32 Second thing: Blood-sucking impulses. (1/2)

”I can't take it anymore, Master. We've got to go get Senri now!

Calm down, Nevilla. Calm down, Nevilla. It's ...... your bad habit to be so bloody.

Nevilla clenched her teeth as Epe scowled at her.

Ten days have passed since Senri's disappearance. Epe and his friends are still staying in the city of Engay.

The air is bad. Senri Sylvis had never been the most social of people, but his power and temperament had endeared him to his friends.

This is the first time I've ever seen such a thing.

The one with the worst expression is Nevira, who chose to have End executed by the sun.

Her eyes, which are usually bad, have become as swarthy as those of a wounded beast. The dark circles under her eyes indicate that she has been having nightmares and is unable to sleep.

There is a little more to Lefley, Thelma and the other third class knights, but all of them have a dark look in their eyes for Epee.

Lefley and the others are still third level knights. They have training and combat experience, but they have yet to experience war with the Dark One.

This is probably the first time they've seen their comrades kidnapped.

He is the leader of the third class of knights, Lefley said, as if he had made up his mind.

Master, I agree with you. That vampire is still low, but I don't trust him. That being was created by Horus Kamen. I don't think it's wise to just give him a report and do nothing about it. Shouldn't we at least send out a trace to ...... before the negative footprint left by that vampire disappears?

That's right!　Master, give me an order. I don't care if I'm alone, I'll bring Senri back!

Nevilla slaps the table hard and glares at Epe.

He is a third level knight, but his abilities are not weak. If you're a vampire, or even a lowly vampire, you'll have no problem sending him alone.

But Epe clasped his hands together and cast his gaze at Lufrey.

”............ Lufrey, sometimes it's important to wait. Senri is lost now. This is like my own plan.

”But, Master. I don't know what to do.　If he continues like this, he will be defeated by that vampire.

I'm afraid of losing. Are you worried about being eaten?　Lefley, is Senri that weak of a person for you?

It's ............

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea.

Senri had a soft spot for him, but he was stronger than that. He tended to pursue ideals, but he had fought through many cunning demons in the past.

”I'm sorry, but as End said, what Senri needs is time to collect his thoughts. It's too early for us to make a move.

”But Master. But Master, aren't you being played by that vampire?　We don't even know how much of what he said was true.

Rather unusually, Lefley's words were passionate. For Lefley, who had been working for Epe long before Senri showed up, Senri was like a little sister to him.

Epe narrowed his eyes and gave his fellow apprentice his usual gentle smile.

............ Don't worry. I'm not sure what you mean by that. You can't defeat Senri with an end. Even if he were asleep, Senri's blessing would easily burn the vampire to the ground. The question is Senri's will. It's not wise to move before she's cooled down. Of course, we can't give her any more time, but if we go to help her now, Senri may cover for ...... End. Getting past Senri's guards is a much more difficult task than defeating a vampire.

Senri is kind and sensitive. But he's not the kind of guy who drags things out forever.

The apprentice was just too kind. If you're a Knight of the End and you're going to fight for a long time, you're going to have conflicts. Encountering a person with memories of his life at this time could be considered as a kind of test.

I think of End, the vampire in that strange situation.

To die once and be resurrected as an undead is too pathetic. He said he just wanted to survive, but his soul was already tainted.

The body is pulled by the soul. End must have been confident he could convince Senri. But he's too ignorant.

Sure, End is a pretty powerful vampire. Not in power, but in spirit.

It's not often that a lower level vampire retains so much of his human consciousness and sensibilities. Even Epe was surprised when he heard that he restrained himself from sucking the blood out of her at the first impulse (although End would have died if he had tried to do so). But...

Epe folded his hands, smiled a little self-mockingly, and muttered in a low voice.

Endo, a vampire's urge to suck blood is not something that can be endured easily. You'll soon become the demon Senri must defeat. You're already a monster.

§ § § §

My breathing becomes naturally ragged. Senri's head was within easy reach if I took a step forward and stretched out my hand.

I don't know why, but I could clearly feel the sweet, hot blood flowing beneath her white porcelain skin. If I listen closely, I can hear the sound of the heart, the blood flowing through Senri's body, and my head starts to burn.

Senri had lifted the blessing that he always wore. There was nothing to stop me now.

I would force her to the ground, sink my fangs into her neck, clamp down on her clawing limbs, and sip her hot blood.

That's what my vampire instincts are whispering to me. It was an irresistible temptation.

My fingertips, my flesh, trembled at Senri's sweet temptation. My heart quivered strongly, emitting a crushing pain.

I did my best to hold back the hand that was about to reach out and the body that was about to move.

I look at Senri's bare neck and turn my attention in another direction.

Vampires are undead that attack humans and sip their blood. They prefer the blood of the opposite s*x, mainly young and innocent, and will commit all manner of brutal acts to obtain it. And once they have sunk their fangs into the neck, in most cases they will not stop until they have sucked all the blood out.

In Lord's illustrated book on vampires, there was an entry on bloodsucking urges.

It is an instinct for vampires to suck human blood. By sucking blood, the demon stores up power and keeps its life. Even vampires who are smart enough to blend in with the human population sometimes attack people half-heartedly on impulse and their existence is exposed, so the impulse is said to be very strong.

I bit Senri ten days ago. I've refrained from sucking blood ever since.

The undead illustrated book was written from a human point of view, so it didn't go into details, but once I had sipped the blood of the best of them, I understood the strength of the urge to suck blood and why.

It was a transcendental experience. It was a transcendental experience. Not just metaphorically, but my body and soul trembled with pleasure, and even if I had died at that moment, I would have disappeared with a smile on my face.

It was half a miracle that I was able to stop myself from sucking out the blood.

I was able to stop it because I barely had any reason left, and I was able to stop it because I understood Senri's noble spirit, but I'm not sure I wouldn't have sucked out all the blood if it had been a stranger who didn't owe me anything.

I felt a dull pain in my palm. Blood trickled from my clenched hand, and for the first time I realized that I had clenched my hand so tightly that it broke through the skin.

Perhaps my eyes are bloodshot now.

When I was a Freshman, I was empty. I had no pain, no fatigue, no appetite. Desire is the will to live. If I had no memory of my life, I would have been just a doll.

When I became a ghoul, I gained an appetite and a sense of pain. And now as a lesser vampire, I can sleep.