“Hah, hah, hah──!!”

Freesia and her companions ran through the labyrinth, single-mindedly focused on escaping.

They had nearly reached the passage leading to the second floor. Any moment now, they might encounter the rescue team.

Back in the room connecting the third and fourth floors, a black-gray knight had suddenly appeared. That knight was an irregularity—an anomaly in this labyrinth conquest. He was an opponent they could never hope to defeat in their current state. Knowing this, they had entrusted one boy to hold the rear and had fled as fast as they could.

It wasn’t that they felt no guilt. If anything, the farther they ran, the more their anxiety and guilt grew. But they had no choice. He had asked them to go. Breaking that promise was not an option.

──And yet… they couldn't help but feel uneasy. The worry gnawed at their hearts.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry──!!”

The terrified girl being carried under one arm kept murmuring her apologies. But her words weren’t directed at the boy who had stayed behind. No, it was quite the opposite. Freesia understood without needing to be told—her apologies were meant for the black-gray knight.

That girl knew something about the knight. But in her current state, questioning her was pointless. Meanwhile, he was already exhausted before even facing the knight. He had said he would hold out until help arrived, but was that really possible against such an opponent?

As they sprinted up the passage to the second floor, Freesia pondered. She truly wanted to go back and help him. Even if only a little, she wanted to support him. That was why she had worked so hard until now──

“And yet, all I can do is run away…!!”

She felt utterly pathetic. The frustration boiled within her, and she had vented it by cutting down every monster that crossed their path.

Anyone watching could tell that Freesia was in a foul mood. Neither Vice nor Chronos could cheer her up, so they chose to leave her be──

“Fuu-chan, it’s okay… you can go back now.”

“Huh?”

Her only female friend, Schvia Gravitell, spoke as soon as they reached the second floor.

Schvia was usually quiet. Even during this labyrinth conquest, she hadn’t spoken much. But it wasn’t that she was bad at conversation—if anything, when it was just the two of them, she could be quite talkative. That was why Freesia was caught off guard by her sudden words.

Schvia, ignoring Freesia’s confusion, continued speaking.

“The rescue team should be here soon. So, Fuu-chan, you can go back to Lord Claym now.”

“N-no. Clay told me to make sure everyone got out safely──”

“Now that we’re at the second floor, we’ll be fine on our own.”

“B-but──”

Freesia hesitated despite her friend's encouragement.

Normally, she wouldn’t act like this. But Schvia knew her well.

“Are you afraid you won’t be able to help?”

“──Yeah…”

Freesia Greyfrost was still just a young girl. She always tried to put on a brave front, but she felt fear and anxiety like anyone else. Schvia, however, knew her better than anyone──

“It’s okay. Fuu-chan, you will definitely be of help to Lord Claym. Besides, it’s written all over your face.”

“Huh──?”

“That you want to go help him. Right now.”

“──!!”

Freesia gasped, snapping back to reality. Schvia smiled faintly.

“If you want to go, then you should go right away.”

“──Yeah!”

With that, Freesia turned back, running the way she had come. There was no hesitation left in her expression—it no longer suited her.

“So yeah, I came back!!”

Before the towering ice wall, my hazy mind struggled to process Freesia’s explanation.

“──You… You absolute idiot…”

I groaned, dropping my head. She, on the other hand, looked proud of herself. Who the hell runs back into a death trap after barely escaping…? Well, apparently, the answer was standing right in front of me.

“But thanks to that, you survived, didn’t you?”

“Ugh… Well, yeah, but…”

She had a point. I had been ready to die. The fact that I was still here, breathing, was thanks to her.

“Still, wasn’t that a little too reckless?”

“Oh, like you’re one to talk?”

“……”

Freesia shot back immediately.

For some reason, she seemed unusually sharp today. It felt like I was facing the calm, analytical version of her rather than the usual battle-maniac berserker. That strange sense of nostalgia was interrupted as she returned to the topic.

“So, that knight is the Empire’s Five Heavenly Swords member, Tylus Arnell, right?”

“…Yeah. You saw that black wave earlier, didn’t you? That was the Black Sea he’s rumored to use.”

“I knew it! You were fighting a pretty big deal!!”

──Yeah, she’s still a battle maniac. That’s oddly reassuring.

