Chapter 139
“Oh, yes. You’ve come. Come in.”
I welcomed Namgung Yeonhee warmly.
However, something about her condition was a little strange.
Her cheeks were flushed, beads of sweat had formed on her forehead, and she seemed to be breathing slightly heavily.
‘Huh?’
Is it hot outside?
It was summer in the sixth-floor murim world, so the weather was fairly hot.
Still, the sun had set by now, and it had cooled down considerably.
Perhaps she was simply someone who was particularly sensitive to heat.
‘Oh dear.’
Once she became my vampire servant, she would have to go to Korea as well, and summers would be quite difficult for her.
Fortunately, Korea was just entering autumn now, so it should be fine.
“Sit down.”
“……Yes.”
Namgung Yeonhee sat demurely on the floor with both knees together.
“……”
Silence hung in the air for a moment.
In the dim room, only the lamplight cast a soft glow.
It was just Namgung Yeonhee and me.
Actually, it wasn’t really just the two of us—Katarina and Siyeon had activated [Veil of Night] and were hiding in a corner, waiting!
Well then. Shall we begin the final treatment?
I was studying Namgung Yeonhee’s white neck, gauging where best to sink my fangs.
“Um, Blood Lord-nim… I have something to tell you first.”
She began in a small voice.
Something to tell me? What could it be?
“What is it? Speak freely.”
“Yes.”
Namgung Yeonhee seemed to take a short deep breath, then lowered her head deeply.
“Thank you….”
Then she lifted her head slightly to look at me and said,
“For not blaming me for failing to keep my promise. For coming all the way here in person. For not harming the people of my family, for telling me about the True Blood Cult, and for treating my body all this time…. There are so many things I must thank you for.”
Having finished speaking, she bowed her head deeply once more.
‘Hehe. This is a little embarrassing.’
It wasn’t as though the things I had done for her were particularly extraordinary.
Still, being treated was certainly something worth thanking me for.
I had worked hard sucking her blood while enduring the taste of truly bitter herbal medicine.
“And I’m sorry.”
Namgung Yeonhee added with a bitter expression.
“For suspecting the Blood Cult and daring to point my sword at Blood Lord-nim…. For my family’s discourtesy and the worry it caused you… I am truly sorry.”
‘Oh, it’s fine. If the Blood Cult has that kind of image, it’s only natural to be suspicious at first.’
Besides, hadn’t Namgung Yeonhee defended me even while being berated by her family’s elders?
I shook my head in reply.
“It is all in the past. This One does not hold it against you, so you need not keep it in your heart either.”
“Blood Lord-nim…….”
“Now then, I shall begin the treatment.”
“…Yes.”
Namgung Yeonhee brushed her hair over to one side herself.
Then she lowered her outer garment from her shoulders.
‘Uh… Does she really need to lower it that far?’
Her white shoulder and collarbone were fully exposed.
I only needed to see her neck, though.
In any case, she was considerate of me.
I moved behind her and lightly held her in place with both arms so her body would not shake.
“It will sting a little.”
After warning her, I immediately bared my fangs and bit the back of her neck.
Chomp.
‘Ugh, it tastes awful as expected!’
I could taste a strong herbal-medicine flavor.
Even as I grimaced, I continued drinking her blood diligently.
“Hngh, ah….”
At that moment, Namgung Yeonhee, held in my arms, let out a moan as though in pain.
‘What? Does it hurt?’
Since this was the final treatment and I had to completely open the remaining blood meridians, perhaps it was a little painful?
I pulled my mouth away for a moment and asked,
“Does it hurt badly? If it is too difficult to endure, raise your right hand. This One shall slow down.”
Namgung Yeonhee flinched in surprise and hurriedly answered.
“Ah, no…. It isn’t painful, it’s just….”
“Then what is it?”
“It feels good…. It tickles somehow…. I couldn’t help making that sound….”
Unable to finish her sentence, she lowered her head.
The rims of her ears had turned bright red.
‘Huh? It feels good?’
Why did it feel good?
Was it refreshing because her blood meridians were opening, like the relief of finally getting rid of an old case of indigestion?
