The strangely clothed vampire glanced at each of us in turn, hardly giving any of us anything more than a look of mild disinterest before moving on to the next.

Finally after what felt like a small eternity, his eyes turned my direction. Those eyes that shone with such intensity that I was forced to swallow as my heart raced. Being able to see him so close, I could clearly see those high cheek bones, the slightly flared jaws, his pointed chin, his narrow yet long nose, thin yet bold eyebrows, and of course, his piercing eyes that felt like they could see right through me. His black hair was short cropped and slicked back, his long pointed ears like a pair of erect daggers.

Our eyes locked for a moment, yet that moment continued for what felt like minutes, hours. Despite that, it felt far too short as his brows furrowed before his eye line continued on.

My gaze desperately rushed over to the vampire's status screen.

(...So his name's Bolthorn...)

I wasn't quite sure why I wanted to know his name so much, but knowing it would make negotiations easier. There was so much I wanted to know.

[Scarlet, I'm feeling strange. Do you know what it is?]

(Huh?)

Alicia was right. I was so occupied with my thoughts that I hadn't noticed, but my body was definitely feeling strange. It felt familiar, yet foreign. My cheeks were hot and my heart was throbbing so hard for no apparent reason, and there was even a warmth in my belly.

If this was some sort of illness, it was really a strange one, but I couldn't ascribe it as anything else.

(No, there's no way that's right. My body's reacting. Somehow, for some reason, but most likely it connected to the fact that we're both vampires.)

[I'm not sure why. I've never felt like this before.]

What was even the point of having some sort of physical reaction to being near another vampire? What kind of evolutionary force could have caused such a thing?

(No wait, maybe evolution had nothing to do with it? Could vampires even evolve if they were a race that was born spontaneously rather than from typical survival and breeding cycles?)

That made such a thing even more baffling. Evolution was at least precipitated through random mutations, so even tangential benefits or even the lack of detriments could cause weird mutations to stick, but that was hardly a convincing story when it came to vampires.

So such a reaction simply had no reason to exist as far as I could tell.

"Hmph! So weak. None of you will make good feed..."

Finally, he spoke. The velvety way his deep voice but smooth voice resounded in this large open space made me perk up a bit.

But contrast to my reaction, Claret sunk down on my back, as if she was trying to hide from him or something.

"Except maybe you!"

The vampire's hand lashed out over my shoulder.

The slight haze in my mind made me slow to react, but fortunately I didn't need to.

A glint of silver flashed from my side and the vampire's hand pulled away and stepped back almost faster than I could perceive as the axe head bisected through the space it was previously occupying.

"Are you the one in charge of here, vampire?"

The leader moved the end of his axe from beside my head to point threateningly at the vampire. But Bolthorn simply examined his fingers and looked satisfied after a few moments.

It was pretty subtle, but being so close to my face made it hard not to notice how the weapon was shaking slightly.

"Who are you to make demands of me, intruder?"

But despite the challenging tone, the investigation leader didn't flinch. Rather than that, it looked more like everyone else tensed up instead, ready to bring their drawn weapons to bear.

"A vampire?"

"A dark one."

"To think it really was a vampire."

The murmurs of the various adventurers reached my ears. Their words and tones made me shiver.

It was one thing to be suspect of the way my kind was viewed, but another to see it in person.

But more importantly, this was bad. They were going to kill him before I could get any information out of him. Considering that the pseudo-vampires here seemed to be referring him as 'Father', most likely it meant that he was their creator. I needed to know how he did it, even if I could only get some clues about it.

The kids might know something, but the chances of them having enough useful information to be of proper help wasn't high, and that was presuming that they didn't decide to completely withhold all information because they considered me an enemy, since, they were technically right.

If things escalated, I needed to know how much force I had to put in to knock this guy out without killing him. I really wished that I invested some time into creating or finding a skill which made it easy to capture people, but I didn't have time for such a thing at the moment.

Glancing at the still open status screen, a chill ran down my back, different from last time.

[Level: 281]

His level was even higher than mine. I hadn't ever faced anything with a level higher than my own before, at least outside of the dungeon where I hadn't checked for levels yet. And to make matters worse, his level was a decent amount higher than the 256 my own was.

It probably wasn't an insurmountable difference, but that depended on quite a few factors.

