Chapter 4

Encounter

Royal arts... an enhanced version of noble arts that only royal blood could use. Arts can be categorized into two sections: Weapons and supports. A weapon is a type of art used when creating a type of weapon. For example, creating a blood sword is a type of weapon art. But it has requirements that a user must fulfill. First off, there must be blood coming out of the user's hands. The user's hands are used to control and shape the type of weapon which is why it's essential. It's not possible to perform a weapon art with just the user's arms. As long as your hands are intact, a vampire could use weapon arts.

Support arts are a bit different from weapon arts. Support is a type of art used for enhancing the vampire's body. It is also used for hiding certain things like a vampire's eye. Support arts are what is considered common and easy. It is similar to breathing air for humans. There are no requirements when using support arts. Support arts are what allow noble and royal vampires to walk under the sun.

To cast them, a vampire must do 2 things: Say either royal or noble arts and control. The first one is easy but the second one "control" is where most vampires need practice. The way I control mine is by imagining it. For example, let's say my hand was detached. I imagine what it would look like when it's attached and slowly let my blood attach and heal it. Every vampire has different techniques for controlling their blood.

Royal phantasm... The ultimate power of a pure royal blood vampire. Each pure royal blood will have one. It is unique and powerful. Usually, a royal vampire hides it and only uses it as a last resort. It has a similar requirement to the weapon arts. My royal phantasm allows me to control other living being. At the moment, the limit of living being I could control is still unknown. The bigger the living being is, the harder they are to control. Which is why I simply make them stay in one place instead of making them move around. It also allows me to hide the fact that I could control their body against their will. I decided to call my royal phantasm "True Blood Control" as it emphasizes blood controlling other living beings. Pretty cool name right? Right?

It was nighttime by the time I got home to my apartment after hanging out with Carl and Mary. My senses were beat and the only thing I was focused on was hitting the bed after I get some ice. I decided to take the elevator up to the 3rd floor. I didn't want to take the stairs as it takes too much of my energy. Luckily, the elevator was already on the main floor so I didn't have to wait. It was empty like I was. After a fun day, you would usually have that emptiness once it was over.

I arrived at my floor and began to walk to my apartment door. I searched for my key but couldn't find it. Did I leave it inside? Did I drop it? After a short panic attack, I found it. But my heart rate had not dwindled. For some reason, it felt as if someone was watching me. It's a weird feeling that I don't normally get. If I had a stalker, then that meant that I was famous or something. I would probably give the stalker some money(if I had some) for taking the time to stalk me.

As I put the key into the keyhole, a person appeared on my right. She looked at me with menacing dark eyes and her hands folded. She looked like she was measuring me or something like the girl from the bakery. Wait... Now that I took a good look. She does look like her. She wasn't the cashier named Nina. She was the one that replaced Nina when assisting us. Why is she here?

"Umm... Could I help you with something, Miss?" I asked. I want to get it over as soon as possible. I'm already exhausted and talking to someone like her is even more exhausting.

"So you're the one that defeated Andre. I was originally planning on letting you go but after you made Nina cry... There's no way I'm letting it slide." She said.

Andre? Who?

"I think you got the wrong person about defeating Andre. But I did unintentionally make the other cashier cry."

"Drop the act... I know that you're a vampire. But let me ask you this. From whose family are you working?"

Heh? Is she testing me? She has to be testing me. How'd she even found out? Yeah, that doesn't make sense. And family? What the hell does that mean? Well, I don't have one really.

"I think you're mistaking me for somebody Miss. I'm not a vampire..." I tried, knowing that it was probably pointless.

In a blink of an eye, her dark eyes turned crimson. She bit her right hand and blood began to drip. "I saw you drank that poor guy's blood last night in case you're wondering how I knew... Noble arts!" She said before transforming her blood into a blood sword.

Her blood sword was different from the vampire I fought at the warehouse before. Her sword is sharper like someone who's had more experience. She's dangerous...

Seems like I don't have much of a choice. I took a step back before biting my right hand. But... something was different. I didn't feel my hands reach my mouth. Heh? I looked at my hand... They weren't where they were supposed to be... They were on the floor right in front of my feet. Blood began flooding in from my arms to the ground. Is this mine? Some got on my face and some were in my front door.

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"Don't worry... I won't kill you. I'm simply going to ask you some questions." She said right next to me.

She's fast! I didn't see her move at all.

"Now don't make this harder... Oh..."

I took my right hand that was on the floor and jumped off the three-story building. I used royal arts to enhance my body so that it could handle the impact upon reaching the ground. Run! I ran away from the apartment building as fast as I could. I used another royal art to attach my detached hand to my arm. What the hell! I cannot die! I cannot die! Not when I had already reached this life.

"I told you not to make this harder."

