Elsewhere in the city, late into the night, on one of the streets lit by a faint blue lamplight…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

「Come out! I only want a little!」

A man screams, kicking a door. Splinters fly, but the barricade behind it holds fast.

「There he is.」

A scarlet-eyed Ministry agent declares, with two more following behind him. When they make themselves known with their armored footsteps, the man kicking the door snaps his glowing crimson eyes to them.

Three vampires in plate armor with grim faces stand in the center of the empty street, glaring at him. Their matte, jagged, black-red armor faintly shines in the streetlights' blue light.

「We are agents of the Ministry of Security! We represent the will of the baroness! You are are under arrest, and coming with us!-」

The vampire in the lead loudly announces.

「And what if I refuse?」

The lone vampire opposing them growls back, broadly grinning at them with his fangs bared. His clawed hands tense up, and the rest of his body soon follows.

「…Great, another one of those. Take his limbs off-」

The Ministry agent grumbles, and commands his companions with a quick glance of his glowing eyes. The man lunged at him, as he was drawing his sword.

Thunkrack!

The belligerent vampire barrels backwards through the air like a ragdoll, after the agent's armored fist smashed into his face.

Smash! Crack-smash! Clunk… Clunkclunk…

He flies into an alleyway between the buildings, disintegrating the empty crates and barrels abandoned there. Lily's hand-picked Ministry agents draw their swords, and approach.

「I'm invincible!」

The man declares as he shoots back to the mouth of the alleyway, gripping onto the nearby building's corner, and carving massive gashes with his claws into its stone wall. His glowing eyes bulge, and his face is collapsed inward from the impact.

「…How old are you, child? Fifty?」

The lead Ministry vampire mockingly replies, as all three gain a disdainful smirk. The rampaging vampire's face twists back into its correct shape, and he returns a maddened grin.

「Humans owe us blood! Why should I pay them!? Why should I work for them!? They are cattle!」

The vampire man shouts, spreading his clawed hands, trying to reason with the Ministry agents.

「Hey, I don't disagree… But the law is the law. Come quietly, and you'll keep your limbs.」

The lead agent shrugs his armored shoulders with a faint clatter of metal, grinning back as they look each other in their glowing eyes.

「I'm not going anywhere! I'm invincible! I'm the demon lord!!」

The man feverishly screams with his crimson eyes wide open, spreading his arms wide.

「If you're the demon lord, I'm the hero…」

One of the agents derisively scoffs, shaking his armored head. The other one cackles quietly, grinning, while their leader rolls his eyes.

「Last chance-」

The leader tries to warn him, but the man is already leaping towards him with his claws extended for his throat. Though he was amused by his colleague's taunting quip, the Ministry agent kept a watchful eye.

Fwoop-CLANGcrack!

He intercepts the man's hand, and flings him behind themselves. He is sent flying into one of the streetlights' metal posts.

Thud!

With his back nearly wrapped around the horribly bent lamp, the belligerent man drops face-down to the cobblestones with a quiet gasp.

「Alright, take 'em off.」

The lead commands, and points his armored fingers at the vampire on the ground. The three rapidly step in, swords menacing. Coughing out blood, the man begins cackling.

「Kha… Kha… Ihm… Vinshible!…」

He slurs out, spewing blood from his mouth. The Ministry agents watch him with cautious, glowing eyes as he picks himself back up.

Crrrrrreak!

He abruptly grabs hold of the bent streetlamp, and pulls at it, twisting. The three stop, and fan out wider across the street.

「I'm the new demon lord! I'll put you under my heel, and the humans too!」

Clank!

He screams, and rips away half of the streetlamp. The glow of the crystal within the glass housing above grows faint, but remains shining nonetheless. He grips the streetlight into both hands, like a gigantic, two-handed war mace.

「Set it down.」 「Put that down!」 「That's dangerous! Put it down! Gently!」

The Ministry agents command, pointing their fingers at the cobblestones. The man only replies with a grin, and a short chuckle.

FWOOM!

「Watch out!-」

The vampire leader shouts out, as the lamp-wielding madman swings it down at his companion in an overhead blow. All three scatter, faster than any human could possibly see.

He bears his improvised war mace down at the closest agent in sight, smashing the glass housing of the magic crystal onto the stones beneath.

BOOM!

The crystal impacts the ground and shatters. It violently explodes like a grenade, sending glass and metal shrapnel everywhere. The Ministry agent the swing was aimed at barely cleared the blow.

Crash!

The deafening explosion sends the agent flying into a wall, and he shoots right through it, disappearing inside with a panicked scream of the human residents within.

「Hahahahaha!…」

The rampaging vampire laughs as he stumbles backwards from the recoil, holding his giant metal rod up into the air.

「You bastard!…」

The Ministry lead growls out, and clutches tighter onto his sword. He leaps forward towards the man while he's still stumbling, and slashes the sword at his neck.

Clankrrrrkkk… Krkkkkrkk…

To the agent's surprise, the vampire intercepts and grips the blade with his hand.

「I'm unstoppable! Hahahaha!」

Clanggg!

