Before I knew it, darkness had fallen over the Union night.Though the day had ended, the heat of the Sports Festival hadn’t cooled yet.Today’s final event: the triathlon.It was the first event to begin ahead of all the others, but paradoxically the last to end.After all, the triathlon is a grueling march of nearly 200 kilometers over more than seven hours.Which meant that much time had passed since I saw Ciel off.In the slightly chilly night air.I was waiting for Ciel at the finish line with Yulina, Bell, and Garfield.Thousands had already gathered at the Meeting Plaza, the finish line.The flags of each academy fluttered in the crowd.Toot-toot-.The blare of party horns and each academy’s chants made the cheers so deafening my ears rang.Since it was the final match of the day, even spectators who hadn’t been around at the start had gathered for the after-party vibe.“Hang in there! Hang in there!”“Fighting!”“Noona! Run~!”Amid the feverish cheers, some contestants appeared over the distant hill.The first to catch the crowd’s eye was, true to everyone’s expectations, the goddess of victory: Freya.“Waaaa!”The moment Freya, in sportswear, came over the hill, a cheer loud enough to shake the area filled the space.A trek that surpassed the limits of the human body—four kilometers of swimming, one hundred eighty kilometers of cycling, and a 42.195-kilometer marathon—completed by Freya.She looked obviously exhausted, but each step she took held some unknown, unprecedented strength.And amid thunderous cheers, Freya crossed the finish line.“7 hours 27 minutes 52 seconds! Freya Gunhild crosses the finish line!”“Waaaa!”The MC’s voice blared, and the cheers with it.Fireworks popped, and glittering particles sparkled.Behind her, I saw a familiar girl’s face.Ciel, who had proudly taken second place ahead of many formidable students.Following Freya, Ciel, too, crossed the finish line and nearly collapsed.Though she hadn’t seized the victory she’d aimed for, second place was honestly a job well done.The triathlon is an arena for monsters—only those among Union students with the best physical abilities participate.Of course, it’s true third-years don’t give it their all since they’re gearing up for next year’s job training, but even considering that, it was an impressive result.At least among her year, the only real rival was Freya.“Waaaaa!”The crowd surged toward Freya after she crossed the finish line.Staff and aides waiting nearby pushed back the wave of spectators to secure Freya’s safety.While everyone’s attention was on her, my group and I approached Ciel, who was on her knees on the ground.“Haa, haa…….”Ciel lay prone, gasping for breath.“Good work.”I handed her the large towel and drink I’d prepared beforehand.“…….”Ciel didn’t even lift her bowed head, much less take what I offered.Maybe it was the long trek wearing her down. Or maybe it was the regret of failing to take first even after going all the way.I couldn’t fully gauge her exact feelings at the moment, and there weren’t many words I could offer.I set a hand on her shoulder and spoke quietly.“If you did your best, that’s enough, Ciel. Lift your head.”“…….”When Ciel stayed silent, Garfield, who’d been standing quietly by me, chimed in.“Uh, His Lordship Loen once told this humble one that if he took even one step forward from yesterday, that was enough. If Lady Ciel could think the same, I believe it would ease your heart.”“…….”Ciel exhaled a soft sigh and spoke in a low voice.“……I didn’t expect to be comforted by you.”“H-huhu.”“Thank you.”She dipped her head, then brushed her eyes and chin with the back of her hand, and took the towel I offered.As Ciel got to her feet, the MC’s shout rang out.“Union Official Triathlon~ The winner of the girls’ division is Ishtal’s Student Council President, Freya Gunhild! Congratulations!”Waaaah-!!“Second place, Ciel Yuraphia. Third place, Adler Bonart. Fourth…….”The MC read the names in order. Fireworks and flames burst amid the feverish cheers.Boom-. Boom-.Supporting Ciel, I lifted my head and looked up at the sky.The first day of the Sports Festival ended with a splendid firework display embroidering the heavens.***After the last event of the day ended.The students dispersed in a festive mood, promising to meet again tomorrow.The heat and presence that had filled the streets slowly faded into the Union night.After escorting the weary-looking Ciel back to the dorm, I did one last patrol with Yulina.To check that the booth area was closing up on time and heading back to the dorms, and that no students were roaming late to misbehave.We walked the quiet streets lit only by lamplight.“What are you doing tomorrow?”“No particular plans. I’ve finished inspecting the booths, so I’m thinking of entering a few side events.”“I’ve got plans tomorrow too, so I’ll be on my own.”“If you don’t fill Ciel’s absence, I’ll assume there’s no information sharing.”“You weren’t planning to tell me anyway.”“True enough.”“Scammer.”Ciel had a few events tomorrow too, and now that Yulina said she had her own schedule, I’d be running solo.As we chatted and shared plans for tomorrow, letting the day’s heat slowly cool—“……!”I suddenly felt a certain aura and froze in place.Step—A chill-inducing aura with a familiar, sticky feel.Looking closely, a drop of blood had fallen on the paving stone up ahead.Sensing something, I warned Yulina in a hard voice.“Wait. Don’t move.”