Chapter 21 - Gasper Vladi
We lost the right to have a cover for a few days because the last one was nsfw for some reason XD! I'll put up a new one on the 29th!
Thanks for reading!
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Rias raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. "How do you know about Gasper, Milicas?"
That was the problem with regressors or transmigrants like me. I had the answers to practically every question that would normally come up, but knowing so much about things I shouldn't was what made me the target of looks like the one Rias was giving me.
[The entity 'The Firmament Exile' is anxious for your answer.]
'There's no need to be so anxious. I wouldn't mention Gasper's name without having a workable answer to follow it.'
I waved my hands aside and smiled. "As much as you weren't used to telling me things before I came here, I was still at home listening."
She looked at me for a moment, but, in the end, she smiled, seeming to accept my answer. "That makes sense..."
[The entity 'The Firmament Exile' believes that you have made the right decision.]
"Yeah, but who's Gasper?" Issei asked with a raised hand, still confused.
Rias looked at him. "Gasper Vladi is one of my servants. He's a half-vampire and my Bishop."
Issei's eyes widened. "A half-vampire?! Is that possible?"
"It's rare, but vampires exist. In fact, devils, angels, and fallen angels are just the three dominant factions, not the only ones," Rias said.
"Wait a minute, then why haven't I heard of him?"
"Gasper has a powerful Sacred Gear, capable of stopping time within a certain area. In addition, Gasper has some traumas that are... difficult to treat. These traumas surface whenever he's around other people. He's also afraid of his own power and can't yet control it, which makes him very dangerous to those around him."
In a secluded, isolated corridor in the Occult Research Club building, there was a large double door in which heavy, crossed chains barred anyone's entry.
In front of it, Rias crossed her arms and sighed. "I had to put up a reinforced seal, both to protect Gasper and to protect the other members of the club."
The comment made Issei look at the door with more interest.
"Yeah, but why is he here and not in the Underworld? If he's so dangerous, wouldn't it make more sense for him to stay there?" Makima asked. She could feel the magical power emanating from inside the room and already imagined what kind of huge vampire was trapped there.
"Gasper is actually one of the biggest profit generators for House Gremory. He completes more contracts than any other servant. For that reason, he stays here."
"Huh?! What do you mean? Does he go out at dawn and sort everything out on his own?" Issei asked.
"No, Issei. Gasper does everything online," Rias replied after laughing briefly.
"Wait... Gasper's a hikikomori, he's afraid of people, he doesn't control his own powers, and yet he can solve contracts better than any of us? Oh, damn…" Issei commented, already respecting Gasper.
I smiled at the scene. I already knew this information, but it was funny to see the shock on their faces.
"I hate to cut off this explanation about how amazing Gasper is, but Rias... will you let me try to help him?" I asked my aunt as we stood in the corridor of the sealed room.
"Before you decide, I have a question. You want to help him because you have a Rating Game against Diodora Astaroth coming up, am I right?"
Diodora's surname made Kiba and Koneko's eyes widen. However, this was all too much information for Issei.
"Uh... Who is this guy?" Issei muttered.
Kiba approached Issei and whispered something in his ear. As soon as Issei heard, his eyes widened.
"Wait, really?!"
Ignoring the side conversation, I looked into Rias' eyes.
"You know how to read situations very well, neesan. So, how about a deal?"
"If I can help Gasper, I'll invite him into my royalty. But whether he accepts, I leave that entirely to him to decide. Also, if he accepts, all the profit Gasper generates will continue to be divided equally between us."
[The Patrons were excited by your fair proposal.]
Rias was silent for a few moments. Then she sighed and looked at the locked door.
"... All right. If you can help him, Gasper will be free to decide who he wants as his master. I only want what's best for him."
She reached out towards the door at the end of the corridor and canceled the seal. The chains unraveled, clinking and falling to the floor with heavy noises. The magic circles disappeared, and the reddish light vanished after a few moments.
