atmosphere about her, but this morning, she was clad in an air as frozen as an ice field. The people passing by were overwhelmed by Irisdina's dangerous atmosphere, their faces twitching as they quickly moved away from her. Seeing the frightened reactions of those around her, Irisdina sighed.
"This is
no good. I'm failing to compose my expression..."
Noticing her emotions
were leaking, she took repeated deep breaths to calm her turbulent heart. The
dangerous emotions that had been leaking out gradually subsided. At the same
time, Irisdina began to seal off her own heart to prevent her emotions from
flaring up and leaking out again. She was accustomed to this kind of emotional
control. It was something one inevitably learned living in aristocratic
society. While aware of her own heart freezing over, Irisdina's thoughts turned
to what was to come.
"Father
wants to keep me attending the academy so that he can play Nozomu as a card
when the time comes. But I can't put him, in his current state, in front of
that woman..."
Having witnessed
Nozomu's rampaging state firsthand and having actually crossed blades with him,
Irisdina understood that his current condition was as precarious as walking on
a needle's edge. Above all, Irisdina owed Nozomu a debt she could never repay.
The fact that he had saved her sister when her soul was about to be extracted
was something Irisdina was still endlessly grateful for. Using him as bait was
something Irisdina could never, ever accept. More than anything, her own
feelings for him completely rejected the idea of offering Nozomu to the Vampire
Princess. However, Irisdina's logic and reasoning as a noble calmly asserted
that his existence was necessary to protect Somia. Contradictory thoughts.
Feelings and reason clashed. As she endlessly repeated this unanswerable
question, Irisdina shook her head, trying to reset her thoughts. The final negotiations
for the trade agreement had not yet begun. Of course, if the negotiations
concluded without issue, Irisdina's worries would disappear, but she couldn't
imagine that the head of the Wajiart family, who had only just now appeared,
would remain silent at the final bargaining table. Victor must have thought the
same as Irisdina, which is why he had decided to have her continue attending
the academy.
"But what
can I do? The Dizard Imperial Kingdom has no relations with other countries.
The Francilt family's and my own connections are meaningless."
No matter who the
negotiating partner was, if there was some existing level of exchange, one
could use those ties to press the other party for compromises on conditions.
But in a case like this, where they were establishing diplomatic relations for
the first time, there was almost no precedent or leverage to advance the
negotiations favorably.
"In the
first place, the reason Father pushed for trade with the Wajiart
family..."
Victor had said that a
resolution through money alone would leave a mark. But as time passed and
Irisdina gathered information through her own connections, she had begun to
understand, little by little, the concerns her father hadn't spoken of.
"The end
of the factional conflict in the Cremazzone Empire and the concern of their
rapid military expansion..."
In the Cremazzone
Empire, domestic chaos due to factional conflict had continued in recent years,
but a few months ago, one faction, the Vitun faction, had apparently purged the
key members of the rival faction, bringing a tentative end to the internal
turmoil. As a result, the nations bordering the Empire were concerned that the
Empire's eyes would turn outward. Moreover, there seemed to be some sort of
disquieting movement even within the victorious Vitun faction, which further
stimulated the vigilance of various countries. Currently, the power between the
Cremazzone Empire, the Kingdom of Forsina, and other nations is in balance.
However, the Empire originally possesses immense potential national power, both
in terms of resources and population. If that power were to be unleashed, it
could significantly change the balance of power on the continent, and the upper
echelons of various countries believe this could happen within a few years.
"That's
why Father and the King decided to establish diplomatic relations with the Dizard
Imperial Kingdom..."
In short, the essence
of these negotiations was not to guarantee safety in a more abstract sense, but
to secure it in order to avoid a crisis that was likely imminent. Both are
called "security" in words, but their meanings are completely different.
With the situation this pressing, there was no longer anything Irisdina could
do personally.
"Thinking
of the country, if we don't establish relations with the Dizard Imperial
Kingdom, the balance with the Empire will collapse within a few years. However,
I can't imagine that Vitora will sign the agreement obediently..."
Recalling Vitora's
behavior at the Opening Festival, Irisdina looked up at the sky. Despite being
the center of attention not only from the masses but also from high-ranking
nobles, she had an ability to act without any regard for her surroundings and a
charisma that drew those around her, whether they liked it or not. She was the
very picture of high-handedness, but at the same time, she had more of a
presence as a monarch than anyone Irisdina knew.
"Still, I
cannot let Nozomu and Somia get involved in these negotiations. I must somehow
get this agreement finalized under conditions that exclude those two..."
