Chapter 448 - Episode 9: The Vampire of Vectis Island ④
The next day, the Count was to show me around the island. Originally, it was to be the preliminary skirmish immediately, but the three who challenged the Count to a drinking contest became unable to move due to hangovers.
"All three sunk together, huh."
"Only Catherine ever won against the Count. It cannot be helped."
The old couple are sighing. It's breakfast time, but only five people are eating, including the Count; King Seldic, Roberts-sama, and Harrison-san are only drinking water.
"His Majesty used to be an equal match. You have become a bit weak."
"It's age."
King Seldic turned away with a frown on his forehead.
"The former profligate prince is out of form, isn't he."
At Eleanor-sama's words, he turned this way once as if to say something back, but as soon as he saw her drinking wine ostentatiously, it seemed to well up, and he hurriedly headed toward the window while covering his mouth with his hand.
"The Count is as free of hangovers as ever, isn't he."
"I do get drunk, but I return to normal after a night's sleep."
He's munching on a sausage with a calm face when asked by Henry-sama. He seems to have a hearty appetite too.
"Then, what shall we do?"
"I shall guide you to the main places on the island."
I cast [Skill: Refresh] on the three as they were. Leaving them to Gladys-sama, I set out in the carriage driven by the Head Maid, along with the Count, Henry-sama, and Eleanor-sama.
On the island, there is a highway that circles near the coast. The inlet is in the southwest, and apparently only that part requires passing through a road carved into a mountain pass. If we actually circle with the special carriage, it takes exactly one day, so it should be just right.
"Are there no ancient ruins or legends associated with them on this island?"
Eleanor-sama is running while floating the carriage with [Skill: Favorable Wind]. At first the Count tried to float it, but she said it would interfere with the guiding, so Eleanor-sama is floating it instead. The island is small. Since the population is small, there are probably only a few mid-level mages, let alone high-level ones. Normally they apparently run without floating.
"Only a shrine, perhaps. There is a place that was previously a church... or rather, thought to be a prayer house, but it is a ruin now. No objects like Goddess statues remain."
Apparently King Seldic had already spoken to him, and he had looked through everything. Then, it means it's not here.
"I have lived on this island for over fifteen hundred years. In other words, since before forbidden magic became forbidden magic. However, I had no connection with the Church. Therefore, it is thought that the ruins you seek are not here."
In fact, there was even a time when heroes tried to attack. However, it was prevented by negotiations with the islanders who resolved to resist thoroughly along with the Count.
"But you knew about the magic of light, didn't you?"
"Yes, Bishop Jeanne. There were users on the continent too. Since I was no match for them, I several times pretended to have perished and fled."
I see, so that's why I'm a natural enemy. That wasn't just self-deprecation, but a word based on actual experience.
"How many years did you spend on the continent?"
"Actually, it is less than five hundred years. Of those, I spent about a hundred years living like a rootless weed. I am two thousand and three years old, after all."
He was there for five hundred years? Then he might know a lot of things.
Since I had the chance, I decided to have him teach me about the continent.
The Count came from quite far inland on the continent. At that time, the opposite shore of the continent was in an era where several tribes continued to fight, and there were almost no things that could be called countries in the current sense. To be precise, there were large countries in the south and southeast, and they apparently also formed joint fronts to prevent the invasion of such countries.
The Count was valued as a combat force that used powerful magic. Or so it was supposed to be.
In short, after being used to the limit, he was pursued as a monster by the alliance of lords who feared that power.
Once the invasion of a powerful enemy was pushed back and peace negotiations were concluded, the human lords began power struggles. The Count only wanted to protect the villages he had a pact with at the time.
Such a powerful person who was outside the cooperation became the greatest enemy for other lords. He was thought to be hiding a great ambition. Those with ambition suspect the ambition of others. It's like a liar being wary so they won't be deceived. Once the wariness starts, it's over. All the surrounding lords became enemies. At that time, magic could be used even on the continent. Even as a Vampire, he was not invincible. If he left the village, they wouldn't lay a hand on the villagers. If he didn't leave, they wouldn't stop until they won. In such negotiations, eventually even some among the villagers gave up.
"In those days, I was exhausted from war after war, and I was thinking only of wanting to live in a place where I could find peace. So, I spoke with the representatives of the villagers and decided to leave the village."
It must have been very difficult. A B-rank said he was exhausted.
"In those days, were there many fellow Vampires or monsters?"
