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*Creak- Thud- Creak-*

A few days later.

I stopped by Albert’s workshop in the basement of the Ruelberta Mansion grounds, bringing Helga with me.

Judging by the sound of something grinding, it seemed he was working on something.

The first to notice my arrival in the workshop was Albert’s granddaughter, Vanessa.

“Ah… Count. It’s a relief to see you looking well….”

“…Are you okay?”

“No. I feel like I’m going to die.”

Her voice sounded lifeless as she spoke, having not seen her in a while.

“Is something wrong?”

“Please, do something about that crazy woman. She’s been grinding her teeth all day, and I can’t concentrate….”

Vanessa pointed wearily to a bed in the corner of the workshop. On the bed, which had been used during Helga’s eye surgery, lay a thin, unkempt woman, restrained.

It was Rian.

When she was first brought to the workshop, she was in a pitiful state, with only her head and upper body intact. It seemed she had fully recovered now.

*Creak-! Thud-!*

Though her mouth was muzzled with thick cloth, Rian’s teeth clashed together, making a chilling sound. She was no different from a ferocious beast.

Thinking about her doing this every day, I could fully understand Vanessa’s feelings.

Even though Rian was restrained, she must have been a threatening presence to Albert and Vanessa, who had no combat abilities.

“Wasn’t it dangerous?”

“Haha. Not at all! Thanks to the bodyguard knight the Count left behind, there was no danger at all.”

“Ahem…! I didn’t really do much. But if you insist on praising me, I won’t stop you!”

Despite her words, Helga’s eyes were clearly begging for my praise.

Albert, noticing her feelings, chimed in from the side.

“Yes. She was impressive. Every day, she came to the workshop and excelled at breaking the vampire’s limbs. I didn’t even know bones could break so easily.”

Huh…?

“No, no!? Albert! If you say it like that, I’ll sound like a lunatic!”

Helga, startled, quickly explained herself to me.

“No! Count! It’s a misunderstanding! I…! I was just giving her a massage because it’s good for the patient….”

“Huh???”

Hearing this, Rian, still restrained, shot Helga a look of utter disbelief.

Perhaps feeling the intensity of that gaze, Helga smiled benevolently and stroked Rian’s head as she asked,

“Right? It was a massage, wasn’t it?”

“Mmmph!!! Ugh!!!”

“See? She’s saying yes.”

Rian shook her head desperately.

If a vampire was acting like this, it was clear. Just how much had she suffered at Helga’s hands…

Albert cleared his throat and spoke up.

“Ahem… Anyway, I’ve fixed her up as you requested. Though, being a vampire, she would have regenerated on her own….”

What Albert showed me was a magic formula engraved on Rian’s neck.

“I engraved it just in case. It’s a subjugation formula commonly used on slaves. If you infuse the blood of the designated master into the formula, she’ll become a slave.”

“…Ugh!? Ugh!”

Hearing this, Rian began thrashing in her restraints.

Realizing the fate that awaited her, she desperately conveyed her refusal.

But…

*Thud-.*

A dull sound echoed as something fell from Helga’s coat.

“Ah~. The massage tool fell out.”

“…Huh?!”

What Helga picked up was a hammer larger than a fist.

The moment Rian saw that menacing hammer, her face turned pale, and she quieted down. It seemed she had been through enough.

‘A slave….’

I fell into thought for a moment.

Rian was a villainous character who would become the third Demon Lord’s subordinate in the future.

Once fully awakened, she would be on par with Helga.

She would undoubtedly be a great asset to me in terms of combat strength.

Moreover, Albert’s decision to engrave the subjugation formula on Rian was a rational one.

Vampires are monsters that feed on humans.

Though they possess intelligence like humans, their roots lie in monstrous beasts.

Once she had tasted human flesh, it would be hard to suppress her hunger. It was a vampire’s instinct, a strong impulse.

Therefore, there was no reason to refuse Albert’s intention to suppress her hunger with the subjugation formula.

But…….

Yes. This was a matter of my feelings.

The aversion the word “slave” brought.

And the discomfort of forcing someone into submission.

It would take time and effort, but… I wanted to move Rian’s heart.

Knowing her guilt, despair, and regret, which would remain even after she became a murderer, I wanted to help her.

Even if it meant earning her hatred, it didn’t matter. I was used to being hated.

Albert took out a needle.

“Naturally, it’s best if the Count becomes her master. So, I’ll draw your blood now. Please extend your finger-.”

“No. I decline.”

“Huh?”

“I won’t make her a slave.”

At my signal, Helga removed the muzzle from Rian’s mouth.

“Phew… Cough….”

“Your name is Rian, right?”

I looked down at her with a gaze filled with ‘Pride.’ Even with a being of superior physical abilities before me, I felt no fear.

