I open the relevant menu for creating a Hybrid class. As expected, I've no Blood Echos left, even Lucia's is gone.

If I have to go through with this I want at least take this opportunity to rid us of some things that are clearly just useless or even harmful.

"Mind letting me have another bite, Lucia? If I have to go through with this I want to use this opportunity to delete the unwanted Demon title, and for that, I need to sacrifice both of our copies at the same time."

She thinks for a moment and then relents, "If that is all it takes for you to comply with my request - I'm ready."

"Thank you."

Eclaire threatens me, "This time hold yourself back or I'll hold you back!!"

"Yeah, please do that."

I bite Lucia and drink a bit, the taste is back to normal. This time, I release my fangs from her before Eclaire has to step in. It seems the addictive effect of her blood caused by glitches has passed.

Despite me letting go quickly, Eclaire scowls at me anyway. Calm down, girl. I won't have her for lunch. If I ate her it would be with a different meaning.

...

Sorry, Lucia, but some things need to be done without your approval. This might be my only chance to learn the truth. I'd rather not live all of eternity in a sweet lie. I must know the truth, this has to be done.

But what else do I mix with the titles? Maybe [Undead], I could possibly rid myself of my sun weakness that way.

Undead

Passive

Gain weaknesses to fire, light and holy damage.

Gain resistance based on skill’s level to ice, dark and poison damage and effects.

Adds immunity to general mind effects.

Adds affinities for earth, ice and dark.

Breathing is no longer necessary.

Unable to produce biological children.

Healing effects from hostile sources will be harmful instead at four times the original strength but subject to WIL.

Exposure to sunlight will inflict (20 + highest class level + highest race level) damage per second.

Cannot use potions.

Unable to add classes that would grant light affinity.

As much as I want to, I can't bring myself to sacrifice it, not now. Breathing in this environment is quite dangerous, especially when I could randomly drown in a fucking road!

Also, my gut instinct tells me that a similar skill, or something worse, would appear in the created class. Yeah, it has to wait.

After contemplating some more, I combine my useless [Cure Magic] and [Cure Boost] with two copies of the Demon title and... both Happily Married titles. Properly stir the whole mess and we get this.

Hybrid V̸͕̈ḭ̷̿l̶̥̈e̵̩̚b̵̩̆ḽ̵͠o̴͎͝o̴̤̐d̴͙̚ extra class Growth Rates

19 HP, 24 MP, 6.5 SP, 3.5 STR, 2 DEX, 4 VIT, 2.5 MAG, 3 FTH, 2.5 WIL, 1 CHA T̷̳̑ö̶̥r̶̞͑m̷͉͌è̷̠n̵̖̈́t̷͚̎ ̸͎͛a̶̳̾n̷̡̔ḑ̶̑ ̸̠̓D̸̯̈́e̷͓͐c̵͓̈́ǎ̷̭y̷̮̏

1657 HP

Place a curse upon the target if its WIL is below your CHA.

While the curse is active, the target quickly decays into a ghoul-like undead form.

Just being in this state is painful and conveys the downsides (but not benefits) of the [Undead] skill. As with all proper curses, ending the effect requires [Break Curse]. Love's Pain

1300 MP

Place a curse upon the target if its WIL is below your CHA.

Whenever a loved one of the cursed target takes damage or feels pain, they suffer the same, however, this won't be lethal.

Only loved ones that reciprocate the feelings are considered.

You can have only one instance of this curse active at a time. Affectionate Horror

Passive

When drinking someone's blood, you can briefly tap into their memories and glean basic knowledge about a loved person of your victim.

For up to 1 hour afterwards, you can transform into that person; if you possess the [Disguise] skill you can use that instead to transform for as long as you can hold concentration.

The change is convincing enough to fool even any form of magic or skill, such as [Love's Pain], as long as the skill level is not strictly higher than this skill's level. Fire Weakness

Honestly, I expected more with all of these offerings. This sounds more like something a torturer or secret agent would want, but not me. Lucia got almost full sun immunity out of her Hybrid class, she just has to comply with the trivial condition of staying relatively clothed, so no passionate love-making at the beach for us. Why should I settle for something this useless?

This is what skill envy feels like, isn't it? Can't help it, even if it doesn't matter right now because of the dungeon-like atmosphere, the experience of being restricted by the sun all the time is still fresh in my mind, and I hate it.

Wait, that means I can also take her Daywalker title, she shouldn't need it anymore! So what does that result in?

Hybrid V̸͕̈ḭ̷̿l̶̥̈e̵̩̚b̵̩̆ḽ̵͠o̴͎͝o̴̤̐d̴͙̚ extra class Growth Rates

17 HP, 28 MP, 8 SP, 2.5 STR, 1.5 DEX, 2 VIT, 3 MAG, 3.5 FTH, 3 WIL, 2 CHA Sunlight Tolerance

Passive

Gain (skill level) points of resistance to sunlight damage.

