"Pack your things, we’ll be going back now" Feilres’ voice pulled Zeres’ away from his daydreaming.

"Professor Ellysa must’ve been worried that we didn’t arrived yesterday"

"Well, we’re all fine so what’s the problem? " Aeliz yawned, her long white hair was still messy, on her hand rest a silver estoc.

"Then let’s go" Feilres smiled as he finished packing things in his leather bag.

Zeres yawned while following behind them, hands inside his coat pocket, he haven’t gotten a good sleep. Or he did not want to, the sensation he felt that night was so vivid, he was fully awake and also not on that time, he could feel something within him rose—slowly separating him from the humanity he had little left within him.

"You’re here" Saelyz said leaning on the entrance of the lodging, her gaze drifted between them before stopping briefly at Zeres, then she nodded.

Zeres tried to smile ’Did she saw something, or is she awake last night? ’ his fist clenched unconsciously, because if that was the case—he didn’t know what will happen next. Saelyz had always been an unpredictable character, even if she was the protagonist, he still didn’t know her fully as she only acts based on what will bring her benefit.

"Just where did you sleep yesterday? Your face is a mess"

"Hmm, let me see, you look like you’ve gotten more pale" Aeliz stepped in front of him, hands on her chin as she thoroughly observed him.

"I don’t need much sleep" Zeres said quietly, his gaze then drifted back to Saelyz—she, was staring at his hands.

His whole body went cold, because beneath the gloves he wore, there were still the traces of him losing control.

_________

Saelyz stared at him for a moment, Zeres was the only vampire she knew, and he wasn’t sleeping with them on the lodgings, her gaze then went up on his face; there was something different about him, something she couldn’t quite place.

Their travel continued normally, except for Zeres being silent the whole time.

___________

Several days had passed since the expedition, and Zeres was quietly staring at the longsword resting on his hands. "Do I really need this? " just bringing a sword with him was already hard, but the problem is he sucked at using it—he had only relied on his speed in every fight he came across to.

"I should just probably hide it, I’ll be using my claws for now" the longsword’s blade gleamed as it reflected his face, somehow, he felt that his eyes had grown more crimson.

"Just what was that Assimilation percentage? Is it me being drowned in a vampire’s nature?" He sighed, the main story hadn’t even began yet but he already have many problems. He twirled his finger slightly, then a drop of blood hovered before it.

"Good, I’m slowly getting use to using spells" he smiled softly, using a spell here wasn’t easy, it required one to have knowledge about the origin of runes etched in every magic circle—it was only thanks to the body he now inhabit that he know some spells.

He stood up, went in front of the massive mirror before him, he stared at his reflection. Long white hair cascading down his back, and a blood crimson eyes. "My eyes became darker" he whispered, his voice trembling faintly as he lifted his lips—his sharp canines appeared.

"Am I slowly becoming a vampire even in emotions?" He tried to smile—but the usual softness wasn’t there, instead, a playfulness and a hint of hunger appeared.

"Huh, what the fuck is this? " he stared seriously at the mirror, his face doving inches closer, he had seen something, then he tilted his head—and there, he saw it. His ears have become sharp, vastly different from that of a human.

"Fuck, now it’s painfully obvious I’m not a human" he cursed, his gaze drifting around him, his senses have become extremely sharp—he could even hear clearly the heartbeat of his own neighbor.

"I should just go"

The sound of door creaking open echoed as Zeres stepped out of his dorm, he planned to go to the Library.

Arriving in front of the counter, a man was sleeping, his dishelved brown hair faintly trembled as his head slightly bobbed up and down.

Zeres stared at the man, then he slid his ID quietly.

"Mister, I’ll be using the ground floor for freshmens" he said loudly, the man’s head snapped instantly at the sound, his body jolted as he grabbed his ID frantically. He glanced around, his expression was grim, before he breathed a relief.

