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Congratulations!

You have acquired a new skill:

《{D} Shadowmeld》

This skill allows the user to merge with darkness, rendering the user intangible while inside. Within the shadows, movement speed is significantly enhanced, and the user gains an extended field of vision.

—

“So, that’s what acquired skills mean,” she murmured, her fingers lightly tapping her chin.

Alistair couldn’t suppress a grin. She clenched her fists, excitement bubbling within her.

Interesting, I can gain acquired skills by experimenting with my inherent skills. I wonder what else I'll be able to do.

She then opened her status screen, her sharp crimson eyes scanning it carefully. Her attention landed on her mana status, noticing how much it had decreased after using Umbramancy. However, when she used Hemomancy earlier, her mana hadn’t dropped at all, yet she was left completely exhausted.

I see, Hemomancy doesn’t use mana, it uses stamina while Umbramancy uses mana. That's why it drained me so much.

As expected, It’s not that I’m bad at Hemomancy—it’s just that my body can’t keep up!

I’ll need to work on increasing my stamina. If I want to use Hemomancy effectively. There's no point in having powerful abilities if my body gives out after a few seconds.

As she finished her thoughts, she felt a wave of hunger, reminding her of her body's needs.

Right… vampires need to eat too, don’t they?

She stood up and glanced at the door leading out of the room. She had no idea what was waiting for her on the other side. For all she knew, danger could be lurking around every corner.

To be cautious, she decided to use her newly acquired skill, 《Shadowmeld》. Merging with the shadows felt natural now, as if the darkness welcomed her presence. She moved through the room with ease, her intangible form gliding silently.

Carefully, she stepped into the corridor outside. The atmosphere was eerily quiet. The mansion, though grand, felt abandoned. The intricate gold and marble designs continued throughout the hallways, but there was no sound—no footsteps, no voices, nothing.

She continued exploring, her intangible form slipping seamlessly through the mansion’s rooms and halls. Each space she entered confirmed the same thing: the place was enormous, far larger than she had expected, but devoid of any signs of life.

Dust covered every surface, from the elaborate furniture to the grand chandeliers overhead. Cobwebs clung to the corners of the ceilings, untouched for what seemed like years.

“This place…” she murmured to herself as she moved, her voice echoing faintly in the empty halls.

It’s a mansion, but there’s no one here. No servants, no residents… not even the faintest signs that anyone’s been living here recently.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Her hunger gnawed at her more insistently now, but she pushed it aside for the moment. First, she needed to make sure the mansion was safe. Only then could she focus on finding something—or someone—to satisfy her hunger.

After what felt like hours of silent exploration, Alistair finally emerged from the shadows, returning to the first room she had woken up in. The familiarity of the ornate bed and the intricate ceiling above brought her some strange semblance of comfort. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she slumped onto the king-sized bed, her body sinking into the soft mattress.

“I can’t find anyone…”

she muttered. The mansion was massive, yet devoid of even a single sign of life. It was unnerving, but the hunger gnawing at her was worse. She couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Her crimson eyes flickered toward the heavy curtains shrouding the large window.

Should I go outside?

A curiosity pushed her to her feet. She approached the curtains. Slowly, she reached out and pulled them open, letting the light from outside flood into the room.

The moment the sunlight touched her hand, a sharp pain shot through her. She screamed, stumbling backward and clutching her wrist. Her pale skin sizzled where the light had touched it, and dark burn marks formed quickly. The pain was excruciating, and her crimson eyes narrowed in anger and frustration as she gritted her teeth.

"I know I’m a vampire, but I’m a pureblood! I can’t even touch sunlight!? What’s the point of being immortal if I can still feel pain!?"

She gripped her wrist tighter, her pain gradually dulling as the burns started to heal, but the memory of the agony lingered.

For a while, she sat on the floor, her mind racing with thoughts about her new reality, her breathing shallow. The burn from her hand slowly healed.

At least I heal like vampires; why doesn’t being a pureblood follow the cliché!?

Eventually, she pulled herself back onto the bed and lay down. The hunger still gnawed at her, but her exhaustion was taking its toll. The repeated use of Shadowmeld had drained her mana to almost nothing, and now she could feel it slowly regenerating—far too slowly for her liking.

She turned onto her side, her red eyes gazing through the window.

I can’t go out during the day. I’ll have to wait until nightfall. I’ll recover until then.

Without hesitation, she decided to take a nap, her body relaxing against the soft bed. Resting for now was the only practical option. Despite the overwhelming hunger clawing at her, she knew she would need all her strength to survive whatever awaited her once night fell.

⊶☽☬☾⊷

A faint rustling sound stirred her from her slumber. Her crimson eyes snapped open, narrowing as she scanned the room. The mansion’s silence had finally been broken. It wasn’t loud, but her heightened hearing as a vampire picked up the subtle disturbance from outside. She shifted slightly, her senses now razor-sharp.

Through the heavy curtains, the dim glow of twilight told her the sun had nearly set. But it wasn’t darkness that caught her attention—it was the figures moving toward the mansion.

"Visitors?" she murmured, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.

Her gaze flickered toward the window. Rising silently from the bed, she approached the heavy curtains, carefully pulling them back just enough to peek outside without exposing herself to the sunlight.

Three figures came into view.

On the right was a tall man in a black cloak, his face hidden behind an expressionless mask. Twin daggers hung at his waist, their hilts gleaming faintly. His movements were silent, calculated, a predator in human form.

On the left was a man in a tattered brown cloak, a wand gripped in his hand and a large, bulging backpack strapped to his back. He moved with a slouch, his steps uneven as though weighed down by his burden.

In the middle towered a man clad in silver armor, the setting sun casting a faint glint across the polished surface. He was muscular, his arms thick like tree trunks. A broad sword rested against his back, its hilt jutting above his shoulder. His face was stern, marked by a prominent mustache.

From their appearances, it was clear what roles they held: an assassin, a mage, and a swordsman.

There they are… my prey. It seems I don’t have to wait until nightfall after all.

Her mana was only half full, but that didn't concern her. She felt the energy surging through her veins, her vampiric instincts taking. The thrill of battle was enough to drown out any doubts. Her sharp teeth glinted as her grin widened.

“My first battle… I can’t wait. This will be fun.” she said, her voice low but filled with anticipation.

The hunger still gnawed at her, yet her excitement overshadowed it. With a final glance at the window, she stepped back into the shadows of the room. Her body dissolved into the darkness, her form melding with the void as she activated 《Shadowmeld》.

The room was silent again as her presence disappeared, leaving nothing but the faint ripple of darkness on the walls.

𓆩✧𓆪