Chapter 40

Vampire of the Castle (10) - A Reason (孤城の吸血鬼⑩―理由―, Kojou no Kyuuketsuki 10 -Riyuu-) is the fortieth chapter in the D.Gray-man series written and illustrated by Katsura Hoshino.

Synopsis
Krory thinks back on his father being a strange person who collected strange things, rare plants being a favorite of his. Because of the flowers, the people around the castle believed the Krorys were vampires, and when Krory’s grandfather died, Krory was left not only to bear the burden of being seen as a vampire, but also the realization that he had just been another part of his grandfather’s collection.

With everything in the house belonging to his grandfather, Krory wanted one thing that belonged to him.

After Krory drains the Akuma oil from Eliade’s body, her moisture bubbles burst and rain down on the area, soaking Allen and Lavi who are repeatedly telling the flowers that they love them so they won’t get eaten.

Freed, Allen and Lavi make their way to Krory’s side to check on him, only for Krory to start insulting the flowers, making a large one wrap around the three and start to eat them. When Allen and Lavi try to ask Krory what he’s doing, alarmed, Krory starts crying and says he deserves to die for killing Eliade. Krory then continues insulting the flowers to make them eat him (and, inadvertently, Allen and Lavi) faster, making Allen cover Krory’s mouth.

When Krory tells Allen that he killed his loved one and that he wants to die, Allen tells Krory that he should become an Exorcist to make Eliade’s death worth something.

A bit later, the three, freed from the flowers, sit and talk, Allen showing Krory a picture of Cross and asking if he’s seen him.

Krory says yes, explaining that Cross had claimed to be a friend of his grandfather’s and that he had come to pay his respects and return a baby man-eating flower.

Allen then remembers that Cross had made him take care of the flower, named “Rosanne”, under that threat that if Allen let it die, Cross would kill him.

Krory goes on to explain that the plant Cross had given him had bitten him before dying, and that immediately after all of his teeth had fallen out and new, sharp ones had grown in their place, and that not long after that he had started attacking Akuma and Eliade had come along.

When Lavi asks where Cross is, Krory says that Cross had borrowed a large sum of money from him to travel to the Far East. Krory then asks for the two to wait for him outside, as he has something he needs to do.

Outside, Lavi tells Allen not to feel guilty, as what he said to Krory gave him a reason to go on and that he’ll recover.

Behind them, the castle suddenly explodes.

Just as they are thinking that Krory has committed suicide, Krory walks out of the flames, unharmed, and laughs.

As he does, he promises to Eliade that he will keep destroying Akuma so her death will have a purpose.