Prelude I
0.
Dead Apostle Louvre.
A vampire who dwells in Norway who's over 500 years old.
A big aristocrat who is about to succeed the empty 10th spot of the 27 Dead Apostle Ancestors.
The number of sacrifices he extracted blood from: Approximately 5000 lives.
If you include the spread casualties resulted from the infection, several times of that.
An immortal monster whose layer upon layer of diabolical magic is indeed a supreme of the supreme.
The center of such sect is this ancient castle lightened by a red moon.
Normally, the home castle of these Dead Apostles can't be found by human beings.
The magical castle enshrouded by darkness, by shadows, by longing for rationally, and by fear towards the taboo, only shows itself to its guests.
Multiple layers of bounded field; A sanctuary hidden by the strong magical powers.
The invisible protection that fools even nature, is close to the alternate world that fairies live in.
The castle of Dead Apostle Louvre was no exception.
Although not as far as an Ancestor's magical castles, this lake was a castle of delusions that avoided countless armies of heretic hunters.
A proof of an untouchable indestructibility.
Just like how the past 500 years have been, the owner of the castle believed his prosperity will be everlasting.
---like a clown.
Until the night "she" lead her army here to return that history to nothingness.
1.
Numerous shadows surround the ancient castle floating on the lake.
About 50 in numbers. This was the first, and the last time so many people appeared in this demonic territory.
"Right wing troop #3, succeed in breaking into the bounded field base. Left wing leader assistant, completed scouting inside the castle. All, tune in the second hand of the magic circuit. 10, 6, 3, 0 case completed. --Alright, tell the vice commander that it's according to schedule"
The mages that surrounded the lake were all coordinated perfectly. They were like an army instead of mages. A group that disposed of individualism. But in reality, all of them were mages who were in charge of their respective branch.
Therefore, they were known as the "Battalion of Kron".
Naming themselves a "battalion" with just 50 members shouldn't be a bluff but being modest.
"We have all the spell base around the lake under control. 30 minutes to reverse the bounded field. If you wish to eliminate the whole land, we can begin in about an hour."
The vice commander who was in charge of the battalion, waits for his order from the girl next to him.
A perfect victory or a complete annihilation?
Should they proceed into the castle and eliminate the vampires dwelling in the darkness one by one--- or return this whole land to nothingness along with them?
The results were the same, but the latter was the more definite method. Even if they surrounded the old castle and setup a brilliant formation, their enemy was a vampire who lived for hundreds of years. There's a slim chance that they might escape.
Maybe it is overdoing it, but erasing this land from the map is the logical step this battalion should be taking. It took them several years to find this castle. It's pointless if the head of the vampires escapes to a new hideout. But she said...
"We're doing neither. Be ashamed of yourself, vice commander"
and disposed both plans.
It was sinful just to make such foolish thought. This wasn't heretic hunting. It's a pilgrimage to show our dignity. No matter how strong he was, it was intolerable to use followers against a vampire who wasn't even an Ancestor. He was nothing but a pitiful bug that needs to be stomped on by the girl herself for mercifulness.
"Let's begin. All of you secure the outer wall. Do not let any of them escape"
"Lady Barthomeloi, by yourself? But that's..."
The mages of the battalion whole heartedly trusted the girl. They understand that she has the power to annihilate the clan of Louvre while having time to let out a sigh.
But that truth and the method of annihilation was a different story.
The battalion always took the most logical step. It will maybe take half an hour for the girl if she did it alone, but if the whole battalion cooperated, they should be able to accomplish it in half the time. A battle should be won even during its process. Wasn't that the policy of the Barthomelois?
"Do not misunderstand. This is not a trial nor a battle."
Leaving the battalion behind, the girl walked upon the lake.
With one swing of her hand, she destroyed the castle gate that never let any human beings through for hundreds of years.
"It's our duty to play a game at times. Hunting is something that should be done elegantly and with pleasure."
Without moving her eyebrows one bit. With hateful cold eyes the girl marched into the castle.
2.
