I had arrived, but she is not here yet. I found it odd that I currently feel like sinking my teeth into her neck. I just continue to wait, and wait and wait and wait.
Just how long is she gonna keep me waiting, I recall Pride made her promise that for every moment I wait for her, is another moment I can drink right?
"[Acceleration]" ( Alicia )
She finally arrives, even seeming like she is rushing here.
"I'm sorry I'm lateeeeeee!!!?" ( Elina )
The moment she arrives I have sunken my teeth into her the side of her neck. She tries resisting but having cast 'shadow lock' on her, she had become incapable of movement. I still hold quite a bit of mana remaining from my confrontation with Rampart so I have no worries on this body's mana reserves currently.
"Miss, Miss.Alicia!?" ( Elina )
Don't worry, I have no intention of turning you into a lesser vampire, I'm just really thirsty at the moment, I want blood. I continue drinking and as I did I began feeling refreshed like I was released from the stress I went through because of that bastards memories.
I begin to calm down, and I realize..., that Elina's skin tone is getting pale. Ah, I may have taken too much blood. She is even gasping for air, even looks like she passed out with a strange expression on her face. Note to self, when stress relieving by drinking blood, better to be cautious of the target's health since I may kill them unintentionally.
Oh well, that's for making me wait, and you were the one to bargain with your own neck. I decided to just heal her up for now since she might be getting close to death.
"[Angel's Heal]" ( Alicia )
A soft glow covered Elina and color returned to her skin. Soon enough she opens her eyes but seems to be in a high.
"Ah, it feels like I going to heaven." ( Elina )
She even begins laughing like an idiot, even going as far as to try and kiss me, but before she could I cast 'shadow lock' on her.
"Just once, please Princess I just want to hug you..." ( Elina )
"..." ( Alicia )
I do recall near-death experiences can sometimes turn even the smartest of people into idiots.
...
I had to deal with this idiotic Elina and her antics but after a little while, Elina regains her sanity.
"That's cruel! you almost took my life!" ( Elina )
"You were the one to bargain with your neck, to begin with. Not to mention you looked like you were on cloud 9 when you woke up." ( Alicia )
"..." ( Elina )
She starts blushing. Why!? was it that embarrassing!?
"Um, please forget that ever happen." ( Elina )
"Oh? what will you offer this time for that request." ( Alicia )
"I already gave you so much of my blood! can't you just quietly accept one simple request!?" ( Elina )
"Foolish question, I have acquired a taste for your blood, so I will use every opportunity to drink it directly." ( Alicia )
"You aren't even trying to hide your thoughts!!!" ( Elina )
I can't deny that after drinking her blood directly, I even gained a sort of craving for it. Pride is not even trying to hide this craving for Elina-neck-blood.
Elina tries shifting the subject to something else until seems to she notices something in my arms.
"Um, Miss.Alicia?" ( Elina )
"Something bothering you?" ( Alicia )
"By chance is that..." ( Elina )
I follow her line of sight, I thought she was just staring at my mobile sub-core again. This time she was staring at the blank sub-core. What? does she want it? this is an important lifeline, I'm not selling it.
"Perish your thoughts on ever acquiring it from me. I only got it by chance and almost ended up becoming a slave to some infuriating unrecyclable incubus waste along the way." ( Alicia )
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"..." ( Elina )
She stares at me now with a blank face. Like she is unable to process what I just said. Ah, she looks like she is about to cry again, seriously where is that stone-cold elf that destroyed my first home!?
"Please, is there anything I you want in return? I'm even willing to let you drink from my neck for as long as I live, just please don't turn or kill me in the process." ( Elina )
"...No" ( Alicia )
Now, this is just getting weird, why does she want her own dungeon that badly? but this core may restore my 10% daily income, I am not willing to give it up for any reason. Your puppy dog eyes will not sway me, not even that conflicted expression will affect me unless you use power to take it from me, there is no way.
"I have a dream..." ( Elina )
No matter what your backstory is, I'm not buying a lifetime supply of your blood...no matter how tempting it is.
"You see. Dungeon nowadays doesn't possess as much power as they had in the past. Back then there would always be a hero that would conquer the dungeons and be showered with fame." ( Elina )
"..." ( Alicia )
...
I don't like where this is going.
"I had always admired these heroes since I was a child, I want to be like them but simply being recognized for my abilities is not enough. I want to be recognized the same way those heroes did." ( Elina )
"......" ( Alicia )
"I want to stand on the same pedestal they had stood on. Yes, I need to conquer a powerful dungeon." ( Elina )
"......" ( Alicia )
Her speech just went on and on, but the more she continued the more I'm reminded of Rampart's memories. Just when I got through a period of stress blood drinking as well.
