Chapter 139

No mage in this world can make a dragon their servant.

At best, the limit is becoming a rival.

Therefore, the fact that they mistakenly believe Monastrell is my underling also implies they don’t know her true identity…that she’s actually a dragon.

Well, Monastrell’s identity only gets revealed in a unique event you encounter on a specific route in Candela of Judgment, so there’s no way they could know.

To take advantage of this information gap, I decided to bluff a little.

“If I hand over Monastrell, what can you offer me in return?”

Not knowing that I neither meant it nor considered it remotely possible, Trisha replied with a subtle look of anticipation.

“A privilege only we can enjoy. Eternal life, eternal vitality, and eternal time to indulge in magic and truth to your heart’s content.”

She was basically saying they’d bite my neck and turn me into a vampire.

“I’ve been entertaining your ridiculous offers for a while now, and frankly, it’s exhausting. Don’t make me angry, vampire.”

Trisha furrowed her brows.

She seemed either troubled or perhaps a bit offended.

“You misunderstand, Professor. What the Lord is offering you isn’t some low-grade vampire’s blood you could pick up in ten seconds under Karaf. It’s the essence of blood…a gift only a Vampire Lord can bestow, and one that only three in the world possess.

Have you ever considered how much greater you could become as a First One?”

A First One is a rank in the vampire hierarchy.

Their system resembles a family tree.

Who you received your blood from who turned you into a vampire determines your social standing more than anything else.

The Vampire Lord was born a vampire.

Then come the First Ones, who were turned directly by the Lord.

Those turned by First Ones are known as Elder Bloods, and so on.

Their bloodline hierarchy extends downward like a pyramid.

Raising her hand, Trisha gazed ecstatically at the vein visible on her wrist and continued speaking.

“You wouldn’t understand unless you’ve experienced it yourself. You begin to see things you couldn’t see before and touch things you couldn’t touch. In terms of magical capability alone… it feels like becoming four times more powerful. And the longer time goes on, the bigger the gap becomes.”

“I said I don’t need it.”

As someone deeply familiar with the original game, I had deliberately tried becoming a vampire before.

The various talent boosts and stat enhancements were certainly an enticing lure.

But for the current Winter Winslet, it wasn’t even worth considering.

If anything, I was in a rush. I didn’t have the luxury to sit around for a thousand years researching magic like those guys.

No matter how resilient a vampire may be, if a stake pierces their heart, they die. That’s just how it works.

In other words, their weakness is the heart and Winter Winslet suffers from a mysterious heart condition.

Even if I became a vampire, instead of enjoying near-immortality, I might drop dead at any moment.

Seeing that I wasn’t particularly moved, Trisha stepped back a little.

“I can’t say I agree with your decision, Professor… but the Lord said that if you refused, he would propose something else.”

“Let’s hear just how grand this offer is supposed to be.”

“We intend to bestow upon you the title of Prince within our bloodline.”

Prince. That’s the rank directly beneath the Lord.

In other words, Keith D’Alembert was saying he would recognize me as the second-in-command within his entire bloodline.

It’s a position that would allow me to issue commands to all other vampires except the Lord himself and those commands would carry absolute authority.

Even the Trisha standing before me would have to obey if I ordered her to die.

Or if I told her to go sunbathing on a scenic beach, she’d stay there until she turned to ash.

By normal standards, it was an unprecedented privilege bestowed not to one of their own, but to an outsider who wasn’t even a vampire.

They may not know Monastrell’s true identity, but at the very least, they seem to recognize her power and value to some extent.

“Also, I, Trisha, the First One of Lord Belagor and a 7th-class mage, will be gifted to you as your personal servant, Professor.”

“Lord Belagor? Is that Keith D’Alembert’s true name?”

“That’s correct.”

It was surprising enough that the vampire lord so fond of looking down on humans had told me his true name.

But what really caught me off guard was learning that the Trisha standing before me was a 7th-class mage.

Turns out, a much bigger shot had been hiding in the academy than I thought.

A 7th-class mage is the kind of person who could wipe out an entire city before lunch, after having breakfast.

She was on the same level as Winter Winslet before I possessed him.

When we first met and she pulled that trick with her Mystic Eye, I thought she had a death wish. But I guess she had her reasons.

“You must be pretty good at hiding your presence.”

“Well, I am just an ordinary dorm supervisor, after all.”

“Heh. Even a passing dog would laugh at that.”

Trisha bowed her head even more politely.

“If you’re still unsure, Professor, you may try out the privileges of a Prince once before making your final decision.

The Lord has granted that exception.”

In other words, they were offering me a one-time use of the Prince’s authority.

Not only had they laid their hand on the table, but thanks to Monastrell, I was getting a free VIP trial too.

Truly, life is full of surprises if you live long enough.

“Through our spread-out vassals, you could manipulate the Laurencia nobility as you please.

Or you could infect someone you like or dislike and turn them into a slave who follows your every command. Alternatively, you could just make use of my 7th-class magic skills wherever you need them.”

