The old king won’t be able to withstand time.
That thing, existing beneath the earth. If I hadn’t created the one named Sanguinus, I might have lived a bit longer… but in this world, nothing is eternal.
As the time of living increases, the vitality needed to maintain that divine body and continue life will undoubtedly increase even more.
In this world, nothing is eternal, so even if one drains the life of others, that life will never truly continue forever.
For him, death is simply something he’s been postponing. It cannot be avoided.
Hmm… So, nothing is eternal in this world. Does that mean I am not eternal either?
First of all, living for tens of thousands of years shouldn’t be a problem. It also feels like I just need to get my sleep on time.
Hmmm. I wonder how long I can live? Does lifespan even exist? As long as this world exists, can I continue to exist? What will happen if this star collapses?
I don’t know. There was nothing I could know. I’ve never even understood myself precisely.
I don’t even know how far I can go. The paths to other worlds don’t open easily, which is annoying. Sometimes, I just want to eat food that someone else has cooked, not just the stuff I made. I want chicken, chicken! Chickens are here too! I can make it! But I miss that greasy taste and sweet and spicy seasoning!
Hmm. I just… miss it. The memories from over there are fading, but this longing just won’t fade. It’s a feeling that will continue to reside in my heart forever.
I want to go home. Even without remembering, that feeling doesn’t wash away. It won’t leave. Is this nostalgia?
Feeling such a vague emotion, I let out a small sigh.
“Why are you sighing again?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
I answered appropriately, and Sia looked at me with a dissatisfied expression. What could be bothering her again?
Even after becoming a god, Sia still acts like a human.
Ah, I shouldn’t be saying that. It’s been a long time since I stopped being human, but I’m still obsessed with humanity.
Well, it can’t be helped. At least this.
“So, where are we going now? We need to go back soon or we’ll be in trouble.”
“We’ll be done soon, so don’t worry.”
At my words, Sia shot me a brief skeptical glance before sighing.
“Well, Tia wouldn’t lie. It really will be over soon.”
“Hmm.”
I just want to meet someone.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Sia and I arrived at a city located in Eastern North Romania. Seven.
It’s the largest city in the nearby region and also the center for logistics in the East.
Though, that doesn’t mean Eastern North Romania is a nice place to live, so it lacks in comparison to other areas.
With the cold air coming from the frigid snowfields of the North, and the nomads who find backroads to raid without going through Wallachia, life was tough.
If not for the giant animals captured from the North… people surviving in this harsh land wouldn’t even be half of what they are now.
Anyway, Sia and I arrived in the city of Seven.
“This place is nothing to write home about.”
“It probably seems that way to you.”
Since Sia lived in Procyon, filled with magic, this city must seem overwhelmingly lacking.
In the first place, the number of cities appealing to Sia must be fewer.
“What are we doing here?”
“I was thinking of meeting the prince of Wallachia.”
“The prince? That old man’s son?”
“Yeah.”
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind just going back, but… I felt like I should check this out.
Finding clues about the prince of Wallachia, Vlad, wasn’t difficult. In fact, it seemed like he had no intention of hiding at all.
“There are rumors about an organization that joins by offering blood. It seemed easy to overlook at first glance, but…”
“Blood?”
“Blood carries various meanings. It can mean the flowing essence of life, or it could symbolize kinship from the same parents, but in this case, it might also suggest that despite being born in different places, they consider each other as kin.”
Simply mixing blood wouldn’t only mean regarding each other as siblings.
“If you offer blood mixed together to the leader of the organization, you’re stuck with them.”
“Offering blood? Isn’t that similar to Wallachia?”
“Not similar, but the same. Well, it has been acknowledged since ancient times that blood has significant value as a sacrifice.”
Blood is the essence of life. From the perspective of a goddess of life who’s on top of the gods, its value cannot be measured.
How could one not believe that the blood of beasts and humans could drive away harm?
Although the smell of blood would lead to attracting beasts.
“Anyway, that old king’s son should be in such a blood-offering organization.”
Even if it’s not him, someone connected to him must be there.
“Hmm. This is annoying; can’t we just go back?”
“No way. We came all this way, so we have to check it out.”
With Sia, who kept grumbling, I moved through the dark alley.