Well, at least it was fortunate that it didn’t hurt.
Reassured, I sank my fangs in again.
“Ah, ah… ngh.”
When another moan escaped her, Namgung Yeonhee clamped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.
“You must relax your body. If you tense up, your meridians will close and the absorption will slow.”
“Sorry… hng, I’m sorry…!”
In fact, it was difficult to draw her blood if she tensed the muscles in her neck.
I soothed her to help her relax and continued drinking her blood.
After some time passed, the final treatment finally ended.
“Phew.”
I pulled my lips away.
‘Wow. That really tasted awful.’
I had already drunk bitter tea while speaking privately with the family head earlier that afternoon, and now I had downed a whole lot of awful-tasting blood at night, too.
You really worked hard, Yujin…!
But when I checked Namgung Yeonhee’s status window with [Eye of Emotion], it felt as though all the hardships I had endured so far had been rewarded.
[Vampire Potential: S]
‘It finally appeared! S-rank!’
Gazing at the dazzling S-rank indicator, I spoke happily.
“The treatment has ended safely. Your blood meridians should be completely open now.”
“Haa. Haa. Thank you…. Blood Lord-nim….”
Namgung Yeonhee looked a little exhausted.
A short while later.
Having recovered, Namgung Yeonhee carefully asked as she straightened her clothes,
“Blood Lord-nim. Is what you said earlier… about the Blood Demon Divine Art still in effect?”
I froze for a moment.
‘Huh?’
The Blood Demon Divine Art.
Saying that she would learn the Blood Demon Divine Art meant that she would become my vampire servant.
“Do you wish to learn the Blood Demon Divine Art?”
“Yes. I wish to receive your instruction.”
When I asked, Namgung Yeonhee clearly expressed her intentions with an unwavering gaze.
I secretly clenched my fist and shouted for joy inwardly.
‘It’s hereeeee! An S-rank servant!!!’
I wanted to bite her and perform the embrace ritual right away.
But.
‘……Wait.’
If someone became a vampire, their eyes would invariably turn red.
And in this Namgung Family, there was the daughter-obsessed family head, Namgung Cheon.
‘If his daughter suddenly had blood-red eyes, wouldn’t Uncle Namgung pass out?’
I felt a little sorry about that.
Moreover, officially, she was now “Namgung Yeonhee, taken prisoner by the Blood Lord,” so if she became a vampire before we even departed, it would surely be awkward for the family head to explain the situation to the other orthodox martial artists.
So I forcibly calmed my excitement and said,
“Very well. However, I shall pass on the Blood Demon Divine Art after we return to the main cult.”
“Ah… So there is an important ritual for joining the cult after all.”
Namgung Yeonhee lowered her head with an extremely serious expression.
***
Thus, the next morning.
As soon as day broke, dozens of elite martial artists stood in a long single-file line across the spacious courtyard.
They were the very people Katarina and Siyeon had enthusiastically beaten up yesterday.
They had come to offer me their blood at Namgung Cheon’s command.
Each of them stood with a small cut made on their arm by a dagger, while Katarina used blood magic to draw blood from those wounds.
“……”
“……”
Every one of the martial artists wore a sour expression.
In particular, the elder standing in the very front was trembling with humiliation.
Katarina filled the bowls one by one with blood, speaking in a dignified manner.
“You are being allowed to repay the crime of rudely pointing your swords at Blood Lord-nim with a mere few drops of blood instead of your lives. Be grateful for this mercy.”
The martial artists trembled, but they dared not voice their complaints.
I sat comfortably in the shade, fanning myself as I watched the scene.
‘Thank you for the group blood donation~’
Before long, Katarina brought over all the bowls filled with blood.
I began drinking the blood without delay.
However, there was one problem.
[Blood Power increased by 1.]
[Blood Power increased by 2.]
Since they were elite martial artists, my Blood Power naturally rose rapidly.
‘Urgh.’
The problem was the taste.
‘It tastes freaking awful!’
No. Did the people of the Namgung Family subsist on nothing but boiled medicinal herbs?
