I slowly approach them to listen to their conversation.

  The one I’m approaching is naturally Risa Haruna.

  I know that they were acquaintances from their previous exchange.

  “Why are you in this place?”


  Suddenly, Epi is saying those words with a trembling voice.

  No, her body also seems to be trembling lightly. Were they former enemies?

  “When I was sauntering around, I suddenly felt something amiss in this place. That’s why I’m really happy to see you in this place. I couldn’t remember how long it’s been since the last time we met, though.”


  “….Higan-sama!”


  Suddenly Epi raises her voice.

  “You say things like that as if it’s a walk in the park! There was a talk that you went above the ground when you disappeared from our place!”


  Though Risa Haruna is staring at an Epi lashing out her anger, she didn’t move at all.

  On the contrary, she continues to reply with a light tone.

  “Because I’m honest to my own feelings. Moreover, it’s not like I just suddenly disappeared. I told you guys properly that I’m leaving to the world of humans.”


  “That’s what’s called as betrayal! Why did someone like you willingly abandon your power to mingle with humans! Isn’t your figure completely different from your past’s figure!”


  The one being called as “Higan-sama” seems to be Risa Haruna.

  Could it be that Higan is her name amongst the vampires, or should I say that it’s her real name while Risa Haruna is just her human name?

  Certainly, Risa Haruna had been living as a vampire a long time ago. Could it be that Epi’s her acquaintance? The world is small, huh.

  But this atmosphere doesn’t feel like a reunion between old friends.

  “To be honest, I don’t have any problem with either my power or my daily life. In fact, I don’t feel any abnormality at all.”


  ”As if I will buy such a lie. How can Higan-sama, a perfect existence who ruled above others with such power, after losing her power—. That’s just how much we yearned and looked up to Higan-sama who had such power, and yet you abandoned such power. Just how much do you think we—No, I mean I’m worried about you—?”


  “I’m doing what I like and you do what you like. Isn’t it as simple as that?”


  “You… were indeed that kind of person. That’s why…”


  Thereupon, Epi takes a deep breath while lowering her posture and glares at Risa Haruna, “That’s why I don’t think that you’ll always stand above me, HIGAN! The current me is far above you. NOW, KNEEL BEFORE ME AND LET ME SEE THE CHANGE ON YOUR CAREFREE EXPRESSION!”


  “Is that why you appeared at this place?”


  “Don’t be so conceited. I came here for another reason. But I can’t just let you go after meeting you like this. There’s no way I can just leave after seeing someone whom I regarded as an absolute existence wearing such clumsy things. Only a fool will let go of such a chance!”


  Epi’s voice is filled with hatred.

  It’s to the point that I don’t think she’s the very same person who tried to not injure anyone as much as possible when she hijacked the academy.

  She look like as if she will pounce at Risa Haruna at any moment.

  Are you okay, Risa Haruna?

  While I was still mulling over whether I should help her or not, or what should I say in that situation, my eyes met with Risa Haruna’s eyes over Epi’s shoulder.

  Risa Haruna had a faint smile on her lips.

  “Epi, it seems he’s more than willing to become your opponent rather than me.”


  She sold me.

  “HAH?”


  Epi turns around and then looks at me with a dubious face.

  “Why did you chase me so far, human? So insistent, aren’t you? No, rather than that, what’re you saying about this human, Higan-sama?”


  “We have some sort of relationship, you see. You have some sort of business with Epi, right Eiji-kun? It seems her blood has already reached her head, so teach her a lesson, Eiji-kun.”


  “WHY ME?” “WHY MUST IT BE THIS GUY?”


  Our voices accidentally overlapped.

  And then, we look at Risa Haruna at the same time.

  “Because the current me isn’t as powerful as Epi. Thus, I don’t want to fight. Coincidentally, you’re also in this place, Eiji-kun. I can trust your power. So fight for me, Eiji-kun.”


  “Trust? By Higan-sama?”


  Epi’s cheeks convulsed for a moment.

  Ah, this is bad.

  Her eyes looking at Risa Haruna slowly gazed toward me.

  Her expression is different from when we met in the underground vault; it’s an expression filled with rage.

  “So human, are you the one trusted by Higan-sama? Are you more powerful than me?”


  “Uhm, please calm down for the time being.”


  Epi, clenching her fists, is baring her canines at me.

  Ah, this is real bad.

  “Fufu….. Fufufufu. Fine then, if that’s the case, let’s do it. I’ll beat you, the one trusted by Higan-sama, till you turn into a rag and make you remember that I’M THE BEST! And then Higan-sa–… No, I mean Higan! I’ll make you kneel before me after I beat this guy! Remember that!”


