For every question Toshihide had, the girl’s answers raised only more questions. He needed information, but being overwhelmed with it was like fighting a hydra by cutting off its heads. It was self-defeating. The only way to win here was to take initiative.

“Ok. I’ll become your Demon Lord in another world. What broken cheat skills do I have?” responded Toshihide.

“Status”, she replied with a smile.

“Status?”

The moment Toshihide said those words a simple floating rectangle resembling a sci-fi hologram appeared right before him. It looked like the output of an old-school computer terminal.

Toshihide analysed the data before him. He did his best to ignore the sensation he wasn’t looking at a screen, but his person naked and exposed. He felt the urge to hide every single character, every number from the world.

A level 2 Human. When did I level up? My HP is 0 probably because I’m dead. My mana is -9 out of 0?! Is it because of the experiment? Why is my agility higher than my intelligence? I haven’t played sports since high-school, does gaming increase your agility stat?

…

Those titles… No comment. Skill Limit Breaker on the other hand sounds really useful, if titles can be used that is.

…

That Dungeon Creator skill is broken. Even I can tell it’s broken. Even the skill description is screaming that it’s broken. “Internal spatial geometry restrictions lifted”? Does that mean I can make real-life Non-Euclidean dungeons? I’ve played some games where rooms infinitely loop-back on themselves, where two adjacent doors lead to different spaces, passageways that lead to real dead ends, meaning when you turn around the passage way is gone and you’re all walled in. It just ‘breaks’ space.

…

And here’s the skill that killed me, Coagulation level 1. It looks innocent enough, but I guess many innocent-looking things can be deadly.

Toshihide looked back up at the girl, who was now floating horizontally. Her face up, arms hanging off the sides of her body, legs slightly bent at the knees, head slung back, drool steaming down her open mouth.

I think she’s trying to tell me she’s bored. Anyway, back to my ridiculous stats…

…

Slime Lover, there’s a heart icon, does nothing… Is that her idea of a joke? That woman…

“You did get pretty intimate with that slime”, the girl was now directly behind Toshihide, leaning over his left shoulder. It seems she was a light sleeper. She was also incredibly beautiful up close. “In the middle of a place of learning, writhing around embracing each other. It was scandalous really!”

———

Name: Toshihide Yukawa

Race: Human

Level: 2

Experience: 2,718 (next level at 7,389)

HP: 0 / 45

Mana: -9 / 0

Strength: 7

Intelligence: 12

Agility: 38

Titles:

• Mass Murderer (Mythical)
• City Destroyer (Mythical)
• Nation Killer (Mythical)
• Bringer of Calamity (Mythical)
• Skill Limit Breaker

Skills:

• Dungeon Creator (level 20) - allows user to create and manipulate their dungeons. Limit break warning: dungeon creation and manipulation mana efficiency increased x6. Limit break warning: creation of monster spawn locations available. Limit break warning: dungeon creation and manipulation mana efficiency increased x66 (stacks). Limit break warning: monster spawning mana efficiency increased x6. Limit break warning: dungeon creation and manipulation mana efficiency increased x665 (stacks). Limit break warning: monster spawning mana efficiency increased x66 (stacks). Limit break warning: monster spawning mana efficiency increased x665 (stacks). Limit break warning: allows the manipulation of all dungeons accessible to user. Limit break warning: monster spawning restrictions lifted. Limit break warning: internal spatial geometry restrictions of dungeons lifted.
• Coagulation (level 1) - allows the user to change non-solid states of matter to semi-solid states temporarily.
• Slime lover ♥ (level 1) - does nothing.

———

“I have to ask the obvious question here. Why is this laid out like the status screen from an RPG?” asked Toshihide.

“It just so happens a certain games creator from your Earth was a reincarnated individual from another world with magic, and used the system as inspiration for his work. Or was it the other way around? I forget. Time here doesn’t work quite the same way you’re used to”, said the girl, with a tone intended to communicate it was the most boring question asked in the history of boring questions.

A non-answer if there ever was one.

“What are the choice selections for this cutscene between us?”, Toshihide decided to come back to the direct line of questioning.

“Be reborn into another world to become the Demon Lord. That’s it. There’s only one option available. You can’t even reset your game! You can think of the other choice as destroying your console.”

That’s terrible game design.

“The karma of what you’ve done has permanently etched itself onto your soul. Mythic-level titles can never be removed. If I hand you over to the mainstream transmigration process, you will be summarily destroyed, forever. Your soul is now too dangerous to ever be reincarnated. Your only saviour is… me”, she said with a devilish grin while placing her laced fingers on her chest, looking upward like the world’s most sarcastic saint.

