<div> The vines drank deeply of the blood, thriving as they crept against the current of the blood flow.
 Nourished by vampiric energy, the vines stretched their branches and unfurled their leaves, blanketing the crimson river.
 "Druidism? No—this is the Tree of Blasphemy’s..."
 Hilde, who had once been a member of the Holy Sword Order, and the very one who had stolen a seed from the Tree of Blasphemy, immediately recognized what I was doing.
 "As expected of you, Father. You can wield all the Demonic God’s powers, can’t you?"
 "Not all of them. Only the ones I know."
 "Well, you are the King of Humans. Meaning, you can do anything a human can. Fufu. Now I understand why the Holy Crown Church fears you so much~."
 "I wouldn’t be so sure about that."
 Just because I had knowledge didn’t mean I could perfectly wield it.
 The powers etched into the world by the Demonic Gods could be used by anyone who learned them—
 But effectiveness varied wildly depending on the user.
 All I had was a more convenient way of using them—
 But calling it powerful was... questionable.
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 </div> "The vines will try to root themselves in Erzebeth."
 "While she’s tangled up with them, let’s make our escape."
 "Wouldn’t it be better to end this here?"
 "Ah, well, you see—the World Tree doesn’t mix well with bloodcraft."
 Fortunately, I didn’t need to explain further.
 Just then—
 The vines, which had been eagerly absorbing blood, suddenly froze.
 Then, like serpents, they turned—and set their sights on us.
 ["Vines that drink blood... curious, but nothing more."]
 ["If blood flows through them, then they are under my authority."]
 Erzebeth’s domination spread through the vines, seeping into every tendril.
 The once rampant vines, now tainted crimson, hissed like snakes as they turned against me.
 A swarm of them lashed out, writhing toward us.
 "You’ve got to be kidding me! They’re part of her army now?!"
 "I told you—they don’t mix well!"
 "This isn’t just a bad mix, Father! This is like pouring oil onto a fire! What now?!"
 Dozens of vines shot toward us.
 Hilde gritted her teeth.
 Her greatsword wouldn’t be able to cut through all of them at once.
 So—
 She split her sword.
 For a moment, the radiance flickered—
 Then, the single sword became two slender blades, one in each hand.
 With a flurry of swings, Hilde sliced through the vines, spraying blood-like sap in every direction.
 "Thanks for cleaning up my mess. Up until now, I wasn’t sure, but now I’m convinced—I should really adopt you as my daughter."
 "Shut up! I’m jumping over the roof—keep up!"
 Hilde kicked off the ground, vaulting onto the roof while cutting down clinging vines.
 Once she landed, she reached down to help pull me up.
 "Oh? You got up on your own?"
 "Ah, yeah. I lifted the ground a bit and used the rebound."
 "...If you had that kind of trick, you could’ve used it earlier!"
 "It’s a cheap trick. Little stunts like that won’t change the battle."
 We dashed across the rooftop—
 But the vines kept chasing.
 They were no longer just plants.
 They had become snakes, with roots instead of fangs, trying to ensnare us.
 As I fled from my own creation, I muttered—
 "So, how’s the handling on those vines? You seem awfully fond of them, Erzebeth."
 "Father, shut up and run! Also—be sorry! And feel even sorrier toward me!"
 "Just being sorry is enough, right?"
 "What kind of empty apology is that?! Compensation, too! Now run!"
 As we shook off the vines, we leapt from the rooftop.
 Hilde landed lightly, using her ki to absorb the impact.
 I, on the other hand—
 I had to roll as I hit the ground, using earth magic to soften the landing.
 Even so—
 My shoulder ached.
 Hilde fended off the pursuing vines, buying me time to run ahead.
 I wasn’t as fast as her—
 So, while she handled things, I gained distance.
 Then—
 A red carpet rolled out before me.
 Like a grand welcome.
 Wait.
 No.
 "One born a noble... should not be chasing after beasts so disgracefully."
 "Better to let you trap yourself."
 Damn it.
 I had been herded.
 All around me—vines, vines, and more vines.
 Unlike blood, which had to flow, the vines had no such restriction.
 Erzebeth had simply let me run into her trap.
 She closed her fan, smirking.
 "I quite like these vines. They may not be beautiful, but they would make fine decorations for my walls."
 "I will make good use of your remains, dear concubine."
 "Oh, right. I have one more gift for you."
 "If it is your head, I shall claim it soon enough."
 "No, no. Not that."
 "I slipped a card between the vines."
 Vampires cannot be fought with human techniques.
 There’s no point in stabbing a vampire—
 If they won’t die, then the effort is wasted.
 So—
 There were two historical methods to deal with them.
 Wait for sunlight.
 Or use magic.
 Clover 3.
 The beginning of humankind’s gift—fire.
 Its magic gathered fuel—
 And readied itself to burn.
 I had engineered these vines to absorb blood.
 But that wasn’t all.
 If they only drank blood, they would be completely enslaved.
 So—
 I had grafted another trait from the World Tree.
 Plants burn.
 As long as they aren’t saturated with water, all plants are fuel for fire.
