I can't even remember how long I was staying here.

No matter how much I ask, nor no matter how much I think, I can never get past these riddles. Searching for answers and discussing with everyone what the answer may be, it was all hopeless.

As time past I go out every now and then to freshen up. But the smell that has been stained onto my clothes due to that sticky liquid ruins my mood one way or another, forcing me to change clothes.

But I have failed these riddles so many times, that I have run out of spare clothes, resulting in me to cast an air freshening spell. Why didn't I just stick to one set and let it all get drenched or maybe use this spell earlier?

It's due to the insanity caused by this artificial dungeon, everyone makes the wrong decision constantly after staying here for a while. Just as I was about to sleep off the stress that this dungeon is causing everyone, I felt it.

A strange presence appeared behind the mountain inhabiting the dungeon. Whether by the hunter's instinct or just the sheer presence gave off, it leads me straight to the answer.

"The creator of this dungeon."

I went over there immediately, hoping this creator is willing to sell me a core.

"What business does a mere peasant want?"

Just as I arrive I find her. But from her voice and tone, she sounds like a noble.

"I'm sorry for intruding on your time, I would like to talk to you, My name is Elina, A Dungeon Hunter"

I am experienced in dealing with these kinds of people, so I respond the proper way. She turns around but my eyes were drawn to the core in her arms.

I examine the core in detail and confirmed it is, in fact, a dungeon core. I heard cores that act as seeds for new dungeons takes on a form similar to that of a small inanimate humanoid and features on this can determine if it's naturally formed or created.

I felt no hostility from it, so as I suspected, this one is created but her.

"I shall repeat, What business does a mere hunter want? and to not meet my eyes with your own is being rather uncivil."

"ah, Please forgive my rude actions"

I made a mistake, I was too focused on the core and failed to give her the proper manners. I turn my eyes towards her. She seems like a frail girl, one that shouldn't be out on her own. She possesses pretty silver-white hair with beautiful amethyst-like violet eyes. The pure-white sundress she's wearing doesn't look durable, but I can tell it was made from very high-quality materials, but I do not spot any form of weaponry on her.

Normally everyone should have at least one form of weaponry on them for safety but she doesn't look has any weapons at all, unless she hid them in those shoes of hers or under her dress. But no matter how I examine her, she just looks like a walking doll that can even charm older woman like me.

"I would like to ask you something."

I just want one last confirmation since this little girl doesn't even look like she can protect herself much less create a dungeon and if she is the creator then she will be able to answer them with no problem.

I examine her face when asking, my friends told me that my face goes stone cold when hunting but this girl looks ice-cold just from being in her presence. She answered both perfectly and I'm even able to see how they are the right answers.

"if you wish to use me as an answer sheet then I require compensation for it"

Ah, not good, If I anger her, I may lose my only chance at getting a core or even finding one.

"You are the one who designed that dungeon, no?"

As I continue talking with her, I notice a bit of emotion on her face and it's hurtful since she seems very annoyed about my presence here. I ask about purchasing a core from her but she denies me immediately, even saying just go find one and enslave it. Doesn't she know that the chances of enslaving a dungeon are very low nowadays? From what I can gather she seems to be the typical 'sheltered princess' without much common knowledge.

Before long she starts leaving, I ask to tag along with her, asking me what am I willing to offer just to travel with her. Being unsure of what this frail girl wants I ask, only for her ice-cold expression to melt and turn sinister.

"Blood, give me your blood."

"......what?"

I was dumbfounded by her mere words, she wants blood?

I examine her again comparing her to all humanoids that I can remember, and only one matched this girl, a Vampire but unlike stereotypical vampires, she doesn't have scarlet red eyes and instead has those violet eyes. However, her eyes do have the same vertical pupils as normal vampire scarlet eyes do but I recall that some customs involve removing those scarlet eyes and replacing them with something else as humiliation, although this is all textbook knowledge, I still shouldn't call attention to it.

