Name

“Hic, hikk…….”

Before Solomon knew it, the vampire girl Ilya, who was tightly clutching the hem of his clothes, was forcibly holding back the sobs trying to burst out. It seemed she had been more than just a little scared. She certainly didn’t look ‘adult-like.’

“It’s all over. There’s nothing to be scared of.”
“……Ugh, w-who said I was scared?!”

Even though he had been the one receiving help, Solomon somehow found himself in the position of comforting her. Though it was true that he had actually received her help.

After killing 「The Undying」 and leaving House Arrowhead’s mansion, a gothic carriage was waiting for them under the dark dawn sky. It was a carriage pulled by four steam horses that Wallachia Co. was proud of.

As the two of them approached the carriage, a coachman wearing a silk hat opened the door as if he had been waiting.

“We have been waiting.”

When the coachman opened the door, Chairman Vlad Țepeș was seated inside the carriage. Perhaps to pass the time while waiting, he happened to be reading an extra edition that had 「Guild City Major Breaking News!」 written on it.
Because of that, Solomon’s eyes also went to the first line without thinking.

─ William Molesworth, Director of the Guild City Bureau of Public Hygiene and Sanitation, saves the city from evil…….

“……?”
“Oh, would you like to read it?”

When Solomon was bewildered by the content, Chairman Țepeș handed him the extra edition with an expression that said there was nothing to be surprised about. Solomon silently accepted it and read the contents. Because he could by no means call it someone else’s business.

───
[Guild City Daily: Extra Edition]

• Lamentation! Guild City’s ‘Blue Shield,’ Director William Molesworth, dies heroically in the line of duty
• Deadly accumulated contamination crisis in the city drainage tunnels successfully purified through the Director’s sacrifice!
• “I will protect the city’s morning with my life……” He remained at his post until the end

At dawn today, William Molesworth, head of the Guild City Bureau of Public Hygiene and Sanitation (BPHS), protected the city’s morning.
The top-secret project led by Director Molesworth succeeded in resolving the ‘accumulated contamination crisis’ that had emerged as the key hygiene problem of Guild City this century.
The bureau officially announced ‘Project Maria’ and revealed that the Director had succeeded in purifying high-concentration special contaminants that could not be removed by the existing sanitation system, in cooperation with Guild City’s technology guilds.
However, tragedy followed this astounding achievement. Reports state that during the purification, Director Molesworth was exposed to a backflow of contaminants exceeding standard levels, suffered fatal injuries, and died.
Even so, it was revealed that the Director did not leave his post until the very end and led the project while declaring, “I will brighten this city’s morning with my life,” bringing tears to many eyes.
(omitted)
In addition, Chairman Vlad Țepeș, CEO of Wallachia Co., is being strongly mentioned as a candidate for the next Director of the Bureau of Public Hygiene and Sanitation…….
───

‘The city’s morning, my ass.’

For Solomon, who knew the truth of that day, it was an utterly absurd conclusion.

“Huuuk, Chairman……!”

Right then, Ilya, who had frozen like a trembling mouse, sniffled toward Țepeș. Vlad Țepeș smiled gently and stroked Ilya’s head.

“Oh, Ilya. You must have been so frightened.”
“Yes, hikk, Chairman, I really, really got scared when I saw that monster of Arrowhead…….”
“Yes, but you did very well.”

A monster. To be called that even by a vampire, Solomon couldn’t help letting out a hollow laugh.

“I survived thanks to you. You were a great help.”

Watching the sight, Solomon chimed in. Although she was a bit small, her help had definitely not been small.

“Oh, Lord Solomon still has many things to do for us from now on.”

Țepeș shrugged as if there was nothing surprising about it.

“By the way, it is somewhat regrettable about the toast.”
“What is?”
“As you can see, I have had an urgent meeting scheduled with the City Council. It seems we will have to postpone it until the next opportunity.”

A meeting scheduled with the City Council. At that fact, Solomon let out another hollow laugh.

“Right. Since you’ve become a candidate for the next Sanitation Bureau Director, you must be busy in all kinds of ways.”
“At this rate, even ten bodies wouldn’t be enough.”

Before long, the carriage door closed, and the four steam horses began crossing the streets of Uptown while snorting steam.
Through the dawn night of a city where morning had not yet come.

“Excuse me, Mister Solomon.”

When he finished the request and returned to Hotel Snark, the usual ghost hotelier blocked Solomon’s path.

“Did my room number go up or something?”
“In fact, I have something to discuss with you regarding that.”

Something to discuss? When Solomon tilted his head, the ghost hotelier continued calmly.

“Regarding the upward adjustment of Lord Solomon’s room grade, some directors have raised objections.”
“Objections?”
“There has been a concern raised that it is an unprecedented and somewhat excessive room upgrade since the founding of the hotel.”
“……They’re saying I rose too fast.”
“Yes. Therefore, regrettably, until that issue is resolved by the hotel board of directors, Lord Solomon’s room upgrade will be placed on hold.”
“Understood.”

[Clue Acquired! Hotel Board of Directors]

Honestly speaking, there was no particular reason to obsess over the hotel’s room number. For Solomon, it was something he did not really care about either way. If anything, he had avoided standing out too much, so perhaps he should consider it fortunate.

“Then, have a good night.”

Leaving behind the hotelier, who showed his respects, Solomon headed to his room. Room 333 on the 3rd floor.
There, the heart in the glass bottle that had remained silent since that day and the ‘kickass arcane tome’ Lord Bowery had given him were carefully placed. Other than that, it was bleakness itself, with nothing in particular standing out.
Solomon left the day’s exhaustion behind and silently lay down on the bed. As he recalled stabbing the words of God to death with the tip of his blade, and the final words he had heard from the Undying.