Why did every last one of their blood taste so ridiculously healthy?
It wasn’t quite as bitter as Namgung Yeonhee’s blood, which was practically herbal medicine.
‘This is practically green juice.’
I could grit my teeth and endure one or two people’s worth, but having to gulp down dozens of servings of green-juice blood in succession was too much.
Gulp. Gllluuug.
In the end, I kept forcing it down until I reached my limit and sprang to my feet.
“Urgh, I can’t stand this any longer!”
I’m seriously furious to the very top of my head! (Anger: 142cm)
When I shouted, Siyeon, who had been standing guard beside me, spoke with a murderous look in her eyes.
“Master. Whom shall I kill?”
‘Siyeon, Siyeon. Not that….’
I stopped Siyeon and gave her an order.
“Go to Namgung Cheon and tell him there is another condition to add to our agreement!”
***
Namgung Cheon’s office.
“Family Head Namgung.”
One of the Blood Lord’s subordinates suddenly appeared in the room without a sound.
“What…!”
Namgung Cheon sprang to his feet in surprise.
He had not noticed her presence at all.
‘Surely something has happened?’
Namgung Cheon swallowed dryly and tensed.
“The Blood Lord says she wishes to add another condition to the agreement.”
“……Tell me.”
At Siyeon’s words, Namgung Cheon’s face stiffened.
An additional condition?
What on earth could she be demanding?
“Prepare one hundred tanghulu. As quickly as possible.”
“……Tanghulu?”
For a moment, Namgung Cheon wondered if he had misheard.
Tanghulu meant the sweet confection that children bought from street vendors, did it not?
“Tanghulu… you say?”
“That is correct. The Blood Lord wishes for it.”
“That would not be difficult, but… why all of a sudden…?”
When Namgung Cheon asked in confusion, Siyeon narrowed her eyes.
“Ah, and there is one more important matter.”
‘As expected, the sweets are merely an excuse. There must be something more substantial coming.’
Namgung Cheon once again waited for the next words with a stern expression.
Then Siyeon spoke with utmost seriousness.
“She says to prepare a variety of flavors.”
“……???”
***
As expected of the prestigious Namgung Family.
Less than an hour after I made my request, a mountain of tanghulu had piled up on the table.
There was a wonderful variety of flavors, too.
Apples, tangerines, hawthorn berries, grapes, and so on.
‘As expected of the Namgung Family. They certainly know how to get things done.’
With a deeply satisfied smile, I picked up a skewer of tanghulu.
One sip of green-juice-flavored blood.
One bite of sweet tanghulu.
One sip of blood.
One bite of tanghulu.
Slurp, munch, munch.
‘Yes, this makes it at least somewhat edible.’
Thus, I diligently drank the blood I had received through the group donation.
[Blood Power: 381/381]
[Blood Power: 389/389]
[Blood Power: 396/396]
…
As I watched the number rise, I picked up the final bowl.
‘Urgh.’
I was far too full already,
and the oncoming scent of green juice made me frown involuntarily.
But I gathered my courage.
'I can do this!'
I took a big bite of tanghulu,
then held my breath with a huff! and gulped down the blood in one go.
Then.
[Blood Power: 400/400]
‘Wow, I finally did it!’
Blood Power 400.
It was the result of tenaciously sucking the blood of villains and even receiving a group blood donation in the sixth-floor murim world.
With this, I had secured the resources to summon a new vampire servant.
"I am the Blood Lord!"
I raised both arms high.
“Congratulations, Blood Lord-nim!”
“Master. You worked very hard.”
Katarina wore a moved expression, while Siyeon enthusiastically applauded with an impassive face.
“Hehe. Thank you, everyone. Then…….”
Without hesitation, I tried to use [Servant Summoning].
But.
Ding!
Along with a cheerful notification sound, a system message window appeared before my eyes.
[You have fulfilled a special condition.]
[The unique skill ‘Servant Summoning’ is changing.]
‘Huh?’
I opened my eyes wide and stared at the system window.
A special condition? A change?
['Servant Summoning' has been enhanced!]