Chapter 241

Chapter 241 – Ah, That’s a Bit…

Leaving Shine to his own devices, I went to assess the state of the apprentices.

There were fourteen individuals in total.

Left completely without medical attention, every single one of them hovered on the brink of death. As I scrutinized their trauma, a thought crossed my mind.

“How are they even breathing?”

“What do you mean?”

“The ones without missing parts are one thing. But those who’ve had arms and legs chopped off? There is no point in keeping them alive. They’re completely useless as Troubleshooters now.”

“So that’s how it is.”

Shine recounted the scene from when he first uncovered the children—dumped like garbage in an isolated storage facility.

He maintained a composed delivery, yet I could sense the underlying rage he held toward the actions of the Decullans.

He remarked that if execution was the goal, the barest shred of decency would dictate doing it swiftly and painlessly.

My own perspective, however, deviated slightly.

After all…

It was precisely because they were left breathing that they managed to survive long enough to cross paths with us.

Furthermore…

• Target Apprentice No. 27. Eliminate him.

• ……

• He’s a goner regardless. Consider it a prime opportunity to build your nerves.

At the very least, they hadn’t been utilized as disposable targets for the other trainees’ execution practice.

‘Now that I think about it, did that miserable wretch actually kick the bucket this time?’

I clenched my jaw for a brief second, the memory of the specific tutor who had overseen my own training flashing through my mind.

He wasn’t your run-of-the-mill instructor.

He wore a facial concealment throughout our entire interaction, ensuring his true visage remained a total mystery.

“So, what is the verdict?”

“Their current state… well.”

I observed each of the fourteen youths individually.

Lacking proper medical credentials, I couldn’t provide a flawless prognosis, but if the inquiry was whether the Light of Healing could salvage their lives, the reality was clear.

“The ones with missing limbs can be stabilized. The lacerations were neglected for far too long, pushing them to the edge, but once the physical trauma is sealed and they are dosed with restoratives, they will pull through before long. The real issue lies elsewhere…”

My gaze shifted to the pair of youngsters who bore no visible external injuries.

The young girl was wheezing heavily—not due to physical impact, but as if gripped by some internal malady.

As for the young boy…

‘His internal energy pathways are completely knotted.’

An instance of mana backflow left completely unaddressed for such an extended period had worsened to a degree where even my capabilities fell short.

I relayed this assessment to Shine, who responded with a silent, somber nod.

“…Understood.”

“These two have sustained damage that far outstrips my therapeutic sorcery. They require a genuine medical professional…”

I had serious reservations about their survival.

Their vital sparks were rapidly dimming; they were running out of time.

Cutting my explanation short, I turned my attention squarely to Shine.

“Alright, what is the plan?”

“I am weighing the options.”

“A difficult choice, isn’t it?”

“It has to be. It means converting them into something no longer human. Mortals will cling to any lifeline to survive the present moment, but they are the ones who must carry the immense burden of what follows.”

That reality was precisely why Shine had abstained from ever creating subordinates until now.

The concept of a vampire might appear glamorous on the surface, but casting aside one’s mortal nature was far more complicated than it seemed.

As that realization drifted through my mind, I found myself quietly evaluating Shine.

It was an angle I had never truly pondered—the sheer degree of internal conflict he must have weathered.

‘From a Death Knight to a Vampire.’

His fundamental nature had been completely rewritten twice over.

No matter how ironclad a spirit might be, an existential crisis was practically guaranteed.

As if registering my scrutiny…

“This vessel is incapable of feeling such sentimentality, you troublesome rogue. Regardless of how my state of being shifts, I remain Shine von Leman.”

“If you say so.”

I refrained from pressing the issue, merely nodding in compliance.

There was no other choice.

It undoubtedly required a tremendous amount of internal suffering to state that with such conviction.

In any case.

“Our window of opportunity is closing fast. Make up your mind quickly if you intend to proceed. Before you do, though, do you mind if I offer an observation?”

