Zeres closed his eyes, he could feel the poison slowly getting expelled as he sucked more blood.

’It’s probably because she’s this world’s protagonist, her blood was rich with mana’

"Thanks" Zeres smiled as he stood up, dusting the dirt on his clothes, he asked "Do you know where to meet each other once our side is complete? "

"You’re really not paying attention aren’t you? " Saelyz brow creased "It’s on the center, at the essence crystal." After saying that, she stared at her arms for a moment, there were two miniature crimson stars etched on her skin.

’What’s this? ’ she stared at her wrist far longer than normal, her golden eyes squinting.

"Is there a problem? " Zeres asked, his long white hair fluttered on his back while he stuck his tongue out to lick the blood on his mouth.

’Somehow, he looked like a pervert’ Saelyz stared at him for a moment, then she looked away, it felt oddly strange seeing someone value her own blood "Nothing."

Silence drifted on the surroundings as they walked side by side, neither talking to each other unless necessary.

’She’s really timid, just like in the novel’ Zeres felt relieved that somehow, the attitudes of the characters he knew were still there. ’But why did she give me her blood that easily?’

"I’m curious about one thing" Zeres’ thoughts immediately disappeared as soon as he heard her reserved voice. "What is it? " he asked.

"Why did you study here in Lunaire? it seems that you’re aware what’s the relationship between the church and vampires"

Zeres halted his steps for a moment, because, she was right—he had no reasons to reside in an empire where they despised his kind, and he absolutely have no business with the plot. Whether the characters he knew survived or not, it wasn’t his business.

’Am I missing something? Is someone manipulating me? ’ countless absurd thoughts formed inside his own head—because it was really suspicious, it was suspicious that he decided to reside in the empire of humans, his true nature wasn’t like that—he was a selfish man even back from earth.

Saelyz stopped in her tracks, glancing back, she saw Zeres’ posture had stiffened "It’s fine even if you don’t answer it" she said softly.

"I just want to see someone one more time" Zeres’ mouth opened. But his whole body went numb, he wasn’t the one that said that, there was someone residing in the same body with him!

’What is happening? ’ his body went cold, sweat formed in his back as he tried to calm himself down. The voice—it sounded genuine, as if longing for something.

Saelyz scanned him for a moment, then she turned her head away "I see" she just nodded, then they resumed walking until they arrived at the center, the massive essence crystal hovered midair, it gleamed quietly under the blue moonlight.

_____________

The rotten stench of Forsakens lingered in the air like damp corpses left beneath the rain.

Settling on a smooth boulder, he stared at the moon "System, you know something right? " Zeres mumbled, his voice barely audible. ’As expected’ he smiled bitterly, the system had been quiet since he left Lilith, it has lost its sentience.

After moments of silence, they finally heard footsteps.

"What the, I thought I was first" Aeliz clicked her tounge, her long white hair styled fluttered on the cold wind, her sapphire-like eyes gleamed under the moonlight as her gaze drifted towards the two of them.

They just stared at her, clearly not planning on responding

"Hey Zeres, what rank of forsaken have you encountered? " Aeliz asked, already settling beside him.

"Hollows" He replied, his voice low as his mind drifted at what happened on his own body. ’Did the original Zeres really died or not? ’ the thought unsettled him—but there was no better answer than that.

’I’ll probably learn of it somehow’ he shook his head as he let his mind relax.

"Too bad this Blightland only appeared yesterday" she said, her lips pouted while she gazed at the moon.

"The earlier it’s been dealt with, the better" Saelyz said quietly, her gaze distant as she settled on a nearby boulder.

Zeres’ stare lingered on her for a moment, he knows the reason why Saelyz hated the Forsakens.

Well, she’s not wrong, Hollows—though the second weakest of the Forsakens, they’re still a threat. Not being able to feel fear and pain was already troublesome, but the most annoying is that they can’t be stopped without destroying their essence or separating it in their body.