Since for years encountering a vampire is so slim there has been no documentation of their species for centuries. But this girl in front of me seems pretty high in the hierarchy even as a pure-blooded vampire. To differentiate the ranks of a vampire just from appearance isn't hard as it's very noticeable, particularly the presence. The higher they are in the hierarchy the more the presence appears noble, like being in front of an actual aristocrat of the same rank as the vampire.

For this frail girl, it feels like I'm in front of a princess, but for such a girl to be alone instead of with elite guards along with the appearance of those eyes make me think something happened to her and now she is traveling all alone. No, I don't want to see another girl suffer any further, I'll protect you if I can.

"I am willing to offer my blood, but please spare me from taking it directly."

"I don't mind, now tell me your reason for following me."

Straight to the point, but I answer the question, but her immediate refusal to help me is fine, the feeling of wanting to protect her has been sparked, so is my interest of this artificial dungeon creator.

She gives me her name...with one of the most lovely smiles I have ever seen, like the ice-cold girl from before was a lie.

...

The start of a new journey wasn't bad, just that the dungeon collapsed because of the scum, known as the white demon had to cause a bit of trouble, even seemingly scaring Alicia quite a bit. Although her face is ice-cold most of the time, there are slight changes I learned to pick up on from dealing with children with similar kinds of expression.

I learned that she is one of the legendary day walking vampire. Although noble and even pureblood vampires are capable of the same thing, they are still affected to some extent but this girl is completely unaffected, maybe all the textbook knowledge I have is wrong and this girl is just another noble vampire but that doesn't change the fact that she is a frail girl traveling alone.

Just as the journey continued, I noticed that Alicia doesn't ever seem tired, walking for an entire day without ever complaining, never needing to do her business nor eat and drink, just drinking my blood is enough to satisfy her it seems.

Before I know it, 3 days past by and I'm on the verge of collapsing, without resting nor stopping I'm exhausted but she is perfectly fine as if she hasn't taken even a single step. I look for a place to stay on my map and find a town I've been meaning to visit for their bedding.

However, Alicia refuses to come, even challenging her only made me realize that she may not be as powerless as I first imagined. Mastering the most valuable spell to royal families, to purge everything from dust to death curses in the blink of an eye, 'purification'.

I even remember trying to learn it but after looking at the spells construction, I can imagine why even the champions of magic can't learn it.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

It's unknown how such a sloppy spell can even function, it's formation is messy with its shape distorted unlike the systematic foundation of 99% of all other spells, in fact, that 1% of all spells are unlearnable to the magic society, even though they contain some of the most sought-after effects.

But to learn such things, you need to be blessed with unmatched talent in magic and makes me wonder what other spells are Alicia capable of.

Having bargained my neck and failing I had no choice but to accept defeat and go alone, but with a promise of meeting up here tomorrow. I arrive in town and learn about the disappearances of this townspeople, lately. I researched further and but came up with nothing, other than a possible dungeon nearby.

I used the dungeon tracing spell and discover a reaction, but I'm not in proper condition to deal with such a thing until I get some rest. I found a few friends and ask for their help in conquering this dungeon tomorrow. They agreed but need to learn about each other again for teamwork.

I spent an entire day with them and ended up passing out onto my soft bed. By the time I woke up its already morning and I'm immediately reminded of her.

"No! I'm going to be late!"

Having arrived late, Alicia attacks me as soon as I arrive. The sensation of warmth spreads from where she bit me, sending me into a trance. I can't help but embrace this warmth with the feeling of ascending, making me believe I was in a dream.

...

I woke up and recalled all my embarrassing actions. I wanted to forget but the memories are just too clear in my head, I wanted to push this frail girl in front of me down but I was locked in place by her magic, even as I resisted I kept trying to at least embrace her. I know I'm not into other woman but this is just too weird, but I never find myself attracted to men either, so are these my true feelings?

I brush these thoughts to the side immediately after noticing a blank core in her arms.

