Seeing Latia smiling brightly, she doesn’t seem to have any ill feelings towards me. It was just a simple conversation, but the consideration for the nervous me is buried in it.

“I will ask straight forward.”

Then it would be quicker to ask directly without having to turn around.

“yes?”

Latia, who was eating the sweets, tilted her head at my question.

“yesternight. Didn’t you come to my dormitory by any chance?”

“ah… … . You heard it then too. I wondered if it was because of my mood, but I guess you were watching? Are you surprised? Sorry!”

“… … ?”

Seeing him meekly admitting what he had done makes me feel depressed. Wasn’t there any malice after all?

You just need to know why you did it. First of all, isn’t that home trespassing?

“Can you tell me why you broke into my dormitory? As Chairman Ratia knows, such behavior does not end with an invasion of privacy.”

“Ugh… … . I didn’t mean to, but I think I was too careless last night.”

Latia said while twisting her hair with her fingers as if she had no face.

“Isn’t Oz famous? I heard that there are many people who are aiming here and there.”

“Yeah, what… … .”

It’s not something to hide. It is already an open secret that I was once abandoned in ＜Spelling＞.

“But when I entered the school gate yesterday, a report came in that you looked unwell.”

I didn’t think of that.

It was already evening time when I entered ＜Skientia＞, and the only people I met right after that were Baek Yang and Marie.

But I forgot that there was also a guard guarding the school gate.

It wouldn’t be strange if they reported the situation in front of the school gate to the student council.

“But when I go back, I go back alone… … . You know that? Right now, the dormitory in Oz is in a very remote place, so it’s a place where people rarely visit, so I was worried.”

“So you were trying to check the status?”

“yes. I wondered if he might have collapsed because his condition deteriorated… … .”

Latia nodded her head apologetically and continued to explain.

“He and the student council officers are allowed into the dormitory in case of an emergency. Of course, I didn’t mean to abuse it, I just wanted to secretly see myself and come out… … . Okay… … . You got caught.”

“indeed… … . I understood the situation. But even if there was a reason for that, wouldn’t it be a bit problematic to sneak in at night?”

Aren’t there still too few grounds to be confirmed as an emergency?

I would have been able to knock at least.

“right… … . It’s my fault. You don’t have to forgive. If you want, I will step down from the student council president and have you disciplined.”

Latia apologized to me with a very depressed expression.

At this point, all I can think of is that he was really worried about me and had no malice. I don’t really want the incident to spread, and I don’t want Tia to dismiss her, whom she trusts.

If there is no malice, that’s fine. I’ll have to check a few more things though.

“Maybe other students… … .”

“No, you usually follow the school rules properly? I-I don’t know if you’ll believe it, but I think I did it without my knowledge this time because I was worried… … .”

“okay… … .”

Looking through [Contemplation], it didn’t seem like she was lying.

But why? Why did she cross the line just this time?

do you like me

Come to think of it, Ozu’s face is quite handsome. I haven’t benefited from that until recently, so there’s a good chance that I can have that kind of confidence.

The popularity of this guy… … .

“Do you mind if I ask what the reason was?”

“Ah, that… … .”

At my question, Latia hesitated for a moment, then quietly began to give reasons.

“Oz, this is really just my personal question… … .”

uh? Is this really like me?

“Oz you look like my dead brother.”

“… … .”

It wasn’t. It was a heavy talk. I feel a bit sluggish.

am i trash?

It was at a time when I was in such a swamp of self-loathing.

“Oh, would you like to see a picture? They really look alike… … .”

“Ah, yes. Let me see.”

Perhaps thinking my hesitation as suspicion, Latia held out the photo she had carefully kept in her arms.

Is it more like that? For some reason, I received the photo from Latia, who was hesitant, and confirmed it.

“exactly… … .”

Resembles.

Except for the pointy ears, the elf in the picture was clearly resembling Oz’s childhood believable.

However, immediately after seeing this photo, I felt a sense of incongruity for unknown reasons. What? What the hell is it?

what am i missing?

“Well, I understand first.”

“Then that… … .”

“Let’s pretend this never happened. Still, I hope this doesn’t happen in the future. President Ratia.”

“Yeah, thank you.”

It is right to end this here.

There will be a lot of work to be done in the future, so having someone as talented as her shoulder the debt of the heart will be helpful later on.

