Chapter 172: Two Scenarios.

Spaceship ramming tactics as well.

Close-range main gun firing as well.

Even though they dropped an asteroid, the castle where Pride’s Vampire lives remained intact.

As a result, people recognized that loopholes don’t work.

They gathered information by finding classic methods.

Stories about the Vampire King, who doesn’t engage in external activities, were barely spread.

Monsters had no interest in the Vampire who was holed up in the castle.

Those who were interested were the ones who attacked the Vampire to take over the castle, but they were all subdued.

Only the lingering spirits of the people who were under the Vampire King’s rule had the information.

A considerable number of lingering spirits were wandering around the castle of the Vampire.

However, the information they held didn’t become a decisive clue.

-We didn’t see the falling star directly.

We knew that a star fell on the royal castle, but there were no lingering spirits who witnessed the star falling with their own eyes.

Other information was similar to this.

-Garlic? You violated the taboo and disliked it for a while, but it’s said you overcame it early.

-Are you talking about stakes? How dare you think of stabbing the king’s heart with a stake.

-If it’s silver, there’s a record that you hesitated for a moment. But since there were decorations using silver inside the castle, you must have overcome it.

-Sunlight was also overcome early.

-Are you referring to running water? I don’t think the king ever stopped his inspection due to a river.

Only the Vampire’s complete flawlessness was proven.

“Isn’t there any weakness or drawback?”

-He doesn’t listen to others.

“No, that is a drawback, but it’s ambiguous to call it a weakness.”

Even drawbacks, if used well, can become weaknesses to exploit, but the Vampire King had no weaknesses that could be used.

-At this point, it doesn’t seem like it’s meant to be subjugated?

└Isn’t it an impossible target to subjugate?

└The lingering spirits asked for salvation and rest, so it is a subjugation target.

└It seems like there’s no answer except the star.

At that time, new information came in.

[Lingering spirits in regions far from the castle are also the king’s subjects!]

What fell on the castle was a black star! It’s said to be like a tear from the moon, not something like an asteroid!

Don’t subdue the lingering spirits! There are lingering spirits with this information too!

-Huh? Did you subdue me before?

└You too? Me too.

└Those guys disappear if you shine a strong flashlight on them.

└There’s also a sword effective against lingering spirits.

└Talismans work well too.

└They disappear if you scatter red beans.

└Salt works too.

Most monsters were hard to subdue.

However, lingering spirits were an exception.

In the forest, a lingering spirit suddenly jumped out, and I reflexively counterattacked, subduing the lingering spirit.

Such experiences were common.

-I thought it was strangely easy to subdue unlike other monsters, but was it a trap!

└Don’t set up such traps in a game without saves!

└Surely no important lingering spirits have been subdued already, right?

└If it’s not a lingering spirit in an important position, it should be fine, right? It should be okay, right? Tell me it’s okay.

└Stop it! From now on, stop anyone trying to subdue lingering spirits!

Amid the emergency declared among people due to the new information.

Deep in the forest, the man with a sword walked toward the stone altar.

[Don’t come closer. I said don’t come.]

A black shadowy lingering spirit rose from around the altar.

[Leave! Leave! Leave!]

The swordsman swung his sword at the shouting lingering spirit.

The sword that didn’t work on goblins, demons, or mummies was very effective against lingering spirits.

The half-severed lingering spirit collapsed on the floor.

[No. No! I can’t give you that sword!]

Even as its body crumbled, the lingering spirit clung persistently.

The swordsman swung his sword again, scattering the lingering spirit.

The swordsman climbed onto the altar and pulled out the sword embedded in the stone.

The sword shone with an ominous black color.

This is a sword made from a star that fell from the sky, with a legend.

The swordsman was ecstatic.

Until now, he had only shown an incompetent appearance, but finally, the opportunity to become the main character came.

The main character of the last event, which was more vague than other events.

The man immediately posted a message.

[I obtained a sword made from a star. I will subdue the Vampire.]

The post was full of anticipation, but the reactions were more lukewarm than expected.

Only after a long time did comments finally appear.

