Chapter 7 – Bound by Blood

Ｒｅａｄ ｏ​ｎ​ ＫａｔＲｅ​ａｄｉｎ​ｇＣａｆｅ

Dull brown hair and strangely lifeless green eyes. A plain grayish-brown trench coat draped over her frame. If I had seen her on the street, I would have dismissed her as nothing more than a passing pedestrian.

Yet, despite her mundane appearance, the aura she exuded was anything but ordinary.

That woman—she was a vampire. And a rather powerful one at that.

Would I lose to her? Hmm. Maybe. If I were careless, I might. That was the level of strength she possessed.

But she didn’t seem hostile. Or perhaps she was just hiding her animosity while gathering information.

Either way, holding onto Narae in this situation would be troublesome.

“You there, a vampire, aren’t you? Let me guess—you’re the superior of those creatures that were bound here, right? Their progenitor, perhaps? Have you come seeking vengeance for your offspring?”

I threw out a light provocation, hoping to direct her full attention toward me.

Yet, she showed no reaction. She simply stared at me with murky green eyes, like stagnant water.

Seizing the moment, I tossed the bound Narae into what seemed like a safe corner. She let out a small grunt, but now wasn’t the time for delicate considerations.

“…Are you a child of the night?”

After studying me, the woman suddenly asked if I was a vampire.

A vampire? Hmm. Well, about 33% correct, I’d say.

“Can’t you see these fangs?”

I stuck out my tongue and bared my teeth, but she remained unamused, unshaken.

Most vampires would lose their minds over this sort of thing. How dull.

“Vampires do not possess wings like a dragon’s, nor horns, nor tails. Most of all, they do not carry such impure, tainted blood.”

“Oh? So I take it that’s meant to be an insult?”

I could let most things slide, but calling me a mongrel—that was crossing the line.

Maybe it was because it was true… I wasn’t sure why it riled me up so much.

Was it a matter of pride?

“I meant no offense. Please, forgive me.”

Whether it was because I had made my irritation obvious, or because she had never intended to provoke me in the first place, the vampire responded with unexpected courtesy.

I wasn’t the type to go out of my way to pick fights. And besides, I had a feeling this woman might have answers about me.

If she could see through me so easily, perhaps she knew something I didn’t.

“So then, what brings you here? I doubt you went through all this trouble just to see my face.”

“I came to offer my gratitude—and a request.”

…Huh. A request? That was unexpected.

“Before that, tell me—what language do you hear me speaking?”

“…Standard Romanian, is it not?”

Hmph.

It seemed some kind of magic was at work here.

If that was the case, I shouldn’t stay here too long.

“Fine. Continue.”

With my permission, the vampire launched into a long and tedious explanation.

In summary, this city had originally belonged to her family, but ten years ago, their elder mysteriously disappeared, leaving them weakened.

Taking advantage of this, rival families began eyeing their territory—especially the clan of the vampires I had just slain.

They had refrained from starting an all-out war, knowing that the moment they were outnumbered, their family would be wiped out. But thanks to me, their biggest threat was now gone.

She had come to thank me for that.

I hadn’t done it to help her, but gratitude was gratitude. It felt… oddly satisfying.

Vampires were known for their pride, after all. For one to bow their head in thanks—it must have meant something.

Still, I doubted it was as grand as she made it out to be.

As I mulled over the situation, the vampire suggested that we exchange names before continuing.

“You may call me Ilie. I serve as the acting elder… more or less. And your name?”

My name…

I hadn’t decided on one yet.

If I remembered my old name, I would have given that, but my past—who I was—was a complete blank. I couldn’t recall my name from when I was a man.

I could use “Shining White,” but if Radiant White got wind of that, who knew what she would do? That was out of the question.

After some thought, I chose honesty.

“I don’t have one. I was born less than a week ago.”

My blunt response seemed to catch Ilie off guard. She was bewildered that someone with my level of power didn’t even have a name.

“So, you have some idea of what I am?”

If she, a vampire, knew about beings like me, that was intriguing.

Vampires cared for nothing but themselves and their thirst for blood.

Considering that, this bloodsucker was… peculiar.

“You wish to know who you are, don’t you?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“In that case… help us. If you do, I will do everything in my power to help you uncover your identity.”

It was an enticing offer.

But my answer had been decided from the start.

“I refuse.”

“…I know it’s selfish, but I beg you. Because of your actions, war will soon break out. We do not have the strength to survive it. But with your power—”

“I said no.”

She pleaded, but I cut her off without hesitation.

Why should I care about some vampire war?

It was nothing more than the petty squabbles of villains.

So what if my actions had triggered it? That wasn’t my problem. I had no obligation to help.

Besides, vampires couldn’t survive without harming innocent people.

If anything, Ilie should be thanking me twice over—for not killing her where she stood.

“…If not for me, you’ll never uncover who you truly are.”

Oh? A threat now?

“I’ll find out for myself. Now leave, before I run out of patience.”

“…I can’t do that. My life depends on this.”

She was persistent. Annoyingly so.

I swung a punch at her, intending to knock some sense into her.

But my fist didn’t connect.

Instead, it passed right through—like striking water.

Wait. Hold on. Why did it sound like I had just punched a puddle?

“If I must, I will take you by force.”

Something was very, very wrong.

Recognizing the danger, I decided—I needed to cut my arm off.

But I hesitated.

Then, suddenly, Ilie’s blood—her very essence—began seeping into my veins.

Pain shot through me as my blood vessels expanded unnaturally, my mind clouding over.

Something foreign was invading me.

I had to stop it.

Yet, before I could act, the intrusion… ceased.

Ilie’s blood stopped in its tracks.

Seizing the moment, I swung my arm violently, shaking off every last drop.

She had let my fist pass through earlier, so why had she taken the full force of my attack this time?

I didn’t know.

But one thing was clear—I should not engage her any further.

As time resumed, Ilie muttered in a daze.

“Mother…? Why… are you…?”

“…Get out. Now.”

Fighting her was a mistake. That ability—whatever it was—was too dangerous.

I bared my teeth, pouring all my malice into my voice.

Ilie glanced between her hand and me, then fled as if in panic.

“…What the hell was that?”

Why had she called me ‘Mother’?

My head ached with questions, but first things first—I needed to free Narae.

She could do the thinking for me.

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