"Alright! This is where we'll be staying for two days!" Dick shouted, spreading his arms wide.The four had arrived at the very top of Langerstein's central clock tower building. Simon, Kamibarez, and Mei-rin all looked utterly astonished."There was a lodging place here?"Right above them was the famous clock tower's fluorescent clock. The empty space within the building had been converted into accommodation.Half of the space was a living area with beds and furniture, and the other half was a large balcony with a table for dining.The four of them stepped out onto the balcony."Whoa!"Langerstein's dazzling night view unfolded before their eyes.Kamibarez bounced around with an emotional expression."This is amazing, Dick! How did you find a place like this?""Hehe."Dick crossed his arms, puffing out his chest."When I put my mind to it, I get things done. Isn't it pretty good that you guys got this place after just two hours of part-time work?""Yeah, it's really nice."Simon said, admiring the night view, when Mei-rin beside him busily took out oil paper and glue. These were materials she had bought from a street vendor before they came up."More importantly, let's get ready! 'A Thousand Lights' starts in 30 minutes!""......Do we really have to do that?""Of course!"'A Thousand Lights,' a must-see tourist attraction in Langerstein, was a ritual where people released lanterns into the night sky every day at exactly 8 PM. Simon had seen it once before with Lorraine when he first came to Langerstein.But Simon's reaction was rather lukewarm, and Dick watched the night view for a few minutes before complaining about the cold and going inside to roll around on the bed.Mei-rin yelled, "Ah! If you come here, you absolutely have to release a lantern, don't you? If you're not going to do this, why did you even come to Langerstein?""That's right!"The girls, in agreement, diligently began folding lanterns."Mei-rin! Aren't you supposed to not put glue here?""Ack! I made a mistake! We have to throw this one away!"But it seemed harder than they thought. Unable to watch any longer, Simon came over, sat down, and quickly began folding the paper and assembling the lantern frames.Kamibarez gasped in admiration and clapped her hands."Amazing! Is there anything Simon can't make?"He even managed to fix the one Mei-rin had messed up. She pouted, looking embarrassed."Honestly. If you knew how to make it, you should've helped earlier.""Haha, it's not that I know how. I guess I still have the knack from when I made one with Lorraine last time."At his words, Mei-rin and Kamibarez flinched simultaneously."Huh, when? And why with her?"Simon, concentrating on folding the lantern, furrowed his brow slightly and said, "Lorraine helped me buy textbooks and supplies the day before Kizen's entrance exam. Back then, it was my first time outside my hometown, and I didn't know anything, so she helped me a lot.""W-were you two acquainted from way back?""We met for the first time then."The two glanced at Simon with strange expressions."Wow—"Just then, Dick, who had been rolling around on the bed and pulled out a drink, obliviously chimed in, "Isn't that something couples do together? Lucky you. If you date Neptis's daughter, your life will be set...""Hey."Mei-rin glared at him coldly. It was the same look she usually gave before hitting him, and Dick instinctively flinched."Huh, huh? Why?""Are you the only one with a mouth? Huh? There are three mouths here, so hurry up and bring three more drinks!""Ugh. She's really working me to the bone."Dick feigned misery and went to the kitchen.Meanwhile, Simon, whose personality demanded he give his best once he started something, was engrossed in making lanterns. And he finally completed four lanterns."Ah! Look over there! People are gathering at the observatory!"Kamibarez pointed to the hill.Countless tourists and couples were climbing up to observatories, hills, and rooftops of tall buildings, preparing to release their lanterns."We'll be flying ours the highest."Mei-rin said excitedly. Whether it was an observatory or a hilltop, the highest point in this city was the clock tower building where they were. "Alright, I'll light them."Each person was to release one lantern.As the three held their lanterns, Simon lit them with a candle. Finally, Simon also lit his own lantern and held it by the tip of his fingers so it wouldn't be hot."It's starting now!"From all over the city, beautifully glowing crimson lanterns began to rise into the night sky. Simon's group, being at the highest point, waited a little until the other lanterns arrived."Now!"At Mei-rin's