  “Yeah, I’ll do as you say. I have no power to go against you, after all.”


  Risa Haruna glances at me while continuing her speech.

  “Well then, I’ll entrust my fate to you then. Please do your best for me.”


  “No, that is too—-“ “HERE I COME! HUMAN!”


  Epi is plunging toward my direction while ignoring my voice of objection.

  I raised my right hand and shouted “Magic Barrier!” with all my power to block her downward strike.

  Though I managed to stop her strike, my legs retreated by one step due to her power.

  “Guh… such power.”


  “He~, for you to stop this strike of mine, it seems you’re not all talk and no bite, huh. Fufu, interesting. HEYYAH!”


  Then, she raised her smooth leg to launch a kick.

  I’ll be fascinated by such a sight under normal circumstances, but now isn’t the time for that.

  I evade her kick by backstepping while creating a sword with magic craft.

  “Running away since you have no confidence to fight with me?”


  “Vampires have the ability to hide their fangs. And that’s the same for you, I never expected that there would be a human who can avoid the speed of a vampire and even manage to stop my strike. You have my praise.”


  Epi is laughing delightfully while swaying her curly hair.

  Though she’s saying that with a pompous voice, she does have the power to say that.

  Risa Haruna did say that she lost majority of her power since she’s been above the ground for way too long. Thus, I knew why Epi is this powerful.

  So this is the power of a not weakened vampire.

  “But then, I have no intention to lose. Here I come!”


  I slash at her with my materialized sword.

  But, Epi caught my sword with her left-hand.

  Then, I add another slash with my other hand.

  This time she caught it with her right-hand.

  “Woah, with bare hands…”


  “Fufufu, surprised? Our hands are different from the weak hands of a human.”


  “What a cute way of saying that, your hand, I mean.”


  “C-Cute? Aren’t you getting cheeky, human?”


  “Speaking of cheeky, I’ll do that for a while longer.”


  “What are——- Eh, my body feels—Heavy!”


  I slashed my sword at the place weakened by sorcery.

  Moreover, I’m slashing with the back of my sword to transmit the impact to invoke the berserker skill, [Defense Penetration]. Epi’s expression is distorted as the damage intruded her body.

  “Quite a trick you got there.”


  “Yup, that’s my strong point, after all.”


  “What a coincidence, that’s my strong point, too.”


  The next moment, Epi’s scarlet pupils let out an eerie flash.

  Crap— By the time I thought so, my legs already stopped moving.

  Even when I tried to walk, I can’t feel the usual tremor when walking on the ground. It’s as if my legs are rooted at one place.

  Epi is approaching me with a triumphant smile.

  “Fufu, how do you feel? This is the evil eyes of vampire. It has the power to charm my opponent to do my bidding. It’s refreshing right, human?”


  “… Yeah, extremely refreshing in fact.”


  “Hum. Wail of a loser. But, you did great in this fight. Though I expected that I can easily beat you to rags, I couldn’t stop your movement perfectly and only managed to stop your legs. Well, that’s the same thing. Stopping your legs is also enough for me.”


  I see, evil eye, huh.

  Though her physical ability is unnaturally high, the vampire race is a rule breaker when they use this move.

  Uhm, I do have a【Priest】skill for this kind of situation.

  Against it, I use anti-magic barrier to dispel the effect and increase the power of the barrier by consuming more magical power with magic charge or magic enhance—


  “TAKE THIS!”


  “YO!”


  I regained my freedom right before receiving a body blow from her.

  “NO WAY! A MERE HUMAN ACTUALLY FREED HIMSELF FROM MY CHARM!?”


  “It hurts for sure, for a skill which you claim as your trump card. Now, this is the end!”


  I summon Ondine to create a huge water ball to hit my opponent.

  Based on her previous maneuvers, she will avoid this but won’t be able to move, since it’ll create a gap for me to attack her.

  That splendid water ball hits on Epi, and in spite of not doing real damage to her, it momentarily robbed her vision and hearing.

  Thus, by using the same principle as my previous attack – emphasis on landing one attack – I added even more power to my attack to pierce her defense.

  “A——-AH!”


  And then, another attack to her side.

  “Urgh—-“


  There’s a feedback.

  Epi takes some distance along with the attack being transferred all the way to the bone, and she crouched on the spot.

  Her left hand is hanging loosely while her right hand’s pressing at her flank. She glared at me in fury.

  “We have a winner, right?”