“I see... even though I had no intention of all those things happening?”

“It may sound unfair, but that’s just the truth of the situation. Putting your soul in with the others would be like poisoning the well. Which happens to be exactly what I want to do.”

She really doesn’t mince her words.

“What do I get as reward?”

“You get to be the Demon Lord, which of course means plenty of resources to do whatever you like. If you do succeed we will meet again. I can’t tell you anymore, but it’ll be a fun surprise!”

“And if I die?”

“Back to the chopping block you go! I won’t be able to help you, it is a one time offer!”, she said gesturing like a used car salesman, or politician. Toshihide wasn’t sure which one was worse.

“Will more people have to die because of me?”

“You can drop the act”, the girl’s eyes narrowed.

“It is just the two of us here, my precious catch. Perhaps you’ve never had the chance to face yourself as you truly are. You might find this experience enlightening. Here.”

A tall silver mirror appeared. Its golden frame was ornamented with hundreds of eyes, some looked human, other animal, others barely resembled eyes. They were all blooming from between the thorny, twisting stems of a rose bush.

And what now stood before Toshihide was neither man nor woman. It looked like a burnt, shrivelled corpse of a beast. A winged beast to be more exact, with the charred body of snake and a formless twisted head covered in many gaping maws and no eyes. The wings looked like they had taken a beating too. It was a stark reflection.

“What was your true name as given by Origin?”, asked the girl.

Toshihide replied, one of his gaping maws mouthing the words of some unknown language.

0.  E.  73. DCE. 14E65. D506EC1D. AD4D2F4C0575E.

“What was your original nature?”

Dysophis Pterotos.

“What was your original purpose?”

To protect the Tree Of Life.

“Let’s make it more fresh. What was the raison d'être of your previous life?”

My parents died before I ever saw or touched them. I was raised at cost to society. I was a burden. I should have never existed. These are the words impressed on me by those assigned to raise me. I therefore gave the world reason for my existence, with my own efforts. My work. My pride. Such was the raison d'être of my previous life.

“And those who don’t work to mark clearly the reason for their existence?”

One of the MC’s other mouths replied this time with a deep guttural tone.

They’re meat to be consumed by the worthy.

“So, my precious catch, do you care if more people die?”

If they are not useful to me, I do not.

The girl looked delighted. She was smiling cheek to cheek, her eyes wide open.

“And where does your fascination with fantasy, magic and flat chested loli characters fit into all this?”

Flat is justice!

One of the other mouths which hadn’t yet spoken, announced this with an enthusiasm really not befitting the general form of the creature. The mouth which had spoken first was about to say something, but it held its peace.

The mirror disappeared that very moment. The floating girl was blushing as she briefly glanced down at her undeniably flat chest.

“Normally people don’t reincarnate with knowledge of what comes to pass in this domain, or their skills and inferior titles, but you will. You will begin your work immediately.”

And as she said this, space began warping and oscillating around Toshihide, who was glowing a golden light, his features becoming less and less recognisable.

Realising what was happening, Toshihide called out to the girl.

“A little more information would have been useful! Like what kind of world am I going to? Why me? Who are you? Why are you dressed in EGL? What’s your name?”

“So many questions, pick one!”

“Your name!”

“Akari”

———

Blood and mana swirled in a delicate dance unseen by any eye. A cell. An embryo. A foetus. A child born into darkness.

“A name…”

“Ciel”

Ciel gained awareness and the memory of his previous life at the age of 1. Two weeks later he could understand language. Another three weeks and he could talk.  He couldn’t remember ever being unable to walk upright.

His mother carried an elegant beauty about herself. His father was stoic and handsome. They both looked around 21 years old. He only knew them as Mama and Papa. They were both vampires. And they were the only people he knew.

It’s unmistakable. We’re living in a dungeon. No, we’re trapped in dungeon.

It didn’t take long for Ciel to come to this conclusion. He had focused all of his efforts on observation and on learning about his environment. He needed information to formulate plans and strategies for the immediate and long-term future.

Their home was a carved stone hallway with four equal-size rooms attached, two on the left and two on the right. Both ends of the hallway were dead ends. Three of the rooms were bedrooms and the remaining room served as a common room. It was the only room with wooden flooring and a furnishing: a suit of armour propped up in the corner. Everything else was solid stone all around. The bedroom were completely empty with not even the slightest trace of dust to break up the space. Mama, Papa and Ciel always slept separately in their own rooms. Never together. The stone didn’t feel at all uncomfortable to sleep on.