Reduce damage taken from natural sunlight through the effect of 'Undead' by (skill level).

If the remaining sunlight damage after resistances is below (2+skill level/10) it is completely negated. V̴̛̥ȋ̴̜l̸̳̋e̸͇̍ ̷͔̎R̸̥͗e̴̠̍c̶̠̋ò̷̪n̸̻̍s̸͖̆t̶̛͕i̵̟̒t̸̨̀ȕ̴̮ṱ̴͠i̵̤͘o̴̦͒n̸͜͝

700 MP

Heal the target for a total of 200% FTH over 10 minutes.

This spell can heal the living just as well as the undead.

If a target is susceptible to mental effects, it has to relive every physical injury and mental trauma it incurred in the last 24 hours during the healing process as well as those responsible for the healed injuries if they are older. D̴͉̍ȇ̸̱v̷̺̓ï̴̮l̸̦͝ị̴̆s̴͍̃h̶̬͠ ̴͓͒C̶͈͐ẖ̸̆ȃ̵͖r̶̦̃m̵̳̈

386 SP

NO EFFECT B̴̳̓a̴͊ͅd̶̪͘ ̴̆ͅR̷͔̓o̶̩̐m̸̳͛ā̸̗n̸̰̆c̸͓͆e̴̞͒

Passive

Gain poison affinity. Holy Weakness

Freaking expensive. I lose two skills I can't ever replace, but I can't use them anyway thanks to being undead, and five titles. Probably a mouthful from my wife as well. Is it worth it for this? Yes, I think so, minor sun protection and a heal skill - even with the pain induction - should be useful, and the dud can be future Hybrid fodder. I think the poison affinity skill can be sacrificed later as well; at least so far, the elemental skills gained through affinity stuck around even after losing the affinity source.

The Daywalker title should be synced again through Lucia's [Unholy Matrimony], the rest of the sacrifices is somewhere between unusable and detrimental to have. Sacrificing them should be a net positive.

I confirm the creation and assign it to me. I wait a moment but I still feel nothing changing. Lucia did pass out but I'm still standing and nothing else seems to have happened either.

I quickly check myself for any other changes, but I find nothing, seems like I'm back to normal - or as normal as an isekai vampire can be.

It is weird, everyone that got a random Hybrid class showed signs of turning into part-monsters, but we're now three-for-three on not-quite-custom-made Hybrid classes not having any dead giveaways. Does the sacrifice version account for the base creature or were we just lucky?

Clack Clack Clack Clack

Ah, right, there was that. My new Hybrid class also jumps the queue and cheats itself into the first spot.

Name Jared Delacroix Status disguised Age 18 (frozen) Classes Silver Wizard 16, Ḏ̴͘e̷̘͑ṗ̵̤a̷͖̐r̷̺̓t̴̺̀e̴͎͗d̵̻̋ 9, Blood Binder 9, Summoner 10, Lore Seeker 9

Dread Lord 9 Race Silver Elf 11 Extra Hybrid 20, Vampire 20, N̶̙͝o̴̜͗b̸͇̕ĺ̴͙é̶̤ 20, Lord 20, Progenitor 20 4A61726564 12 Title W̴̦̿o̷͕̐ȑ̷͚l̴̮̄d̷͎͑ ̴̟̓R̶̰̍è̸̬s̶̙͊ȋ̷̯d̵͔̈́e̶̿ͅn̴̪̈t̶̥̊, World Navigator, Noble, Vampire Progenitor, Daywalker, Demon Lord, Regenerator, Title Holder, Fortress Lord, Fate Breaker, Master Crafter, R̶̟̐û̴̫l̶̩͋e̸̡͒ṙ̶̫ ̵̼͠ǫ̸̽f̸̯͗ ̴̱̊F̴̙́a̴̙͝m̶̲̐i̵̹͠l̸̕i̴̫̒a̴͚̔ṛ̸̽s̷̪̑, S̶̬̓u̸̖̿m̵̲͑ḿ̴̪o̷͉͛n̶̫͐ ̶̖͆M̸̢̆ạ̸̈́s̷̖͛t̸̪͑e̸̙̅r̵̤̊, Summon Master, World Resident, Three of Disaster, Demon, Happily Married

