novelraw Chapter 103 : Chapter 103
Chapter 103 : Chapter 103
Chapter 103. Loss (2)
Anonymous slowly opened her eyes.
"Where am I?"
A black arch-like structure decorated with sharp bones.
A faintly flickering green magic stone light.
The gruesome smell of death.
It was a place she had never seen before.
Anonymous instinctively tried to get up, but stopped.
No, she couldn't help but stop.
Her arms, legs, waist, and even the nape of her neck.
Her entire body was tightly bound in cold chains.
Every time she took a breath, the chains tightened around her body as if they were a living creature.
"Kuk!"
She tried to use her strength, but there was no reaction.
The chains were solid, and the magic circulating through her body was faint, as if it had been severed.
Part of the chains were made of a special metal with a purple aura flowing through it, and she felt some ominous spell constantly absorbing her magic.
'This isn't simple metal. What in the world is it?'
She narrowed her eyes.
She looked around, but there was no one else in the small cell besides her.
Just then.
She heard the sound of a door slowly opening.
Squeeeak.
Through the crack of the door, a familiar face revealed itself.
"Huhu. Have you finally woken up?"
An emaciated figure showing nothing but bones.
Deep, black eyes.
An irksome smile hanging on his lips.
It was the Lich King.
The one who had commanded the army of death by spreading a magic circle in the previous battle.
Anonymous parted her lips, a cynical sneer on her face.
"So it's the Lich King from back then."
The opponent replied with an unpleasant laugh.
"That expression is disappointing. I have a name too. Nox. I'd appreciate it if you called me that."
Anonymous averted her gaze as if she had no interest in his words.
Her voice still maintained its composure.
"I have no interest in your name. Why did you capture me?"
At that question, Nox's eyes flashed for a moment.
As if he had waited a long time, he slowly approached her side and raised the corners of his mouth.
"Isn't it obvious? It's to make you my subordinate. You, the strongest living creature after Sir Primus."
Anonymous narrowed her eyes and let out a short laugh.
She didn't say anything, but the smile was a clear mockery.
"Hmph. So you were Primus' lackey after all. My Master was right."
Nox tilted his head, then spoke in a slightly annoyed tone.
"To think you know Sir Primus. But who are you talking about when you say Master? Does the Queen of Dragons have a master?"
"You don't need to know."
“…….”
Nox glared at Anonymous with fierce eyes before continuing to speak.
"I'll ask about the details again after I make you my subordinate. By the way, you've cast a protection magic on yourself. It was a high-level magic that blocked both mental interference and physical damage, how did you do it?"
Anonymous raised one corner of her mouth and smirked.
"My. A being called the Lich King can't even understand that level of magic? You haven't mastered the basics."
For a moment, Nox's face contorted.
He clenched both his fists and bared his teeth as if suppressing his anger, and said.
"Fine, fine. Blabber all you want. It won't be long before the word 'Master' comes out of your mouth directed at me. The day you lick the soles of my feet is not far off."
He slowly turned around.
"You'll soon find out. Just how weak a being you are."
Soon, the iron door slammed shut with a bang.
Darkness once again dominated the cell.
Only then did Anonymous' face, which had remained expressionless, slowly stiffen.
The cold chains pressing down on her chest.
It was a restraint she had never once experienced before.
A binding that wouldn't come loose no matter how much strength she used.
Her whole body screamed at the chilly, foreign sensation digging into her.
'These chains... they're clearly stealing my magic.'
Her senses blurred with each passing moment.
Even the barrier of protection magic hidden deep inside her was gradually weakening.
Her eyes, which had been so confident just a moment ago, were now subtly trembling.
With her lips tightly sealed, Anonymous whispered quietly.
'Master…….'
Her whole body trembled.
'Please hurry and save me. I don't know how much longer I can hold on.'
She tried to put on her usual indifferent expression, but she couldn't hide it anymore.
A stiff face.
Anxious eyes.
A fear rising from deep within her heart.
'These chains are rapidly stealing my magic. At this rate, the protection magic will also disappear soon.'
Her fingertips trembled faintly.
The only thing she had left now was her faith in Frank.
'Frank.'
Calling his name desperately in her heart, Anonymous opened her closed eyes.
A different emotion from before now dwelled in her eyes.
Desperation.
'You are my only Master.'
Her vision was filled only with darkness, but her heart was reaching out to a distant place.
The one and only savior who would surely arrive someday, The one reflected in her eyes was none other than Frank.
Until the day he found her.
Anonymous vowed never to give up.
But even now, the chains continued to gnaw away at her power bit by bit.
She did not have much time left.
***
As soon as I arrived at the mansion, I went straight down to the basement.
"Where are you going, Dad?"
Noemi followed behind me and said something, but there was something more urgent right now.
To find Anonymous, I had to make use of the being in this house who had been closest to her.
"Wow. How long has it been?"
A voice full of delight was heard as soon as I opened the door.
"You've finally come to see me. Did you miss me too, by any chance?"
I didn't answer her.
Instead, I quietly opened the glass bottle I was holding.
A dark-colored liquid was sloshing inside it.
"Drink. It's the blood you love so much."
Without a word, I forcefully poured it into her mouth.
