NOVEL NEXT The Knight Selin Soleis received a sudden summons from the commander and promptly reported to the temple.
It was a rare occasion for her to be called to the temple. While the Knight Order is structurally under the Luminous Church, meaning Selin, as a knight, does visit the temple from time to time, it is generally unnecessary to go there for internal affairs, including training.
Most of their routine work is efficiently handled at the training grounds, which are distinct from the temple. Hence, if the commander—who normally finds it bothersome to leave the training ground unless absolutely necessary—was insisting on a visit to the temple this time, there was usually a significant reason behind it, like needing to meet a high-ranking visitor or being assigned a task that involved the clergy rather than just the knights.
“Selin Soleis, I’m here,” she announced.
“Oh, you came,” the disheveled man with a four-day-old stubble replied in a lackadaisical manner.
Dave Rakel, despite his shabby appearance resembling the guy next door, was actually one of the strongest in the Luminous Kingdom and held the position of commander of the Luminous Church’s Randell Branch.
Standing beside him was a stranger, as Selin had anticipated.
“This is a spirit scholar from the Luminous Kingdom’s Palace.”
“I’m Eric Sketer. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Selin Soleis.”
A man in his early thirties greeted her amicably, prompting Selin to respond courteously in kind.
‘The arrival of a scholar means it’s a guard mission.’
Often, tasks related to research initiated by the palace would necessitate external supplies, during which assignments were dispatched like this. She glanced at Dave, seeking confirmation, and he lazily nodded.
“It’s a escort mission to the Bertica Kingdom.”
“Is that so?”
While Selin found it reasonable, she was slightly puzzled. Guard missions were not uncommon, yet she had never been urgently summoned for one before. Was there something particularly pressing? Moreover, the fact that she was specifically called suggested that the palace had likely requested it.
“Departure is at 2 PM this afternoon. Prepare yourself now.”
“That’s rather urgent. May I request detailed information?”
“I’ll provide the answers. You were assigned to be Selin’s escort because the primary destination is the site of the vampire incident from last month. It’s better for someone who has already been there to accompany us.”
“That incident had been resolved, hadn’t it?”
Selin and Plona thoroughly searched the area back then, so there shouldn’t have been any remnants left.
Realizing Selin might have misunderstood, Eric waved his hand dismissively.
“The extermination of the vampires has indeed concluded. However, we are going there not because we have confirmed the presence of remaining vampires, but to examine the spirit readings of the area.”
“Did Bertica grant permission?”
Spirit readings fluctuate naturally due to natural phenomena, while artificial fluctuations are caused by magic. Therefore, confirming and analyzing spirit readings signifies a review of the geographical information and natural phenomena of that region, as well as checking for magical devices. Even the Luminous Kingdom cannot arbitrarily interfere with matters regarding national security.
“Actually, the request came from Bertica. After you, Solis, withdrew, they detected unnatural fluctuations in spirit readings at the incident site. As they were analyzing the situation themselves and feeling something unusual, they’ve kept it to themselves until now and have urgently sought assistance from the Luminous Kingdom.”
“Did they really wait a month to report an urgent issue?”
“They likely don’t want to incur a larger debt to the Luminous Kingdom. It wouldn’t be favorable for Bertica to completely delegate important analysis in addition to exterminating the vampires.”
Well, they should have done their job properly until the end.
Selin internally felt exasperated. They discovered something unusual but chose to keep mum to save face, and then they found themselves unable to gather more information with their own capabilities. Panicked, they had now hastily asked for reinforcement.
While a paladin’s duty includes responding to incidents related to Ain in allied nations, Selin found Bertica’s attitude quite displeasing.
“May I inquire what exactly the problem is?”
Asking for help this late signifies that they must have uncovered something serious enough to risk losing face.
However, it seemed Eric didn’t have concrete information either.
“Honestly, I’ll only understand the specifics once I’m on-site and analyze the data gathered by the kingdom. However, one point that is almost certain based on the current context is that the vampires dispatched last month didn’t just happen to gather there to set up a hideout, but they had some clear purpose for congregating.”
A clear purpose. Those words suddenly reminded Selin of something.
The vampire hideouts that she and Plona discovered last month had a strangely bold attribute.
Given that vampires cannot walk in sunlight, they must design their shelters to include both above and below ground components. The underground is for avoiding the sun, while the ground level ensures there’s an escape route if they need to get out quickly in case of danger.