Title Level 7 EXP 0 HP 4694/5559 [3965] MP 3988/4920 [6151] SP 0/0 [2984] STR 520+75 (staff) or +251 (claws) DEX 603 VIT 538+55 MAG 926+47 FTH 867+2 WIL 734+20 CHA 719 Equipment Topaz Staff, Book, Apprentice Headband, Robe, Sun Cloak, Defense Ring, Sun Guard Ring Skills - Weapon Unnatural Claws 20 Skills - Magic Blood Magic 16 (Rank 1), Dark Magic 16 (Rank 1), Drain Touch 9, Earth Magic 16 (Rank 1), Fire Magic 16 (Rank 1), Ice Magic 16 (Rank 1), Lightning Magic 16 (Rank 1), Poison Magic 16 (Rank 1), Ravenous Chains 9, Summon Spirit 10 (Rank 1), Titanium Magic 16 (Rank 1), V̴̛̥ȋ̴̜l̸̳̋e̸͇̍ ̷͔̎R̸̥͗e̴̠̍c̶̠̋ò̷̪n̸̻̍s̸͖̆t̶̛͕i̵̟̒t̸̨̀ȕ̴̮ṱ̴͠i̵̤͘o̴̦͒n̸͜͝ 20, Water Magic 16 (Rank 1) Skills - Status Charm Eye 20, Disguise 20, Intimidation 40, Stealth 11 Skills - Special Ḍ̴̈́e̵̛͕a̵̻̓t̷̫̓h̷̯͛ ̴̫̈Š̶͔e̴̺̚n̴̗̔s̶̳͒e̶͇͗ 9, E̸̪͗m̸͙͘b̶̦͆ȑ̷̪a̴̛̮c̷̝̏ẽ̶̫ 20, Familiar 20, F̷̝̏i̴̜̍ḻ̶̽e̶͉͌ ̵̻͝E̸̠͒a̶̞̋t̸̲͒e̴͓̚r̵̬͒ ̷̗͗A̵̰̽r̵̹͌m̶͒ͅö̷͎́r̸̙̃ 9, Greater Vampiric Bite 20 Skills - Passive Adamant Conjuration 10, Affinity Magic 16 (Rank 1), Ageless 20, B̴̳̓a̴͊ͅd̶̪͘ ̴̆ͅR̷͔̓o̶̩̐m̸̳͛ā̸̗n̸̰̆c̸͓͆e̴̞͒ 20, Bound Armament 9, D̴͉̍ȇ̸̱v̷̺̓ï̴̮l̸̦͝ị̴̆s̴͍̃h̶̬͠ ̴͓͒C̶͈͐ẖ̸̆ȃ̵͖r̶̦̃m̵̳̈ 20, Enhanced Regeneration 20, E̸x̷t̵r̷a̸ ̷A̵f̵f̵i̸n̵i̶t̵y̷ 16, Keen Perception 9, Legion of Doom 9, Magical Secret 9, Malleable Form 16, Sleepless 20, Sunlight Tolerance 20, Supernatural Toughness 20, Trap Lore 9, Undead 20, Undead Resilience 9, Vampire Hierarchy 20 Ḑ̸̈́a̵̗͑r̸̠̄k̷̻͋ ̸͖́L̸̫͝o̶̜͠r̶̖̚d̷̫̍ 12, Essence Drain 12, Overlord's Oversight 12, Profane Vows 12 Weakness Fire, Light, Holy

I kind of understand the garbled not-divine class's increase in level, [Essence Drain] said as much, and the Extra classes profited from the Hybrid class cheating its position combined with the syncing via [Unholy Matrimony], but where did the levels in Silver-slash-blank Elf come from? And why are those two goddamn titles still there...

Before I can search for answers, I'm overcome with a feeling of dread. Eclaire brandishes a mace in my face, "Think very carefully how you answer now, you understand me?"

Confused, Lucia shouts at her, "What's gotten into you, Eclaire?"

I expected Lucia to get angry because I messed with the titles but Eclaire? She shouldn't know without someone telling her. She's a spirit, she doesn't have titles, she shouldn't have been able to see anything.

Well, she's a spirit, maybe she felt something through our connection.

"Lucia, let her speak. I think I know what she wants. You noticed that something is off with me, right?"

Eclaire waves her weapon around, "Sharp. I felt something, an anomaly in the link between us. My connection to 'You' suddenly felt quite different. Now speak, prove that you are still 'you'!"

Lucia just looks at us full of concern.

Gee, I wish I would've set up a secret trust word before this ascension so a potentially now-"evil" me could simply access it from memory and undermine the whole process.

"I've honestly no idea how I'd do that. Just assume for a moment that I now was a monster that just took the original Jared over, what would stop it from also absorbing all the knowledge and mannerism? And also, how would you even verify anything I claim? If what you told me about your origin is true, we've known each other for just a few days, and most of that I was under the influence of 'your' [Undead Bait] skill. Nothing you've seen of my personality in that time holds any weight. I was basically drugged the whole time."

She shakes her head, "Nah, that's not good enough for me. How about... What do you think about me, personally?"

