Chapter 137
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: Scene 137 Blood
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Remember this, Lian. You are human.
The first time Lian felt the thirst was when she was five years old.
While cooking, she saw the blood flowing from her mothers finger, cut by a kitchen knife, and an inexplicable desire welled up inside her.
Had the scent of blood ever been this intoxicating?
The blood trickling from her finger looked as sweet as the flesh of a pomegranate.
It wasnt until later that she learned it was called the thirst.
The moment Lian, entranced, brought her mouth toward the blood.
No!
Her mothers stern voice, one she had never heard before.
H-Hueeng.
Startled, Lian began to whimper.
Her kind mother, who always comforted her when she cried.
But the words from her mouth were not consolationthey were a sigh.
I cant hide it from you anymore.
Mommy?
That day, her mother taught Lian the truth.
That her father, whom she thought was dead, was aliveand that he was a demi-human, a vampire.
It was shocking enough to learn her father was alive, but accepting that he was a demi-human was even harder.
Mommy, am I am I not human?
Even as a child, she knew what would happen if word got out that she was a demi-human.
Trembling at the nightmare of a future that awaited, Lian was embraced by her mother.
Lian, if you want it, you can live as a human forever.
How?
As long as you dont drink blood, youll be fine.
Her mother emphasized it over and over.
Once you taste human blood, theres no going back to being human.
No matter how hard it gets, you have to endure. You can do it, right? Lian.
Yes.
Looking back, at that time, her mother wanted her to live as a human.
And Lian wanted the same.
She wanted to live as a human.
Yes, whats so hard about wanting to live as a human?
She just wanted things to stay the same.
Even if they werent well-off, laughing with her mother, falling asleep in her arms after crying herself outjust like those days.
She only wanted to live like that forever.
But that modest wish didnt last long.
When famine struck the village, everything changed.
...
The land dried up, famine began, and the villagers turned savage.
Ha, youve hoarded a ton, huh.
Please! Mister! Take everything else, just leave us some food!
Get lost! Be grateful Im not taking your lives too!
Please!
I said get lost!
L-Lian! No! Aaaah!
Lians home, with only two women living there, became the first target of the villagers turned bandits.
In despair, the village quickly grew brutal.
And when not a single blade of grass remained, the shadow of death fell over the village.
The first victim was Lians mother.
Mom! Pull yourself together!
Her mother lay on the bed, gaunt as a skeleton.
Barely managing to speak as her eyes lost focus.
Lian. Can Mommy ask you one last favor?
Lian swallowed her tears and lifted her head.
Her mother spoke in a cracking voice.
Will you. drink Mommys blood?
Then. you can live.
Lian understood what she meant.
Tears flowed uncontrollably.
I-I cant! I cant do it! We promised! Ill live like you! As a human!
Foolish child.
Her mother weakly shook her head.
Mommy just wants. you to live.
Her mother squeezed out her remaining strength to speak those words.
Truly worried for Lians future.
Even if youre not human, Lian. youre still my only daughter.
Nooo! Mommy! Dont go!
Lians mother closed her eyes like that.
And the next day, Lian left her hometown as if possessed, heading to a city free of famine.
The place where the now-alone Lian settled was the imperial capital, Luddrow.
She hadnt come to achieve anything.
She had come only to survive.
Just as her mother had begged her in her final moments.
Young, with no skills to her name, the only thing Lian could do there was steal.
She stole desperately to survive.
She stole as much as the life that had been stolen from her, and then some more.
How much time passed like that?
When she was caught by the security bureau, she had committed over a hundred thefts.
Im hungry.
Lian retraced her memories from behind bars.
It had been about ten days since her death sentence.
She couldnt even muster a hollow laugh anymore.
Of all things, death by starvation.
Wasnt this just like her mother?
So damn pathetic she wanted to say, but no voice came out.
She didnt even have the energy for that.
Her mind grew hazy from hunger.
By the tenth day, she probably wouldnt even have the strength to think.
And then shed die. Ahaha. Im screwed.
As Lian thought that, a low voice reached her.
Get up.
Lian shot to her feet without realizing it.
