Volume 1, Chapter 31 – The Second Method of Obtaining Blood

“Taking blood from servants isn’t entirely out of the question, but it’s not a sustainable long-term solution.”

After all, donating blood would leave them unable to perform physical labor for a long time, and servants had to engage in such work daily. If they were seriously harmed as a result, it would go against her original intentions. Yisi absolutely refused to become a capitalist pig exploiting laborers.

“Buying slaves… probably wouldn’t work. Even if I bought them, I couldn’t bring them back to the mansion, and releasing them after taking their blood would be too wasteful.”

Unless they were disabled, slaves were priced in silver coins at the very least. The Ymir Theocracy gold coins she had obtained from the merchant Nix numbered fewer than fifteen—1 gold coin = 10 silver coins = 100 copper coins. After her expenses in the shopping district, she had less than ten gold coins left. Although gold coins in this otherworld were incredibly valuable—ten gold coins could cover a year’s living expenses for a family of three—they were still something she’d have to ask the merchant for more of once spent, so it was wiser to use them sparingly.

“Aside from the black market, is there nowhere else I can directly exchange money for blood…?”

“The slums might meet your needs, Onee-sama. As long as you have money, the people there are willing to do anything.”

That felt too much like taking advantage of others’ desperation. Yisi frowned.

Perhaps sensing her discomfort, Camilla hesitated before continuing, “A brothel might fit the criteria? Most prostitutes are women desperate for money to buy their freedom. If they could earn money just by providing blood, I think they’d welcome your visit—assuming you don’t find their blood… unclean.”

“A brothel, huh…”

She had been ready to refuse outright, but the words died in her throat. Of course, Yisi wasn’t disgusted—it was more a natural sense of embarrassment.

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Now that she thought about it, she had once considered visiting a place with older women to test her sexual orientation…

Yisi gulped. To say she wasn’t tempted would be a lie. But the problem was Camilla standing right in front of her—her nominal younger sister. Saying something like “I’m going to a brothel” to Camilla felt unbearably awkward. Maybe Camilla wouldn’t find it strange at all, but others’ thoughts and Yisi’s own were two different things.

In the end, Yisi could only cough awkwardly twice.

“Let’s go back. I need to sleep.”

“Yes, Onee-sama.”

◇

And then Yisi found herself standing in front of a brightly lit, three-story building filled with older women.

Her claim about sleeping had been a lie. Once she entered her bedroom, she swiftly locked the door, wrapped herself in a black hooded cloak, and left the mansion using teleportation magic.

“Gulp.”

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Even though she had covered herself completely with black veils and the cloak, Yisi still felt as if countless eyes were watching her. She instinctively shrank into a dark street corner, observing the flow of people entering and exiting the brothel.

—Revealingly dressed women continuously beckoned to passersby, some even enthusiastically throwing their arms around men’s shoulders and dragging them inside.

Of course, there were also men who walked straight in. Not just commoners, but even well-dressed individuals who looked like wealthy merchants or nobles came and went. Most of the men wore smiles, with only a rare few appearing as hesitant as Yisi, their movements timid and heads bowed low as if afraid of being recognized. Those types were usually with friends, half-resisting as their companions pulled them inside.

“Not just men… but women too?”

Though rare, Yisi also spotted women dressed like noble ladies entering the brothel, where they were greeted by groups of neatly dressed men. This establishment’s range of services was far broader than she had imagined.

“No, no, now’s not the time to dwell on that. My goal is blood, definitely not… that kind of thing.”

In that case, she should just walk in confidently and properly.

Yisi took a deep breath, stowed the paper bag she was carrying into her storage-like magic inventory—it contained gifts she had prepared for the prostitutes. The reason she had prepared gifts was purely based on her past experience: when meeting someone for the first time, bringing a small present often gave her an advantage in conversation. Even though all she wanted was blood, she would inevitably have to talk to the women. Moreover, to convince them to trust a vampire, she needed to show sincerity.

She removed her veil, lowered her hood, straightened her clothes, and made sure nothing about her appearance was improper. Then, doing her best to appear composed, she walked step by step toward the brothel.

Maybe the cold, aloof demeanor of the Count’s eldest daughter was meant for moments like this.

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Yisi couldn’t help but laugh bitterly in her heart.

The moment she stepped inside, a middle-aged woman with heavy makeup and a strong perfume scent rushed toward her.

“Ohhh! Welcome, dear guest! Whatever you desire, we have it—there’s nothing we can’t provide—uh.”

For some reason, the moment the woman saw Yisi’s face, she let out a sound like a strangled rooster. Her eyes darted around a few times before she regained her composure and continued with an ingratiating smile.

“What would you like, Miss Pe—ahem, I mean, what would you like, dear guest?”

Thankfully, she didn’t immediately ask which man Yisi wanted. Yisi sighed in relief internally, only to immediately fall into another dilemma—this was her first time in such a place. What was she supposed to say?

As if sensing her awkwardness, the woman took a step closer and subtly gave her a look that said, I know what you’re here for, then spoke up.

“Please follow me, dear guest.”

Yisi nodded slightly, silently accepting the woman’s lead, and followed the slightly plump figure into the noisy, tobacco-scented interior of the brothel.

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The people inside the brothel were generally low-level, so safety wasn’t a concern. The only thing that bothered Yisi was the vampires hiding in the brothel’s basement. It was bizarre that five vampires were lurking in a place like this.

They’re probably slaves captured to cater to clients with… unique tastes.

A pang of sympathy rose in Yisi’s heart.

After passing through a long, downward-sloping corridor, the two arrived at a secluded yet lavishly decorated room. Rather than a place for… that kind of activity, it looked more like an office for someone of high status, such as the owner.

“Dear guest, we’ve arrived. The person you wish to meet is inside.”

No need to phrase it so blatantly…

Waving her hand to dismiss the woman, Yisi pretended to be familiar with the process and pushed the door open. All she had to do now was present the gifts, quietly explain her intentions to the prostitute inside, and ask for blood.

However—

“We are overjoyed to see you safe and well, Master.”

The room didn’t contain just one woman. Inside, five beautiful young women stood waiting—and all of them were kneeling on one knee, greeting Yisi with utmost reverence.