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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Chapter 53: Vampires
In his previous life on Earth, Pastor Kim Gwango had even worked with vampire hunters.
Vampires, who defy death and drink human blood, had long been considered heretics by Catholics.
Although Protestantism and Puritanism had split into different denominations, they all shared the same animosity toward humanity's enemies.
"Pastor Kim. Do you know Lincoln, Lincoln?"
"Abraham Lincoln? The American president who freed the slaves?"
"That's right. You didn't doze off during history class."
"It's common knowledge."
"You probably don't know this. That president was actually one of America's most renowned vampire hunters."
"What?!"
The President of the United States was a vampire hunter?
In fact, the American Civil War was a war against vampire landowners who used Black slaves as food?
What? That family has been a lineage of vampire hunters, hunting vampires in America for generations?
It sounded like a lie, but it was all true.
"So, the Lincoln family is a very distinguished vampire hunting family. But tragically, the previous head of that family passed away. So their situation is tight right now."
"Uh... so you're telling me to go to America and hunt vampires with the new head of the presidential family and the vampire hunter family?"
Me? Why?
"Then, should I, a seventy-year-old, do it?"
"No, why would I, a Korean pastor, go to America to catch vampires in the first place?"
"Ah, good question. This goes back to the Joseon Dynasty. Among the missionaries, there was the head of the Lincoln family two generations before last, from the Joseon Diocese of the Paris Foreign Missions Society, the father from the Public Security Bureau, you know him? Father Antoine Gombert, his Korean name. I told you about him in university. He, along with the head of the Lincoln family from two generations before last, hunted vampires in Joseon..."
"That was a great time. I learned a lot about history, very rewarding. So... I'm going to repay the favor to a family that helped hunt vampires during the Joseon Dynasty?"
"Our Pastor Kim is good at summarizing too. You've caught werewolves in Milan before, right? This is only slightly harder than that, so I'm counting on you, Pastor Kim."
"I'm going crazy... I don't know if I'm a pastor or an exorcist."
"Gwango."
Pastor Park placed a hand on Pastor Kim's shoulder.
He abandoned his usual Buddha-like benevolent smile and gave him a look that a villainous pastor in a movie would give.
"You melted down a cross from a 500-year-old cathedral in Milan and used it however you wanted, didn't you? The Pope sent me a letter calling you a 'fucking Korean.' In all my life, I've never seen anyone get cursed at by the Pope. I almost wanted to preserve that as a national treasure. I had a lot of trouble cleaning up your mess, you know? Even at current market rates, that cross was worth 5 billion won. Factor in its 500-year history, and not even 10 billion would cover it."
"Yes, yes..."
"You know I also took care of you getting sued last month for taking out the Four-Tiger Evil-Slaying Sword sword from the Central Museum, right?"
"Ah, I know. But that was on a business trip to Japan, and I got stuck with a Eight-Foot Ghost-----”
"Do well."
"...Yes."
Pastor Park patted Pastor Kim's shoulder and sighed.
"Take garlic with you!"
And so, Pastor Kim, the legend of the vampire hunting world, traveled to America.
He met Abraham Lincoln III, the fresh new head of the Lincoln family, who had just come of age.
"Are you the paladin of North Korea?"
What the fuck?
***
"You're going vampire hunting?"
"Yeah, it looks that way."
When Ray mentioned vampire hunting as casually as if he were going for a stroll, Aaron sighed and shook his head.
"Do you... even know what kind of monsters vampires are?"
"Come on~ Even if I'm uneducated, I'm already used to dealing with monsters, you know?"
"Vampires are different. They're beings the Theocracy has antagonized as much as demons for a long time."
He knew, of course. Ray was also well-versed in vampire hunting.
After covering for the young master of the Lincoln family, he even collaborated with Helsing in Europe to subdue the Count of Romania.
There was no guarantee that the vampires of this world would be exactly like those on Earth, but blood-drinking creatures tend to be similar.
'I wonder if the effects are the same.'
As Ray grinned and continued his meal, Ophelia asked from beside him.
"Ray, when are we going vampire hunting?"
"It'll probably take some preparation time. Vampire hunting isn't something that usually happens without preparation."
