Blood Princess, Kill them All

Episode 1: Following the Maze Painted by Blood

The Spark of War

The morning after Romeo’s murder, amidst the bewildering news that sent shook through the world, Duke Slaver’s main estate was swarmed with soldiers. They bristled with magitech firearms, clad in body armor and helmets coated with anti-magic properties.

Two soldiers stood as sentinels at the mansion’s gate, engaging in conversation. The younger one spoke up, “Senior, have you heard? The Death God is supposedly on her way.”

“That’s what His Grace the Duke said. Stay vigilant.”

“Even if some foolhardy intruder were to storm in, they’d be audacious. This estate is fortified with over a hundred men. I’ve heard whispers about the deployment of special forces, equipped with advanced power suits and whatnot.”

“When Lord Romeo was slain, it’s said that the culprit felled dozens with a single stroke.”

“Such tales tend to be exaggerated.”

“But what if it’s true… If the reports are accurate, a hundred men may not be enough.”

“But she’s just a young girl, right? It shouldn’t be possible… huh?”

“What is it?”

“Look, is that girl coming this way?”

Both soldiers squinted their eyes, intently observing the approaching figure.

“She’ll be chased away in no time.”

“You’re right. The guard seem rather agitated… Oh wow, he’s shouting at her quite angrily.”

“He must be on edge.”

“Look, he has his gun pointed at her… Wait a moment!”

“What’s the matter now?”

“That guy… He just got his head lopped off…”

The soldier who had approached the girl suffered a grotesque fate. His head bounced off as if it were a mere toy, while a monstrous head emerged from the girl’s body, devouring the lifeless corpse.

“Ah! Look! It’s the Death God herself! She’s here!” stammered the trembling junior soldier.

Meanwhile, the senior soldier calmly utilized the communication system integrated into his helmet to report to the commander. “Captain, Mary Pulcherrima has appeared. One soldier has fallen. We urgently require reinforcements!”

“S-Senior, I’m coming!”

“Open fire before she gets any closer!”

As Mary closed the distance with alarming speed, the two soldiers aimed their guns, fingers twitching upon the triggers…

“Do it, and I shall spare no mercy.” In an instant, Mary vanished before their disbelieving eyes.

“…Senior?”

“Ugh… Ahh…”

The soldiers’ upper bodies slid down, detached from their waists, and crumpled into a gruesome heap.

“Why… like this… ahh, I’m… too…”

The other soldier met a similar fate, albeit a fraction of a second later.

Mary had already passed them and forcefully entered the mansion’s premises. She propelled herself with lightning speed, extending bones from her heels and forcefully striking the ground for sudden acceleration.

Unbeknownst to them, blade-like bones, measuring around fifty centimeters, protruded from the back of Mary’s hands. Moreover, skeletal creatures sprouted from her back, feasting upon the fallen soldiers’ carcasses.

“What a warm welcome.” Mary sneered while devouring, surveying the entirety of the mansion.

Countless barrels guns targeted her from the mansion’s windows. Among them, unfamiliar large-caliber weapons caught her attention.

“It would be a shame if Duke Slaver were absent.” Her gaze fixated solely on her targets, fueled by an insatiable thirst for revenge.

In that very moment, the commander within the mansion bellowed into the microphone, “Open fire! Now!”

In an instant, Numerous gun barrels unleashed a fiery barrage aimed directly at Mary.

“Bon appétit.” She laughed, sprouting massive arms from her back and fearlessly charging head-on into the hailstorm of bullets.

◇◇◇

After several tens minutes, in a certain location within the Slaver territory…

Seated in a study-like room, a middle-aged man with a touch of age gracefully turned the pages of a book. His hair, a blend of gray and white, framed a well-defined face that bore a striking resemblance to Romeo’s, accentuated by the monocle resting upon his nose. The formal vest he wore complemented his slim figure flawlessly.

This man was none other than Duke Slaver—Dugan Slaver.

The Slaver family possessed numerous properties across their domain, including the building where Romeo met his demise, their primary residence, a grand villa-like mansion, and even underground shelters like the one he currently occupied.

Though referred to as a shelter, its interior and size hardly differed from their other mansions. It was a space designed to maintain one’s mental composure during emergencies, meticulously crafted with significant investments.

As Dugan reclined in the room, approaching footsteps caught his attention. He paused his reading and directed his gaze toward the door.

Knock-knock—the sound of rapping reached his ears, prompting him to respond, “Enter.”

The door swung open, revealing a butler with long hair cascading over his ears, possessing a somewhat androgynous appearance.

Kneeling before Dugan, the butler began his report. “In the wake of the Death God’s attack, it’s highly likely that the soldiers stationed at the main residence… have been utterly annihilated.”

“You speak in riddles,” Dugan remarked.

“Given the absence of soldier corpses, it’s difficult to gauge the extent of the damage,” the butler clarified.

“So they were devoured,” Dugan deduced.

“Indeed.”

“The work of Arcana, I presume. Romeo’s body also vanished. Any progress on tracking her?”

“We… attempted it, but the enemy displayed an unexpectedly high level of mobility, and we lost sight of her.”

“She proves to be formidable. It seems my assumption about her searching for me was accurate. Wise indeed to seek refuge here,” Dugan commented, a sly smile gracing his lips as he closed his book.

