#Episode 96
As soon as the opponent realized that Bernardo had recognized him, he took a step forward. The moonlight, slanting through the window, illuminated his face.
“I heard we had an uninvited guest tonight, but it turns out to be a Holy Knight. The situation within the Lamphas Church must be quite dire.”
The one who stepped forward was someone Bernardo had met before—Oliver, the butler of the Renfield family.
Bernardo had always found Oliver’s presence unusual for a mere butler, but he hadn’t expected him to appear while dealing with an intruder.
And that wasn’t all.
‘…His presence is incredibly faint. He’s no ordinary butler.’
Because Bernardo had heightened his senses to scan the surroundings, he managed to detect Oliver quickly. Otherwise, even he might not have noticed his presence so easily.
However, no matter how strong Oliver was, he was no match for Bernardo. Shrugging nonchalantly, Bernardo responded,
“It seems the previous Pope was quite generous with his gifts.”
Like granting an absolute restriction against entering Lamphas Church, for instance. Even now, the thought of it was absurd.
‘No matter if it was Laurus—why would he distribute something like that? What was he thinking?!’
“And yet, you treat His Holiness’s legacy so carelessly. If you leave now, I will pretend I never saw you here tonight.”
“I would like to, but…”
Bernardo gave a troubled smile.
“The truth is, I sneaked into this villa because I saw a vampire slip inside. I intend to check the place, confirm there’s no vampire, and leave once I ensure it’s safe.”
He hadn’t actually seen it himself, but since his compass had pointed in this direction, it wasn’t entirely a lie.
Oliver, fully aware that Bernardo was lying through his teeth, let out a deep sigh.
“So, you have no intention of leaving quietly, do you?”
If that was the case, he had no choice but to eliminate him by force.
Oliver’s hand cautiously reached for his waist, gripping the handle of an assassin’s dagger hidden beneath his vest.
At the same time, his body surged forward like a projectile fired from a ballista, carrying an overwhelming presence as he charged toward Bernardo.
Oliver’s attack was swift and precise, aimed directly at Bernardo’s vital points.
“You reveal your true intentions so quickly—Brother, you are far less patient than I expected!”
As if he had anticipated this, Bernardo reacted immediately, drawing his sword.
Clang!
Sparks flew as their blades clashed.
Bernardo wielded a longsword with a relatively narrow blade and an extended hilt. With a single strike, he parried Oliver’s attack, forcing him backward.
However, Oliver recovered swiftly and flicked his wrist, sending multiple daggers flying toward Bernardo.
Hup!
With a short breath, Bernardo swung his sword in a circular motion. The gust generated by his strike deflected Oliver’s daggers, sending them clattering to the ground.
But the thrown daggers were merely a distraction.
Tatatak!
Oliver had already leaped forward again, thrusting his blade at Bernardo.
“Did you really think something this light could halt the steps of Lamphas?”
“…Tch!”
Once again, Oliver’s blade was blocked.
Even the notoriously critical Todd had acknowledged Oliver’s exceptional skill. His dagger techniques, in particular, were among the finest in the kingdom.
But even so, they were not enough to break through the strongest shield of the Lamphas Church.
Bernardo applied more force, knocking Oliver’s dagger aside. Overpowered in their clash, Oliver was sent airborne, leaving his abdomen completely exposed.
Bernardo didn’t miss the opening.
Thud!
“Guhh!”
With the pommel of his sword, Bernardo struck Oliver’s stomach. Though Oliver wore light armor beneath his clothes, it couldn’t fully absorb the impact.
The blow penetrated through the armor, shaking his internal organs. He barely suppressed the rising nausea.
‘As expected, he’s no easy opponent… I won’t last long at this rate.’
Oliver’s dagger techniques were efficient and precise—designed to exploit an enemy’s weak spots in an instant.
But his opponent was a paladin without weaknesses.
Drawing out an opening through feints was nearly impossible.
Moreover, his daggers, meant for piercing, lacked the durability needed for prolonged combat. After just a few clashes with Bernardo’s sword, cracks had already formed on Oliver’s blade.
He sighed in frustration.
“As expected of Lapis Ignarius—that’s an excellent sword. I took great care in selecting my weapons, but…”
“You’re exaggerating. You still have plenty of hidden blades, don’t you?”
Bernardo scoffed, and Oliver, chuckling softly, let his damaged dagger slip from his fingers, dropping it to the floor.
Clang!
Oliver swiftly drew a new dagger and assumed a defensive stance.
‘If I can just find a small opening…’
As long as his dagger could slip through, he might have a chance to turn the tide.
However, Bernardo was like an immovable boulder.
They say even water droplets can carve through stone if they strike the same spot repeatedly. But Oliver’s aging body had no guarantee it could endure such a prolonged struggle.
‘This matchup is truly unfavorable…’
As Oliver sharpened his focus, Bernardo adjusted his grip on his sword.
“In that case, I suppose it’s time I got serious.”
The moment those words left his lips, Bernardo moved.
Looking back, from the very beginning of their clash, he hadn’t taken a single step.
Now, with a single stride forward, the restrained energy around him erupted—unleashing a wave of killing intent so intense it made one’s hair stand on end.
Oliver could not allow Bernardo to close the distance.
He launched an immediate offensive.
One, two, three…
A relentless storm of daggers surged toward Bernardo.
Yet, steadily, Bernardo deflected each one, pushing forward step by step.
Before Oliver realized it, he had been drawn into Bernardo’s striking range.
“And now—”
Bernardo’s sword swept toward him with the force of a typhoon tearing through a fragile hut.
As their weapons clashed and entangled, Bernardo yanked Oliver away as if pulling weeds caught in a rake.
“You’re too light.”
“Urgh!”
Crash!
Oliver’s body was sent flying once more, slamming into the far end of the corridor. The impact shattered the expensive wallpaper, sending dust billowing into the air.
Clatter.
The blade of Oliver’s dagger crumbled upon impact.
Struggling against his unresponsive body, he reached for a new weapon.
Thud.
Before he could, Bernardo’s armored boot pinned his wrist firmly to the ground.
Bernardo raised his sword, tilting Oliver’s chin upward with its tip.
“I have no intention of leaving quietly. And yet, you still insist on stopping me from pursuing the vampire?”
“…A butler’s duty is to expel uninvited guests from the mansion.”
Oliver’s gaze remained unwavering as he answered. His words carried a firm, unyielding rejection.
Bernardo smirked bitterly.
Anyone enthralled by a vampire was doomed to the same fate. Even if he spared Oliver out of pity, would a servant of a vampire ever truly change?
‘If he doesn’t stab me in the back later, that alone would be a miracle.’
Since he needed to secure the successor of Van Drake quietly, he couldn’t afford to leave behind any lingering threats.
Bernardo raised his sword high.
Oliver had no way to dodge or block it.
“The Light’s blessing does not reach heretics, but may you go in peace.”
Murmuring softly, Bernardo made the sign of the cross before bringing his sword down without hesitation.
Swish!
His blade sliced through the air like a guillotine, descending upon Oliver.
Oliver stared at the trajectory of the sword, eyes wide open.
“That’s far enough.”
At the moment of life and death, a voice—smooth as a nightmare’s lullaby yet undeniably bewitching—resonated from the darkness.
In that instant, Bernardo’s sword froze in midair. It was as if invisible threads had ensnared the blade, holding it in place.
The identity of this unexpected intruder was unmistakable.
With a weary sigh, Oliver quietly murmured the name of the one who had just saved his life.
“…Lady Vasha.”
Vasha!!!