Volume 9, Chapter 29 – Let’s Exchange Blood!

Soon, the two arrived at the upper level of the spire. Unlike the open environment of the middle level, the upper level was arranged like hotel rooms, with several rooms of various sizes. The top floor of the spire was originally used to imprison criminals, but it had now been converted by the Divine Religion into a place for academy teachers to handle various affairs. Along the way, they could see many plainly dressed students and instructors. Everyone who saw Lin would proactively greet her with respect.

“Do you come here often, Lin?”

Even if the Hero’s name was renowned, it wasn’t normal for everyone to recognize her. Just like how commoners knew to respect the king, but might not recognize him if he actually stood before them. If Lin didn’t come here often, it would be impossible for everyone to know her.

“Yes, often. Besides things like what happened earlier, I occasionally serve as an instructor alongside Red and Purple. When I don’t have orders from the Gospel, I usually come here.”

‘Things like what happened earlier’ must refer to turning the dying into undead. Yisi remembered the question she wanted to ask initially. She placed her palm on the hollow pillar beside her. The entire spire was built around this pillar, but not only did it take up too much space, it was also hollow. It felt less like a pipe and more like an independent space within the spire.

“Do you know why this pillar is hollow, Lin? Although it’s well disguised, I can sense some unusual magic circuits inside.”

Lin paused abruptly for a moment, then looked resigned.

“I guessed Yisi would see through it, but I didn’t expect it to be so fast. Yes, just as you said, it’s hollow inside. But it’s not a secret room or anything like that. It’s this spire’s final defense. You must find it strange, Yisi, why those children, about the same age as you, would want to become undead, right? Everyone who comes here to study knows that, to avoid being completely helpless after a magical attack, the pillar in the center of the spire contains a large number of undead who were originally members of the Divine Religion. People who live here also voluntarily become undead before they die, serving as a final resort in critical moments. Of course, I’m the same.”

“If you were to die too, wouldn’t this academy—no, the entire Divine Religion—lose its meaning? You’re the Hero.”

“No, Gran was right about one thing. The Gospel didn’t explicitly state that I am the Hero. So even if I meet with misfortune, the church will choose a new Hero, and I will become the guardian of this land.” Lin’s expression turned strange. “I don’t know if you noticed, Yisi, but the first time I took you to see Atwood, there was an undead in that shaft whose level exceeded sixty.”

“Eh, was there such a thing?”

Although she said that, Yisi had actually discovered this undead long ago through her [Omniscient Map].

Lin’s pace gradually slowed.

“That was the old Pope who turned into an undead in the dead city. At first, when Atwood arbitrarily invited you to the main hall, I didn’t trust you. I worried you would steal the Gospel. So, just in case, I specifically took you to the most heavily guarded shaft. But looking back now, it was unnecessary. I hope I can have your forgiveness, Yisi.”

“You didn’t need to specifically say it… If I were in your shoes, I would have done the same.”

Actually, what Yisi wanted to say more was, “Then why do you trust me now?” But asking that was too direct; it was better to keep it to herself.

Under Lin’s guidance, the two entered a small room just large enough for four people to eat separately. Lin placed the two wooden lunch boxes open on the table.

“This is a place specifically for academy personnel to eat while discussing important matters. The room is very soundproof, so you don’t have to worry about being overheard.”

Hearing that it was soundproof, Yisi felt a baseless surge of nervousness, but her attention was quickly drawn to the lunch Lin had made. Just as Yisi had imagined, the box contained a large number of rice balls wrapped in seaweed. Besides those, there was tempura made with shrimp and okra. The golden-brown exterior, combined with the aroma of vegetable oil, made Yisi’s mouth water. It was quite an exquisite meal.

Lin placed her hands on her knees, her shoulders slightly hunched inward, looking very bashful.

“It’s nothing special, please bear with it…”

“How can you say it’s nothing special? It looks delicious just by looking at it! Did you come up with these dishes yourself, Lin?”

“No… When I was still in the coastal city, the people there often made this kind of food. I never ate it when I was little, so when I had the means, I wanted to try it once. Gradually, I learned how.”

She can replicate it without ever having eaten it? Is she a natural cook?