signal, the four released their hands simultaneously. The four lanterns that started from the clock tower were the first to ascend high into the sky, and the remaining fragments of light followed, joining them and painting the night city with beautiful light.Watching the released lanterns, the four made a light wish.'May all four of us survive the second semester and continue to wear Kizen uniforms.'Simon made his wish and opened his eyes. He then gazed at the spectacle of lights illuminating the night sky like a galaxy."It's so beautiful."Mei-rin said with a trembling voice."It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life."Kamibarez, seeing 'A Thousand Lights' for the first time, echoed her words with emotional eyes. Dick grinned and lightly nudged Simon's elbow."What's your impression?"Simon replied stoically."Your 200 silver is exploding in the sky.""Puhahaha!"Dick burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. Mei-rin glared at Simon with a disgusted expression, and Kamibarez covered her mouth with one hand, smiling faintly."Well, well! 200 silver for a single sheet of paper is expensive!""Ugh, you guys have no romance. That's a sickness, a sickness."After watching the lanterns for a while, the four sat at the large table on the terrace and took out wine. Simon took out the lunchbox Anna had packed for him.Everyone was genuinely touched by the delicious food packed tightly in the small lunchbox containers and Anna's heartfelt note. The taste of the food was, of course, beyond words."Simon! Please tell your mother how incredibly grateful we are!""I'll bow towards your mother's direction."Drinking wine and eating their lunchboxes, the three exchanged stories.They had so many stories accumulated over two months. Everyone enthusiastically recounted their adventures, laughing boisterously."But Simon, you're a bit quiet when it comes to vacation stories, aren't you?" Dick said."......Uh, well. I just did lord's work.""Ugh, you just wasted your precious vacation."Simon smiled, thinking that if they knew he had gone to the Divine Federation, all three of them would flip out.Thus, the night deepened.***"Mmmph, mmmph."Simon picked up Kamibarez, who was asleep on the floor, and carried her into the bedroom.Mei-rin was sprawled out, still in her uniform. She had already kicked off her blanket.Simon carefully laid Kamibarez next to her and pulled the blanket over them. Seeing the two sleeping soundly, Simon quietly closed the door and came out."Ughhh. I drank too much..."And Dick, who had been insisting he was fine, swayed and then collapsed onto the floor. Simon chuckled."You only had three glasses.""Three glasses is almost like a heavy drinker... Mmmph mmmph."Simon helped the tongue-tied Dick up and dragged him to the single bed, laying him down. Then he stretched and went out onto the terrace.The cool night breeze sobered him up. Simon leaned against the terrace railing, resting his elbows.He looked down at the darkness of Langerstein, now devoid of 'A Thousand Lights' and store lights, completely black."Is there something you wish to say? Father."At his words, a black figure swiftly landed on the terrace.A jet-black figure, crouching with bent knees, its feet on the terrace, stared at Simon."How long have you known?""Since you released the lantern."The Vampire Lord, Dietrich, grinned widely."I've lingered too long. I must leave Langerstein now.""Yes. Kamibarez, I'll take care of her...""Kamibarez is a defective product."Simon's expression hardened at those words."She's a child who can never survive in a vampire society where strength and power are the only virtues, where the strong prey on the weak. Neither in strength nor in spirit.""Is there a parent who calls their own child a defective product?""Impudent fellow."He bared his teeth and laughed, his fangs glinting menacingly."I am the Vampire Lord. No matter if she is my child, as the one who leads the entire clan, I cannot show personal affection.""Still, it seemed like you cared for Kami a lot.""It's my karma."His gaze fixed on the darkness-shrouded Langerstein."Everyone thinks they are brilliant and pioneers, but history only repeats itself. Everything flows according to its natural course."His voice slowly deepened."Defeated by a momentary primal impulse, I shared love with a human woman, and she bore my child. Bearing a vampire's child must have been an unbearable ordeal for a human body."A vampire baby kills its human mother. Knowing that, the two still intertwined."I lost the woman I loved more than anything because of that. And I bore Kami not as a complete vampire, but as a defective product. That was the first time I experienced failure. Everything is my karma."Deep regret flickered in his eyes."Then let me ask you the opposite. All of that, meeting and loving Kami's mother."Simon said with a cold face."Can you define it as a failure?""