Holy Knight's Secret

"Holy Knight's Secret" (聖騎士のヒミツ) is the fifty-third chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series, written by Takaya Kagami and illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto.

Synopsis
Makoto asks Mika about how quickly he is losing his humanity, and the latter says that all of his feelings, except those of his attachment to Yu, are rapidly fading.

Inside Ferid's mansion, Yu attempts to attack Crowley but is deflected soundly. Crowley reveals that he was a crusader but stops talking about his past when it is clear Yu knows little about history. Yu solves Ferid's riddle.

The humans go to the kitchen to eat, and Crowley refuses to tell them about the corpses of their friends and family members in the basement until they finish.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance:
 * Crowley Eusford
 * Yūichirō Hyakuya
 * Mitsuba Sangū
 * Shihō Kimizuki
 * Shinoa Hīragi
 * Makoto Narumi
 * Mikaela Hyakuya
 * Urd Geales
 * Lest Karr
 * Yoichi Saotome
 * Shūsaku Iwasaki (Body)

Summary
Yuichiro interrogates Crowley about being a human, surprising the others by his lack of fear. The two of them walk into the mansion while the others remain outside.

Makoto turns this topic to Mika and asks more about vampires. Makoto says the Demon Army has a report saying it is against the law for vampires to reproduce, and it then speculates that there has not been a new vampire in a century. No humans have been turned even after the apocalypse. He says all of this followed the teachings of the army and made sense until they found Mika, a rare, newborn vampire. He asks if Mika is telling the truth about being human, and the team points out that Yu witnessed it.

Continuing their discussion, Makoto cuts his arm to make Mika thirsty. He says he has been watching and waiting for when Mika would be thirsty like this, thirsty enough to attack people. He asks if Mika still has humanity left, even while watching that blood on his arm.

Shiho steps in and rejects Makoto's method. Makoto's cut heals, and Shiho points out they are no longer technically human either.

Yoichi asks if it even matters who is what. He says humans kill other humans and always have, so why can vampires not have friends? As long as they have not killed their family, then he believes they can get along.

Makoto asks Mika how much humanity he thinks he has left. Mika admits his humanity is fading. Mika explains his time as a vampire and agrees that he began losing his humanity much faster after drinking Yu's blood. Makoto asks him about his reaction to Akane's head, and Mika says he felt anger but appears confused. Makoto says the feeling was far less intense than it should be. However, Mika says that his feelings toward Yu have not changed at all. On the other hand, all emotions other than his attachment to Yu are fading rapidly.

Makoto says this means it is possible for a vampire to maintain a fragment of humanity, so it might be possible to make an alliance with them.

In the mansion, Crowley finds an envelope with Ferid giving his next instructions in the form of a riddle. Crowley sighs and tries to work it out, so Yu takes the opportunity to attempt to strike Crowley from behind. Crowley blocks it with ease and knocks Yu's sword into the ceiling. He criticizes Yu's lack of technique. Yu attempts again, but Crowley holds his sword back with ease and scolds him for having so much wasted movement.

Yu asks Crowley about his past, and Crowley says he was a crusader fighting in a holy war. Yu nods along, and Crowley says that Yu does not know history after all.

When Yu says it is not right for a former human to kill humans, Crowley points out that nothing kills more humans than humans. He says he killed far more humans when he was human compared to after he became a vampire.

Crowley gives Yu the riddle, and Yu tells him the answer is a candle. Crowley praises him for being smart. He finds an envelope under a three-pronged candelabra.

The rest of the team arrives, and they ask about food. Crowley directs them to the kitchen. Yu realizes Mika should be thirsty right about now, but Mika holds up a hand.

Ferid's note says that the remains of Yu and the others' family members are kept in the cellar It warns him to restrain Yu if he goes berserk and to protect his newfound friends. Crowley wonders about these "friends" and glances at the humans with a troubled expression. Yu asks him what is wrong, and he says it is kinda tough to be given friends for the first time in 800 years.

Crowley tells Yu to go eat before they go into the cellar. Yu asks what is in there, and Crowley says he will tell them after they eat.

Gallery
Manga panels provide a visual overview of the events of chapter 53 with depictions of the characters, Seraph of the End world and scenarios.