Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

146 – The Third Stratum – The Realm of Vampires and Underlings Part 1

Let us go back to the time before the third stratum battle began.

In the Link Room.

The people under the Vampire Queen Carmilla, her subordinates, gathered.

In other words, the pigs and I.

「Tonight, the vile villains who dare tread on our realm are no mere Adventurers. One could say that they could defeat us all single-handedly, Hero or not.」

As expected of Vampires, none were frightened by my words.

「I would tell you to be careful…but that will not simply ease your mind. So instead, I shall hold food in front of your snouts.」

Haagenti twitched in response. She was clearly excited and fidgeting.

「In accordance to your actions, I shall give out rewards.」

「YAHOO!」

Like a child, Haagenti jumps up and down.

The others were trying to remain calm, but they couldn’t seem to contain their excitement.

「If by some miracle, one of you manages to take down a Hero…hmm, yes, so long as it is within the boundaries of a superior-subordinate relationship, I shall respond to any request.」

The Link Room became noisy.

I stamp my heel on the floor and they immediately quieted down.

「S-sister…no, Lady Carmilla. W-would it be alright to request for a…a duo suck?」

The place became noisy once again.

Duo suck.

This refers to the action where two Vampires mutually suck each other’s blood.

In the past, Vampires did not attack Humans because they liked the taste.

It was just that they were the most numerous and individually weaker, yet have more Magical Energy than other animals, which made them tasty prey in a different way.

If possible, we would rather suck a Majin or a Hero. To relish the taste of their exceptional Magical Energy.

Which means it does not matter if we are from the same race. We are Vampires, a race said to be a transcendent of Humans.

However, hunting the same race is many times harder than hunting Humans, also they can sense those of the same race and avoid them, there’s also a rule against Vampires from sucking their relatives in order to preserve order, and various other reasons make it a rare occurrence.

However, what’s delicious is delicious. Its delicacy is without a doubt.

So, someone, somewhere, somehow, tried it. Sucking each other at the same time.

Vampires give supreme pleasure to other bloodsuckers.

The feeling of getting sucked is amazing.

Also, those who eat something delicious experience a sense of euphoria.

Vampires who suck each other simultaneously will both experience euphoria together.

An extreme sense of pleasure and satisfaction will overrun your mind.

Haagenti is asking if I will grant that.

「Do you think that my fangs are worth that of a Hero’s life?」

「…! O-of course not…! Please pardon me, Lady Carmilla!」

I don’t really mind giving such a reward for defeating a Hero, but I simply did not wish to suck anyone else’s blood but Lem’s.

That said, it’s probably not good to shoot down a subordinate’s request just after saying that I would give them a reward.

「But yes, if you so desire it, I am willing to give you my blood.」

Haagenti fell to her knees. She wiped off her drool and continued.

「slurp…that’s too amazing… I-I suppose directly sucking it is…out of the question. Then, let your blood drip on your foot so that I may please lick it off of it…」

Is this girl alright in the head?　

That is what I think, slightly worried, but it honestly isn’t enough to put me off.

I, too, say embarrassing things to Lem when I feel an intense desire to suck blood.

To Vampires, the desire for the blood of someone you like is fearsome.

In her case, it is slightly strange how she can express to her partner, reflecting her sexual preference, without hesitating.

I guess it’s acceptable, considering how good she is. Yes.

「If you are able to defeat a Hero, I’ll think about it.」

「…!!」

Haagenti’s body trembled in anticipation.

「Fu…fufufu…FUHAHAHA! Thank you, Lady Carmilla! On our pride as Vampires, we will bring you victory!」

Almost in concert, the other pigs begin to squeal.

「If she’ll give her blood for a Hero…I wonder what reward she’ll give for the other Adventurers?」「I…I want her to sit on me like a chair.」「Then I’ll be the footstool.」「…! You… that’s…?!」「Getting physical is for amateurs… I shall ask her to allow me…to stare at her eyes beneath her mask.」「…! What are you doing with your hands…!」

These guys are hopeless, but not all Vampires are like this.

Ever since the incident at my previous workplace and the case where Lem saved me, I could not wipe away the unpleasant feelings I had toward men other than Lem and may have trained my subordinates rather harshly.

As a result, they became like this before I realized it.

The other Vampire girls, other than Haagenti, are normal…I think.

I feel like I’m getting a lot of passionate looks and swoony eyes, but that’s normal.

As long as morale is high and there are no problems with leadership, it should be fine.

「Now then, go forth.」

I send out my subordinates, and I head towards the night building where I shall await my enemies.

◇

Is it just me or are the Vampires moving better than usual?

Like…they’re overflowing with motivation.

That said, the Adventurers are full of people that can’t be dealt with by ordinary means.

Like the Scathach party for example.

The threads released from the Weaving Magician Theo’s ten ring-type Magic Tool entangles the enemy and cuts them into small pieces.

But the Vampires are just barely able to turn their bodies into mist to get out of the strings.

The Faceless Archer Suuri used his Godspeed to pierce the vital organs of a few of them while the Far-Reaching Swordsman Hamill used his sword-type Magic Tool to cut the Vampires in two with his flying slashes, but they immediately regenerate and keep moving.

The Thunder Hero Scathach used a lightning attack to fry a flock of bats dancing in the air while stabbing the approaching Vampires in the chest with his lighting Holy Sword and cut off the part where the Magical Energy organ is on his electrified foes.

Those that receive that kind of damage cannot regenerate and are defeated, turning into Magical Energy particles.

「The Vampire’s regeneration is nothing more than a powerful cure technique! If you crush their head and Magical Energy organ at the same time, they are finished.」

If the head is left intact, the Magical Energy flowing into the body from the Magical Energy organ, or perhaps because the Avatar is made of Magical Energy, allows them to survive.

Even if the head is crushed, it’s possible that the magic that was prepared beforehand is cast as is, beginning the regeneration.

However, if both were to be crushed at the same time, then there is nothing they can do.

What Scathach said is correct, but with the physical capabilities of Vampires, this would be extremely difficult to achieve.

There are three Vampire-specific Jobs.

Blood Manipulators, those that specialize in manipulating blood. Carmilla and Haagenti are both Blood Manipulators.

Shapeshifter, those that specialize in body transformations.

Semi-Immortal, those that specialize in regeneration.

Scathach’s method for defeating them may have gone well this time, but they won’t all go this well.

There are those who can use their shapeshifting ability to shift the location of their Magical Energy organ.

Even Suuri, who never misses, hasn’t been able to take down an enemy, which shows just how troublesome they can be.

Among the allies who heard Scathach, there were two kinds of responses.

The first were people who put what he said into practice.

And the other…are people who stuck to their own methods.

「Hah! Hyaah!」

A Vampire turned into mist to avoid the Rock Crushing Martial Artist Amelia’s fists.

Behind the Vampire was a tree and…it was smashed to bits.

The large tree came crashing down.

「Stand still, Vampire!」

She chased her enemy around, enjoying every minute of it. Occasionally, she would grab a bat, crush it in her hand and toss it aside. Even if she’s bitten a little, it’s just crush, toss, crush, toss, without a care in the world. Exciting.

Her exceptional punching power…isn’t real.