Late awakening (5)
Late at night, Vivi ran around the palace hunting grounds like a madman.
"Haa, haal"
She could no longer feel Baba's energy that had been stuck to him and would not come off.
Only then did she hide behind a large tree and tie up her severed arm with the hem of her skirt.
"Ugh!"
Her teeth clenched in excruciating pain. Vivi held her breath and waited for the pain to go away.
"Whoa, shit..."
She had been avoiding Baba and hiding in the Third Prince's palace the whole time, but she was eventually caught.
It was impossible to defeat Baba in a head-on fight. Vivi was only able to escape after giving her left arm to Baba's sword.
"I won."
Although she was second in skill, she was considered the best in the guild when it came to hiding her presence.
The moment Vivi smiled, revealing her blood-soaked teeth, someone fell from the tree.
Vivi let out a curse at the sight of Baba landing without a sound.
"You could have just cut off an arm! Oh, stop following me! Persistent men are unattractive!"
"Wouldn't a man who gives up haIfway be less attractive?"
Baba approached slowly, his sword tip down. He seemed vulnerable, but Vivi knew it.
The moment she moves even a little, the tip of that sword will aim for her heart.
"How did you know I was hiding in Oslo's palace?"
"The only place in the palace that is off-limits is the Third Prince's palace."
"However?"
In anticipation of the Tragos trip, Oslo's palace was under strict control.
The knights surrounded the entire palace, so no one could enter or leave, to prevent any chance of Oslo's escape.
"The fact that no one can approach means it's a perfect place to hide."
"Oh, I see."
Vivi laughed hollowly.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Yes."
"For that woman?"
"No, for me."
As Baba said that, he smiled faintly, and Vivi snorted.
"Everything is good, but just know this. That woman is pretending not to see you right now."
"However?"
“But, what?”
"What does that have to do with me? I didn't choose her as my master because she's the guardian."
The first reason Baba took Millenia as his master was purely out of curiosity.
But at some point, it became difficult to distinguish between fun and Millenia. It's fun when there's Millenia, and he doesn't like it when there's not.
It was right to remove any obstacles that were hindering this formula.
"You threatened my master, so you are to die to me. Simple, right?"
"..."
"Let's finish this quickly. We need to kill you and return to the master."
"Baba in the world is so pretty."
"Yeah, I'll be a good housekeeper."
"That crazy guy."
Baba stabbed Vivi in the chest with his sword as she frowned in annoyance.
"... Ugh!"
The blade that pierced the heart came out through her back. Red blood gushed out from Vivi's mouth.
The life in her eyes quickly faded. The small body that had been leaning against the tree fell to the ground with a thud.
Baba counted to 100 in his head before he drew his sword. He then placed his hand on Vivi's still-warm neck.
There was no pulse at all. Vivi was dead.
"Hmm, if it smells like blood, the master won't like it, right?"
Baba was about to turn around, but instead, he carefully wiped his sword on the hem of Vivi's clothes.
He didn't feel any guilt even though he killed the being he had grown up with his own hands.
He just wants to get back to Millenia quickly.
"I have a place to go back to now. hmm."
Baba hummed a tune as he left the hunting grounds.
After a while.
Something appeared in front of Vivi, who had grown cold.
It looked down at the corpse with an expressionless face, and the blood scattered on the floor was sucked up by its feet.
Soon, its appearance began to change slowly.
His body had shrunk and his hair had grown longer. He looked like a corpse with one arm cut off, but no blood was shed.
It had already completed its transformation, changed into the corpse's clothes, and moved its facial muscles here and there.
The face that had been making a bizarre expression soon split its lips into a long smile.
It was smiling creepily and looked like Vivi's twin...
***
The third Prince's palace.
Oslo, who had been living on alcohol since he was imprisoned in the palace, was very drunk today as well.
The bedroom was littered with bottles of alcohol and trash, and the stench was overwhelming, but no one was there to clean it up, because all the servants who worked in his palace had been reassigned.
Oslo was alone. The only human being who entered the palace was a knight who brought him meals three times a day.
Small footsteps echoed in the quiet space.
