14 Chapter 9. Part 1.

(POV Yueliang)

"Oh, isn't this rather interesting?"

I opened my eyes when I heard rather unexpected words. What came into view was an icy cold visage. She wore an unblemished, pure white robe that accentuated her good looks and gave her the feel of a goddess encased within ice. I couldn't quite make out her facial features, they were blurred by the semi transparent veil that covered her face. The one thing I was certain of was that she won the contest for the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my life by a landslide.

Was someone like this really a human like me?

"No need to be so surprised young lady, I was just passing by looking for someone and I came across you. I became slightly intrigued when I saw you."

Her tone was indifferent and cold contrary to the words she spoke.

"Intrigued? Why would someone as beautiful as you be intrigued with a country hick like me?"

"Country hick, huh? I see. I see. Little girl, how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen, but will be turning eighteen tonight."

"I see. Little girl, if you wish to live a mundane life, it's best if you go home tonight. If you stay out tonight your entire world may be flipped upside down. However, if you wish for a life filled with all sorts of excitement, you may of course ignore my words."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing much, I was just passing by after all. It was just a joke, don't pay it any mind. If it is fated it will happen regardless of what I say."

I was confused by what she spoke of at the time and I foolishly didn't take what she said to heart. If I did, maybe things would have turned out differently.

"Uh, you said you were looking for someone?

"Yes."

"Who were you looking for? Maybe I know them. I can help you look for them."

"Haaah. If you must know, I suppose you could say I'm searching for my lost husband."

"There's actually a man in the world that has someone as beautiful as you searching for them? Shouldn't that be a crime?"

Underneath the veil, there was a somewhat lonely smile on her face. She only nodded meekly and said, "he's a man I'll never be able to forget as long as I live. Maybe in the future you'll be lucky enough to meet someone you'll be able to feel that way about."

…

When I opened my eyes I realized I'd had that same dream again; that fleeting meeting with that strange woman in the past. Even now when I think back to her, I still can't see through her strength. She was definitely an unfathomable existence beyond any mortal's imagination.

In the years I spent alone down here, I came to the conclusion that the woman I met was from the plain of gods. I'm still nowhere near a match for her in a bout of strength. It's only thanks to her that I'd realized the horror of the existences known as gods. They were unfathomable beings that could not be thoughtlessly provoked.

But what was with her? She was that powerful, but willingly dragging her feet desperately trying to find some stupid lost man? Hmmp! A noble vampire like me could never do something as embarrassing as that with a straight face.

If I ever had a man who got lost, he damn well better work his ass off to find his way back to me. Don't even dream of me bending over breaking my back going out of my way to try to find and please you.

When I thought up to here I snapped my fingers. Ten minutes later my blood bag showed up. See? Isn't this how it should be? The man should be the one who comes to find you. Not the other way around.

"Is it that time already?"

Without a word I appeared behind him and enjoyed a quick meal, his blood regenerated as quickly as I sucked it away.

"Yueliang, for a while now you've been sucking my blood far more violently than usual. Is something wrong?"

He's right, for some reason I'm more irritated than usual. Could it be because I've had that irritating dream more frequently lately?

"Are you on your period or something."

In a slight fit of rage I accidentally bit down too hard and tore off a piece of his shoulder along with the bone underneath.

"Yueliang, you should really try to hold back with your lover bites, I know it grows back right away and all, but you'll hurt my feelings if you're always so violent."

No, he must have definitely been the source of my irritation lately. It was definitely because of him that I've been remembering quite a few unpleasant memories. That annoying loose mouth of his that keeps blabbering about marriage and me belonging to him or the other nonsense he spouts all the time was definitely getting on my nerves.

He's getting way too cocky and recently nothing I do manages to put him in his place. Instead he just treats it like it's a display of affection from me. Who does he think he is anyways? Does he really think I really want to make him my husband or something?

I wasn't lonely before you showed up or anything, so stop acting like you understand me you young human brat! You're just my food! You understand? My food! Nothing more, nothing less!

"My little Yueliang, instead that cold look you always have on your face, why not show me a smile every once in a while?"

Hmmp! When I finished my meal I pushed him away and sent him flying far off into the distance.

Cocky brat, see if I don't skin you alive.

I snapped my fingers again. This time, I summoned my servant of four months to pass a bit of time with a game of shogi.

She was female, but it's not like I was sucking her blood or touching her or anything, so it was fine.

When she saw the shogi board she silently sat down across from me. I motioned for her to make the first move.

