Just after Mavis received Vanye's attack, the shadowy and blood tendrils that slithered about disappeared, retreating back into the shadows while the blood lost shape and splattered onto the ground. Seeing how Mavis's means of attack have vanished, Yuki, Vanye, and I collectively heaved a sigh of relief.
"G-Goodness, I'm so exhausted." Dropping to a knee, Yuki released her battered shields and removed her helmet, revealing her sweat-clad face as she wiped blood from her mouth before falling onto her back, lying sprawled on the ground, wearing nothing.
Vanye walked away from Mavis, dropping her weapon before collapsing onto Yuki's stomach. "H-Hey, get off me, y-you're heavy." "L-Let me just lie here f-for a little while." The two didn't even have the strength to look at each other, let alone argue.
Wryly smiling, I suddenly winced, clutching my heart from my lack of mana as I rose to my feet, hissing at the constant pain. "Tsk, I swear I've been emptying my mana frequently lately." Muttering softly, I turned around, glancing at Lazuli and Jasmine. The two were sitting with their backs against each other; the former was rather motionless, while the latter was also clutching her heart and gasping for air.
Seeing everyone alive, albeit in poor condition, I approached Mavis, who was embedded in the ground, blood continuously leaking from her gaping wound, while she stared into the sky with a dazed look. "You've been a real bitch, you know that?" Grunting, I stood upright, fighting through the pain of my heart as I raised my hand, summoning Trina from the ground while Mavis slowly focused on my figure.
"A-Alexander." Weakly, she lifts her arm, gesturing to me, though I just narrow my eyes. "I'll be kind. Is there anything you'd like to say? I'll relay your final words to your clan in the future." I stare at Mavis as I raise Trina, ready to finally end her life and sever my connection with the Daemon Continent.
"D-Don't, p-please. I-I want t-to live." Hearing her beg for her life made me frown; despite the things she's done to me, now that she was at her lowest, I didn't feel any joy as before, just indifference. "And why should I? It may be hypocritical of me, but you've killed plenty of people; I'm sure several have begged for their lives only for you to kill them."
Considering my line of work, I definitely wasn't the person to lecture her about such things on her deathbed; though deep down, I probably believed myself to be morally superior to her. I promptly shook my head, ridding myself of such thoughts. 'I can dwell on those philosophies another time.'
"P-Please. I-I want to l-live." As she continued to beg, I softly sighed. "Goodbye, Mavis." I swung my sword down, though just as I did so, I suddenly grunted, only for blood to leak from my mouth as I glanced down at my chest, looking at the dagger stabbed through my chest.
"M-Mistress! I've come to rescue you!" Dashing to Mavis from behind me, Marston kneeled beside her; the others, seeing the newcomer, tried to get up, but they were gassed, they weren't ready for another fight.
"Marston. I was wondering where you were. I found it hard to believe Mavis would come here without you tagging along." Groaning, I removed the dagger from my chest, my heart slowly healing the wound as I pointed the sword at Marston. "Just give up, Marston."
In response, I was met with several blood spears lodging themselves into my body as I fell to the ground, my vision blurring.
"It's okay, Mistress, I'll take–" As a blinding light enveloped my body, interrupting Marston, I stood back up, in perfect health thanks to [Rebirth]. "Tsk, I was really hoping I wouldn't have to use it." Brushing my hair backwards, I stared at Marston, back in peak condition, his face turning ugly as he eyed me.
"If you'd given up, I would've let you take her body." Raising my other hand, summoning Zartha, I narrowed my eyes at Marston, using [Lightning Cloak] as I closed the distance, swinging my swords at him, forcing him to raise his arm, a blood tendril blocking most of the force, though he was still sent several meters back.
"I'll kill you both." Eyeing Marston, I raised a sword above Mavis. "NO–" Casting [Spatial Lock] on him, I glanced down at Mavis. "P-Please, l-let Marston l-live." Not expecting those to be her final words, my slight hesitation allowed Marston to break free as he lunged at Mavis while a blood tendril headed for me.
