He entered the city without any suspicion and planned his strategy at the inn.

　I was already in Baron Fomet's territory, but I didn't recognize the streets.
　The city was just a large expanse of land with sparse buildings, and the overall atmosphere was idyllic. There were not many soldiers guarding the city, and most of the inhabitants seemed to be farmers and merchants.
　They didn't seem to imagine that the undead, known for their strength, would invade. I guess it's a sign of peace. A sign of peace, perhaps.

　I was going to talk to him alone. He was a lord, albeit a local one. They'll have guards, and I don't want Senri to see me vulnerable.
　Of course, once I'm here, she can find out what happened to me before I died if she wants to. I had a total of seven brothers and sisters (but no sister), and I'm probably the only one who died recently.

　I am not hiding my living name. It's information that I probably won't have a problem revealing once the Lord who has absolute control over me is gone.
　I continue to use End's name because it's a kind of duty to the Lord and because Epe and the vampire hunters might attack my family based on the family name. It's pointless. I don't care if they take my family home hostage. At most, I'd feel a little bad about it.

　My body has developed quite a bit since becoming a vampire. I've grown a little taller and gained some muscle. But my face hasn't changed. My parents would recognize me. If they can't, then so be it.

　I wash myself well, comb my hair, and dress to a level where I can't be blamed.
　Do not take the Light Eater with you. If it's just a man, you can use your strength to fight him off. If it's your dead son breaking in with a weapon, you'll be horrified.

You're a very ...... brave man.

Do you think the success rate is low?

............ I think. First of all, you won't succeed. The undead are ...... enemies of man.

　Senri is a very honest man. The purple eyes look up at me sincerely and say.
　I don't expect to be welcomed with open arms.

　Then I'll just run. Nothing will ever be the same. I'm free.

But you, ......, might be open to it. You have an extremely high level of self-awareness. Good luck with .......

"Oh, thank you, Senri.

Do you have enough ............ blood in your ...... system?

　Senri asked me hesitantly. Apparently, Senri feels sorry for me.
　Unnecessary emotion. I'm used to tragedy. I've survived incurable illnesses and deaths, there are no mental blind spots. Maybe.


　Senri's complexion has gotten a lot bloodier in the past week. Perhaps the lost blood has regenerated.
　No matter how confident you are in your physical abilities and endurance, Senri is still a human being. To put it more simply, if you lose too much blood, you die.

　I was still okay, since I'd been given plenty to drink the other day. It's not that I don't want to drink, but I don't want to push Senri too hard when he's sick.

　However, I feel that we are getting closer mentally in this way. It may be because she was in a position where she was constantly being chased, but ...... my strategy is working.
　It's possible that they are treating you like a pet, but ...... I'm fine with that as long as you let me bite your neck.

"It's okay. But can you give me a hug?

　Senri rolled her eyes at my request, but quickly held out her arms and accepted.


§§


　We ran through the barely lit night, trying not to make a sound.
　A little effort was all it took to generate tremendous speed. A mere mortal might mistake it for a strong wind blowing nearby.
　He could easily jump over roofs and not get tired.

What?

What's wrong?

No, I thought I heard something .......

What?　You're ...... imagining things. I didn't hear anything.

　The men dressed as soldiers looked at each other and tilted their heads. Are they patrolling the streets? I lurked in the shadows and let them pass me by with a quizzical look on their faces.

　It seems that the Dark Stalker that I ended up passing by one day before my rank mutation was an undead creature with black skin that specializes in hiding in the dark.
The order of mutation in the Rebirth curse is not meaninglessly determined. I'm slowly growing into a monster. The time when I was a Freshman, the time when I was a Ghoul, and the Dark Stalker that passed me by have all become the flesh and blood of the man I am today.

The only thing that bothered me was that I hadn't gained the skill of lurking in the shadows that the Dark Stalker possessed. If I had, I would have been able to increase my stealth even more.
　The abilities I gained as a werewolf are still useful today. I should also be able to use the Dark Stalker ability.


　But for now, I have no idea how to use it. It might be different if I could find another Dark Stalker and see their skills with my own eyes, but I haven't encountered any other undead except for the Lord's men.

　We made our way through the shadows to the mansion of the biggest lord in town.
　The mansion was surrounded by a high wall. The guards are not very tense, but they seem to be patrolling.

　I'm strong. Even though I'm a bit well trained, it doesn't matter how many guards I have without weapons to exploit their weaknesses.
　It's easy to forget, with all the natural enemies constantly attacking me, that I am a vampire who is widely feared. I'm still a Lesser, though.

　I kicked the ground hard and easily climbed over the wall, which was covered with thorns to avoid intruders. There was not a single footstep, and it was perfectly hidden.
　It must have been designed only for human intrusion. In the first place, a true vampire can change into a bat or mist, so there may be no end to the countermeasures that can be taken.

　Anyway, I ran through the large garden. The study of my father, Baron Fomet, must be at the far end.
　The house was very nostalgic. He was moved from the main house to the villa after he contracted a strange disease, so he must not have seen the house for several years before his death, but looking at it like this, it still remains in my memory.

　Soaking up the sentimentality, I walked up to the house.

　The moment I saw the front door of the house, the closed door, I had a very bad feeling.

　The landlord is refusing to let me in. The vampire's curse is in effect.

　I knew what to expect. I'm already dead. It would be out of character for me to welcome my dead son.

　But I'm a little shocked by that fact. Especially since Senri, a complete stranger, had accepted me.

　My curse is still weak, so I can probably break in if I have to. The door would be locked, but with my physical strength, I could force my way in.

　But I'm not here to rob you. I don't want to cause a scene, and I'm a clever monster, so I won't get desperate just because I'm rejected.

　I think for a moment and decide to go around the back. The study is on the third floor, but there must have been a window. He was probably still working at this hour.
　I can't wait to get back to the inn and have Senri comfort me.

　As it turned out, there was a light on in the study. Warm light was leaking through the windows. There was no railing, but a vampire would have no trouble sticking to it.

　I didn't need to prepare myself again. I've already prepared myself. Ex-family, now I'm an intruder. There's no time.
　I'm tempted to see my brothers, but I'll give up gracefully.

　I extended my claws, stuck them into the wall, and climbed without making a sound. The study I saw through the window was almost exactly the same as I remembered.

　Large bookshelves lined the walls, and a quaint brown carpet. A small chandelier hung from the ceiling, filling the large room with warm light.
　And the figure sitting in front of the big desk is almost the same as I remember.

　His hair may be a little white, but he is the father I remember, Rudolph Fomet.

　He is thin but sturdy, with broad shoulders, black hair, black eyes, and a slightly cold look in his eyes that somehow resembles my own. He turned his back to the window and once turned his head to the side, but did not seem to notice me staring at him from behind.

　I watch him for a while with narrowed eyes.
　To the casual observer, he looks like a man with a good job. In fact, as a son, he was not a bad father. As I look at him, I realize that he does not look like a man who would sell my corpse.

　Now, what should I say to him?

　I tilted my head and knocked lightly on the window without thinking.