A blood sword appeared in the right corner of my eyes aiming for my neck. It was approaching me at a horrendous speed that the air looked like it was being cut in two. I managed to avoid the blood sword but in turn, lost my balance. I stumbled on an empty alleyway similar to the place where I drank the extortionist's blood. But it wasn't the same. She stood right in front of me with a blood sword resting and glared down at me with a blank look on her face.

She was different. She reminded me of the royal executors hunting me down when I escaped the vampire world 10 years ago. They were strong... If it weren't for that old man, I would've died then.

Think! There has to be something I could do! Think! Think!

There was a cut on my right palm which I got when I stumbled. I should be able to use it... I just need to hide it. With a cut on my right palm, I would be able to use my royal phantasm. Just need to time it correctly. I can't have her suddenly cutting it off. Pretend. I need to pretend like I had given up.

"Well, I'm dead anyways..." I said as I slowly got up. This plan better work or else I'm dead.

"Hmm... So you give up. After making the effort of running?" She asked as she put her blood sword right in front of my face.

I put both my hands up in the air like what a person would do when they're caught by the police. The only difference is that both my palms were closed.

"There's no point hiding your vampire's eyes. No one will see us here." She said before taking a glance at my closed palms. "Open your palms..."

"Ok..."

I slowly opened my palms and murmured "Royal phantasm."

"You-" She said as her last words before being unable to move her lips. She was still able to see and hear, it's just that she can't move or talk. Shocked was the last expression she had before she froze. She cannot move even by a millimetre. I regained my confidence but I knew I shouldn't let my guard down. Unexpected things could happen at any moment.

As I was about to pierce her heart with my enhanced hand, I suddenly came to a realization. She asked me which family I belonged to which meant that its likely that she belongs to a family of vampires as well. Vampires had always had a close relation to the word "revenge" so her family members would come after me. So basically I can't kill her. Knocking her down for the hunters to see is out. I can't have her knowing what I look like especially since I just revealed to her that I'm a royal blood. The vampire king would send vampire executors to hunt me upon hearing about me.

I continued walking back and forth for 5 minutes thinking what I should do next. Sigh, I don't know what to do... Maybe negotiate?

It was risky but it seemed like it has the best chance in terms of a better outcome. I decided to go with negotiation.

"Ok... Miss. I'm gonna let you go... In exchange, we will forget everything that happened tonight and go back to our original lives. You will also leave me alone and I will leave you alone. Deal?" I said before holding out my hand for a shake. Oh... I forgot. She still can't move or speak.

I undid my royal phantasm and in a flash, she disappeared in front of me and stood straight behind me.

Did I make the wrong choice? Am I dead? I'm already aware of my stupid decision.

"So you're the One-Eyed Prince of Westalis. I've heard a lot about you and thought you were dead..." She said as she undid her blood sword before murmuring "She would definitely be pleased."

Heard of me? From who?

"So... Do we have a deal?" I asked as I turned around to face her but her back faced me.

"Yes... Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Prince of Westalis. Goodbye," She said as she disappeared into thin air.

"*Sigh, Could I really trust someone like her?... Oh well," I said to myself.

Tomorrow's problem is tomorrow's problem, right now just focus on sleep.

I went back to my apartment and just as I expected, there was still a blood stain on my front door. Luckily, my apartment door was already opened and so I just went in and went straight to bed completely neglecting the fact that a neighbour may call the police for murder. And so I slept...Officially ending yet another night.

When I awoke in the morning, someone was ringing my doorbell.

*Sigh, must be the police...

I was still sleepy so I just put on whatever clothes I have left in my closet. I put on a white T-shirt and oversized black jogging pants I received from the old man. It was a good thing that Mary and Carl helped clean so that at least it would look a bit presentable to the police. Although they might search the trashbags which were close to the front door.

"I'm coming..." I yelled to the front door.

It was surprising that no special police bust in my room like those in Western movies. But upon opening the door, I realized why that is. It wasn't the police arresting me for murder. It was also not Carl or Mary. But it was the same girl that tried to kill me just a few hours ago. She wore a thin white jacket and underneath was a yellow dress. She also has a small white bag strapped on her right shoulder and her hair was done good. This is the exact opposite of what she looked like before. She stood straight with her arms crossed together and was tapping with her finger like someone who is waiting impatiently.

"I've been waiting here for ten minutes. I've also cleaned the blood stain on your front door. Honestly, it's a pretty stupid move of you to leave the blood stain like that..." She said, irritated.

"Why are you here? I'm pretty sure the deal was that you leave me alone and I leave you alone," I said.

But still... There don't seem to be any royal executors with her. Did she really not tell the vampire world my existence?

"I know... But my father wants you..." She said as she looks away.

"But why?"

"Who knows, and do you really think I would want to show my face to you again after last night? Anyways, he told me to bring you over to our household so until we reach the front of my house we're technically on a date..."

Huh? Wait what?