#Episode 13
Some followed Priest Joseph because they knew about Todd, but many more joined in haste, merely driven by the threat of vampires.
At first, they didn’t think much of it when they set the fire, but their faces darkened at the thought of having to kill a ten-year-old child.
“It would have been better if you had shown such sympathy before the hospital burned down!”
The doctor shouted angrily at the villagers who only now agreed with him, glaring at them with resentment as the hospital was completely engulfed in flames.
Priest Joseph also grew frustrated with the villagers’ sudden hesitation. He raised his voice, trying to persuade them.
“Being young doesn’t mean innocent! That wicked kid could have already invited the vampires. Are you going to let that evil grow just because of his age?”
Joseph’s eyes glinted in the firelight as he pointed out the villager who had earlier contradicted him.
“Robert!”
Robert, who felt as if he were being pierced by that mad gaze, took a deep breath. Joseph approached him, poking his chest with his finger as he berated him.
“You said Leon turned eleven. Are you planning to offer an eleven-year-old as a meal to the vampires?”
The villagers were overwhelmed by Joseph’s fierce demeanor. The thought that their entire village might be devoured by vampires if they made a mistake filled them with tension.
“B-but what if we run into the vampire while looking for the child, Father?”
A villager asked fearfully. Joseph reassured them in a commanding voice.
“It’s just a lower vampire. As long as the sun is up, it won’t be able to do anything. Just tell me where it is, and I’ll handle it. There’s no time to waste. Hurry!”
“Yes, Father!”
Prompted by Joseph, the villagers grabbed torches and scattered throughout the village in an orderly manner. Only then did Joseph allow himself a sigh of relief.
“Find the ten-year-old boy! Black hair! He’s wearing a patient’s clothes!”
“Search him every corner! He’ll be hiding in a shaded, dark spot!”
The sounds of villagers shouting and searching echoed through the village.
“Damn it!”
As Joseph suspected, Vasha, trapped in the shade, anxiously looked up at the sky. The clouds had cleared just as they were about to leave the village!
About ten minutes remained until the sun fully set behind the mountains.
‘Ten minutes… I just need to hold out for ten minutes without being caught.’
Hiding tightly against an alley wall with Todd, Vasha held her breath.
Todd, who thought Vasha was a high-ranking vampire, couldn’t understand her behavior. Feeling curious, Todd asked,
“Why did you stop? Because the clouds disappeared? For a high-ranking vampire, a bit of sunlight shouldn’t be a problem…”
“Shh!”
Vasha quickly covered Todd’s mouth. Todd frowned but had no choice. There was no time to explain that she wasn’t actually a high-ranking vampire.
‘I wish we could get out of this village without any trouble…’
But the prayers of the faithless are always betrayed. Just as Vasha feared, the villagers found Todd and Vasha.
“The boy is here! He’s with a woman!”
“…Tch!”
They had finally been discovered. Vasha clicked her tongue softly.
As soon as people made eye contact with Vasha, they were horrified. The red eyes and fangs exposed in her exertion were undeniable signs of a vampire.
“A v-vampire…!”
They stood at a distance where the light reached, trembling as they pointed their spears at Todd and Vasha hiding in the shadows.
Vasha looked up at the sky. The sun seemed like it would set, but it was as if it was stubbornly clinging on, causing anxiety.
It felt as if a holy dragon was pulling the sun to keep it in the sky a little longer.
While Vasha anxiously waited for the sun to set, Joseph, hearing the word ‘vampire,’ pushed through the crowd and appeared.
“Look, everyone! The evil seed that you have been sympathized with just because he was young has brought a vampire upon us!”
In Joseph’s hand was the holy artifact, the Lamp of Lamphas.
Each parish had one [Lamp of Lampas], which only the head of the parish could wield. It was a precious item that allowed even a priest to defeat a lower vampire with their holy power.
Joseph, hastily dusting off the lamp upon hearing of the vampire, barely suppressed his excitement. However, he could not hide the gleam in his eyes.
As Joseph’s threatening aura intimidated the villagers, Vasha shielded Todd behind her and spoke slowly.
“I only wanted to save this child. I have no intention of killing anyone in the village. Can’t you let us go?”
“Thomas died because of you! What are you talking about?!”
“I didn’t kill him.”
Vasha retorted in exasperation, but Joseph ignored her.
“Becoming a vampire’s minion is as good as being dead as a human! You’re just spewing nonsense because you fear the holy lamp!”
“So, are you going to kill me?”
Meanwhile, the sun was setting, and the shadows were growing, shrinking the areas touched by sunlight.
Vasha, hiding in the shadow of the wall, took steps forward as the shadows expanded. The people, in contrast, took steps back as if retreating.
Joseph, also feeling the pressure from Vasha’s advance, subconsciously stepped back. Denying his fear, Joseph shouted louder.
“Not only you, but the wicked thing that brought you to this village will also be burned!”
Realizing Joseph had no intention of listening, Vasha sighed. She then attempted persuasion mixed with a threat, baring her fangs.
“If you let us go, we will leave without causing any trouble. But if you don’t… well, will I die quietly? It’s almost nightfall… some villagers might get hurt.”
“The sacrifice of a few for the sake of many is inevitable!”
Joseph’s eyes gleamed with determination, but his voice trembled slightly, betraying his unease.
In reality, vampires didn’t often invade villages and devour everyone.
If vampires wiped out a village every time they fed, no humans would be left. Usually, they took only the blood they needed and disappeared.
But if it were known that way, people wouldn’t fear vampires as much, nor would they praise the Church of Lamphas for handling them.
Thus, the Church of Lamphas had always propagated the image of vampires as bloodthirsty predators without mercy or compassion.
This way, they could control ignorant humans to their liking.
Just look at the villagers now.
At the mere mention of a vampire, they had all rushed to follow Joseph’s commands.
‘These people who don’t even attend weekend mass properly!’
Such was the status of a priest in a small village—maintaining appearances but wielding little real power.
‘Unless one is a bishop in a big town….’
The desires he had suppressed in his heart began to surface.
Born as an unloved illegitimate child of a minor noble family, Joseph had turned to the Church of Lamphas early on.
Becoming a bishop meant living more lavishly than most nobles. Young Joseph had vowed to become a bishop and return in triumph.
But life didn’t go as planned.
Without family support, he was even worse off than priests from wealthy commoner backgrounds.
One by one, his peers were sent to lucrative cities, amassing wealth and bribing their way to bishoprics.
Joseph had tried to become a holy knight to advance his career, but his holy power wasn’t strong enough, and he repeatedly failed.
Years passed like this.
Joseph was growing old, stuck as a priest in a small village like Haidus.
The appearance of a vampire was a chance for Joseph’s better life.