"Section A to Section E are the only available ones, the one in section F-H are books that you’ll have to pay with credits." He said, though he was already making his own coffee.

Zeres nodded quietly, then he walked towards the Section-A "It’s all basic knowledge" he muttered, then he pulled out some books

[Basic Wind Magic Spells]

[Basic Water Magic Spells]

[Basic Blood Magic Spells]

[Intermediate Blood Magic Spells]

[Basic Dark Magic Spells]

"I’ll have to learn this spells, though I’m strong—I’m still no different to an empty shell" he uttered to himself. It will be hard to give a proper performance on the practical Evaluation that will come if he doesn’t know even one spell.

Zeres arrived at Section- C "I hope it’s here" he whispered as he entered, he saw the signboard at the entrance, it was about History and Culture—his main reason of heading to the Library. The entirety of the Library was Divided into Sections—each one has importance that all students needed, and it was arranged neatly.

His gaze drifted on the books from one another, carefully scanning the titles, then he stopped on the left uppermost corner.

[Origin of Vampires]

[Blood History Between the Human Empire and the Vampires]

"There it is" he smiled softly, pulling the book, his eyes squinted—the book was covered with dust.

"Figured, nobody would be interested on these anyways" he dusted it off using the clean white clothe resting on a table.

"Is it still to early? " Glancing around, he was the only student that can be seen. "Haha, I somehow feel like a diligent student" laughing at himself, he sat down on a corner table.

____________

Time passed quickly as Zeres finished reading the Books about Magic spells, he put it down quietly, then his gaze darted at the two old-looking leather book before him.

"I need to know this badly" he mumbled, his voice echoed faintly across the silent Library.

[Origin of Vampires]

• The Vampires are creatures that lived long enough to witness the rise and fall of nations, they’re a race filled with Mystery, their physical prowess rivaled that of the Barbarian and upon further research done by the Alchemist, Vampire’s speed is the best among all creatures.

"Research? Don’t tell me the human Alchemist actually kidnapped a vampire just to dissect them?" His brow furrowed as he continued reading, he now have an opinion on what happened between the vampires and humans in history.

•Upon further research, vampires were conclude as bloodthirsty beings, they will lose their sense of self when they witnessed a blood; and it was also proven that they’re slightly weakened during day.

Zeres continued to read until he arrived at the last page, still no trace or a lead about sanguines or vampires who have a sharp ears.

"This is getting out of hand" he sighed, ruffling his long white hair, he glanced at the last book inviting him like a tasty last dessert. "Now, time to know why the church is against all vampires" he picked it up, then began skimming it.

"What the heck? " he shook the book strongly, the pages made a sound as he skimmed it again—Only one sentence was there.

• The Truce was breach by the Church first•••

"What does this even mean? " he crosses his arms as he scoffed, the leather book had so many pages—only for it to contain just one sentence.

"Tsk, I’ll just head on a secluded park" he hissed as he went to put all the books to their original places.

A faint sizzle of mana "Hmm, is this it? " Zeres stared at the red magic circle hovering before his palms.

"So it’s just a combination of Binding, Restricting and Confusion Runes? " he scratched his cheeks, it was indeed basic. He had made the magic spell structurally, he first understood the meaning behind the runes, and then connect it. But it seems to be called a Basic spell because it indeed is easy.

[Blood Chains]

It was a spell that relies on surprise attack, it can also hinder the concentration of the enemy to deploy spells—so it was quite useful for him.

"Let’s practice more spell then" he beamed, though the achievement was small, it was still a success.

____________

"Thank you for the lecture professor" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"As you all know, the Practical Evaluation will begin next week" professor Ellysa’s voice echoed inside the silent classroom.

Zeres brow twitched, he was already confused to what was going on with his body, now he’ll be invited for more duels in the Practical Evaluation. He already knows it, he knows it full well that among all the students of Class-A, he was the only one without a background—and that will be the reason he will become the target of Duel invitation next week.