Chapter 132
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Vampire Scarlett
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Vampire.
A type of demon race, much like succubi who sustain themselves on semen, vampires live by drinking blood.
They can heal wounds or recover mana just by drinking blood, wield abilities that manipulate blood itself, and propagate their kind through bloodsucking...
"...We don't have those kinds of powers. We reproduce through normal sexual intercourse."
"Ahem."
...Anyway, because they live off the blood of others, vampires have a terrible reputation across the continent.
These days, thanks to the Demon King, demons are being accepted into society as a legitimate race. But just 200 years ago, they were treated as monsters or slaves.
Among them, vampires—who drink the blood of others—faced the worst discrimination and were hunted down whenever they were discovered. As a result, there aren't many vampires left on the continent these days...
"I never imagined Ms. Scarlett was a vampire."
I hadn't realized the Rogue Guild Master was a vampire. She's such a rare race that even seeing her wings and knowing she was a demon hadn't led me to think "vampire." Demons themselves are uncommon, and I can't distinguish between them anyway.
"Publicly, my registered race is 'demon.'"
Even though it's from 200 years ago, in this world of skills and mana, there are more long-lived individuals than you'd think.
Naturally, plenty of people still discriminate against vampires, so most vampires hide their true race.
"Um... Could you keep this a secret?"
Scarlett, caught in the act of drinking blood, fidgeted anxiously as she pleaded with me. Keeping it secret? No big deal. I don't hate vampires or anything...
But wait...
"If you're hiding your identity, why drink blood right in the next room over?"
"W-Well..."
Isn't that a pretty sloppy way to hide? No curtains on the window or anything—if you're sucking blood right next door, of course you're going to get caught.
"I usually hide it better. But your blood smelled so delicious just now..."
"Delicious smell?"
Scarlett hurriedly explained. She could normally suppress her bloodlust just fine, but from the moment she met me, she'd caught a tantalizing scent. The instant I bled, an unbearable thirst hit her.
...So that irritating gulping sound earlier was her swallowing her saliva?
"It's probably because of your [Regeneration] skill, Mr. Ian. You have [Regeneration], right? From how fast your wound healed earlier... it's got to be a pretty high level."
"[Regeneration] skill?"
"People with [Regeneration] sometimes give off a scent like yours."
So there are others with [Regeneration] besides me? Makes sense—the demon I saved after fighting that 'plant monster' had it too.
"Sure... I'll keep it secret. It's not like it hurts me any."
"Really?!"
No real issue, so I agreed. Scarlett beamed and grabbed my hand. Her skin feels a bit cold to the touch.
"But if you have to hide your identity, how do you normally get blood?"
"I get regular shipments from blood drawn from criminals. Or I can buy human blood from the Magic Tower or Alchemy Guild for research purposes..."
Listening to Scarlett's relaxed explanation, I took a sip of the black tea.
...Just tastes like black tea. I half-wondered if she'd mixed blood in it or something. Oh, is that speciesist?
"Um, now that you know my secret... Could you maybe share some of your blood?"
After a bit of vampire talk, Scarlett blushed bright red and asked for my blood.
'Hmm...'
Getting in good with the Rogue Guild Master can't hurt. With [Regeneration], drawing a little blood is no problem anyway.
"Sure, I don't mind."
"Yay! Thank you. Blood prices have been so high lately... Wh-What?!"
She said there's no infection risk from bites, so I bared my neck to let her suck.
...Actually, getting bitten on the neck feels a bit too intimate, huh?
"Oh, the neck might be too much? Then bite my arm or..."
"B-Bite?! So bold on our first meeting..."
'.......Huh?'
What? Didn't you ask for blood? Doesn't that mean biting? Her fangs are sharp when she talks, so it seems like she drinks by biting... Why the shock?
"J-Just give me the blood separately. No need to bite directly."
"Oh, got it."
True, mouth-to-skin contact might be too forward. Fair enough. I pulled a dagger from my pouch and lightly slashed my arm... Oh, it regenerates if I go light.
So I slashed hard.
-Spurt!
Whoa, too hard?
"Kyaa! B-Blood! Blood..."
"Don't worry. It'll heal right aw—"
"Such fresh blood! Haah!♡"
"Oh, you're not worried—you're thrilled."
Blood gushed from my forearm, and Scarlett's eyes lit up like she'd been possessed. She crawled across the floor to lap it up... Wait, why crawl?
Anyway, she scooted over on all fours and started slurping up the dripping blood.
