kscans

Chapter 28 - The Clan Management Committee and the Vampire

Hayato, who had fallen face-first, rolled onto his back and looked at his foot.

It wasn't that he had tripped over something, the sensation was clearly that of his ankle being grabbed. And he was right. A hand was sticking out of the ash, gripping his ankle.

"What!? A hand!? A monster!?"

Hayato was confused. Between the voice he had heard earlier and this, he understood that something was wrong with the ash, but his mind was in such a panic that he couldn’t think straight.

Just then, the door at the base entrance behind Hayato opened.

"You are being loud. Anyone who disturbs my snack time will be destro… What are you doing, Master? By the way, you went to see Ney-san about trading the base, didn’t you? The ownership of the base hasn’t changed, was there a problem?"

"Before that, don’t you think there’s a problem with my foot?"

Hayato, who had regained his composure thanks to Esha’s completely calm words, urged her to look at his feet. Esha confirmed that a hand was coming out of the ash and grabbing Hayato’s ankle, and her face soured just a little.

"So I didn’t finish him off. Well then, I shall shoot him one more time."

Esha said this and drew her gun. She then took aim at the hand emerging from the ash.

"If you do that, you’ll hit my foot too, right? Besides, do you even know what this is?"

"Yes, it is the remains of a vampire. He came to visit a short while ago, so I shot him. I figured we were moving bases anyway, so it would be fine to just leave the ash there."

A vampire. A humanoid monster known for sucking the blood of living people. They are stronger than ordinary humans, but they also have many weaknesses, and the threat they pose changes depending on the situation, so they are both hunted and hunters.

"W, wait. I am not a monster. I am from the Clan Management Committee, please help me."

"All monsters say that."

"No, if you think about it, monsters don’t talk. Let’s hear him out properly."

Esha looked slightly displeased, but she moved the muzzle of her gun away from the hand in the ash. After confirming this, Hayato spoke to the pile of ash.

"Um, are you from the Clan Management Committee?"

Hayato didn’t know much about the Clan Management Committee himself. He had heard that it was composed of members appointed by the organization that runs the clans, but their specific activities were not widely known.

"This is the base of the clan ‘Daedalus,’ is it not?"

"Yes, it is, but what can I do for you?"

"Master. Speaking to a hand growing out of the ground is quite surreal. This is a bother, so let’s just bring the ash inside the base. He will revive if we put him somewhere out of the sun and sprinkle some tomato juice on him."

"Isn’t the trope of vampires liking tomato juice a bit too classic? But if that works, let’s give it a try. Esha, can you bring a broom and dustpan? I’ll gather the ash."

"I do not know where they are. Where can I find them?"

"…You’re a maid, right?"

"Do you not think a maid who does not clean has a certain gap moe appeal?"

"I don’t think a gap in a negative direction is moe… Anyway, the broom and dustpan are in the storage closet next to the stairs, can you get them? And a box to put the ash in, please."

Hayato used the broom and dustpan Esha brought to sweep up the ash and put it in a box. He carried the box inside the base and sprinkled tomato juice on it.

Just as he was wondering if this would really work, the ash quickly formed into a human shape, and a man in aristocratic clothes appeared.

"Well, that was a great help. I’m glad I summoned my last bit of strength to grab your leg. If I had stayed like that, I wouldn’t have been able to revive until nighttime."

Contrary to his appearance, the vampire had a lighthearted way of speaking. His complexion was pale and his combed-over hair was pure white, but he looked to be a man in his early twenties.

"First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mist Argyle. As I said earlier, I am from the Clan Management Committee. I am a vampire, but I have only transcended death through the power of magic, so I am a human, not a monster. Therefore, while I am weak to sunlight, garlic, and crosses, I can endure them if I try hard."

(He’s a vampire, but he’s human… If he transcended death with magic, then it must be that Necromancy thing. I think there was a spell to become an undead.)

Necromancy was a type of magic that allowed one to control undead creatures like zombies and skeletons, but at skill level 100, one could use a spell to become an undead oneself.

However, in that case, there was only one specific way to return to being human. One could only be turned back with the Dispel Curse spell, which could be used with Holy Magic at skill level 100.

Furthermore, Necromancy and Holy Magic were opposing types of magic, so it was impossible to learn both. To become human again, one had no choice but to ask another player. Incidentally, if you went to an NPC church, they would purify you without a second thought.

"Um, that Mist-san, what is your business here? And for that matter, why were you ash?"

"I became ash because that Esha-san over there shot me. Isn’t it terrible to get hit with three Critical Shots at point-blank range?"