"Wha-what are you doin— Keok!"
Gulp. Gulp.
The moment she opened her mouth, the game was over.
Although she was in pain, she instinctively gulped down the liquid in the glass.
Immediately after, her whole body trembled, and she sharpened her nails.
"Kuk! What is this!"
Even while saying that, Noctavira licked the corners of her mouth with her tongue, as if not to spill a single drop of blood.
"This feels awful! Treat me gently like you did before!"
"It hasn't been a hundred days yet, but it can't be helped."
I said calmly.
"There's no one to give you blood from now on, and I can't leave you like this. So follow me."
"Whaat? What does that mean?"
Instead of answering, I undid the shackles that bound her wrists and ankles.
Clank.
With the sound of metal hitting the floor, Noctavira's eyes shot wide open.
"Are you letting me go right now?"
At the same time, her hand touched my chest.
Noctavira, sending a seductive gaze as she traced my chest like a snake.
A strange mix of excitement and wariness was in her eyes as she looked at me.
Noemi scowled with a disgusted look and said.
"Are you crazy right now? Can't you get that hand off him?"
"Hoot. The little kid should stay quiet."
She suddenly looked straight into my eyes and focused her gaze.
"Thank you. I knew you'd be like this."
Sticky words.
But that was all.
Nothing happened.
I grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her away.
"If you're thinking of putting a charm on me, you'd better wake up from that dream."
"What?"
Her confident gaze was soon colored with bewilderment.
"What happened? Why aren't you falling under my charm?"
"Because you're no longer a vampire."
"Wha-what did you say?"
"To be precise, you're half-human, half-vampire. In other words, right now you're neither one nor the other. If you want to become a proper human, obey me."
"That's absurd! I'm a vampire! And a progenitor, at that!"
I smirked, raising the corner of my mouth, and shook my head.
"All the blood you've drunk until now was blood mixed with garlic. You must have felt a strong aversion at first, but you were strangely drawn to it, weren't you?"
“?!”
"That's the proof that you're gradually turning human."
"No way……. Don't lie!"
Her eyes trembled as if she couldn't believe it.
At that, Noemi, who was beside me, blurted out with a dissatisfied face.
"Dad! Why are you letting her go? Just leave her here to starve to death."
I quietly shook my head.
"As I said before, there's no one to give her blood. I don't know what would happen if I ordered the servants to do it. Besides."
I paused for a moment.
"After what happened to Alvarez, I decided not to kill anyone in this mansion."
"What?"
Noctavira looked at me with a horrified face.
"A-a so-called Hero has killed someone in his own mansion?"
“…….”
Instead of answering, I slowly approached her.
Then I whispered lowly in her ear.
"I won't say it twice. Find Anonymous right now."
"Because otherwise, you won't be welcomed by either side."
"You're telling me to become human? Are you crazy?"
"Then I have no choice. I won't kill you here, but you'll have to live alone for the rest of your life. Besides, only I can produce the blood I gave you, so you'll starve to death soon enough."
"You despicable bastard!"
Noctavira screamed at the top of her lungs, but I didn't feel a shred of pity for her.
'Anonymous is in danger. I have to find her right away.'
For that, I needed Noctavira's cooperation.
'Vampires are strong at detecting magic. Since she talked with Anonymous often in a small space, she must clearly remember her magic.'
I looked at her without a word.
Noctavira was screaming with a face mixed with fear and confusion.
"The choice is yours. Will you become my subordinate and help find Anonymous? Or will you become a body that is neither one nor the other and meet a miserable end?"
A long silence followed.
Noctavira trembled all over and looked up at me as if in fear.
It was a look that seemed to ask how a person could change 180 degrees like this.
***
Until a few days ago, Frank had shared his blood with her and smiled affectionately.
But the him of now, every single word was as cold as a blade.
Why was that?
Strangely, that came across as attractive.
'It hurts my pride, but I can feel an irresistible power in his words.'
There is such a thing as Stockholm syndrome.
A psychological phenomenon where a victim, due to long-term confinement, ends up sympathizing with or defending their captor.
Noctavira's current symptoms corresponded exactly to this.
More than anything, she didn't want to meet a miserable end like this.
'I am the queen of vampires and the daughter of the Demon King. I can't die like this.'
Noctavira, who had been silent for a while, soon bit her trembling lips tightly.
With an expression of despair, Noctavira slowly nodded her head.
"I'll follow your will……."
"A good choice. Find Anonymous right now."
I deliberately commanded her strongly to completely break her spirit.
"From now on, you're our dog. Bark and run to find her! I'm telling you to track her with your nose."
“...I understand.”
She who had become submissive in an instant.
She mumbled softly, then slowly raised her hand and pointed in one direction.
"She's over there. It's faint, but I can feel her magic."
"Good. Lead the way."
At those words, Noemi quickly cast a magic circle.
"First, let's move to the vicinity of the Demon King's Castle."
The magic circle emitting light.
Noctavira and I stood on it together.
"Wait, Anonymous."
I closed my eyes and whispered in my heart.
'I will definitely save you.'
A light flashed and my vision swirled.
At the same time, the figures of the three people vanished in an instant.
Without leaving a single trace behind.