Step by step. It leisurely walked around the palace. There was no sense of tension or anything like intruding into a restricted area.
It entered Oslo's bedroom and stood in front of the sofa.
"Get up."
Oslo, who was sprawled out on the sofa, slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the person standing in front of him with bloodshot eyes and let out a sigh.
"It's you."
"Get up."
"Go away."
It tilted its head. Then, without hesitation, it grabbed Oslo by the hair and dragged him down under the sofa.
"Ahh!"
Oslo screamed.
Even though he was drunk, the pain was excruciating. He felt like his scalp was being ripped off.
"Hey, are you crazy? What the hell are you doing!"
"That's why you should have listened to my orders."
"Orders? Ha! Now even you are making fun of me?"
I have nowhere to go, so I'm hiding in my palace!
Oslo jumped up, snatching up the bottle of liquor that was rolling carelessly on the floor, but stopped when he saw its severed arm dangling.
"You... what's wrong with your arm?"
"It was like this from the beginning."
"What are you talking about? I saw you just this morning! Oh... right? Was it yesterday morning? When did I see you last?"
Oslo had been drinking all day, so he couldn't tell what time it was or how much time had passed.
"Ugh my head hurts."
It spoke calmly to Oslo, who was clutching his head.
"I need the Emperor's blood."
What are you talking about now? Are you drunk too?"
"To transform into his form, you need blood. Bring me blood."
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
Am I being drunk and listening to nonsense?
It looked at Oslo, who was not coming to his senses.
"Don't you want to be Emperor?"
" ...What?"
"Bring me the blood of the Emperor. I will make you Emperor."
Oslo's expression finally changed. Oslo, who had been glaring at it with frozen eyes, suddenly hesitated and stepped back.
"You, you're not Vivi. What are you! Who the hell are you that looks like Vivi!"
It split its lips into a grin.
"You're just now realizing this, you stupid human."
"I asked you what it was! A monster? A devil?"
"I am the one who will make you Emperor."
As soon as he spoke, something suddenly extended from its back.
It rose into the air with its four black wings spread out. With each flap of its wings, a pungent venom spread in all directions.
"A, a monster?!"
Oslo remembered the characteristics of monsters he had learned in the past. Among the highest-level monsters, some could transform into human form.
Oslo, his legs giving out, slumped down. Fear belatedly rose in his drunken state.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"You damned stupid human. I said I would make you Emperor."
"Me as emperor...? I, I can become Emperor?"
Oslo, who had been mumbling blankly, opened his eyes wide.
"Oh, how? Is there a way?"
"To transform into a specific human form, you must have the blood of that being. I will transform into the form of the Emperor and hand over the throne to you."
A flame of greed quickly spread across his face, which had been consumed by fear.
"Why me? There is another person who is qualified to be the successor besides me."
"Your greed brought me here. Decide."
No matter how much the situation leans toward Kalot, the decision-making power lies with the Emperоr.
If the Emperor hands over the throne to Oslo, what will Kalit do? He will have no choice but to follow.
Oslo burst into laughter with a face full of joy.
"Hahaha! Keuhahaha!"
Yes, what if it were a demon? I would kiss the devil's feet if he would just pull me out of this pit.
'But if anyone notices...'
Oslo looked closely at the monster.
'It looks like Vivi.'
He only noticed it because the way he spoke was different, and if the monster had kept its mouth shut until the end, he wouldn't have even suspected it.
"Your appearance is the same, but your speech is so different. Even if you turn into my Father, someone will know that you are fake."
"You tell me."
"Yes. Now, let's talk about the price. If you want my life, then it's difficult."
"What value is there in a life like yours? Become the Emperor and start a war of conquest. That is the price."
"... So you wish to dye this world in blood."
The war of conquest was also Oslo's dream. Of course, the intentions were different, but in any case, the monster's and his own goals were the same.
How could I be this lucky? Oslo's eyes were filled with joy.
"I can't do it alone. My situation right now isn't that great... I need you to help me."
The monster, which had been silent for a moment, answered.
"I, Sanguiopadui, have reached a contract with Oslo Royal Antiete."
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