"Master, before you look at me like that, please hear my side of the story. Someone came, and it was a vampire. Therefore, shooting him with a gun is the correct course of action. I have done nothing wrong. It can be said that I have been under a lot of stress lately, so I shot him without listening to what he had to say to relieve that stress, but that is a minor detail. And I will report that I feel considerably refreshed."

Hayato decided he couldn't ask about the cause of that stress and decided to move the conversation forward. Since the man named Mist didn't seem particularly angry, Hayato decided to let it go.

"I understand the circumstances of you being ash. Now then, what can I do for you? Oh, before that, please have a seat in that chair over there."

Hayato gestured for Mist to sit. He then placed a coffee on the table.

There was no reception room, but the room just inside the entrance was modeled after a dining hall. Hayato had him sit in the chair closest to the entrance, and Hayato sat across from him with a long table between them. Esha did not sit down, but stood behind Hayato to his right.

After sitting down, Mist glanced around for a moment, said "Oh," and looked at Hayato with a smile. But his expression quickly turned serious.

"Then let me get straight to the point. We have received a report from a certain clan that you did something strange in the Clan War, and I have come to investigate."

Hayato muttered to himself, (Here it comes).

Yesterday, after logging out, he had sent an email to the management about Esha’s Destroy. He asked if that attack power was a bug, and if it was okay that he had used it. He had also inquired about Ren’s Dragon Curse, just in case. They wouldn’t have been able to get the sword back without it, so it would be a problem if they said it was no good, but he confirmed it anyway.

The next morning, an email reply on the matter arrived, but the text was the same as before.

"All actions possible within the game are permissible under the responsibility of the individual."

In other words, it wasn’t a bug. It wasn’t a failure of balance adjustment, it was a feature. However, even if it was a feature, in this game, whether or not you were allowed to use it was another matter entirely. There was a possibility that it would be considered a problem under the in-game rules.

Hayato figured that this man named Mist had come to investigate that.

"What specifically do you mean by ‘something strange’?"

"The clan that filed the report was ‘Goddess of Annihilation,’ the clan Hayato-san fought yesterday. Apparently, a heavily armored warrior was defeated by an attack from the fortress. Furthermore, I have heard that it was powerful enough to defeat the mage that warrior was protecting. The complaint is that some kind of unfair act may have occurred."

Hayato looked at Esha. But Esha stood there with a straight face, showing no particular concern. Seeing her attitude that she had no intention of speaking for herself, Hayato decided to explain to Mist himself.

"That was Esha’s Weapon Skill, Destroy. The opposing clan seems to have called it unfair, but we didn’t do anything strange. Besides, in terms of sheer power, I don’t think it’s that different from Meteor Swarm, do you?"

First, he answered that he had not done anything strange. Then, by comparing it to other spells, he appealed that there was no problem. Although there were differences in activation time and cool down time, he wanted to give the impression that they were similar.

But without needing to do that, Mist seemed to understand perfectly.

"Ah, Esha-san’s Destroy. In that case, it cannot be helped. The opponent must have called it unfair because they had never seen the attack before."

Mist spoke as if he knew of Destroy. Esha’s name was probably famous because she was a member of the previous winning clan, but Hayato wondered if her technique was also famous.

"Could it be that you are also familiar with the technique called Destroy, Mist-san?"

"Yes, well. It is quite famous, after all."

Hayato decided to confirm, just in case. If it wasn’t an unfair move within the game, he intended to have her use it more and more from now on. But just in case, he needed to know why it was famous.

Hayato looked at Mist with a smile.

"I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know about it. I was surprised when it was used in the Clan War. Is it that famous?"

Mist glanced at Esha, who was standing behind Hayato to his right, before shifting his gaze back to Hayato. From where Hayato was, he couldn’t see Esha, but he predicted that Mist was sending a look to Esha, asking if it was okay to talk.

Then Mist smiled slightly before opening his mouth.

"The last Clan War was a tournament, and in the final match, Esha-san used Destroy."

"Ah, so that’s what it is. I actually don’t know anything about the last Clan War. Were people quite surprised at the time?"

"It was amazing. The final was a battle between the clan led by the Hero and the clan led by the Demon Lord, and they were fighting normally in their unawakened states. However, in the middle of the battle, it seemed like they both regained their memories."

(I’m glad I heard the story from Ney. If I had heard this for the first time now, I would have been so surprised the story wouldn’t have sunk in… Wait? Isn’t the conversation getting a bit sidetracked? It’s become a story about the Hero and the Demon Lord? Is that the only reason it was amazing?)

Unaware of Hayato’s confusion, Mist continued his story.

"While they were both declaring themselves as the Hero and the Demon Lord and giving speeches, Esha-san took them both down at once with Destroy. I was shocked."