“Why are you being creepy all of a sudden?”Just then, Yulina tilted her head—Sliiide—From that single drop of blood on the ground, something rose up, and with light steps, a woman appeared before us.The moment my eyes took in that woman—so beautiful it stole my breath—a feeling like my blood flowing backward washed over me.It was similar to the ominousness I’d felt encountering Gilean, but more primal fear and baleful energy warned me.Telling me to get away from that thing right now.“…….”But my body didn’t listen.I couldn’t lift even a finger, let alone take a step.Yulina seemed to be in a similar state—standing stock-still like a statue.No. Looking closely, she had no conscious awareness at all.Clouded pupils and an emotionless face. Yulina had been caught in the woman’s suggestion in an instant.Having subdued Yulina, the woman slowly approached me and brought her face close.“So you’re the brat Gilean mentioned?”Black hair spilling over a blood-red dress.Eyes glowing red right before my nose.Pupils slit long and narrow like a reptile’s flashed with a fierce light.I met those eyes and slowly opened my mouth.“……Carmilla.”Carmilla Vampir.One of the Demon God’s Twelve Venerables. The origin of all vampires. The Queen of Night and Blood.She possessed the authority to control all blood, and in practice, anyone below a certain level couldn’t resist her mind-type attacks no matter what they tried.At the sound of her name, Carmilla gave a sweet smile.“My, so you do know me? Good, good. Humans these days are so shallow. No respect for mystery and origins—none. Such arrogance and blasphemy in the air. Back in my day, it wasn’t like this.”Sniff—She leaned in and sniffed me.“Mmm, good scent. Your blood must taste wonderful. I don’t know about ‘worthy’…… but you’re more than enough to make mine.”Sssrk—Carmilla’s fingertip traced along my jaw and nape.Where her sharp nail passed, thin cuts formed, beading with red blood.“Truly…… tempting.”Breathing against my neck, Carmilla reluctantly took her hand away and slowly stepped back.Turning her back to me, she tilted her head slightly and said,“Anyway, they say it’s too much of a burden for me to move personally. So I released some fun toys instead.”'Toys?'A jolt of dread shot through me.What she’d call toys would be her thralls or demons.“I heard you beat a demon the other day? Then you’ll have fun playing with my toys too. Don’t feel pressured—enjoy them. Think of it as a little rite of passage.”In other words, Carmilla had scattered bombs throughout the Union that could go off at any time.I hardened my gaze and spoke to her.“Do you think you’ll walk away from this?”“Hmmm. And if I don’t walk away, what then? Who could stop me? The dimwitted guards? The subpar professors? Or…… you?”“…….”Carmilla’s eyes flashed as she whispered in my ear.“At least in this era, there isn’t a human who can stop me.”No one could stop her? It was an expression of boundless confidence bordering on megalomania.Of course, as the archetype of all vampires and the symbol of that concept, Carmilla was one of the strongest foes—but that didn’t mean there was no one who could face her.I thought of a few people and parted my lips.“Not necessarily.”“…….”Even now, I kept a poker face and spoke evenly.I couldn’t show fear or anxiety.If she thought I fell short of her expectations, Carmilla would sink her teeth into my neck right then and there.Perhaps my reaction pleased her—Carmilla’s lips curled.“I like those eyes of yours. So much I want to pluck them out right now.”Locking her blood-red eyes with mine, Carmilla then turned to look into the darkness beyond.She must have sensed the approach of patrolling guards.Carmilla, who’d carved cuts into my skin, shrugged and backed away.“That’s all for today. I’ll be going now. Enjoy the festival, kid~”She gave me a fluttering little wave—and in an instant, like a mirage, vanished from before my eyes.With Carmilla gone, the crushing pressure pinning my whole body down lifted, and only then could I move again.Yulina, who’d been standing dazed, also snapped out of the suggestion.“Uh?”Staggering and clutching her head, Yulina nearly toppled, and I grabbed her shoulder to steady her.It seemed she had no memory of meeting Carmilla at all.As she rubbed her temples like she was dizzy, she looked at me and her eyes went round.“You’re bleeding from your neck.”Sure enough—the scratches from Carmilla’s nails had blood running down. I swiped it with my hand and shrugged.“A mosquito…… must have bitten me.”“What kind of mosquito is that? Cut the crap and let’s go to the infirmary!”Yulina pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to me.I wiped the blood from the wound. Red spread over the white cloth like paint.“I’ll wash it and give it back.”“……You don’t have to.”As I dabbed the stinging cut with the handkerchief, I thought.Carmilla’s appearance.When I got Sheika’s letter and checked the bloodstains at the warehouse, I had my suspicions—and now they’d come true.For now I got off unscathed because she wasn’t in the mood—but there was no guarantee next time would be the same.'……I’ll have to ask the chairman to prepare countermeasures.'I frowned slightly.The Union boasts the continent’s highest level of magical barriers and security.Even Gilean, skilled in barrier magic, chose not to smash through head-on and instead seized a chance to contact me while I was outside—that says it all.But to Carmilla, such walls are meaningless.Her blood-controlling ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) power is an authority—a mystery on the level of concept—so general barrier theory cannot stop it.To prepare for this, I would absolutely need the chairman’s strength.“…….”I stared for a moment at the blood-soaked handkerchief, then clenched it in my fist.

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