We had already covered the important details. Freesia’s eyes gleamed as she watched the black waves relentlessly assault the ice wall. Seeing her like that, I felt a moment of calm… I was getting way too used to this madness.

Shoving that realization aside, I continued.

“We don’t have much time… How long can the ice wall withstand Tylus’s Black Sea?”

“Hmm? Well, I poured the rest of my remaining magic into it, so… maybe three more minutes?”

“Three minutes, huh… No, that’s more than enough. We need to find a way to turn this around.”

The black waves continued to pound against the ice wall, trying to break through. I swallowed dryly.

“But Clay, you’ve already lost too much blood and magic, haven’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“Then how are you going to fight? Even I can’t take that knight on alone.”

That was the real issue. Her rescue had only bought us time. The situation was still hopeless.

“If only I could regain some blood and magic…”

I knew it was pointless to wish for the impossible, but I couldn’t help it.

There were no magic potions in this world that could instantly restore magic. If this continued, we’d be swallowed by the black waves──

“Then, why don’t you try drinking my blood?”

“…Huh?”

Her words caught me completely off guard.

Did she just say… drink? What? Blood? That was ridiculous.

“That wouldn’t restore my blood or magic… It’s not like I’m a vampire from a fairy tale.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Freesia, unfazed by my skepticism, continued.

“You’ve heard of the Vampire Clan, haven’t you?”

“…Yeah, sort of.”

“They supposedly drank blood to replenish their nutrients, blood, and magic. If that’s true, shouldn’t it work for you too?”

She was pulling this idea from nowhere. I was about to dismiss it, but she wasn’t done.

“Besides, the Vampires were said to use magic similar to yours. And you craved blood, didn’t you? That’s exactly like the bloodlust they felt.”

“…Where did you even hear this from?”

“My father. He told me as soon as our engagement was decided.”

“……”

What kind of conversations does the Duke have with his daughter…?

──Well, she’s always had a good memory and sharp mind.

Her source made it harder to dismiss outright.

“…Assuming you’re right… are you really okay with this?”

“Huh? With what?”

The battle-crazed fool had gone on and on, yet he still didn’t seem to grasp the situation. I spoke with a hint of exasperation.

“So, if we go through with what you just suggested, I’ll have to drink your blood. Are you really okay with that?”

As I wrestled with an odd sense of embarrassment, the duke’s daughter responded nonchalantly.

“I don’t mind if it’s you, Clay. Besides, I was the one who suggested it, so there’s no need to—Clay?”

“……”

I was at a loss for words at her unexpected reaction. Well, she wasn’t wrong, but still… For an unmarried young lady to offer her blood so readily to a man—was that really okay?

—More importantly, when did I earn enough of her trust for her to hand over her blood without hesitation?

I never imagined Freesia trusted me this much. The realization hit me harder than expected, leaving me shaken. Seeing my reaction, Freesia sighed in mild exasperation.

“So? Are we doing this or not? Because my ice wall is seriously about to reach its limit…”

Before I knew it, ominous cracks echoed from the ice wall. Just as she said, we were running out of time. There was no room left for hesitation.

“O-Okay. Then… let’s do it.”

“Got it.”

And just like that, our plan was set. Calling it a plan was a bit of a stretch, considering how haphazard it was, but at this point, it was our only option.

“Break already!!”

With a ferocious roar, a black tidal wave crashed against the ice wall.

After several relentless assaults, the massive wall of ice finally gave way, shattering and merging the two separated spaces. With nothing left to block its path, the enemy’s Black Sea surged forward, filling the other half of the chamber.

“Right on the three-minute mark…”

To avoid being swallowed up, I grabbed Freesia and leaped high into the air.

As the ice wall crumbled, it dissolved into a fine mist, filling the room with a white frost. If we hid within it, the Black Ash Knight wouldn’t be able to see us—this was our chance.

“Let’s do this.”

“Yeah.”

At my final confirmation, Freesia brushed aside her silver-white hair, revealing the smooth, porcelain-like skin beneath. She then leaned in even closer, making it easier for me to sink my teeth in.

“!!”

For a moment, my heart pounded violently. Was it the sight before me, or the sensation? In both my first life and this second one, I had never been this close to her before.

To be honest, I was nervous. I was suddenly hyper-aware of emotions I had never felt before, and it was making me uneasy. But even so—

“—”

I forcibly pushed all those thoughts aside and bit down on her neck.