If the negotiations
failed, it was easy to imagine that either her beloved sister, her beloved
person, or both would be hurt. The vow she made in her childhood to protect her
family, her affection as a young woman, and her sense of duty as a noble once
again clashed violently deep in Irisdina's chest, causing a pain like being
stabbed by countless needles.
"There's
no such thing as an unbreachable castle. There must be something.
Something..."
The final negotiations
had not yet begun. Telling herself this fact, Irisdina desperately kept her
thoughts, which were threatening to dull from impatience, spinning. It felt
like searching for a single flower in a forest shrouded in mist.
"Good morning,
Ai."
Called by a lovely,
bell-like voice, Irisdina's thoughts were interrupted. Looking up, she saw
Tima, dressed in the academy uniform. Behind her were Nozomu, Mars, Shina, and
the other usual members.
Perhaps because she
had just been thinking about Nozomu. The moment Irisdina's gaze caught sight of
the person she loved, her heart, which she was supposed to have frozen,
quivered with a heavy beat, and the emotions she was supposed to have sealed
threatened to erupt with heat.
"Good morning,
Iris."
"Ah. Good
morning, everyone."
Somehow managing to
suppress her wavering heart, Irisdina forced her voice to be as flat as
possible. Nozomu's gaze turned to Irisdina's side. He was checking for Somia,
who was always next to her on the way to school. But today, the girl who was
supposed to be there was absent.
"Where's
Somia-chan?"
"She's absent.
Somia has been targeted by the Wajiart family before, so I'm leaving her at the
mansion until the negotiations are settled."
"I, see..."
Somia had been ordered
by Victor to remain at the Francilt mansion until the negotiations with the Wajiart
family were concluded. Hearing Irisdina's dispassionate words, Nozomu, sensing
the situation, didn't know what to say and fell silent. A brief silence passed
between the two. Both Nozomu and Irisdina felt as if a bottomless chasm lay
between them who remained silent.
"Let's hurry,
we'll be late."
Prompted by Irisdina's
words, Nozomu and the others began to walk toward the academy. Nozomu and
Irisdina walked side-by-side at the front, followed by Shina, Mimuru, Tima,
Mars, and Feo. While walking down the main street toward the academy, Nozomu
posed a blunt question to Irisdina, who was walking beside him.
"Iris, about the
negotiations with the Wajiart family... is it even possible to trade with
vampires in the first place?"
What Nozomu was
wondering was whether a great noble of a major country could even establish
relations with vampires, beings that suck human blood.
"Actually, past
heads of the family have made secret pacts. A long time ago, maybe, but now
it's probably impossible... Ah, so that's the common perception."
Irisdina raised her
voice as if she'd just remembered something. As Nozomu and the others looked on
with question marks, Irisdina began to fluently explain the current standing of
vampires, mixing in questions.
"What are
vampires to you all?"
"Um, monsters
that suck blood? And they're a powerful race that can turn into bats and has
incredible regeneration and magic power, I guess?"
"I've also heard
stories about them turning people into monsters."
"Yes. That's
probably the general perception of vampires."
Irisdina nodded
quietly, affirming the supplementary comments from Mars and the others walking
behind. Vampires are recognized as beings that change humans into monsters and
have a history of being persecuted. Monsters incompatible with humanity—that is
the impression of vampires held by all, whether human or demi-human, on the Arkmel
Continent. In fact, villages and towns in every country have stories of people
being turned into monsters by vampires, and of those vampires being defeated by
heroes.
"...Have any of
you ever met a vampire, besides those from the Wajiart family?"
"W-well, no,
but..."
At Nozomu's answer,
everyone present, except Irisdina, nodded in agreement. Not only Nozomu, who
was from a rural village, and Mars, who lived in Arcazam, but also Shina, who
had fled the Great Invasion as an elf, and even Mimuru and Feo, who were
beastmen, had never met a vampire.
"That's to be
expected. There is almost no one on the continent who has actually met a
vampire. There can't be. After all, ever since the Dizard Imperial Kingdom was
founded, vampires have almost completely shut themselves away within the
kingdom. Furthermore, the main reason vampires have been ostracized as a
species hostile to humans is that 'they suck blood and turn people into
monsters.' However, recent research in Arcazam has overturned that."
"...Huh?"
"Research results
were published a while ago stating that vampires do not intentionally turn
people into monsters, and that long-held theory has been overturned."
At this unexpected
fact, Nozomu and the others' eyes widened. If that were true, it would mean
that all the old stories and common knowledge were complete nonsense.
"But, in the
academy library..."
Amidst this, Tom
raised a question. He often scoured the library for materials to research
alchemy, and among them were descriptions of vampires. And those books stated
that vampires turn all those whose blood they suck into vampires just like
them.