When I looked further through his status page, strangely enough, while he did have a massive number of skills like I had noted before, his skills related to weapons and armour were pretty lacking. He did have variety, but when it came to ranks, not a single one of them went above rank 6. The same could be said for his magic skills as well, which were even lower. Only [Fire Magic] had reached rank 5, and the rest were closer to rank 2.

But in turn his stat boosting skills along with [Natural Armaments] was high, beating my own [Natural Weapons] and becoming an advanced skill.

This guy looked like a one-trick pony. It was especially odd considering that as a vampire, he should have mainly gotten and raised his skills by sucking the blood of his prey, not through diligent effort. At the very least, that's how I had gotten my own skills after all.

(Maybe he was limited in variety when it came to prey?)

It was the only reason I could think of.

Then it hit me. The bandits that preyed on the area for years, for decades, the unusually low number of monsters in the area as well. He was the source of both things. He was the one who hunted the monsters in the area to near extinction, and instead of finding a new hunting ground, he started to prey on the travellers instead.

Glancing through his skill list again, I found a few skills that stood out. [Cooking], [Smithing], [Carpentry], [Leatherworking], [Tailoring], he had all of those skills. I had them as well, but I had only gotten them in my home dungeon and nowhere else. There wasn't any reason for normal monsters to have any of those skills, but he found a way to get them, and even get them all to at least rank 3 at that.

He had crossed the line which I swore off, but I couldn't blame him. I didn't know his circumstances, and choosing to prey on people when his normal sources of food grew scarce wasn't exactly evil. It was morally abhorrent, but only from the view of a normal human. He wasn't human, no more than I was anymore. I couldn't say for certain that if I was starving enough, that I wouldn't make the same choice.

Even humans have done that exact thing to other humans. Cannibalistic tribes have been recorded repeatedly in history, and even more recently, it was known that German soldiers have eaten human flesh to survive Stalingrad in the closing days of the siege. There were probably countless other examples of normal people succumbing to cannibalism in desperate enough times if one looked hard enough.

It was unreasonable to think that a member of a race that could only subsist on blood to not consume the blood of other intelligent creatures when desperation kicked in.

Of course, this was entirely speculation and I hadn't even attempted the first step to discovering the truth from the person himself yet.

But still, if things continued the way they did, then all these adventurers would die. Maybe I would die as well if I was unlucky.

[Alicia, what's the leader's level?]

[Mmmm...he's level 128.]

He seemed to be the highest level of the group aside from myself. It was definitely hopeless for them if it came to battle.

(No, even more importantly, I would lose my lead if a fight broke out.)

While it was doubtful that he would forgive us for killing so many of his creations, he would definitely refuse to give me any information if a fight ended up breaking out.

I had no choice but to bet on this one chance.

"Wait!"

I put a hand on the investigation leader's shoulder. He glared at me, but I persevered to whispered my pitch.

"He's too strong. We don't stand a chance."

"What do you mean?"

"Can't you see his aura? I've never seen one that strong before."

The leader looked back at the vampire, but it was clear he wasn't convinced by my words. Most likely he couldn't see auras at all.

"Sir, she's right. His aura is comparable to a dragon's. It might even be greater than the hero's."

But that elf woman came to my rescue. It seemed like she could see a person's aura. I was grateful that she could hear our whispers despite being further back, though that meant that Bolthorn probably heard every word as well.

Now, with two of us trying to convince him, the leader grit his teeth. But just because we warned him, didn't mean that he had any options aside from raising his arms in the first place.

So, I had to give him that.

"I'll stay behind to distract him, while everyone else retreats."

The leader turned to me in shock.

"Get reinforcements, before he tires of me."

I looked him in the eye and whispered the last bit even more quietly, before I turned back to the stern looking vampire.

"What do you say? I'll willingly stay behind, if you let everyone else leave peacefully."

Stepping ahead of everyone else, I pulled Claret's arms off of my shoulders, pulled back my hood, closed my eyes, and undid my transformation disguise before opening them again and gave Bolthorn a wide smile, showing off my perfectly arranged pearly white fangs.

[Master!]

"You...?!"

He didn't even attempt to hide his shock as he saw my features. The features which only those of the same kind as him had.

