There was a crowd in front of the castle and things were just getting heated up.


    When we approached them, the people in the back moved away, albeit looking a bit unhappy. This smell came in handy: I definitely didn''t want it though.


    These people looked like ordinary citizens, at least the ones at the back.


    We moved ahead and the guy in front of everyone was the guy in sses. The guy I metst night; the guy from the guild.


    There were a bunch of adventurers with him and they were in a heated argument with the guards. It didn''t go as far as swords crossing though.


    I didn''t know why but everything so far was too peaceful. ''Something''s fishy..''


    It was almost like everything was prenned. But who?


    "Need a hand?"


    "Lord DAARC!"


    When he said my name out loud, everybody kind of gasped.


    The soldiers just red at me. They were actually just ordinary soldiers. There weren''t any vampires around. It was only the afternoon so, of course, they won''te out in broad daylight.


    "Daarc?" The furball was among them too.


    "Yo."


    Vi came in front of me. "I, princess Vi Von Ohranmand you, stand down!" Her voice was deep and loud.


    Wow! Did not expect that one.


    "Lady Vi!"


    The soldiers were looking hesitant.


    "But if you''re out here," The guy in sses whispered.


    I sighed. "Don''t worry, they''ve got it covered." I most certainly hope so. "Move aside, gentlemen. You''ve all been yed-" ying this farce was a drag. "The duke is a vampire and he ns to build an eternal prison for you. He''d already turned the king into his follower and in an epic battle he fell." I tried to sound sad. "But fear not brave men of Xx! I shall liberate your nation and make sure the princess gets the right to the throne and I will also make sure your nation is prosperous. In the name of Trerortra the god of light and Xerphas the god of courage!" I raised my de and roared. "Let us vanquish the evil! FOR LOVE AND PEACE!"


    I really wanted to crawl into a hole right now.


    "YEHAHHH! LOVE AND PEACE"


    The people behind me roared and a secondter they all charged, the guards stood aside. They''d just get stomped if they hadn''t.


    I really, really wanted to crawl into a hole right now!


    In a sense, this really felt like that night from Helsing. Just much, much more embarrassing.


    "Not bad." Alisa giggled.


    I sighed.


    And so we went into the castle.


    ''What the hell am I doing with my life?''


    ***


    With Vi leading and the crystal ball in Alisa''s hand, everything was too easy.


    The guards and the adventurers were behind us and I saw loads and loads of vampires but they were just running away.


    Obviously, I kind of evaporated every single one headed our way.


    They didn''t seem that hostile. Something really was up. And it wasn''t just the tree.


    "Can we really afford to let them escape?" Because some were running rather far away.


    "Vampires generally don''t have weaknesses other than holy but- remember I said the king would have died either way? He was a direct subordinate to whoever made him a vampire, meaning if we kill that person, all the subordinates should die too. At least that''s my theory. Therefore, this should all work out."


    But we were dealing with real things, not some theoretical stuff and it was already afternoon. No matter how strong we were or our magic was, once night came, everything would have been upside down.


    I learned a hard truth during my time in this world, ''never underestimate an undead during the night.''


    "Let''s just hurry."


    The lift was gone and so, we had to take the stairs for this long ass three-kilometer tree.


    This Crystal ball came in handy to find optimal shortcuts here and there. Some branches grew rapidly to take us up, while some floors themselves moved. This almost felt like a videogame at this point.


    But the stakes were real and I couldn''t stop now. I''d alreadye too far, and I''d already messed up too much to stop now.


    "By the way, is there a reason why you three smell so bad?" The guy in sses said, holding his nose.


    I was already running out of my breath, he didn''t need to remind me that I smelled terrible.


    The people closest to us were literally either holding their noses or wearing cloths over their mouths. The furball- Zack was actually wearing some sort of wooden mask. A step further I guess.


    Sigh. "me the duke, not me."


    We were only one-quarter way up and it was already evening. How many floors did we climb?


    One hundred? Two hundred? I didn''t know.