I sigh, "Goddamn, Eclaire, we were already over this! You know as well as I do that this also has no ground in reality. Yes, I would and did ask you out, and I would do so again in a heartbeat. And you know why?", I get angry, "Because this goddamn Happily Married title forces me to! I do not have a say in this! It doesn't matter in the slightest that you are my type, this title would force me to think you match all my preferences anyway!"

I shove Eclaire's weapon aside, and she finally puts it away.

Lucia wants to say something on this topic, but the blonde twin stops her before she can even say a word. Eclaire probably told her telepathically to shut up.

Eclaire's face reveals that my answer hurt her deeply, "How can you be such a dense jerk?", she pauses for a moment before composing herself, "Okay, final test. How many black dots do you see in the air?"

Black... dots? What is she talking about?

No, wait, why did I forget? I saw them earlier. But I thought it was just something wrong with my eyes, so can she see them as well?

I look around for a while but see none. So was I sick and am now cured, or am I now too far gone to notice them? I should've asked the girls about these spots before I gave Lucy her Hybrid class...

Frustrated, I close my eyes, "None."

She chuckles, "Whatever, you win, Jared. I wasn't serious about this anyway."

This. Goddamn. Troll.

"So this whole drama was for naught..."

She shrugs, "Not necessarily. I found out you have a bit of a problem with reading comprehension."

What is she on about now?

Huh, there were system messages that I missed, did she mean that?

No, I don't think so. She shouldn't be able to see my messages, and they just explain why I've regained those horrible titles.

ERROR: Demon Lord is lacking critical requirements.

Forcefully acquiring missing critical title...

Stupid system. Just. Go. Fuck. Yourself.

Demon

Title obtained for passing a specific rite of passage.

Can no longer hold production jobs or classes.

Yeah, yeah, it is still the same trash as before, couldn't you have given me at least an upgraded version!?

No, Jared, don't think like that. You would only invite the glitches to corrupt it into something weird again...

And what does the final message say?

We congratulate you on your sincere devotion to Lucia Delacroix!

We understand that under your current circumstances, you can't hold any adequate wedding ceremonies

but nonetheless, we want to present you with the appropriate wedding gifts. ERROR: Y̴̯͝ȍ̶̳u̶̺͘ ̷̀͜ç̷̎a̵͖̓ṋ̶̊ń̴̫o̶͈̽t̵̙̿

M4rRiag€ vth EcL̸̛̩ũ̸͈c̶̡͒ị̴̅a̸̢̾ r3c0nfIr/}d. 4920646F6E2774206B6E6F7720686F7720746861742068617070656E65642C

706C65617365206164766973652E m̵͔̄å̵̟r̵̜͑r̶̟̎y̴̘̆ ̸̲̽a̴̟͒ ̵̟̌s̵͇͊p̸̪̏i̶͚͗r̵̩̍i̸̟̾t̴͎̆.̷̪̈́ You and your spouse(s) have acquired the title Happily Married!

Wasn't there a rule in the system that you have to choose to add any of the titles that aren't meant as punishments? Why do you force this upon me without my consent!?

I really feel like there's an Al Bundy style of joke missing here.

Happily Married

Increase DEX by +2%.

If both married people have this title, they can no longer fall out of love.

Should your spouse die, you'll suffer from the "Heartbreak" debuff (-30% all stats, loss of motivation) for at least one year.

I couldn't get rid of it... Everything is still the same. Why...

I can't even select Demon and Happily Married anymore in the Hybrid creation menu, they just occupy the space, work their effects and can't be interacted with anymore. They are now in the same Schroedinger state as the World Resident title already was. Perfect, just perfect.

Suddenly, Lucia angrily taps me from behind on the shoulder, "So mind explaining now what exactly you did?"

I'm so screwed, "I've totally no idea what you might be talking about - maybe trying to delete a curse?"

She starts shouting, "You consider our relationship a curse!?"

Yes, err, I mean, "No, I just wanted to make sure it is true. Look, I'm already suffering from enough falsehoods. I just... couldn't take it anymore..."

She can't hide her disappointment, she's crying, "Don't you... don't you have the slightest bit of faith in me?"

I dare and take the angry Lucia into a hug, "It is not about you, it is about me... Look, I'm sorry if I made you feel bad for doubting our relationship but I had to know. Please look at it from my side, it simply came out of nowhere, it began under questionable circumstances, forced through a buggy skill and not through natural feelings."

She tearfully whispers, "It was always real from my side."

All the while, Eclaire can't help but smirk, "Yup, you deserve ea-, err, I mean, you are perfect for each other."

Why can't I shake the feeling that she knows something I should as well?

"You two are horrible, you know?", Lucia pecks me on the cheek, "I don't really understand why I love you."

Yeah, me neither.