Shurein, having finished the divine union with Clara, immediately headed to Vermilia Castle.
This was because the crystal stones were only used for the Vermilia Jewel and thus were stored exclusively in the castle.
After taking a few crystal stones from the room where the jewel was kept, Shurein proceeded to the room where the ritual would be performed.
This was a precautionary measure, as the phenomena that occur when crystal stones are used on undeveloped jewels are unknown.
“….So, with this, the preparations are complete. Now, what should I do with it?”
With the Vermilia Jewel, bringing crystal stones close to it would automatically absorb them.
Normally, crystal stones were kept in the same location as the Vermilia Jewel, but in a separated area within the room, and wrapped in a special bag to prevent them from being absorbed unintentionally.
This was a preventive measure, but also a long-established custom.
Shurein placed the jewel on a pedestal and, holding a crystal stone, gently brought it close to the jewel.
“…As expected, it’s not going to be that easy, is it?”
The crystal stone touched the jewel with a click, but there was no sign of it being absorbed.
Normally, the Vermilia Jewel would automatically absorb it even without getting that close.
This meant something needed to be done, but Shurein had no idea what it was.
“If only it would just absorb it honestly…”
Muttering to himself, Shurein tried every method he knew.
However, the crystal stone was still not absorbed by the jewel.
“It’s no good… Well, I guess I have no choice. I’ll just have to go and ask properly.”
Giving up on solving it himself, Shurein muttered this as a final thought and headed towards the Amamiya Tower Management Layer.
***
“And so, I would like you to teach me.”
Kousuke’s expression was one of being taken aback by Shurein, who suddenly bowed his head.
“No. Even if you say something so suddenly, I don’t know what… actually, I don’t need to ask.”
Kousuke was aware that Shurein had been busy lately with Vampire rituals.
Moreover, he had just been asked about the jewel the other day.
Given how he had goaded Shurein, there was no way Kousuke would forget.
However, even with that understanding, Kousuke wore a troubled expression.
“Hmm. But, this is a problem.”
“What is?”
Seeing Kousuke’s face, Shurein looked puzzled.
His expression suggested he was sure Kousuke would know.
“As I told you before, all I know is that Vampires are involved, but I don’t know how the process works.”
Even Kousuke didn’t know how Vampires processed jewels.
Furthermore, although Clara had called it a misunderstanding, Kousuke, who hadn’t heard the story from Shurein yet, had assumed Clara knew.
Seeing Kousuke’s face, Shurein recalled his conversation with Clara and conveyed it.
“So, to be precise, it’s not that Clara (God) is directly involved in the creation of the jewel.”
“Ah, I see. But… hmm.”
Even after hearing Shurein’s explanation properly, Kousuke still tilted his head.
While Clara’s divine powers were likely correct, and Kousuke’s experience was definitely lacking, it still seemed to him that Clara was directly involved in the jewel’s creation.
Kousuke stared at the ceiling with his arms crossed for a while, then his gaze shifted to Shurein, and his expression suddenly changed.
“Huh? Could it be?”
“Did you figure something out?”
Seeing Kousuke’s expression, Shurein was convinced and asked with a smirk.
“Yes. Well, I guess it’s more like I remembered something, or rather, thought of something?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
At Kousuke’s unsettling words, Shurein, who had been smirking, visibly sagged.
Seeing Shurein’s reaction, Kousuke looked embarrassed and scratched his head.
“No, sorry. But if this guess is correct, then what Clara said and what I was thinking won’t be wrong.”
“In other words, what does that mean?”
“Meaning? Meaning, Shurein, do your best?”
“…I don’t understand any of that?”
Suddenly tasked, Shurein shook his head left and right, not understanding.
Kousuke, however, nodded in self-understanding.
What Kousuke had thought was quite simple.
The reason Kousuke initially believed Clara was involved in the jewel’s creation was because her divine powers were intertwined in the process.
However, according to Shurein’s story, Clara herself was not directly involved.
If that were the case, Kousuke’s reasoning would be incorrect. But then, Kousuke remembered Shurein’s title.
If Shurein could create the jewel using the power of “Mother Goddess of the Earth’s Embrace,” then the result would be as Kousuke had predicted.
This way, neither Clara’s words nor Kousuke’s thoughts would be wrong.
Kousuke immediately conveyed this to Shurein, but Shurein’s expression turned grim.
“Even so, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do?”
“That’s the thing… Do you have any rituals that come to mind?”
“Not at all.”
To Shurein’s overly concise answer, Kousuke wore a similar expression.
“…Yeah. Rituals, rituals…”
Kousuke murmured “ritual” repeatedly, but it was unlikely that the contents of a ritual would come to mind so easily.
In fact, when it came to Vampire rituals, Kousuke was far from Shurein’s level.
If even Shurein had no idea, there was no way Kousuke would know.
After thinking with his arms crossed for a while, Kousuke’s face suddenly lit up as if he had thought of something.
“Come to think of it, I heard that Vampires can create their own familiars. How is that done?”
Shurein looked taken aback by the sudden question, but answered honestly since there was nothing to hide.
“Ah, that’s done by entering into a contract with each other while performing the act of ‘drinking blood’.”
When Vampires create familiars, mutual consent is required.
While it is possible to force someone into becoming a familiar, doing so usually results in them becoming a mere puppet without any will of their own.
Therefore, unless there is a very specific reason, familiars are not created through forcible means.
“Drinking blood, is it like exchanging each other’s power?”
“Well, something like that.”
Though not strictly accurate, it was not an incorrect generalization.
“Does that mean… maybe, just maybe, there’s a possibility?”
“…Did you think of something?”
Shurein didn’t understand how familiar creation could lead to jewel creation, but he looked at Kousuke’s words with anticipation.
And in response, Kousuke, while admitting he wasn’t confident, began to explain his idea to Shurein.
This was the chapter where Kousuke thinks.
Next, we will finally begin the jewel creation.
It wasn’t intentional, but with this chapter being the tenth, the first chapter concludes.
(Shurein’s story will continue.)