Even if the floor were to be a pain, which it isn’t, it seems I have no trouble sleeping while standing.

Ciel never felt any air flow.

If we weren’t vampires we would have surely suffocated by now. How scary.

The three of them were indeed vampires. Sharp fangs and all. Besides the fangs, it was also the manner of dress that differed from how people usually looked on Earth. His parents were wearing what looked like skin-tight fantasy armour. It was revealing on both genders and didn’t exactly scream “I’m practical for battle!”.

Well, if it wasn’t for the very clear ‘dungeon aesthetic’ of my surroundings it could also fit in a sci-fi anime. If I had to guess, it is probably under armour.

Ciel was wearing something that looked to serve the same purpose. It had the appearance of a catsuit or a dance unitard with closed feet and sleeves cut just below the shoulders. There were small triangular cutouts on the sides of the shoulder sleeves and on the front of the neckline. The neckline was high like a turtleneck but just as tight fitting as the rest of the outfit. Ciel’s navel was exposed with a small diamond shaped opening in the under armour. Mama’s and Papa’s clothing also had a diamond shaped opening, though the overall designs were different.

It is really tight fitting, but doesn’t actually feel tight anywhere. What is this actually made of?

The clothing had no seams or other openings. And the house had no plumbing. Neither was necessary. After all the only thing to eat in the house was Mama’s and Papa’s blood.

———

Ciel woke up. Mama and Papa were up too. He can hear them moving in the common room. They all slept a lot. He would notice getting a little taller after sleeping sometimes. Or the suit of armour he was comparing himself to was getting shorter and shorter.

Either way, I still have long to go before I can try Papa’s armour on.

There were no clocks or anything to keep time with in the house. Mama and Papa would keep track of his age somehow though. He was now 6 years old. The clothing he was wearing grew with him without ever becoming tight anywhere.

Or they have a secret closet somewhere with various size baby clothes and they change me when I’m sleeping… Probably not. I shouldn’t overthink things.

Ciel made his way as usual to the common room. Mama and Papa were already waiting for him. The three of them would always sit seiza-style, facing each other in a circle.

“My Dear, today I will feed you”, said Mama. She stood up and sat in one of the corners furthest away from the entrance, relaxing her body still, her head tilted to one side, her palms upright on the floor, her legs pointed forward. She looked like a discarded doll.

Ciel then got up in complete silence and walked over to Mama. He got on all fours and crawled on top of her, making his way toward the upper part of her left breast that was not covered by the under armour. As he bit into her with his needle-like fangs Mama made no movement or sound. It was only once he started to suck at her blood that Ciel would notice her tensing up ever so slightly. Papa did not move from his original position.

This is how Ciel was taught to eat. Mama and Papa would both take turns feeding Ciel. Ciel was instructed to always bite Mama on either breast, and always bite Papa on either side of the neck. Mama’s blood tasted sweet and would make Ciel’s head feel dizzy. Papa’s blood tasted bitter and would cause Ciel to feel a tightness in his chest. Either tasted better than anything Ciel had ever consumed in his previous life.

———

To Ciel everything hew saw held precious pieces of information about the world, even though he was living in a dungeon. He would listen, he would observe, but he would never ask questions or talk unless prompted by Mama or Papa. The problem was that he was an other-worlder.

That girl, Akari, really didn’t leave me with any useful information about this world. No, she left me with no information of any kind, useful or otherwise! Was there a difficulty setting somewhere that I missed on this new game+? Because I think it might be stuck on hard mode.

For a start, I don’t know what things exist or don’t exist in this world, besides these four rooms and Mama and Papa. I don’t know if people here know that other-worlders exist. I also don’t know how other-worlders are treated in this world. Maybe they’re feared? Maybe they are hunted down? Just saying something like “Hi I’m Ciel, I like manga and anime” could put a bounty on my head, because those things only exist in another world, and only other-worlders would mention them. I’d like to make a note that I can’t believe I still have to be a closeted otaku even though I’m in a different universe. Importantly, thinking “status” doesn’t do anything. Worth trying again though.

Status.

Yep, nothing. Saying “status” out loud is out of question. Vampires have superior senses, including hearing. I know this because I can hear my parent’s slightest movement. Whispering is out of question too. I’m never truly alone in here. It will have to wait, for now.

I have to keep treating Mama and Papa as possible adversaries for the purposes of survival. I don’t think they’re bad people, I just don’t know how they would react if they found out I was an other-worlder. If they wanted to kill me they could easily do so. They’re two adult vampires…

Ciel thought about game theory and how it applied to his current situation. He thought of the Prisoner’s Dilemma, where betraying your fellow prisoner was actually the best strategy for oneself.

