Chapter 95

It was another page from an old book that Kurt had once read.

Passing through the part about various human-friendly species like elves and dwarfs, and beyond the races like orcs and trolls that are not on good terms and are still not recognized as human species in some countries.

Finally, at the end, there was a story about a race that is not accepted as a human species in any country, yet clearly possesses intellectual abilities and has built its own unique civilization.

For example, demons or vampires…

The amount written about them was overwhelmingly small compared to other races because their very existence is hostile to humans, but what was written there was still very valuable.

This was the content written on one of those pages.

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Vampire.

Now called bloodsuckers, they are considered the representative creatures among blood-sucking monsters.

However, they were not originally bloodsuckers.

In fact, they didn’t even know they could suck blood.

Thus, there was a time when they could have been recognized as a human species.

It is said that they were □□ed in this ○○ after the dwarfs were □□ed.

Of course, even so, there was a gap of several hundred years in time.

When vampires first encountered humans, they were not greedy monsters craving human blood but a noble and elegant race that loved peace.

Their appearance was said to be even more peaceful than that of the elves, another human species known before them.

With skin so pale that their veins seemed visible and ruby-red eyes resembling a rabbit’s, they were a race born with albinism, a condition found in less than one in ten thousand humans.

Thus, like other human species suffering from albinism, they were inherently vulnerable to sunlight and never ventured outside their territory, which was perpetually shrouded in fog.

At the same time, they were a mysterious race, each clan possessing unique and special abilities.

The fog that perpetually surrounded their territory was said to be an artificial fog created by the unique ability of their leader, ■■.

Their mysterious yet powerful abilities made the neighboring human nations extremely wary, fearing they might become a second demon.

Looking back from a later perspective, it’s ironic that those fears ultimately came true.

But at that time, they were a noble race that loved peace, and the human nations, initially wary, soon relaxed and began to interact with them.

These small interactions continued several times, and when sufficient trust was built, the leaders of both human and vampire nations arranged a formal meeting to establish official relations.

To officially recognize the vampires, with their peaceful and noble culture, as a human species, declaring them equal to elves and dwarfs, and to take a step forward for peace.

The leaders of both nations met at the border between the vampire territory and the human territory.

Indeed, the vampires were a more aristocratic race than any noble in the human kingdom.

They exuded an air of nobility that even a mere attendant could not approach, yet they were humble and kind to each individual.

Having confirmed mutual goodwill over a long time, the two races continued the meeting amicably without any blushing, and eventually reached a result satisfactory to both sides.

At the end of the meeting, the leaders of both nations formalized the meeting’s content into a document, cheerfully copying and sharing one copy each.

And finally,

To ensure the document’s content would be carried out, they attempted to seal the contract with magic by stamping it with their own blood.

And it was the first time.

They were a race that had only recently been □□ed, and the vampire race, having only recently been □□ed by humans, was an unknown terror, so they were not approached.

Thus, it was something neither race could have predicted, and what happened from then on could only be called an accident.

The moment the human king pricked his thumb and bled.

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At that moment, we sensed a fragrance sweeter than any intoxicating drug.

It was a shock as if all the beautiful light we had seen in the world had faded.

In that monochromatic world, only one thing stood out.

The drop of blood flowing from the old king’s thumb seemed to be the only vivid red.

At the same time, I realized.

The goodwill I had felt towards humans from the first time I saw them was not the same as the goodwill between vampires.

That feeling was merely an instinctive attraction to a ‘meal’ emitting a delicious aroma.

Could a blind person feel such emotion when their eyes first opened?

Or could a family separated for a lifetime feel such joy upon reunion?

I realized that day that the food I had eaten before was nothing but garbage.

Gulp.

The sound of someone smacking their lips broke the silence that had frozen everyone.

Sensing something ominous, ■■ tried to stop us, but we couldn’t resist.

Who was it that first couldn’t resist and bit the old king’s finger?

I don’t remember.

But starting with that vampire, several vampires who couldn’t resist rushed at the old king.

But the few drops of blood from the old king’s fingertip couldn’t satisfy all of us.

Among them, a vampire who couldn’t contain their excitement and the knights guarding the king got into a scuffle, inevitably injuring some knights.

And as the intoxicating scent of blood in the air grew stronger, some vampires who had resisted the temptation joined our group, and soon the meeting turned into a bloodbath.

Even then, thanks to ■■’s incredible mental strength, we were soon subdued, but by then, the meeting was already ruined.

After that incident, I heard that ■■, heartbroken, cut off all diplomacy with other nations, returned to their fog-covered kingdom, refused to meet with other human species, and isolated the vampire nation from the outside with a thick wall of fog.

Kikik. Stubborn and foolish ■■.

It would have been better if you had joined us then.

Some of us who couldn’t resist craving human blood regretted their actions, but I was different.

Humans are ultimately born to be eaten by us.

Otherwise, their blood wouldn’t be so delicious.

The fact that their blood is delicious itself proves that they were born to be eaten by us.

Why should we resist?

Rather, we should have been horrified and terrified that we almost joined hands with livestock.

Why are you looking at me with such sad eyes, ■■?

I wasn’t wrong.

After that, taking advantage of the weakened surveillance, I fled with fellow vampires who had also tasted human blood.

After drinking human blood, we awakened new abilities we never knew we had.

The ability to freely control our blood, using it as armor or weapons.

And not just that.

After drinking human blood, our already sunlight-sensitive skin became almost fatally vulnerable to sunlight, and our hunger could only be satisfied by blood, not ordinary food.

But I was happy.

The ecstasy felt when drinking human blood was enough to erase all such trivial drawbacks.

Moreover, the more I drank human blood, the more I felt my own status rising.

After hundreds of years and consuming the blood of over a hundred humans, I became a being who, even when exposed to sunlight, didn’t immediately turn to ash but only felt extreme pain.

Thus, I, who was once just an ordinary attendant of ■■, had become a count leading a clan.

But…

Why am I remembering this?

Ah.

I see.

This is

what they call a life flashing before your eyes.