"But you should know that Gasper isn't easy to deal with."
"I know he isn't. Otherwise, you wouldn't have to resort to such drastic practices," I muttered as I walked towards the door.
"By the way, please don't follow me. If I'm alone, the chances of Gasper not freaking out are greater."
Everyone agreed, and I moved on. The door creaked as I pushed it open. Inside the room was a large, dimly lit space.
The shelves were crammed with delivery boxes, packets of snacks, and cans of energy drinks. A desk with three monitors flickered at the back of the room, and there was also a large bed. Then, huddled in a corner, wearing a Kuoh Academy girls' uniform, was Gasper Vladi. The half-vampire was trembling badly, with only his lavender-colored eyes peeking through the gaps created by the very spaced fingers that covered his face.
I already knew that Gasper dressed like a girl, but seeing him in person surprised me. He was identical to a girl, with fine features, a small face, smooth skin, and large, effeminate eyes.
'I expected that. He doesn't trust anyone. Even in the original series, he only broke out of the box when he felt safe with others.'
[113 Patrons are now watching this scene.]
[120 Patrons are now watching this scene.]
[134 Patrons are now watching this scene.]
'It only took one femboy to show up, and the number of Patrons watching me increased... Those bastards are perverts of the highest order.'
Gasper opened his mouth when he saw me, but he didn't say anything and just closed his fingers to avoid seeing me.
"Hi, Gasper. My name is Milicas Gremory. I'm Rias Gremory's nephew. Can we talk?"
"Go away! You can't be here!"
"It's okay, I'm here to help..." I said as I took the first step towards him. That was a mistake.
In the blink of an eye, Gasper was no longer where he had been a moment ago. The sensation was strange, and for a second I doubted my mind. Was Gasper really there in the left corner of the room?
It was an abrupt break in my perception of reality. Fortunately, I found Gasper in the opposite corner of the room, shaking even more than before.
'...That was much quicker than I expected. So that's the raw potential of his Sacred Gear?'
[The entity 'Sorceress of the Black Flame' perks up at the display of power.]
"A-Away... Stay away!" Gasper said and covered his face with part of his clothes. "I... I can't control it..."
I took a deep breath. If I push him too hard, he'll use his power and move away. If I back off too much, he'll think I'm afraid of him too.
I needed to find a middle ground.
"Relax, Gasper. I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk for a bit." I said and sat down in the middle of the room.
[Several Patrons want you to show your sincerity.]
'Of course, but how?'
[An Occasion Mission was jointly demanded by the Patrons.]
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[Mission title: The Most Powerful Vampire].
Description: Gasper Vladi is a half-human and half-vampire of the Dhampir species, and possessed of one of the five newly manifested Longinus, the Aeon Balor, which evolves from the Sacred Gear, Forbidden Balor View. He is said to be the Vampire with the greatest power potential in the entire work, so he would be a great addition to your goal of becoming the Maou.
[Goals:]
To make Gasper Vladi your Servant. (0/1)
[Deadline: this time.]
[Rewards: ???]
[Failure: ???]
+
The mission message surprised me a little, because this time I didn't have to use my tenacity to win a mission. That was good news, as I wouldn't have to practically beg for a mission to keep me motivated in situations like this.
But what I needed to do didn't change. The mission was just extra motivation for a goal that was already very difficult.
'I need to get close to him to have a chance of putting THAT into his head. Only then will he feel more comfortable. But how...? How can I get close if he can teleport?'
I decided to just chat for a while and try to make him feel a bit more at ease.
"I hear you have an absurd talent for magical contracts. Seriously, being able to solve more requests than any other member of my aunt's royalty? That's truly impressive."
"A-Ah, I-I just... it's easier that way..."
Gasper wasn't used to receiving compliments, so he stammered even more.
"Easy or not, you do something that no one else can. And I think that's amazing."
He didn't answer, but I noticed that he seemed to be trembling less. That's when I had an idea.
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