I open the relevant menu for creating a Hybrid class. As expected, I've no Blood Echos left, even Lucia's is gone.

If I have to go through with this I want at least take this opportunity to rid us of some things that are clearly just useless or even harmful.

"Mind letting me have another bite, Lucia? If I have to go through with this I want to use this opportunity to delete the unwanted Demon title, and for that, I need to sacrifice both of our copies at the same time."

She thinks for a moment and then relents, "If that is all it takes for you to comply with my request - I'm ready."

"Thank you."

Eclaire threatens me, "This time hold yourself back or I'll hold you back!!"

"Yeah, please do that."

I bite Lucia and drink a bit, the taste is back to normal. This time, I release my fangs from her before Eclaire has to step in. It seems the addictive effect of her blood caused by glitches has passed.

Despite me letting go quickly, Eclaire scowls at me anyway. Calm down, girl. I won't have her for lunch. If I ate her it would be with a different meaning.

...

Sorry, Lucia, but some things need to be done without your approval. This might be my only chance to learn the truth. I'd rather not live all of eternity in a sweet lie. I must know the truth, this has to be done.

But what else do I mix with the titles? Maybe [Undead], I could possibly rid myself of my sun weakness that way.

As much as I want to, I can't bring myself to sacrifice it, not now. Breathing in this environment is quite dangerous, especially when I could randomly drown in a fucking road!

Also, my gut instinct tells me that a similar skill, or something worse, would appear in the created class. Yeah, it has to wait.

After contemplating some more, I combine my useless [Cure Magic] and [Cure Boost] with two copies of the Demon title and... both Happily Married titles. Properly stir the whole mess and we get this.

Honestly, I expected more with all of these offerings. This sounds more like something a torturer or secret agent would want, but not me. Lucia got almost full sun immunity out of her Hybrid class, she just has to comply with the trivial condition of staying relatively clothed, so no passionate love-making at the beach for us. Why should I settle for something this useless?

This is what skill envy feels like, isn't it? Can't help it, even if it doesn't matter right now because of the dungeon-like atmosphere, the experience of being restricted by the sun all the time is still fresh in my mind, and I hate it.

Wait, that means I can also take her Daywalker title, she shouldn't need it anymore! So what does that result in?

Freaking expensive. I lose two skills I can't ever replace, but I can't use them anyway thanks to being undead, and five titles. Probably a mouthful from my wife as well. Is it worth it for this? Yes, I think so, minor sun protection and a heal skill - even with the pain induction - should be useful, and the dud can be future Hybrid fodder. I think the poison affinity skill can be sacrificed later as well; at least so far, the elemental skills gained through affinity stuck around even after losing the affinity source.

The Daywalker title should be synced again through Lucia's [Unholy Matrimony], the rest of the sacrifices is somewhere between unusable and detrimental to have. Sacrificing them should be a net positive.

I confirm the creation and assign it to me. I wait a moment but I still feel nothing changing. Lucia did pass out but I'm still standing and nothing else seems to have happened either.

I quickly check myself for any other changes, but I find nothing, seems like I'm back to normal - or as normal as an isekai vampire can be.

It is weird, everyone that got a random Hybrid class showed signs of turning into part-monsters, but we're now three-for-three on not-quite-custom-made Hybrid classes not having any dead giveaways. Does the sacrifice version account for the base creature or were we just lucky?

Clack Clack Clack Clack

Ah, right, there was that. My new Hybrid class also jumps the queue and cheats itself into the first spot.

I kind of understand the garbled not-divine class's increase in level, [Essence Drain] said as much, and the Extra classes profited from the Hybrid class cheating its position combined with the syncing via [Unholy Matrimony], but where did the levels in Silver-slash-blank Elf come from? And why are those two goddamn titles still there...

Before I can search for answers, I'm overcome with a feeling of dread. Eclaire brandishes a mace in my face, "Think very carefully how you answer now, you understand me?"

Confused, Lucia shouts at her, "What's gotten into you, Eclaire?"

I expected Lucia to get angry because I messed with the titles but Eclaire? She shouldn't know without someone telling her. She's a spirit, she doesn't have titles, she shouldn't have been able to see anything.

Well, she's a spirit, maybe she felt something through our connection.

"Lucia, let her speak. I think I know what she wants. You noticed that something is off with me, right?"