In the Clock Tower, there's a young queen.
The current head of the renowned Barthomelois. Even though she hasn't arrived at magic, she has the talent to almost reach the level of a miracle with just sorcery. If it was just magical circuits, Lorelei was said to even surpass the school's headmaster.
Although she literally reign supreme over the Clock Tower, she had a bad habit.
No, maybe it wasn't her's, but a problem with all of Barthomelois.
They see vampires as their enemies without exceptions.
Perhaps the hatred without reason could be from the dignity as a human being, or the pride of an aristocrat. The Barthomeloi heads always take the lead in a mission to hunt a Dead Apostles, and just like how it was the natural thing to follow, the girl spent all her time annihilating the Dead Apostles.
To a sickening level. Even if it means neglecting her duty as an assistant director, she has been hunting vampires... vampiric creatures who were classified as Dead Apostles.
Even the girl herself didn't know where that hatred comes from.
That was an obsession greater than any of the Barthomelois in the past, and an emotion that she had no control over.
---------------------------
The main hall of the castle. Her 18th target happened to be the Dead Apostle called Louvre.
The line of events that just took place could be finally labeled as a "sport" compared to the mutts up till now. Although it was no battle, at least she wasn't bored.
"Useless. I've waited till the red moon, and this is it? A human leecher after all. You have wasted your last 500years.
For a Dead Apostle, a night of a red moon is when they reach the height of their strength. Even the mediators of the Church who excels in vampire hunting don't dare to fight under the red moon.
Barthomeloi who tramples upon her enemy, even breaking that taboo.
The Queen - The Supreme Mage of the Present Era, a holy maiden who equals the strength of the 27 Dead Apostle Ancestors by herself.
"...Hmm?"
The whip of the holy maiden makes a slight hesitation. She sensed a powerful aura from the upper floors of the castle. It shared the same color as the Dead Apostle in front of her, yet it was sign of a stronger vampire.
"---P, please help me, Father!"
In that short opening, the girl let Louvre escape.
Even though it was in a critical condition, she was a Dead Apostle living over a hundred years. At least she had some strength left to do that.
"...How rude, to run from me"
Even though she made an unpleasant comment, she swiftly marched after the Dead Apostle that ran away in a frenzy.
Her face looked a bit happier than a moment ago.
1 | 2.
Meanwhile...
"What, you're telling me there was someone else who entered the castle before us?"
The vice commander who was left with the battalion received an unbelievable report.
"So it true? It must be. How did he get in? Inside the body of Louvre's horse? He sneaked in with the carriage?"
Supposedly the intruder entered the castle along with the relatives of Louvre who were invited. Hiding himself within the stomach of the horse pulling the carriage.
It was a typical plan, but horses of Dead Apostles aren't just pets. Being able to control those beasts, he was obviously not a normal human being.
"...But by that method, they would know the moment he entered the castle. Since nothing happened until Barthomeloi went in, Lourve never noticed the intruder. That means..."
That intruder must be the same kind as those Dead Apostles. He's not a mage or a mediator. As long as you are human, you can't deceive the vampires' sense of smell.
In other words... this intruder was all by himself, and even though he's a Dead Apostle, an enemy of Louvre. One "Dead Apostle" knight who fills all of those criteria certainly exists.
"Sent the message to Barthomeloi. The intruder of the castle is a Dead Apostle... and there's a high chance it is one of the 27 Ancestors."
With her powers, it was obvious she would have noticed another guest being there. But she won't know who until she meets him. Even though she could, she doesn't like doing trivial matters such as scouting and searching.
"Why the surprised face? Louvre is a Dead Apostle who is about to succeed the empty 10th spot. It's natural for another Ancestors to pay him a visit. Hurry with the message. If she fools around too much, a fire would lit inside Barthomeloi"
However. It looks like that wasn't the only report the mage brought.
As he tilted his head even further,
"There's... another peculiar finding"
With a spaced out tone that's unfitting for a member of the battalion, he reported a trace of a magecraft that he has never seen before.
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