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 </div> The faster they grow, the more they consume moisture—
 Which makes them even more flammable.
 In other words—
 Erzebeth was standing inside a ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) bomb.
 And I lit the fuse.
 "Set. Celsius."
 The card responded to my mana, releasing its stored magic.
 Flames erupted.
 The fire was red like blood—but bright.
 A roaring inferno swallowed everything.
 The primal hunger of flame—
 That which consumed all and left only ash—
 Surged through the vines.
 A searing heatwave blasted across the area.
 If Hilde hadn’t grabbed me in time, I would’ve been sent flying.
 Shielding me, Hilde covered her mouth and grumbled—
 "Ugh! If you were going to do this, you could’ve warned me!"
 "Didn’t you already expect it when the vines got taken over?"
 "I thought you’d poison them, not burn everything to hell!"
 If poison had worked, it might have been a different story. But poison has no effect on the dead. At the end of the day, straightforward methods are the best. Fire, after all, has always been the most effective weapon against vampires.
 ...Well. It would have been nice if that had actually killed her.
 "Wait!"
 Hilde swung her sacred sword. A trail of light carved through the air, slicing apart the incoming blade of blood, cutting through the rising smoke. Splattered blood sprayed in all directions.
 "Tsk. I let myself get carried away and wasted too much time. This won't do."
 Step, step. From within the flames, which had slightly diminished after the initial explosion, Erzebeth emerged, pushing aside the lingering smoke.
 Her clothes, unable to withstand the blast, had burned away completely. And yet, her skin bore nothing more than a faint smudge of soot, a slight reddening from the heat. Otherwise, she remained utterly pristine.
 This level of explosion wasn’t enough to disperse Erzebeth’s blood energy. Blood was liquid. In the pure clash of water and fire, Erzebeth had achieved an overwhelming victory.
 Still, shouldn’t she at least be a little hurt or shaken? This is just ridiculous.
 "I had no intention of personally getting involved...."
 Erzebeth flicked her closed fan. A sharp pop sounded as something burst from the blood-soaked fabric, sending a gust that scattered the flames and smoke far into the distance.
 Her immense physical strength was impressive enough, but her ability to manipulate wind with a mere fan was even more remarkable. Erzebeth pointed the fan at Hilde, her voice chilling.
 "This body has already been disgraced. I have no reason to hold back anymore."
 Countess Erzebeth. Even before becoming a vampire, she drank blood and filled bathtubs with it. How could a frail noblewoman have accomplished such a thing? Political influence? Connections?
 No. It was raw strength. Before turning into a vampire, Erzebeth had already mastered advanced qi techniques. Until now, she simply hadn’t felt the need to use them. But in reality, her martial prowess was formidable.
 Damn. It would have been easier if she had just fought with vines instead. Still, we held out for quite a while.
 "Father. Do you have any other ideas?"
 She asked at just the right moment. I flashed Hilde a confident grin and answered her question.
 "I sent a signal. Reinforcements should be arriving soon."
 "Now that’s impressive. Just how many moves ahead do you see, Father?"
 "I wouldn’t say I planned for this specifically. I just like to scatter bait in all directions. You never know when something might bite."
 Anyone with business here would come running after witnessing such an explosion. Now, we just had to hold out until then...
 "Madame Erzebeth."
 They’re here? Huh? Wait. Ain? Erzebeth’s servant?
 That’s not my reinforcement.
 "You have arrived, Catalina. What is the situation?"
 "The battle is turning against us. I came as summoned, but you must return to the castle at once."
 "I will finish up here and join you shortly. Assist me."
 "As you command."
 Led by Natalia, five Ains stepped forward, encircling Hilde. We already struggled against one Elder, and now there were five Ains? Honestly, even if Hilde and I were at full strength, dealing with more than three Ains would be nearly impossible.
 Where the hell are my reinforcements?
 Wherever the Elder had passed, death followed. Humans lay bleeding out, teetering on the brink of death. The few survivors exhaled sighs of relief, grateful for their luck but mourning those who had perished.
 And then, amidst the scent of death, she arrived.
 A nurse’s uniform with an apron. A triangular headscarf. Pale skin and crimson eyes. The moment people recognized the Elder, Lir Nightingale, they screamed and scrambled away.
 "A vampire...!"
 "Ahhh! Run!"
 "The Elder is here to kill us all!"
 "We have to fight back...."
 Amidst the confusion and terror, Lir calmly counted.
 Thirty-two were on the verge of death. Eighty-three were succumbing to anemia. Including minor injuries, the number neared two hundred.
 That much... was manageable for Lir alone.
 She removed her headscarf and pulled out a hairpin. As she did, a cascade of jet-black hair, previously tucked away, tumbled down.
