The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology. - Chapter 59: The One to Fall Victim to the Child and the Schemer.

The One to Fall Victim to the Child and the Schemer.

Although she had only drunk a tiny amount – no more than what could gather at the bottom of a cup – Roza took a full thirty minutes to savour Cross’s blood, and by the end, her face radiated pure, unmistakable satisfaction for all to see.

Her cheeks glowed with pride as she wore a triumphant grin.

There was no other way to describe her expression except satisfied.

“Mm, not bad at all. I really am a vampire, huh.”

Perhaps because she had finally engaged in the life-sustaining act of a vampire, Roza spoke with a sense of realization, feeling as though she had regained a vitality she hadn’t even known she had lost.

“You would feel hunger from regular meals alone, after all,” Ellie remarked calmly.

“That’s true. Just because I can’t die doesn’t mean I don’t feel hunger or pain. So, what happens to me now? Since I drank blood, am I going to turn into an adult right away or something?”

She asked the question with a hint of childish excitement, but Ellie averted her gaze slightly.

“…Huh? Wait, wasn’t my lack of growth just due to malnutrition? Shouldn’t this fix it?”

“The malnutrition you’ve suffered until now remains… Besides, this was more of a rehabilitation-level feeding. Yes, you will grow. However…”

“However?” Roza pressed, eyes wide with hope.

“Your species already matures slowly, and on top of that, you’ve been malnourished for centuries… so, well… it will probably be a very gradual process.”

“…Ah, I see. Well, that’s fine, I guess. At least I won’t be left behind by time anymore.”

With a sigh of resignation and a slightly crestfallen expression, Roza muttered her acceptance.

“Anyway, what am I supposed to do now? You’re not seriously going to just leave me here while you and Cross head off with a quick ‘goodbye,’ are you?”

Hearing Roza’s worried question, Ellie turned her eyes to Cross, silently asking for his judgement.

“…Hm? What’s the situation here?” Cross asked, blinking.

“She’s concerned that now her true identity as a vampire has been revealed, she’ll be left behind here without support.”

“I see… Ellie, what do you think we should do?”

“May I handle this?” she asked quietly.

“Of course. Do whatever is best for Roza. I’ll help however I can.”

At Cross’s words, Ellie smiled softly and turned back to Roza.

“First of all, Roza, what is it you wish for? Speak freely of your hopes – forget the word ‘impossible.’”

“…That’s so vague I have no idea what to say,” Roza replied with a wry smile.

“Would you like to continue living in this village?”

“Not particularly. I don’t hate this place; I was born here, and I lived with these people. But I was never close to any of them. Anyone I was close to never came back from the grave. So… to this village, I guess I only feel the same kind of attachment I’d feel toward members of my species. Nothing more.”

“I see. Then… would you be interested in living a life of luxury?”

At those words, Roza’s ears twitched, and a smile spread across her lips.

“Oh…? What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Beautiful clothes and jewels, feasts you’ve never even imagined, a fluffy bed to sink into, and a private room with maids to attend you.”

Her grin widened further, and her eyes gleamed like a predator’s.

“And… what’s the catch?”

Roza understood immediately that nothing came without a price.

Or rather, to be precise, she sensed that Ellie had something to ask of her.

In response, Ellie gave her an equally sharp smile.

“You’re quick to understand. I like that. Now… to make this a win-win situation, shall we have a little… chat?”

Their smiles to each other seemed almost wicked, and watching them, Cross couldn’t help but feel a deepening worry about what lay ahead.

Growth is not something that concerns only the body.

Roza’s heart, too, remained that of a child despite the centuries she had lived.

Pure and selfish, honest and self-centred – Roza retained the mental structure unique to children.

But to say she was innocent and ignorant like a typical child… would be wrong.

She had lived for hundreds of years, and those years had been filled with pain.

She had survived village raids. She had watched beloved monster friends fail to rise from their graves. At worst, she had witnessed entire villages perish, leaving her completely alone.

She buried every villager with her own hands, preparing grave markers for them all, praying they would return someday.

It was a suffocating, terrifying loneliness.

Because of such experiences, Roza could not remain a mere spoiled child.