"I'll get you out of here, Mistress!" Blocking Marston's attack, he picked up Mavis and leaped into the sky, though just after leaving the ground, I used spatial lock again, freezing him and Mavis in place. Grabbing his foot, I slammed him back to the ground while they broke free; with Marston on the ground, I stabbed Zartha through his back into the ground, causing him to cry out in pain.
"Arghhh! M-Mistress. S-Stay away from Mistress!" Ignoring Marston's shouts, I approached Mavis, squatting beside her. "Mavis, would it be possible to manipulate the blood of newborns still in the womb? Such as removing the blood from one of the parents?" At question, Mavis looked at me, realization sparking in her eyes as she glanced at the golden blood dripping down my shirt.
"I-It's p-possible… M-Maybe." Hearing her, I used [Heroes Gaze] to ensure she was telling the truth, which she did, causing me to scratch my bearded chin, deeply eyeing Mavis. Considering the pros and cons of keeping her alive and the possible problems that would come with it.
'What do you think, Zartha?' Still unsure, I shifted my gaze to Zartha, who was lodged into Marston's back, the markings on the sword faintly glowing. 'Killing her could bring more problems; as you know, killing pure-blooded vampires is forbidden, so there could be consequences from her Clan.'
I agreed with Zartha, and it was something I'd strongly considered, but Mavis attacked my home. My family. Whatever the consequences were, I'd bear them. However, the biggest con to me was how I would keep her in line if I decided to let her live; she was too strong, even when weakened, it took all five of us.
Now, I hadn't used everything; I still had my dragon tongue, [Rebirth], which Marston made me use, not Mavis, and [Divine Wrath]. Still, I wasn't willing to risk Michelle, Chloe, Jackal, and the other servants' lives; without a way to restrain Mavis, she was too strong to be left alive.
Just as I made up my mind to kill Mavis, Trina suddenly gave a brilliant idea. 'Oh, Master, what if you make Mavis do that whole blood and pray thing? Can't you just make her your subordinate?' 'Eh!?' I was a bit taken aback as that thought hadn't even crossed my mind, partially as I didn't know how the whole thing worked.
'Hmm, but theoretically, it should work, right? Wait, no, if she does the pact, then she can also break it since she did it, so then I'd have to be the one to do the pact.' Rubbing my chin, I stabbed Trina into the ground beside me; the idea was good enough that it was worth a shot.
"Hey, Mavis. Mavis?" Snapping my fingers in front of her, getting no response, I clicked my tongue as her life force was flickering; she was mere moments from dying.
"Alright, let's give it a shot. Yuki, can you make two bowls!?" Shouting at Yuki, who groaned while weakly slapping the ground twice, causing two stone bowls to emerge from the ground beside me, I poured my blood into one and lifted Mavis's arm, letting her blood drip into the second bowl.
"Y-You, you're not thinking of doing a pact!? Ugh, o-only a demon can! Goddess Nihil doesn't respond to non-demons!" Glancing at Marston, I shrugged my shoulders. "Well, I have a faint suspicion most Gods are fond of me, so I'll at least give it a try."
Clearing my throat, I stood up, holding the bowl with Mavis's blood into the air while looking at the sky. "Goddess Nihil, your servants ask for you to watch over and uphold this pact… In exchange for her life, this Vampire, Mavis, shall become my slave." Copying everything Mavis had said when she forced me to do this, I drank her blood before helping her drink my blood, prompting me to grab my sword, preparing to use [Divine Wrath] in case it failed as she was rapidly healing.
However, my caution was unwarranted as I felt a faint presence entering my mind, which this time I didn't try to fight against, along with a few words. 'Bold of you, little human.' Wryly smiling, I lowered my guard, looking up at the sky while sighing in relief. "Thank you, Goddess Nihil." Although I got no response, I was confident she heard me.