"The materials in
the academy library are gathered from various countries, but many of them are
old. Especially in recent years, new materials are often placed in a separate
section of the library, and some aren't even in the library but at the Gloaurum
Institute."
However, Irisdina
flatly refuted Tom's words. Arcazam possesses the Gloaurum Institute, one of
the foremost research institutions on the Arkmel Continent. The latest
research, in particular, is often continued within the Gloaurum Institute, so
materials may be stored within the institute's building rather than being sent
down to the library.
"As I said, since
the founding of the Dizard Imperial Kingdom, vampires have withdrawn into their
own territory, so the collected materials are inevitably old, and even the
library's materials lack credibility."
The academy library
holds books gathered from all nations, but according to Irisdina, the collected
books themselves are sometimes of low credibility.
"In the first
place, while blood is an indispensable food for vampires, if they turned
someone into a vampire every time they drank blood, wouldn't their blood supply
eventually fail to keep up?"
Everyone present was
convinced by Irisdina's words. If they turned into a vampire every time blood
was sucked, vampires would eventually face a food shortage and self-destruct.
"So, you mean
they can choose, to some extent, whether to turn someone or not?"
"That's right.
The process of a person transforming into a vampire has also been considerably
clarified. That's why Father and the King must have concluded that negotiations
are possible."
Whether or not the
original vampire can control the transformation, and whether the cause is
known, is extremely significant. This was also possible because Arcazam had
gathered and researched materials from all over the continent and had been able
to get to the bottom of the contradictions in various regional materials.
"Then why are
there stories left about towns being turned into monster lairs by
vampires?"
"That Vampire
Princess said it's apparently due to 'blood intoxication.' There seem to be
other causes in the process of turning a person into a vampire. The Gloaurum
Institute is probably still researching that area."
That said, even if
there was a basis for negotiating with vampires, whether the negotiations could
actually be finalized was a separate issue. Once the topic was exhausted,
silence returned. Nozomu and Irisdina walked side-by-side toward the academy,
but a heavy atmosphere still hung between them. Eventually, perhaps unable to
bear the atmosphere, Nozomu opened his mouth.
"Iris, this
negotiation with the Wajiart family... when is it happening?"
"...In one week.
It will be held at my mansion. All servants except Mena will be sent
away."
"One week...
That's soon."
"Yes. The
conditions were already mostly settled, so there's probably no need to wait
long..."
Although it's called a
negotiation, by the stage of signing a formal treaty, it's customary for the
terms and conditions to have already been agreed upon. However, this time, that
Vampire Princess is involved. Nozomu had no idea what that unbridled princess
was planning to do. He just had an unpleasant premonition, like a snake
crawling up his spine, that fanned his impatience.
"Iris, during the
negotiation, should I look after Somia-chan?"
"What?"
Spurred on by that
impatience, Nozomu had inadvertently blurted out such a thing. And once the dam
was broken, the words he had been holding back overflowed from his mouth.
"The bell you
asked for, Iris... I'll borrow a forge and make it today, so I can give it to
you tomorrow. I'll take Somia-chan then, and we'll protect her during the
negotiations. How about it?"
Nozomu's proposal was,
frankly, an extremely careless remark. He had been directly told by Jihad to
keep his distance from the Francilt family, and the Francilt family had also
been warned during the Opening Festival that the academy side could not
cooperate. On the other hand, for the Francilt family, this offer was a
godsend. They had been told by the Arcazam side that they would provide a location
for the negotiations but no further cooperation. However, if the offer came
from Nozomu himself, it was a different story. It was Nozomu who defied
Arcazam's decision, and they could claim that the Francilt family was not at
fault. In fact, Irisdina believed the reason Victor had told her to continue
attending the academy was to get Nozomu to offer his cooperation.
"The Wajiart
family's secret pact was aimed at Somia-chan. So, if we're nearby during the
negotiations, I think we can protect her if something happens..."
It was a perfect
situation for the Francilt family. But for the current Irisdina, this offer was
nothing but a potent poison. Her rekindled conflict erupted, violently shaking
the lid she was supposed to have sealed. While being tossed about internally by
a problem she herself couldn't answer, Irisdina desperately tried to compose
her expression so as not to show her agitation. But no matter how she composed
her expression, her mind was a mess, and she didn't know what words to say in
reply.
"Nozomu, that's
impossible. Weren't you told by Jihad-sensei not to get involved with me?"
The words that came
out of her mouth reflexively were words of rejection to Nozomu's offer. Her
self-loathing for trying to use Nozomu had overcome her reasoning as a noble.