    But the pixies in the air and the distant red halo in the sky wasn''t a good sign. Even if we could maintain our pace, even midnight have been only an estimate. Not a guarantee.


    "This is bad. Can''t we go up faster? Is there only one lift?" It wasn''t just about the speed though. I was getting way too tired!


    "All the lifts have stopped working," a soldier said. I recognized him. He was the same guy who led us back then to the throne room.


    "I wonder why." Running up these stairs while also having broken bones were beginning to wear me down way too much. The high potion''s effects were running out.


    When I fed Vi the elixir, a drop slipped into my throat too. That''s why I could move better, but still, it wasn''t enough.


    "Isn''t there any faster way?" Alisa was right behind me.


    "No-" Meanwhile Vi was already tired and was currently being carried by three guards. "You cane down quickly, but going up is strenuous without the lift or perhaps wings."


    I really envied royals sometimes.


    Oh well.


    Speaking of wings, there weren''t any bird types among us. More drag.


    "But-" Vi paused and looked serious. "There should be one or two teleports like the forest. After all, the dark elves made this ce- surely there has to be!"


    "I''m on it!" Alisa was literally gluing her eyes to the ball. "There might be one just a few more floors up."


    We followed Alisa''s instructions and did make it to the teleport, but it wasn''t enough and so we kept our search for more.


    We run, we took shortcuts, and by somewhere around eight reached the top floor, totally floored. We were so screwed.


    I had to drink three potions just to be able to keep up with these monsters. How the hell did these people have so much frigging stamina?


    Argh.


    If we hadn''t found the teleports then- I did not dare to think of such dread.


    Anyway, we were right outside of the throne room and with a kick, we entered.


    But I was not prepared to see what I did.


    ''You can''t be serious.''


    ***


    "HAHAHAHAH! I told you, I''m invincible!" Yeah, I recognized the voice.


    He didn''t sound that hollow now. He didn''t sound the least convincing either.


    Ve, the half-elf, the dark night, my worst nightmare- Zori, Biteria, and an unknown guy was in one corner. While Gorgon alone was on the other.


    The whole room was lit by flying pixies and it was almost like there was a hundred-watt light bulb in here.


    The duke?


    "AHAHAH!" Heughed some more. He was currently being held by Gorgon, just his head, nothing else. He didn''t have anything else left.


    I sighed. "SO, what''s the holdup?"


    "Daarc." Ve looked my way and promptly looked away.


    Biteria was about to run my way and aftering halfway, she held her nose and went back.


    Yeah, we got that I stink, you guys didn''t have to literally do what you just did!


    "Oh, my lovely Daarc. Even the smell isn''t enough-"


    "Please stay away."


    What was this dude even doing here anyway?


    The rest of them didn''t bother saying anything.


    I sighed. "Why''s he only a head?"


    I didn''t see his body around.


    The adventurers behind me weren''t able to enter as all three us stood by the gates. And since we smelled they just waited patiently outside.


    And the ordinary folks were behind the adventurers and most of the ordinary people hadn''t caught up to us yet. I guess not everyone was a monster when it came to stamina.


    "The thing is-" Gorgon chuckled. "My holy isn''t working." He chuckled some more. "He isn''t dying."


    That was noughing matter. These things didn''t die by fire, they didn''t die by sunlight, so if Holy was ineffective, then the hell were we supposed to do?


    "Why don''t you try?" Alisa said and both Vi and Alisa came a bit closer. "He must have been bit by a very highborn vampire. Your holy might work."


    I guess they were intent on not letting anyone through.


    "Might as well I guess." Making my way to the severed head on Gorgon''s hand, I ced my hand over him.


    Vi and Alisa were now totally covering the door. They weren''t letting anyone in. There weren''t any vampires around and this room was actually pretty big, so I didn''t understand why they were doing this.


    "IT''s pointless. I''m invi-AHHHHHHHH!"


    For someone who just imed of being invincible, he sure screamed a lot. And what was up with this girly tone?


    "AAAHHHHHHH!"


    I kept on firing holy balls at him with three-second intervals and he just kept on screaming.