Fear.

It was the first emotion the girl felt upon realizing her transformation.

When had it begun?

The moment she stopped longing for the world outside the shadows?

The moment she no longer craved the warmth and softness of white bread?

It felt as though a gaping hole had been torn through her soul.

The girl had forgotten how to desire.

But she had found something new to yearn for.

Blood.

An orphaned girl, without home, parents, or guardian, she was ignorant and uneducated.

Still, she knew it was strange to find comfort in darkness rather than in the light.

She knew it was strange to crave red blood over white bread.

She ran from her new desire.

But it was not a long escape.

Freed from hunger and want, the girl was like a blossoming flower in the darkness.

All sorts of vermin swarmed to claim her.

Hands that once stole her food and shelter now reached for her.

Pathetic.

That was the girl’s first reaction to the desires of the adults she had once feared.

She realized something.

The absence of desire was not a curse, but a blessing.

Her new hunger was a sign of her inherent superiority.

She commanded.

They obeyed.

Naturally, the relationship between master and servant formed among them.

Amid the chaos of the slums, the pure white girl walked out with grace.

Hungry.

The scent of blood filled the air behind her.

But that wouldn’t do.

Dignity must follow where rank demands it.

The girl no longer feared her desires.

She now understood what they meant.

“I’m special.”

“I’m special.”

What kind of dignity is fitting for someone as special as her?

How should she act to fully enjoy that privilege?

There was a time when she pondered such questions.

Restraint was the answer she had arrived at.

She remembered the nobles, gorging on meat with greasy hands, their eyes clouded as they sought women and drink.

How ugly they looked, ruled by their desires.

If she pursued blood and power recklessly, how would she be any different from those beasts?

She never wanted others to see her like that.

She was honest about her desires, but she made sure not to be consumed by them.

“My lady, that might be a bit difficult…”

She held back the urge to completely strip her servants of their will.

“I’m sorry… I’ve just been so tired lately…”

She restrained her desire to fully satisfy her thirst for blood.

It was an effort to maintain her dignity as a superior being.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

But the truth was different.

She was not as special as she thought.

She was just a girl.

A girl who no longer felt lacking—

A girl who could now indulge in what she wanted—

A girl from the slums, who never had a home, parents, or friends.

Her twisted play-pretend seemed like it would continue forever.

But the girl didn’t realize how strong desire truly was.

And there were no adults around her to guide her onto the right path.

Still…

There was a family living in harmony.

She received all the love of that family.

There was a lovely girl living there.

...And she received all the love of the people.

The sky, shaped as if molded by someone’s hand, was red, and night and day no longer held meaning.

The city was silent and eerie.

As soon as one entered the gates, tall poles standing all over the city came into view.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Liquid dripped from the things hanging at the tops of the poles, soaking the city streets and flowing somewhere.

The hero followed the trail of liquid down the street.

He arrived at a mansion deep within the city.

As he opened the door, a flood of dark red liquid poured out.

Something hidden within the liquid revealed itself.

It was a mountain.

A mountain of flesh, piled up from countless bodies.

At the peak of that mountain, a pure white girl lay naked.

The scarlet and the pure white seemed utterly incompatible, yet they harmonized perfectly.

The pure white girl woke from her slumber.

She smiled, an innocent—yet ominous—smile.

"This can't be happening... This is impossible... My powers... reduced to this..."

I’m well aware of how volatile the emotions of teenagers can be during their rebellious phase. After all, I used to be one myself. Actually, I went through that phase twice.

Is there anyone else out there who’s gone through adolescence twice like me? I felt like I deserved to be ranked number one in the teenage angst category.

Perhaps, because of that, I could already guess the cause behind Fien’s emotional outburst.

“Fien. Don’t be too upset.”

I looked her in the eye as she sat on the ground, mumbling in a daze.

“There are plenty of other men out there besides me.”

The infamous pain of heartbreak.

“What kind of nonsense is this...!!!”

Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Fien collapsed and began to sob uncontrollably.

Emotional overflow, as one might call it.

My words must have touched the depths of her soul, breaking open the tightly locked door to her emotions. Gently, I began to pat her back.

“Go ahead, cry. Cry as much as you need to. That’s how we all grow up.”

“My, my power... all because of some man like you...!!!”

...Well.

I guess I’ve teased her enough for now.

