Chapter 5 — Country of Hot Sands
Episode 67 — To the New Continent
～ Part 1 ～
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Nearly one month had passed since he was taken to this ‘castle’.
He was properly given 3 meals a day, a certain degree of freedom was also allowed.
Entertainment supplies that were brought over from the former world such as video games and manga were prepared in large amount, but Kogane Yoshiki didn’t touch those too much. The novel version of those social games he liked so much as well, though he did try picking them up, he just didn’t feel like opening them at all.
Once, he tried requesting retro games that he rarely played before. But those too, were hardly played before he stopped. Utsurogi Kyousuke should’ve especially liked this kind of games, but for Kogane, he still couldn’t quite understand what was good or fun about them.
The time he spent in this castle was reaching a month, which meant about a month had passed since Suou died.
Akeno — with the reason of «Because unlike Suou, I’m poor at keeping secrets», had taught him various things.
The fact that themselves were brought to this world according to the blood clan’s plan. The fact that the Queen of the class — Akai Asuka was a member of that clan. Talks about the factors the blood clan held and about the ‘Filter’. About the ability called Phase 2. About the hierarchy within the blood clan. About the blood clan’s objectives.
And that the one who killed Washio Kouta was Akeno.
That the one who killed Suou was Utsurogi Kyousuke.
When he heard those, Kogane was incapable of processing the information and was only able to return a vague reply. No anger welled up in him, instead, for a short while, he felt something resembling a sense of loss.
Unable to obtain the chance to apologize to that guy, even the chance to meet him was forever gone. At that time, he should’ve grabbed Akeno. However, Kogane didn’t do that, he couldn’t do that. Maybe he himself was unable to accept Washio’s death.
Then, what about Suou’s death. That friend of his had his life taken away by Utsurogi Kyousuke ——— If asked if Kogane could beat him up, then as expected, he couldn’t. That was also related to the fact that Kyousuke was the first friend he got at school.
In the end, the being named Kogane Yoshiki might just be a creature insensitive to life and pains of others.
What woke up actions was that day when it was exactly one month had passed.
Once in a while, Akeno came to see Kogane’s state. But there was no reason to that other than «Because Suou worried about you», the person herself had said so. Although she did formally apologize for killing Washio, but that’s it. Apparently, Akeno herself didn’t like Kogane so much.
But thanks to that Akeno, Kogane had managed to master Phase 2 ability «Spirit Possession». A set of rare species and rare ability. Pawn class vampires would be no match for him. Therefore, as mentioned above, he was allowed some freedom in the ‘castle’.
The reason why Kogane hadn’t been injected with vampire factors yet was because once he turned vampire, it would be necessary for him to regularly take in high elf blood in order to prevent the Blood Crave Illness. High elf was a scarce species with their number greatly reduced, obtaining their blood would be no trivial task.
That is to say, Kogane wasn’t under the King’s domination at the moment. If he tried to escape or rebel, perhaps, it might be possible.
Coming out from his room after a long time, Kogane wandered around the ‘castle’. Where was this base really? He remembered crossing the sea twice, but Kogane didn’t know anything more.
Eventually, Kogane set foot to the room where the ‘King’ slept.
The ‘King’ — with his ragged clothed like body — floated in the giant flask and was barely maintaining his life. In front of the ‘King’‘s flask, a girl sat on a throne was chained and was only allowed to live in order to speak the ‘King’‘s words. That scene was hideous enough that even Kogane who looked at it, had to frown.
There were talking voices coming from the throne. When he looked, two shadows were conversing with the proxy girl.
“…Mu?”
The girl sitting on the throne suddenly raised her hollow face.
Her gaze was directed to Kogane. Kogane slightly bowed.
“The aforementioned high elf? It’s been a long time since I last saw you.”
“…Hello.”
Along with cheap pity toward the girl, he felt a strong disgust toward the King who was making her talk inside the flask.
That we were transferred to this world, and that Washio as well as Suou are dead, if I was to trace its origin, then everything is the fault of this ‘King’, is it not? Such a thought welled up in Kogane.
Of course, if the King didn’t exist, he wouldn’t have acquired the ‘Power of High Elf’ and felt a temporary euphoria, neither would he be able to build a friendly relationship with the pleasant man named Suou. Even deepening his interaction with Washio would be impossible as well.