"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."

I was rejected immediately, even offering my neck for my lifetime didn't work, although she looked like she was tempted. Even after resolving myself and telling her my dream I only got a blank expression from her.

"So simply put, you plan on raising your own dungeon then destroying it with your own hands when it gets strong enough?"

"That's correct."

"Don't you think that's rather cruel towards the spirits you enslave?"

Maybe she was taught dungeon spirits were capable of communication but to my knowledge, there has been no successful record of someone succeeding. I tried explaining it to her but all I got in the was a look of disgust from her.

"You disgust me."

"eh?"

"[Acceleration]!"

"W, wait!. Please wait!!!" 

The spell she used just now, 'acceleration'? she actually learned a spell labeled as one of the most incomprehensible spells known to the society of magic, once activated it can passively increase your speed and can theoretically increase and decrease in effectiveness with proper control as well as stay active for the rest of your life if your mana allows it.

I try catching up with her but my poor speed won't allow it, I have no choice but to give up the chase. 

...

I meet up with my team, ready to tackle the mystery of the disappearances and if need be, clear a dungeon. Me, the dwarf guardian Tom, the human priest Maya, and the human warrior Jack. All of us are D-ranks close to our promotion to C-rank and I was surprised all of them were in town.

However, thoughts about her weigh down on me, does she hate me for treating dungeon spirits as livestock? but that is the norm everywhere in society what's more those spirits cannot be reasoned with.

I decided to put those thoughts about her on hold until I finish this quest. We arrive where most of the disappearances happen and but sadly I didn't get a reaction from my dungeon tracing spell so I had to use another spell.

"[Precedent Projection]"  ( Elina )

Images of the past show up, but I was surprised. Many people pass through here and but among them was someone I knew.

"Miss.Alicia!?"  ( Elina )

"Someone, you know?"  ( Tom )

Why was she here? I begin unconsciously following her with the rest of my team slightly confused.

"Elina, you look unwell, are you alright?"  ( Maya )

"I'm fine, I just want to know why she was here"  ( Elina )

"Who is she?"  ( Tom )

"Her name is Alicia, and her history...I'd rather not say."  ( Elina )

It's better for her that people don't know that she is a vampire, I can easily imagine people trying to capture her for her rarity. As much as I want to prevent that from happening I cannot keep pace with her. Even now just remembering her last words to me, made it feel like I hurt her somehow.

Soon enough we are lead by Alicia's past projection to a cave. As soon as she enters I immediately see her display a bit of anger.

"Good morning, to what do I owe this sudden displeasure?"  ( Alicia )

"Wait, who is she talking to?"  ( Jack )

There was no one else in the vicinity but either we cannot hear the voice of the other person from this spell or she is talking to no one.

"Peeping at a ladies secret is filthy."  ( Alicia )

Unlike her ice-cold expression with a trace of annoyance from before, this Alicia is fully displaying her anger in the form of a dark grin.

 "You wish to taint this sacred self of mine?"  ( Alicia )

As the talk goes on, I suddenly recall Alicia's recent blank core, she said she almost got enslaved by an incubus right? so does that mean?

Ah, just as her talk went on, we see projections of past monsters. They aren't approaching as if something is keeping them from doing so. Even as Alicia's expression gets scarier my team feels something off from this girl.

"There are monster's right there but this frail girl doesn't seem the slightest bit scared, maybe anger has killed her reasoning?"  ( Jack )

"Elina, do you know how strong this girl is?"  ( Maya )

"I don't know, I only know that she is capable of using spells out of the norm."  ( Elina )

Just as the monsters start rushing towards Alicia, even prompting me to yell out 'run'

"[Acceleration] [Mana Endurance] [Roses of Blood---Be my Weapon]"  ( Alicia )

...

"Whaaaat!?"  ( Everyone )

Even 'mana endurance'!?

My team is also surprised, everyone would, two spells that have been learned by very few in all of history has been used and with no chant by Alicia.