He laughs again, and what's left of the streetlight in his other hand slides to the ground in his grasp, reverberating like a bell when its bent bottom hits the cobblestones.

「You think you can disobey the will of the baroness!?」

The leader growls through his teeth, and turns his glowing eyes to his companion rushing in behind the madman. Following his gaze, the mad vampire notices the sneak attack, too.

CLANGGGG!…

He shifts, and shoves the streetlight between himself and the incoming sword, grinning at the frustrated agent.

「Idiots! Morons! My thousand year reign is only beginning!-」

Swish. Thud.

「Eh? Huh?…」

The mad vampire's shout trails off, when he realizes he's now shorter by approximately a half. He looks down, and his severed legs are feebly trickling blood onto the cobblestones, flowing between the individual stones like creeks.

Still gripping onto the sword and the streetlight, he glances over his shoulder. The third Ministry agent is a few steps behind him, kneeling on one knee with his armored fingertips on the ground.

「Eh?…」

Confused, the supposed demon lord utters out. The agent is scowling at him, seething through his clenched teeth. His helmet and cuirass is peppered with dozens of little dents.

Slash-swish!

He leaps in and dismembers both of the previously rampaging vampire's arms off with two seamless slashes, right at the joints.

CLANGGGGG!

When the vampire loses his grip on it, what's left of the streetlight plummets to the ground. It resonates loudly throughout the otherwise dead-silent streets, like a gong.

「That hurt, you little shit.」

The raging agent says through his clenched teeth right in his face, as he grabs the man's head and lifts his limbless torso up. His fangs are bared, and he breathes heavily out of furious compulsion.

「Eh?…」

The once bold vampire meekly blinks at him, grinning nervously with his brows furrowed.

Crack!

He violently yanks the man higher, and the limbless vampire's neck lets out a loud, yet muffled crack. His body flops upward limply, and the agent's mad, glowing eyes snap to the cobblestones as he prepares to fling him down.

Clunk.

「Hold it.」

Their leader says, intercepting his armored wrist with his gauntlet. His companion's furious, glowing eyes snap to his, as the angry agent is seething through his teeth.

「Don't make me arrest you, too.」

He says with a serious expression, and the two silently stare at each other. The third agent nervously glances at the both of them from the side.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The Ministry agent holding the arrestee glances at the pained expression of the man in his grasp, and turns his eyes back to their leader. He lets out a forceful, angry exhale out of his nose, and exits his wide-legged throwing stance.

「Show 'im here…」

The vampire leader wiggles his fingers towards the captured, limbless vampire. The Ministry agent holding him obliges, and presents the vampire in his grasp to their leader.

Thwa-Crack!

「Hurk!」

「Little shit.」

The lead vampire growls out, as he delivers a quick, devastating jab with his armored fist to the vampire's ribs. They break, and the limbless man lets out an airless gasp with a spew of blood, while his face twists into silent agony.

The three sheathe their swords. The leader then looks into the angry vampire's glowing eyes, and nods his head at the gasping victim. He furrows his brows in response, and glances at the vampire in his grasp, then his leader.

「Hrrrrk!」

He shrugs, and delivers a powerful punch in his side. Another giant dent in his chest forms, and the limbless torso limply flops about. The two chuckle, and the leader gestures with his head at his third companion.

The third Ministry agent gains a malicious grin, and cracks his armored knuckles. He places one foot in front of the other, taking an oblique boxing stance.

「Oraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraora!!…」

He throws dozens of rapid punches into the man's ribs and stomach while he hopelessly flops about from the impacts, just like a speedbag.

「Ora!!」

He finishes, throwing one last heavy punch. The torso flips upward, and the victim vampire's neck snaps again after it just barely healed. The three cackle loudly, and the angered vampire's hatred dissipates.

「Fucker!…」 「…And this!… And that! Little shit!」 「Hup! Hup! Hup!」

The Ministry agents hurl insults at the delimbed vampire while abusing him in turns. The residents of the damaged building appear at the hole in the wall, and stare at the cruelty of the scene in abject horror.

The fat mustached man and his similarly overweight wife clings onto him, unable to look away. Their young son watches with his brows furrowed, but the man's large hand quickly swoops in, and covers his eyes.

「Eeehhh?」 「Ehhhhhh?」「Eeeeeeeh?」

The vampires look over their shoulders with their glowing scarlet eyes, and groan in annoyance. The man and his wife yelp in terror, both taking a step back into their dark, damaged house.

「Tsk. Alright, let's haul him in… I'll take the arms, you get the legs…」

「Got it… Tsk… Killjoys…」

The leader says, and nods at the empty-handed vampire as he bends over to pick the victim's dismembered arms up. They pick up the pieces, and depart, glaring with sour expressions at the terrified humans.

The couple lets out a large, relieved sigh in unison, and the man retracts his hand from his son's face.

「…Vampires are coooool!」

The child exclaims, excitedly clenching his fists. His parents glare down at him, scowling in heavy disapproval. His father's hand reaches for him once again, and yanks at his ear…

…

Meanwhile, in the bell tower…

A muffled explosion sounds out in the distance, causing Straf to open his eyes.