If they hadn’t prepared a ‘lid’ above, there would at least be a subterranean passage leading to another safe location that doesn’t receive sunlight.
Yet those hideouts had no such safety measures. It was as if they borrowed the ground without a proper structure, which had led to some difficulties in the initial investigation for Selin and Plona.
Back then, they thought it was merely an unexpected strategy. But what if it wasn’t?
If those numerous vampires gathered out of desperation, thereby resulting in makeshift shelters, what could possibly compel them to do so?
What could urge those beings, who show no interest outside of blood and eternal life, to risk crawling out of their domains?
It was evident that whatever it was wouldn’t bode well for humans. Adding to her suspicions, Eric cautiously began to speak.
“While I said we need to confirm before drawing any conclusions, the palace is taking the worst-case scenario into account, suggesting we might face an unprecedented calamity within the last thousand years.”
That much? Surely, exaggerating a calamity rooted in a millennium is pushing it a bit too far.
“What exactly are they speculating?”
“Well, this is merely my hypothesis, but with the changes in spirit readings observed, if the worst-case scenario relates to vampires—”
Eric’s serious tone made Selin swallow hard.
Even the usually laid-back Dave seemed to momentarily put on a serious expression he usually wore for discussions on the battlefield.
“It is said that an ancient type born from the Dark Spirits—the Progenitor of Vampires—might have been reborn.”
“…Are you aware that’s a rather dangerous statement?”
“I am. It’s only a supposition I’ve made in this context.”
Publicly voicing such a possibility could easily land one in jail for inciting baseless fears. Even Dave furrowing his brows at Eric’s assertion indicated that what he suggested was indeed alarming.
“The Progenitor of Vampires… that’s a legendary ancient being, isn’t it?”
“It remains a mere legend now, but it certainly existed in the past, and there is a rare chance it could reappear again. What do you know about the Progenitor of Vampires, Miss Selin?”
“Shamefully, not much. I know it has appeared only three times throughout history, and that it is the ancestor of all existing vampires and must be eradicated at all costs if it ever reappears.”
“That’s mostly correct, but you’re mistaken about the second point. Did you know that the Progenitor of Vampires is a different race from vampires?”
“Really? That’s a first for me.”
Intrigued, Selin leaned in closer. The beings she had fought against the most, aside from beastmen, were vampires.
Knowing your enemy leads to victory in battle; any new information about an adversary she faced daily could only be beneficial.
“It’s a little-known fact. An ancient type refers to a being that lacks biological parents, denoting the progenitor of that race. It doesn’t merely refer to a specific ancient race that existed in the past but implies the original entities of all races. The well-known ancient types we know are Elder Dragon Yustelein and the first Giant Neterzha, among others—by the way, the reason why humans know so little about ancient types is simply a matter of lifespan. We have no means of uncovering the earliest dogs, cats, or humans, as they existed long ago, hence only beings like dragons or giants, which possess or are equivalent to eternal life, are recognized.”
“Hmm.”
Dave also seemed intrigued and for once showed some interest. When discussions like this arose, even the most lethargic of humans perk up; Eric felt energized to explain further.
“In that sense, doesn’t the Progenitor of Vampires sound peculiar? Other races’ progenitors were born once in a single era and did not reappear thereafter. However, the Progenitor of Vampires has appeared three times in different eras. Scholars believe this happened because it failed to meet the criteria of being the ‘first race.’ Unlike dragons or giants, who left descendants, vampires did not reproduce; thus, upon the progenitor’s death, the species itself went extinct, prompting the spirits to create a new progenitor, which is the hypothesis.”
“Wait? Are you saying that the vampires we are fighting are…?”
“They are just the loyal followers who received the blood of the progenitor and gained immortality. They weren’t born vampires; their original form was human. If you apply the same logic as other races, only the biological offspring born from the progenitor can truly be called vampires.”
That sounded pretty reasonable. The vampires Selin knew would bite humans to pass on their blood, expanding their kind.
She had always thought of them simply as that but clearly, to explain why the progenitor would keep appearing aligns more logically with that concept.
“In conclusion, the only beings we can call truly vampires are the progenitor alone, and what we currently refer to as vampires are more appropriately termed ‘vampire followers.’ However, it’s a hassle to classify them separately, so they’re collectively referred to as vampires, distinguishing only when necessary between progenitor and followers. According to records, the Progenitor of Vampires is said to have none of the weaknesses that followers possess, like aversion to sunlight or silver.”
