I Planned a Su*cide Mission and Got Kicked Out of the Party

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Jeongjae and Jenis escorted Bernard’s group to the edge of the territory. Bernard had already boarded the carriage early, ready to depart, but Margaret had yet to climb aboard as she exchanged goodbyes with Jeongjae.

Noticing Jeongjae’s not-so-great expression, Margaret asked.

“Are you worried about the vampire situation?”

“Yeah. There’s just so many possibilities. The main thought I have is that someone who enjoyed reading that novel in our world might have crossed over and declared themselves Dracula…”

“Don’t overthink it. That’s not your role.”

Margaret interrupted Jeongjae, who tilted his head in confusion.

“Not my role?”

“The vampire issue needs to be resolved, but that’s not a problem you need to solve by worrying. First, calm your mind. If you can’t just stay still, it would be better to take action rather than nervously pacing in your room.”

“Right. I’ll start the investigation as quickly as possible. Please give Walter and Rose my regards.”

“I will. But just this, let me take care of this lightly, you foolish mage.”

Margaret opened her small handbag slightly to show its contents. Jeongjae gasped upon seeing the book inside.

‘Research on the Magic Conversion of Life Force.’ This was the book that had been the decisive factor in Jeongjae ending up in this wasteland. At the same time, it was the book he brought along despite being exiled from that world, unable to let go of it.

Seeing Jeongjae’s bewildered expression, Margaret slightly frowned, adopting a serious look.

“I won’t handle this separately. But the fact that this book managed to mix with the supplies I brought from such a remote place means I can assume you’re not misunderstanding.”

“Um, Margaret, that book is…”

“I’ve already skimmed through the contents. I won’t bother explaining how angry I was at that moment. I knew you were as stubborn as a Hellhound and didn’t listen to others, so, well, it was something I couldn’t help.”

“I’m sorry, Margaret. Even after you got so angry that day…”

“Let’s avoid mentioning that day. I don’t want to make you more angry or rather, I’m embarrassed about it.”

Margaret seemed a bit embarrassed just recalling that day, her tail slightly wagging. Of course, she didn’t stay embarrassed for long.

“Anyway, I’ll come back as quickly as possible, but according to Bernard, it seems a pretty big fight is about to start. We might be fighting completely different battles in different places.”

“In that case, leave the south to me. If I can’t act in the north because of Walter, I need to do my part in my own way.”

“Don’t overdo it, please. Just for my sake. Seeing you suffer from the pressure you shouldn’t have to endure makes my heart sink. When I saw you trembling at the mention of Dracula, I feared you might fall back into obsession and harbor cruel thoughts again.”

“I’ll try my best. No, I understand. I’ll try to keep my mind at ease, so don’t worry. I’m really grateful this time, Margaret. Thank you for getting me to the defensive line and staying here.”

Margaret stood there for a moment, staring intently at Jeongjae, before suddenly pulling him towards her and hugging him tightly.

Surprised by the Elf Princess’ forceful embrace, Jeongjae held his breath, but realizing it was quite similar to a friendly hug he shared with Walter, he awkwardly placed his hand on Margaret’s back and patted it a few times.

Well, sure. He had shared a few hugs with Walter, who had been a decent friend. But with Rose… obviously, he had never engaged in such physical contact with someone else’s woman, and with Bernard, the atmosphere suggested that it would be something one should not touch.

As for Margaret… Jeongjae had once been used as a package to transport her, but this was the first time he was hugged while standing on the ground. Knowing that forest fairies generally try to avoid contact with humans made this situation quite surprising and confusing for Jeongjae. Of course, he didn’t feel bad about it at all.

Meanwhile, Jenis, who had stayed back to avoid interrupting the farewell between the two heroes, watched the scene unfold, eyes widened in surprise, jaws clenched. It was commendable that she had the discernment not to rush forward and interfere.

After the brief hug ended, Margaret released Jeongjae, placing her hands on his shoulders and smiling brightly.