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Although she had recreated sashimi and rice balls before, she had never tried making sushi. Yisi took out the chopsticks she hadn’t had a chance to use in a long time from her storage and looked at Lin expectantly.

“May I eat?”

“Yes, of course… What is that?” Noticing the black dipping dish Yisi brought out from storage, Lin leaned forward slightly and sniffed gently. “It has a strange fragrance. Is it a condiment?”

“It’s something called soy sauce. In my hometown, it’s customary to dip tempura in some soy sauce for flavor before eating.”

The hometown she referred to was Earth. In the quasi-utopian era, the concept of nations no longer existed.

Hearing this for the first time, Lin’s eyes widened slightly.

“I see. This is the first time I’ve heard of this. May I try this ‘soy sauce’?”

“Yes, but you might not be used to it the first time. I didn’t expect the central continent to not have soy sauce. It’s quite common in the Hels Kingdom.”

Additionally, Yisi noticed something interesting. She had initially assumed that since Lin could make Japanese food, she would use utensils like chopsticks. But Lin had brought out forks instead.

Even if the food is the same, the utensils aren’t necessarily.

Yisi couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. She had thought she might find a Japanese-style country in this other world.

After putting the soy-sauce-dipped tempura into her mouth and chewing a few times, Lin, at a speed that surprised Yisi, quickly speared a second piece, dipped it again, and put it in her mouth. Just from her widened eyes and swallowing motions, it was clear Lin found the soy-sauce-dipped tempura extremely delicious. After trying several pieces in succession, Lin shifted her attention to the seaweed-wrapped rice balls. Without hesitation, she dunked an entire rice ball into the soy sauce.

Yisi instantly looked like she’d seen a ghost.

Can you really eat something like that?

However, the reality was that Lin, after eating the rice ball dripping with soy sauce, not only didn’t cry out in agony but her purplish-blue eyes burst forth with a starlike brilliance.

“Can this really be called just ‘soy sauce’!? It’s clearly a condiment blessed by the Goddess! An originally plain, tasteless food becomes delicious just by adding a little of this! Your hometown is amazing, Yisi!”

No, no, forget the praise, don’t you find the soy sauce bitter?

After voicing her question, Yisi received an answer that made her feel sympathetic.

Lin shyly tucked her black hair behind her ear.

“How should I put this… Because I have dragon and monster blood, food that tastes great to normal people often tastes very bland to me. It’s just that usually, besides salt, it’s hard to come by other seasonings. So, after tasting a novel flavor like soy sauce today, I forgot to hide it…”

In other words, even when eating bland food, Lin usually just went along with others, saying it was delicious. Yisi couldn’t help but look at the rice balls in front of her. If she wasn’t mistaken, they must contain a lethal amount of salt, maybe even filled with pure salt.

I’d better not fight Lin for the food.

With a sunny smile bright enough to break through clouds, Yisi kindly pushed the lunch box towards Lin, then took out a bamboo tube filled with soy sauce from her storage.

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“I’ll leave these all to you, Lin.”

“Aren’t you eating, Yisi?”

“No, I’m Blood Clan. As long as I have blood, I’m fine.”

As she spoke, Yisi took out a test tube filled with blood and swirled it, then uncorked it and slowly drank it as if savoring tea.

However, this action made Lin, who had been devouring the soy sauce, freeze completely. Her eating movements slowed, replaced by a feeling as if she were suppressing something. Her hands pressed tightly onto the table, her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and her gaze fixed intently on Yisi’s pulsing throat. Her eyes gradually shifted from purplish-blue to a vivid red, as if about to drip blood, and her breathing grew heavy.

It felt like being targeted by a predator.

A chill ran down Yisi’s spine, prompting her to turn her gaze towards Lin. Noticing the abnormality, she tilted her head slightly.

She was familiar with this reaction—it was the blood frenzy unique to the Blood Clan. Lin’s race entry didn’t mention Blood Clan. Recalling the tube of red liquid—blood—she had seen in Lin’s bedroom, Yisi tentatively offered the remaining half-tube of blood to Lin.

“Lin… do you want some?”

“Yes.”

