The Blood Race (4): The Blood of the Necropolis
The next morning, Rilsi began to wander the city like a lost spirit. She had fled the Necropolis in the dead of night, carrying only the faint promise of revenge in her veins.
"Please, give me just a little of your bloodstone."
Her first attempt had been to mix bloodstone with monster blood in secret, borrowing power from Lahan's soul essence to see if it would strengthen her. She had even trekked all the way to the World Tree, chasing the life force that leaked from its roots, and experimented with every curse and fog she could summon. But every single one of her efforts had ended in failure.
"Rilsi, is there any progress?"
"...No."
She knew she had been sneaking into the prison, and it pained her that she still couldn't solve her own problems, yet her stubborn refusal to submit had been the only thing keeping her alive. So she had accepted the help anyway.
Of course, they had doubled the watch.
"Work hard. If you find anything, tell us right away."
"I'll do my best."
Because of that, Rilsi couldn't behave as arrogantly as she wished. Still, the secret victories of Lahan and Yeomje—bringing in kobolds and goblins, the least dim-witted of the monsters they had hunted—kept her from crumbling completely. According to Horua, they at least managed to satisfy her thirst.
'But the effects are far from satisfying.'
Their eyes remained dull, the hunger in their bellies still unfulfilled. Just as feeding vegetables to someone starving for protein would do nothing, monster blood alone could never fill the void.
It fell to me to hope that Rilsi would somehow succeed.
Days passed in this uneasy rhythm. Meanwhile, redevelopment around my home had advanced far, and the paperwork was finally complete, ready to declare the Necropolis to the outside world.
"Everyone who matters already knows, right? Lahan and Yeomje go on bloodstone expeditions almost every week."
The regular meeting had been scheduled for once a week.
Ttacttac-i, Mari, Lee Se-a, Lahan, Yeomje, and this time newcomer Aliac—all six of us sat at the same table.
"Frankly, isn't the real question whether we even qualify as a proper nation? The Necropolis is nothing more than pirates right now. Lack of legitimacy is already a serious problem."
Aliac, a former member of the fallen Elf royal house, answered Lee's question with quiet wisdom.
She was surprisingly intelligent. She had knowledge, yet why did she still look so timid and foolish?
"Well, the reason is simple. We need to make ourselves known for sure, so no one can look down on us."
"Then why not go out and show off our power?"
"We've already slaughtered thousands of monsters. Isn't that enough?"
Lahan questioned, and Yeomje immediately countered.
The two exchanged subtle glances, but when I shot them a look, they backed off without another word.
"Anyway, I think we now have the strength to stand up to the Provisional Government itself. What do you say?"
"Yes. Even if we mobilize every single soldier of the Provisional Government, they still couldn't break through the Necropolis. It's a tragic reality."
Exactly as Yeomje had promised, we had become an unstoppable force within Seoul or the Gyeonggi region.
Even if we only used our own skeleton legions and monster undead, we could crush almost any opponent.
Yeomje, who called himself a temporary ally, and the loyal Lahan were both formidable.
"So how do we make that clear? Writing it on paper and spreading it around still won't have much impact?"
"Having a few executives walk around and talk about it would be better."
"Then I'll go myself to the Provisional Government."
Yeomje spoke without hesitation, and everyone else rushed to claim their own territory.
—Dak!
"I'll head north past Uijeongbu. There are still civilians there."
"Then I'll go to Yeongdeungpo."
Ttacttac-i pointed at Gangnam-gu on the map, and Mari and Lahan finally joined in.
The plans took shape, and the meeting began to wind down.
At that moment, the door burst open with a thunderous crash.
Every head turned toward it. There stood Horua, drenched in sweat.
"Rilsi... Rilsi has escaped!"
The inevitable had finally happened.
I had expected it, of course. That was why we had tripled the watch and deliberately given her extra burdens to weigh her down.
"She fled using the forbidden technique reserved for direct thralls, avoiding our eyes. She left behind only a warning to look for her when she returns."
"During the meeting itself..."
To focus better, I had temporarily lowered the surveillance, keeping the undead visible instead. But apparently that very choice had allowed her to slip away unnoticed.
"So, did she head toward the humans?"
"Yes. She appears to have left the Necropolis completely."
Horua spoke as if he himself didn't understand what had happened.
