Not only at the village entrance but also further in I see several people arguing, others running in a half panic around; something is clearly going on.

(Doesn’t seem like I’m the cause of the commotion. They are not running straight away from me nor at me to attack), I note.

(Some of the people have the fear status, others panic and there are some wounds inflicted by monsters on some of the guard looking guys. The palisades are damaged by monsters as well.)

(How did you figure all of that out so quickly?)

([Appraise])

(*sigh* I’ll need to get used to these cheats. Continue like this and I’ll believe that everything is on easy mode in this world, well, maybe except the monsters. So? What exactly does that tell us?)

(Dunno. Let me think about it some more.)

All that build-up and no payoff, thanks.

As I walk through the village entrance I look around. I don’t see any corpses but a faint smell of blood is in the air, smells kinda delicious – please tell me I won’t lose control over myself when that stench gets stronger. No not stench, it smells rather sweet, not like the blood smell I was used to.

Elly has arrived at a conclusion, (Gzeph mentioned regular occurrences of monster floods, maybe there were signs of one starting soon?)

(Of course it will, what other timing could I have), I frown.

Suddenly a hand grabs me from behind and tries to drag me along, “please we need your help!”

“Hey, hold up, what’s going on?!”

After a few steps, the hand lets go and I can have a look at who tried to kidnap me. Before me stands a half panicked boy armed with a bow and an anxious-looking girl with a spear. Apart from a mane and tail, the boy looks human.

Name Ted Status panic Age 16 Classes Ranger 12 Race Lionman 11 Extra none HP 685/1993 MP 480/480 SP 827/1907 STR 285+62 (Bow) or +42 (Claws) DEX 317+25 VIT 254+30 MAG 127 FTH 96 WIL 95 CHA 159 Equipment Shortbow, Tunic Skills Bow Training 12, Natural Weapon 11, Tracking 11 Weakness Water

(The boy has no arrows to his bow? Do they just come out of thin air when needed?)

(No, arrows are used just as in your old world.)

(Strange.)

The girl has nothing special about her, as plain as a human girl from a backwater village can look.

Name Eila Status panic Age 14 Classes Hunter 10 Race Highlander 10 Extra none HP 841/1410 MP 780/780 SP 1185/1845 STR 300+90 DEX 300 VIT 210+30 MAG 120 FTH 150 WIL 180 CHA 180 Equipment Spear, Tunic Skills Hard Worker 10, Spear Training 10, Stamina Boost 10, Tracking 10 Weakness Poison

(No last names? Or are those more private than anything else?)

(No idea, maybe orphans?)

After a moment the girl steps forward, “Please, my brother Tevin is wounded and trapped in a cave. We have got to get him out of there. You’re a silver elf, right? That means you could heal him. Please, we can’t leave him behind.”

Ok, so what silver elves can do seems to be common enough knowledge but are they really that easy to identify? Well, Eva only said they had silver hair, sooo...

(I have a bad feeling about this whole thing.)

([Appraise] said they are both panicking. So I guess this is not a trap. Do you help them or not?)

(And here I don't even know how strong my healing magic would be.)

957/1143 MP says I have one maybe two uses of cure depending on when we arrive. I get like 1 MP per minute back.

Ah fuck it, “Sorry, I only have 1, maybe 2 casts of Cure left... but I'll see what I can do. Lead the way and explain the rest while we get there.”

This better not become a habit.

While they lead me further into the forest towards the cave they quickly introduce themselves.

“You don’t have family names, don’t you have parents?”, I ask them. Well, that is none of my business but I'm curious.

Eila reacts to that question, “What are ‘parents’?”

Ted responds, “I think he means that ‘family’ thing nobles have.”

(Oh my me, what is going on with this world...)

(We can research that later.)

“Never mind then.”

They continue to explain the general situation, “So as you should know it is soon monster season.”

(I guess they mean the annual monster flood?)

(I assume so.)

“Yes, so?”

