LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 3
As expected, the village was not just a mess but completely devastated.
The smell of blood wafting from all directions stung my nose sharply.
“……”
However, the monsters that should have been rampaging through the village were nowhere to be seen.
Not even a shadow of their cries could be heard, only an eerie silence hung ominously in the air.
– Thud, thud
Just a glance was enough to imagine the horrors that had unfolded here.
The coexistence with monsters, not just beasts, was a terrifying and horrifying reality, as this tragic scene clearly showed.
“Huu─.”
Normally, this should have been a shocking sight.
But for some reason, I didn’t even blink at this horrific scene.
Instead, I leisurely inhaled the scent of blood wafting from all directions as if it were the fragrance of flowers.
I was even more exhilarated than usual, thoroughly enjoying the current atmosphere.
“Ah.”
I realized this fact long after I had set foot in the village.
I was so engrossed that I didn’t even notice, and a chill ran down my spine belatedly.
Why could I accept and enjoy this scene so peacefully? The feeling was so natural that I didn’t even realize it.
“Now that I think about it… the reason I came here was somewhat similar.”
My humanity seemed to be fading away naturally, like flowing water.
At this moment, I truly felt the fact that my race is that of a vampire.
“No matter how much I pretend to live like a human, I can’t escape my racial traits…”
As I wandered around the eerily quiet village, a certain place suddenly caught my eye.
It was a narrow, dim alley nestled between buildings.
At the end of it, small, insignificant green creatures were huddled together, trembling like leaves.
“Gyaa gyaa gyaa─!!!”
“……”
The goblins, upon seeing me, started panicking and screaming in terror.
They scratched desperately at the walls, letting out pitiful and desperate cries.
“Gyaa gyaa gyaa─!!!!”
“Gyaa gyaa─!!”
Even though I hadn’t done anything, the goblins’ panic was very suspicious.
Why would monsters that had successfully attacked be hiding in such a narrow, dirty alley?
And without any loot.
– Thud
As I slowly entered the alley, the goblins’ frenzy intensified.
They even started infighting, revealing their savage madness without hesitation.
Despite the commotion, the fact that no other monsters appeared in the village made me realize something important belatedly.
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【Skill: Blood Drain】
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“…Are they afraid of me?”
After draining every last drop of blood from the goblins before me, I muttered quietly with a look of realization.
Having mainly ambushed in the forest, I hadn’t noticed the monsters’ true feelings until now.
Though I didn’t need to know, the fact that the monsters feared me was quite useful information.
The goblins’ reaction might have been just instinctive fear.
But if their terror stemmed from recognizing my existence, it meant that my situation in this world was quite favorable.
“That aside… there’s really no one here.”
.
.
.
.
.
.
Early dawn.
Returning to the church, I spent the night wide awake, calmly recounting the events in the village.
Holding onto a sliver of hope, I searched the village for any survivors.
But all I found were terrified monsters.
No trace of living humans could be found anywhere in the village.
“……”
Returning to the church with a heavy heart, I first noticed three children huddled together on a bench, fast asleep.
Seeing the children sleeping so peacefully, unaware of everything, a heavy sigh escaped me.
For some reason, it weighed heavily on my entire body.
“…Amen.”
I muttered that single word softly and slowly rose from my seat.
Picking up the old nun’s habit I had casually placed on the front bench earlier, I hesitated not at all to discard the game equipment I had been wearing.
Though the habit was worn and dusty, I thought there was no outfit more fitting for me now.
Because this was no longer the world of the game.
“Ugh, ugh… Sister…?”
Ellie was the first to wake up at the sound of my voice.
Rubbing her eyes with a sleepy face.
“Where did you go…?”
“I must have moved too loudly. You can sleep a bit more.”
Ellie slowly shook her head.
“Aizen said we should leave early this morning, so we shouldn’t oversleep.”
“Hmm, did he say exactly where we’re going?”
“No… just somewhere across the river…”
“I see.”
It seemed the children had exchanged quite a few stories while I was away.