"Well, it look’s like they’re all done" Aeliz said, staring at the place where footsteps echoed.

Professor Clark appeared, Feilres and the other behind him.

"Professor, you can’t just interfere in my fight like that" Vairel complained, his brow was creased and his cheeks slightly swollen.

"That will take a long time if I were to wait for you to finish it" Professor Clark said, his voice stern as he stepped in front of the hovering essence crystal.

Staring at Professor Clark who stood before the crystal, Zeres stood up, hands in his pockets as he stood beside his classmates.

"After we destroy this Blightlands, we’ll call the church to make this land more stable—it is already a shame that a Blightlands appeared near the capital." Professor Clark said while shifting his stance, then he swung his axe. The crystal made a shrieking sound, countless voices screamed before it was severed into two.

"Professor, what will happen if a Blightland weren’t taken care of in a month or even longer? " Haslien asked, her long black hair cascaded down her back, eyes like emerald gleamed under the moonlight.

"A Dreadspawn or something stronger will appear"

"I see" She nodded, then her head turned at the surroundings "It’s already night, will we head straight at the Academy? " she asked.

"I won’t be able to accompany you students, I have business with the Royal Knights" He said, hanging his massive axe on his back.

"Shall we stay at a lodgings? " Feilres suggested, everyone then nodded—it was quite taxing to travel from the outskirts then to the lunaire Academy.

"Stay safe then, as it’s weekend tommorow, you all can spend your day leisurely" professor Clark said, then wrote something on a yellow parchment—after that, he summoned a pigeon to deliver his letter.

"We’ll stay at a lodgings, but you should first disguise your self Prince, you’re tired conspicuous" Vairel said quietly, then he passed Feilres a cloak.

"Ahh, right, sorry for the trouble" He smiled as he took the robe from Vairel’s hand.

"Are you fine with that Helize? " Feilres asked, everyone’s head turned at Helize who just quietly followed them. She nodded, her long violet hair fluttered on her back, amethyst like eyes that looked drowsy.

"Then let’s go"

__________

"Lodgings, for seven people" Zeres slid in a pouch of Haven coins towards the fat woman behind the counter.

"We only have three rooms with two beds each" the fat woman replied, still wiping the wooden mugs with a white cloth.

"Is that so? Should we find another one? " Vairel said, going back at the group waiting for the both of them. "No need" Zeres muttered "I can sleep outside, no more lodgings have a space at this time" he continued, then slid in the pouch of coins.

"Good choice young lad, 7 Haven coins for today" the woman smiled before giving three keys at him.

"Take it, tell them I wandered around the streets for a moment" Zeres tossed him the three keys, then he headed outside. It wasn’t a problem for him, his body even barely need sleep, he just did it cause of his hobbies as a human.

"You should at least tell them, it would look like I pushed it on you if I’m the one to say it to them" Vairel scratched his cheeks, his gaze drifting at the group sitting on the corner.

’How troublesome’ Zeres sighed quietly as he made his way to the group. "Go on, the lodgings had been rented out—they have three, decide who you’ll be taking a room with" he sat down, then ordered a cup of Linte Wine.

"Then see you all tomorrow" Helize grabbed one key, then she dragged Aeliz with her upstairs.

"We’ll go now Zeres, thank you" Feilres smiled softly at him before he too went upstairs.

’Huh? Are they misunderstanding something? ’ he tilted his head slightly, then he noticed there were still some of them sitting on the table.

"Why aren’t you going with the boys? Don’t tell me you’d go with us? " Haslien joked, her gaze lingering on the wooden mug zeres had in his hands.

Seeing this, Zeres smiled, his head resting on his palm "Just tell me if you’d like a taste, I’ll treat you" he teased as he purposely let the scent of wine spread around them.

"Well, can I? " She said, her head glancing at Saelyz for a moment. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Why are you even asking me, I’m not your mother" Saelyz sighed, then she stared at Zeres "I’d also like to have one"