Eila continues, “Some of the older hunters found signs that it will start a few weeks earlier this year. And it'll be worse than any of the recent ones.”

Ted interrupts, “the adults prepared the evacuation of the village. Her older brother took us with him to secure some last-minute provisions. Get some more herbs for medicine. Stuff like that. Then... we got ambushed by some weird wolves. They were not like the usual ones. Tevin got bitten... a lot...

We were in no condition to transport him while fending off more monsters. So we had to leave him behind in a cave. Hope he won't be found by more of these strange creatures.”

“I see.”

(Exactly as you guessed.)

I look around but find no monsters.

“What exactly is the plan then?”

“Eila will bring you to Tevin, I secure the entrance, you heal him.”

“I’ll see what I can do but no promises.”

“That’s... all I ask”, Eila clearly doesn’t like the prospect of losing her brother.

Wait a minute...

(How do they call him ‘brother’ but have no idea about parents or family?)

(Later. Focus on the task at hand.)

(This totally doesn’t give me any strange ideas.)

(At least my SP doesn’t go down from all the running, not even out of breath.)

(Well, yes, you’re [Undead], remember?)

(Hey, finally an upside to that.)

“Say, when all this is over, could I join the evacuation?”

“Why wouldn’t you?”, Ted is perplexed, “Why would we leave anyone behind in face of a monster horde?”

“Because I’m an outsider?”

“So what?”

I'd have assumed for people to be more suspicious of foreigners if you have literal monsters that can pretend to be human... like me... Well, I’ll see what this is worth when we get there.

After a few more minutes we arrive at the cave, my MP has jumped up to 996/1143. So one cure shot now, and another in 3-4 minutes.

“I’ll guard the entrance, you two go ahead”, Ted points towards the back of the cave.

“Come, come quickly”, Eila urges.

It is quite dark in here but my eyes have no problem with it. Eila seems to have only a few more problems with vision than me, probably already knows the cave layout.

The smell of blood is in the air and gets stronger with every step.

Finally, I can see the wounded man.

Name Tevin Status bleeding (0.3 HP/s) Age 15 Classes Hunter 11 Race Highlander 10 Extra none HP 189/1446 MP 798/798 SP 0/1889 STR 308+91 DEX 308 VIT 215+30 MAG 122 FTH 153 WIL 184 CHA 185 Equipment Spear, Tunic Skills Hard Worker 10, Spear Training 11, Stamina Boost 10, Tracking 11 Weakness Poison

“Brother, we’ve brought help, we’ll get you through this!”

“A Silver Elf? Where did you pick one of them up? I thought the demons wiped them all out centuries ago!”

“You can talk later”, I interrupt them, “let me get to work first.”

Both nod and Eila hurries back to the entrance, “I’ll help Ted keep watch. Shout when you’re done.”

(Hey, Elly, how exactly can I treat the bleeding?)

(Just as when using attack magic you just have to imagine it. Though instead of choosing a shape you focus on whether you want to heal HP or status. Simple, really.)

“Ok, I’ll start with the bleeding.”

I reach out my hand and...

ERROR: desired skill cannot be used at this time!

Fuck.

(What did I do wrong?)

(No idea, try again, maybe you got the image wrong?)

ERROR: desired skill cannot be used at this time!

(Shit. Of all the times for the system to bug out...)

“Sorry, I... don’t have the MP to cure this...”

“... don’t be. At least you tried.”, Tevin is clearly upset, afraid but also somehow resigned to the inevitable.

scream

“What now?”

“That was Eila, go, I’m... already done for. Please at least... save my little sister.”

I nod and hurry back to the entrance.

Ted lies on the ground, a wolf biting him. [Appraise] can’t target him anymore. He’s... dead.

I don’t have a clear shot at the wolf with Eila in the way. The wolf turns its attention to Eila who’s already on the ground paralyzed by fear.

