NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 7
“…There’s nothing written here.”
“I was tricked…”
The next afternoon.
After a sudden commotion caused by the Demon Tribe, the atmosphere in the Church became more solemn than usual.
The root of all this trouble was an ordinary-looking book. Though it seemed unremarkable at first glance, inside it was nothing more than a bundle of blank, pristine paper.
Iris had been deceived by this bundle of paper and was kidnapped by the Demon Tribe.
“They said it was a special book…”
“A special book?”
“Yeah, they said it contained the instructions for a special magic…”
It was a simple and straightforward trick, one that could only work on an 8-year-old like Iris. Moreover, Iris had always loved books, which made the deception even more effective.
However, aside from that, there was one surprising fact to note.
“Iris, are you interested in magic?”
“Yeah! It’s fascinating and beautiful.”
It turned out that Iris was deeply interested in magic. I had thought she was just fond of reading, but in reality, she was more of a magic enthusiast than a bookworm.
Seeing her eyes light up with excitement at the mere mention of magic, it was clear just how passionate she was about it.
“That’s unexpected. I didn’t know Iris was so interested in magic.”
“Once, a mage came to our village and showed me all sorts of things. It was so amazing and beautiful that I got completely hooked.”
“Hmm, I see. But even so, you shouldn’t follow strangers like that.”
“Ah… um… yeah… I’m sorry…”
As I began to scold her, Iris immediately drooped her head with a sullen expression. Still, it was good that she had found something she was passionate about.
However, if that passion led her into danger, the adults around her had to step in and correct her course.
Of course, not just with harsh words, but with a balanced approach of discipline and encouragement.
“If there’s a book you want, I’ll do my best to get it for you. But you must never follow someone like that again, okay?”
“…! Really?!”
“Yes. It would be good to start with a beginner’s book on magic.”
“I’m so happy. Thank you, Sister!”
“You’re welcome.”
Until yesterday, I had thought Iris was a reserved child who didn’t express her emotions much. But that was a misunderstanding born of my own carelessness.
Iris was surprisingly expressive, especially when it came to things she loved. Seeing this side of her for the first time today was a bit startling, but it also made me feel closer to her, which left me feeling proud.
“I should brag to Aizen and Ellie.”
“Tell them to let me know if there’s anything they want too, without hesitation.”
“Okay. I will.”
Iris skipped out of the Church with a bright smile. I had initially planned to give her a stern scolding about the incident, but when it came down to it, it wasn’t as easy as I thought.
I needed to maintain some authority to make things easier in the future─.
“……”
As Iris left and the Church fell silent, I took a deep breath. Suddenly, I felt someone’s piercing gaze from behind me.
Turning my head toward the entrance, I saw a familiar face peeking through the slightly open door. It was Aizen.
“…What is it?”
Noticing Aizen sneaking glances at me with a strange expression, I blinked slowly, puzzled.
He seemed to have something to say, but as soon as I spoke, he flinched and quickly ran away.
“…?”
I was utterly bewildered. Since yesterday, Aizen’s behavior had noticeably changed.
It felt like he was deliberately avoiding me. While he acted normally with the other children, whenever I was around, he would stiffen up like a statue and sometimes even break into a cold sweat.
It seemed like he had a lot on his mind regarding yesterday’s incident…
“Could it be…?”
If not, there was only one other possibility left. The worst-case scenario that I didn’t even want to imagine.
Just the thought of it sent shivers down my spine.
– Thud
Despite the awkwardness and discomfort, I stood up with a determined expression. I couldn’t leave the problem unresolved.
If you don’t address issues early on, they tend to escalate into bigger problems.
It seemed he hadn’t told the other children yet, which was a small relief in the current situation.
“Sigh…”
I took a deep breath and slowly walked outside with heavy steps.
“Ah, Sister!”
As soon as I stepped outside, Ellie noticed me first and waved enthusiastically. I returned her wave with a small gesture, trying to appear calm, but my attention was entirely focused on Aizen beside her.
Unlike the two cheerful children, Aizen stood stiffly with a tense expression.
Before coming out, I had held onto a faint hope that it might not be what I thought. But seeing Aizen’s nervous demeanor, that hope vanished instantly.
“Aizen, can we talk for a moment?”
The moment my suspicion turned into certainty. Given the situation, I couldn’t help but approach Aizen cautiously, my own tension rising.
“…Why, why…?”
“There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Just me?”
“Yes. Are you busy?”
“Not really… but do I have to go alone?”
“I’d prefer it, yes.”
Whatever scene he had witnessed that day, his level of tension made it clear that this wasn’t something to be taken lightly. Perhaps I needed to prepare myself for the worst-case scenario…
“If it’s not urgent, can we talk here…?”
“Huh?”
“The Church is stuffy and dark… Can’t Levi come here…?”
I had only intended to resolve the situation through conversation, but suddenly, the worst-case scenario and the worst possible situation merged into a bizarre hybrid.
This went beyond mere suspicion—it felt like he was trying to confirm something.
“Haha, you know I don’t like sunlight.”
“But… I like it here…”
“It won’t take long…”
“Please, Levi. Come here─.”
Aizen stood awkwardly at the Church entrance, creating an oddly dark atmosphere. It seemed like he, too, wished the situation wasn’t what it was, which only made me feel more conflicted.
“What’s wrong, Aizen…? You don’t dislike the Sister, do you?”
“Forcing someone to do something is bad.”
Despite Ellie and Iris chiming in, Aizen remained stubborn.
“…Fine. Let’s talk another time.”
Seeing that Aizen’s stubbornness wasn’t something easily broken, I decided to step back for now. Just as I was about to quietly return to the Church─.
“Why do you insist on staying inside the Church…? You wander around just fine at night…!”
Aizen’s voice, filled with suppressed frustration, rang out clearly.
“I want to talk here.”
“…Aizen?”
I had unexpectedly hit the biggest obstacle in my vampire life. Though I had been somewhat tense, I hadn’t expected things to spiral so out of control. Why did everything seem to twist and turn like this?
“Sigh… Fine, I get it.”
My sighs grew deeper as I realized there was no way to avoid this situation. Reluctantly, I stepped out of the shade and into the bright sunlight of the garden.
Even as I did, Aizen’s gaze never left me. This was probably the first time I had felt so nervous being watched.
– Step
In the tense atmosphere, I took a difficult step forward. Though I had been badly burned by sunlight before, I had recently acquired the Rapid Regeneration passive skill, which allowed me to endure it somewhat.
“……”
As I slowly stepped out of the dark shade and into the dazzling sunlight─.
– Sizzle…
As expected, my body began to burn rapidly under the sunlight.
Fortunately, thanks to Rapid Regeneration, I could keep my body in decent shape by repeatedly burning and regenerating. This allowed me to somewhat hide my true nature, which Aizen had been so suspicious of.
“…Is this enough?”
However, the excruciating pain I felt was unbearable. It felt like I was being burned at the stake, the agony spreading throughout my body and clouding my mind. Yet, I forced myself to stay focused and continued the difficult conversation with Aizen.
“I understand why you’re doing this, but you’re being too stubborn, Aizen.”
Despite my calm exterior, I was writhing in pain inside. At this moment, I couldn’t help but resent the fact that Aizen was the Messiah destined to save the world. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have had to go through this…
“Huh…? What’s wrong…?”
“Come inside the Church right now.”
I tried to maintain a dignified demeanor, but my inner turmoil had already taken its toll. Unbeknownst to me, my eyes were now glistening with tears.