But that would apply for Mama and Papa too…

He often spent hours deep in thought like this.

His parents would sometimes look on in secret, together, and see the concentrated face of their child, or hear some quiet mumblings Ciel didn’t know he was making.

“My Darling, isn’t Ciel so adorable with that serious-looking face?”

“Reminds me of the look your father had when I asked him to take you as my wife.”

“My Darling, I hope your sense of humour isn’t hereditary.”

I need to be cautious of Mama and Papa. I think they’re watching me.

———

Ciel was alone in his room as Mama and Papa slept.

Sometimes he spent the time drinking his own blood. He would prick his thumb with one of his tiny fangs and would suck on it. It felt really good for some reason. The moment he would stop sucking, the wound would close up instantly.

Other times he would conduct experiments in private. This was one of such times.

Ciel closed his eyes and covered one with his cupped hands.

Let’s take the light for example, or rather the lack of it. There are no recognisable sources of light, yet I can see everything clearly. However, what I see is always coloured in a flat creamy grey, including Mama and Papa’s skin and clothes. Only the irises and pupils of their eyes are a pitch black. Maybe I’m colour blind? Whatever the case there appear to be no reflective, shiny surfaces anywhere, even on that suit of armour. Everything looks matte. There are no shadows being cast anywhere.

Ciel opened the eye in his cupped hands.

The brightness of my skin hasn’t changed much from when I look at my hands as normal. It could be something like thermal vision. But rubbing my hands on the wall to warm some of the surface up doesn’t make it brighter. So it’s not that.

Ciel couldn’t ask Mama or Papa how they saw without light. They had never taught him that word in fact. If he described the light of a sun or a star, they would be rightfully suspicious of how he knew or even thought that such a thing existed, since he had never been outside. The conversation would quickly expose him as an other-worlder.

It must be made possible by mana. This is how a vampire sees in complete darkness.

With time, Ciel’s sight improved even further. He realised the common room’s wooden floorboards and the frame were supported by something. He could just barely make out a mass of sharp things jutting out upward from underneath it. It all looked really dangerous, but the floor’s structure must have been made from really strong materials and the construction sound, because this was the most solid wooden floor that Ciel had ever walked on. He didn’t hear it creak even once, even with his improving hearing.

If I wasn’t 100% certain this was a dungeon, now I am. That’s a pit trap.

———

Ciel was staring at the suit of armour propped up against the wall as he sat in a circle with Mama and Papa, seiza-style as always. The armour was not made of any metal, but of various monster parts. The joints were not protected by chain-mail, but by feathers, which made the general appearance quite flamboyant. There were no weapons. This was Papa’s armour from when he was an adventurer and it was story time.

The stories were always of Mama and Papa fighting evil sorcerers as adventurers. The evil sorcerers summoned monsters from “beyond the vampire realm” to do their bidding and would attack innocent vampires to steal their blood. They always saved everyone from the monsters. Papa cut down the monsters easily with his punches and kicks. Mama used magic to blow the monsters away and burn them. They were famous throughout the land, and other vampires always asked them for help. Not only monster trouble, but also to help them build big palaces to live in, and to teach them how to fight, and to make sure everyone had all the blood they needed to drink from the blood rivers. The evil sorcerers always got away at the end.

The stories were always a variation on this.

“They’re really simple, but a lot of fun to listen to! There’s never any mention of skills, stats or anything like it, however”, thought Ciel, who was now 9 years old.

Ciel had finally decided to ask Mama and Papa a question. Until now, he had kept his strict policy of not asking questions and talking only when spoken to. The reality that he was an other-worlder never left his thoughts completely. He had prepared a question a simple child would ask. It had very high chance of Mama and Papa revealing more information about their circumstances, so the small risk of being exposed was worth it.

“Papa, Mama, will the evil sorcerers get me?”

Mama and Papa turned their heads toward each other briefly. And then back to Ciel.

Mama had a look of sadness that Ciel had never seen in her before. Papa didn’t look worried, somehow an aura of strength surrounded him.

“My Dear, we’re all safe here, so don’t you worry, they will never find us here. And when Papa and Mama see you grow up big and strong, we will go and defeat the evil sorcerers”, said Mama.

“We will destroy the sorcerers Ciel, but we can only do this when you turn 10 years old. When you awaken to your hidden power”, added Papa. He would always let Mama do most of the talking, but this time he thought it was important to reassure their child in a united front. They both gave Ciel a nod together.

That must be when I will unlock my status and my skills! Intelligence gathering was a huge success!