Her voice was raspy. Before Yisi could respond, Lin snatched the test tube from her hand and poured the remaining blood down her throat. In just a few breaths, Lin’s heavy breathing gradually calmed, her eyes returned to their original purplish-blue. She licked the corner of her mouth with her tongue and then let out a long sigh.

“…Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?”

“I think you’ll tell me.”

“Now you’ve made it so I have to say something…” Rubbing her forehead in exasperation, Lin put down the fork she had been gripping tightly. Noticing it was bent from her grip, she quickly hid it away in embarrassment. “This is also due to my monster bloodline. After tasting blood, I get an urge for it. Gore didn’t deceive you; I lose my reason when I see blood.”

“But weren’t you completely fine in front of those injured people earlier?”

Honestly, Lin had startled her. It was just that she knew Lin still had her reason just now. Otherwise, her first reaction wouldn’t have been to tilt her head and ask, but to rush over, restrain Lin, and use magic to dispel negative emotions.

A bitter smile appeared on Lin’s face.

“That’s because I usually apply magic to numb my sense of taste. I dispel it before every meal. I didn’t expect you to suddenly take out blood. No, as a vampire, that’s perfectly normal, isn’t it? It was my oversight.”

“Do you also need to replenish blood?”

“Yes. Although not with every meal like the Blood Clan, at least once a day. And during a full moon, just tasting blood makes me feel like a wild beast, unable to resist the urge to tear something apart. When I was studying at the academy, I spent half my time resisting the urge for blood. At the very beginning, I would go berserk just seeing it.”

Although it was a pitiable situation, Lin recounted it with a wry smile and a remarkably light tone, as if it were long past.

“I see…”

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The conversation fell silent for a moment.

Then, a completely random thought popped into Yisi’s head.

Would Lin’s blood taste good?

Since she’s half-dragon, maybe it has a unique flavor?

Formulating a plan in her mind, Yisi sat up slightly straighter, full of curiosity and anticipation, and said with feigned seriousness, “Have you ever tasted your own blood, Lin?”

“Yes. But that was after accidentally bumping into something. When I saw the blood flowing, I couldn’t help but wonder what it tasted like.”

“I see, I see. What about the taste? Does different blood taste the same?”

“No. Although my sense isn’t as keen as a Blood Clan member’s, I can taste slight differences. For example, wolf and slime blood taste sour, while vulture blood is bitter. Only human blood is somewhat sweet.”

Being able to normally consume monster blood sounds even more advanced than the Blood Clan.

Yisi couldn’t help but feel envious. Apart from slime blood, she couldn’t taste monster blood at all. Whether it was ice wolves or any other monster—she had even tried the small bats Pepe summoned—the result was invariably an indescribable, completely unpalatable, strange taste. It was either like burnt tires or swallowing paint. The moment it entered her mouth, her tongue would feel numb, unable even to speak.

Yisi continued to advance her plan.

“Umm, what about Blood Clan blood? Have you tried it?”

Looking thoughtful, Lin frowned.

“Blood Clan… Not yet. I usually choose monster blood. I don’t know healing magic, and my appearance is terrifying. No one would agree to give me blood.”

“Would you like to try?”

“I could, but where would I find a Blood Clan member…” Halfway through, Lin’s words caught in her throat. She saw Yisi looking at her with sparkling eyes, or rather, with a look of desire, as if wanting to devour her whole. Subconsciously shrinking back, Lin answered hesitantly, “You wouldn’t be thinking of giving me your blood, would you, Yisi…? I don’t have anything valuable enough to satisfy you.”

If I were someone with stunning beauty like Camilla or Loiswell, I might think Yisi was after my body. But I’m not the kind of girl whose beauty makes people stop and stare. Although Yisi said I was cute earlier, that must have just been flattering words, Lin guessed.

In Lin’s mind, if she were beautiful enough, agreeing to Yisi’s request wouldn’t be a problem. Of course, this didn’t mean Lin was attracted to Yisi. Rather, Lin had always harbored a deep sense of inferiority about her appearance. Although she had imagined being with a human she liked, her monstrous features dictated that no human man would ever willingly approach her. Therefore, Lin had always believed she would never have the chance to experience such things in her life. If what Yisi wanted was truly her, then she would actually be the one benefiting; perhaps she should even offer Yisi some gold coins as compensation.