└Where’s the verification?

Realizing that his post was treated as nonsense, the man posted a new message with a photo attached.

[I obtained a sword made from a star.]

(Photo)

Now I can easily kill a Vampire like that.

-…Isn’t that a magic sword?

└I heard the star that fell on the royal castle was a black star. Isn’t that sword made from that star?

└Oh? That makes sense?

└Finally, we can subjugate it.

People flocked after hearing the rumor.

Comments of relief and joy continued, but skeptical comments were posted.

└It seems too easily obtained, so it’s suspicious. Where did you get it?

└I obtained it through hardships.

└Did you go through hardships like the forest of alcohol or the Sphinx level?

The swordsman’s fingers stopped.

Compared to those two, the process of finding it was clearly easy.

In the process of finding the star, he luckily heard about the sword made from the star.

It felt like an errand quest; by fulfilling small requests, he arrived here and obtained it.

└Looking at the ID, it’s the swordsman who carries a sword that cuts lingering spirits. You’ve participated in all subjugation battles, so where did you find time to ‘suffer’ and obtain it?

└Why are you so aggressive? If you have a sword that cuts lingering spirits and lingering spirits interfered, you could have obtained it quickly.

└How strong can lingering spirits be, since they can be subdued with salt?

└From the beginning, I don’t understand treating subjugation and salvation as the same.

Starting with this comment, the atmosphere in the comment section changed.

Toward the sword being suspicious.

└Isn’t that weapon fake?

└Maybe there are two routes?

└Subjugation route and salvation route?

└Oh~ That makes sense.

Feeling that his chance to shine would disappear like this, the swordsman immediately went to the castle where the Vampire was.

The living armors immediately sounded the alarm the moment they saw the black sword in the swordsman’s hand.

The living armors rushed out in a group and guarded the door.

As if saying they would attack immediately if you came even one step closer, they were full of killing intent.

This sight was immediately uploaded to the bulletin board.

-That sword seems to be the weapon that kills vampires.

└But how to break through that living armor legion?

└Can we do a siege?

└What siege against a castle that’s fine even if you ram a spaceship into it.

└Can’t that sword break the shield?

Seizing his chance to shine, the swordsman immediately tried it.

Even as the swordsman approached the castle wall, the living armors didn’t react and only guarded the entrance.

The swordsman swung his sword.

Ting.

The barrier wasn’t deployed, and the sword meant nothing against the castle wall.

-Someone bring a spaceship.

The empire, which had been watching the ground situation from the asteroid with interest, provided a spaceship.

This time, the barrier was properly deployed.

Thud!

The black sword that struck the rainbow reflective shield bounced back strongly, and the swordsman fell over backward.

-Doesn’t seem like it.

In response, the <Vampire Slime> subjugation squad reached a conclusion.

There’s no answer unless we drag the <Vampire Slime> out of the castle.

-Does anyone have a good idea?

└Me.

└Say it.

└The lingering spirits were once the people ruled by the vampire, right?

└So?

└If we subdue them all, won’t it get pissed off and come out?

└Oh~.

└Is that the human mind?

└Humans more monstrous than monsters.

└So what are you going to do? Just keep ramming into that castle meaninglessly?

There were people cursing, but the opinion itself was quite plausible.

└Haven’t a lot of lingering spirits already been subdued?

└Maybe it’s not enough to get angry yet. If we subdue more, something might change.

└Oh~.

└Wait a minute. Why isn’t anyone thinking about the salvation route?

└We have a subjugation weapon, so why?

└Isn’t the story of the lingering spirits heartbreaking? There’s a better way, so let’s think about it.

└The lingering spirits wanted the king to rest, right?

The faction wanting subjugation and the faction wanting salvation clashed sharply.

-Salvation is good. Good, but we don’t know anything about it? With time running out, isn’t it right to go with the subjugation side that’s on track?

└We know things about the salvation side too! Since the path to the audience chamber is open with him just sitting on the throne, the Vampire King is waiting for someone! If we just bring that someone, more clues will appear!

└So who do we have to bring?