No matter how I used it, there was nothing for me to lose, so I gladly accepted Keith D’Alembert’s generous offer.

“Fine. Whether or not I hand over Monastrell… I’ll decide after seeing what you’re capable of.”

“Thank you, my Prince.”

Trisha already began laying on the flattery.

Oddly enough, I didn’t find it unpleasant.

“That aside…”

“Looks like someone’s coming?”

Trisha and I simultaneously sensed the presence of another mage.

I had chosen the print shop as the meeting place because I didn’t expect anyone to come here.

Yet, someone had gone out of their way to find this exact spot.

And it wasn’t just anyone. It was a mage cloaked in a magical field.

I soon found out who it was.

“Ah! Isn’t that the professor?”

“And next to him… Ms. Trisha? Wearing all those layers in this heat. She clearly doesn’t want anyone to know her identity.”

“Then the two of them really are in that kind of relationship…”

The now strangely familiar trio of first-years had shown up again.

At this point, it was suspicious.

Do they only tail me when I’m meeting with Trisha?

***

Jacqueline, having caught Professor Winslet and Ms. Trisha in a secret rendezvous, naturally expected to get scolded.

But Professor Winslet only let out a sigh and, annoyed, simply shooed the three of them away.

He didn’t even bring up the fact that they had been snooping around a near off-limits area.

“He was clearly flustered because he got caught in a compromising situation with the dorm supervisor.”

Jacqueline’s explanation was met with a shrug from Rita.

“Hmm… I don’t know. The atmosphere between those two didn’t feel like that kind of thing.”

Shannon remained silent, saying nothing.

In any case, the three of them were able to use the shortcut as planned and entered the library more quickly and easily than the rest.

Jacqueline looked around in awe.

“Wow, Rita was right. There were so many people at the entrance, but it’s actually quiet once you’re inside.”

“It’s going to fill up soon too. Let’s hurry and register for a spot at the front desk.”

As they made their way to the library lobby’s information desk, they spotted a familiar face.

Jacqueline called out first.

“Oh! Senior Luke!”

“It’s you guys.”

Leaning casually on the information desk with both arms, as if waiting for someone, Luke recognized them and greeted them lightly.

He had a faint smile on his face, but for some reason, Jacqueline felt a heaviness in her chest.

Because she remembered that Luke Rousseau held a deep grudge against Professor Winslet and was leading a secret anti-Winslet group within the academy called the “Winter Winslet Victims’ Club”.

Jacqueline spoke up.

“Senior, do you have a moment?”

Luke glanced down at the textbooks the three of them were holding and gave a small smile.

“You have something you’re stuck on? I feel like that glasses friend next to you could probably explain most of it just fine.”

Rita was, after all, already well known among the upperclassmen as a top student.

But Jacqueline’s reason for speaking to Luke Rousseau was something else entirely.

She believed he had misunderstood Professor Winslet’s true nature and she wanted to clear up that misunderstanding through a proper conversation.

“I just have something I wanted to let you know.”

“Go ahead, tell me anything.”

“Well, not here…”

“So it’s something you can’t bring up in front of others?”

“Yes. It’s personal.”

“Then today won’t work, I’m afraid. I’ve got an appointment coming up. Ah, there they are now.”

Following Luke’s gesture, they turned to see a librarian walking toward them.

It was one of the higher-ranking staff members, someone students rarely encountered directly.

Jacqueline gave a quiet nod of understanding.

“Then please find some time later.”

“Sure. If it’s later… anytime.”

Luke Rousseau wore his usual gentle smile.

No…today, he even seemed to be in a better mood than usual.

But for some reason, Jacqueline felt a strange sense of foreboding behind that smile.

“Huh… Maybe I’m just seeing things because it’s exam season.”

“Hmm? What did you say?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Come on, Jacqueline. We’ve got over 200 pages of review to get through.”

“Ugh, I should’ve kept up with my studying…”

However, there was no use regretting it now.

Jacqueline slapped both her cheeks lightly, bracing herself with renewed determination.

***

Clack.

Following the librarian’s guidance, Luke Rousseau stepped into the inspection room.

He was there to return a book he had borrowed from the restricted archive about a month earlier.

For books from the restricted archive, a condition check upon return was mandatory.

If any damage such as tears or stains was found, the borrower would be held responsible.

Wearing a magnifying glass over one eye, the archive librarian examined the book from every angle.

Only after a long inspection did he confirm that the book Luke Rousseau was returning, “The Enigmatic Death Recipes of Inguilaria”, was in the exact same condition as when it had been checked out.

The librarian gave a small smile.

“The book is in perfect condition. Just fill out the form over there and you’re done.”

“Thank you.”

“Did your research turn out well?”

“Yes. I’ve completed a masterpiece. And it’s all thanks to you.”

“That’s rewarding to hear. Come borrow something again if you need anything next time.”

“Yes. Assuming… there is a next time.”

On his way back from the library, Luke Rousseau took a small vial from inside his coat and held it up to the sunlight.

A clear green liquid shimmered lightly inside.

This was the masterpiece he had prepared for Professor Winslet.