I see a scene that fits Alicia but at the same time, doesn't match that frail appearance. Slaughter even D-rank monsters barely any effort. 

"[Blood of the fallen---Surrender to my will]"  ( Alicia )

Although I know she is a vampire and is proficient in blood magic, the others think she may be an assassin from an ancient clan. Even casting shadow magic without even saying a thing already tells of her immense talent in magic.

"[Echolocation]"  ( Alicia )

After the battles over, she just surprises us with another no chant spell. But we were able to keep our cool this time as there are many who have learned this spell in today's society.

But due to her speed, I have to keep replaying past events to know where she went. We encounter many rotten corpses on the way, many of which contain encrypted messages, but Alicia only spares them only a single glance.

She repeats the echolocation spell until she runs into a C-rank minotaur. Although it took time, she kills it without any damage. 

"How rude of you to call me a mutt, I prefer being called a feline."  ( Alicia )

She is talking to the mystery person again, but that dangerous unchanging grin stays. Even repeating the same process as before to gather blood and causing the corpses to vanish with her shadow magic without a worry shows how confident she is.

"Annoying worm."  ( Alicia )

The talk continues but with more mystery gathers until...

"I suspect you aren't able to. I doubt you even have the resolve to collapse this dungeon."  ( Alicia )

Dungeon? is she speaking to the dungeon spirit? We listen in but are only left with more questions. Alicia seems very familiar with how dungeons work even casually saying stuff that I have no idea about.

"I'm sure it is, but your mobile sub-core should be in this dungeon no? aren't you afraid it will get caught in the blast?"  ( Alicia )

The more she talks the more mysterious she gets, I really can't predict what kind of person she is. Once she gets to a large room with a door both decorated extensively, several minotaurs enter.

"I'm wondering what would you do if 'I' set off a core explosion this close to your core?"  ( Alicia )

Wait, does she mean, she can detonate the core in her arms?

"Elina is she..."  ( Jack )

"An artificial dungeon creator, yes"  ( Elina )

It can't be kept much of a secret anymore, her knowledge about dungeons have surpassed even mine by far.

"Hey, we should be able to take on one minotaur in a team but can we even take on this many?"  ( Tom )

"I doubt it, C-ranks are seriously no joke. The only reason this girl is dispatching them easily because of the speed she possesses from the acceleration spell."  ( Jack )

Jack's right, I have no confidence I can even take on one, but the amount of mana Alicia possesses should be in the C-rank levels or else she wouldn't be capable of such extensive usage of 'acceleration' or 'mana endurance'.

Like before she takes care of the minotaur and without even the slightest bit of damage.

"Gotten rather desperate haven't you?"  ( Alicia )

We see more monsters poured in but...

"[Blades of blood---Become the roses of slaughter]"  ( Alicia )

A wide range blood spell, her control over it surpasses any blood magic user I know.

"I apologize that you mindless creatures have been ordered to die, so as such I will release you all with a quick death and terminate your ruthless master."  ( Alicia )

...

I think I'm beginning to see part of her true personality, she seems to care for these pitiful mindless creatures.

Just as she quickly kills them, the giant door opens. What we saw inside was horrible, less than half of the missing people are in here, maybe, even more, but are now eaten. Outside of the projection, we see their fresh corpses. along with the dead infant monsters. But the air is dense with the smell of blood.

Back to the projection, we spot the core and the incubus on top of it. 

"I imagine you must be enjoying this disgusting hobby of yours."  ( Alicia )

"As fun as this all is, it's efficient as I only need one monster to spawn several more, the only thing I'm short of currently is seedbeds."  ( Incubus )

Only one thing came to mind when looking at the incubus, dungeon master. An existence that enslaves dungeon spirit and has it do its bidding.