└The hero?

└There’s the swordsman with the black star sword.

└Maybe if we challenge to a one-on-one duel, it will accept?

└That swordsman is very unreliable.

At that moment, one person suggested an idea.

-Isn’t what the Vampire King is waiting for his people?

└?

└The candy that turns you into a ghost lets you enter the castle, right?

└!!!

└If you go before the king in the form of a ghost, it says ‘get out’ and chases you away. Because it realized you’re not its people.

└Does it remember the faces of all its people?

└Doesn’t it seem like it?

└It seems like it, but….

The guess gave a strong feeling of being the correct answer.

└But…. In the end, it chased them away itself. Why is it waiting?

└If it’s that arrogant vampire, it might think like this.

└The people should naturally follow the perfect king (itself). Even if they left for a while and it chased them away itself, it’s natural they’ll come back over time. It won’t close the door so they can’t enter, so it’ll leave it open.

└So…. The lingering spirits can’t enter because of guilt. And the king has been waiting for those lingering spirits to enter? For years, for decades? Right next to it? With the door open?

└Probably?

The fingers of the people reading the post stopped.

Those who had been commenting without grasping the atmosphere also realized the situation and stopped talking.

The comments stopped updating for a moment.

After a while, a comment was finally posted.

└Say it! Tell them to come in! You know they’re lingering around, don’t you!

└It’s like a father waiting for his son who fought and ran away, and the son who can’t bring himself to go home!

└There are things in the world that only get through if you say them!

-??? : A king is someone whose people follow even without words.

└They don’t understand, so they don’t follow! That’s why it fell alone against the star!

└They’re not going in and just keep circling around!!!

└You bastard vampire! Is that mouth only for sucking blood!

The faction wanting subjugation and the faction wanting salvation united in rage.

The people around the castle immediately rushed at the lingering spirits.

“Go in!”

-We can’t! We don’t have the qualification to enter! “Don’t be ridiculous! Your king has the door open and is waiting! He’s been waiting! Go in! Go in!”

The lingering spirits were pushed by the people’s momentum and entered the castle.

The living armors did not stop the lingering spirits and the people.

When they arrived right in front of the audience chamber, the lingering spirits began to hesitate.

-We can’t. The king has not forgiven….

“Go in!!!”

The lingering spirits were eventually pushed into the audience chamber.

Unable to look up at their king, they hung their heads low.

The king said briefly to them.

“You’re late.”

As if it was natural that those who would return had returned.

“Your Majesty….”

As the lingering spirits couldn’t continue their words.

The translucent lingering spirits began to gain substance.

“Our bodies!”

To them, astonished at regaining their complete bodies, the king ordered briefly.

“Go and do what you need to do.”

But the lingering spirits- no, those who were no longer lingering spirits- could not follow the order.

Unable to contain their surging emotions, they cried and knelt on the floor, bowing.

“Your Majesty, have mercy! We! We were foolish and did not understand Your Majesty’s will!”

“I know of your shortcomings. Guiding you who are lacking is precisely what I must do.”

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty…! We! We…!”

“Go and do your tasks. You must work even harder now to make up for the debates.”

The onlookers were impressed.

An astonishing degree of temperature difference.

How can someone have such a stone-like personality?

“Carrying everything alone and collapsing while caring for the people, but what on earth is that personality….”

“My dad is blunt, but that’s on a whole different level.”

“Doesn’t he have any emotions?”

The Vampire King turned his gaze to those quietly chattering.

“These are the ones who harmed my people.”

At those words, they flinched and trembled.

Everyone had memories that came to mind.

An intangible pressure crushed the onlookers.

That pressure did not last long.

The Vampire King averted his eyes and looked at his people.

“There is merit, so I will not punish. Leave.”

To those hesitating, the king said.

“I will not say it twice. I am not merciful to those who are not my people.”

A dark red aura surged from the Vampire King’s body.

Those who fled the castle posted on the bulletin board immediately.

-A human with a record of subjugating lingering spirits! Take at least one lingering spirit to the royal castle! Otherwise, you will certainly regret it later!

