The vampire race, being closely tied to humanity, often spoke human languages fluently. After observing the silent figure for a moment, Aino finally broke the silence.

“How much is this?” she asked, pointing to the purple container holding the essence of blood.

The man remained motionless under his dark cloak, exuding an eerie and oppressive aura. From the moment Aino approached, he had sat there like a statue, completely still.

“1,000 Sol coins,” he replied, his voice raspy and lifeless, matching his ominous appearance.

Aino couldn’t help but think that this man resembled the brooding, gray-profile protagonists often used as avatars by internet users.

However, any vampire capable of acquiring progenitor-level blood essence must have had considerable influence and resources. The fact that he was now reduced to selling it so miserably suggested that he could no longer afford to keep it.

Priceless treasures often became liabilities, inviting disaster if one lacked the strength to protect them.

Aino stood quietly, observing him while subtly activating her magical detection.

He was moderately powerful, his bloodline sufficiently pure—barely touching the threshold of being considered "strong." Yet his body bore numerous scars, both old and new, along with... a magical mark?

This was a highly advanced spell etched onto the vampire’s body. Not only did it slowly drain his life force, but it also made his whereabouts visible to other vampires.

Most intriguingly, the mark was linked to the blood essence. It seemed to have been triggered when he came into contact with it.

A life of fleeing, being hunted, fighting to survive, only to flee again—this had clearly been his reality for years. Now, he had been driven to the point of selling the blood essence just to alleviate his suffering.

But would giving up something he had sacrificed so much for truly free him? The mark remained, and anyone seeking the blood essence would inevitably target him again.

Piecing this together, Aino remained silent for so long that the vampire beneath the cloak furrowed his brow.

Finally, she reached a decision.

“I don’t have much money. Let’s arrange another form of payment.”

Fernando de Cula, hearing this, raised his head for the first time, casting a glance at the "human girl" before him.

If not for her pointing at the blood essence, he might have dismissed her as one of those frivolous noble daughters prone to mischief.

What an odd coincidence. But his time was running out.

He had already spent over ten days in this city, enjoying its strict laws that prohibited much of the chaos he had endured elsewhere. If possible, he would have liked to settle down here.

Yet now was the moment to gamble. In these later stages of his escape, he no longer sought to refine the blood essence. His only desire was to transfer both the essence and its mark to someone else, so he could live the remainder of his days in peace.

Forget bloodline purification or eternal fame—those dreams weren’t meant for him.

As long as the blood essence remained unrefined, the mark could not be removed. But transferring it? That was simple. All he needed was someone willing to accept it—someone like this naive young girl.

“You don’t need money,” Fernando said slowly. “But if you want this, you’ll need to accept the magic required to transfer it.”

Letting a stranger cast a spell on you was inherently risky, but Fernando knew that anyone who could sense the essence’s value yet remained ignorant of its details would find this offer hard to resist.

After all, the transfer magic seemed harmless enough—it only made one perpetually visible to high-level vampires.

Sure enough, the black-haired girl nodded without hesitation.

Standing up, Fernando swept his cloak dramatically as he packed away the other bottles and gestured for her to follow.
“This isn’t the place for it. Come with me.”

Aino followed silently, her steps obedient.

“So hungry... That thing smells incredible...” she muttered to herself, her body seemingly vibrating with anticipation. Every cell within her felt as though it was contracting, and the rest of the world blurred into insignificance. Only the blood essence grew more vivid in her senses.

Fernando’s choice of a stall location was deliberate, but his path to a secluded spot was even more calculated. After weaving through several alleys, they arrived at a deserted area.

He appeared calm, but his heart raced with suppressed excitement.

Once the girl held the blood essence and accepted his spell, the cursed mark would finally leave him. All he needed to do then was escape the city and reclaim his freedom.

He couldn’t afford to mess up now. Suppressing his glee, he ensured his demeanor remained composed, so as not to arouse suspicion.

Unbeknownst to him, his companion was even more impatient than he was.

The first step was to pass her the blood essence. Aino eagerly took the bottle, clutching it with near-reverent greed.

The second step was to cast the transfer spell. Having rehearsed it countless times, Fernando executed it flawlessly.

The third step was for her to accept the magic. Without hesitation, Aino lowered her magical defenses, allowing the transfer to complete.

It worked.

Fernando scanned himself with magic, confirming that the mark which had tormented him for six or seven years was gone. He burst into unrestrained laughter, his voice echoing with relief.

“Farewell, prison,” he murmured to himself.

His freedom was finally within reach. But he wasn’t safe yet—many vampires had likely already set their sights on Grantham. He needed to flee as soon as possible.

As for the unlucky girl who had inherited the mark... Fernando silently wished her good luck. Maybe next time, she’d be more cautious.

Meanwhile, Aino, unable to contain herself, waited only for Fernando’s laughter to subside before tipping the bottle back and drinking the blood essence in a single gulp.

“...?” Fernando froze, watching in shock.

In his mind, she was likely a young mage, highly attuned to magical energies and able to recognize the essence’s extraordinary properties, hence her desire for it.

But good heavens—she just drank it raw?

Proper vampires needed to carefully extract and refine progenitor blood essence in a secure location, a process that took months. Even he, a high-level vampire over a century old, couldn’t fully refine it without ample time.

Swallowing it whole would almost certainly result in death by combustion. Progenitor blood essence was no trifling matter.

Yet the black-haired girl only furrowed her brows for a moment before opening her eyes. Fernando, standing nearby, felt an overwhelming shift in her aura and instinctively took several steps back.

Her long black hair stirred without wind, her slit pupils glowed crimson, and her entire presence became that of a feral beast emerging from hell.

She wasn’t releasing her magic, but in the brief moment when her restraints loosened, Fernando felt as though he were facing a mountain—a mere drop of water swept into the vastness of the ocean.

With a bitter smile, he realized how foolish he had been.

No wonder she had fixated on the blood essence. No wonder she had followed him so fearlessly and accepted the transfer spell without hesitation.

To swallow and instantly refine progenitor blood essence—what kind of monster was she?

Now that she had absorbed it, she would surely notice the mark he had tricked her into accepting.

Would she demand an explanation? Or would she simply eliminate him?

Judging by the suffocating aura she exuded, Fernando doubted she was the type to negotiate.

From one predator to another, he could only think: Out of the wolf’s den and into the dragon’s lair.