Name Age N/A Classes Dire Wolf 1 Race Generic Monster 1 Extra Monster 1 HP 925/1764 MP 315/315 SP 712/1050 STR 399 DEX 231 VIT 21 MAG 147 FTH 126 WIL 21 CHA 63 Skills Deadly Fang 1 Weakness Ice

(Ice is good, I have that - what is that skill?)

Deadly Fang

218 SP

Bite attack with 250% physical attack power.

Can inflict bleed with a rate of 20.

Before I realize how much danger this skill with its high STR means the Dire Wolf jumps on top of Eila and bites her.

crunch

screams

Name Eila Status panic, bleeding (0.1 HP/s) Age 14 Classes Hunter 10 Race Highlander 10 Extra none HP 37/1410 MP 780/780 SP 1185/1845 STR 300+90 DEX 300 VIT 210+30 MAG 120 FTH 150 WIL 180 CHA 180 Equipment Spear, Tunic Skills Hard Worker 10, Spear Training 10, Stamina Boost 10, Tracking 10 Weakness Poison

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I shoot an ice bullet at the wolf. Doesn’t matter anymore if I miss, Eila’s done either way.

You’ve inflicted 1036 damage to Dire Wolf and defeated it.

It... doesn’t matter... it's too late... all of them... are as good as dead...

While I just stand there, Eila turns to me, stretches her hand to me, shaking, tears in her eyes, “you... you can heal... this, right? We’ll... make it out... of this, right? Please.”

(It has failed with Tevin but maybe this time?)

(...)

I wipe the tears from my eyes and reach for her hand. This time it has to work. It has to.

ERROR: desired skill cannot be used at this time!

...

(Shit. What did I expect), tears roll from my eyes.

...

The smell of blood gets stronger. I’m kinda getting hungry. Urgh, why do those thoughts cross my mind now?

...

She’s still staring at me, “what’s wrong? Why don’t... you heal me? Can't you...?”

As she says that her eyes go wide as a realization hits her, “you... you tricked us! You’re a m-monster, you tricked us!!”

I want to say something, anything, just to calm her down. But then I feel my fangs coming back. My concentration was broken.

I don’t really know why, but I try to get closer. I want to.

“Calm down, all will be... better soon, I promise.”

Elia screams full of fear, “NO! NO! Stay away! STAY AWAY FROM ME!”

I reach her and try to take her into my arms. Try to console her. At least that is what I tell myself.

She tries to shake me off. But despite her higher stats she can’t.

"LET ME GO, GO AWAY!"

The sensation of blood is too tempting. I give in to the hunger and sink my fangs into her neck.

And start drinking.

With [Appraise] I can see how her HP drops to 0.

I continue drinking as her struggles to shake me off relent.

Finally, she goes completely limp and the blood flow stops. I let go of my prey.

...

(I’ve done it now. I’ve killed someone I wanted to help.)

(No you didn’t, she was about to die anyway.)

(Not a word. NOT. A. WORD.), I shout in my mind, angry at myself.

sigh

Sulking won’t get me anywhere.

(I really should’ve given the vampire thing more thought. The whole drinking blood thing is way harder than I could’ve imagined.)

(That is not something that can be changed anymore.)

(...I know.)

sigh

(I should drink Ted’s blood as well, maybe have them ‘reunite’ within me, as little as that means with the whole artefact thing.)

(Was the taste that good?)

(Shut up! ...but yes. Imagine drinking only water all your life and then being offered champagne. Something like that. It's terrifying, really. Elly, at least try to prevent me from going feral again like that.)

(I'll... do what I can.)

I walk over to Ted’s dead body, bite him in the neck and try to drink some blood. Then recoil in disgust.

(Why does his blood taste like fucking sand!?)

(Vampires don’t subsist on the blood itself but the life force contained within it. When the soul leaves the body the exit reaction destroys all the remaining life force in the body.)

(So I just drink HP?)

