Chapter 63

Rifregon (7)

Late at night, I walked out of the inn and took a light stroll down the street.

Ashel was still keeping watch over Gulpiro's shop, so I was alone.

Though I felt bad for putting her through this, I didn't think it was an overreaction.

Whether it was a tracker from Saintea or a lackey sent by the Tyrant, it wouldn't be strange for either to approach Gulpiro during the remaining time. Even if the possibility was slim, complacency was forbidden.

Did I ever imagine that as soon as I left the Gaithan Harbor, the Grand Mage of the Saintea Royal Family would attack the Harin tribe?

"How much is this?"

"One copper coin, sir."

I bought a snack from the night market.

Thinking I should bring some for Ashel too, I got her share as well.

As I headed to the potion shop, a faint clash of energy caught my heightened senses.

"......?"

I stiffened and hurriedly ran towards the potion shop.

Using spatial leap to avoid the eyes of passersby, I reached the shop. The scene that greeted me was chaos inside, visible through the window, and Ashel standing with a sword in hand.

"Phew......"

What the hell is going on?

Thankfully, I wasn't too late, so I stopped running and entered the shop.

Ashel and Gulpiro looked at me with surprised eyes, startled by my sudden appearance.

"Didn't I tell you to be on guard?"

I said to Gulpiro, then turned my gaze.

A man and a woman in robes.

I tilted my head as I confirmed the woman's face. Rif?

'Why is she here again?'

She was also looking at Ashel and me with a bewildered expression.

【Lv. 63】

The intruder appeared to be the man. He looked like a vampire.

Could he really be from the Tyrant's side?

"What are you, vampire?"

The man didn't respond.

Silent, he only rolled his eyes wildly before suddenly lunging at me. A crimson flame bloomed in the air.

I immediately used Gascalid's blood magic.

The flame subsided and vanished without a trace.

"What, what?"

The man let out a dazed voice.

I unleashed the blood magic I had stolen from him, returning it to him. The blood flower exploded, covering him.

He fell to the ground, clutching his arm, which had been torn off by the explosion, and let out a stifled scream.

"Kyaah......!"

So, this is the kind of ability.

Gascalid's blood magic was practically a perfect counter against vampires.

I approached the fallen man.

"Did the Sixth Lord send you?"

As I asked, I made the blood flower bloom again in my hand, and the man frantically shook his head.

"N-no! I have no connection to the Sixth Lord!"

"Then who?"

"T-that......"

The man hesitated, his face pale.

Come to think of it, there were quite a few vampires from the same hometown as the Sixth Lord in Mahia City.

Some were in the Lord's castle, and some had formed their own organizations, licking the Sixth Lord's boots...... Ah.

'Could it be them?'

Nolheive, the top intelligence organization in the Sixth Lord's territory.

For some reason, I had a hunch it was related to an intelligence organization, so I asked.

"Nolheive?"

"......!"

The man's eyelids trembled.

I was certain my guess was correct and asked Gulpiro.

"Did you know this guy's identity and come here?"

"......Yes. I don't know how he found out."

If I didn't know, I would find out now.

I turned back to the man and asked.

"I'll kill you if you hesitate to answer. How did you know about Gulpiro's existence?"

As I made the flame grow larger, the man hastily spoke.

"I, I just found out by chance! It was purely coincidental!"

"Explain in detail."

The man's explanation was as follows:

The timing of the arrival of the Great Alchemist Gulpiro and the city, the healing of a patient with a terminal illness, and his appearance.

After hearing the explanation, I looked at Gulpiro with a slightly incredulous face.

He also chuckled, finding it absurd.

"Just for that, you were discovered? Tsk......"

Still, I was relieved inside.

If it had really been from the Tyrant's side, I would have been unnecessarily entangled in a troublesome situation.

"So, in the end, you attacked the shop because you coveted the elixir."

I trailed off, looking coldly at the man.

There was no reason to show mercy to someone who had discovered Gulpiro's identity.

The man's face turned even paler, sensing his impending doom.

"Wait, just a moment......!"

The man's entire body was engulfed in flames.

The rough, swirling flames quickly burned him to ashes, leaving no trace.

"Phew, really......"

Gulpiro, who had sighed, spoke to me and Ashel.

"Thank you. Thanks to you two, I survived. It could have been a real disaster."

I nodded and looked at the remaining person.

The woman, who received my gaze, flinched and stepped back.

......So, why is she here?

Curious about the situation, I was about to ask Gulpiro, but he asked me first.

"By the way, how did you do that just now? It looked like you took away the vampire's ability."

I answered simply.

"I did take away his blood magic."

"Hmm...... How is that even possible? It can't be magic, could it be a mystery?"

I didn't bother to explain in detail.

"Y-you took away blood magic?"

At that moment, the woman, who had been silent, spoke in a trembling voice.

Turning my gaze, I saw her staring at me with a dazed expression.

"Is it true that you can take away blood magic? Really?"

"......Yes, but why."

I couldn't finish my sentence.

She suddenly knelt on the ground.