"Hmm~ I left my shield for repair, and it seems it'll take some time until it's finished."
"Ah! I also ordered new equipment! I just got promoted to probationary!"
His party members were eager to participate in the vampire hunt.
But he had to deliver some unfortunate news to them.
"Ah, this time, it'll just be me, without you guys."
"What are you talking about, brother?"
He couldn't take Aaron and the party members on this mission.
It wasn't because Ray didn't want to, but because that's what the rules dictated.
"The authorization level starts at least from an Armed Priest. Even then, it has to be composed only of veterans, and honestly, even I'm just barely scraping by."
Ray had an impressive track record, plus being a Saint candidate added extra points.
"Hmm... it makes me uneasy to send Ray alone."
"Well, Miss Ophelia has no issues in terms of skill, but... you'll have to get rid of that probationary tag first."
"Hmm!"
Ophelia made a disappointed face and then pulled Ray into a hug.
"My Ray is small and weak, but he attracts trouble, so I'm worried. Here's some allowance."
"Thank you!"
Ray bowed his head and then turned his gaze to Aaron.
"What."
"Don't you have any activity funds for your comrade going on a dangerous vampire hunt, young master?"
"The Solar Theocracy will give you separate activity funds when you go on a business trip, won't they?"
"That's that, and this is this."
"...Just don't cause any trouble when you go. Don't go poking around in strange places and getting entangled."
It seemed there was no handout from Aaron.
At that moment, Jenny tilted her head and asked,
"Oh, right, Brother Ray. Don't we have a lot of our Melfasa mission activity funds left?"
Startle!
"Ah, that's certainly true. Our food and lodging were all provided by the Axe Sisterhood anyway. We even got an allowance."
Ahem!
"You're the party leader, so you should still have some left, right? Did you return it properly?"
"Why would a noble young master care about such things? I handled everything myself."
"You bastard... did you embezzle it?"
Under the gaze of his party members, Ray stammered, then brazenly retorted.
"I saved it all for a good reason! Don't you trust me?"
"No, Brother Ray. That's embezzlement of public funds. It's a crime."
"Oh no! Sister! Who's embezzling! That's a terrible thing to say! This is all, you know! For the peace and stability of the Theocracy!"
"Brother... let's confess. Confess and find enlightenment. You can be forgiven now."
"I've caught Archdemon, and! Warlocks too! And! Witches too! And! With this much contribution, I can grease my own throat a little, can't I?"
"That's hardly a priest's idea."
Priests are people too, people! Pastor Kim, who worked flexible hours due to petty theft and minor embezzlement in his previous life, acted as if he didn't see what the problem was.
Shouldn't medieval people have even stronger bonds of loyalty and affection?
"Ray, do you need money? Should I give you more allowance?"
"Phew, everyone seems to be misunderstanding, but I'm not doing this just for my own benefit. It's all for a greater purpose."
"A greater purpose?"
"After this vampire hunt, I'll bring back something amazing, so look forward to it."
In the end, a proud K-religious figure smoothly brushed aside the topic of embezzling activity funds.
Ray immediately headed to the blacksmith's forge where the Armed Organisation's equipment was made.
And there, he encountered a familiar face.
"Oh, long time no see? You've been quite popular lately, haven't you?"
Erdio, who had given Ray the Helsing Vision Crossbow and the Golden Star Necklace, greeted Ray.
He hadn't known it when they first met, but now Ray knew who he was. Erdio, the Golden Saint.
He was a Saint.
"Saint! I apologize for my rudeness last time!"
Ray immediately bowed his head deeply.
"Whoa~ Why so sudden? You're making me uncomfortable."
"No, no. I'm ashamed and regretful of the sin of not recognizing the esteemed Golden Saint. Please accept my apology!"
As Ray repeatedly bowed, the uncomfortable Erdio raised Ray with both hands.
"Well, I didn't tell you either. Usually, Saints' faces aren't well-known. There are security concerns, and they're also hard to see."
"I see. Yes, with your profound benevolence, I, Ray Anderson, don't know what to do with myself."
"Flattery won't do. Is there anything you want?"