“That was a hug of friendship filled with my utmost regard. Elves only engage in such actions with true friends. Did you happen to find it unpleasant?”

“No, not at all. Um, why would I be unpleasant? It was such… an honorable moment to receive. Right? I mean… it’s not like we can’t share a hug of friendship? We’ve fought together on the battlefield for over two years, after all.”

“That’s right. A hug of friendship. It seems just like that.”

Although Margaret’s face was smiling, her tone held a hint of loneliness.

Thinking maybe she’d taken too long, Margaret leapt onto the last carriage and waved her hand at Jeongjae.

“Then I shall take my leave! I’ll repay the cost of this book with a book of your country’s language from my territory someday! I hope it will be more interesting than that shabby manuscript!”

“Ah! If you do that, it would be great! I really want the ones from the Log side! Make sure to bring it next time!”

As the carriage began to depart, Margaret’s figure soon disappeared from view. After sending off all his old comrades, Jeongjae trudged back to rejoin Jenis at the village border.

“I saw you had a good time saying your goodbyes.”

Jenis remarked with a somewhat pouty expression. Caught up in his own thoughts, Jeongjae failed to notice Jenis’s feelings and simply nodded as an ordinary response.

“Well, since we might not see each other for a while, it turned longer. Sorry. Did you wait long? You could have waited inside the castle instead.”

“Well, I didn’t need to. No, maybe it would have been better to do so.”

“Let’s head back. It’s getting cold, and this place will soon become a winter sea. With the climate being like this, planning to head north at this time seems especially pressing for Walter.”

As Jeongjae shivered, he entered the territory alongside Jenis. The moment they stepped back into the castle after a light meal, both found that they were equally eager to discuss the same topic upon looking at each other.

Both Jeongjae and Jenis couldn’t shake off the single thought from their minds.

Dracula. And Harker. Jeongjae found himself caught up in the chaotic crisis where the boundary between reality and fantasy he had set became blurred. Of course, that boundary had already collapsed long ago. Since he started using magic after arriving in this world, the distinction between reality and fantasy had little meaning for him.

However, this was a matter from another dimension. If all the fantastical experiences that had occurred thus far were based on ‘this world,’ then the issue pertaining to Dracula became a matter grounded in stark reality, far removed from fantasy.

For Jeongjae, who had unconsciously drawn a clear line separating the two worlds in his heart, the phenomenon of the fantasy from both sides merging was more than enough to shake him.

Meanwhile, Jenis found herself in an alluring yet terrifying situation, approaching secrets about her family she had not known for 20 years, her father’s secrets.

Throughout her life, Jenis had suspected that her family was odd. The contents of the library appeared to be suspiciously obsessed with the undead and the occult, especially in contrast to other nobles’ tastes.

Arthur Harker’s exceptional skills had concealed a side of his eccentricity. Just as a remarkable crown princess like Rose jumping off a cliff and climbing back up with her bare hands seemed like something people brushed off, a remarkable Count like Harker having a slightly peculiar taste was considered something people did not need to fuss over.

In fact, such bizarre traits were often seen as traits that shaped genius, leading to a culture where people were disappointed if a genius hadn’t had at least two outrageous experiences. Harker’s strange frugality and taste were not a scandal to him but rather a characteristic that enhanced his mystery and authority.

But what if all of that wasn’t mere eccentricity? If there were hidden stories and explanations intertwined that Jenis had never imagined, should she approach them?

No, she couldn’t just ignore it. Jenis had the qualities of the greatest wizard and the greatest scholar. A girl incapable of suppressing her curiosity in matters unrelated to her would not let go of issues tied to her roots simply due to fear of touching them.

The first to speak up was Jenis.

“Professor. This matter should be my responsibility.”

“No. I won’t tell you to stay out of it, but I can’t allow you to stand alone.”