Taking a few slow, deliberate steps, I undid the top few buttons of my robe and leaned forward, squeezing my assets between my arms to clumsily emphasize them. I didn't know if such human forms of seduction would work on a vampire, but it couldn't have hurt to try at least. It was the only thing I could think of that stood a real chance of working after all.

"I think it's a good deal for you. Who are you, such a great man, to care about weaklings such as them. What you need is a woman like myself near your side. Not some unwilling rabble you've forcefully taken against their will."

The very words that came out of my mouth sickened me to the core. Deliberately using feminine charm to seduce someone felt terrible, like I was betraying who I really was or something. But if it was to both save some lives and to get the information I needed, I was willing to throw away my stupid pride for that.

But the worst bit was that a part of me liked doing this. The way his cheeks rosied up, the way he gulped, the way he stared, a small, yet certain part of me liked the reaction I was getting. The more he looked, the more I wanted to show off.

I took in a deep breath, taking in his scent. It wasn't like a person's body odour I was used to, nor the smell of dirt and dust on him, but something I couldn't place, something foreign yet something my body recognized for some reason.

My cheeks flushed and a slight shiver ran through my body. I wanted to touch his skin, feel his shape. Be touched, be felt.

More than anything, it felt like a part of me was dying, and I was enjoying the entire process.

"Or, do you not like me?"

I was so close that I could touch his wide chest if I just reached out a little.

But instead, as I looked up into his glittering red eyes, I tilted my head, and made the best puppy dog eyes I could.

"Ah, no. I mean, I agree. If you'll be mine, they can all leave, and never return."

The vampire grabbed my arm and pulled me into his chest. My lungs filled with his scent, of a person, yet not like a person's.

One part of me wanted to retch, but another was enjoying it too much to stop.

For a long moment there was nothing but silence, but with some whispers and grumbles, the sounds of shuffling feet reached my ears as the investigation team made their way out of the room.

I didn't turn to look at them. I didn't want to know what sort of gaze they were looking at me with.

But there was one presence that didn't leave us two vampires.

[Claret, go with them.]

[But Master!]

[Go. He can see you, and he's too strong for us. If you stay and he ends up displeased, we'll both be in trouble.]

[But...!]

[And if he tries something, I need you to protect the others. If this guy sends more goons after them, they'll probably be stronger than any of the previous ones. Maybe too strong for those adventurers to beat. Only you can prevent them from being wiped out.]

[...]

It was a weak argument. I knew that. Especially when it came to convincing Claret. But I didn't need to convince her that this was a good idea, just that she needed to follow my orders above staying by my side.

[I'll call you back as soon as I can, so until then, stay with the group and report anything of significance, alright?]

[...I understand...]

And finally she left as well. Passing through the wall instead of using the door, she followed the group by taking the direct path rather than following the building's hallways.

"Now let's..."

"Wait a sec. Not until they're gone."

"...Fine."

Considering the attitude that Bolthorn was giving earlier to the others, he was being strangely considerate as I leaned against his body.

I continued to pay attention to [Sense Presence] as the investigation team regrouped with a few more presences closer to the main entrance to the mansion. And while a few of those presences in the second group stayed, the rest all left the building together.

There didn't seem to be any unusual complications or delays and the group slowly parted from the mansion, with Claret following suit. Though she did pause here and there before catching up with the adventurers. While I couldn't sense details like her posture or anything else she was doing when she paused, in my mind the image of her repeatedly looking back in my direction like a little child looking back to her mother while being led by a kindergarten teacher by the hand ended up forming.

"Now I think it's been long enough."

Bolthorn pushed me to arms length from his body, then while I was confused by his actions, his hands gripped the hems of my robes and threw them open, ripping apart the remaining buttons that held it closed.

"Huh?"

Dumbfounded by his actions, it took me a moment to even notice that even before the remains of my robes had settled to the ground, the other vampire was bringing his hands to the collar of my poorly fitted shirt, clearly intending on doing the same thing again.

"Wh, wait a sec!"

Crying out didn't manage to do much, as my shirt simply ripped apart in his hands as I tried to pull away from him.

[Scarlet, I'm scared.]

[I know Alicia. I'm scared too. But bear with it.]

[Okay.]

I grit my teeth. Things really weren't going well, and it was becoming more and more difficult to see this ending well.