"Please help me, sir. My, my brother has contracted Hemophilia."

"......"

"Since you can take away blood magic, you can cure that disease, right? Right? So please......"

I looked down at her, who was pleading desperately, with a furrowed brow.

Misinterpreting my gaze, she bowed her head to the ground.

"Please, sir...... I'll do anything you want. I'll give you all my wealth. I'll bark like a dog and lick if you want. Please, just my brother......"

"Listen."

I interrupted her.

"I can't cure your brother's disease."

"......"

"This is about taking away blood magic itself, not the ability to heal someone addicted to blood magic."

Hemophilia can only be eradicated when the Tyrant's life is cut off. At least, that's what I know.

Even if I took away the Tyrant's blood magic, there would be no way to cure someone already infected with Hemophilia.

It wasn't a power that could be controlled at will by the Tyrant.

She slowly raised her head and looked at me hopelessly. Her face was filled with despair.

She then turned to Gulpiro in a hurry.

"E-elixir. Elixir, right? Can't the elixir cure my brother? Right? Mr. Pleon......"

"It can't cure it."

Gulpiro shook his head firmly.

"Didn't I tell you what Hemophilia is? Any potion containing even a little magic will only be a deadly poison. Even if it's an elixir."

Her body stiffened like a statue.

After a long while, she muttered.

"......Why?"

Her face was filled with anger and injustice, and she screamed.

"Why, why! Why can't it be done! It's an elixir! It's a miraculous drug that can even revive the dead! So why!"

"......"

"Why can't you cure a simple disease, damn it...... Why do they all say it can't be done...... Why......"

She staggered to her feet.

Then, with unsteady steps, she walked out of the shop, as if she might collapse at any moment.

Neither I, nor Gulpiro, nor Ashel said anything as we watched her leave.

***

After wandering the streets and returning home, Rif hurriedly climbed the stairs at the sound of commotion from the upper floor.

The nurse was holding the convulsing boy, who was vomiting blood. His entire body was covered in dark red veins that seemed about to burst.

"Kerrrr......!"

Rif wrestled with the nurse for a while and finally managed to calm the boy down.

It wasn't until dawn that she called a doctor to examine him.

The doctor, after examining the boy, shook his head and said.

"The limit has been reached. As I've told you before, it's a miracle he's still alive."

"......"

After sending the doctor and the nurse away, Rif remained alone in the room, looking down at her brother, who was breathing heavily.

Her head ached as if it would split.

She held her forehead with both hands and bowed her head deeply. Then she began to sob quietly.

There was no choice left.

***

A huge crowd gathered at the Actifol arena early in the morning.

It was always crowded during matches, but today was especially so.

This was a natural phenomenon.

Because today's match at Actifol was a particularly special one.

The championship match, a rare and exciting event, drew all the spectators with high expectations.

"Finally, she challenged the champion. Will we finally see that girl Rif's head roll today?"

"Haha, who knows. She's a tough one who has survived all her matches with comebacks, even when everyone thought she couldn't win."

"That's true. So, are you betting on Rif?"

"No, I'm still betting on the champion. No matter what, she's not strong enough to beat Gilrock yet."

"What? Haha!"

Gilrock, the impenetrable champion who had won all his matches with overwhelming victories in over ten defenses.

And Rif, who had risen to the position of a 5th-class gladiator faster than anyone in the past few years.

The excitement and heat were already palpable in the stands before the match even began.

The bookies were urging people to place bets, and everyone was loudly predicting the outcome of the match.

"But it seems a bit rushed for her to challenge the champion."

"Isn't it because her brother has Hemophilia? It seems he's in a precarious state and can't be delayed any longer."

"Oh, is that so? Then if she loses this time, her brother will follow her to the grave, hehe."

Almost no one was unaware of Rif's situation, one of the most famous gladiators in Actifol.

She was trying to become the champion to cure her brother's Hemophilia.

Of course, no one in the audience felt sympathy for her.

Her desperation was merely an exciting background that would make her ultimate downfall even more tragic.

In the waiting room, Rif sat motionless in a chair.

She looked down at her tightly clenched fists, her head bowed.

Her mind was strangely calm. No, it was more like it was empty and hollow.

"......"

What, did I expect something new?

From the beginning, there was nowhere to rely on.

I never needed anyone's sympathy or help. I never expected it.

When I entered Actifol and won my first match with all my might, didn't I make a vow?

To become the champion and cure my brother no matter what......

"Come out. It's time to enter."

Now, that final moment was approaching.

At the soldier's words, Rif stood up and drew her sword from her waist.

Walking through the long, dark corridor and passing through the open iron gate, she saw the blue sky and the stands filled with spectators.

Waaaaa!

The revolting cheers filled with anticipation and excitement echoed.

Rif lifted her head.

At the highest point of the arena, she saw the Sixth Lord, his chin resting on the armrest of his chair.

- ...And now, the current champion, Gilrock, enters!

She lowered her gaze and watched the iron gate on the opposite side slowly rise.

Her eyes, fixed on Gilrock as he walked into the arena, were filled with murderous intent.