The Long Journey After Becoming an Ancient Dragon

Chapter 57

The vampire race, being closely tied to humanity, often spoke human languages fluently. After observing the silent figure for a moment, Aino finally broke the silence.

“How much is this?” she asked, pointing to the purple container holding the essence of blood.

The man remained motionless under his dark cloak, exuding an eerie and oppressive aura. From the moment Aino approached, he had sat there like a statue, completely still.

“1,000 Sol coins,” he replied, his voice raspy and lifeless, matching his ominous appearance.

Aino couldn’t help but think that this man resembled the brooding, gray-profile protagonists often used as avatars by internet users.

However, any vampire capable of acquiring progenitor-level blood essence must have had considerable influence and resources. The fact that he was now reduced to selling it so miserably suggested that he could no longer afford to keep it.

Priceless treasures often became liabilities, inviting disaster if one lacked the strength to protect them.@@@@

Aino stood quietly, observing him while subtly activating her magical detection.

He was moderately powerful, his bloodline sufficiently pure—barely touching the threshold of being considered "strong." Yet his body bore numerous scars, both old and new, along with... a magical mark?

This was a highly advanced spell etched onto the vampire’s body. Not only did it slowly drain his life force, but it also made his whereabouts visible to other vampires.

Most intriguingly, the mark was linked to the blood essence. It seemed to have been triggered when he came into contact with it.

A life of fleeing, being hunted, fighting to survive, only to flee again—this had clearly been his reality for years. Now, he had been driven to the point of selling the blood essence just to alleviate his suffering.

But would giving up something he had sacrificed so much for truly free him? The mark remained, and anyone seeking the blood essence would inevitably target him again.

Piecing this together, Aino remained silent for so long that the vampire beneath the cloak furrowed his brow.

Finally, she reached a decision.

“I don’t have much money. Let’s arrange another form of payment.”

Fernando de Cula, hearing this, raised his head for the first time, casting a glance at the "human girl" before him.

If not for her pointing at the blood essence, he might have dismissed her as one of those frivolous noble daughters prone to mischief.

What an odd coincidence. But his time was running out.

Fernando scanned himself with magic, confirming that the mark which had tormented him for six or seven years was gone. He burst into unrestrained laughter, his voice echoing with relief.

“Farewell, prison,” he murmured to himself.

His freedom was finally within reach. But he wasn’t safe yet—many vampires had likely already set their sights on Grantham. He needed to flee as soon as possible.

As for the unlucky girl who had inherited the mark... Fernando silently wished her good luck. Maybe next time, she’d be more cautious.

Meanwhile, Aino, unable to contain herself, waited only for Fernando’s laughter to subside before tipping the bottle back and drinking the blood essence in a single gulp.

“...?” Fernando froze, watching in shock.

In his mind, she was likely a young mage, highly attuned to magical energies and able to recognize the essence’s extraordinary properties, hence her desire for it.

But good heavens—she just drank it raw?

Proper vampires needed to carefully extract and refine progenitor blood essence in a secure location, a process that took months. Even he, a high-level vampire over a century old, couldn’t fully refine it without ample time.

Swallowing it whole would almost certainly result in death by combustion. Progenitor blood essence was no trifling matter.

Yet the black-haired girl only furrowed her brows for a moment before opening her eyes. Fernando, standing nearby, felt an overwhelming shift in her aura and instinctively took several steps back.

Her long black hair stirred without wind, her slit pupils glowed crimson, and her entire presence became that of a feral beast emerging from hell.

She wasn’t releasing her magic, but in the brief moment when her restraints loosened, Fernando felt as though he were facing a mountain—a mere drop of water swept into the vastness of the ocean.

With a bitter smile, he realized how foolish he had been.

No wonder she had fixated on the blood essence. No wonder she had followed him so fearlessly and accepted the transfer spell without hesitation.

To swallow and instantly refine progenitor blood essence—what kind of monster was she?

Now that she had absorbed it, she would surely notice the mark he had tricked her into accepting.

Would she demand an explanation? Or would she simply eliminate him?

Judging by the suffocating aura she exuded, Fernando doubted she was the type to negotiate.

From one predator to another, he could only think: Out of the wolf’s den and into the dragon’s lair.