Led by Aizen, who was only ten years old, they showed remarkable initiative in handling the situation.
“By the way, you really are a nun… The habit suits you much better than the clothes you wore yesterday.”
Ellie, now fully awake, began to shine her eyes as she looked at me in the nun’s habit.
“Was the outfit I wore yesterday strange?”
“Ah, no… Not strange, just unfamiliar since I’d never seen it before…”
“Hmm, I’ll only be wearing this from now on, so you don’t have to feel unfamiliar anymore.”
“…But we have to leave this church today…”
“That’s right. That was the plan.”
– Clap───!!!
With that, I clapped my hands together loudly.
The sound of my clapping echoed through the silent church, forcibly waking Aizen and Iris from their deep sleep.
“Wha, what?!”
“Huh, huh…?”
Aizen and Iris, almost jumping up in shock, began to look around frantically with sleepy faces.
Their half-closed eyelids and bewildered expressions made it seem as if a bomb had dropped nearby.
“Alright, everyone. I heard everything. You’re planning to leave this church today and head to the village across the river, right?”
“Yes…?”
“That’s a brave and admirable thought, but I’m not sure if it’s the best choice.”
“Wha, what do you mean…?”
“Danger aside, even if you’re lucky enough to ask for help, it might already be too late or the situation could worsen.”
I couldn’t bring myself to say that the entire village had been massacred.
Thinking of the shock it would give the children, even mentioning it seemed unforgivable.
I took a quiet breath and tried to speak as indirectly as possible while looking at the children.
“So, how about staying here until you’ve grown a bit more?”
I couldn’t ignore the children who were about to embark on a dangerous journey with an uncertain outcome.
At least until these children could think for themselves, I felt responsible for their safety.
Even though I’m a vampire, that couldn’t be a reason to abandon these children.
“Sister… Did you go to the village while we were asleep…?”
However, despite all this, Aizen seemed to understand the meaning behind my words immediately.
His voice trembled with anxiety, and despair began to settle in his wide eyes.
“…Yes.”
“Then that means… our village is already…”
An awkward silence filled the quiet church.
As the uncomfortable silence continued, Aizen slowly sat down heavily and began to frown.
“Mom… Dad…”
“Hic…”
The sad cries of Ellie and Iris followed.
Even I couldn’t help but feel my heart soften in such a situation, but I had to force myself to ignore my current emotions.
“Aizen, lift your head.”
“……”
At my firm words, Aizen hesitated for a moment before lifting his head with great effort.
His eyes were still filled with despair and confusion, and that gaze weighed heavily on my heart.
“I will always be with those who call my name.”
A verse from the Bible whispered in the heavy atmosphere.
This was the only thing that came to mind.
Though there were more impressive verses, I couldn’t recall the rest after only briefly glancing at them yesterday.
I had to improvise the rest.
“I told you, didn’t I? The fact that we met like this is probably thanks to the guidance of the goddess.”
“Sis, Sister…”
“Goddess Fael… Faeli… I can’t ignore the lambs guided by her.”
Though the words might seem light, they contained my great resolve.
I wanted to give hope to the despairing children and hoped that the mention of the goddess’s guidance would bring them some comfort.
“Levinia Fallen Grace. As the only nun in this church, I will carry out the goddess’s will and protect these children no matter what.”
It started from compassion.
I have no intention of denying that.
I’ve never experienced anything like this before, and I don’t know the pain of losing parents.
But even though my body is that of a vampire, my mind is fully human, so I could somewhat understand the grief these children were going through.
Because my existence itself wasn’t corrupted.
“Ugh…!”
“Waaah…”
“Hic, hic…”
“It’s okay, everyone. Cry as much as you want in my arms…”
Just as I was about to calm the crying children in my arms, three transparent windows suddenly appeared before me.
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【Aizen】- Messiah
[Race] Human
[Level] 1
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【Ellie】- Messiah
[Race] Human
[Level] 1
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【Iris】- Messiah
[Race] Human
[Level] 1
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