“That’s… horrifying.”
Considering the existence of the sun, high-ranking vampires would withdraw to their castles, and due to silver weapons and armor, humans had not lost in battles against them. Yet just thinking about a vampire without weaknesses is terrifying.
As she pondered, Selin suddenly raised a question.
“Wait, how could such a being have been defeated three times before?”
Doesn’t this seem strange? The Progenitor of Vampires, a being of ancient lineage.
Considering the fearsome reputation similar to that of Yustelein or Neterzha, it poses a substantial threat to humanity; even if it might not rival dragons or giants, being invulnerable should have made it a serious danger.
So how could they have defeated such a monster back then when human capabilities were far inferior?
In reaction to Selin’s question, Eric appeared impressed, as if he caught onto her thought process.
“You’re sharp. That’s a characteristic of the Progenitor of Vampires. There’s a misconception surrounding ancient types, given their renowned power; it’s assumed that all ancient types are born strong. Since ancient types are the most perfect beings, possessing the strength and form their race ought to aspire to, it leads to the belief that they are powerful from birth.”
“Oh, is that not the case?”
“The justification is correct, but the conclusion that all ancient types are inherently strong is incorrect. While most ancient types are strong, the Progenitor of Vampires was weak at birth. According to records, it was barely comparable to an ordinary village dweller.”
Hence, the Progenitor of Vampires failed to reproduce. Unlike indifferent dragons or giants who would not assertiveness unless their territory was breached, the Progenitor had to suck human blood.
Because of that aspect, it was weak.
As if it was all going to end there, it would have been unremarkable and not worthy of remembrance. Yet it turned out that way, and so humans still remain on high alert against an existence recorded just three times in history.
“Upon birth, it’s weak. However, the more blood it drinks—especially the blood of strong beings—the Progenitor grows increasingly powerful. This characteristic likely derives from the essence of vampires, which is to take and seize. It’s about siphoning blood and power, claiming them as its own.”
That is precisely why the Progenitor became a top priority target to eliminate.
“Most ancient types do not grow stronger. While they may potentially acquire knowledge or skills, they remain bound to their inherent limitations since their abilities were defined at birth.”
There’s nowhere to go since they’re the end destination. Being an ideal creature shaped by spirits, ancient types cannot exceed their predetermined limits.
Except for a singular exception.
“However, the Progenitor of Vampires knows no such limits. Provided it continues to drink blood, it can keep growing stronger. When the first Progenitor emerged, ancient beings were unaware of this trait, leaving them unable to cope. Had the Progenitor dared to encroach on the territory of Yustelein, humanity would have found themselves utterly incapable of dealing with it.”
“That would be reckless.”
“It may be very reckless, but while the first Progenitor was defeated by Yustelein, it is said to have left a scar on the Elder Dragon. Do you grasp the implication behind that?”
A being capable of inflicting injury upon the mightiest dragon.
Yustelein exists as an embodiment of natural disasters. Not a single ambitious fool would dare aspire to usurp nature.
Yet, a mere Progenitor persistently challenged such a force, leaving behind wounds. The idea of a creature potentially worse than a natural disaster sent chills down Selin’s spine.
“…Early extermination would be crucial.”
“Yes. In fact, both the second and third Progenitors were swiftly exterminated before they could pose a challenge. Thus, modern vampires are predominantly regarded as followers of the first Progenitor.”
“If that’s the case, Sketer, are you suggesting that a fourth Progenitor might have emerged?”
Eric’s worst-case speculation now made sense to Selin; she could understand why merely breathing such possibilities could be hazardous.
It indicated they might already have wasted an invaluable month concerning a creature that requires prompt action. This mere suggestion alone could send the entire nation into a state of unease.
Perhaps finding her serious expression amusing, Eric chuckled lightly, gesturing for her to relax.
“It’s only theoretical; that’s all, mentioning the worst-case scenarios. After all, ancient types don’t just pop up easily, do they? The Luminous Kingdom likely hasn’t even considered that possibility.”
“Well… that’s true.”
Only then did Selin finally feel somewhat at ease, thanking Eric for sharing engaging and enlightening insights before exiting to prepare for her escort mission.
Hoping that the worst-case scenario he mentioned would remain just that—merely a worst-case scenario.