The person most surprised by this action was Irisdina herself. As a member of
the Francilt family, she had to bring Nozomu in. But she had just thrown that
away herself. As a noble, she had always killed her own emotions and tried to see
through the true intentions of others. It's not too late. Accept Nozomu's
offer, her reason screamed.
"...It's true,
Jihad-sensei told me that. But, I..."
"If you get
involved, Nozomu, it will mean going against the academy's decision. If that
happens, it could, at worst, shake the very foundation of Arcazam, which is
maintaining a neutral stance. Besides, to be blunt, right now, you don't have
any effective authority or standing in diplomacy..."
Contrary to her
reason's appeal, her mouth moved in a direction that pushed her connection with
Nozomu further away. But at the same time, her emotions also protested that
rejecting Nozomu with such a stubborn attitude was meaningless. He was the type
of person who, once he decided on something, would get back up even if broken.
He wasn't someone who would be stopped by oppressive words. To stop him, she
would have to use more direct force, to physically hold him back. Rejecting him
emotionally with words like this was counterproductive. If anything, he would only
become more stubborn in his desire to protect Irisdina and the others. He would
do so while completely disregarding his own well-being. And that would lead to
the worst possible outcome she envisioned. By this point, Irisdina herself no
longer understood her own actions. Her words alone were calm, but the crucial
content—her thoughts and emotions—were all falling to pieces.
"But!"
"Nozomu, that's
enough."
"...Huh?"
"I said, that's
enough. Forget what you just said. Forget about the bell I asked for,
too."
In the end, she began
to move in a direction that would completely sever her connection with Nozomu,
trying to suppress everything. She crushed Nozomu's words, as he tried to argue
further, with a cold, emotionless gaze. Faced with Irisdina's doll-like,
emotionless expression, Nozomu was at a loss for words. Irisdina as a noble,
and Irisdina as a young woman. While sealing the emotion that threatened to
leak out, she froze both her thoughts and her heart, crushing both conflicting
parts of herself. A powerful sense of alarm assaulted Nozomu as he saw the
emotion vanish from Irisdina's eyes.
"Iris, wait
a..."
This can't go on.
Feeling a sense of crisis at her hollowing eyes, Nozomu tried to close the
distance, but she smoothly moved away from him and quickened her pace.
"This is an
important time for both of us. I'll be keeping my distance for a while..."
Cutting off her words
as if spitting them out, Irisdina left Nozomu and the others behind and
quickened her pace, moving away from him.
"I really
am a terribly cold, contradictory, and selfish woman..."
Feeling Nozomu's
bewildered gaze on her back, Irisdina gently ran a finger over her own lips.
Her mind recalled the one time she had ever pressed her lips to Nozomu's. It
was when Nozomu, after saving Lisa who had been captured by Abyss Grief, had
remained in a coma. Out of a cornered impulse, Irisdina had kissed the comatose
Nozomu. Irisdina herself had long been aware of her own feelings for Nozomu.
And that she was so drawn to him that she could no longer leave him.
"These
feelings will only get in Nozomu's way..."
She could not cast
aside her desire to protect Somia, nor her love for Nozomu. In that case, to
protect them all, she had no choice but to throw away everything of her own.
Not as the next head of the Francilt family. But as a single human being, she
would swallow all contradictions and, to keep the vow she made to her late
mother, she decided to completely kill her current self. She glanced back over
her shoulder, stealing a look at her beloved's face. At the sight of him,
clenching his fists, his face twisted in his own inadequacy, her heart, which
was supposed to be frozen, ached with a throb.
"I really
wanted that present from Nozomu..."
Irisdina mercilessly
crushed that girlish cry with her mask of ice.
***
Staring at the back of
a stunned Nozomu as he watched Irisdina walk away, Mimuru whispered to Shina.
"Shina, this is
your chance, you know?"
"About what..."
"You know
what."
"..."
While understanding
the meaning of Mimuru's words, Shina deliberately gave a vague reply, but
Mimuru just stared at Shina with a strong gaze, as if to say, "Don't play
dumb." The exchange of glances lasted only a few seconds. Understanding
Mimuru's silent proposal, Shina averted her eyes as if to reject it and began
walking the path to the academy once more.
"Jeez..."
Letting out a voice
tinged with exasperation at her stubborn friend's attitude, Mimuru continued to
stare at Shina's back.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
Geral Aponso
[Gold]
B random
DavidA
Nepheos
ShitaiNoKootoRyuu
[Silver]
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Gabriel Flores
Good or Hype
Matthew Fraser
Anton Lim
Ctdela
Curious Panda
nick nasca
SD Fox
rads
Øسن عسيري
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