"However it's too late for you B*tch. Although a bit rushed, my B-rank Incubus Lord has been born at last. YOU NOW STAND NO CHANCE AGAINST ME, SUBMIT TO ME!!!"  ( Incubus )

"B-RANK!?"  ( Everyone )

No matter how powerful Alicia is, I know for sure that she is not B-rank, so her chances of winning are nil. What's more, it's an incubus lord, an enemy to all woman.

"A puny incubus lord wishes to charm me? Pity that mental attacks have no effect on me Newborn."  ( Alicia )

"IMPOSSIBLE!!! ALL FEMALES BENEATH B-RANK SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO RESIST. EVEN MENTAL PROTECTION LIKE THE VAMPIRES SERENE MIND ABILITY CAN'T PROTECT YOU!!!!!!!!"  ( Incubus )

All my worry evaporated in an instant, I almost forgot, Alicia was unharmed this morning, so nothing bad should have happened to her. 

The incubus goes ballistic, even showing his insanity without end.

"Formation Complete"  ( Alicia )

When those words came out, the projection started distorting. We fail to listen to any more of their conversation but there is nothing but static and only bits and pieces came out, I kept strengthening the spell but to no effect, but at the same time, we felt pressure like no other, as if an entire world was pushing down on all of us.

"[GODLESS---BLOOD WORLD]"  ( Alicia ) 

After one last line from Alicia, the projection cuts out completely, but that immense pressure we felt disappears as well. Everyone came straight to the answer immediately, Domain spell.

"..."  ( Jack )

"Um, just what is that girl?"  ( Tom )

"Elina, that is one powerful girl you know."  ( Maya )

"I didn't even know she was capable of casting that domain spell"  ( Elina )

Godless blood world the domain spell of the blood attribute, and one of the oldest and most powerful of all within its class. But it basically tells of her identity, it's a spell only pureblooded vampires are capable of casting, there are no exceptions. But most importantly, only B-rank levels of mana are capable of handling the strain of it. 

I don't know what to think anymore, almost everything I knew about her has been washed away by that display of power.

After repeatedly casting 'precedent projection' We finally get a scene back, Alicia is holding onto a white inanimate object, I already know its the blank core but I can't say that or my team may leak it. The core and its master have disappeared.

Everyone in the room is dead, and the corpse of the infant incubus lord is on the ground, and again, no damage was taken, not tired at all, not even a trace of mana exhaustion, although her sundress is wrinkled in a few places.

"Pian, fix up my clothes."  ( Alicia )

"eh?"  ( everyone )

A spider jumps out of her shadow, we all recognize it, its one of the most sought-after monsters to be tamed. Just having one guarantee living a life free of financial worries. Their silk is so soft and their work is exquisite making them a target to work on royal clothing. 

The weaver spiders are also very hard to tame even newborns are known to attack their own mothers and are the most aggressive of all spider monsters. For her to tame one and even ordering it to fix up her clothes, if not treated properly these spiders will rebel.

"This girl is just full of surprises"  ( Jack )

"You can say that again, but she is a legendary pureblooded vampire and a terrifyingly powerful one at that."  ( Tom )

"Makes me wonder, how you even know this girl Elina"  ( Maya )

"I thought she was just a wandering frail girl, so I just followed to protect her."  ( Elina )

"Also eat up that incubus lords corpse when you're done, even if its newborn it is still a B-rank and I can't have a follower to forever be cannon fodder."  ( Alicia )

The way she speaks to it is harsh and would normally prompt weaver spiders to rebel but this one is so obedient it's unthinkable.

...

We stop following the projection and gather the corpses that Alicia didn't purge to sell, and inform the townspeople of the dead missing people. We didn't have to do any work to do on this quest as Alicia had taken care of all the monsters before we even arrived. I split up with my team, I prefer traveling alone while achieving my dream after all.

I think back to when I first met her, nearly everything about her is shrouded in mystery, but now I'm relieved that she is powerful enough to defend herself. I just hope our paths will cross and at that time I will apologize, I don't know how I hurt you but please I just want to meet you again.