Chapter 3
Chapter 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 003
Chapter Title: Let's Become a Mage (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I'd come to university just to rack up attendance credits, but of course, I didn't have the luxury to actually pay attention in class.
"Kim Yohan."
"Yes."
Yohan sat in a quiet corner seat, raising his hand in response to the professor's roll call while mulling over his current predicament.
"........."
It wasn't like brooding would solve anything, but he couldn't just sit there with an empty mind. Yesterday had been too frightening and chaotic to think straight, but now he needed to investigate, even if it was something simple.
He glanced down at the Grimoire in his bag, where the Transparent Vampire lay dormant.
A question bubbled up in his mind.
It understands my words and moves on my signals, but we can't have a proper conversation. Is it really under control? What does it even want?
...Is it even a vampire to begin with?
Sure, vampires in legends could turn invisible, but this thing didn't match the aristocratic image from the tales at all.
Cautiously, he pulled out the Grimoire and opened it to the first page.
...Ninth Crusade. What year was that again?
A quick search on his smartphone brought up the info he needed.
The Ninth Crusade had ended in 1272.
And the aristocratic vampire image hadn't really taken off until after 1477, following the death of Vlad III of Wallachia, who was rumored to be a vampire.
Considering when the book was written, the vampires mentioned in Mysteries of Insects weren't the noble Dracula types—they were straight-up monsters that craved the blood and flesh of humans or beasts.
He learned there were terms like "strigoi" or "varcolac" for such creatures, but that wasn't crucial info.
Still, they shared the common weakness to sunlight and nocturnal habits, so they kinda fit the popular vampire trope.
But Abdul Alhazred? And what was this 'Invisible Monster'?
The name sounded Arabic.
It was depressing that he couldn't just laugh this off as some over-the-top medieval Grimoire lore for weebs.
Help me out, Google!
Another search turned up surprisingly familiar results.
Cthulhu Mythos.
A dark cosmic horror genre featuring godlike eldritch squids from beyond the stars, where puny humans get utterly toyed with by cosmic outer gods.
He'd never read the original myths or novels, but as a popular niche among enthusiasts, he'd picked up the basics from novels and comics.
Abdul Alhazred—Cthulhu Mythos character. Prophet of the outer gods and author of the original Al Azif, aka the Necronomicon. Devoured by an invisible monster in the streets of Damascus in broad daylight.
Reading about Abdul Alhazred's end, Yohan fell silent.
Eaten by his own summoned monster in the middle of the day... Super helpful info.
He closed the Grimoire and shoved it back in his bag.
He wished it had all been a dream. Philosophy majors already had enough headaches with future job prospects—now he had to live in constant terror, wondering when this transparent monster would devour him?
"........."
That's when the professor—the classic 'I'm the prof, bow to my authority' type with arrogance plastered on his face—glanced his way and suddenly raised his voice. Ever since that one clash over textbook buying, the guy always picked on him.
"Students without their major textbooks, hands up."
Yohan rolled his eyes, raised his hand. The professor lit into him like he'd been waiting for it.
"You're not elementary kids anymore—you're adults who can't even bring one required book to class. Pathetic, just pathetic. And these days, male students especially..."
If he didn't have it, he'd just listen without it. This wasn't grade school; it was university where he paid tuition. But since it was a major class prof, he kept his mouth shut.
Still, irritation bubbled up anyway.
The man from last night flashed in his mind.
Think good thoughts. Good thoughts.
The Transparent Vampire sleeping in the Grimoire came to mind. Even that thought ground to a halt.
Class would end soon. Time for lunch.
...And the moment he comforted himself like that.
Riiip—
The professor's throat tore open.
"-!?"
The culprit was, naturally, the Transparent Vampire, now emerged from the Grimoire in its true form.
Invisible to everyone else, it sank its teeth into the professor's neck and ripped.
Crunch—!
It happened so fast his eyes widened, staring blankly at the scene.
Thud—
The professor's head hit the floor, blood spraying everywhere. Unable to process it, but with the inevitable screams filling the lecture hall.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Yohan blended into the fleeing students, sprinting down the hall to the bathroom.
He crammed into a stall, clutching his head.
What the hell—why'd it kill again!? I was thinking good thoughts!
Step—
He glared at the Transparent Vampire that had followed him uninvited after pulling its stunt.
"Grrr..."
A dissatisfied growl rumbled from its mouth.
And then another sound—from its stomach.
Grrrrumble...
"What...?"
Idiot. So naive. He cursed his own stupidity.
"...Fuck."
Fantasy magic or not, monsters were living creatures. Of course it needed food. The thing was just hungry.
It hadn't finished its meal at the spot where it killed the man yesterday.
Because he'd fled, and as the Grimoire's owner, it had chased him.
Starving it out until now.
Then it read his lunch thought and started hunting.
But again, he'd bolted, interrupting the feast.
"........."
Abdul Alhazred's demise at the hands of his familiar resurfaced.
Steadying his trembling body, he stood, left the university immediately, and headed to a butcher shop. No time to waste.
Vampire. A monster craving blood and flesh.
Killing a person every mealtime was obviously out—murder, and way too conspicuous.
The man and professor were accidents, but feeding on people would make him an undeniable serial killer.
...That's the absolute last resort.
Unlike later vampire fiction fixated on human blood, early folklore didn't distinguish between humans and beasts.
He needed alternative meat.
So he grabbed pork, chicken—whatever was handy.
"Ugh—!"
His hand hesitated at the beef packs but...
He grabbed them anyway! He had part-time savings; it'd hold for now.
Trembling, he clutched bags stuffed with meat packs in both hands.
Back home, he dumped the meat into a large basin bowl and offered it to the Transparent Vampire.
"Please just eat this..."
"Gyaak?"
It sniffed the meat in the bowl, then turned its head like something was missing.
"Gyaa!"
You're a monster—don't be picky about sides!
His brows furrowed involuntarily.
Is plain meat not enough? Should I get blood sausage or something?
Blood packs were impossible to source legally. His own blood? No way—with this thing's size, he'd wither and die.
To calm down, he opened the fridge for water and spotted a milk carton.
In his panic, his brain sparked...
Not from some textbook, but a manga: milk was transformed blood.
Cow blood turned into milk.
Catholic texts even equated milk with blood in places.
He poured milk over the raw meat in the bowl.
Pale white blood and flesh.
Offering it again, the Transparent Vampire sniffed, then plunged its face in, devouring the milk-soaked meat!
Munch~ Munch~!
"Gyaaa~!"
It lifted its head, letting out a pleased cry toward him before polishing off the meat.
Like it was saying, 'Thanks for the meal.'
"Ha... haha..."
Laughter escaped—relief at surviving, or absurdity of it all.
"...Yeah, eat up. Enjoy it."
Fine. Face it. Real or not, he'd bought the Grimoire and become owner of this bizarre magical creature, the Transparent Vampire.
No going back to the life before yesterday's purchase.
Normalcy was off the table. Normal wouldn't keep him alive.
No more passively freaking out, fleeing, panicking.
Gripping the steel-bound book, it flipped open as if reading his will, revealing arcane knowledge.
Can't understand? Become someone who can.
He had to become a mage.
And a moment later.
He hurled the junk-heap Grimoire to the floor.
Clang—!
"No way! Planetary days!? Solomon's magic? Pentagrams? What's Ars Paulina!?"
His head spun from the medieval traditional magic setup.
"Where's Fireball! Chain Lightning!?"
Truth be told, denying he'd hoped for a fantasy archmage hurling fireballs from his hands would be a lie.