I'm here.

　The one who says it in a dainty voice, which even seems to be mischievous - 【Vampire Queen】 Carmilla.

　But she's Wraith-kun - no, she's actually there.

　Carmilla and Hagenty's outfit is similar. Rather than that, Hagenty is probably aware of Carmilla's outfit. Although there are similarities between them, being the same vampire woman, their physiques are different.
　Normally, they wouldn't be mistaken for each other.

　But right now, it's raining. In addition to that, the surroundings are filled with Wraith-kun's magical power due to it.
　It's a difficult situation to identify an individual with magic power sensing.

　The reason why she attacked Wraith-kun with the red hydra is not only to defeat him, but also to see an opportunity to replace him?

'Mera, Nia, sa.'

　Jos-kun realized his exit and maintained the white magic method to complete Melania's 'healing'.
　In this rain, he would consume more magic power than usual, but he had been accumulating magic power since before the battle began.

''Devoted. You're a good [White Mage].

　A whip of blood is pulled out of his abdomen and a large amount of magical particles erupt.
　I meet eyes with Jos-kun. His eyes believed in the victory of his friends.

''This rain, it's really depressing. In order to exert the power as usual, it requires more magic power than usual. If you also need the magic power for resistance (resist) for the troublesome 【Black Mage】 there, it's nothing short of troublesome. In that case, let's at least take advantage of that here too and take care of one of the troublesome things.

　Frankly, it's a better plan than I expected.
　And it was even brilliant.

　If Ms. Botis can beat me, all the better. On the other hand, even if I were to defeat her, I would have to focus only on Ms. Botis in that moment. It's because I was that keenly aware of my nerves that I was able to defeat her after resisting Ms. Botis's evil eye.

　In the small amount of time that I focused on Botis-san's vigilance from my overall vigilance, I broke through the gap between the two vanguards, Wraith-kun and Fran-san.
　This is not as easy as it sounds, but Carmilla did it.

　Furthermore, she took down from Jos-kun at the perfect opportunity to strike a surprise.

　--I've come up with a strategy for this party.

　If we're too wary of 【Lake's Brave】 Wraith and 【Destructor】 Fran, our supporters, 【White Mage】 Jos and 【Black Mage】 Reme, will wield their power to the fullest. But if you try to attack it down, you will be blocked by 【Miner】 Melania.

　You're going to be able to find out if you're going to be the first to crush the Black Mage, and if you leave the others behind, they'll scoop up your feet.

　【Balance of Justice】 If you watch the battle with Astraea, you'll know that no one in the Wraith party should be taken lightly.

　So what should we do? Who should we defeat first?
　Each party will have their own ideas, but Carmilla crushed Joss-kun.

　This won't heal our wounds. We'll never be stronger or faster or sturdier than we are.
　And now--''

"Joss...!

　Hagenty doesn't miss the moment Wraith-kun's consciousness turns toward us.
　But that's where Wraith-kun is. He prevents her whip with his ice shield.

''You thought I was going to let you go?''

I don't know about that.

　Wraith-kun hasn't used his spirit magic power since the first time.
　He still doesn't know how many strong enemies he will be fighting in the future. He doesn't want to put too much of a burden on the spirits.

　His own magic power performance is powerful enough, but the only thing he can do is to train his magic organ steadily.
　With Wraith-kun, who is only ten years old, there is a limit to what he can do, even if he has been training them since he was a child.

　The current Carmilla is controlling blood that reminds me of infinity. In order to neutralize this, Wraith-kun was using quite a bit of magical power.
　Still, if it was one-on-one, I would believe in the leader's victory as a companion.

　Or maybe Carmilla thought so too.
　But what if Hagenty joined the arm that controlled the large amount of blood I showed in the raid?
　In other words, did you think that after all of Wraith-kun's friends left, you could hunt [Lake Brave] Wraith?

　Or without that strategy.
　She just wanted to beat me.

　In Carmilla's hand, there is still a box.
　The amount of blood that flowed from it made the shape of an enormous sword.

"To pierce your heart.

　The speed of the giant sword approaching with a thrusting trajectory was enough to pierce me in the blink of an eye.

　Magic particles scattered.

　But they are not mine.

I won't let Reme-san touch you........!

　Melania-san quickly stuck out her arm and used it as my shield.
　She decided that it would be too late to hold the shield she originally had, but she is bare handed.
　She grabs the huge sword of blood that is penetrating her left arm with her newly healed right hand.

''Admirable. It's true. But I won't let you get in my way.

　The feeling of the blade stabbing my flesh seemed to be palpable.
　After a few attacks, a giant sword of blood sprouts from Melania's back as she turns her back to me.
　No matter how sturdy the giant's bloodline is, no matter how sturdy the giant's bloodline is, if it pierces my heart, I won't be able to escape the exit.

''Ugh........ah.....