After a few rounds of shaking down the organization members and having their superior guide us… we finally faced a young man in a rather decent mansion.
“Indeed. There’s a glimpse of that fellow’s youthful self.”
“Who are you?!”
His features resembled that foolish one from his youth, but he had red hair like blood and a pale complexion lacking vigor.
“There’s no need to be cautious. I haven’t killed anyone on the way here.”
“No, Tia. Just because you didn’t kill them doesn’t mean you weren’t brutally aggressive.”
“As long as I don’t kill them, they’ll just come back fine.”
Drinking blood to restore vitality is their basic recovery method.
As long as they don’t lose their lifeline, they’ll come back to life with a tenacious vitality like bugs. So there’s really no need to worry.
“Do you know where you are…?”
“I came to find you, Vlad. Prince of Wallachia.”
At my words, Vlad’s expression turned peculiar.
“Do you know my identity? I don’t know who you are, but… I can’t let you go…”
In the midst of confidently speaking, Vlad suddenly stops speaking.
I had only faintly shown the essence of life I possessed, but he froze with a frightened expression.
“To let you go…”
How am I appearing to him right now?
Do I look like a monster with infinite life?
If he froze just from seeing me… how pitiful.
“Such arrogant words you speak.”
So this little brat thinks running a worthless organization is all there is to him.
“If your tongue gets too long, there’s a chance it’ll get pulled out?”
“Tia, if you say that, it actually seems like you’ll pull it out.”
“If necessary, I would pull it out.”
“Scary!”
Well, I’ll put my banter with Sia on hold for now.
I slowly examined Vlad.
He carried a significant amount of life, but it didn’t seem like he was using it effectively. He just kept gathering it mindlessly.
And yet, all he was doing was creating a gang in the darkness like a thug.
To think a prince would be such a guy. Tch.
“I was curious about what kind of person he was, being that guy’s son, but if this is his caliber, he’s even more disappointing than expected. Maybe it’s true that blood doesn’t lie; that guy was ugly enough I couldn’t look at him two-eyed when he was younger.”
“I didn’t think you would say he was that bad.”
“Back then, it was worse, you know.”
Was that conceit something embedded in his blood, or did the specialness of being able to wield life inflate that arrogance?
He was truly someone I couldn’t stand looking at directly.
“Your father said you were exceptionally talented, but it was just a blind father loving his child, huh? It seems you weren’t worth coming to see.”
“W-who the hell are you…?”
Perhaps sensing the difference in their statuses, Vlad started using formal language.
“Go ask your father directly.”
Disappointment surged over Vlad’s less than satisfying demeanor.
I just wanted to return quickly.
“What a worthless vampire.”
“A vampire…?”
If I had known this would happen, I should have just not come at all.
The feeling of disappointment only grew.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Vampires.
While their origins are somewhat known, the exact spread process has not been clearly established.
There are various claims regarding that process, but if I were to pick the two most plausible ones:
Firstly, vampires, originally active in the shadows, began to spread their forces rapidly due to some event, causing numerous problems and being hunted as humanoid monsters, regarded as demons.
Their power, stirring in the darkness of civilization, started to be hunted, shattered into pieces, and fled to various parts of the world, leading to their spread.
This claim has been labeled the “Vampire Theory” in academia since vampires were called such by many.
Another claim is that the transformation of Wallachia’s people, by Sanguinus, the guardian spirit of Wallachia, began spreading as they fled from the Demon King.
Wallachia has records of collecting blood as tax, suggesting vampires existed among its ruling class.
Sanguinus, the guardian of the land and people of Wallachia, who pierces enemies with thorns to absorb their lives, was overwhelmed by the lifeless forces of the demon king and failed to protect the people; thus, many couldn’t bear witnessing their fellow citizens become victims to the demon king’s forces, and they sought refuge among the people of Wallachia.
This claim has caused them to be known as Sanguinus among themselves, called the “Sanguinus Theory.”
The conflict between these two opposing claims has sparked intense debate over what is true and what is false.
The moment the truth is clarified, the vampires will know their roots for sure.
– A guide for adventurers exploring the world.
The chapter on the Ancestral Race: The Vampire Edition
