<550 – Relative Difficulty (2)>
Goo A vampire, seriously? What a humiliating thing!!
If I were a character who poured all my points into strength, I would have smashed the castle wall with one hit and flaunted my masculinity, but since I’m lamenting my appearance with a concept play suitable for my looks, it felt completely impossible, and my frustration only grew.
“Why, why am I a Goo vampire?!”
“Because you’re still a young vampire who hasn’t even learned bat flight magic yet. If you had, you would have avoided the attack magic from the castle wall with bat flight magic. It’s natural for young vampires under 100 years old to not be the target of attack magic, you know?”
“I can’t believe there was a trigger like that!!”
“Oh dear. You’re a genuine young vampire who hasn’t even completed basic training under 20. Want some blood?”
As he offered me a blood pouch, I snatched it eagerly and drained it.
Frustrating, but I still had to fill my Cooking Handbook!
“Oh my, oh my, you’re drinking it well! So Goo-like. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to crawl up this tall castle wall.”
“…Don’t misunderstand! This was no trouble for me at all, seriously!”
“Yeah, sure. You drank that blood pouch in one go because it was nothing at all.”
“This, this is… I was just thirsty, that’s all!”
“Sure, sure. Vampires don’t get thirsty unless they exert themselves, but hey, you might have suddenly felt thirsty.”
“Tsk. That’s the truth…!”
Just as tears of injustice threatened to spill, a bat flying nearby struck the back of the vampire guard’s head with a thwack.
Letting out a gasp and collapsing, the guard was wrapped up by the bat in a cloak of wings, and with a puff of smoke, transformed into the form of an adult woman.
“Klein. I told you to patrol, why are you making the adults cry?”
“No, just look. The kid is really cute, so what can I do?”
“Hmph, that’s hilarious. Hey, Goo. What’s your name?”
“Oknodie! And I’m not a Goo!”
“Then are you a fully grown vampire? Looks like a Goo to me, so stop talking nonsense.”
A vampire sister wearing a corset dress bent down to flick my forehead.
I grabbed my forehead and quickly stepped back to avoid it, feeling unjustly angry at her cute chuckle.
“I’m not a vampire!”
“Now that I look closely, you’ve got a classic case of middle school syndrome, huh? Once you hit your turbulent twenties, it’s funny how vampires consider themselves a transcendent species while twisting themselves into knots.”
“I’m human!”
“Right, a self-proclaimed human Goo. If you answer a few questions honestly, I’ll acknowledge you as human.”
“Who are you to evaluate and acknowledge me?”
“I’m the gatekeeper, Lester. So, first question. Who do those blood-dripping transparent mosquitoes flying around you belong to?”
“Those are mine!”
“Can you give me that mosquito?”
“Ugh. Stop coveting others’ things! Do you know how hard I worked to raise and modify them?!”
Sister Lester poked at my backpack with her alluring finger, the color of her tongue a tempting crimson.
“Then, second question. Do you have a blood pouch?”
“Of course! It’s a medium for Blood Magic.”
“Can you give me that blood pouch?”
“Are you crazy? How could you say such a harsh thing! As a vampire, you know the importance of blood pouches well. Unless it’s some filthy livestock blood, pure blood from a combat-class is especially precious!”
“Then last third question. Do you have many male fans?”
“Sort of?”
“And female fans?”
“Well, somewhat?”
“And what about adults?”
“I think there are a few…”
“That’s it for my questions.”
“Anyone can see I’m human, right?!”
Sister Lester snorted in disbelief.
“Anyone can clearly see you’re a vampire. You keep mosquitoes, have a blood pouch, and you’re charming. How could you not be a member of the vampire lineage?”
“Huh?”
“Could it be… I might actually be a vampire instead of a Goo after all?”
“That’s not it. Not only do you not know bat flight, but you also don’t know the age limit for castle wall attack magic. You have the appearance of a child, so how could you be a vampire? Sure, there are adults who imitate children, but your blood smell is young and healthy, showing your age.”
The Grandpa of the Okashii-ne near the arrow tower chuckled.
“Doesn’t it smell fresh like a two-year-old’s blood?”
“True. The first whiff gave me a hint you were a Goo, yet here you are in adorable self-denial. I can’t help but wonder why you’re so cute. Huh? Wait a minute, but who…”
“I am the gatekeeper.”
With the Emperor’s arrival, overwhelming silence ruled over the castle wall.
It was like the impossible vastness of being overshadowed by an enormous shadow overhead, like an ant gazing up at a gigantic pillar that connected the earth to human feet.
It was a bizarre phenomenon I couldn’t comprehend, like a perfect score student attempting suicide after just getting one question wrong.
The shock akin to a man I underestimated revealing not a pocket gun but a massive cannon from his pants…
Even the air was suppressed beneath the overwhelming reaction of magic as silence hung heavily; Sister Lester shook with fear.
