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After getting back home, Paul quickly went to the bathroom, and once prepared, he decided to log in back into Fantasy Story Online. There were several things he wanted to check on after all.
First of all, it was Jese’s avatar, his playable character, which he called Ermelinda, a half-elf female avatar that, showing in her avatar description and information, had a petite build, dark red hair tied into adorable braids, blue eyes, and pale white skin, with freckles around his face and shoulders.
She seemed to be a type of magic spear knight, as she was holding a magic spear made of some type of magic spiritual wood, whose blade was also a strange, red-colored crystal. Her armor was also made of some sort of special spiritual magic wood.
This only made Vlad more interested in the materials that could be found in Fantasia. It wasn’t as if there weren’t wood types in Obscuritas either, but they seemed like the normal type so far.
However, Fantasia was a whole “magic forest” type of Realm, so it was obvious their trees and forests would hold special effects and abilities; armor made of wood seemed interesting.
“He’s off-line for now, Chris too…” he said as he looked at the system window. “I should go Rank Up my Class I guess, while I have time.”
He quickly walked downstairs without finding his mother, but he heard his sister’s voice calling for him the moment he stepped down.
“Big brother! You’re back?”
Camilla was in the kitchen this time, trying to cook something. It looked like some sort of very rough stew with purple-colored potatoes and radish, and some pieces of red meat and spices.
The potatoes and radish-like tubers were cut very toughly, and the meat wasn’t cut tenderly into thin slices either, looking like a big piece of meat.
“Ah yeah! You’re cooking something, Camilla?”
“Yeah! I’m making meat stew!” she said cutely. “Mama taught me how to do it, but she had to leave because she was busy taking care of the city! It’s almost done; let’s eat together!”
“O-Oh, well, I’ll come back in a bit; I need to go Rank Up my Class,” said Vlad.
“Oh, really? Then me too! I haven’t done this thing before, so I want to see what I can get!” said Camilla.
“Oh right, you haven’t Ranked Up yet, huh?” wondered Vlad. “Sure, come along then. Turn off the stove first though.”
“Okay! It’s done anyways,” nodded Camilla, turning off the fire and placing several cloths on top of the pot to maintain the warmth. “Let’s go!”
Today Camilla was wearing something ore tomboyish. Black leather shorts, a white blouse, and a black leather jacket, with red decorations resembling roses.
“Do I look cute today?” she wondered. “Mama bought me these today! While you were away… Ah right, she also got you some new clothes!”
“Is that so… I’ll check them later then,” Vlad nodded as he patted Camilla’s head. “And yeah, you look cute as always. Let’s go.”
The two vampire siblings made their way through the city of Elderbridge; there were no longer any toughs anywhere. Wherever he looked or spread his senses, he couldn’t find anybody doing shabby things.
The city had already begun to improve; with the two largest organizations gone and mostly all their members dead too, and with larger amounts of food and jobs for everyone, people were finally beginning to improve their lives.
“The city looks lively today!” Camilla said, looking around, as she saw the plaza where the Dungeon Gates were located.
There were several children playing with one another and parents watching from afar. There were even small carts selling products, such as food, consumable items, and snacks.
Camilla swallowed saliva as the two siblings passed close to a small cart that was selling “blood candies,” which were caramelized blood dots, popular amongst children.
Most people in Obscuritas drank blood; it wasn’t a thing only Vampires did. Mostly because water was often times contaminated and because their strong physiologies allowed them to easily gain sustenance and hydration from it.
If only vampires drank it regularly, then there wouldn’t be much of a point in selling so many things made using blood, as it wouldn’t be rentable to just sell it to the few handfuls of vampires out there.
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Although the population of “half breeds,” which were dhampirs, half-vampires and half-other races, wasn’t that low, sometimes reaching a hundred, it was still small in comparison to the rest.
“You want some? Your brother’s rich now, so I can afford a little snack, no problem,” said Vlad.
“Really?! I want the big one!” said Camilla while drooling, pointing at a huge blood candy shaped like a heart attached to a little stick; it was a lollipop.
“Sure, but don’t tell mom I bought you candy before lunch,” nodded Vlad. “One of those, please.”
Vlad paid and bought the lollipop, giving it to his sister. The little vampire girl rejoiced, licking it happily. Vlad ended up purchasing a few himself to see if they were that tasty.
“Hmm? These are surprisingly good?!”
Perhaps it was his own Vampire Avatar finding all blood delicious by default, but the taste of the caramel and the saltiness of blood created an addicting flavor that he couldn’t have enough.
Once they reached the Church of the Evil Gods, the only church available in the city as of now with a Class-changing stone, he had already eaten all the candies.