“Speak.”

I redirected my focus from Shine back toward the huddle of children.

Even now, they whimpered in agony, soaked in cold sweat. The words I was about to utter carried a sharp edge.

“The ones who lost limbs can make a full recovery. Consequently, I strongly advise against converting them into your subordinates. That acts as… a lifelong weight they shouldn’t have to bear.”

“Mm.”

Shine gave a faint nod of concurrence.

Yet, I had more to add.

“The remaining pair… they represent those bound by destiny, just as you noted. However, if you harbor any doubts, do not take the leap. Mortality claims everyone eventually—there are no exemptions. To put it bluntly, do you intend to convert every miserable soul on death’s door out of mere sympathy? If this is born from superficial pity, it would be far kinder to let them meet their natural end.”

There was no predicting whether those two would embrace existence as creatures of the night or spend eternity wallowing in remorse.

Even if they adapted perfectly, the crucial element here was Shine’s personal conviction.

Shine stood as a Vampire Lord, doomed to navigate an unending existence.

To drag through that eternity weighed down by regret… as his brother-in-arms, that was a vision I had no desire to see realized.

“If you anticipate remorse, walk away. If you commit to this, do so with absolute certainty.”

That encapsulated my entire perspective.

Once I finished speaking, Shine shifted his gaze away from the youths to look directly at me.

“That is unexpected.”

“In what way?”

“I anticipated you would press me to convert them without a second thought.”

“You and I are not cut from the same cloth.”

I carried no regrets regarding my path.

“I recognize that.”

Shine nodded as if finding clarity, then returned his focus to the ailing youths.

“Very well. Your perspective has brought order to my thoughts. I shall claim those two as my initial subordinates. Still…”

“Still?”

“This choice is not made for the benefit of the children. It is executed for the resurgence of the vampire line. That is the perspective I will maintain.”

It could easily be perceived as self-serving…

However, it was infinitely superior to easing his own conscience under the guise of benevolence—it signified that he was prepared to fully shoulder the fallout of his decision.

Thus, on that very day.

Within the confines of an anonymous mountain pass, the initial vampire subordinates came into being.

For the young boy, Shine bestowed the moniker ‘Astaroth’—ensuring no space for remorse by drawing inspiration from my own title.

For the young girl, wishing for her everlasting joy, he selected a term from a bygone dialect: ‘Lerazie.’

And yet… why that choice?

‘…Astaroth?’

I could already envision the path awaiting the boy.

Somehow, it carried the distinct aura of a title destined to endure ceaseless trials and rough handling at Shine’s hands.

With the conversion process finalized, Shine informed the newly resuscitated children that he possessed matters to disclose before walking away.

The youths trailed after him, utterly bewildered by their circumstances.

I remained in the area to continue mending the broken bodies of the others. By the time I concluded my work and stepped out into the open, the campsite was alive with hushed conversations.

“Lortel, the Magic Tower… a Master of Spirits?”

“Is it true? We have the freedom to select our own path? But where exactly is this Magic Tower located…”

“What if we are captured a second time and suffer the exact same fate?”

I filtered past the whispering adolescents and took up a position within a rocky cleft that commanded a view of the entire valley below.

‘Has it commenced already?’

During the interval I spent mending the injured, it appeared they had been filled in on their potential paths forward.

Yet, likely owing to the lingering trauma inflicted by Decullan…

The youngsters seemed paralyzed by the decision.

I observed the scene without a sound, sharpening my auditory senses to catch the drift of their dialogue—the vast majority seemed inclined toward Lortel.

‘They are fully aware that Decullan was responsible for their abduction, which makes Lortel appear to be the safest haven.’

An astute deduction, from my perspective.

The next option was Mysel senior.

The prospect of mastering spirit manipulation, provided one possessed the innate affinity, managed to attract a select few.

As for the Magic Tower?

“Sorcery…”

“No, I want nothing more to do with that.”

It was evident they harbored a profound revulsion toward the mystic arts themselves.

