Acquired a new skill, [Fresh Blood Emperor].
Looking at the skill description on the panel, does this mean she now possesses the power to control blood?
But the problem is, as a bloodkin, once you advance to Extraordinary, you generally gain such abilities anyway. So what is the significance of this skill?
However, the skill description also says, “anything that contains the concept of blood”… So does that mean what she can control isn’t limited to the literal sense of “blood”?
Hill excitedly stroked her chin and started thinking. Blood is the life source that flows within living beings; to some extent, as long as something fits this characteristic, she could define it as “blood”?
Then wouldn’t this ability be utterly overpowered?
For example, there are some magical creatures that don’t even have a material body, let alone something like blood. However, since they are alive, they must have their own way of sustaining life—perhaps through mana, or some other substance. This “energy” that maintains their existence could simply and crudely be defined as “blood” by this skill, and she could manipulate it!
Originally, bloodkin who could control blood already had a considerable advantage when facing races with physical bodies. Whether it was the ordinary human, the brutish orc, or the elegant elf, all these beings undeniably had crimson blood flowing inside them.
The enemy’s blood would become her own power, while the enemy would grow weaker and weaker as their blood was lost, slowly approaching the end of life.
But over the centuries, people have found ways to counter bloodkin—by relying on alchemical constructs powered purely by mana. For these lumps of stone or iron, bloodkin are completely powerless and can only flee in embarrassment.
But now that Hill had this skill, perhaps she wouldn’t have to fear such things in the future.
“Jackpot, jackpot! The Goddess is indeed generous!” While the blood-formed mark had yet to fade, Hill prayed in the direction of the Silver Moon for a while longer, then climbed down from the rooftop and returned to her room.
She suddenly wanted to find a target to experiment on, but she wasn’t the type to kill the innocent indiscriminately. No matter what, if she was going to try it, she should look for an annoying fellow like that lich from the other day, right?
Hill lay on her bed, face full of excitement and completely unable to sleep. When Otis had fallen asleep in the chapel at noon, she hadn’t dared to blink, fearing someone would break in while they slept, causing some serious misunderstanding or discovering an even more serious secret.
Fortunately, bloodkin had very little need for sleep. She felt she could keep going for several more days and nights without a problem.
Hill tossed and turned, unable to sleep, rolling around on her bed like a child with a heart full of mischief. The cold, sturdy wooden bed creaked and groaned until she realized it might disturb her neighbors, at which point she reluctantly stopped.
She never imagined that today, not only would she meet someone she could truly trust, but she would also receive the Goddess’s favor. This was truly killing two birds with one stone… No, it should be called a double blessing!
She even found herself forgetting how to use idioms properly.
But, back to the point, the description on the panel was also quite intriguing.
What does it mean by “the Goddess enjoys watching, the more the better”?
The Goddess enjoys watching this kind of thing too?!
Hill couldn’t understand, just as she couldn’t understand why she had suddenly appeared in this strange world, or why she had gone from being a human to becoming a bloodkin that everyone shunned.
But these things didn’t seem all that important anymore. How could a mortal hope to fathom the thoughts of a Goddess?
It’s like ants on the ground never try to understand, nor could they ever understand, the mind of a human.
Since the skill description on the panel said so, maybe the Goddess really does like this sort of thing?
Who says gods can’t have the full range of human emotions? Who says gods can’t have preferences and favorites?
Hill thought to herself, the Goddess of the Night might well delight in seeing the unspeakable things that happen between women. Mortals are dull and self-righteous, thinking that all gods in this world are either solemn or sinister, and have no other preferences.
Now it seemed that kind of thinking was completely wrong. No wonder the entrance to the Church of Holy Light was always crowded with some ignorant yet fearless devotees. Their piety moved even the heavens and earth, winning the admiration of others, but still failed to attract the Goddess’s favor. They could only muddle through life in confusion and despair.
Night passed quickly in this way. Hill, as usual, got up like an ordinary schoolgirl, washed up, and dressed herself. She looked far more energetic and lively than she had yesterday. Once she stepped outside, the first rays of dawn fell on her, making anyone who saw her instinctively want to praise: Oh, my! Why does such a beautiful girl exist in this unremarkable little town?
Hill could feel many eyes falling upon her—these were the young men who got up early for work or to labor outside the town. Though hardship had worn away their sharpness, they were still full of youthful vigor, and couldn’t help but stop at the sight of a beautiful girl.
There were also some young girls, and women, watching her too, their gazes much more complicated.
Was it envy or jealousy? Pity or disdain?
In her previous life, Hill might have been sensitive and fragile, troubled for a long time over a single careless remark from someone else.
But now, favored by the Goddess and with a friend she could confide in… she felt that except for being a bit weak, there was nothing she lacked!
She walked down the main street with a smile, and no one would ever suspect that this girl walking into the morning sun was, in fact, a lowly vampire.
Very soon, Hill reached the center of town. Today, it was far livelier than usual…
Hill passed by the Church of the Mechanist God, the air thick with the smell of machine oil and the sound of gears meshing ringing in her ears.
To be honest, she always felt the Church of the Mechanist God was rather out of place in this world.
But it stood there all the same, from giant steam trains and airships to the pistols the sheriffs wore on their belts—these were all creations of the Mechanist God. Their existence was both abrupt and bizarrely fitting; when Hill first arrived in this world, she had already complained about it more than once.
Previously, the entrance to the Church of the Mechanist God had always been quiet, but now there were people in uniform standing there. One group was the familiar sheriffs; the other wore uniforms that screamed steampunk, decorated with gears and all sorts of mechanical parts, creating a roughly harmonious aesthetic.
Of course, Hill was just passing by and didn’t stop. She simply continued walking in the direction of the academy.
But just as she was leaving, her eyes happened to catch a glimpse of the people in steampunk uniforms—a relatively petite figure, with a handsome hat and a pretty face beneath it.
The leading sheriff was all smiles and flattery. Others might call him “Chief,” but in front of this group, all he could do was keep smiling. “Thank you all for coming such a long way from Mossstone City.”
“We were asked to help, Chief, so there’s no need for thanks.”
“You’ve all arrived so early today, but unfortunately, most of the town’s restaurants aren’t open yet. Otherwise, I’d have taken you all to have a proper welcome meal first.”
“No need.” The girl with the beautiful face, yet an exceptionally serious and stern expression, said, “We Demon Hunters have been commissioned by the Viscount to track down that evil witch, so she can no longer bring disaster to the surrounding cities and villages.”
The chief sheriff replied with exaggerated politeness, “You’re absolutely right! Absolutely! In Norcan Town, anything you need, both the Security Bureau and the major families will give you their full support! Eradicating the witch is our sworn duty!”
After making this grand and righteous speech, he bowed and asked softly, “May I ask how to address you, miss?”
“Just call me Lilia,” the girl said, unmoved, simply giving her name.
Her brow furrowed slightly, but not because of the chief sheriff’s overly theatrical manner.
“In this little town… it seems there is more than one kind of evil hidden? Heh, whatever the case, the Mechanist Goddess, who represents justice and order, will surely wipe out these evildoing abominations!”