My sharp canines pierced her delicate skin, and the instant the taste of her red blood spread through my mouth, all other thoughts faded into insignificance.

“Nngh… ah…”

Even the sensual sound of her voice was nothing more than background noise amidst my feeding. Right now, I just wanted to drown in the exquisite, intoxicating bliss of her blood.

“……”

“Nn… hnn…”

I was undeniably drinking human blood.

Normally, the very idea of consuming human blood would disgust me. I never once thought it could be enjoyable. But now that it was in my mouth, it was nothing like I had imagined. It was sweet, rich, and utterly delicious. I wanted more. I craved more. I could drink forever.

As the blood trickled down my parched throat, the thirst that had plagued me for so long finally began to fade. My fatigue, my exhaustion—all of it melted away, replaced by an overwhelming surge of energy. Magic, blood, everything—I could feel it all becoming a part of me.

—Freesia was right.

“Cl… Clay… is that… enough?”

“!! Shit, I took too much!”

As I greedily devoured her blood, I suddenly felt a gentle tap on my shoulder, snapping me out of my trance.

When I hastily pulled away and looked at Freesia, she seemed utterly drained. Her body sagged, her cheeks were flushed red, and she looked on the verge of collapse. It seemed the act of having her blood drained had taken more of a toll than I anticipated. In contrast, I felt invigorated, as if my body was brimming with power.

—I owed her an apology.

Just as guilt crept in, she gave me a weak, fleeting smile.

“Will you be able… to defeat that knight now?”

“Yeah. More than enough.”

“Sorry… I wanted to help, but… I’m more exhausted than I thought…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of everything. Just rest and hold on tight.”

“Mhm.”

By now, most of the mist had cleared.

Despite how long the blood-drinking seemed, in reality, it had only lasted about ten seconds. The Black Ash Knight had already spotted us. Clinging tightly to me, Freesia refused to let go, so I held her securely in my arms as I faced him.

“That was a long strategy meeting. Have you steeled yourself to die together?”

The knight taunted us confidently. Not long ago, the sheer difference in power between us had been suffocating—but now, I felt none of that.

“Who knows? Maybe you’re the one who’s about to die.”

“Hah! I get it—you want to act tough with a lady watching. But you’d best face reality.”

With that, the knight unleashed a surge of magic far greater than anything before. Just where had he been hiding such an immense amount of power? It was clear—he intended to end this in a single blow.

“Yeah… I completely agree.”

On that, we were in perfect accord.

This battle had dragged on long enough. It was time to bring it to a close.

With unwavering focus, I locked eyes with my foe. The Black Ash Knight gathered all his remaining magic and cast his strongest spell.

“Black Sea!!”

The moment he chanted, a massive black wave erupted forth, swallowing him from sight.

A sea of pitch-black darkness—it was the very embodiment of despair. Just looking at it was enough to stir unease in the depths of one’s soul.

Yet, strangely, I felt calm.

I hadn’t activated Blood Flow Manipulation or Dragon-Slaying Blood War. I wasn’t in any combat stance. In short, I was completely unguarded. But for some reason, I felt like I could handle this.

“This is… strange.”

As the black sea surged toward me, I slowly stirred my magic.

I followed the lingering sensation in my veins—the magic that wasn’t mine, yet now flowed through me. It was cold, yet warm at its core. Something gentle, yet alien. A magic that shouldn’t exist within me.

Guided by instinct, I reached for that power—

“Return to frost, Greyfrost of the Frozen Blood Tundra.”

A single incantation brought forth a phenomenon beyond reason.

An overwhelming cold erupted around us, and in an instant, the approaching Black Sea froze over—tinged with an eerie shade of crimson.

“What—?!”

“Told you, didn’t I?”

The knight’s shock mirrored his rapidly freezing demise.

And just like that, he crumbled into a fine red frost—vanishing into nothingness.

“Hah…”

Staring at the surreal sight, I let out a slow breath.

“Is it… over?”

Freesia, who had kept her eyes closed, asked softly. I smiled and nodded.

“Yeah. It’s all over.”

“…I see.”

Smiling gently, she closed her eyes once more, clearly exhausted.

The moment lingered—beautiful, yet fleeting.

But we had no time to bask in it.

We had to signal the rescue team. Our safety depended on it.

“Let’s go home.”

“Yeah.”

With that resolve, I hurried back to the surface.