　Just before she disappears, Melania-san looks back at me and smiles wickedly.
　I smile back, too. I'm conscious of smiling as powerfully as I can.

'Thank you for protecting me, Melania-san.

　Her large body disappeared and a large amount of magical particles melted into the rain.
　Then, Carmilla came into my sight again.

''We're finally alone, aren't we?''

　It's a line that would make me nervous if Mila said it, but when Carmilla says it, I feel a chill down my spine.

''I don't have any idea that [Vampire Queen] would target my heart, but...''

　To the world, our only contact with each other is the third layer battle of the Demon King's Castle during the Fenix Party era.

''Huh. I haven't been able to get revenge on you alone, you know?　Isn't that reason enough?

　.........Indeed, that might be true.

　The Demon King's Castle where I defeated the Fenix Party at the tenth layer, but Leme wasn't there.　
　It could be said that with my appointment as the Demon King's Castle Counselor, the people up to the fourth layer lost the opportunity to get revenge on me.
　They've already prepared all the external reasons for their obsession with me.

"You remembered me, didn't you? I'm flattered.

　Smiling, I hold my sword in front of me, smiling.
　I have Carmilla's movements in my head, but I can't help but wonder how helpful her normal movements are when her blood volume changes so much.

'But you seem to have forgotten. I'm a wraith party now.

Yes, I know.

　Fran's bold arm was wielded and Carmilla's smile was simultaneous with her smile.
　What's more, it was also the same time that I unleashed my black magic on Carmilla and it was resisted (resisted).

　The giant sword catches Fran-san's right fist, which approached rapidly from behind at an angle. The reason it wasn't shattered is because it became liquefied at the moment of impact? That's not the only reason. The liquefied giant sword is entangled in her right arm.

''Do you understand why I didn't bring the bat with me this time?''

　The vampire bats she uses are special individuals that she has trained by having them suck her own blood.
　The bloodsucking bat has Carmilla's magic power inside of it, and that's why Carmilla can control the blood the bats have sucked. Carmilla's magic power mixes with the blood she has sucked, allowing her to interfere.

　I didn't bring those bats with me this time.
　Why?

　It's possible that he gave up the idea in light of the mental burden of manipulating the vast amount of blood. In fact, some of the reason would be this. Controlling this blood while controlling the bloodsucking bats was more than difficult.
　If there was anything else--

　--Because the advantages that accompany them can be reproduced with this equipment, right?

''Fran-san........!

　Fran-san instinctively judged it to be dangerous and tried to make the blood fly by swinging her arm vigorously.
　The blood was scattered to some extent due to Wraith-kun's rain, but it was definitely effective.

　A light of magic particles leaked out of her monstrous arm, raggedly.

　--can you suck blood from the blood you control?

　No, what vampires can do with their own is suck blood from their fangs. Even vampire bats and bloodsucking leeches had a form of control over Carmilla that they themselves sucked and took as their own.

''Do I have to own it?''

　What a simple answer.
　Even if you can't do it as your own, isn't it effective as an attack just by sucking it out?
　Humans can't create the blood they shed immediately, and without the [White Mage], they can't close the wounds.

''If you're going to destroy everything, let's give them a formless enemy. If it's exceptionally sturdy, let's draw blood. Impose a disadvantage on the enemy and advance the battle to your advantage. Isn't that the basis of battle?

　She's probably the person who knows me better than anyone else in the world, apart from Fenix and her family.
　She knows everything about me, and what I'm good at (...).

　I know how important information is in a fight.
　No one is more wary of me than she is.

　She knows that I rely on my friends, she knows that I go into battle with the enemy's information in my head, and she knows about my own power.

''Why don't you cut and run?''

　Dirk says the appropriate thing. Is he trying to incite or tease?
　That's not going to win.

　You may not have that impression, but Carmilla isn't bad at melee combat either.
　Although she can't reach the level of people like 【Cutting Knight】 Fulkus-san who specializes in it, she is also a skilled swordsman.

　Considering the addition of her power as a 【Blood Manipulator】 to that, even if she had a holy sword, it's almost unbearable.
　Thinking. No, I took enough time to think before the fight.

　What I need to do in an instant is to confirm.

''Which way.''

　Fran briefly asked for instructions.

'Leader,'

Yes.

　After dodging Carmilla's chase with her giant sword, Fran-san went to Wraith-kun's aid.

''.........''

　Depending on how you look at it, this choice might look like giving up.
　Drop the piece that is me and let Wraith & Fran beat Hagenty in the time it takes to get beaten.

　I finally take it two against one and win this match.
　But the woman in front of me is the first to eliminate such an option.

　Is that an expectation of me or an understanding?

'This time, it's just the two of us.

　As I said, the blood sword settled in her right hand.

''........Very well. I can't read it in any way, but this time I will pierce your heart's guts.