CHAPTER 29: MORNING AFTER THE STORM

A night passed as swiftly as it came, and my heavy eyes finally surrendered, dragging my exhausted body into a deep sleep. That night, I dreamed of a distant land where rivers ran gold beneath the sunlight, their surfaces glimmering like molten metal. The grass there was so vividly green that even the bright blue sky seemed pale beside it. In the heart of towering mountains crowned with snow stood a castle. It was neither grand nor humble, just large enough to shelter a small royal family.

I saw a girl, perhaps three years old, maybe a little older. She cradled a woman’s severed head in her tiny arms. When her crimson eyes lifted to meet mine, warmth swept across my skin like sunlight after winter. The breeze stirred the leaves in a gentle dance, and the scent of fresh dew filled my lungs, washing away the fatigue I hadn’t realized I carried. My eyes snapped open to find the same sunlight spilling through the tall trees above me, its glow painting the forest in shades of gold.

Is it morning already? I wondered, staying still for a while, breathing in the calm that followed the storm. Yesterday’s events played in my mind like an old film looping endlessly. The chirping of birds eased my thoughts and reminded me of nature’s quiet beauty. Sometimes it was hard to believe any of this was happening inside a book. I found myself wondering whether the worlds authors create might truly exist somewhere in the vast threads of a multiverse, if imagination itself could give birth to reality. Perhaps even my previous life had been someone’s creation, a story dreamt into existence. A foolish thought, maybe...

I turned my head to the side. Elira was still asleep, her breathing slow and peaceful, while my little hamster rested on her thighs, softly snoring. Strange, really, to think that just a few days ago, it hadn’t even existed in this world.

I rose to my feet, my whole body drowning in exhaustion. Every muscle ached so badly that for a moment, I wanted nothing more than to lie still and let the world move without me. But there was no such luxury. We had to flee somewhere far, somewhere Hera could not reach, somewhere I could begin to untangle the puzzle and piece everything together, little by little. The problem was, I knew of no such place, not from where I was.

I remembered hearing that somewhere in the west lay a vast empire, a place where humans ruled above all other races. It was dangerous to go there, yet the faint trace of humanity still pulsing in my heart, mixed with the thirst gnawing at me from within, made the decision feel inevitable. I would go west. Still, I had to wait for Elira. After everything that had happened, I couldn’t abandon her.

Confusion lingered in my heart. I didn’t understand these feelings. Or hers. Her actions so far had been reckless, foolish even. At one point, a strange thought crossed my mind: what if my bite had bound her, turned her into some sort of slave? Was that why she always put me first? But no, it couldn’t be. I’d never heard of a vampire capable of that, not even one of pure blood. More likely, what held her to me was something far more human: a scar from childhood, a wound so deep that following a monster like me had somehow become her way to cope.

I stretched my body, a sharp series of cracks echoing from my joints and making my brow twitch. I was only eighteen in this body, yet everything sounded like it belonged to an old man. It spoke volumes of the strain this vessel had endured during the battle.

Step by step, my weary feet carried me toward the edge of the forest until the trees thinned, revealing vast open fields bathed in wind. My hair fluttered with the breeze as I muttered, "Where are my acupuncture needles?"

I patted myself down, only to realize I must have left them behind, most likely still stuck in Arthur’s poor body. I sighed. I should’ve been more careful with my weapons; they were far too easy to lose. A thought crossed my mind then. Perhaps the system could help me retrieve them somehow. After all, it was a tool far greater than I yet understood, one I had only begun to grasp.

My mind responded to instinct, willing the system window to unfold before me.

[Name - {Beatrice Vermelion}]

[Race - {Vampire}]

[Age - {18}]

[Class - {Blood Surgeon (Lvl 2)}]

[Titles: {Demon Slayer I} {Beast Hunter I} {Blood Surgeon} {Savior of the Enemy}]

[Combat Level - {20}]

[Stats:]

[Strength - {56}]

[Magic - {54}]

[Mana - {58}]

[Mana Regeneration - {51}]

[Agility - {55}]

[Body Regeneration- {78}]

[Mind Defense - {50}]

[Combat Enhancement - {52}]

[Traits: {Gourmet’s Tongue}]

[Skills - {Healing Touch} {Shadow Step} {Surgeon’s Scalpel} {Crimson Stillness}]

[Weapon - {Crimson Acupuncture Needles} (Missing)]

[Summon - {LVL 5 Beelzebub} (Mythic)]

"Wow..." The word slipped out before I could stop it. I had leveled up far more than I realized during the fight, too caught up in chaos to notice that my combat level had already reached twenty. With stats like these, I could be considered a promising newcomer in the wider world. One where seasoned warriors stood at the front lines, fighting demons in endless war. I wasn’t anywhere near the top yet, but one day, I’d surpass them all.

Leaning my head against the rough bark of a tree, I let my shoulder rest against it too, eyes drifting toward the (Missing) sign next to my weapons. I tapped it, hoping for something, but the system window stayed unresponsive. Nothing. I sighed. Maybe I’d have to wait until I saw John again, or worse...

A disturbing thought crawled into my mind, turning my stomach. Would I have to dig up Arthur’s corpse just to retrieve the needles? To desecrate that poor boy’s rest for a set of weapons? That would make me a truly awful human being.

"What a pain..." I muttered under my breath. The day had barely begun, yet it was already piling on needless stress. Just as I gave up hope, a sudden flash drew my eyes as the system message blinked alive, its glow sparking a faint thrill inside me.