Chapter 20

Before leaving,

I realized that I hadn't read many books in my life.

Instead of reading, I would log into Lasa and achieve one more goal or enhance one more item.

If I hadn't been so obsessed with the game, would I have avoided this kind of mess? It's hard to say.

...My thoughts wandered for a moment, but the reason I suddenly had these thoughts was because of what I was doing now.

"Hmm."

I closed the book I was reading.

On one side of the desk, a pile of old books, all related to vampires, was stacked.

My daily routine in the current castle was a repetition of looking at maps and reading books.

This was the opposite of the time I spent only writing with a pen to transfer all the information in my head to the Grand Castle.

I was reading these books to look into information about vampires...

'There isn't much information on them since they are a rare species.'

Like the White Moon Clan of Ashel, minor and rare species mostly live secluded in the depths of nature.

Moreover, vampires are one of the most negatively perceived species among the many in this world.

Because of this, they have been almost completely ostracized for a long time, making it even harder to find information.

There weren't many stories related to vampires in the game either.

'Mysterious as they are, if I could use blood magic, it would synergize incredibly with my instant kill ability...'

The reason I was so fixated on vampires was because of their racial trait, 'blood magic.'

While each individual has unique abilities, the common ability of blood magic is the ability to manipulate blood as if by telekinesis, which all vampires can use.

No matter how I thought about it, there was no better way to maximize the efficiency of my instant kill ability than to obtain blood magic.

There is a way, but...

The problem is that to do so, I would have to go to the 'Elrod Forest,' one of the places where vampires hide.

'It would be a complete suicide mission.'

In this world, vampires are not all blood-sucking creatures.

Vampires are divided into tribes, and some tribes live well without drinking the blood of other species.

However, because of the others, even the peaceful tribes are persecuted and ostracized.

Therefore, the peaceful tribes, who have been treated unfairly, have a deep-seated hostility towards other species.

Elrod Forest is a place where peaceful vampire tribes live, but if I, a human, were to go there, it wouldn't be strange to be attacked immediately.

'It's not easy, not easy at all.'

It's not easy to make a decision.

I had roughly decided the order in which to obtain other mysteries.

But after discovering a new way to use my instant kill ability and considering blood magic, I was now debating whether to stop by Elrod Forest.

If I only went with Ashel, it would likely end in a massacre.

'But if I mobilize the troops of the Lord's Order, it would be too much of a hassle.'

It would be like declaring war.

Even if they are peaceful tribes, vampires are a rather aggressive species and have a lot of hostility towards other species.

If I led an army to Elrod Forest, they might resist to the end, no matter what kind of coercion I used.

'If that happens, I would become a mass murderer who wiped out a tribe just to obtain blood magic.'

Moreover, Elrod Forest is located in another Lord's Order, so it would be difficult to lead an army there.

The reason I hired a guard like Ashel is that I can't lead an army around other Lord's Orders.

I sank into my chair and let out a long breath. Then I shifted my thoughts.

A way to use my instant kill ability more effectively at a distance without blood magic.

I almost died when I met Belvago on the Luthus Mountains to obtain the mystery of rapid regeneration.

While searching for other mysteries, I would have to travel all over Caldric, and I could encounter unexpected dangers at any time, even ones Ashel couldn't handle.

It wouldn't hurt to have a way to use my instant kill ability more efficiently in such situations.

'Distance attack.'

One way is to just wound the enemy and make them bleed.

However, this can only fly a few meters, so it's questionable whether it can be called a distance attack.

In a world full of all kinds of monsters, if an enemy enters a few meters to attack me, I would likely die before I could do anything.

Another method is to coat something with blood and throw it.

For example, coating an arrowhead with blood and shooting it.

Thinking about it, this seems to be the best option.

But of course, I don't know how to shoot a bow.

'If I don't know, I can learn.'

Anyway, the high probability of encountering dangers like Belvago while searching for mysteries is a giant monster.