Hayato was shocked too. Or rather, he was dumbfounded.

"You did that?"

Though Hayato’s words were slightly blaming, Esha was, for some reason, proud.

"It is their fault for talking in the middle of a battle. The Hero and the Demon Lord have nothing to do with me, so I made them both disappear because they were in the way. The Hero took the Demon Lord with him, so he should have no regrets. It is what they call cutting the flesh and the bone."

"That’s the first time I’ve heard that phrase."

"Well, Esha-san’s name became famous because of that. As the first human to defeat both the Hero and the Demon Lord."

"You’re making me blush."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Oops, that story is irrelevant. Well, for that reason, with Esha-san’s Destroy, it is a natural result. I will tell the Clan Management Committee that there was no problem. In fact, the clan that filed the report has a history of dealing with saboteurs in the war before last. If anything, that is more of a problem."

Hayato let out a sigh of relief at Mist’s words.

With the committee’s approval, he could continue to use it from now on. Since it was an act that no current player could imitate, he thought it might attract some jealousy if it got out, but Hayato decided to have her use it more and more to win.

"By the way, Hayato-san, what is the meaning of the clan name ‘Daedalus’?"

"Huh?"

Hayato was momentarily unsure of what he was being asked, as the question came so suddenly after he had felt relieved.

"Ah, I apologize for the suddenness. My work is finished, so I thought we could chat a bit. This question has nothing to do with the committee."

"I see. Um…"

Hayato tried to answer, but he was at a loss for words.

Daedalus was the name of a craftsman from mythology that existed outside the game, that is, in reality. He was using that name, but he didn’t know how to explain it to an NPC.

As Hayato was wondering how to explain, Esha spoke up.

"It is the name of a craftsman from an ancient myth. Do you know it if I say it is the name of the craftsman who built the labyrinth that imprisoned the Minotaur?"

"Ah, I see. I had a feeling I had heard it somewhere… But I see. A craftsman."

(How does she know? Does this game have information about real-world mythology…?)

Hayato was puzzled, but on second thought, this was a world with manga meat, bucket pudding, and even guns. He revised his thinking to assume that various kinds of information existed within the game.

"You are referring to Hayato-san as the craftsman, are you not? I did a little research on the clan and its members, and I heard that Hayato-san’s skills are composed entirely of production skills. Is that why you chose the clan name Daedalus, the name of a craftsman?"

"Well, yes."

Hayato called himself a craftsman who had mastered production skills, so he had chosen a name that reflected that. Also, it was just a name with a nice ring to it.

"Hayato-san. Do you also have Woodworking Skill at 100?"

Woodworking Skill. It was a skill that allowed one to create various things using wood. It was mainly used to make furniture, but one could also create equipment like wooden bows and arrows, and wood shields. However, since wooden equipment was inferior in performance to metal equipment, the majority of players who took Woodworking Skill also took Blacksmithing Skill.

Although it was such an unpopular skill, Hayato of course had Woodworking Skill.

"I have Woodworking Skill at 100, too."

"I knew it. Could it be that all the furniture in this base was made by you, Hayato-san?"

"Yes. I made all of it myself."

"Wonderful! Could it be that you have furnished everything with the highest quality? That is not something easily done. I actually noticed them after I sat down in the chair, and I was inwardly surprised."

Mist’s praise made Hayato feel quite pleased.

Furniture had no special effects. Even if it was placed in the base, it wouldn’t give an advantage in battle or improve stats. It was possible to create boxes that had special effects when opened by setting a trap, but the damage was minimal. Moreover, opening the box didn’t mean you could get the item inside, so there was no reason for a player to open the box. The only use was for playing pranks on clan members.

For these reasons, the common understanding among players was that Woodworking Skill was purely a hobby skill. A player aiming for efficiency would completely discard it. Furthermore, there was no point in increasing the quality of furniture. The shape of the furniture didn't change even if the quality increased, it just added a quality rating of a certain number of stars to the item’s information.

Despite this situation, all the furniture in the base was five stars. This was the result of Hayato’s useless obsession.

Being praised for it made Hayato happy.

"You understand, Mist-san. It’s true that there’s no point in being particular about the interior design, but I think it’s good to have that much peace of mind."

"Yes, I understand. The placement of the furniture in this base is also excellent."

"I cannot quite understand. To be honest, cardboard or mandarin orange boxes would be fine for a desk or chair."

"I feel like I’ll never be able to see eye-to-eye with you, Esha…"

"Now, now. And so, Hayato-san. I actually have a request for you, seeing as you are a craftsman."

Being called a craftsman made Hayato even happier. Even while thinking he was easy to please, he was already in the mood to grant the request.

