— — — — — —
Ordinary vampires couldn't use magic, but they were far stronger physically than wizards. They were agile, tough, and their skin possessed a slight resistance to magical attacks.
Without the right spells, dealing with them was no easy task.
In terms of danger, a vampire was roughly comparable to a Class XXX magical creature.
But once vampires learned magic, even if it wasn't particularly advanced, the threat level changed completely. Thirty or forty spell-casting vampires standing in the back line while the rest charged forward was an entirely different matter.
The professors of Castelobruxo were stunned, then quickly descended into panic.
Fortunately, the two Basilisks were still on the battlefield. Their massive bodies swept across the area, forcing the vampires back and preventing them from getting close.
Even so, dozens of spells rained down on them.
The professors transformed into Basilisks could feel the strain building with every hit. Defeat was only a matter of time.
In the study space, Jeanne quickly contacted Tom and gave him a concise report of the situation.
After listening, Tom didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "Jeanne, what do you think?"
"Me?" She froze.
After blinking twice, she replied, "Tom… whatever you say, I'll do it."
"That won't do." Tom shook his head. "Jeanne, you should have your own opinions. Think about it. Back then, you led the French army and drove the English into complete collapse."
"You're a famous commander in history. How did you end up becoming a yes-man?"
The girl's eyes grew even more confused. "But... isn't my duty to obey your divine will? How can I have ideas of my own?"
Tom let out a sigh and held out his hand.
Like a well-trained puppy, Jeanne immediately leaned her head forward.
As he gently stroked her hair, Tom spoke patiently. "Think about it. Do you know how many trivial matters I deal with every day? And every night I still have to study under that old woman Morgan."
"If you need my instructions before taking action on every little thing, aren't you just creating more work for me?"
Panic instantly appeared in Jeanne's eyes.
She opened her mouth to explain, but Tom's finger was already resting against her lips, stopping the words before they came out.
"No need to explain, Jeanne. Of course I trust you, and I know you hold me in the highest place in your heart—but I'm not a god… I'm just the future God of Magic. And that's still in the future, so you don't need to obey me, okay? Just be Jeanne. And do what you want."
"…Jeanne, you also need to learn to think for yourself. When I give you a task, treat it like a job—actively consider what course of action benefits us most and what gives us the greatest advantage. Even if you don't handle things perfectly, I won't blame you. People grow through experience. Little by little, you'll learn, gain confidence, and eventually I won't have to worry about you."
"So Jeanne d'Arc... for this expedition into the ruins, I'm giving you full authority. No matter what you decide from here on, I'll support it. But you don't need to ask for my opinion anymore. Can you do that?"
"Yes." Jeanne nodded firmly, determination shining in her eyes. "I will bring you news of victory."
Tom smiled faintly and rubbed her head once more.
Only then did the projection slowly fade away.
When Jeanne's consciousness returned to reality, Isabella and the others were already on the verge of collapse. Some had already died.
The two professors who had transformed into basilisks had also reached their limit. They had reverted to human form and now stood surrounded by enemies, their faces deathly pale. Their magical reserves were nearly exhausted, and they no longer had the strength left to fight.
The vampires had also suffered losses. More than ten corpses lay scattered across the ground. Bright red blood seeped from their bodies and, drawn by some mysterious force, flowed toward the temple at the center of the ruins.
The trails of blood formed strange patterns across the earth. Looking carefully, one could see that they were part of a massive magical array.
Seeing this, Jeanne finally believed that Ternier had been telling the truth.
Only a sufficient sacrifice of blood could open the gates of the temple.
So who should she help? The vampires or the humans?
Without waiting for Tom's guidance, Jeanne made her decision.
"You're going to step in? Want me to handle it?"
Sensing her intentions, Jalter immediately popped out, eager for a fight.
"No need. I can accomplish the task Tom entrusted to me." Jeanne's gaze remained unwavering as she tightened her grip on a flag that resembled Luminosité Éternelle from Fate.
...
On the battlefield, the human side was hanging by a thread. Ternier, the strongest among the vampires, had finally entered the fray. His magical power was clearly superior to the other vampires, rivaling that of Castelobruxo's professors.
First, he blasted a hole through the defensive barrier with a powerful spell. Then he ordered the non-magical vampires to charge through at any cost.
After sacrificing several of their own, the vampires successfully broke into close quarters.
"Ahhh!"
A scream rang out. A Professor's chest was slashed open by a vampire's razor-sharp claws. His robes tore apart, exposing several bloody gashes across his body.
Nearby, another professor in the form of a giant bear swatted that vampire away with a single paw.
But more vampires immediately swarmed him, clinging to his massive body and preventing him from fully using his tremendous strength.
At that critical moment, a clear and sacred voice echoed across the battlefield.
It sounded untouchable, as if it had descended directly from heaven itself.
"Là est mon Seigneur!" (God is Here With Me!)
The instant those words fell, brilliant white light erupted from the ground. The holy radiance condensed into sturdy suits of armor, wrapping themselves around the professors of Castelobruxo.
Meanwhile, the vampires recoiled the moment they touched the light. It felt as though they had plunged their hands into flames thousands of degrees hot.
Their skin burned and blistered on contact.
Agonized screams filled the air as they fled in every direction.
The vampires clinging to the giant bear suffered even worse. Because so much of their bodies was exposed to the holy light, half their flesh was burned away almost instantly.
Their deaths were horrific.
"Who is that?!"
The sudden reversal wiped the smug smile from Ternier's face.
Following the source of the voice, he saw a young girl standing in the distance.
She wore armor and carried a flag.
"Who are you? Why are you interfering in our conflict?" Ternier couldn't help taking two steps backward.
The girl looked like the most devout saint from the legends of the Church.
Her eyes were filled with unwavering faith. Warmth and radiance poured from her entire being, like a living sun.
And everyone knew what happened when you got too close to the sun. You got burned.
For vampires, sunlight was a thing they hated deeply.
Just looking at the girl made Ternier and the other vampires deeply uncomfortable. It felt as if countless ants were crawling beneath their skin.
Isabella and the others were equally bewildered.
The ruins they had worked so hard to keep secret suddenly seemed as common as a public marketplace.
First the vampires had appeared. Now an unknown girl who looked terrifyingly powerful had shown up as well.
What was next?
"Heretics!"
Facing creatures of darkness like vampires, Jeanne's usual gentleness vanished completely.
What remained was unmasked hostility.
"I shall deliver divine judgment in God's name."
"Behold the Flames of Judgment!"
.
.
.