It would be good to establish a relationship that would win her cooperation in case of one chance.

“Oh, this is Saddam.”

At that moment, Latia’s voice, which should have sounded kind and gentle, sounded slightly eerie.

“Is it okay if I ask about this picture? I’m a little interested.”

Latia took out a new photo with those words. The photo I took out this time was taken relatively recently, so it was quite high quality.

“this… … case… … .”

And the moment I received the picture, I understood.

In the second picture she held out, it was my appearance.

“That look. I want to see you in person too, what do you think?”

“How the hell did this… … .”

However, if there is something unusual, it is that I am walking behind Eleanor wearing a wig.

With trembling hands, I immediately check the first picture again.

What was inside was the figure of a child resembling Oz. The only awkward thing is that the child in the picture is wearing a skirt?

“no way?”

“If Julie had grown up, she would have been just the same age as you… … .”

Unfounded confidence turned into a solemn feeling.

And that solemn feeling soon turned into fear.

I noticed. could notice

Yes, I noticed.

-Your attitude is stiff. It’s okay to be a little more comfortable. It’s okay if I call you sister. How is it?

-No, thanks. Isn’t it more like an older sister than an older sister?

– I think it would be more pleasant to hear that you are an older sister.

The conversation we had just a few minutes ago flashes through my mind.

The reason why Eleanor evaluated Latia as insidious comes to mind.

and decisively.

– You know what. teacher? 90% of the votes that went to the teacher in the men’s section, which seemed to look good in women’s clothing, went to one person. Because there was no room for manipulation? It’s very popular.

The words she had said lingered in the middle of my memory.

yes, she knew

No, I should have known.

“Popular vote… … ?”

“ah! Did you know that you won first place in the poll? My sister also worked hard to vote, and she must have liked it.”

She is the combination of madness that put me in first place with overwhelming cash in the category of men who look good in crossdressing.

yes i am at this moment

“Don’t you ever want to try on a skirt? I think it will suit you well.”

I could feel the alarm from the arrogant thought that maybe she didn’t like me.

I realized that there is a fear that I have never felt before.

* * *

Immediately after confirming Latia’s madness, I had no choice but to get out of the student council room as if I were running away, let alone questioning.

It was scary. A fear I had never experienced before seemed to eat away at my limbs.

But even in the midst of that, his mind was relatively calm, and he was able to escape.

yeah i’m cool

“Lucia… … .”

He was in a state where he could recall with an extremely calm mind where the current situation had come from.

While breathing heavily, she immediately calls ＜Tenebris＞.

The call was not connected.

“this… … ! this… … !”

Ulla must have known that I had gone to meet the student council president.

If so, you would have known that I would contact you again.

That would have been naturally communicated to Lucia, who is in charge of me.

In other words, if the communication is not connected, it means that the other side is not intentionally receiving it.

“This traitor——!!”

Lucia Punisher, she betrayed me.

An exceptionally high-resolution photo that Latia had. At that time, the only person who could take the picture was Lucia, who was nearby.

Yes, that damn beast sold me out.

“kill.”

You must kill Lucia before it becomes irreversible.

I have to kill her to live.

You have to find it.

Tonight.

Hunt ＜Tenebris＞.

* * *

Agents of ＜Tenebris＞ were as far away from Oz as possible.

I had already guessed that this would happen.

“Oh, that’s scary.”

Ula, who was between them, was checking Oz’s condition through a scope. bloody

“ah… … . We met eyes.”

Ulla looked at Oz with a look of interest, but in an instant, broke into a cold sweat and hesitated.

I never thought I would find myself on this street. In the first place, with the information obtained in advance, Oz would not have been able to see farther than them.

I found her nonetheless. When her eyes met colder-than-usual eyes, she had no choice but to take her eyes off the scope without realizing it.

“… … Did you, by any chance, sense that you were looking at you?”

If so, it couldn’t be more of a beastly feeling than a beastman.

It is probably necessary to update the information.

“Wow, I heard… … . Should I run away? What will Lucia do?”

“Oh, I really hate it… … . Why should I take on such a sin?”

“Ahahahaha.”

Ula let out a deep sigh at the sight of Lucia muttering while squatting beside him.

At first, Lucia was against this plan. It was because she knew his tendencies as well as she had frequent contact with Oz.