While I could have felt a twinge of resentment, a part of me recognized this outcome as ideal.

It had nothing to do with financial burdens…

My concern was that they would tether themselves to malice, living solely for the sake of extracting vengeance against Decullan.

Squandering their entire existences refining sorcery for the singular purpose of revenge, never knowing comfort, wealth, or genuine contentment.

‘Then again, they could just as easily nurture desires for retribution while under the care of Lortel or Mysel senior…’

I placed my trust in them.

Lortel and Mysel senior possessed the capability to guide those vengeance-seeking youths down a healthier path.

Why couldn’t I be the one to do it?

Because I, too, was incapable of abandoning my own quest for retribution.

As my eyes scanned the gathered youths, a particular figure drew my attention.

“…?”

Initially, the silhouette gave the impression of a massive bear.

The sheer physical dimensions…

However, it was undeniably a human being, ascending the steep valley incline with massive, deliberate movements.

‘…Lucifer? Moving in my direction?’

Yet that expression…

It was incredibly sharp, akin to confronting a mortal adversary.

He scaled the precipitous rock face without faltering even once, closing the distance to my position in a matter of moments.

I shifted to the side to afford him some space, and he offered a brief, abrupt nod before settling down right beside me.

“Huff, huff.”

“…”

I quietly watched as he recovered his breath.

‘This fellow is entirely superficial.’

During our younger years, he would constantly boast about his striking appearance, but in reality—he was merely slightly less unkempt, bearing fewer physical blemishes. It was entirely logical that I could pinpoint his identity instantly.

As I drifted into reflections of bygone days, Lucifer broke the silence.

“Are you the individual presiding over the Tower? Word has it that you are.”

“Is that so?”

“Hmm…”

Lucifer ran his eyes over my form from top to bottom before uttering a low comment.

“The rumors claimed you hailed from the squalor of the Black-White Slums… Clearly, nourishment was hard to come by. I suppose a lack of sustenance is the ultimate misfortune.”

“Watch your mouth, you arrogant brat.”

“Ah, my apologies. I was referring to your stature. Is that something even sorcery fails to remedy?”

“…”

Indeed, this was his true nature.

Reared back into contact with the abrasive personality of Lucifer that had slipped from my memory, I firmly shut my mouth.

A single counter-argument would simply invite a cascade of endless inquiries. Sure enough, when I offered no counter-response, he abandoned that line of commentary shortly after.

“Setting that aside, what brings you here? I am occupied. State your purpose and beat it.”

“Oh, it is nothing monumental. Merely a point of curiosity. I reasoned that a gutter rat who managed to ascend to Tower Master might possess the insight to clarify things.”

“…?”

Lucifer cleared his throat, gave his jaw a brief scratch, and then posed his inquiry.

Yet, as the words left his mouth…

I felt violently yanked back across the years to a deeply buried era—my previous existence.

“Tell me… when comparing a lack of sustenance to a lack of proper attire. Which scenario do you deem more tragic? It doesn’t strictly have to be restricted to those options—provide me with your perspective, Tower Master.”

…It was identical to that specific day.

Having narrowly scraped through a horrific assignment.

We had perched ourselves on the edge of a towering precipice, staring down at the world below.

And I had initiated the inquiry.

Regarding what constituted the ultimate sorrow.

The solitary distinction…

‘You still haven’t unlocked the mystery for yourself, have you.’

Therefore.

I arrived at a conclusion.

To pass down the precise retort that the version of me from a past life had delivered.

“You truly wish to know?”

“Most assuredly.”

“Then walk with me. I shall unveil the solution to you.”

The declining rays of the sun struck me as remarkably striking.

The sharp chill of the winter breeze offered a crisp sensation, the naked tree limbs presenting a strange sense of solace…

“Ah, that is a bit inconvenient.”

“…What?”

“I have my heart set on pursuing spirit arts.”

“…”

What on earth was I supposed to do with a fellow like this?