"Hehehe..."
Ray, as if he had been waiting, pulled out a blueprint he had prepared.
"I've been thinking about this for the past few days."
Erdio looked at the blueprint Ray subtly showed him, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Didn't I say no to this?"
"What matters is what you put inside. The design is slightly different."
"Hmm~ Well, alright. Anyway, seeing you bring something like this, you must be going somewhere again, right?"
Ray informed him that he had been assigned a vampire hunting mission with Iris.
"Vampires, huh... So you came to order weapons specifically for vampires."
"Though I didn't expect you to be here, Saint."
Erdio quickly examined the blueprint and said,
"But do you know anything about vampires?"
"I plan to study up."
Ray didn't rashly overconfidently rely on his knowledge from his time as Pastor Kim.
The vampires of this world couldn't possibly be exactly the same species as Earth's vampires.
Even on Earth alone, European, Asian, and American vampires each had different characteristics.
"Follow me. I'll show you the weapons for hunting vampires."
Erdio led Ray into the blacksmith's forge.
The forge, which handled a wide range of equipment for the Armed Organisation's Holy Knights, Armed Priests, choirs, and healers, contained all sorts of diverse weapons.
Among them, anti-vampire weapons were said to be in the deepest part of the forge.
"Only high-ranking priests from the Armed Organisation can participate in vampire hunts. What do you think is the reason for that?"
"Isn't it because vampires are strong and dangerous?"
"That's one of the reasons."
Erdio stopped.
They seemed to have reached the deepest part of the forge's completed weapon storage, arriving before a large vault.
"Surprisingly, the reasons are simple. First, to select only strong individuals who can reliably deal with vampires."
Erdio grinned, and the moment he opened the door, a dazzling, chilling brilliance poured out from inside.
"The weapons are expensive. Very, very expensive."
It was a golden glow.
***
"They say vampires can't move during the day, but that's an old story now. There are limitations, but many have adapted to light and wander around in broad daylight."
He said that such individuals were quite powerful.
Ray used this to compare and infer about Earth's vampires.
"Does that mean their regeneration is faster than they melt in sunlight?"
"Exactly. We call such individuals Elder Vampires."
Elder-class vampires.
There was a similar concept in Ray's world.
"The mineral that symbolizes the authority of the Solar Theocracy and Lord Sol Invictus is gold. It can be said to be a cursed object for all that is wicked."
Erdio pulled out a longsword and threw it to Ray.
The longsword, gleaming with a golden light, sparkled as if it were truly coated in gold.
"Gold is something they cannot possess and should not touch."
"So that's why they're coated in gold?"
"Weapons made of solid gold are also brittle and break easily."
Pure gold is surprisingly soft and not very hard.
Therefore, to make it sturdy while mixing it with steel required a highly skilled blacksmith.
"Here's a new Golden Star. It seems you put the one from Campbell to good use."
"Oh, thank you."
He had a new grenade. Erdio shrugged at Ray's impure gaze.
"That's a very expensive item. Even I can only make a few with such precious materials."
"It feels like a waste to use it as a one-time item."
"If you hoard it, it'll just turn into crap, so use it when you need to."
Erdio scanned the items in the vault and then pulled out a longsword, an axe, and a whip.
"What weapon will you use? The longsword is generally good, and you use an axe too, right? Whips are good for concealing. Tell me if there's anything you want to use."
Because you're getting special treatment. Ray decided to be brazen at Erdio's words.
"All of them."
"...All of them?"
"I like axes, but the more weapons, the better."
"I can give you as many as you want with my authority, but... you're a greedy one."
"Um, could you... make something else for me too?"
More than this? Erdio, feeling he might as well hear him out, listened to what Ray recited.
Then, his expression gradually twisted.
Because they were things he simply couldn't understand.
"No... really? A syringe and... no, what on earth is this?"
Ray shrugged and didn't answer.
It was because these were items only Ray, who knew the visions of two prestigious vampire hunter families in this world, could understand.
Abraham Van Helsing.
Abraham Lincoln.
In his previous life, Pastor Kim was the only vampire hunter who possessed the visions of the ultimate experts in this field.
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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