With the last of the bandits slain, Alistair approached the battered carriage. Inside, an old man clutched his bleeding side, his bloodshot eyes lifting to meet hers. Beside him sat a trembling young girl, too terrified to speak.
“Oh, y-your Grace… I am truly… deeply grateful for your kindness,” the old man stammered, his voice weak and uneven.
Alistair tilted her head, a soft giggle escaping her lips.
“Oh, old man, why the stammering? Are you frightened? There’s no need for fear… although I suppose that might be a lot to ask after what you’ve just witnessed.”
“No, what the Grace did was justified; they got what they deserved… And you saved our lady, b-but… what are your true intentions for her?”
Alistair placed a delicate hand over her heart, her expression shifting to one of exaggerated dismay.
“How cruel! After I went through the considerable trouble of rescuing you both, you truly believe I would cause her harm? Such a lack of gratitude.”
“T-That’s not—”
“Relax,” Alistair cut in, her smile sharpening.
“I promise, I won’t lay a single finger on her. I swear it… on the honor of my kind.” Her voice carried a teasing tone, but the fleeting spark in her eyes revealed the thrill of her amusement.
The old man hesitated, his hand trembling as he spoke.
“…If I may, I humbly request one final favor. Please, I kindly ask your Grace to escort the young lady to the nearest town…”
Beside him, the young girl clung to his arm, tears streaming down her face as she finally found her voice.
“Bastian! What about you? You’ll come with me, won’t you? D-Don’t leave me alone…”
“I’m sorry, young lady, but I can’t grant that wish. I believe this is the end for me—”
“Bastian! Your wound is healing!” The girl’s eyes widened in disbelief. A small puddle of blood surrounded the injury, slowly dissipating.
The old man touched his side, his eyes widening in shock.
“This… this is Crimson Veil…”
Alistair sighed, her crimson gaze narrowing slightly.
If I let the old man die, the girl’s mental state would crumble, and Her broken state would be no use for me. Still, how does he know about the Crimson Veil?
The two of them began thanking her repeatedly, crying and bowing their heads. Alistair waved a hand dismissively.
"Enough. Spare me your pitiful groveling. I didn’t save you out of any misguided sense of heroism. I have my reasons… and make no mistake, everything comes with a price.”
At the mention of a "price," both of them froze, their gazes locked onto her, their fear palpable.
Without further explanation, Alistair summoned her Abyssal Chamber, the dark portal swirling into existence on the ground. From within, she retrieved a big bag and opened it, revealing an array of potions.
“Tell me the purpose of these potions”
The old man heaved a sigh of relief, realizing it wasn’t a demand for something impossible. Meanwhile, the girl’s eyes lit up as she climbed out of the carriage. Her fear of Alistair seemed to vanish as she eagerly inspected the potions.
“This is easy! The blue ones are mana potions—they restore mana. The brightness of the glow indicates their grade. This one is D-grade. As for the green potion—”
She continued to explain each vial in detail, her tone animated as if she’d forgotten the predator standing before her. Alistair listened silently, committing the information to memory, while the old man attempted to steady himself. Once the girl finished, she handed Alistair a card.
“My name is Faeryn Guthrie, the youngest daughter of the Guthrie family.” she said with a small bow.
“This is our family insignia. Present it at any Guthrie store, and you’ll be granted whatever you need—free of charge.”
Alistair’s lips curled into a faint smirk.
“How generous, that would be helpful,” she said, tucking the card into the Abyssal Chamber.
“Your Grace, the preparations are complete. We will be departing now. Once again, we are deeply grateful for your assistance.”
Alistair, crouched over a corpse, didn’t even glance his way. Her fangs sank deep into the bandit leader’s neck, draining the last remnants of blood from his body. She licked her lips lazily, savoring the stronger taste of his essence compared to the others.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
As the carriage rumbled away, Faeryn stood from her seat and leaned out, her voice trembling but determined.
“U-Um, if you don’t mind my asking… What's your name?”
Alistair froze mid-thought, her crimson eyes flickering toward the girl. For a moment, there was silence, and then she straightened, her lips curling into a faint smirk.
“Alistair Moonarise… The sovereign of the night.”
The carriage creaked forward, continuing its journey, leaving Faeryn watching wistfully as Alistair’s silhouette disappeared into the horizon. She raised her hand in a gentle wave.
“Alistair… I wonder if I’ll meet her again…”
Bastian’s expression darkened with concern as he turned to her.
“Young lady, you mustn’t get too close to her.”
Faeryn tilted her head, her curiosity piqued.
“Why? If it’s about how she killed them so cruelly—well, isn’t that just their nature? It can’t be helped. Besides, Bastian, you said it yourself: they deserved it.”
“That’s not what I mean. Do you not remember what happened when she healed me? That Crimson Veil—it recovered my body with terrifying speed. It was unnatural. There’s no other explanation. She has to be of high rank—perhaps a duchess… or even higher, a princess.”
Faeryn frowned. “But what does her rank have to do with anything? Besides, she is our benefactor, isn’t she?”