Such large creatures can be hit even with poor archery skills.

I don't want to waste time, but it wouldn't hurt to learn the basics.

And with the mystery of rapid regeneration, I have plenty of stamina to practice without rest.

'Should I learn a bit?'

I got up from my seat.

It would be a bit awkward to ask the other knights in the castle to teach me.

There was only one suitable person.

***

"Archery... Is that what you mean?"

Ashel, who was guarding the door, asked the Seventh Lord, who had suddenly come out of the room with an unexpected request.

He nodded and asked,

"Can't you shoot?"

"......No, I can."

"Then let's go to the training ground."

She looked at the Seventh Lord, who was calmly speaking, with a slightly confused expression.

This unpredictable lord, who had acted strangely even on the Luthus Mountains, was now trying to do something odd again.

Archery... Why would he suddenly ask me to teach him how to shoot a bow?

Seeing her puzzled expression, the Seventh Lord said,

"I just suddenly became interested."

Ashel couldn't ask anything more and had no choice but to follow the Seventh Lord.

The two moved to a large private training ground located underground.

The butler, Floto, had prepared the bow, arrows, and target.

The Seventh Lord and Ashel each held a bow and stood side by side, maintaining a distance from the target.

"Let's see you shoot first."

At the Seventh Lord's words, Ashel immediately nocked an arrow and shot it at the target.

Whizz!

The arrow flew with good momentum and hit the exact center of the target.

He nodded and said,

"Now teach me."

"......"

Ashel, unsure where to start, asked,

"Do you not know how to shoot at all?"

"Yes."

"......Then let's start with the stance."

She told him to nock an arrow and draw the string.

The Seventh Lord nocked an arrow and drew the string slightly, but his form was terrible.

"You're dropping your right shoulder too much. And the hand holding the arrow is......"

Following Ashel's instructions, he gradually adjusted his stance.

"......Aim at the target as I just said, and now shoot."

The Seventh Lord released the string.

The arrow flew poorly and fell to the ground without even reaching the target.

Ashel said,

"Your stance was off when you released the arrow."

"Let me try again."

The Seventh Lord continued to shoot arrows, and Ashel watched from the side, pointing out what was wrong.

About half an hour passed.

The Seventh Lord still hadn't hit the target, which was only thirty steps away.

"......"

Ashel, with a slightly stiff expression, looked at the arrows stuck in the floor and walls, then turned her gaze back to the Seventh Lord.

Whizz!

The arrow flew and, as usual, hit the wall next to the target.

"You're still making the same mistake."

The Seventh Lord was repeatedly making the same mistake, which she had already pointed out nearly ten times. It was as if he had no sense of movement at all.

The Seventh Lord lowered his bow and turned to her, asking,

"Are you angry?"

"......No."

"Your voice sounds a bit stiff. You are angry."

"I'm not."

The Seventh Lord shook his head and said,

"How about I let you correct my stance directly?"

He meant to physically adjust his stance.

Ashel hesitated for a moment before stepping closer.

Is it a big deal to touch the lord's body now? I even carried him on the Luthus Mountains.

"Keep your shoulders like this......"

As Ashel touched various parts of the Seventh Lord's body, she felt anew that his body was completely untrained and soft, as if it would break with a light touch.

......The image of the Seventh Lord defeating the giant monster snake on the mountains suddenly flashed in her mind.

What was the source of the extraordinary strength he had shown?

From the Fourth Lord, the Undead King, she had felt a deep, indescribable chill.

But the Seventh Lord, on the contrary, gave her no sense of anything, making it impossible for Ashel to gauge him by any standard. Could this frail body be just a meaningless shell to him......

Whizz!

The Seventh Lord, with his stance corrected, finally hit the target for the first time.

He looked a bit satisfied.

"I'm starting to get the hang of it."

As he said, he shot a few more arrows, all hitting the target, and then finished the practice.