However, something like feeling gratitude to the Flask King was never going to happen.
“What, are you talking about?”
Since the silence was unpleasant, Kogane asked so and carried his feet toward the flask.
The pair of man and woman standing before the flask quietly clicked their tongue.
“I’m giving upcoming orders to Glen and Sink.”
Borrowing the girl’s mouth, the King answered.
By Glen and Sink he meant the man and woman. The man wore a tuxedo, the woman dressed up in a gothic dress. Their getups might conform to this world, but their looks were Japanese, so they were really stink of cosplaying, so thought Kogane.
At a glance, they were no Pawns. As a general rule, those who acted in two-man-cell were Knight and Bishop.
“Please to meet you for the first time. I am Glen.”
Said the man in a voice that didn’t seem too friendly.
“I am Sink. So you’re the high elf that went through the gate. Did Akeno bring you, I wonder?”
“Yes, well…”
Thereupon, Kogane noticed that even during the conversation, Glen and Sink were always linking hands.
Real-lifers. Go explode, the thought patterns that reflexively thought so still remained in Kogane’s head. Only, the friends that he could say and laugh about that together weren’t here anymore.
“Glen and Sink were recalled from the prolonged northern front just the other day.”
The ‘King’ explained to Kogane.
“In light of Project Gate being delay due to Asuka’s estrangement, it’ll be necessary to change the policy for a little while after this.”
Project Gate. It was the plan to turn Kogane and the others — the students of 2nd year class 4 — into monsters, subdue and add them as subordinates.
From what Akeno told him, they schemed to make about half of the class — including Kogane — to reach Phase 3, thereby they could expect combat ability rivaling Rook and Queen class. Then throw them to the war front in every region, and cut into the center of the Central Empire in one go, or so was the original plan.
However, that plan fell apart with Akai’s betrayal. For the ‘King’‘s resurrection, marching into the Central Empire was indispensable. So he withdrew the vampires that were continuing their skirmishes with the human in every place and was going to change to another strategy.
“Did you know that Rook ‘Scar Red’ returned to the castle after suffering a serious injury in the battle with the Queen?”
Since Glen asked, Kogane shook his head.
The ‘King’ laughed.
“Red is a loyalist. He must have moved while anticipating that result. In fact, one of several results I expected has been brought about now.”
“Expected result, is it?”
“Perhaps, your classmates have been dispersed all over the continent. It’s an intentional teleport incident. Asuka too, must have made a bitter decision in order to repulse Red while not killing them in the aftermath of the clash.”
My classmates, dispersed? All over the continent?
Kogane was shaken. According to Akeno, they were approaching the end of the filter. Did that guy said his classmates were scattered in that state? The situation was too dangerous. If it went badly, they might be individually exterminated or captured.
At this time, Kogane didn’t think anything along the lines of «I can meet them again if they’re captured by the blood clan». If a certain number of classmates were to be gathered, perhaps, the blood clan would start injecting factors to them in order to make them reach Phase 3. In that case, himself, as well everyone else would become unable to oppose the blood clan.
“I have already organize the Pawns centered on Shakkou to start moving to capture the scattered bunch. The order to Glen and Sink is also an extension of that.”
Finally, Kogane’s body stiffened by the tension. That is to say, he could already guessed their objective.
With her expression remained hollow, the girl’s mouth continued to indifferently spin the ‘King’‘s words. His next words were not for Kogane but the two vampires.
“Our war potential expansion have to advance. I’ll now have you two head to the New Continent, but there’s many things that should be done. Proceed as I said.”
“I understand. ‘King’.”
Glen tightly grasp Sink’s hand and said.
“We shall certainly accomplish the decreed command. Never shall we follow the rut like Suou.”
To that word, Kogane frowned slightly. It was because he perceived a nuance like belittling the existence of Suou from Glen’s mouth.
Glen and Sink bowed to the King. They had said that they were heading to the New Continent. The clues to his scattered classmates were probably there. He thought about trying to follow them somehow, but he couldn’t think up a best excuse.
The girl sitting on the throne dejectedly dropped her shoulders, her strings cut, she fell completely silent. As if he didn’t care one bit as to what Kogane’s movement was, the ‘King’ closed his mouth.
To be continued…
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