“She may have an ulterior motive. A vampire of her standing should be well-known, yet I’ve never heard her name before. Vampires have existed for millennia, and there are only ten clans I’m familiar with. But a clan called Moonarise? It doesn’t exist…”
“M-Maybe she lied?” Faeryn suggested hesitantly.
“No… Vampires are proud of their clans. They would never sully their names with falsehoods. That's why if she comes into one of our stores, you must avoid her at all costs. We don't know if she is on our side or not…”
⊶☽☬☾⊷
Once the carriage disappeared into the distance, Alistair turned her attention back to the pale corpses strewn across the battlefield. Her gaze lingered on them, calculating. The blood that had stained her lips earlier now seemed insignificant.
All these bandits combined gave me three levels, and their so-called leader gave me another three. The higher my rank the harder it seems for me to level up.
Well, that just means I just have to kill stronger opponents right?, she remarked, a grin spreading across her lips.
Then she recalled her previous questions and decided to find the answers. She crouched over one of the corpses, extending her hand. Dark energy radiated from her palm as she activated 《Abyssal Resurrection》, causing the shadows on the ground to thicken. Shadowy hands emerged, dragging the corpse into the abyss. She then summoned the corpse, which solidified into a reanimated form.
The shadow rose unsteadily, but Alistair wasted no time. With a swift motion, she plunged her hand into its chest, crushing the mana core within the shadow. The creature dissipated into black mist, and she felt a faint flow of mana returning to her.
This will be advantageous.
She rose to her feet, and her gaze swept across the remaining bodies as she raised her hands. Shadows rippled outward, enveloping the corpses. Spectral hands clawed their way up once more, dragging each lifeless body into the darkness.
One by one, notifications filled her mind, asking for names for the newly summoned servants. Alistair dismissed them all with a swipe of her hand.
Well, there are a lot of them, and they lack strength. Let them remain nameless. They’ll serve well as my nameless shadow servants.
Her eyes fell on the shattered remains scattered across the battlefield. A faint sigh escaped her lips.
First was too ruthless. But it’s fine. After all, I’m the most forgiving master. Besides, there are other ways to make them useful.
She then extended her hand and activated 《Abyssal Chamber》, causing the shattered pieces to be swept into storage, their mangled forms vanishing into the void.
Finally, she retrieved a mana potion from her pouch and downed it in one swift motion, feeling the familiar energy coursing through her and restoring her reserves.
“Now then, let’s move ahead.”
⊶☽☬☾⊷
Alistair perched lazily atop First’s massive shoulder, the gentle sway of his movements perfectly steady beneath her. In her hands, she held a weathered map, the crinkled parchment dotted with faded ink and a curious note scrawled in an ornate script:
"Oh, brave warriors!
This map reveals the location of the new dungeon. The emergence of this dungeon signals the arrival of a formidable demon lord, and within its depths lies a powerful artifact that can aid you in defeating this foe. However, only those of Rank C and below may enter, as this trial is also designed to foster your strength.
To access the dungeon, you will need one of the three keys, each capable of unlocking a specific door."
A demon lord, huh? As expected, there is indeed a demon lord in this world. It would have been dull otherwise. And an artifact… I wonder what it's like. Hopefully, it’s not just a trap. There’s no way to tell if the map is legitimate, after all.
Also why it's called a new dungeon how long has it been since a new dungeon appeared?
Her gaze shifted back to the map, which depicted the location of the dungeon with unsettling accuracy. The symbol of a singular door was etched prominently in the center, confirming her suspicion.
“That means each key holder must have a different map leading to their own door,” she muttered, glancing around.
When they reached the marked location, there was nothing in front of her—just an unremarkable patch of grassland beneath an overcast sky. She frowned, holding the map in front of her face again.
There must be a hidden door, right? Where could it be? Surely there’s a way to reveal it.
Reaching into the Abyssal Chamber, she retrieved the ancient key. As soon as it was exposed to the open air, the ground beneath her feet trembled violently. First instinctively shifted to steady her, but Alistair remained perfectly composed, her lips curling into a faint smirk.
The earth split open, revealing a massive cave that seemed to claw its way to the surface. Its gaping maw of jagged stone resembled the jaws of a beast, and at its center stood a towering door. The imposing structure was carved with intricate designs and adorned with a single keyhole.
The keyhole itself pulsed faintly, with the carved lines around it forming a flowing pattern that climbed upward toward three orbs positioned above. Two of the orbs glowed bright white, while the third remained dark and empty.
She inserted the ancient key into the lock, and with a faint hum, the patterns began to glow. The key became a radiant stream of light that flowed upward, filling the dark orb until it shone with the same brilliant intensity as the others.
With a deep, resonating groan, the massive door began to creak open, dust and debris falling as the ancient mechanisms were set into motion. The sound echoed through the air.
It just doesn't feel right. An artifact that could potentially slay the demon lord. That could drive people crazy, and for some unknown reason, the creator is willing to give it away as long as people enter the dungeon, huh?
Her smirk deepened, her crimson eyes narrowing as the dark expanse of the dungeon yawned before her.
“Not that it matters. If it is a trap, I’ll simply find the one who set it—and kill them."
𓆩✧𓆪