"Not really. Compared to this island now, they had decreased considerably."
"I hear there are no monsters now."
"So it seems. Starting with dragons, monsters with high subjugation ranks were gradually subjugated and decreased, and along with that, other monsters like magical beasts also decreased in number. I do not know if it is linked, but magic gradually became unusable. When magic cannot be used, people fall into distress. However, it seems they have somehow overcome that."
Is it what the Elf Prince called 'science'? However, I heard that because fire magic cannot be used, charcoal is needed in large quantities, and trees are being cut down with enough momentum to make forests disappear. Famine, war, the spread of plague; the degree of damage is apparently beyond comparison to the island. I wonder if it can really be said they have overcome it.
"Do you understand why I crossed to this island, Bishop Jeanne?"
"Is it because magic could be used?"
"That too. However, it is because I heard that they respect spirits and co-exist with them. There are several Vampires, and they live peacefully under pacts with villagers. And, more than anything, other lords do not attack the villages protected by Vampires. I heard that such, in a sense, ambiguous regions still remained on the White Island. That is why I aimed for the White Island."
During his wandering, he considerably refrained from drinking blood so as not to be made a subjugation target. As a result, he used up his power to jump across the strait and apparently reached this island as if falling, just before the main island. It was a coincidence.
"It seems it was correct, in the end."
"Indeed. Fortunately, the religion of this island has many parts that resemble those of my homeland. It is polytheistic, values spirits, and values nature itself like forests and lakes. They also revere the War God, who is one of the gods, and to fight bravely. The teachings of the Goddess's co-existence and co-prosperity reside in the spirits of the devout islanders, and they accepted even someone like me. I have nothing but gratitude for the people of the island."
The strong protect the weak, and the weak support the strong. Isn't it an ideal co-existence and co-prosperity? And that actually exists in Engrio. Everyone living on the White Island should follow this example.
"It is admirable."
I think so from the bottom of my heart.
"What are you saying, Bishop Jeanne. It is Sertoria, which is the Bishop's homeland, that is so. I am a Vampire. That is why it was possible. William-sama, the First King of Sertoria, who was but a human and did not use such powerful magic, was great. While I was desperate to protect this small island, he united the people and even founded a country. And that spirit has been passed down to Henry-sama, Eleanor-sama, and even to the current Majesty and his brother Roberts-sama, has it not?"
I unintentionally looked at Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama, and they were waving their hands with 'no, no, no.'
"I never had the chance to meet William-sama in the end, but a priest who is a user of Light has come from Sertoria along with the heroes. I am expecting much from you."
No, no, no, being treated the same as the First King is more than I deserve. Yes.
However, the First King didn't come to this island. That's why he couldn't subjugate the monster that came to the island three hundred years ago. Since users of the magic of light are born every two hundred years, I am the first to challenge it. Actually, the responsibility might be heavy.
On the island, there were three main settlements including the port, and each had a shrine.
By a letter-sending magic circle, the representatives of the settlements had been informed that I, a Bishop, was visiting, so everyone was gathered in front of the shrines.
Since there were several people who were injured, I recovered them with [Skill: Heal], and based on the content announced at the meeting for infectious disease countermeasures, I cured those with poor physical condition or illness that could be cured. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on the infectious diseases that prevail in winter, so I showed the medicinal herb list I got from Mary to the Count and told him to buy and prepare them if they are lacking. On that point, the Count had already taken measures and was giving them to the islanders for free, but unfortunately, the types and amounts of medicinal herbs that can be collected on the small island are limited. He was buying expensive medicinal herbs from merchants on the main island. The islanders, not wanting to burden the Count who has little cash income, had apparently been hesitant.
"Bishop. What's written here is the price, right?"
"That's right. Since the Class of 175 has direct trade with the Engrio Royal Family, it's the price in the Engrio Royal Capital."
"As I thought. If I buy from those unscrupulous merchants on the opposite shore, it's a fifty percent markup. Unforgivable, taking advantage of us."
"Please do proceed with trade with us. Since we are purveyors to the Engrio Royal Family, even if there are greedy people, they shouldn't be able to complain. Eventually, they will lower the prices."
"Umu. I shall do so. For those greedy people, I shall eventually have at least one of their ships sunk."
Quite extreme. However, while revenge is fine, the bad ones are a few people including the ringleaders. The crew have nothing to do with it.