(No, life force is separate from HP. You can theoretically separate blood from a still-living body and store it in something similar to the blood packs you were given. If the body is then killed it does not affect the life force contained in that blood storage. But as you’ve just tasted the other way around does not work for you.)

(You could’ve warned me in advance. I specifically ordered you to do that!)

(Yes but that would have robbed you of this valuable experience. And considering your goal of becoming stronger it felt right to not say anything.)

(Shit, ok, how many exp was that worth?)

(A whole one. So you’re now sitting at a massive 21 exp total.)

(Fuck you.)

Well, Tevin is also a lost cause, might as well complete the triple. Maybe desensitize myself a bit to the intense taste of blood.

I walk back to Tevin and don’t bother with recreating my disguise.

He’s still in his corner, bleeding, leaning against the cave wall.

“Hey, Tevin, I’m here for a family reunion.”

He’s still bleeding like nobody’s business, “I’ve... heard enough screaming... to guess what is going on. You here to finish your work, fiend? I won’t... go down without a fight.”

He can’t even point his spear at me without it swaying around. I'm not sure he can even do anything to me with his 0 SP.

I take my weapon and swing it to knock his weapon out of his hand.

“You were saying?”

“...”, it seems he’s resigned to his fate.

When I bite into his neck he doesn’t even bother to resist.

His blood tastes different from Eila’s but still good and in contrast to Ted's sand blood, it is filling.

I can still see his status with [Appraise] while my fangs are in his neck even if he is sitting at 0 HP for a long time but the moment they release their victim the window closes. Maybe it was waiting for me to choose an [Embrace] option? I don't care about those; even if those bring the body back from the dead they'd not be themselves anyway.

Even if no one can hear it, “I promise you I won’t let your sacrifices go to waste.”

I don’t think I have much time before the evacuation starts. I quickly check Tevin for anything worth looting but only get 20 coins.

(Elly, I don’t have fire magic, any other way I can dispose of the corpses?)

(You could try rank 0 magic. Those are usable even without the relevant skill but then they are much more expensive. Normally rank 0 magic is meant for household tasks.)

I’ll probably not need to cremate them but better safe than sorry. If vampires are real there's a good chance necromancy exists as well and I'd rather not have that happen to them.

I go to the entrance to fetch the other 2 bodies.

(Wait, where’s the wolf corpse?)

(Monster bodies dissolve about a minute after death.)

(Convenient...)

I check Ted and Elia but only find 3 and 8 coins. I doubt these 31 coins amount to much.

Then I drag the 2 corpses to Tevin and create a couple of small sparks until they catch on fire.

The whole thing wastes 750 MP leaving me at 67/1143. I probably shouldn’t have done that.

(What a shitty start. Not even a day in a new world and I've already killed more people than monsters, fucking great.)

(...)

I recreate my disguise and hurry back, hoping not to run into any more encounters.

(Shit, what will I tell people when they ask where the three are? A wolf was too hungry? Monsters got them? Shit...)

(I think you should just stick to the ‘truth’: when you arrived it was already too much for your (non-existent) [Cure Magic] to repair and a Dire Wolf ambushed the two while you checked on Tevin.)

(Probably.)

I arrive back at the village, Elly had to course correct me only five times.

A few guards are waiting at the entrance for me, “where are the other three? Where are Ted, Tevin and Eila?”

“Sorry, it was already too late for Tevin. I didn’t have enough cure magic to stop the bleeding.

And while I was trying to heal him a Dire Wolf ambushed the other two. When I got to them Ted was dead and Eila shortly after bleeding out.”

As if they would believe an outsider just like that.

I think I just saw a faint green shine from his pocket? Ah, I’m just imagining things, probably mentally exhausted from the MP drain.

The guard breaks out in tears, “...it... it's alright... you did more... than we could ask for.”

I’ve no idea what he is getting at.

(What is with these people?)

“Just... get in the carriage, we need to leave before we lose even more people.”

Yeah, questions can wait.