Yisi quickly waved her hands, leaning forward excitedly, her eyes fixed on Lin’s face. Recalling what Tiffany had told her, Lin couldn’t help but start imagining some unrealistic scenarios.

Unfortunately, Yisi quickly shattered Lin’s fantasy.

“No, no, no, how could you not have anything valuable? You need blood, and I need blood, so we can exchange blood with each other. Wouldn’t that be fair?”

“Eh? Just that? Just blood is okay?” Feeling relieved but also a little disappointed, Lin cleared her throat, adjusted her emotions, and continued, “The blood of a monster flows in my veins; it definitely won’t taste good. What if it upsets your stomach—”

“How could it! The healthier and cuter the beautiful girl, the better her blood tastes! This is life experience I summarized after spending a great deal of time!”

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Placing both hands on the table, Yisi shot up in excitement.

Damn it, I forgot to ask Sandra and Tina for their blood earlier!

“Just blood as payment, is that really okay…?”

Overwhelmed by Yisi’s intensity, Lin hesitated. According to Yisi’s ‘the cuter, the tastier’ theory, her blood would probably make Yisi spit it out immediately. Although she was already aware of this, actually seeing her blood spat out would probably leave her feeling down for days.

“No problem! In fact, let’s exchange right now! [Pierce], [Magic Blade].”

Simultaneously applying defense-breaking magic and blade-condensing magic to her fingertip, an excited Yisi decisively cut her left palm. At a speed Lin couldn’t follow, she instantly produced two glass cups from storage, placed them on the table, and let her blood drip into them. Then, with her free right hand, she grabbed the empty cup and half-forcedly pushed it in front of Lin.

“Come on! Pour your blood into this! Leave the healing to me! I’ll absolutely restore you instantly! No, even exchanging blood at a two-to-one ratio is fine! Let’s start!”

“Ah… Uh… I… I understand… I’ll do it…”

Completely overwhelmed, Lin, looking flustered, mimicked Yisi, timidly making a small cut on her palm with a knife.

Blood quickly filled the two glasses.

Sunlight reflected off the intoxicatingly bright red liquid in the cups. The sweet, metallic scent made both of them swallow repeatedly.

“…Is this okay?”

“Yes! Perfect, even! Here’s a high-grade recovery potion. Pour it on your wound, Lin. Well then, don’t mind if I do!”

As if afraid Lin would change her mind, Yisi placed two bottles of high-grade recovery potion and her own blood in front of Lin, then quickly took Lin’s blood back. First, she sniffed it, then her eyes took on the shape of someone captivated by deliciousness.

I can feel it. The taste of this blood will definitely be extraordinary.

At the same time, Lin, whose bloodlust had been stirred by the aroma of blood midway through, also subconsciously raised her glass. Although her rationality told her she should be marveling at Yisi’s extravagance in producing two bottles of high-grade recovery potion at once, her emotions kept her fixated on the swirling red liquid in the cup. The sweet, metallic smell was like alcohol, making her feel dizzy and unable to think clearly.

She looked up at Yisi, who was tilting her head back, savoring her blood. Watching someone else drink what originally belonged to her stirred indescribably complex feelings. But the thought that she could also taste Yisi’s blood made Lin swallow again. Finally, no longer suppressing the craving in her chest, she took a deep breath of the intoxicating aroma of Yisi’s blood, then tilted the glass and took the first sip.

“…Don’t mind if I do either.”

—BOOM!

The moment the blood spread across her tongue, she heard something explode in her mind.

After that, a sharp pain, like an electric current, shot through every cell in her body via her nerves. All the powers within her that didn’t belong were awakened at this moment. An indescribable sense of euphoria surged through every muscle. Her body felt weightless, adrift, as if floating among the clouds.

But this euphoric feeling lasted only an instant.

Before Lin could even moan in pleasure from the comfort flooding her body, a tremendous pain, like being slammed by a wave hundreds of meters high, instantly spread from her chest to her fingertips, threatening to tear her body apart. The moment she felt it, the searing pain and tearing sensation originating from her soul caused Lin to lose consciousness.