The little fledgling who had been following me around.

The emotionally unstable young lady who kept acting out.

Which one was the real Fien?

It’s probably the latter.

I lightly tapped Fien’s back, signaling her to explain.

“Hey! Step away from the lady!”

That’s when Galant’s shout rang out.

“...!”

I froze, like a criminal caught in the act.

It couldn’t be helped—after all, Galant was Fien’s protector.

What if Fien decided to switch back to her timid, bird-like persona and make me look like the villain?

Then, I’d be facing a lot more than just a stern glare and a few intimidating punches.

Just as I was wondering how to defuse the situation—

“...Wait.”

Galant’s reaction was strange.

“Are you... Lishir, of the Vendel family? What are you doing here...?”

It was as if he had completely forgotten how he got here with us. On top of that, he was prioritizing me over Fien, who was lying on the ground.

A small spark of realization hit me.

Fien’s bizarre behavior.

Galant’s strange actions.

There was definitely some kind of connection between the two of them.

Acting on that hunch, I spoke.

“The young lady seemed to be having some difficulty standing, so I was simply offering her my help.”

“...Is that so?”

Galant still looked suspicious, but he didn’t seem convinced.

That look confirmed it.

Right now, Galant couldn’t recognize Fien.

It was clear. If that weren’t the case, he would have already drawn his sword and gone after me by now.

Now the question was: how would Fien respond?

“...He’s telling the truth.”

To my surprise, Fien backed up my story, even requesting my support to stand up.

We both exchanged a few short words with Galant as we stood up.

Though he seemed unconvinced by the strange atmosphere between us, Galant eventually accepted it and left us alone.

The situation seemed to have settled for now.

But my curiosity only deepened.

What in the world had just happened?

The harmless, bird-like Fien suddenly turned into someone completely different.

And Galant, who usually doted on her, suddenly acted like he didn’t even know who she was.

“This, this...!”

“Hm?”

Fien’s trembling voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“I helped you just now, didn’t I?!”

“Helped?”

“Of course I did! I could have put you in a difficult spot, but I helped you instead, right?!”

It was an abrupt outburst, but I understood what she was getting at.

“If you put it that way, yes, that’s true.”

“!!!”

As soon as I acknowledged it, Fien’s face, which had been filled with anxiety, brightened up.

“Then—”

“But you know, it’s a bit like a thief telling their victim to be grateful because they only stole their money instead of killing them.”

“Th-that’s not...! What I mean is...!”

Fien floundered for a moment, and then, all of a sudden, she pressed her body against me.

“L-Lishir, you don’t really hate me, do you?”

“Huh?”

“I know how beautiful I am. I know how much men like me. Do you know how often my servants marvel when they bathe me? They always say they’ve never seen skin as flawless as mine, that I must be so lucky.”

Fien’s delicate hand started stroking my arm.

Just moments ago, she had been grasping at me with obvious intentions. Her touch had been uncomfortably persistent.

But now, her touch was clumsy. Awkward. Hesitant.

Anyone could see it was Fien’s true hand at work.

It was the kind of touch that came from a pure, naive girl trying far too hard to seduce a man without understanding what she was doing.

The confidence and allure that had once radiated from Fien seemed to have vanished completely.

“If you want, Lishir... I’ll let you have me however you want...”

“Uh, no—”

“You should be honored!!!”

Fien interrupted, as if terrified of hearing my answer.

“There were so many men who would’ve killed for this chance...!”

She then touched my face in what was supposed to be a sensual manner.

“But I’ve never allowed any of them to get close. Do you understand? How special I am? How special this moment is?”

“...”

It was like watching a child pretending to be an adult, clumsily trying to act seductive. The situation, which had been uncomfortable a moment ago, was now unbearable in a different way.

“So, please...”

Fien closed her eyes tightly.

She puckered her lips.

Wait a minute. That’s... a fish-lip kiss.

Fien? That’s not how you do it.

You’re putting way too much pressure on your lips.

I was at a loss.

This wasn’t a kiss, and it wasn’t even a peck. This was... a child’s imitation of one.

With a heavy sense of guilt, I gently pushed Fien away.

Her face immediately reflected the shock she felt.

“Why...?”

“Fien. How about we wait until you’re a bit older before we get into a relationship?”

“What are you saying!? You’re only eighteen! I’m older than you!!!”

