Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka?

248 – A vampire’s nature

The one who cannot hide their confusion at the sudden changes in the vampire girl is me. Ehh, seriously, what’s going on? Starting around the middle of our journey she had started becoming a bit rebellious for sure, but it’s nothing like now. Most of all I’m sure she didn’t have the personality to form something like a reverse harem.

If her aspect as a vampire was slowly coming out then I could understand it, but for it to be so sudden… Besides, I’m worried that vampire girl herself hasn’t noticed her own changes. While I was unaware, has she been affected by some kind of skill perhaps? It wouldn’t be wrong to say that I do have an idea. She has the Envy skill for a start.

However, the effect of Envy cannot explain all of vampire girl’s behaviour. It probably explains her angry side and rebellious side though.

Which is why, I go to the best person to ask about other vampires. I charge into the 4th army and seize Mera.

「Umm, it’s a bit awkward if you suddenly arrive though.」

Don’t sweat it. I bet you’re just doing paperwork anyway. You can do that afterwards. Your beloved ojou-sama has a big problem so you should prioritise that anyway.

I abduct the hesitant Mera. For now, we check out vampire girl’s demeanor for a day.

「What do you think?」

「Let’s see. Certainly I think that this is better than abandoning my work.」

To my question, Mera answers with a humble expression. I mutely encourage him to continue.

「Firstly, ojou-sama’s behaviour is not incorrect for a vampire. Currently I am also doing the same thing.」

Oh-ho.

「Using magic on the opposite sex to seduce them. This is to ensure a supply of food, and to select new candidates for retainers – it is for these two reasons. As for it being with the opposite sex, it’s a matter of personal preference I’m sure.」

You too huh, Mera.

「At any rate, while I feel that it may be looked down upon, for a vampire that is the correct image. Besides, I’m not putting it into practice like ojou-sama is. It’s purely that I’m doing it this way just because I desire to.」

Becoming defiant, then exposing his desires. Really, this guy…

「Umm, please stop with that facial expression that seems to be looking at garbage.」

「Just kidding.」

Yup, kidding kidding. I’m totally not thinking of Mera as the enemy of women or a scum amongst men at all.

「So, to return to the matter at hand, it appears to me that ojou-sama has noticed her own desires and is putting them into practice. In addition, without any hesitation or guilt at all.」

Yup. That’s the problem there.

「If my opinion is acceptable, do you want to hear it?」

Go ahead.

「This is probably the case, but I think it’s possible that during the course of ojou-sama’s growth into adulthood, that her common sense as a human has been overwritten with her common sense as a vampire. If not for that, she would otherwise be experiencing some slight agony, like the time when I had just become a vampire and my awareness as a human got in the way. I cannot see that in ojou-sama at all. Her common sense as a human has been completely discarded, otherwise her ability to think as a vampire would have been chased off by her human side. I think her situation is along those lines.」

I see. Pretty much the same opinion as me huh.

「The cause of that is?」

「I don’t know. In my case, I still retain my ability to think as a human even now. So I have no experience with being so completely engulfed with the instincts of a vampire.」

Hmm. If I knew the cause I would have some way to counter it. While I don’t understand that, I don’t know how to deal with her.

「I can think of several plausible factors, but which of them it could be, or otherwise which of them might have combined to result in ojou-sama’s current situation, I have no idea.」

Hrm. Let’s try hearing him out anyway.

「Firstly, it’s plausible that the effects of the Envy skill that you have spoken about is the primary cause. For that, I’m sure that you are better informed about it than me, Shiraori-sama.」

Indeed. Of the various behaviours in vampire girl, there’s several that could be due to the effect of Envy.

「Next, it’s the case that ojou-sama was born as a vampire. Unlike me, ojou-sama was born as a true vampire. Even though she has been raised by humans, her nature is still completely that of a vampire. It could be said that if she was still behaving as a human even now then it would be more of a problem. I have no idea about what effects might have surfaced due to that though.」

Ahh. That’s true isn’t it. Because of the special skill vampire girl received on reincarnation from D, she was born as a vampire. She has no experience of being a human in this world, only the previous world. Thinking that way, does the explanation make sense? The awareness she had as a human until now, was brought along with her memory from the previous world, and as she grew up perhaps her awareness as a vampire became stronger. It’s plausible.

「In addition, ojou-sama seems to be quite frustrated. Maybe due to that building up is why she has become like how she is now.」

Hm? Frustrated? Why?

「Oh, excuse me. My explanation was poor. By frustrated, I mean with regards to combat. Vampires regard fighting as pleasurable, as they are a combat orientated species.」

Eh, really? Vampires are… muscle-brains? Hrm. That really doesn’t match my image of vampires. But, just as I think that, a certain master comes to mind and I have to agree.

So that’s it. Vampires are combat maniacs huh. I didn’t know that. It’s certainly true that I’m not allowing vampire girl to fight currently. That’s because her level will rise if she accidentally kills a demon. Until all her status boosting skills are complete I don’t want to allow her level to rise. But the unintended side effect of that is for vampire girl to become frustrated. As a consequence, the built-up stress has accelerated her awakening as a vampire.

It makes sense. Since she has memories of a previous life, I don’t think that she’s become a vampire to the farthest reaches of her heart, but if she’s being faithful to her instincts in order to forget her stress, then her own sense of reason wouldn’t be able to restrain herself anymore.

I’m really sorry about this. It’s half my responsibility that vampire girl has become like this huh. Okay, then, I’ll let you go wild to your heart’s content. Fortunately, an opponent for her will be arriving soon anyway.

Her opponent also has a Ruler skill. Also, his level is higher. The one who has repeatedly fought and slaughtered, the oni.

In comparison, vampire girl is level one, but with her special education her status should have risen far. All her trained skills are from training. However, she has no real combat experience.

Yup. It should be a pretty good match.