“?”
Unable to comprehend why she felt this fear, or why she should be trembling, her terror only intensified.
The male vampire Klein barely steadied the quaking Lester, who was about to collapse.
“Goodness. The scent of blood from this ancient and powerful creature… Is it an Elder Vampire?!”
“Is that a question of grave importance to you at the junction of your life?”
“N-no, it’s not.”
The Emperor, radiating an astounding aura that even the mesmerizing and regal vampire race would kneel in fear before, bore down upon us.
As the Emperor’s gaze met mine, the rubble from the castle wall that had clung to my clothes fell away on its own.
“I mentioned earlier. A vampire’s parents live on a blood farm.”
The Emperor wore a solemn expression, suppressing an overwhelming urge to laugh.
“I have been managing the continent as my farm. Beyond the Underworld, the vast earth is mine; I have received the right by royal decree for all surface dwellers to pay their blood taxes to me for their continued existence. In that sense, I could also claim to be a vampire.”
A massive shock rippled through the eyes of the vampires.
Beyond the Underworld.
Was the vast land all one man’s farm?
“Dreamland… the ruler who conquered all the blood pouches of the world exists in real time, surely a sage beyond compare!”
In an era before humans had awakened their intellect, when vampires ruled over them like a dominating species.
Even the legends of their glory days seemed implausible, now a vampire had already achieved it in the real world!
The vampires’ eyes turned drowsy.
“Vampire Lester extends greetings to the Daywalker.”
“Vampire Klein extends greetings to the Daywalker.”
“That’s enough. Lift your heads.”
What a strange thing.
Though the Emperor isn’t a vampire, how is he treated like one?
Possibly using [Language Function] like the revolutionary’s sweet talk or threats that even Professor Destroyer’s disciple fell for?
“I apologize for obstructing the Daywalker’s progress. The lord of the current clan has ventured to the surface, so please wait as we meet with him in the fort.”
“You should consider this praise to have saved your insignificant life forever.”
Like delivering compliments, the Emperor’s grave voice made a rather rude comment.
He took the lead, paving the way.
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the level of nuisance as intense as a malicious customer, but thanks to that, I managed to drop the Goo vampire treatment!
However, the Emperor frowned at me, as if something about me displeased him.
To be precise, his gaze fell upon my backpack.
“If you do not take off that bag, you will forever be looked down upon as a little one by these pitiful creatures. To the child of the Foundation, do not fear growth.”
“I can’t do that! It’s standard procedure to gather all penalties into one!”
The Goo character has low strength.
Naturally, the small body is unfavorable for battles.
The capacity for storing mana in the body is also small.
So there’s no choice but to rely on tricks.
Moreover, all-in builds favor larger bodies, while technical multi-talented magic swordsman builds are better suited for smaller frames.
“Hurry and let’s go to the Ancient Book Museum!”
“Lester, Klein. I hereby grant you the opportunity to serve my child.”
“Leave it to us!”
“Thank you for granting us absolution!”
The vampires took it upon themselves to guide us to their sanctuary.
While there could be routes for the Emperor away from the Hwanggung, considering it usually leads towards the Academy, this was an event even a veteran player like me was experiencing for the first time.
So this is how such fascinating interactions happen when the Emperor meets vampires; I found it quite interesting.
“I’ll apologize to the Princess once again.”
“It’s fine!”
With a confirmed gacha ticket, I could endure being treated like a Goo vampire.
What’s a month, anyway?
Even if I’m treated like a Goo for a lifetime, it would be acceptable.
Though there could be forces invading from the surface to the Underworld looking for cheat key-like confirmed gacha tickets, since I’ve already looted the juicy bits, I couldn’t care less about who they might be.
It’s highly unlikely that this time, the significant force that could become the backbone of the invasion would gain anything substantial.
If I clean out everything leftover wisely, there might be some gains, but… can we really profit when the vampire king has run out into the surface?
Well, there’s no obligation to worry about those who fall behind.
The empire without the Emperor and with the Hwangtaeja murdered has turned into Masugaki’s nation, yet how many military overlords would heed the new Emperor’s words?
Those who run wild will line up one after another to be crushed all for building a reputation, which will ironically strengthen Masugaki’s imperial power.
Ultimately, raiding the vampires’ hideout benefits not just myself but also Masugaki!
‘Best friends can do this much for each other!’
As I decided to show a little goodwill, an even more important dilemma dawned on me.
Is Masugaki a best friend?
From this journey, it seems likely.
But then there’s Jiang too, he’s a best friend as well?
Considering we’re together even now, I guess that’s true.
Best Friend.
The best friend.
How can there be two bests?
That can’t be right.
There can only be one best friend!
Gasp! One of them isn’t a best friend!
Before entering the sanctuary, a more pressing concern overwhelmed me.
