Volume 5, Chapter 46 – The Reason to Fight

The next day, we were called for another meeting with the Emperor.

This time, it wasn’t in the usual audience chamber, but in a place that looked like a small conference room.

Apparently, he didn’t want anyone unrelated to the matter overhearing.

Only six of us were present: the Emperor, General Lu Fei, myself, Chris-san, Lu-chan, and Shizuku-san.

“Saint. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving Lu Fei. Lu Fei, you should offer your thanks as well.”

“…Tch. I am grateful.”

The General gave me something resembling a thank-you, though he was clearly reluctant.

Well, I didn’t really care, so I decided to just let it slide.

“More importantly, Your Majesty, why didn’t you stop the General? Since you knew the Seven-Star Treasure Dragon Sword is a Holy Sword, you must have known that anyone not chosen by the Holy Sword risks losing their life if they try to force it into their possession, right?”

“That is correct,” the Emperor replied to my question with a composed air.

“Then why?”

“Because I made such an agreement with Lu Fei.”

“A pact?”

“Indeed. When I took him into my service, I promised that if an opportunity to become the wielder of a Holy Sword ever arose, I would ensure he could participate and that I would never stop him.”

“So that’s why you didn’t stop him, even though he almost died.”

“Precisely.”

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“Then why was the General so desperate to be chosen by the Seven-Star Treasure Dragon Sword?”

The General remained silent, his expression grim.

“Lu Fei, speak.”

“…Because I heard that a Holy Sword is the best weapon for exterminating Vampires.”

Wh-what?!

“I have honed my martial arts for the sole purpose of destroying every last Vampire. Vampires slaughtered everyone in my hometown—my entire family. My goal is revenge against those Vampires.”

“…Then, your desire to travel with me is…”

“Correct. “You have already exterminated Vampires in Jinsha. And as the Saint, you likely have many opportunities to fight them. By staying with you, I can fight and kill many more Vampires.”

“…I-I see.”

A cold sweat trickled down my back. If this gets out, I’m definitely getting murdered!

“S-so, who was the Vampire that destroyed the General’s hometown?”

“I don’t know.”

“Eh?”

The General stated it flatly.

“By the time I woke up to the noise in the middle of the night, it was already over. Amidst the burning village, I saw my family killed by Vampires and my friends who had been turned into Vampires. I saw the corpses of the villagers as well.

And then, amidst the flames, I saw the back of a woman with long golden hair.

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There was no such golden-haired woman in my village, so there is no doubt that she was the Vampire who attacked.”

I see. The General has his own reasons, and I sympathize with the loss of his home.

However, as far as I’m concerned, I cannot overlook the idea of exterminating *all* Vampires based on that alone.

“I see. But the one at fault is that golden-haired Vampire who destroyed your village; the other Vampires are innocent, aren’t they?”

“What?! You, the Saint, would defend Vampires?”

“As you can see, I am not human. Therefore, I do not act solely for the sake of humans. Even being a Saint is something I’m only doing because circumstances led me here.”

I pointed to my slightly pointed ears.

“Besides, you mentioned a golden-haired Vampire… Schwarz is also golden-haired, isn’t he?”

“Yes, Fiene-sama. He is,” Chris-san added.

“If that’s the case, there are probably many golden-haired Vampires, so it would be difficult to identify the one who destroyed the General’s village based on that alone.”

“Then I shall simply kill every single one of them! It is a simple solution!”

The General raised his voice, but as expected, our philosophies did not align.

“General, my thoughts remain the same as I stated before. I have no intention of telling you to give up on your revenge, but I do not believe it is justice to involve innocent people. Furthermore, as long as you hold such a mindset, I believe you and I are incompatible.”

“…Tch.”

Hey now, a tongue-click? I honestly don’t understand this man.

“I believe the General’s technique and physical prowess in martial arts are exceptional. However, your heart still seems immature. Why not try sincerely facing someone weaker than yourself, and learn about people’s hearts and compassion?”

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The General looked completely dissatisfied, glaring at me.

“Right, Your Majesty. Since we are departing for the west, why not appoint Yihua-san—sorry, Diao Yihua-san, who has been taking care of us, as the General’s overseer?”

“What! That woman?!”

“Ho. I did not expect Lu Fei to react like that. Very well. I shall have this Diao Yihua handle the financial affairs for the Red Sky General.”

“What! Your Majesty! She is—!”

Good, good. Things were starting to get suspicious, but I managed to avoid mentioning that I’m a Vampire, and my plan to foist the General onto Yihua-san seems to be working. Isn’t this a perfect turn of events?

“Then, we’re all set, right? General, if you take good care of Yihua-san and learn to understand the hearts of the weak, perhaps the Holy Sword will recognize you.”

I tried to wrap up the conversation by making it sound vaguely plausible.

“Wh-gh!”

The General’s face turned bright red.

“May I also say a word?”

Just as it seemed like I was ending things on a good note, Shizuku-san cut in.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

“General, there was a time when I, too, pursued only power, much like you. I did not seek revenge as clearly as you do, but I wished to become strong above all else to escape the fate decided for me from birth.”

“…”

“However, after meeting Fiene-dono, I learned the correct way to use power.”

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Now, I didn’t think I was doing anything that grand.

I mean, normally, if you see someone in front of you who needs help, you help them, right?

“And thanks to Fiene-dono, I was able to break away from the evil customs of the Mieshiro Family that had persisted for generations and look toward the future. However, General, you are still imprisoned by your past.”

“…So what of it! No matter how many platitudes you spout, my family! My home! They aren’t coming back! Therefore! I will! With these hands! Destroy the Vampires!”

The General roared in anger, glaring at Shizuku-san.

“General, let us settle this with a match. With this power I gained thanks to Fiene-dono saving my life, I shall show you that I can defeat you.”

Ignoring the General’s fury and piercing gaze, Shizuku-san gave a fearless smile.

“What?!”

“Eh? Wait a minute. We don’t have to fight—”

“Very well. I shall permit it.”

I tried to stop it, but the Emperor gave his permission.

“I am most grateful. Fiene-dono, please be at ease. I shall surely offer this victory to you.”

“Eeeeh…”

And there goes my hard-won success in the “foisting” operation!

Thus, due to an unexpected muscle-brained moment from Shizuku-san—whom I had trusted to be the sane one—what was supposed to be a discussion of words became a discussion of physical language.