「Lastly, I wish to ask your name.」
「It’s Solomon.」
「Ahh, Your Majesty the Great King…….」

The Great King. When Solomon had said his name, the Undying had called him that.
Solomon knew it as well. The fact that his name was the same as the name of a certain wise great king of old. In addition, he also knew the anecdote that the great king had also been a magician, and that with his magic, he had sealed seventy-two demons.
The arcane tomes of King Solomon, who was said to have sealed the seventy-two demons, commonly known as the Lemegeton, the Key of Solomon, and the Goetia as well.

Even so, the name Solomon was not a name he had used with any particular intention in this world.
Because it was a name he had used thoughtlessly as a ‘nickname’ in the other world from the beginning. Even the origin of the name was far removed from King Solomon. He had taken it because the villain in a spy movie he had enjoyed was named Solomon.

‘To begin with, my name was…….’

Solomon thought of it. Not the nickname from the TRPG world, but his real name.

‘What…… was my name?’

He stopped thinking and asked again. To whom? To himself. Even so, he couldn’t remember it.

‘What is this……? Why…….’

It was as if no name other than Solomon had ever existed in the first place.

I will protect the city’s morning by offering my life…….
The death of William Molesworth, Guild City’s ‘Blue Shield,’ was in truth somewhat far removed from a heroic death in the line of duty.
Because in the study of his own home, he had taken out an explosive automatic crossbow, put it in his mouth, and pulled the trigger.

That was his death.
And though not everyone in this world was like that, for some, death was not the end.

“Where is this…….”

When he came to his senses, Director William Molesworth realized that he had become a ghost and was wandering Ghost Town. That was why he had to move. Because he had to escape this damned place, go below Ghost Town, into the deepest place, and meet his ‘second death.’

The Director moved desperately. Even though he was a soul, he was sweating and out of breath. His two legs trembled. Even so, he did not stop.

Because in this city of wanderers, his sinful soul…… had far too many enemies.

Shiiiik!
Against the countless wraiths and evil spirits that had always harbored hatred toward him, the talismans and blessings he had arranged through spirit mediums for the afterlife in preparation for times like this exerted their power.

“Hahat, you stupid bastards!”

Director William Molesworth ran. Like Melos.
As befitted a high-ranking official of the city, the afterlife insurance he had taken out was indeed something that lowly, random souls could not dare do anything about.

“Oh my, Father.”

That was how it should have been.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“……!”

Until the pitch-black saintess blocked his path.

“M-Mary……!”

With the sensation of a heart that shouldn’t exist dropping, Director Molesworth collapsed weakly to his knees. Kwajik, kwajik! All kinds of talismans, necklaces, accessories, and afterlife insurance hanging around his neck, works of spirit mediums he had paid enormous sums to gather, collapsed without exerting any power at all. The woven rosary came undone, the cross was crushed, and the protective runes carved onto his soul twisted.

“I am not Mary.”

The pitch-black saintess said with a smile. The Director’s daughter, Mary Molesworth, was no longer there.

“Angra Maria.”

There was only the redeemer who held this world’s evil, and the Ishtar Spawn.

“F-forgive me, Mary! I, I only did it for this city……!”

For this city. That was his sin.

“I will forgive you.”

That was why Angra Maria smiled. Mercifully, like a saintess.

“Your evil, Father.”

The next day. His eyes opened. It had been a deep sleep without even a dream. Even though he had finished the request and obtained a fated victory, he had not been dragged into the Game Master’s tabletop room either.
As soon as he opened his eyes, Solomon moved. To do what he could right away.

‘My name…….’

However, regrettably, the situation was not good enough for him to sit there agonizing over his identity. That was why he had to move. In order to become stronger. He recalled the words the dark elf spirit medium, Adina, had once said to him.

Do not think too grandly. Take care of what is right in front of you first. In that sense, the surest way to obtain strength was, as expected, to find his teacher.
The Cesspit Mage Tower Master¹, Lord Bowery.

It was when he stepped into the Lowlands once again.

‘By the way…….’

After moving through the Door Room, Solomon realized that it had been quite some time since he had visited the Lowlands. Whatever else might be said, the reason Solomon had been able to adapt after opening his eyes in this world was ultimately thanks to the help of the partners he had been with in the Lowlands.
Especially the Hog, Roach, of course, but in Maya’s case, he owed her an indescribable debt. She had provided equipment on credit to Solomon, who had no money at the time, and thanks to that, he had been able to safely carry out an extremely dangerous hotel request.

‘There are a lot of places to stop by in order.’

The first place he stopped by was Solomon’s old residence, 17 Grimrow Court 2. Since he had not hidden a golden calf there or anything, the door wasn’t locked. As usual, Solomon opened the room door without much thought.

‘!’

Right then, a presence could be felt beyond the door. Someone was there. In Solomon’s old residence, without permission. Solomon instinctively adjusted his grip on the Ghost Whale Bone Blade inside his sleeve and immediately drew the Nightfall automatic crossbow from his Quick Loader Belt.

Cheolkeok, cheolkeok.
As soon as the automatic crossbow took shape with the cheerful sound of machinery interlocking, he opened the room door. And waiting for Solomon there was…….

“I was waiting for you.”

It was Yuria, the Shaman Priestess of the Lake and quack fortune-teller, the monocle-wearing elf..