“Prince Oz is selfish, arrogant, and unexpectedly tyrannical. Why the hell do you have to provoke someone like that?”

“Because I want that.”

At the sudden words, Lucia immediately straightened her posture as she felt her tail wagging.

Lucia lowered her head while carefully examining her opponent.

Her dark blue hair, reminiscent of the night sky, stood out, but her deep yellow eyes, resembling the sun, seemed to overwhelm her.

That’s right, she is considered the next sun of the Empire… … .

“Meet Princess Stasia.”

Blood Princess

Stasia Van Helios

“Yes, Sir Lucia. You’ve worked hard for our empire today as well.”

Stasia smiled brightly at the two kneeling down on her.

However, the more they did, the more the two of them broke into a cold sweat.

Thick blood flowed from the ends of her hair, resembling the night sky. However, it was not Stasia’s blood.

‘This is another terrible smell of blood… … .’

‘How many people have you killed today? Ahahahahaha, it’s suffocating.’

Stasia had numerous rights as she was confirmed as the next emperor.

One of them was about death row inmates. With just her will, death row inmates of the empire could be pardoned or killed.

And she was actively using that power.

“Oh, do you care? I looked like I couldn’t see. After all, it’s hard to swallow this much blood at once.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

Lucia and Ulla didn’t say anything and lowered their heads further. I was just tired of it on the inside.

Stasia is a dhampir, a hybrid between a vampire and a human.

A vampire is a type of demon that gains power by absorbing blood.

But even that has its limits.

It was said that the blood that could not be absorbed was enough to swallow dozens of people.

Swallowing that much blood was no longer in order to gain strength.

“I wanted to understand their pain, but it didn’t work out this time either.”

As she was a dhampir, she was different from a vampire.

The vampire’s blood mixed with the blood of the royal family was able to inherit some of the memories by absorbing the blood of the other person.

“When will I be able to understand people who commit sins? They are all citizens of the same empire… … .”

pure.

She was a pure person in a different sense from Arietta.

I want to understand them. Even if they are criminals, they are citizens of the Empire. If we could understand them, wouldn’t we be able to eradicate the empire’s criminals?

Her actions based on such thoughts were always based on good intentions, but that method was not something that could be wrapped up as good intentions.

“Oh, come to think of it, did you say why? Sir Lucia.”

“No, not that… … .”

“It will be difficult to understand. It’s natural that it’s difficult for me, who has the power to understand others.”

“… … .”

Lucia managed to calm her trembling body and waited for Stasia’s next words.

Stasia’s actions were frightening, but there was no malice.

“I really wanted to meet him this time because Prince Oz seems to be avoiding me.”

“Ah, yes… … .”

“Strength, power and wisdom. Do you know how rare it is to have someone who has all of that and still finds himself in a precarious situation?”

“… … .”

“To think that there is a person who is being chased with all of that just because of the whim of the King of Darkness… … . Could it be that I missed out on such a genius opportunity?”

In the bizarre form of the magical kingdom ＜Spellage＞, it was a country where power could soon become power.

That’s why the fact that Oz, who is considered the next King of Darkness, is being chased with everything he has temporarily frozen, can’t help but seem like a sweet dessert.

“A near-perfect condition to regain one’s position at any time, even if it seems to have fallen at first glance.”

Oz did not lose his right to succeed. Due to Salem’s capricious judgment, there is always a chance to get everything back.

What’s more, Salem recently abandoned its pursuit of Oz.

That means expressing neutrality, and at the same time, it is said that the only thing holding back Oz is the assassin sent by the forces that are hostile to him.

“If you can placate it in the Empire, it might be possible to swallow Spellage itself.”

“I’m sure that’s possible so easily… … .”

“So this is an investment.”

Stasia said, firmly cutting off Lucia’s careful remonstrance.

“If it’s the condition of Prince Oz, it’s not a waste to hold on to it through an arranged marriage. Even if the plan to seize the throne fails, you’re getting someone with that level of power, right?”

Everything in Stasia’s action base is for the sake of the Empire.

The reason why she was promoted as the next emperor of the empire was because the emperor liked her behavior.

“Well, as long as you stop making faces, it’s okay.”

Oz’s probability was certainly working. But I didn’t know if that would help.