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Kagerou articulated his thoughts in a blunt tone, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders.

‘Has he no sense of shame?’ Warren considered, but kept these thoughts to himself, deeming it inappropriate to voice them. Instead, he shifted his thoughts and once again studied Kagerou’s impassive countenance.

“—I shall reassess our approach towards them. On another note, have you uncovered any information regarding that hidden treasure of Cent’luna I tasked you with? You can’t possibly tell me you’ve failed in this regard as well, can you?”

“No need for concern. I have investigated everything from the sealed location to the method of unsealing it. After silencing the informant as you asked, I verified the information using a dead soul communication, which is more reliable than any form of torture.”

With that, Kagerou unfurled the map of Cent’luna on the table, pointing to a specific location.

“The alleged hidden treasure is located here.”
“That’s quite an isolated area.”
“A round trip using Land Drag would take two weeks.”

Warren’s frown deepened further.

“It’s quite a predicament. The ‘key’ and the information were provided by the present Archduke of Cent’luna, Baldum’s nephew I believe, in exchange for a ransom. However, there’s a high chance this could be a futile venture when the exact contents remain unknown.”

“Indeed, in this cruel world, people would even betray their own for the sake of money.”

Warren snorted at Kagerou’s seemingly genuine lament.

“That’s why I maintain that everyone aside from oneself is an enemy. It’s absurd to think that such a naive girl, who can’t even reach this conclusion, wields such an extraordinary power.”

While grumbling to himself in annoyance, Warren retrieved a palm-sized silver cross from his pocket and placed it on the spot Kagerou had just indicated.

“«A devil wielding absolute power, rivaling even the gods, will fulfill all your wishes» is it? I want to dismiss it as a ludicrous fairy tale, but considering that this information is secretly passed down within the Archduke’s family and only the direct descendants know about its location, it may hold some significance, perhaps on par with Cres’ teleportation magic equipment. Or at the very least, there’s a high probability that an ancient weapon lies dormant there. I could use any advantage at this juncture……”

Warren lightly tapped the face of the cross, adopting an expression of skepticism from the outset.

“Well~, it doesn’t seem to be entirely fictitious.”

Upon hearing this, Warren eyed Kagerou’s smirking face with a penetrating gaze.

“—You, did you unearth some kind of information?”

Warren, observing a smug Kagerou who showed no intention of responding, clicked his tongue, stood from his seat and returned with a hefty leather bag.

“Here’s your additional payment. Now tell me what you’ve discovered.”

Thump!

Kagerou meticulously inspected the contents of the leather bag laid before him, down to the last of the empire’s gold coins. Appeased, he swiftly pocketed the bag and simultaneously produced a transparent bottle filled with a red liquid, resembling a perfume bottle, placing it in front of Warren.

“Thank you for your business~. This is the location of the aforementioned, although it is now a temple dedicated to a local deity, and this is the «Īchōr» secretly distributed among the followers.”

“«Īchōr»? What is that?”

Warren eyed the bottle with a skeptical expression.

“To get straight to the point, this hidden treasure of Cent’luna doesn’t refer to a magic tool or magical sword, but literally to a demon god that once reigned over the world.”

“Demon god…… ah, not another deity…”

Perhaps reminded of Ancestor God Hiyuki, a look of distaste spread across Warren’s face as if he had just swallowed something bitter.

“It’s merely a legend, at most. Allegedly, this demon god clashed with another god, lost, and was sealed within this temple. It’s even said that the origins of the wasteland bordering Cres are a result of that ancient battle.”

Warren sneered at this, equating it to nothing more than baseless rumors.

“Moreover, there’s a sarcophagus where this demon god is supposedly sealed, and it is said that a minute quantity of the demon god’s blood seeps through a crack to this day. The temple folks peddle this to believers at an outrageously high price.”

“I see. So this is that blood, huh? —Does it have any miraculous properties beyond what they claim?”

“……”

“What’s the matter?”

Kagerou, exhibiting an uncharacteristic hesitancy, fell silent for a moment before reluctantly voicing his thoughts.

“If you drink it, it will induce certain ailments.”

“—Ohh?”

Warren reflexively grabbed the bottle with both hands.

“But there’s a substantial risk of death if you consume too much. Also, even if you do survive, it leaves you feeling lethargic and induces discomfort unless you’re in the darkness during the day……”

“So, it’s essentially a poison then?”

He swiftly returned the bottle to the table with a look of revulsion.

“In a way, you could say that.”

However, Warren detected a certain insinuation in Kagerou’s tone, prompting him to probe further.

“You’re not concealing anything else, are you?”
“……It’s not so much that I have knowledge, more of an educated guess.”
“Quit beating around the bush and get to the point.”
“«Feeling energized when the blood enters your system» «Preferring darkness during the daytime» «Dying if you ingest inappropriate sustenance»… these symptoms resemble those observed when a certain race creates its minions.”
“……You’re not suggesting…”

Given the abundance of hints, Warren finally deduced the shocking truth, his face registering a mix of astonishment and revulsion.

“Yes, vampires.”

Kagerou promptly confirmed his suspicion.