If ugliness had ranks, Wolf had broken through the heavens by turning into this thing. It stood over two meters tall, with blue-gray skin and a pair of blood-red eyes. Drool ran from its sharp fangs, and its face was so hideous it sent a chill through me. It looked like a mix of human and bat, and its upturned nostrils even reminded me of a wild boar.

“We are blessed by blood! We are the nobles of the night! We are chosen by fate!”

I kicked the blustering monster and sent it flying again. What blessing? What nobility? What destiny? There was no way I’d ever admit that an ugly thing like you was one of my kind!

“Wretched human,” the vampire growled as it got back to its feet. This thing sure could take a beating. “You’ll pay for your foolishness!”

My answer was a sword to the head. The gleaming blade struck the vampire’s skull, but it didn’t split in two like I’d expected. Its tough blue-gray skin stopped the blade, then knocked it back. My stance crumbled at once, and the vampire took the chance to swipe a claw across my chest. This time, I was the one sent flying.

A searing pain exploded in my chest. I’d probably broken several ribs.

With a bestial roar, the vampire punched through the house across the street and dragged out my neighbor, Mr. Rand. The chubby owner of the vegetable shop struggled in its claws, crying out in terror.

“A delicious midnight snack.” The vampire opened its gaping maw and bit down on his neck. “We shall feast on fresh blood!”

“H-Help... help me!”

Mr. Rand was about to become the vampire’s next meal, while I couldn’t move because of my broken ribs. At that critical moment, a flash of cold steel sliced off the vampire’s lower jaw. A swordsman who looked thoroughly carefree snatched Mr. Rand away, gripping him by the shirt and leaping nimbly out of reach.

“Good evening, Elsa.” Ward grinned as he dropped the injured Mr. Rand beside me. “Lovely moon tonight. You’re fighting a vampire and didn’t even call me? How selfish.”

Someone stronger than me had shown up! This was the perfect time to play the victim.

“Help...” I put on a pitiful look. “Please...”

“No problem!” Wolf flourished his sword, knocking aside the claws swiping at him from behind. “Slaying monsters is our job. Today, you’ll see how a Sword Saint fights!”

He casually hurled the steel sword in his hand like a dart. Clang! The vampire knocked it away with its claws.

Wait, aren’t you a Sword Saint? Why’d you throw your sword away?!

“Snow-blade of the firmament, purge all evil,” Ward recited with a cold laugh. “Divine Sword: Heavenly Might!”

A streak of golden light pierced the night, dropping beside him like lightning. It was a long sword shining with holy radiance. Beautiful patterns covered its finely crafted blade, and every gem set in its hilt was worth a fortune. In the next instant, the divine sword cleaved through the vampire and effortlessly severed its right arm.

“Graaah!” the vampire shrieked. “We... We can’t lose to humans!”

The vampire feinted, then turned into a cloud of gray-white mist and vanished beneath the moonlight. Ward smiled and rested the divine sword on his shoulder, looking as relaxed as if he were teaching a child to fence. Just then, the vampire quietly took physical form behind him. But the moment it raised a claw, Ward cut off its other hand.

“What’s the matter? Out of tricks?”

“Wretched human!”

The vampire turned into white mist again, but this time it fled straight down the street. Just as Ward prepared to chase after it, the sound of hooves rang out from the dark street. Sister Catherine came charging toward us on a white steed. She wore gleaming silver holy armor and held a lance in her hand. Her loose hair streamed through the night, shining like gold.

“Lance Art: Gale Thrust!”

The vampire had only just come out of Mist Form when Catherine’s lance pierced its chest. The tremendous impact sent it flying, and it slammed hard into the street. Catherine decisively abandoned her broken lance, drew the sword at her waist, and rode back into the attack, slashing at the vampire’s nape. At the same time, Ward strolled onto the battlefield. Joking as he went, he joined Catherine in pincer-attacking the vampire. They soon beat it to a pulp.

“H-Help me...”

Suddenly, a bloodied hand grabbed mine. My good neighbor, Mr. Rand, weakly pleaded for help. His face was pale, and blood kept flowing from the wound on his neck. He looked like he was about to die. The scent of human blood stirred my instincts, and before long, I entered a state of “blood hunger”! Damn it, don’t underestimate a veteran’s willpower! I forced down my growing urge for Blood Sucking, took a bottle of basic healing potion from my inventory, and poured it over Mr. Rand’s neck. In a faint green glow, the wound healed quickly, but he showed no sign of recovering otherwise.

“A healing potion alone won’t be enough.” Priest Rayne appeared behind us. The old man walked as quietly as a cat—not a sound! “When treating a victim,” he said, “the key is to quickly purge the vampire’s curse. We need holy water to break it. Miss Lancelot, though this is a little awkward to ask, could you temporarily return the holy water to me?”

That left me in a bit of a bind.

“Mr. Rayne,” I said with a wounded look, “I used up the holy water.”

“Used it up?”

“I made this potion with it.”

As I spoke, I took a bottle of Holy Elixir from my inventory. Rayne stared at the potion, which looked like liquid gold, and let out a small gasp.

“Isn’t this Holy Elixir? A sacred relic that only the Saintess can create. Even in the Holy Light Church, only the highest-ranking priests and clergy are allowed to use it. Miss Lancelot, why do you possess such a precious divine medicine?”

“Well...” I stammered. “I made it with that bottle of holy water.”

At my words, Priest Rayne nearly fainted.

“Could you be the next Saintess?”

“Absolutely not!”

How could a vampire possibly become your Saintess? Was this some kind of elaborate suicide?

“Mr. Rayne,” I hurriedly changed the subject, “Uncle Rand looks like he’s about to die.”

By now, my good neighbor Uncle Rand’s face had turned dark, and he looked like he was about to transform into something else. Rayne hurriedly uncorked the bottle and carefully dripped a single drop of golden liquid onto Mr. Rand’s forehead. A few seconds later, Mr. Rand suddenly opened his eyes, and the color instantly returned to his pale face.

“Ah...” He crossed his hands over his chest, looking serene. “I saw the Holy Light. Thank the Holy Light.”

And then he died right there—just kidding!

“Mr. Rayne,” I said, pretending to be grateful, “thank you for saving Mr. Rand. I have three more bottles of Holy Elixir here. Please take them as well.”

With a complicated expression, Rayne accepted the three other bottles I held out with both hands.

He’d never guess I’d kept fifteen bottles for myself. Hehe~~