Only a select few were privy to the location of the underground shelter, with even his closest allies unaware—thus eliminating concerns of leaks.

“To put an end to this, we must mobilize all our forces,” Dugan said.

“Shall we… deploy the soldiers from the border region?”

“And the territorial troops as well.”

“B-But… if we do so, won’t the kingdom’s army invade us…?!”

“No cause for concern.”

“But, sir!”

“I said there’s no cause for concern,” Dugan asserted firmly.

The butler felt the weight of the statement, his cheeks twitching, before stepping back. “Apologies…”

“We must crush the Death God at all costs. Utilize all available forces and any means necessary to eliminate Mary Pulcherrima,” Dugan commanded.

“Understood.”

“We must exercise extra caution. No communication whatsoever. I entrust you with delivering my orders directly to the military.”

“Of course, I understand.” The butler bowed respectfully and exited the room.

Just outside the room, a woman with flowing golden hair stood waiting. Her distinctive twin-tails, spiraling in an eye-catching fashion, drew attention. Her attire was formal however, donning a tight-fitting skirt suit.

“Oh, Platy, you’re here too,” she spoke up.

“Lady Cassy Marjoram…”

“Such formality. Call me Cassy if you prefer.”

“Is that so, Lady Cassy?”

“Drop the formalities…”

“Anyway, I’ve finished my conversation. You can go about your business.”

“Wait. I want to talk to you.”

Platy—the butler—glanced momentarily at Dugan’s room, silently indicating his desire to avoid eavesdropping. Understanding his intentions, Cassy took his hand and led him away from the vicinity of the room. They settled in a nearby parlor, facing each other on the sofa.

“Now, what do you want to discuss? I’m busy, so keep it brief.”

“It’s about King Henry. I’m curious why he, despite his strained relationship with Duke Dugan, brought the queen and the prince here.”

During the gathering where Mary had been accused, three prominent figures had been present, unmistakably the country’s top officials, including The King himself. They boldly ventured into the territory of Duke Slaver, who could be considered their near-enemy.

As someone who couldn’t afford to remain uninformed, Cassy wondered about their intentions, including Duke Slaver, who had extended the invitation.

“Is that what piques your interest? Or…” Platy’s words trailed off.

“Yes, it’s of concern to the company, including the president.”

“Can I consider it the consensus of Marjoram?”

“Yes, if you’d like, I can have my father confirm it for you.”

Marjoram Technology, a military company headquartered within the Slaver territory, held an 80% market share in magitech firearms within the kingdom. Consequently, a significant portion of the kingdom’s military power relied on this company.

The substantial influence of Marjoram was one of the reasons why Duke Slaver was considered to possess power on par with King Henry.

Cassy Marjoram, the daughter of the company’s president, served as the managing director—a woman in her own right.

“No… In any case, your father would forgive you for your actions, right? Alright, let’s talk.”

“It’s good that you’re being straightforward. So, what’s the situation?”

In response to Cassy’s smiling face, Platy responded with a solemn expression, “I don’t know.”

“What?”

“I genuinely don’t know. I don’t know why King Henry appeared in the first place or why His Highness summoned him. I also don’t know the reason behind Mary Pulcherrima’s arrest.”

“W-What does that mean? Aren’t you the closest person to Duke Dugan?”

“I don’t know what I don’t know. But if I don’t know, then…”

“No one besides Uncle knows…?”

“That seems to be the case.”

“What on earth…” Cassy slumped onto the sofa, her body losing all strength.

Platy also let out a deep sigh. “It’s still just a rumor, but… there’s talk that the first princess, Francis Pulcherrima, has also died.”

“What? Are you saying Francis is dead?! How could the Slaver army, without an Arcana user, kill that vixen overnight?

“I don’t know either.”

“Wait, so in other words, Romeo was murdered…”

“There’s a high probability of revenge.”

“The initial plan was to kill both sisters, but the younger one somehow survived and even awakened as an Arcana user… Such coincidences… Haha, ahahaha…!”

Initially taken aback by the revelations, Cassy’s surprise slowly transformed into a twisted smile. It was a smile tainted with desire, devoid of beauty. It sent shivers down Platy’s spine, making him uncomfortable.

“Heh… Hey, Platy, so this means… war is brewing, right?”

“It’s something akin to that.”

“So, weapons will be in demand, won’t they?”

“…”

“Am I right?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Heh, hehe, ehehe! Regardless of the circumstances, when conflicts escalate, weapons sell! Our company will profit! Isn’t it great? Excellent! We need to start ramping up weapons production in anticipation of the high demand! Well then, Platy, I’ll be awaiting your orders!”

With a skip in her step, Cassy happily made her way back home.

“I’m not the one who will be making the orders…” Platy watched her depart, his expression filled with exasperation.

Cassy had come here with a purpose for Dugan, but it seemed that it had either been forgotten or deemed inconsequential to discuss. In any case, a situation that would bring joy to her was generally unfavorable.

“Revenge. War. Massacre… Regardless of how events unfold, I will protect Duke Slaver at all costs. Mary Pulcherrima, I won’t let you have your way.” Platy’s gaze shifted, his eyes shining with determination.

Shortly thereafter, tens of thousands of soldiers deployed at the borders and territories began their march towards the capital city, Captis.