......"The Vampire Lord's lips parted."No.""Then it's settled."Simon smiled faintly."It's impossible for everything to happen according to the natural course, as planned, as scheduled. I believe that your moment of intense impulse wasn't just that, but a certain inevitability to meet Kami.""Hahahahaha!"Dietrich's booming laughter echoed.Simon flinched and glanced behind him, but fortunately, no one was woken by the laughter."A little brat who hasn't even lived a quarter of my life dares to babble so much!"But a short thought also has a simple flavor. Dietrich unfurled his cloak, covering his body."I entrust my daughter to you.""Yes. Leave it to me."With only those words, Dietrich's body scattered into countless bats and vanished.Simon, who had been smiling brightly, relaxed his expression and let out a sigh of relief.'His presence was really... I was so nervous.'Simon also turned and went back into the accommodation.***The next morning.Only one day remained until the start of the new semester. At least today, they thought only pleasant things would happen.But it all started when Mei-rin looked at Dick's vacation homework."This crazy idiot! He hasn't even done half of his vacation homework!"At Mei-rin's shout, Dick sweated profusely, making excuses."I-I was planning to do it with you guys now.""It's not 'planning to do it with you guys,' it's 'please help me'! No way! All of you, take out your completed homework!"Simon and Kamibarez, who had been sleeping soundly, were suddenly subjected to a homework inspection.Kamibarez was in a better situation than Dick, but she had scattered missing parts due to focusing on personal training, and Simon, though diligent enough, had many incorrect answers because his written scores in all subjects except Summoning Studies were weak."......Wow, seriously. Wow."The leader of Group 7 pressed her forehead, then covered her face with her palm. The remaining three stood before Mei-rin, nervously glancing around."......You guys owe me back all the emotion I felt yesterday. What 'A Thousand Lights' and what 'wine with a night view'?"She coldly swept her gaze over the three."If we go into Kizen like this, we'll immediately get the lowest scores, suffer handicaps, and have to crawl! Especially Dick! You'll just enter an eternal vacation! Don't you know Professor Jane's personality? Have you lost your touch after two months of rest?"Dick forced a smile and put his palms together."Now, now, you're too excited. First, calm down. And even if we're scolded, the reason should be clear...""Reason? Did you say reason?"She pulled out Dick's Hemomancy assignment from his pile of homework."The question was: 'Consider the caster's handicap when casting Hemomancy Catapult.' Dick's answer."She gritted her teeth and said, "'If blood drains from the body, you get dizzy.' Did you really submit this as an answer, you crazy bastard?!""No, it's Jet Black Hemomancy, so it's not wrong, is it...?"Mei-rin immediately threw the stack of assignments, hitting Dick in the face and sending him sprawling backward."You're truly insane! To think I trusted these group members to get through the Unified Second Semester!"Group projects would continue in the second semester.If other group members' grades dropped, causing them to be expelled from Kizen, or if handicaps prevented them from focusing on group projects, the remaining members would inevitably suffer.Kamibarez put her hands together and giggled, trying to appease her with cuteness."......Uh, Mom.""Quiet, Kami. You won't hear anything good this time either."Realizing it was useless, Kamibarez straightened up, looking tense. Simon forced a smile and said,"I'm a bit better, right?""You're all the same, you idiots! You won't take a single step outside this accommodation until all of this is done today!"Group leader Mei-rin scooped up the messy vacation assignments of her group members, dropped them onto the table, and shouted,"Right now! Redo them!""Yes!"The three immediately picked up their quills and started their homework. Meanwhile, Dick gave a thumbs-up and said optimistically,"This is the moment the truth is proven: vacation homework can only be done all at once.""Should I drop you from the clock tower to prove gravity?"Dick's head immediately returned to his homework.
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