"What is it? If it’s something I can do, I’ll do it. I’ll expect payment, of course."

"Of course. I would actually like you to make a coffin. A five-star one."

"…A coffin? The kind used to bury the deceased? I believe I heard it was used a long, long time ago."

"Yes, the coffin I was using as a bed has broken. I haven’t been able to sleep well since the coffin changed. It was a four-star coffin before, but lately there aren’t any high-quality ones. And low-quality coffins give me terrible shoulder stiffness, which is a real problem."

"…Wouldn’t it be better to sleep in a bed?"

"Well, I’m a vampire, so I feel more at ease in a coffin. What do you say? I will provide the wood, so would you please make it for me?"

"…Um, I don’t know how to make one."

"Ah, that is fine. I will tell you the materials."

(I don’t want to know.)

Despite thinking this, Hayato accepted the paper from Mist. After reading it, he took out a saw that could be used for Woodworking Skill and used it, confirming that a coffin had been added to the production menu.

"How about it? I believe you should be able to make it now."

"Reluctantly, I can."

"Then please! I’ve been feeling unwell lately due to lack of sleep!"

"You’re not just unwell, you’re an undead, right?"

"An undead who is unwell… This is gap moe. I am learning."

"It’s not moe in the slightest."

While saying this, Hayato was thinking.

If he could make a deal, he could also make him a member of the clan. His next opponent had not been decided yet, so rather than needing someone for a specific countermeasure, he simply wanted to welcome a strong member. His future opponents would be the top clans even among the A-ranks. He wanted to increase his fighting strength even by a little.

Ash and his men were strong, but they didn’t have any special powers. An NPC with some kind of powerful ability like Esha or Ash would add variety to their battles, so Hayato was thinking he wanted to add such a special NPC to the clan. As Ash had said before, there would be problems with coordination and such, but there was nearly a month until the Clan War. All they had to do was have them coordinate with Ash and the others until then.

Hayato looked at Mist in front of him.

(Putting that aside, there’s a fundamental problem. Mist-san belongs to the Clan Management Committee. Is it even possible for him to participate in the Clan War? I should start there. And I don’t know his strength. I know his Necromancy is skill 100 because he’s an undead, but I can’t say for sure if the rest of his skill composition is strong… I’ll just ask him directly.)

"Mist-san, I’d like to ask you something."

"What is it? If you are asking about my height, I am 180, so if you could make it that size. Also, please make it a baroque-style coffin."

"No, that’s not it. Actually, our clan is looking for strong people. If you are strong, Mist-san, and you could join our clan, I’d like to make that a condition of our exchange. You belong to the Clan Management Committee, but is it possible for you to join our clan?"

Mist said "Hmm," and fell into thought. Hayato didn’t know what he was thinking about, but he figured there were various things to consider and waited for an answer. In that situation, it was Esha who spoke.

"Master, are you planning on letting a vampire into the clan? A vampire who sucks the blood of young women? It is dangerous, is it not, when a cute and frail girl like me is in the clan?"

"I can’t relate to the ‘frail’ part at all. Besides, you just took him down, right?"

"So, you agree with the cute part."

"Will you stop setting those traps for me?"

As they were talking, Hayato suddenly realized something.

He noticed that Esha’s mood had improved. At the very least, Esha had been in a clearly bad mood when he left the base. He wondered if shooting Mist had cheered her up a bit, and he thanked the vampire in front of him.

That vampire, Mist, had been looking down in thought, but he turned his face toward Hayato.

"Members of the Clan Management Committee are not permitted to participate in the Clan War."

"I see… That’s a shame."

"However, it is a simple matter of quitting the committee. If I join the clan, you will make me a coffin, correct?"

"That’s if you’re strong, Mist-san. And for that matter, are you quitting the committee for a coffin?"

"I am actually a health nut, so I am very particular about my coffins. A five-star one is worth it."

"A health nut vampire… This is true gap moe…!"

"That’s enough of that."

As Hayato said this, Esha began to speak, saying, "Jokes aside."

"I have never fought Mist-sama, but he is undoubtedly strong. He is one of the Undead Ten, or rather, the leader who organized its members. And I, who defeated that very Mist-sama… You understand, do you not, Master? You could increase the variety of snacks for your capable maid, you know? In fact, I advise you to do so."

(I’ll ignore the second half. But, the Undead Ten… I don’t know what that is, but I think Ney mentioned it? If he’s their leader, then he must be strong. Well, even if he’s a leader, there’s a possibility he’s weak like me, but as long as he’s not a production character, it should be fine… I think.)

"I believe I am quite strong myself. So, what do you say? If you make me a coffin, I will quit the committee and join the clan."

Mist said this, and a smile spread across his bloodless face.