Mama and Papa could see Ciel perk up, and breathed a quiet sigh of relief in unison.

———

The young vampire family followed their routines. Their lives were as idyllic as could be, given the circumstances. Ciel had just been fed by Papa, and was now sitting together with his parents in the common room. It was time for another ‘safe’ question.

“Papa, Mama, can I feed you too?”

“My Dear, you must drink our blood to grow up healthy and strong.”

“But I want Papa and Mama to get stronger too!”, replied Ciel pulling down on the collar of his under armour, exposing the side of his neck.

“My Dear, you’re too young to be giving your blood.”

A dead end for this conversation tree.

“But, my Dear, when you’re ready one day, you will give your blood like Mama, not like Papa”, said Mama, pointing at Ciel’s chest.

“Why?”, replied Ciel, noticeably puzzled by the answer, as hard as he tried to hide it.

“My Dear, because Papa is a boy.”

What is this? A test? A riddle? … I can’t give blood from my neck because Papa is a boy… I have to give blood from my chest like Mama… Mama is a girl… Therefore I am a girl…

…

Wait, I’m a girl?!

Ciel could no longer mask his confusion, which bounced around his mind like a pinball and exited through his bewildered lips:

“Then what is that down there?!”, he shouted as he stood up and pointed toward the small, but definitely very real bulge cradled by his under armour.

“My Dear, that’s your tail. Look“, said Mama as she too stood up. She tugged with her finger at a corner of the diamond cutout which was exposing her navel. There had previously been no seam there, but now it cleanly parted along the direction she was pulling, separating the top part of her under armour from the bottom. It looked like a perfectly straight cut made with a laser. She stopped at her back, pulled the tight material of the bottom down and a tail suddenly appeared as if out of nowhere! It was short and the end had a pointed heart shape, like a certain demon girl’s tail from a well known RPG series.

This is ridiculous!!

Ciel had no option but to copy Mama, and ended up separating the top of his under armour entirely from the bottom. It was in fact designed to do this, and to heal itself back into one piece instantly when needed. Ciel pulled the bottoms down to his knees. And looked down.

To his profound shock he saw a tail ending in a heart shape, just like Mama’s, tucked between his legs. No longer held up by the under armour, the tail peeled down revealing…

“This is a big misunderstanding!!”, he shouted, his hands up in the air, face no longer pointed down, eyes now firmly affixed on the ceiling.

Did… did I just say that out loud?

Never mind that, how… how could I have been so stupid?! How could I have made such a stupid mistake?! Stupid, stupid stupid!!

Ciel was so busy learning about his surroundings and trying to extract information from his parents that he completely forgot to learn the most basic of facts about himself.

I always assumed I was a guy because I was a guy in my previous life… Akari is probably laughing her ass off in her “Prison of Pain” right now.

Then he panicked.

Wait, this is bad. Mama and Papa will probably think me not to be a worthy successor of their blood-line. I’m not sure how succession here works, but it is likely that the male children are the most eligible and desired heirs, and this will be just further reason to get rid of me! They’ve been really kind to me so far, but all kindness has limits. Maybe their affection was some kind of trick, a lie…

Papa was completely straight faced until now. He was looking directly ahead, at the wall, throughout the whole ordeal. But he was now trying to stifle his laughter. Mama too…

Seeing their daughter’s serious look and the familiar mumbling monologue they both approached her and embraced her together, “My Dear, we love you very much, we will always love you, whether you’re a girl, or a boy.”

Ciel froze. He felt his worries disappear. They were replaced by a feeling he had not experienced until now.

Is this what real parents are like…?

Mama and Papa explained the tails are usually tucked to the front, since they served no apparent purpose to vampires.

“Why not cut it off, it could get in the way of fighting?”, asked Ciel.

“The tail is a mark of a Noble Vampire, it will be important to you one day”, answered Papa. They were also sometimes used for ceremonial purposes.

Papa also showed Ciel his tail. It ended in a point unlike Mama’s. Mama showed her tail again too. They were now both waving to Ciel with their tails.

Amazing! They can move them!

Ciel turned his butt towards his parents too, and did his best to wave. He had to use his body to wave it though. It seemed he didn’t have the muscle control required to move it quite like that yet.

It also dawned on him.

I’m a… she… uh, oh well not like it’s a setback or anything, especially given everything that’s happened.

Ciel accepted that he was now a she. Ciel was now the daughter of these ridiculous vampires. A new life, a family. She was still a hardcore otaku though.

That status effect transcends boundaries of gender and race!

That very moment Ciel’s status screen materialised before her.

———

End of Chapter 2