Eclaire waves her weapon around, "Sharp. I felt something, an anomaly in the link between us. My connection to 'You' suddenly felt quite different. Now speak, prove that you are still 'you'!"

Lucia just looks at us full of concern.

Gee, I wish I would've set up a secret trust word before this ascension so a potentially now-"evil" me could simply access it from memory and undermine the whole process.

"I've honestly no idea how I'd do that. Just assume for a moment that I now was a monster that just took the original Jared over, what would stop it from also absorbing all the knowledge and mannerism? And also, how would you even verify anything I claim? If what you told me about your origin is true, we've known each other for just a few days, and most of that I was under the influence of 'your' [Undead Bait] skill. Nothing you've seen of my personality in that time holds any weight. I was basically drugged the whole time."

She shakes her head, "Nah, that's not good enough for me. How about... What do you think about me, personally?"

I sigh, "Goddamn, Eclaire, we were already over this! You know as well as I do that this also has no ground in reality. Yes, I would and did ask you out, and I would do so again in a heartbeat. And you know why?", I get angry, "Because this goddamn Happily Married title forces me to! I do not have a say in this! It doesn't matter in the slightest that you are my type, this title would force me to think you match all my preferences anyway!"

I shove Eclaire's weapon aside, and she finally puts it away.

Lucia wants to say something on this topic, but the blonde twin stops her before she can even say a word. Eclaire probably told her telepathically to shut up.

Eclaire's face reveals that my answer hurt her deeply, "How can you be such a dense jerk?", she pauses for a moment before composing herself, "Okay, final test. How many black dots do you see in the air?"

Black... dots? What is she talking about?

No, wait, why did I forget? I saw them earlier. But I thought it was just something wrong with my eyes, so can she see them as well?

I look around for a while but see none. So was I sick and am now cured, or am I now too far gone to notice them? I should've asked the girls about these spots before I gave Lucy her Hybrid class...

Frustrated, I close my eyes, "None."

She chuckles, "Whatever, you win, Jared. I wasn't serious about this anyway."

This. Goddamn. Troll.

"So this whole drama was for naught..."

She shrugs, "Not necessarily. I found out you have a bit of a problem with reading comprehension."

What is she on about now?

Huh, there were system messages that I missed, did she mean that?

No, I don't think so. She shouldn't be able to see my messages, and they just explain why I've regained those horrible titles.

Stupid system. Just. Go. Fuck. Yourself.

Yeah, yeah, it is still the same trash as before, couldn't you have given me at least an upgraded version!?

No, Jared, don't think like that. You would only invite the glitches to corrupt it into something weird again...

And what does the final message say?

Wasn't there a rule in the system that you have to choose to add any of the titles that aren't meant as punishments? Why do you force this upon me without my consent!?

I really feel like there's an Al Bundy style of joke missing here.

I couldn't get rid of it... Everything is still the same. Why...

I can't even select Demon and Happily Married anymore in the Hybrid creation menu, they just occupy the space, work their effects and can't be interacted with anymore. They are now in the same Schroedinger state as the World Resident title already was. Perfect, just perfect.

Suddenly, Lucia angrily taps me from behind on the shoulder, "So mind explaining now what exactly you did?"

I'm so screwed, "I've totally no idea what you might be talking about - maybe trying to delete a curse?"

She starts shouting, "You consider our relationship a curse!?"

Yes, err, I mean, "No, I just wanted to make sure it is true. Look, I'm already suffering from enough falsehoods. I just... couldn't take it anymore..."

She can't hide her disappointment, she's crying, "Don't you... don't you have the slightest bit of faith in me?"

I dare and take the angry Lucia into a hug, "It is not about you, it is about me... Look, I'm sorry if I made you feel bad for doubting our relationship but I had to know. Please look at it from my side, it simply came out of nowhere, it began under questionable circumstances, forced through a buggy skill and not through natural feelings."

She tearfully whispers, "It was always real from my side."

All the while, Eclaire can't help but smirk, "Yup, you deserve ea-, err, I mean, you are perfect for each other."

Why can't I shake the feeling that she knows something I should as well?

"You two are horrible, you know?", Lucia pecks me on the cheek, "I don't really understand why I love you."

Yeah, me neither.

3QGN73

 I'll leave it as an exercise to the reader whether this whole sequence means that the system is just a troll about it or the love between Jared and Lucia is true enough to rightfully strangle them with the red string.