Elina...why?...
"So simply put, you plan on raising your own dungeon then destroying it with your own hands when it gets strong enough?" ( Alicia )
"That's correct." ( Elina )
"Don't you think that's rather cruel towards the spirits you enslave?" ( Alicia )
I have already seen a lot of people like this in Ramparts memories, a part of me wants to believe there are people who think differently, as slim as these chances are.
The self, inherited along with the memories which once belonged to someone outside of the dungeon spirits. I can feel it, it wants to believe people are not as cruel as displayed in Rampart's memories. In fact, I think its this self that helped keep my sanity stable along with Pride, preventing me from going on a rampage and is just turning me into a bloodkaholic.
Elina looks confused and begins thinking. It takes her a little while before answering me.
"Miss.Alicia, I don't know what you were taught when learning how to create artificial dungeons but..." ( Elina )
Go on, are you like the rest or are you different?
As I await the answer, Elina looks rather troubled even seeming unsure if she is able to answer me.
"Just tell me your honest thoughts, Miss.Elina. depending on your answer I might even gift you with this blank dungeon core." ( Alicia )
Although I'm not really planning on giving it to her, it should push her for an answer at least. She becomes surprised by my offer, takes a deep breath and resolves herself.
"I don't really know what to say. Dungeons since the old days were like wild rampaging beasts that could only destroy everything around them, and like beasts, they can be tamed through an albeit forceful method of enslaving. But I don't think anything about it, people have domesticated animals for milk, meat, and other kinds of products for a very long time now, and dungeon spirits don't seem that much different in this process." ( Elina )
"......" ( Alicia )
"Even I have a friend that killed a cow that couldn't produce milk anymore for meat, I thought the same thing about it being rather cruel but he just responded it has served its purpose as a milking cow and even gave birth to quite a few strong babies and that it shouldn't suffer from age anymore." ( Elina )
"......" ( Alicia )
"Although there are people who can communicate with animals even reason with them, people have tried talking to these dungeon spirits but they cannot be reasoned with at all. All who tried were either unsuccessfully or successfully killed by the very dungeon spirit they were trying to reason with." ( Elina )
"......" ( Alicia )
"Even newborn dungeon spirits seem hellbent on killing and torturing everyone, making them very dangerous. There are even theories about these spirits, trying to bring about the end of the world. So they need to be either killed or enslaved. Nowadays everyone is treating dungeon spirits to be just another animal that needs to be killed or domesticated." ( Elina )
"......" ( Alicia )
"And with good reason too, although they can talk they are no different from unreasonable beasts whose only role is to kill. Killing them brings safety to the surroundings, and enslaving them helps achieve dreams. I and others alike don't have to worry about a shortage of dungeons to enslave, as for every dungeon we destroy another few are born elsewhere soon after. Just that these dungeon spirits nowadays have a higher chance of suiciding." ( Elina )
"......" ( Alicia )
"But the core you hold in your arms is a rare kind that is spiritless so anyone can enslave it immediately before a spirit will be born into it." ( Elina )
She looks so happy.
"That's why the core you hold is " ( Elina )
"So you think dungeon spirits are unreasonable beasts?" ( Alicia )
I cut her off before she can finish, I don't know what to think about her anymore.
"Even I have tried reasoning with them a few times but they always try to kill me, what else can you call those things other than a dangerous and unreasonable beast?" ( Elina )
"I will ask you something. how many monsters have you killed before trying to reason with them?" ( Alicia )
Confused at my question she just answers, without knowing the meaning of my question.
"Um... every single one, since with those monsters around its nearly impossible to even reach the core. In fact, that's the case with all dungeons as without killing all the monsters it's impossible to talk to the core when those monsters constantly attack you." ( Elina )
"........." ( Alicia )
No wonder, you people seem to misunderstand, that is not reasoning. Taking away the dungeons spirits fighting potential then try discussing something with them is not reasoning, that's just straight up an ultimatum.
"Miss.Alicia?" ( Elina )
I wonder? is the reason I'm still able to hold my reason because of Pride or because of that self.
My body moves on its own and begins leaving with Elina behind me.
"Miss.Alicia!? is something wrong!?" ( Elina )
Go away, I don't want to see your face right now.
"You disgust me." ( Alicia )
"eh?" ( Elina )
"[Acceleration]!" ( Alicia )
I run, with all I can. I don't care if my mana is depleted from this or am exhausted from lack of stamina.
"W, wait!. Please wait!!!" ( Elina )
She tries to catch up but its no use now. She gets left immediately in the dust, unable to even match my speed for even a moment.
I just run. If I stay there for another moment I might really lose my reasoning.