"You don't need that either."

His hands moved towards me once again.

"I said stop!"

I grabbed his arms and tried to stop him.

Tried being the operative word.

It took me a moment to remember that he out-levelled me, and his [Strength] was several thousand above my own.

My resistance did little but slow his movements, and I was forced to hop back to avoid having more of my clothes ripped.

"What are you doing? Didn't you want to become my mate?"

(I did imply that...but it was only imply! I didn't actually want that!)

I couldn't actually say that out loud though. I didn't know what he'd do if I were to reveal those thoughts.

For now, I had to delay, and avoid getting on his bad side. And if possible, get the information I needed.

"That's, umm...there's a process to things, you know?"

"A...process?"

"That's right! Before anything else, we need to get to know each other!"

It sounded stupid. I felt like I was making an argument on the level of a little child.

But thankfully, the other vampire tilted his head rather than responding negatively.

"You know. Like, my name's Scarlet. What's yours?"

(Though I already know his name.)

"Bolthorn."

"Bolthorn? What a strong sounding name!"

"Now we know each other."

Once again he raised his hands in an attempt to rip up more of my clothes.

"Wait wait! That's not it!"

Irritation clearly reflected from Bolthorn's face.

"I mean, just names aren't enough you know! What about, umm..."

I desperately raked my brain for something to talk about. To think that I was forced to confront one of my greatest weaknesses.

"Those kids! The ones that call you father!"

"...What about those things?"

(Huh?)

His indifference wasn't what I was expecting.

"Umm...well, I was wondering, how were they related to you?"

"Related?"

"Yea! You know, they call you father, but is that because you made them? Or maybe you adopted them from somewhere?"

"I made them."

"Really? That's amazing! How did you make them?"

I didn't expect for our conversation to go in that direction so quickly, but I really couldn't come up with anything else to say.

"I'll show you."

"Huh?"

In the span of a blink, Bolthorn closed the gap in between us and grabbed my shoulder with one hand, and used the other to rip my pants off.

"Wha-wha-wha-what are you doing?!"

I tried to struggle against his grip, but it was to no avail. His hand was like a vice on my shoulder and I could barely budge at all.

"Why do you females have to always be so loud? I'm showing you how I made those mongrels. Since you're a vampire, maybe you can give me a pure blooded child, not like those weak half-breeds."

"Mongrels? Half...breeds? Wait, females?! Those kids are your actual children?"

The image made when the pieces connected in my head made the pit of my stomach turn on itself. I glanced downwards, and couldn't help but feel that the large bulge in his pants was evidence that I had reached the correct conclusion.

"Ah, it's so much easier to get into the mood with you. Those weak females had similar bodies as you, but it took so much work to make it stand. It must be in the blood. Our bloods attract each other!"

"Then...those villagers...those people you attacked...it wasn't for their blood to fend off starvation? You were breeding with them?"

"Blood? Breeding? It wasn't one or the other. It was both! Use the females to breed minions and drink the blood of those who had no use to me."

"Both? Then you raped...and you fed off of...those villagers! You did that to those innocent villagers?!"

I was growing hysteric. Getting information to save Alicia no longer mattered. My vision was growing red with every word he spoke. Those which that bastard spoke.

"Ah, I hadn't feasted like that in a long time. If you please me well enough, I'll let you feast on the ones who remain."

"You...fucker!"

I placed my right hand in between us and fired off a beam of pure light from my palm. Apathetic to the pain and consequences, I pumped enough mana into my [Solar Magic] to incinerate my hand.

Perhaps it was because I was staring at it at the time when I fired, or perhaps it was because I had unconsciously directed my attack at the source of my ire, but the blast lanced right through the centre of Bolthorn's hips.

"Gyaaa!!!"

The male vampire screamed, shoving me away. But I hadn't finished firing my attack, so when I flailed as I lost my balance, the beam of pure light cleaved through the left side of his hip removing his leg and burning a line through the stone floor and walls before the light faded into nothing.

[Sorry Alicia, but I was at my limit.]

[It's okay. I'm angry too. I can stand the pain, so go punish that man for all the bad things he did!]

[Right!]

I steadied myself on my feet as I looked down at the collapsed vampire.

The two of us were in agreement. This guy needed to be punished.