Nighttime. Atop a jagged mountain peak in Croatia.
A petite figure stood silently at the edge of the cliff. Rimuru opened his left hand. Resting in his palm was a single drop of blood. In the silver moonlight, the crimson liquid gleamed like a flawless ruby, radiating an impossibly dense, ancient magical energy.
Rimuru stared at Altrouge's blood for a long time. Then, a low chuckle escaped his lips.
He raised his right hand. A complex, golden array of the Church's Exorcism Magecraft flared to life over his palm.
Crimson and gold light intertwined, perfectly mirroring the red now permanently etched into the depths of his golden eyes.
"How ironic. I've actually become the legendary... Paladin Vampire."
With a soft murmur, Rimuru closed his left hand into a tight fist. Instantly, thick black mist erupted from his pores, engulfing his hand and the droplet of blood.
Devour! Analyze!
In a fraction of a second, the Great Sage dismantled and assimilated the concept and aura of the True Ancestor. The ancient, primal power ignited Rimuru's massive Phantasmal mana reserves. A violent flash of red light erupted from his eyes.
For a single, terrifying second, an aura of absolute apex predation washed over the mountain. Wolves howled and scattered in a panic. Flocks of birds took flight into the dark sky, and bats swarmed out of their caves in sheer terror.
Miles away, Altrouge, who was leisurely strolling through a moonlit valley, suddenly stopped and looked up toward the peak, a deeply intrigued smile on her face.
...
London. Inside the Clock Tower.
Rimuru's clone was sitting at his desk, reviewing a stack of legal documents, when his golden eyes suddenly flashed a brilliant, violent red.
He immediately clamped down on his magic circuits, suppressing the sudden, torrential surge of mana echoing from his main body in Croatia. He looked up at the mundane lawyer sitting across from him.
"We're done for today. I need two days to consider this," Rimuru said, his voice tight.
"Er, Professor Tempest, this is truly the most generous offer available," the lawyer stammered, misinterpreting Rimuru's abrupt dismissal as a negotiating tactic. "If the Queen didn't feel the estate was too close to Windsor Castle, she never would have restricted other magi from…"
"I said, leave."
Rimuru offered a polite, terrifyingly empty smile. He didn't bother arguing. He simply allowed a microscopic fraction of the True Ancestor aura currently flooding his soul to leak through his gaze.
For the mundane lawyer, it was like a primordial leviathan had suddenly unhinged its jaws in the small office.
The man physically recoiled, gasping for air. Cold sweat instantly soaked his shirt, his legs turning to jelly. He stared at Rimuru in absolute, primal terror, then scrambled out of the chair and bolted from the room, terrified he was about to be eaten alive.
"What an astonishing deterrent," Rimuru muttered, rubbing his temples as he watched the man flee. His brow furrowed deeply. "But in the end... I really did ally with the Dead Apostles."
[Analysis: It was unavoidable. Regardless of whether you could defeat the Black Princess or successfully flee, securing the nun's safety was statistically impossible without a compromise.]
"Mn... It's raining."
Rimuru stood up and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window. He watched the late-night students scurrying across the Clock Tower courtyards, seeking shelter from the sudden London drizzle. A small, complex smile touched his lips.
"Forced or not, it might actually be the optimal outcome."
"I originally went to Germany to research Dead Apostle abilities anyway. Stumbling into their highest ranks... is just achieving that goal through a different method."
[The primary advantage is acquiring an established power base,] the Great Sage noted. [The Mage's Association is powerful, but it requires decades of seniority and public influence to wield effectively. Your true political power won't solidify until you officially claim a Lord's seat. Altrouge's faction perfectly fills that immediate gap in your hard power. However, there are detriments.]
"Running errands for the Black Princess and leaving a paper trail of crimes... is an acceptable price to pay." Rimuru nodded, agreeing with the AI's cold logic. "I just have to hope Altrouge is as pragmatic as I think she is. She's a terrifying boss, but as long as our interests align, she's a phenomenal tool to exploit."
"The world of Dead Apostles operates on the absolute law of the jungle. It's the perfect environment for me to violently accelerate my growth right now. Besides, Altrouge's power is even more ridiculous than I anticipated. This single drop of blood is incredible. If I keep accumulating it..."
"It's not a bad deal at all," Rimuru mused, leaning his forehead against the cool glass. "I survived a Hell-difficulty opening scenario, and my reward is a VIP pass to play both sides of the board, the light and the dark."
[Warning: The Vampiric Impulse is currently suppressed by Altrouge's blood. However, if you cease your scheduled blood intake from Riddell Archelot, she will immediately suspect a critical change in your condition. I advise against disclosing your new allegiance.]
"I know. Which is exactly why this next move provides the perfect cover story."
Rimuru glanced at the rain lashing against the window. He casually pressed a hand to the glass, releasing a pulse of freezing mana. The raindrops instantly crystallized, turning into delicate snowflakes that stuck to the pane.
In the dark reflection of the glass, the faint, beautiful visage of the silver-haired nun seemed to overlap with his own.
"It's time to pay the Einzbern family a visit."
"Altrouge said she'd give me command over her subordinates, didn't she? Let's see... just how useful a Dead Apostle army can be."
….
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