"Slurp... Slrrp... Hnng... Ahaha...♡"
"...Could you eat it a little more decently?"
I'd planned to collect it separately, but she dove right in. Isn't this just normal eating? Why moan while drinking blood...
Her tongue lolling out with those moans was kinda seductive, but the metallic blood stench and her crazed expression quickly killed my arousal. She had this sultry big-sis vibe earlier... Now her face is a total mess.
-Drip... Drip...
'Heals fast.'
I'd made the wound big on purpose, but my level 6 [Regeneration] quickly knit it closed. As the gushing slowed to a trickle, Scarlett's face lifted slightly from her feast.
-Slurp. Slurp.
'Whoa, she's really going at it.'
As the blood nearly stopped, she pressed her face to my forearm, licking up the remnants. More creepy than hot at this point.
But the blood's all done...
"You could just bite now if you wa—"
"......Pervert."
No, why?
...Gotta look up vampire lore at the library later. Is bloodsucking treated like sex here too?
Scarlett finally calmed down after I cut my arm three times.
...Even then, she wasn't fully satisfied, so I filled a few spare potion bottles with my blood. That did the trick.
"Ahem... Sorry you saw that embarrassing display."
'Yeah, it was pretty embarrassing.'
The room reeked of blood, making my stomach churn. [Regeneration] was active, but losing that much blood quickly left me drained.
Might make some blood sausage when I get home.
"So... Any chance you'd really join the guild?"
"No."
Scarlett brought up the guild again, but my resolve was firm. Firmer than before, even.
'Joining here means getting drained daily.'
Earlier it was guild master to recruit. Now her eyes gleamed with personal greed.
I ignored her lingering, wistful gaze. She couldn't sway me and gave up.
"...Then could you come by occasionally to share blood?"
"......Well..."
"O-Of course, I'd compensate you! Double the Alchemy Guild's blood price!"
Oh. Money changes everything. Cash is king. I donated blood back on Earth sometimes—same vibe.
"But can't you eat regular food?"
"We recover wounds and mana through bloodsucking... But without it, we weaken over time."
So bloodsucking is essential.
...No big issue. Fine by me.
"...If it's not enough, other rewards too..."
"I'll take 'em."
Hey, take what you can get.
I stared at the new emblem on the back of my left hand, next to the demon crest: something like bat wings.
"I sensed magic, but a demon crest... And Diabolo's emblem too..."
Scarlett, who'd etched it on me, looked stunned. So what is this emblem...?
"Summon."
I awakened the magic in the crest. The wings distorted, and red mist rose from my hand.
The mist coalesced into a form.
"Squeak?"
"Oh."
A red-membrane bat appeared on my hand, waiting obediently for orders.
"It's a familiar. Bound to your crest, so it'll obey you now."
As Scarlett explained, I infused magic and will into it. The bat understood, grabbed a teacup from the table, and flew it over.
"Smart."
"It's weak, but it has its own ego."
She went on about its uses.
Familiars regenerate if magic remains after death. They can carry small objects like that cup. Being made of magic, they can channel spells too.
"You're human, so you probably won't use that last one. We vampires use them as mediums for blood magic."
"Hmm..."
Wonder if it works with [Illusion Magic]? Skipping for now with Scarlett here—test later.
Any other functions? Familiars usually conjure up certain images.
"No shared vision or anything?"
"Familiars don't have that innate. You'd need a 'Vision Share' spell, but... you're not a mage."
No dice? I hoped for a flying scout drone... Wait. 'Vision Share' spell?
'I have something similar.'
I excused myself from Scarlett and sent the familiar flying farther away. Focusing on the crest, I read the magic flow.
'I feel it...'
The link between me and the familiar. Back during the promotion exam, I realized I could cast [Sensory Block] without line of sight.
And this is directly linked... Perfect.
'[Sensory Block]'
I blocked the familiar's senses—specifically 'vision.' A bit of mana drained; success.
Mana cost... Low. No resistance from the familiar? Great anyway.
[Sensory Block] applied. Next skill...
'[Sensory Transfer]'
The skill transfers blocked senses to another. Blocked sense: familiar's 'vision.' Target...
'Me.'
-[Sensory Transfer]
The moment the skill activated, intense dizziness hit, and I collapsed to the floor.
"Guh!"
"M-Mr. Ian? You okay? What happened...?"
"...Nah, just anemia acting up."
I brushed off Scarlett's worried apologies and checked my vision... Well, two 'visions' now? One mine, one... I smiled.
'This'll be useful.'