And so, while her desires remained childlike, she had accumulated knowledge and wisdom – the tools needed to survive.

Ellie, though she showed her natural side in front of Cross, had a deeper nature altogether.

Her greatest talent was not as a spirit, but as a strategist – an ability honed through her life experiences.

Though Aura stood atop all as a terrifying being and the Elders’ Council was a nest of vipers, Ellie possessed political and organisational skills that could rival any of them.

In essence, she and Roza were similar.

Neither wielded obvious physical power; both specialised in achieving their goals through schemes and strategy.

However, despite their cunning natures, their goals themselves were almost endearingly innocent.

Roza longed for delicious food and a fluffy bed – luxuries utterly impossible in her village life.

Ellie simply wanted to fulfil the duties Cross entrusted to her, to achieve results that would make him see her worth, and to show him how dependable she could be.

Indeed, their objectives were innocent and sweet – yet they never hesitated to use any means necessary to achieve them.

***

The mornings of the Demon King Aurafeel began early, and the nights ended late.

Unlike most of the Demon Kings before her, Aura possessed neither overwhelming physical strength nor unparalleled magic.

That said, she was by no means weak.

Her combat ability ranked among the upper echelon of monsters, and her magical prowess was easily among the top ten.

However, as a Demon King, she was considered of lower calibre compared to her predecessors, who had ruled through sheer force alone.

Unlike those who flaunted their power, Aura had seized her throne through politics.

Very few in the country truly understood the terrifying force behind such political might. Most regarded Aura as a gentle, harmless ruler, as meek as she appeared on the outside.

Even among monsters, some believed she was simply a quiet and mild-mannered Demon King.

That misconception was not necessarily a bad thing.

It balanced out the intense negative perceptions held by some, and for Aura, being underestimated was often a blessing.

However, if people forgot her entirely, it would spell disaster.

Her strategies depended on her influence. Without public recognition, they would become meaningless.

That was why Aura governed so benevolently.

She prioritised cultural enrichment and economic growth, creating grand buildings and ensuring the citizens reaped the benefits.

She appeared to prioritise everything at once.

To ensure enemies regretted challenging her, she would ruthlessly crush them and absorb their strengths.

Her policies struck a balance between an appeasing diplomacy and ruthless political machination.

Those two pillars formed the foundation of Aura’s rule as Demon King.

But to rule in such a way required great sacrifice.

Policies that pleased everyone simply did not exist.

Creating them necessitated pushing beyond any reasonable limit.

The result was Aura’s current life.

Her mornings began early, her nights ended late. Sleepless nights were frequent, and eventually, she built a bedroom adjoining her office out of sheer necessity.

Her days were consumed, leaving her with no free time.

And now, on this rare day off…

She did nothing at all.

A completely free day, carved out only by exerting herself far beyond her usual efforts.

Today, Aura allowed herself to simply exist.

She understood this deeply: time itself was the ultimate luxury.

And so, she sat, drinking tea in silence.

No sweets to snack on, no book to read, no music to hear, no conversation to hold.

She simply sipped her tea.

That alone felt more luxurious than anything else.

“Hmm… it’s a bit weak today. Well, I’m sure the second cup will be stronger.”

Murmuring to herself, she tipped the cup to her lips.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

Aura set her tea down with a wry smile.

Urgent matters interrupting her rest – it was, unfortunately, an all too common occurrence.

“Come in.”

To her mild surprise, it was not one of her maids or aides who entered, but Mercurius herself, silver hair gleaming as she bowed deeply.

“Forgive me for disturbing your rest.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s rare for you to come personally. Did something happen?”

“Yes. Your former master – or perhaps he is still your master? Cross has returned.”

Aura’s eyes widened, concern flickering across her face.

“…That’s quite fast. Was there some trouble?”

“It seems there were some complicated circumstances along the way. I was not told the details, but he asked me to give you this.”

Mercurius handed her a bundle of papers.

“And this is?”

“I have not looked inside, but judging by what I heard, perhaps an adventuring report of sorts.”

“…That sounds interesting.”

“If it’s not confidential, may I read it later as well?”

“Of course.”

Aura flipped through it casually at first, chuckling softly – until suddenly, her hand froze mid-page.

“…What?”