If she was going to seek blood, she should have attacked humans or dwarves. But that would have made her an enemy. Had she decided to target the humans outside instead?
"Horua, what would you do?"
"I..."
There was no reason to concern ourselves with those who had left the Necropolis.
If Rilsi truly wished to leave this city, we had no grounds to stop her.
She was only staying for a short time. As long as she remained no one's subordinate, we could not tie her to our ankle.
Of course, Karim was the exception. He had been captured for attacking the humans we protected.
"Horua, if you wish, I can send a pursuit team to bring her back."
"I would prefer you did not."
"Why? Worried she'll bring us blood?"
"We must survive to serve Lady Noksi."
A dark, heavy shadow filled Horua's voice.
"If Rilsi returns, she'll only cause trouble again. We cannot keep burdening this city."
"Can you hold on?"
"We won't die. At least, not until Lady Noksi arrives."
If that was their decision, there was nothing I could do. I shrugged and ended the meeting.
One vampire leaving the Necropolis wouldn't shake its foundations. We had grown large enough that such things no longer mattered.
"Understood. Thank you for coming to tell us first."
"...We are deeply grateful that you accepted us."
***
"Hah... huff... hah..."
Rilsi wandered aimlessly across the mountain slopes.
She needed blood. Karim's condition was worsening every day.
As long as she drank monster blood, she would not die. But that was all. As a vampire, her instincts had been wounded and weakened; she might never return to what she had been.
"I can't live like Horua."
Horua's words had been right.
They were the most stable path—following the most basic loyalty to Noksi.
But would the Lady approve?
Rilsi did not believe she would. Having to bow to another's blood and live as an undead was not something Noksi would wish for.
The Lady's soul was too strong. She had arrived in this world much later than they had.
To serve her, Rilsi had needed to drink blood and grow stronger before that.
"I smell human."
There were still humans in the Blood Realm. Their scent was different from Earth's, but the blood scent was the same.
Following instinct, Rilsi hunted the hidden clans deep in the mountains.
"Mon-monster? No, human."
An awkward shelter built from mud and chewed stems.
When Rilsi opened the door, the man inside startled, then relaxed once he saw her human form.
"This is my house. Making noise at night is dangerous. If you're being chased, come in— AAAAAA!"
Rilsi's form vanished for a split second, then reappeared behind him. The man was too weak to survive even her light attack.
In an instant, blood sprayed from his neck.
"Look at that. It was too easy."
Rilsi drank deeply, relishing the taste after months of thirst. Although her magic was limited, the satisfaction of the soul-blood of a thinking being flowed through her veins like pure joy.
But joy could never last forever.
Someone entered through the open door.
"Blood...? What is this."
"Ah, another one?"
Rilsi, still intoxicated by the blood, didn't notice the axe in the woman's hand.
As she turned, the blade slammed into her shoulder with brutal force.
"Die! Die, you monster! Ah, my husband... darling..."
"Wh-what!"
Only then did Rilsi feel an unfamiliar power from the woman. The Awakened. A being who had received divine strength through the System.
The woman charged forward using an unknown skill, and Rilsi—whose blood had not yet been fully processed—couldn't keep up.
"You bastard! Die! I'll kill you!"
"..."
Pure killing intent and hatred. To Rilsi, it meant nothing. But the axe buried in her shoulder burned with a different fire.
'...Is this the end?'
She had known this day might come.
She had been cut off from her Lord, the master of blood. She had not tasted proper blood. Her life, stripped of everything except the pride of being a direct descendant, was already a cruel joke.
'But what am I supposed to do now?'
In the past, when she had been taken in by the Lady, she had become a species that craved blood.
That was the fate she had followed, and this was its result.
"Haha... ha ha..."
"Die! Die, you monster!"
The axe cracked ribs. The heart split. Muscles were pulverized.
In the agony, she felt death approaching.
------
At that moment.
A voice she was not meant to hear reached her ears.
'Voice? No, it's not a voice.'
It was too thick, too filled with noise.
Yet the will behind it was unmistakable.
—If you take my hand, you can live.
There was no time to think. She had to survive to fulfill her future plans. Loyalty and living as a true vampire could only be done after gaining power.
Unconsciously, the moment she clasped that hand.
Power flooded her body.
Unacceptable power.