“Yeah, right. Should we switch and call you ‘older sister’ from now on?”

“You’re not even listening to me!!!”

Just as I was bantering with Fien, I heard a familiar voice.

“Lishir~ Weren’t you going home to rest?”

Standing outside the alley was my master, carrying a basket of bread.

“Oh, Master! I didn’t expect to see you again today. It feels like I’m enjoying a fresh morning twice in one day!”

“Oh dear~ Duran~ I was planning to scold Lishir thoroughly, but all my anger just vanished~”

“You’re hopeless. Maybe it’s time to give up teaching.”

“By the way—”

My master’s gaze shifted to Fien.

“Lishir, who is this young lady?”

“Ah. Allow me to introduce her. Remember I mentioned the arranged marriage? This is Fien, the one I’ll be marrying.”

“Oh my.”

Master’s expression hardened as she looked Fien up and down.

“So, did I just interrupt your private time together?”

“Well, actually—”

This was the perfect opportunity.

I told Master everything about what had just happened.

 

I explained everything to my master—the pure, innocent girl, the protector, and the bastard son, along with the strange events that had occurred between us.

“Hm... I think I understand what happened~”

Maybe it was just my imagination, but Master seemed unusually pleased as she listened to the story.

“As expected of you, Master. There’s nothing you don’t know.”

“Of course, of course~ Do you have any other questions, dear? Your master knows everything~”

“Well then, could you tell me my future?”

“Let me see... Oh my, who’s this? She looks like a half-blood, perhaps between a dark elf and a human?”

“Lishir, why don’t you just be straightforward and tell her everything? I don’t want to die of embarrassment on your behalf.”

At that, Fien flinched.

“Wh-what was that voice...?”

“Oh, Fien, don’t worry. It’s just an ordinary talking book.”

Fien’s gaze locked onto Duran, who was hanging from Master’s waist.

“A grimoire... that can speak so fluently?”

“He’s an extraordinary creation, born thanks to my master’s skills.”

“Extraordinary creation, my foot. You sure know how to tug at my heartstrings, Lishir.”

“...!”

Fien, utterly stunned, expressed her awe with her entire body. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.

“A m-monster...”

What an insult.

But anyway—

“A True Ancestor? Did you say True Ancestor, Duran?”

“Yes. From what I’ve gathered, your fiancée seems to be a True Ancestor.”

A True Ancestor. The term sounded familiar.

A vampire?

Yes, that was right. I remembered that a True Ancestor was a term used for a genuine vampire.

So Fien was a True Ancestor.

I was momentarily taken aback, but quickly accepted the revelation.

“A True Ancestor possesses a power that can captivate people. Most likely, this young lady used that power to stir up the trouble you experienced.”

Duran’s explanation made everything click into place.

“Is that true, Fien?”

“N-no, that’s not...”

“Fien~ Did you know~? A True Ancestor’s blood turns red when they deceive others~”

“Is that true, Master? What color is it normally, then?”

“When the church discovers a True Ancestor, they initiate an inquisition without question, and it doesn’t end until the True Ancestor is dead. It’s a well-known metaphor. Oh, and if it happens, Parmon might handle it better than the fanatics in the church.”

“I-I... Yes! Yes, you’re right!!!”

Under the combined pressure of Master and Duran, Fien turned pale and confessed everything.

“As for the strange behavior of that protector, Galant... it seems that this young lady’s powers were neutralized by your unique aura, Lishir.”

“Neutralized?”

Fien’s anxious eyes darted between us as she tried to grasp the meaning behind Duran’s words. Meanwhile, I turned back to my master with another question.

“Master, does this mean that Fien’s... her power to charm people has disappeared?”

“Well, judging by Galant’s reaction earlier, I’d say that’s about right.”

Master’s tone was strangely upbeat.

“To think that such a strange aura exists... neutralizing the powers of a True Ancestor.”

“Master, don’t you mean ‘restoration’ rather than ‘neutralization’...”

“No, no, this goes beyond simple restoration. This is something else entirely.”

“...”

“Wait a moment.”

Master grabbed my wrist.

“...”

Her usually cheerful expression faded into something more serious, something almost confused.

“Lishir, my dear student... have you been drinking any sort of elixir lately?”

---

▷ **Character 3: The Pure White Girl** has been deactivated.  
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