Tac...

Since my endless defeats four months ago at the hands of that thing I tossed out earlier, I'd been using this girl as a practice partner. A noble vampire can't possibly accept a defeat to a human like that thing. Actually, was he even considered a human anymore? Over the last four months as I observed his speed of growth I started to question myself. He'd grown a lot stronger, that much was certain. He was still a far cry from my level, but he was now at level 30 while the servant across from me was level 50.

Tac… Tac… Tac…

However, what I found the most surprising was this servant who was a former hero actually got along well with me. But combat ability wise, this servant of mine was a bit lacking when compared to that thing. She could come out on top in fights against that bloodbag, but that was only because of her higher level and the experience she'd built up over the five years she was here. Although, I needed to give her credit where credit was due. The only reason that thing was a match for her was because he couldn't be killed. He'd adapted his fighting style to properly suit that of an undying immortal.

Tac… Tac… Tac…

He'd done quite well in his understanding of his ability and how to best utilize it. He severed limbs from his body during combat and set them up as traps. He detonated them at the right moments and caused significant damage to her weak points.

For monsters, it was even more convenient, whenever a monster ate a part of his body he detonated it from inside and easily accumulated experience with no effort. He wasn't able to kill many monsters since his damage output was terrible due to his low level. Oftentimes the monsters just escaped when they realized he was an unkillable immortal freak of nature. He did adopt a few rather, how should I say it… amusing methods to occasionally kill some monsters off? Hehehe.

Tac… Tac...

After a few moves in, I was in a bit of a disadvantageous position, but that was only how it looked on the surface. I'd been adapting that scoundrel's methods into my own play style since my crushing defeat. He often made it appear as though he were in a disadvantageous position by making rather questionable risky looking moves. Somehow I'd always mess up and fall into his deceptive schemes.

Tac…

He was a real schemer. I hated that the most about him.

"It's my loss. Master, you've gotten much better. I'm not even a match at this point."

"Hmmp! Stop lying, you're just taking it easy because you're tired of playing shogi with me all the time. Your cheap flattery will get you nowhere."

"Master, by the way, why don't we ever have some girl talk?"

"Girl talk? What's that?"

"You know, like gossiping about other girls, trendy things, boys, who likes who, things like that. You're really old fashioned you know, who calls a friend over just to play shogi?"

Geh. I'm a noble vampire though, I can't possibly do such shameless embarrassing things. Not only that, what friend would I have to do such things with? I'm the vampire progenitor feared by all the denizens of this dungeon.

"That is impossible for me."

"What? How is it impossible? We're both girls you know. I've always been a dorky glasses wearing girl only ever interested in academics, but now that I no longer have that, I'm a bit curious about those sorts of things."

"Come on, what about him? Aren't things a bit steamy between the two of you?"

"What?"

Is my servant blind? I'm just having a meal, what is there to talk about there?

"Don't play dumb, you treat him coldly, but aren't you actually happy when he acts like that with you?"

My servant might have mental disorders. Should I get her checked out at a doctor in one of the big cities inside the dungeon?

"Hey, what floor have the two of you made it to so far?"

"Why are you changing the subject?"

"You're really insolent for a servant. Answer the question."

"The furthest we've reached was the 91st floor."

"So slow. Aren't you guys too weak for summoned heroes?"

"We aren't even fighting most of the monsters because they're too strong. We've basically just been sneaking past any monsters and using your name to get the floor bosses to let us pass.

"So inefficient, just blast your way through them all. Should I just take you to the 70th floor personally so we can have a doctor take a look at you?"

"How rude! That's why you were asking?"

"Of course, a master is obliged to make sure their servant is healthy."

"Since there's something wrong with my head, then I guess whatever I say will get a free pass then. You like him, admit it."

With a deadpan expression I looked at her with utter confusion like we weren't even speaking the same language. What is wrong with this servant? Isn't it obvious I just like eating food?

"Of course I like eating food."

"I don't mean it in the way one likes their favorite food. I mean you like him as a member of the opposite sex."

"Like him as a member of the opposite sex? You should really learn some better jokes. As a human, can you imagine sticking a banana up your snatch?"

"..."

"Was that not a good enough example for you? Then imagine getting ravaged by a pig you raised and fattened up to increase the quality of the food."

"..."

"You still don't understand? Fine, imagine a frog-"

"Enough, I got the point. It's definitely going to be tough for him when you're like this."

"What do you mean when I'm like this?"