“Buffet?” The confusion was evident on the little silver-haired girl's face. “Never heard of it.
Murphy, employing his natural charm, explained, “Simply put, you can have a full meal for a small price.”
“Full meal?!” Her eyes sparkled momentarily before dimming, “But I don’t have any money…”
“No money needed,” Murphy hastened to assure her. “Can you ‘turn’ others?”
“I can,” she replied uncertainly. “I’ve learned how, but I’ve never actually tried it.”
“And your level would be?” Murphy felt hope just within reach.
“Sixty-one,” responded the girl shyly.
“Perfect! You’ve met the requirements for the buffet,” Murphy declared with a flourish. “Big brother will take you for a buffet meal, don’t worry. We’ll be back before your parents even know we’re gone.”
Without waiting for Lily’s consent, Murphy grabbed her hand and teleported back to Pepe.
“Woah~” As soon as they materialized, Murphy heard a sound of reluctance. Shrugging off his hand, Lily quickly sought refuge under the nearby trees, gazing at Murphy with a touch of gloom.
Murphy mentally noted he should have brought an umbrella for the sunlight-sensitive vampire.
Keeping in mind the need for efficiency, without further ado, Murphy used mage hand to lift unconscious Eschell and gently placed her beside Lily. “She’s the one.”
“Can I start eating now?” asked the girl, a hopeful tone to her voice, saliva nearly drooling from her mouth.
Murphy bristled at the misunderstanding, “Not to eat her—to turn her. After that, anything left on the ground besides her and that maid is all yours.” He pointed at Anne, preemptively eliminating her from Lily’s dining options.
“And her?” Lily pointed to Pepe, who was watching over Eschell.
In that instant, it dawned on Murphy that Pepe’s sizable health pool made her a uniquely attractive option to a vampire. He quickly corrected, “She’s with us, off-limits.”
“Alright, I’ll get started then~” Lily’s voice carried anticipation, no longer the timid child from the doorstep of the vampire castle.
Murphy pondered whether a continual lack of food had caused the poor girl to bury her sunny disposition for energy conservation mode.
Stolen novel; please report.
Lily then bent down, delicately lifted Eschell's collar and scanned her pale white neck. Next moment, her mouth opened, revealing sharp fangs, and she bit down.
Eschell, though unconscious, began twitching involuntarily. Magical power swirled around the pair, the air tinged crimson as if with blood, creating a vortex with the transforming Eschell and Lily at its eye.
The massive magical energy drew into Lily, further transmuted within her, and then the quintessence of vampiric mana was funneled through her fangs into the fading Eschell, reviving her from within.
Pepe and Murphy watched as the magical tempest seemed to drain the vicinity. Even Pepe's life-force-derived mana felt the tug of the natural conduit.
The girl quickly hid behind Murphy, poking her head out to witness the spectacle unfolding before her.
Five minutes later, the ritual ended. Evidently inexperienced, Lily stood somewhat wearily and offered a reserved bow to Murphy. “Big brother, the turning is done. May I start with... the buffet?”
Murphy smiled, gesturing an ‘okay’ with his hand, and Lily’s eyes gleamed with greed.
With permission granted, Lily extended her hand, quickly locking onto those recently deceased, the unconscious, and those strewn about...
Droplets of blood arose from the soil and skin, converging into scarlet streams in the air which then united into one, flowing into Lily’s hand as a growing orb of blood.
The blood orb shrank as Lily manipulated it, darkening in color until it became a small, deep red sphere no larger than her palm, its smooth surface reflecting light from every angle.
Tapping it with her fingertip, Lily then popped it into her mouth and savored the taste with eyes closed, like a true connoisseur. After a moment, her verdict: “Such a rare flavor of blood, truly delicious.”
Murphy silently critiqued. Given a vampire's usual fare, this quality indeed would be a treat.
Lily then turned to Murphy with a soft smile, asking quietly, “Thank you for the buffet, big brother. May I take some home to share with Mother and Father?”
Planning to head back home, Murphy thought and replied with a nod, "Go ahead. Just tell your folks Murphy send his regards and that I might drop by sometime.”
“I will, thank you, big brother.” Lily nodded in understanding.
“One last thing. No more big brother. Call me Murphy,” he said earnestly.
Though confused, Lily complied and then Murphy whisked her away with his spell back to her doorstep.
Murphy and Pepe surveyed Eschell on the ground, still yet to wake. They decided to clean up the scene.
As Murphy used mage hand to transport the drained casualties, Pepe murmured, “We’re beginning to look like bandits rather than rescuers…”
Murphy tilted his head, “Are we not more professional than mere bandits?”
“Of course we aren't!” Pepe sounded incredulous. “Remember, we actually came to save people, Master. To save lives!”
“We did save them,” Murphy rubbed his chin, referring to the desiccated corpses. “Just bad luck on their part. Necessary sacrifices, I’m afraid.”
Then faintly, from not too far away, a weak whisper could be heard, “Anne, Anne.”
With a knowing look between them, Murphy quickened his pace, while Pepe dashed to the stirring Eschell.
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Publicly available intelligence (strictly confidential):
Throughout human history, it’s been discovered that a small number of mages can maintain their devotion to the divine while controlling magic. Some even possess innate priestly talents, allowing them to combine certain divine abilities with magic to achieve effects beyond what either could accomplish alone. Such magic is collectively termed White Magic, and those who walk this path are called Holy Mages (a second-tier profession).