「Was that?…」

He furrows his brows at the noise, then shrugs.

「Not my problem.」

He declares with a tight-lipped grimace. His eyes turn to Lily, and the pale clawed fingers wrapping around his hand.

《…Man, she is really grooming me into being her daddy, huh? What's next, bedtime stories?》

Straf thinks, looking at Lily's serene, sleeping face.

She lies completely still. Unbreathing. Unmoving. Her pale lips remain ever-so-slightly parted on her pale face. Bands of golden hair lie beside her, tied by black ribbons on her head. Straf looks up with a troubled expression.

《…Is it playing with dolls if she looks like one? I mean, come on. I brushed her hair, and everything. All that's missing is a tea party-》

「Hrk.」

He thinks, then chokes.

《…Yeah. Maybe I am overdoing it just a little…》

Straf cringes, as he recalls the time he had tea with Lily in her castle. His eyes return to her corpse-like face. Her long eyelashes draw his eyes. She surely would have been a head-turner, had she only had a chance to grow up.

He sighs, and looks at the faint red moonlight just barely pouring in through the window. The room is nearly entirely black, and eerily dead-silent. His eyes return to her pale face.

《…So, that's it? I just sit here until this shit blows over? Serve as a sleeping aid, and get nothing in return?》

Straf thinks, looking at Lily while she's deathly still.

《…Nah, it doesn't come for free, Lily. You're about to find out.》

He thinks, and opens [Portable Storage], reaching his free hand in. He retracts his hand, and pulls out a small piece of coal.

「Hehehehehe…」

Straf mischievously cackles, looking at Lily's pretty, defenseless, doll-like face…

…

A little over an hour later, after the first rays of sunshine washed away the night of terror…

With his hands in his pockets, Straf enters the bank. To his surprise, Nona is sitting in her chair and slouched over her hammer as usual, but much earlier than normal.

「Straf!…」

She exclaims, and shoots up to her feet. With a tight-lipped grimace, Straf jumps a step back. The two stare at each other, and she appears hurt by his wary reaction. With her furrowed brows raised, she slowly sits back down.

「Nona…」

He replies, and cautiously walks in. The only other employee there is the bank clerk handling the keys.

「Straf, yesterday!…」

Nona exclaims, but her voice trails off as she thinks again about her words. She stares into his eyes with an almost apologetic look about them.

「Straf… Yesterday, that wasn't me. I'm not like that… So…」

She says, clutching tighter at her hammer's handle as she shamefully lowers her gaze.

「…So please forget everything I've said… And don't tell her.」

Nona pleads, and her sad amber eyes look up at his face from beneath her cap's brim. The two look at each other in a brief silence.

「…Okay?」

Straf says as he spreads his hands, shrugging with his shoulders. He quickly returns them back to his pockets. Nona nods her hatted head, still hanging it low.

「…Am I fired?」

She meekly asks, and looks with orange puppy eyes into his, frowning.

「Nooo… But you better not make it a habit.」

He replies, pointing his finger at her face. Her eyes widen in surprise, and a grin appears on her face.

「Really!?」

Nona asks, grinning broadly at Straf with happy amber eyes.

「Yeah… You said to forget everything… Do you want to call off the date too, ooorrr?…」

Straf asks, spreading his hands as he asks with his brows raised and furrowed.

「Date?…」

She utters out, blinking at him.

「Yeah. Are you still up for it, or did you change your mind?-」

「You mean you still-!?」

Nona exclaims with an ear to ear grin, shooting up to her feet again. Straf jumps back once more, staring at the hammerhead with a tight-lipped grimace.

「…You mean you still want to?」

She asks, blinking in disbelief at him.

「…After I'm back with Lia, yeah. Do you want to?」

Straf replies, warily pointing his finger at her face.

「Ah… So you're still going… Yes. Yes, I do.」

Nona nods her head, and smiles with a tilted head. She sits back down, smiling happily ear to ear.

「Right. Think of places to go, and things you want to do… Things that children could safely watch, Nona.」

He cautions her, as he walks to the employee area past the counter, pointing his finger at her. She nods her head in reply.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!… …Thud! Thud! Thud!

Straf completely fills the bank's employee area with crates of new drakes, making it difficult to navigate. He casually returns to the customer area.

「More money, enjoy-」

「Sir! I don't think we have the space for this!」

The bank teller exclaims, as Straf is heading for the exit. Puzzled, he looks over his shoulder at her.

「…You're smart. Think of something.」

Straf says, and shrugs. He nonchalantly continues to the door.

「Ah. Nona, take your pay, too.」

He pauses in his tracks momentarily, snaps his fingers, and points at Nona. Her head perks up in surprise.

「My pay? How much?」

She asks, tilting her hatted head.

「Dunno. Take as much you think you have earned, and be fair about it.」

With his hands back in his pockets, he shrugs, grimacing quizzically.

「Uh… Okay?…」

She nods, and Straf reaches the door.

「See you in two months, I guess.」

He says over his shoulder, and waves a backhanded farewell at Nona. Straf disappears beyond the doorway. She lets out a large sigh, and rests her chin on her hammer's grip…