CH 85

—————Tick, tock, tick, tock……

I stared blankly at the systematically-moving hands of the clock.

The second hand advanced at an unnervingly slow pace, slowly but surely making its way toward that moment.

Finally, the second hand caught up with the minute hand, that moment when all the hands overlapped with each other, pointing straight up……

[———–Here it comes!]

A black haze overflows from the pattern engraved on my chest!

[Rex-sama!]

With a sad voice, Roze, who was sitting next to me, squeezed my hand.

The black magic power that appeared branched out into multiple branches, and just like a snake seeking its prey, the branches once again collided with my chest.

This is exactly the same behavior as the “curse” attack back in the game.

In the game, Roze was groaning in pain as soon as she received this attack but……

[……I can’t really feel anything.]

As far as I’m aware, there’s nothing strange that happened with my body, except that I felt a little shock at the moment that black haze hit me.

Having this mind, I immediately performed <Inspect> to my reflection in the mirror.

There was no decrease in my HP and MP, which had been my concern, and my Status remained the same.

Reflected back in the mirror were my familiar array of abilities that I’ve seen multiple times already.

[No abnormalities huh.]

As I nodded my head, feeling satisfied, Roze embraced me with a force as strong as a body slam.

[I’m glad! I’m so glad!]

[I told you there was no need to worry about it.]

Returning a wry smile to Roze, who exaggeratedly repeated “I’m glad”.

Incidentally……

(UWAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! I’M SOOOOOOOOOOOO GLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!)

I was inwardly screaming with all my might, just like, or even more than Roze.

No, of course, I knew that in theory, there wouldn’t be any problem.

This “Curse Mark” is a pinpoint target for the Vampire Factor, or more specifically, a target pointing to <Demon Lord Roze>.

Unlike Roze, “Rex” is just an ordinary Adventurer, so that marker shouldn’t have any effect on me.

Even in the in-game event, the Healer held up her hand to the black haze that had been activated, and calmly assessed that “It was harmless to the human body”.

Recently, however, my game knowledge may still prove to be useful, but it isn’t absolute.

It wasn’t impossible that an anomalous pattern would occur, like the “Curse Mark” would have an effect on me and I would end up awakening as the new <Demon Lord>, or that the attack would swerve towards Roze even though the “Curse Mark” was on me.

(This is why I didn’t want to go with this option.)

When I leveled Roze, I had thought of giving her the <Castle Ring>, which made it possible for me to use this last resort.

The <Castle Ring> has the effect of “exchange positions between characters equipped with the same ring”, probably derived from the “castling” in chess, a special maneuver in which the king and the rook would move and somewhat swap places.

There are lots of things I’d like to say about it, like isn’t that just a pun, or that castling doesn’t exactly allow you to swap positions, but it can’t be helped if the ring has such an effect.

The effective range isn’t very long, and the ring itself is disposable, so it isn’t very useful, but it was the only way I could think of to break that situation after that Event starts.

(In fact, if I hadn’t used it, that would have been a way down the game over-lane.)

I never thought that stabbing the <Knife of Regret> into his heart wouldn’t stop the activation of the “Curse Mark”.

Should I consider that I had underestimated the game’s power in forcing their events, or should I praise Werther’s obsession in this matter?

Nevertheless, I somehow managed to get through it with the power of that ring, and considering the future, being able to clearly prove that “I can overturn the flow of events” can be said to be a great harvest.

As I was secretly smiling to myself……

[……I’ll bear a grudge for this, Nii-san.]

From a position where Roze couldn’t see, Resilia muttered quietly into my ear, and for all sorts of reasons, I felt chills down my spine.

Even before this incident happened, I had told Resilia everything, except for this secret trick with <Castle Ring>.

If I had told her, she would stop me, and I felt like she would insist on taking on this role instead.

On top of that, after the battle with Werther was over, I handed the <Knife of Regret> to Resilia again.

I thought that, just in case, if I were to become a Vampire, Resilia would be the only one who could stop me, but it feels like it would be difficult to cover this up later.

[Ummm, Rex-sama? You look pale, are you alright?]

[Y- Yeah. Of course.]

While trying to hide the cold sweat running down my back, I’m just glad that Roze and the others were safe.

But then, at that moment, Roze’s face clouded over.

[What’s wrong?]

When I asked her so, she shook her head a bit.

[No, I’m glad everyone is safe. ……However, I just thought that if Uncle was gone and you all went back to your adventures, I thought this place would be lonely again.]

Saying “Though it may be selfish of me to say this……” with a self-deprecating smile, she turned her gaze to the side.

[I think what Uncle did and is about to do is unforgivable. However, for me…… He had been a truly kind person.]

At the end of her gaze was the book she was always reading.

Gently reaching for the book, Roze fondly stroked its cover.

[This book is something Uncle bought for me. Moreover…… He even went to the trouble of making caramel candies and treated me to them.]

Her eyes were distant, as if she were looking at a memory lost forever……… a memory that was about to disappear……

For reasons I didn’t know, I felt a pang of pain in my chest.

[When I asked him why he was so good to me, he laughed and told me: “It’s because you’re special”. Thinking about it now, he might have been like that not because of  me, but because of the presence of the <Demon Lord> deep within me.]

Seeing the sad smile on her lips, I realized something.

It’s true that I was able to prevent the awakening of the <Demon Lord> by receiving the “Curse Mark”.

However, that did not change the fact that she was a Vampire and the <Fourth Demon Lord>

She will have to leave with the fear that she may suddenly change for the rest of her life.

In this building, all alone……

[————-Roze.]

The moment I realized it, almost unconsciously, I called out her name.

[Rex…… -sama?]

As Roze looked at me, seemingly frightened, I simply spoke.

[The Vampire who wanted to revive the <Demon Lord> had fallen, and his ambition was thwarted. However, that doesn’t mean that everything has been resolved. The “curse” on me may have some sort of effect in the future, and I can’t say for sure that there won’t be anything else in the future that would awaken the <Demon Lord> within you, Roze.]

[Yes……]

Lowering her head, Roze slightly nodded.

[I can’t say that this ends everything regarding this matter. That’s why……]

Thereupon, I looked around this place, too quiet of a building, having too wide of a room for one person to live in.

And then, to her who looked like a sinner awaiting judgment, I spoke out the words of judgment.

[————That’s why, can we continue to visit you from here on out?]

Hearing this, her eyes opened wide, as if she couldn’t believe what she just heard.

However, when she looks over at us and sees that we aren’t lying, she wipes the tears away from her eyes.

[————It would be my pleasure!]

Thereupon, blooming just like the biggest rose, Roze smiled.