Subjugation and salvation.

The salvation side became dominant.

The search for lingering spirits began.

“Follow me! Your king is waiting for you!”

“Our king wouldn’t be waiting for something like that.”

“He is waiting! He’s sitting on the throne without sleeping, waiting all along!”

Lingering spirits hidden in corners around the world gradually gathered at the royal castle.

Standing before the king, they regained their bodies.

As the number of people increased, the royal castle gradually came alive.

Various facilities began to operate.

Once the number of returned lingering spirits exceeded a certain number, buildings were erected around the royal castle.

Streets formed and shops were built.

Monster merchants visited the village.

Laughter and stories blossomed.

“Isn’t it rewarding?”

“That’s right.”

The sight of the world changing through one’s actions, filling with energy and happiness, is always good.

But not everyone was looking at that.

“Hasn’t the momentum weakened somehow?”

“I thought so too? Still, there must be a price for reviving the dead.”

As the lingering spirits found their bodies, the Vampire of Arrogance grew weaker.

-The weakening of the Vampire is visible.

└Could spaceship bombardment work now?

└Hey, you trash!

└Is that what a human heart is, human?

└I’m serious. As the number of discovered lingering spirits decreases, the growth of the surrounding areas has clearly slowed. Can we reach the end of the salvation route before the event ends?

The Vampire of Arrogance weakened.

In space, there was the Space Empire.

The Black Star’s sword was still in the swordsman’s hand.

***

There were two kinds of scenarios, but we entered the salvation route.

When the number of subjugated lingering spirits exceeds a certain standard, the Vampire of Arrogance will come out of the castle on his own.

He goes to the places where lingering spirits have been subjugated, slaughtering everyone he meets.

There, he performs a simple memorial service.

It’s not a grand event.

He simply pours his power into that place to comfort the subjugated lingering spirits.

Each time he performs a memorial service, the Vampire of Arrogance weakens.

The weaknesses he overcame are revived.

He can no longer cross running water, becomes mentally confused by the smell of garlic, and turns to ashes in sunlight.

While avoiding the Vampire of Arrogance, subjugate lingering spirits in various parts of the world.

Subjugate the Vampire of Arrogance once he has descended to a killable position.

That’s the subjugation route.

It’s a way to subjugate by taking advantage of the king’s heart that wanders to comfort those who became ghosts even in death.

It could be called cruel, but since it’s a game, it’s something you can do by separating it.

Since we also obtained the Black Star’s sword, we could have subjugated the Vampire even without subjugating all the lingering spirits.

On the other hand, in the salvation route that people entered.

There’s still a chance to subjugate the Vampire of Arrogance here.

Each time the lingering spirits gain form one by one, the Vampire grows weaker.

He can no longer activate the rainbow reflection, and can’t swing the tentacles used for automatic defense.

Moreover, as the number of targets to protect increases, restrictions are placed on the skills he uses.

If we mobilize spaceships, we can do it even without the Black Star’s sword. With the sword, it’s almost certainly subjugatable.

To complete the salvation route, one more piece is needed.

A piece that’s much harder to obtain than getting the Black Star’s sword.

Saving someone is harder than breaking something, so it’s set that way.

Will people find that piece before the event ends?

Or will they give up and turn to subjugation?

Or perhaps be satisfied with the current state.

I created clones to eat popcorn and cola while watching.

With the main body, I’m chewing artifacts while doing my work.

[Trait: Slime☆☆☆☆☆☆ has leveled up to 78.]

78. Just 2 levels ahead.

It reached level 75 not long ago.

If I’m fighting the curse well, I get skills.

If I’m not fighting the curse well, I get experience bonuses.

But I got the experience bonus.

It’s strange.

While venting frustration moderately and controlling anger well.

I checked the message I exchanged with Makina.

[Makina: Do you know?

Me: I know.

Makina: That’s good.]

Makina doesn’t think there’s a problem with me.

My cognitive abilities seem fine too.

Maybe it’s the status window telling me to quickly level up to 80, spit out the Curse of Anger, and organize the curses?