"And, let's spread rumors on the opposite shore that the Count is very angry. Right now, King Seldic and the heroes are on this island. When you consider those things together, the effect is tremendous."
As expected of Eleanor of Tactics. On the opposite shore are Beatrix, Mary, and the scout Bonnie. They are good at such things. They will work together with the maids and do it well. The Count also clapped his hands in joy and immediately had the Head Maid send a letter.
After whispering with Eleanor-sama, he chanted some spell. Suddenly, black clouds welled up in the sky and began to head north.
"I won't go as far as causing a storm, but it will be a threat. How is it?"
"Splendid!"
These two are quite ruthless.
After that, I prayed in front of everyone and gave a blessing.
What I understood from visiting the three settlements is that the Count is greatly loved by the islanders. He picked up the children who ran up to him one by one and stroked their heads. The men and women who appeared to be parents walked up and spoke politely, yet familiarly. There was not a trace of a servile atmosphere like that of serfs.
By the way, there were apparently four settlements on the island. Until three hundred years ago. In other words, the settlement of hunters that was on the coast of the southwest inlet was forced to move at the same time the monster appeared.
"That is the inlet."
Looking down from the mountain pass at the edge of the inlet, I saw a small inlet. The inlet, which had a beautiful color that could be called emerald blue, is in the center of the southwest coast of the diamond-shaped island. The island's coastline is a landscape of gravel beaches below cliffs, but suddenly there is a place that is greatly gouged out in a circle toward the interior, as if it were the outer rim of a volcano, and part of that circle is connected to the sea as if cut away. The innermost part surrounded by cliffs is a sandy beach. Previously there was a settlement behind the sandy beach, and nearly a hundred people apparently lived there. A stream also flows in the center of the sandy beach, and to some extent a plain spreads behind it, and beyond that forest can be seen. It's just right for maintaining a settlement. Since the monster appeared, humans have been forced to withdraw from the vicinity of the beach, let alone the plain.
The carriage stopped, and when I went outside, three men came out. They all had quivers on their backs and held bows. Apparently hunters of the forest take turns watching the inlet as corvée. I saw a hut beyond the bushes.
"Good work. Is there any change?"
"No, Count. For now, there are no signs of the Kraken coming out. It probably hasn't grown enough yet."
"I see. I shall introduce them to you as well. I already told you, didn't I. Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama, the former King and Queen of Sertoria, who are the former heroes who will challenge the Kraken subjugation this time. And in my mansion are King Seldic and the three current heroes. Roberts-sama of Sertoria, Roberts-sama's wife Gladys-sama from Medioland, and Bishop Harrison of Regnentes."
"Ah!"
The three showed joy and at the same time knelt on one knee and bowed their heads. Unable to hide their joy, they were smiling and glancing at each other's faces.
"And Bishop Jeanne. The user of the legendary magic of light."
"Magic of light?"
"That's right. The magic that smashes the black mist which is the barrier of the monster of the inlet."
"T-Then, finally..."
"Wait, wait. This time is a preliminary skirmish. We subjugate the Kraken. The real thing is in spring."
"I-Is that so. However, if you subjugate the Kraken for us, it is truly a matter of great gratitude."
Somehow, it became a situation where I absolutely have to defeat it.
With the guidance of the three, we reached a place where the innermost part of the inlet could be seen well. It's on top of a cliff rock.
I peeked out just my head from the shadow of the rock.
On the opposite shore from the lookout, that is, on the east side of the inlet, there is a large hole in the middle of a steep cliff, and waves are washing into it. The inside of the hole is surprisingly deep and has become the habitat of the Kraken. And apparently there is a cave where the monster is at the edge of the sandy beach. That cave's entrance would have no seawater.
"It's nostalgic. Last time too, we peeked like this."
"Umu. That time, we did subjugate the Kraken, but we were blocked by that black mist."
"Yes. We felt quite regretful. Let's definitely get our revenge."
It seems to have become a story of personal grudge, but...
"How did you defeat it last time?"
I ask for reference.
"We made a fishpond on the sandy beach with [Skill: Glaciate] and put many fish in it. When it came out, it was [Skill: Megiddo Fire]. It escaped, but a few days later, its corpse was floating in the sea. Unfortunately it didn't become a profit, but many fish gathered and it became a good catch."
Hmm. The ice field strategy was apparently based on the reflection of that time. This time, they apparently want to avoid having charred scales.