If anything, it was pitiful.

“I am Tristan, head of the Ruelberta family. The one you should serve.”

“……Huh?”

“You were originally a death row inmate, destined to die in the prison or the long game. The reason you’re still alive is because of me. So, serve me to repay that debt.”

Rian, ignorant of the world, knew nothing about me or the Ruelberta family’s infamy.

So, she spoke to me as if she couldn’t understand.

“…Why should I obey a ‘prey’?”

“I am not prey.”

“You are. Your blood tasted so delicious, how can you not be prey? Weird.”

It was then.

A single drop of my blood left in the iron bars where Rian had been imprisoned. She remembered the taste of my blood.

“Just because blood tastes good doesn’t mean you can drink it.”

“Just let me go. After I eat you, I’ll recover my strength and chew that woman’s head first.”

She wasn’t listening.

Helga, standing beside me, also shook her head.

“See? It’s impossible to tame a demon. They’re no different from beasts. Either force them into submission as a slave or treat them like monsters….”

“No. She’s human.”

“Huh?”

Rian is a character who knows both pain and joy.

I wanted to treat her as a human, not a monster.

I asked her one last question.

“Rian. Do you remember how you lived before going to prison?”

“Before… prison?”

Rian stared blankly, then tilted her head in confusion.

“I… don’t know? Is that important right now? I’m hungry.”

As expected, her instincts were consuming her memories.

If left like this, she would gradually forget her past as a human before her awakening. Once that happened, there would be no turning back.

Finally, I made my decision.

“Do you want to eat me?”

“Yes!”

“Do you want to kill people?”

“Yes! I’ll kill as many as it takes to fill my stomach!”

“I see.”

I took off my coat and muttered something I had once read in a book.

“Rian. Do you know? They say that suffering to the point of death changes a person.”

I neatly placed the coat on a chair.

Then, I declared to her.

“I am your suffering.”

“…What?”

“Helga. Will you help me?”

“Hehe… Of course, Count.”

Understanding my words, Helga approached Rian with a sinister smile.

“I’m always ready. If the Count says something is white, it’s my duty to make even a crow white. If the Count says you’re human, then you’re human.”

“You…! If I get out of this, I’ll kill-!”

“Here’s a quiz! Humans have a surprising total of 206 bones! So, how many bones do vampires have in their bodies?!”

“……Huh?”

Rian was speechless at the sudden quiz.

“Is it hard? Here’s a hint! Vampires have the same number of bones as humans!”

“Then it’s 206…?”

“Wrong!”

*Crack-!*

“-!!”

“Now it’s 207!”

The hammer, slicing through the air, shattered Rian’s leg bone.

The horrific sound of breaking bone was accompanied by Rian’s scream.

No, she tried to scream.

If my ‘Wrath’ hadn’t been pressing down on her heart, she would have screamed at the top of her lungs.

“-?!!”

“I already know about a vampire’s regenerative abilities. You won’t die from a broken bone.”

“You… lunatic….”

Rian glared at me with eyes filled with hatred.

It was surprising that she still had the spirit to glare under the influence of ‘Wrath.’ It was a shame to make her a villain.

“I’ll… kill you. Kill you. I’ll kill you….”

“Then, anesthesia first!”

“Guh?!”

Helga’s hand struck Rian’s neck.

The sound of breaking bone echoed as Rian’s neck snapped.

“Now, patient. Can you feel anything?”

“?!?”

Helga’s hand stroked Rian’s head.

Rian looked utterly confused.

It was understandable. Her limbs were likely paralyzed, but she would still feel everything vividly.

It was Helga’s specialty from her Aslan days, used during interrogations.

“This patient’s body is so stiff! Relax.”

Helga climbed onto Rian’s body, which couldn’t resist, and raised the hammer above her head again.

“Then, let’s start the massage. Full course this time!”

“Y-you…!”

A flash of despair crossed Rian’s eyes.

Then, I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.

“Wait… You two. Are you still here?”

“Huh?”

“Oh? Uh….”

Albert and Vanessa, who had been frozen in place at the brutal scene before them, finally snapped out of it.

I decided to show them mercy.

“You can leave for today.”

“R-really? We can go?”

“Yes. Go. If you don’t want to see something worse.”

“Uh….”

Vanessa looked bewildered but quickly took off her apron and prepared to leave.

Just before exiting the workshop, Albert placed a hand on my shoulder and spoke meaningfully.

“…Thank you.”

I wasn’t sure what he was thanking me for, but…

As the two left, the dull sound of bones breaking echoed hollowly through the workshop.

I simply watched the process calmly.

Perhaps, if they had seen me, they might have thought I looked like a cruel demon… I thought to myself.

 

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