Jeongjae’s tone was firm. Jenis frowned and asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Dracula, if my thoughts are correct, is someone you can’t handle alone. Do you understand? Not even humans or fairies know the exact names of several high-ranking members of the Demon King’s army. In some cases, names have been revealed. The Succubus Queen is named Eliose, and the Gargoyle Queen is Diana. I prefer using titles instead of the names, but those names are known nonetheless. However, the Demon King is just the Demon King. The Vampire Lord is the same. That name has never been revealed until now.”

“It’s said to be oddly secretive. But what does that matter?”

“I had this thought. What if there’s a reason for it? If the high-ranking members of the Demon race have a rational reason for concealing their names? For example, revealing a name could give someone a hint from which they could guess the roots of that being.”

Hearing this, Jenis raised her eyebrows.

“So you’re saying they wanted to hide the name Dracula? Since you’re from another world, you would identify the roots upon hearing that name?”

“Dracula. If he truly is the Vampire Lord, it’s not surprising that he has concealed his name all this time. By knowing his name, I would obtain some very important weapons.”

“Important weapons, you say…”

“Information. Very critical information. As Bernard also said, crosses in this world are not weapons for fighting vampires. They are merely patterns used by a few people in our world as sacred symbols. However, if the opponent is Dracula, the cross could be an effective means to counter him. It seems only the Harker family was aware of this fact.”

“Latin… the cross…”

Jenis pulled out her necklace once more and examined it. It was a neat silver cross, longer vertically than horizontally. She had never thought there would be any significance to this symbol until now.

Creating a cross is something even a child could come up with. In this world, where it’s common to use patterns or designs to symbolize a family, this simple and easy-to-draw symbol was totally unremarkable. Even Jeongjae had thought of it that way once.

“If the enemy we’re dealing with is Count Dracula, and if he truly is the Vampire Lord, then you can’t handle that alone. High-ranking members of the Demon King’s army are not to be trifled with. It’s often portrayed that Walter crushes Log monsters for fun, but even Walter Hellhound has never succeeded in taking down the heads of the Demon King’s generals. They are not weak, Jenis. Each of them would be formidable opponents even for me to face alone.”

“Then what are you planning to do? Are you just going to sit back and let the enemy make the first move? Their minions are already wandering near our territory. No, in fact, they’ve already infiltrated the Empire’s territory. If the hero is busy moving north, then you are the strongest force and the greatest hope left in the south.”

“I know. If I had to confront the Vampire Lord alone, it would be terrifying. I could win, but I can’t be sure I’ll win safely. So, Jenis.”

Jeongjae extended a hand toward Jenis.

“I’m seeking your cooperation in this matter. Calmly. Be prepared for it to take a long time. Don’t rush. The enemy is gaining strength in the darkness, and since winter nights are particularly long, if we can draw Dracula out from this matter and unveil the truth, it could also greatly lessen the burden on the hero at the frontline.”

“Honestly, I don’t care much about facing that enemy.”

Jenis took Jeongjae’s hand and shook it.

“I want to know what our family is fighting for and against. If I’m truly connected to that man, Jonathan Harker, chasing after clues about him would make sense.”

“That’s a good motivation. Seeking to find yourself is always important.”

After lightly shaking hands, Jeongjae and Jenis withdrew their hands. With the agreement with Harker, the situation in the territory was, for now, taken care of. Funds, food, and weapons were all adequately provided.

The village could manage on its own, and the lord’s excessive intervention could be counterproductive.

This constituted the optimal condition for the lord and his aide to pay attention to other important matters.

“Then where should we begin, Baron?”

“First, gather some information.”

Jeongjae nodded.

“Jenis. Write a letter to your father and ask him to send a bunch of vampire-related books from the mansion. As for the letter… encrypt it with magic and send it using bird-brain magic. This doesn’t seem like a good time to send a messenger with a letter.”

“Yes, Baron! I’ll get started right away!”

Jenis stood straight, saluting Jeongjae in a manner that indicated her dedication. It was the moment when the two most powerful magicians from the south united once more for a singular cause.