With more strength than she thought she had left.
It was a chilling voice.
A sensation like her heart being squeezed, making her body react on reflex.
Turning her head, she saw a stranger standing outside the bars.
The black-eared young noble.
The description fit him perfectly.
The man looked down at her with the arrogance of nobility.
What are you gonna do about it? she wanted to say, but again, no voice came.
Forcing herself up must have caused anemia.
Everything was hazy, yet strangely, his voice rang crystal clear.
Do you want to live?
Huh.
Or are you just hungry?
Duh! Cant you tell? Im fucking starving!
Then fight for me.
...What?
Lians eyes caught the mans hand gently gripping the iron bars.
At the same time, her nose detected it. His blood smeared there.
It was strange.
She had smelled blood plenty of times before.
But a scent this sweet? Not since her mothers.
A rich, thick aroma emanated from the bars where he had touched.
The droplet of blood flowing there felt like forbidden fruit.
Why am I like this?
The sensation Lian had suppressed for so long.
The faint thirst surged back.
Her instincts screamed.
Drink that blood. Now.
When she came to, Lians fingers were caressing the bars.
A cold droplet of blood stained them.
Do you want to live?
Lian mulled over the mans words as she opened her mouth.
As if that question even needed asking.
The moment she placed the bloodied finger on her tongue, the firmly locked bars swung open.
Youve prepared quite thoroughly.
That was my first impression.
In the center of the arena stood a massive chessboard.
Prisoners armed with weapons occupied each square on the stone-carved board.
Not only thatthey had all been given armor and weapons, properly equipped.
Hmph. What good is your preparation? Youve already lost.
Strange words. Ive been faithfully playing the game.
Shut up. If you have eyes, look at what youve chosen.
The emperor, lips pursed, pointed to the left side of the boardmy camp.
No, calling it a camp was a stretch.
I had chosen only one piece from the start.
And even that one paled in comparison to the emperors selections.
There stood a scrawny, ragged woman.
Without armor or weapon, she looked utterly defenseless.
She was more lively than when shed been in the cage, but something was off.
She kept anxiously scanning her surroundings.
Unexpected that she had the strength to stand, but she seems out of her mind. Is that mad wretch really your choice? Quite the eye you have.
Just sit back and watch.
Tch. Fine.
At the emperors signal, the imperial guard blew the trumpet.
-The game begins! The rules are simple! Victory to the side that topples the opponents pieces! No external interference from now on! Pawns, begin moving!
With the announcement signaling the start of the chess game, the emperors prisoners all advanced toward Lian.
Even in this kill-or-be-killed game, they moved with leisure.
Whoa, this is too easy, right?
Freedom for killing a little kid like that?
Its a won game anyway. Lets toy with her first.
Shes so skinny, probably not even worth eating.
Lian stood still as they closed in, trading their vulgar banter.
No. She was looking this way.
Staring right at me, sitting there.
Her bloodshot eyes fixed on me.
She must have instinctively recognized.
The owner of the blood she had just tasted.
Her first prey.
Finally, Lian took a step.
Toward.
Uh?
You crazy bitch! Where the hell are you going!
As expected, Lian headed straight for me.
The prisoners rushed her in response to the unexpected move.
Hey! You bitch! Didnt you hear me?
The first to block her path was a hulking brute.
A man who could tear someone apart barehanded swung his mace without hesitation.
The mace flew toward Lians leg with a sinister whoosh.
Everyone watching imagined her slender leg being crushed.
But.
Huh?
The prisoners, the imperial guard, and even the emperor beside me all had question marks floating in their heads.
The mace had vanished as if by magic.
Nothe mans upper body was gone entirely.
As if devoured by something sharp.
Crunch crunch.
Somewhere, the gruesome sound of bones and flesh being crushed echoed.
Thud.
Unable to bear the weight, the lower half toppled over.
The convulsing lower body on the ground was utterly grotesque.
No, so utterly unreal it left everyone speechless.
Uh...
Lian tilted her head.
Even then, my gaze never left her.
So I clearly saw the red blood dripping from her mouth.
Not tasty.