“Thank goodness this is a game; eating this much sugar would definitely not do any good to my body. I’ve worked so hard to get fit…” Vlad felt relieved he could piggy out all he wanted in the game without consequences, IRL.
Once they reached the church, the two guards glanced at the two, instantly recognizing their faces and auras this time.
It wasn’t like before at all!
Prince Vlad had already become famous all across Elderbridge due to his incredible feats, and even Camilla became well known after fighting and defending the city.
The soldiers, mercenaries, adventurers, and even players had talked about everything they did everywhere, so it had already become well known.
The guards, which were actually Paladins in training of the Evil God Church and had no relation with the Iron Blood Empire, still learned everything, as they oftentimes talked with these people in taverns at night.
“Prince Vlad?!”
“And Princess Camilla…!”
Vlad and Camilla glanced at them with piercing stares, the power of Vampires overflowing from their bodies.
Vampires oftentimes were considered “superior races” or “high races” due to their powerful {Authority}, which develops as they grow.
The stronger they become, the stronger this {Authority} becomes, which makes other beings that don’t belong to “high races” instinctively feel fear and respect.
It wasn’t a Skill, but an innate ability of their race. Dhampirs took longer to develop it, sometimes never developing it at all.
But Vlad and Camilla were the exception; their {Authority} was already strong, surging like powerful, overwhelming Auras.
Of course, they could also retract it and act normal, but when it was time to show off their Authority as both strong people and as members of royalty, they had to release it.
Why?
To show others their place!
The two guards, which were a blood elf and a half-orc, stepped back as they gritted their teeth; they didn’t want to, but their entire bodies were sweating cold sweat.
Without saying a word, Vlad and Camilla were telling them that “you are below me” and that “don’t you dare get close to me.”.
They didn’t even talk back to them; after the disrespect they showed the last time, Vlad simply decided to not even address them as people but as bothersome things in the way.
“…”
He glared at them, and they immediately moved away to let them pass.
They didn’t even ask for a fee to pay to enter.
In fact, that was all bullshit; royalty can enter any building free of charge.
As they entered the church, Camilla giggled.
“Did you see that, brother? They were all scared, hehehe!” She giggled like a little demon herself.
“Yeah, it’s good they know their place,” Vlad nodded. “Now, I’ll go first; you can stay here and wait; it won’t take me long.”
“Oh, okay!” nodded Camilla adorably.
Vlad stepped forward.
“Okay, let’s do this again then… Should I take the blessings of the Heavenly Demon again?”
He touched the stone as his mind was transported elsewhere.
FLASH!
This time, it wasn’t the same place as before; it wasn’t the white area filled with the gods observing him.
No, this time…
“W-What the hell is this place?!”
Vlad panicked, realizing he was standing on a small, floating black stone in the middle of the void.
Above him, he could see a dark sky, with a single, white eye staring at him, though he realized it didn’t belong to any divinity.
It was something like a moon, but not a moon.
Below him, the black void, and more clouds, which constantly released lightning.
“This place… What the hell is-”
“Hmm, interesting, so this is the second Mindscape you were sent to… Quite the lugubrious place. Reminds me of the Void Canyons of my Realm.”
“Huh?!”
Vlad gasped in surprise as he saw the ghostly figure of the Heavenly Demon floating behind him, glaring at him with a face full of pride and arrogance.
“What? I’m obviously here, as I was before,” he sighed. “However, it seems I can no longer influence this place like before. It is integrally structured differently… Nonetheless, because our souls are one, I seem to be able to manifest my own self in here, to a limited extent.”
“T-That’s shocking,” said Vlad. “So, uh, hey.”
“Stop acting so awkwardly,” sighed the Heavenly Demon. “I have no time for your stupidity, my reincarnation. It’s time for action. Look ahead of yourself.”
“Ah!”
Vlad glanced in front of him, realizing there were several paths forming out of floating black stone debris floating around.
They all gravitated around his own stone and then formed paths elsewhere. The skies above and below trembled as gigantic floating islands emerged.
RUMBLE!
From these dark, lugubrious-looking floating islands, enormous temples, castles, or even ruins were erected, overflowing with different divine auras.
“What…?”
Vlad was left speechless, and even more when a new system notification popped up.
Ding!
[You have entered the Second Class and Subclass Rank Up Trial!]
[By choosing the Path you want to take, your Class and Subclass will evolve differently.]
[Each Path has been designed by the Divinities that desire to sponsor you in one way or another. It is your choice to pick which one you want to take.]
[Once you enter the Trial Building, you’ll have to prove your strength, intelligence, ingenuity, and various other talents to obtain the privilege of Ranking Up your Class and Subclass even further.]
[While your mind is within this Mindscape, time goes incredibly slow, so take your time to decide! Good luck!]
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