She returned to the beginning, this time reading carefully, eyes scanning each word as though burning them into her mind.

After reading it thoroughly, several times over, she buried her face in her hands and let out a strangled cry.

“…My lady? Is it… something confidential?”

Mercurius asked gently, and Aura handed her the documents with a resigned sigh.

“You may read it.”

With that, Aura slumped into her chair, burying her head against the table.

That Cross would get caught up in an incident while travelling on foot was rare enough.

That it would involve a large-scale attack on a village near Aura’s own territory was almost unthinkable.

Resolving the crisis, then staying behind to aid the village – that was so like Cross that Aura could only smile fondly.

Up to that point, everything was fine.

The problem lay in what came next.

During support activities for the village, we discovered a Pureblood vampire. It seems to be an atavistic return from mixed vampire lineages.

She could not comprehend it at all.

And yet, the report continued:

At her own request, this Pureblood wishes to be placed under your protection, Lady Aura. Given her unique status, she is not well integrated in the village and feels isolated. I recommend arranging for her to meet other Purebloods as soon as possible.

Finally, if there is any reward or merit to be gained from this, my master wishes for her birthplace to be formally recognised as an official village, allowing its people to live normal lives.

Signed by Ellie, Sage Knight.

Aura understood immediately that Ellie was not sending this just to inform her.

She was offering a deal, almost a threat in its subtlety:

You want the prestige of discovering a Pureblood, don’t you, Lady Demon King? I’m willing to give it to you. So listen to what Cross asks, alright?

It was, essentially, a mild form of blackmail.

Purebloods – the progenitors of the vampire race.

Their influence was so great that not even a Demon King could afford to cross them lightly. To anger them risked war with their entire kind.

And unlike many proud, troublesome species, vampires were powerful, highly adaptable, and widely admired.

Aura had worked tirelessly to maintain a respectful, balanced relationship with them, but it was only ever an even footing at best.

Most vampires were not even formally citizens of her realm, living in their own independent communities.

For Purebloods, the progenitors among progenitors, to appear… It was an event of unimaginable significance.

They were so long-lived that their hearts, not their bodies, wore down first, making them cautious and easily offended.

Even a slight insult to a Pureblood could escalate to a war with the entire vampire race.

But they shared one universal trait:

They were incredibly loving toward their own.

If one was accused of a crime, they would all protect them.

If one became Aura’s supporter, they all would.

If one became her enemy, so too would they all.

That was how they were.

If a new Pureblood had truly been born after centuries without a single addition to their number – indeed, with three lost in recent times – it would send shockwaves through their entire kind.

They would flock to this new child with all the joy of doting grandparents eager to meet their grandchild.

Aura could see this future clearly.

And alongside that love, they would extend their gratitude to the one who protected her.

To Aura herself.

It was an unmissable political advantage.

And Ellie knew it.

She was offering Aura a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity… in exchange for making one small village official and providing proper support.

Aura understood that Ellie had calculated her limits perfectly, demanding just enough to remain achievable.

In the end, she accepted what she already knew to be true.

There was no other choice – neither for the sake of emotion, nor friendship, nor national governance.

But even so… even so…

“Ah… There goes my sleep for the next month…”

She let out a dry, defeated laugh.

Contacting the Purebloods, investigating Roza’s wishes, formalising the village’s status – it would all take at least two weeks, perhaps an entire month of sleepless nights.

Her precious day off had vanished, and with it, any hope of rest for the foreseeable future.

Despite the immense benefit it brought her, Aura could not help but feel a little crushed.

“I understand how you feel,” Mercurius said softly.

“If you really do, then how about helping me with it?”

“If that is your command, I shall obey… but are you sure you wish to send me?”

After a moment of thought, Aura shook her head.

Sending one of the top dragonkin to negotiate village reforms or contact Purebloods would be foolish at best, easily mistaken for intimidation or conquest.

“…Never mind. As usual, please watch over the castle, and keep an eye on Cross during his stay here.”

“Understood. I shall take my leave.”

Mercurius saluted sharply and exited the room.

“Laa laa laa…”

Alone again, Aura tried to hum a little tune to lift her spirits.

But it only served to sink her mood even deeper.