 With the blade of her hairpin, she severed a handful of her hair.
 The strands, initially lifeless, suddenly wriggled like black silk worms. Lir deftly manipulated them using hemocraft, sending them slithering through the air toward the scent of blood, straight to the wounded.
 "Ugh! Get away, you monster!"
 Terrified survivors kicked at the incoming strands, but they wove through every attempt to strike them down. As one injured human screamed in fear—
 Slick, slick, slick, slick.
 The threads moved in a precise crisscross pattern, suturing wounds together.
 If Erzebeth’s control over blood was for the purpose of collecting it, Lir’s control was to return it. She forcibly held onto the weakened blood flow of the dying, preventing it from escaping. She redirected the lost blood back into their bodies, quickening their sluggish heartbeats.
 However, Erzebeth had already drained much of the available blood. Lir used her reserves to stabilize the worst cases, then turned to the gathered crowd and announced,
 "By the authority of an Elder, I will now collect an emergency blood tax. Your cooperation is appreciated."
 "W-what...? Argh!"
 The strands pierced into the healthier individuals, siphoning their blood. Like engorged mosquitoes, the dark tendrils swelled with stolen blood and darted off to deliver it to those in need.
 It wasn’t much, but it would keep people alive. A few of the "donors" grimaced in discomfort, but since Lir’s actions were undeniably saving lives, they had no argument.
 External injuries were the easiest to treat. As long as she replenished the lost blood and sealed the wounds, they could recover. It wasn’t as simple as it sounded, but Lir’s abilities had been honed for this very purpose.
 The treatment proceeded swiftly. Once the immediate crisis had passed, a large, burly man stepped forward.
This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com. "Lir. Erzebeth attacked us without reason. She was consumed by her thirst for blood."
 For centuries, the people of the Mist Duchy had lived as livestock, never questioning the rule of vampires. However, refugees from the outside world often carried different perspectives. And, in most places beyond the duchy, vampires were seen as enemies.
 "The progenitor’s consort and a knight are fighting her. I will join them—lend us your strength. With an Elder on our side, we can win."
 A knight from a fallen kingdom might indeed wish to stand against vampires. The burly man made his plea.
 No matter how vast the gap in power, an Elder was still an Elder. If Lir counteracted Erzebeth’s hemocraft, the countess would be left with nothing but her frail body. With Lir’s help, victory was possible.
 However—
 "I have no interest."
 Lir rejected him without hesitation and straightened her posture. She ignored both the healed patients and the ongoing battle, turning away to seek more wounded.
 The burly man, momentarily stunned, called after her.
 "Aren’t you here to save humans? Stopping Erzebeth is the best way to do that!"
 "I have no interest. Whether they live or die. Whether Erzebeth turns them into livestock or they become livestock themselves."
 Lir paused briefly.
 Her still heart remained indifferent, even as she looked upon the dying. No sympathy. No sorrow. No anger.
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 </div> Lir’s parents had given her life but stolen everything else.
 The daughter of an Elder. A manufactured child. Raised as a tool, she was turned into a vampire before she ever had the chance to grow up. And then, her father, the Elder, had commanded her to rebel.
 Since that day, Lir’s life had been a rebellion.
 She had never once made a decision for herself. Emotions and will were as foreign to her as colors to the blind.
 Vampires had emotions, but what about a human who had never experienced them? How could she understand something she had never known?
 Thus, after becoming an Elder—after finally obtaining freedom—Lir had chosen a single path.
 To heal.
 The reason was simple. It was what she excelled at. And no one could stop her from doing it.
 Just like now.
 "The treatment is complete. I’m leaving."
 The wounded had been tended to. That meant Lir had no further reason to stay.
 Without sparing a glance at those who would survive, she left in search of others who still teetered on the brink of death.</div>
 
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Chapter 452: Reverse Judgment (15)

The vines drank deeply of the blood, thriving as they crept against the current of the blood flow. Nourished by vampiric energy, the vines stretched their branches and unfurled their leaves, blanketing the crimson river. "Druidism? No—this is the Tree of Blasphemy’s..." Hilde, who had once been a member of the Holy Sword Order, and the very one who had stolen a seed from the Tree of Blasphemy, immediately recognized what I was doing. "As expected of you, Father. You can wield all the Demonic...

Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

Chapter 452: Reverse Judgment (15)

Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint - Chapter 452: Reverse Judgment (15)