As Alucard walked towards Philip, he extended his right hand forward, as if he's reaching for something, and a black mist started to coagulate around his hand that extended towards
"Oh!"
Philip was amazed. This is the first time he could witness a full fledge ability of a vampire since Alucard has only been using Pureblood
It turns out that the black mist are actually tiny bats that flew around the room and into Alucard's hands. It is the same as when noble vampires transform into bats and hundred of bats fly in a tornado and disperses and vice versa
It also looked like with this ability, whatever Alucard would've brought, it is like a special storage of some sort
Eventually, after the tiny bats calmed down, an object manifested, to which made Philip's eyes sparkled
"This is gift for the celebration of the day of Philip's birth..."
Alucard kneeled down with his right knee, a gesture that's extremely respectable for vampires, and raised both of his arms as the object is resting on his palms
"..."
Philip stood up and gazed at the object. The object is an intricate long sword, almost looked medieval, oriental, and ornamental. The material looks wooden and everything else is metallic
"I figured that since Philip is a master, an existence beyond a god of swords, I thought that he would want to have a sword benefitting of his image. Despite that, this sword is only the best that I could procure for now..."
"What is it?"
"It is a Blood-Infused Ironwood Replica Longsword..."
"Haha"
Philip laughed for the first time in a while. He reached for the longsword and held it at the hilt
As soon as he touched the sword, a harmless shockwave exploded in the Dining Hall, which made everyone's hair flick away and snap the gods out of their trance. For some reason, the shockwave had a faint color when it exploded and it was red
"...?!"
Ken showed a different reaction after seeing the sword
Philip lifted the longsword in front of him and inspected every nook and cranny. He inspected the sharpness, hardness, weight, balance, center of gravity, and reach
"I like it!"
"...?!"
"...?!"
It was the first time Philip liked a gift. The other's were surprised that Alucard made Philip vocally say that he likes the gift
"..."
They then realized that it was because Philip likes swords and that may be the reason why he became the Sword Concept. Ken also realized this, but he doesn't believe that just by liking or loving swords, he would become the Sword Concept. Otherwise, he, himself, would've already became the Sword Law or Sword Concept the moment he earned Sword Mastery
"Ironwood... The hardest wood in the world. It's so dense and hard, almost like iron itself. It could also arguably be stronger than a steel beam or reinforced iron..."
Philip kept waving the sword and striking the air, missing the trajectory towards anyone to avoid hurting them. But even if Philip's just casually swinging it, Ken could feel the powerful blasts of Sword Intent flying around the Dining Hall. The Sword Intents was too much to the point that a Sword Domain was slowly being erected
His eyes widened from the potent Sword Intent that Philip's unconsciously releasing as the Sword Concept. He immediately closed his eyes and tried to comprehend the intent of the Sword Intents. He began cultivating his Sword Mastery in the middle of celebration
"Blood-Infused... What blood have you infused it with?"
"My blood..."
"Degraded Pureblood?"
"Vampire pureblood"
"Mhm! Why?"
"An object that has been infused with the blood of the pureblooded vampires will become alive. It will not have an ego, but it will become hungry and thirsty for blood. With this, the infused object is capable of empowerment and evolution. Because the object is bound to the concept of sword, it will only be empowered through the Sword Concept..."
"That's why it's a suitable gift for me!"
"Correct"
"I see! I like it! I like it very much!"
Philip continued to praise Alucard's gift that some people began to feel a little jealous. But, they couldn't help but still be hopeful because Philip hasn't seen most of their gifts because it's still wrapped
"I am glad..."
Alucard slowly stood back up and the way he moved his body is beautiful. His bangs swayed from the breeze and his gaze is quite overwhelming, in a good way
"By the way... Why is it a replica?"
"..."
Alucard was about to go back go his seat after turning around, when he suddenly stopped from Philip's question. He was silent and his expression turned solemn and melancholic
"Alucard?"
The others also looked at Alucard woth worry, especially Sai as she gazed directly into Alucard's eyes
"..."
Alucard was only gazing towards an empty space, not meeting anyone's eyes
Eventually, he turned his body halfway towards Philip and turned his head directly at him as his blood eyes slightly quivered
"It is a replica of my sword"
"Your sword?? You're a sword user? Do you have a mastery?"
"Yes. It is called the Noblesse Oblige Zweihänder. I am a Sword Lord"
"Sword Lord???"
Philip was surprised, especially Jude and Ken. Humans in Earth before the Mysticism Age could never achieve a higher level of mastery above the Grandmaster Stage
Though, if they reach the stages above the King Stage, the world would reject them and they have to ascend to a higher world, like what happened to Celine's master, Young-Jin Tae when he stayed on Earth for too long as a Martial Monarch
Duke, King, and Lord Stages are an exception because no one has achieved the Duke Stage yet for them to ascend. On the other hand, Jude as the Sword King stayed on Earth because of his Reverse Sword condition and the world deemed him not fit to ascend
Now that Jude has achieved Sword Saint Stage because of Philip during the Mysticism Age and Earth changed to Earthenmana as the prerequisite for ascension has been elevated, Jude stayed on Earthenmana
Meanwhile, every high beings in the world, Jude, Philip, even Ken, thought that Jude possesses the highest Sword Mastery in the world at that time, even before Jude became a Sword Saint. Now, they learned that Alucard is a Sword Lord, just before a Sword Emperor, which is already powerful
"If you're a Sword Lord, that Noblesse Oblige Zweihänder should be your Soul Artifact, right? Where is it now?? I never saw you with it nor I sensed it within your room???"
"It is sealed in the Vampire Kingdom. I abandoned it when I left the kingdom..."
"Why?"
"I was powerful enough with my fate with the Pureblood back then. Having the Noblesse Oblige would only lead me to destruction. The world may even reject me if I were to use it"
"..."
There was silence as Philip processed all the information
"Do you want to retrieve the sword back?"
"..."
Alucard was silent. His eyes and mouth quivered
"I removed Jude's condition and he directly became a Sword Saint and he's not getting rejected by the world? I also liberated you from the Pureblood and you're basically free! Do you want the sword back?"
"..."
Alucard then looked back directly at Philip's eyes, which is faintly glowing golden. He looks like he is reaching his resolve
"Do you want me to reclaim my sword?"
Alucard answered back with a question
"My personal answer is yes! But the important question is why? Why would I want you do retrieve your sword? Why do you need your sword? Why?"
"..."
Everyone looked intently at Alucard as they wait for his answer. They don't know what Philip's trying to say, except for Camille
Alucard's eyes began to dilate as the degraded [Blood Eyes of Truth] is being used
"I see..."
Alucard muttered. Philip smirked
"I've decided. I will reclaim the Noblesse Oblige Zweihänder in the Vampire Kingdom! I will return to the Vampire Kingdom and accept whatever punishment they need to give me... I just have to reclaim my sword, leave the kingdom, and escape from the shackles that's binding me to my bloodline!"
"No..."
"...?"
Philip denied Alucard's conclusion after using his degraded [Blood Eyes of Truth]. Alucard was confused that his inference was wrong
"In two days, we will depart to the Vampire Kingdom!"
"Uhm, c-can I come?"
Sai joined the conversation and asked
"Yes... Me, Tenshi, and Sai are the only ones who will go"
"..."
The others were sad that they can't come with the adventure, mostly the people who wanted to go with Philip. The Saykranians didn't care for now, Jude and Mathilda has to work their duties in the mansion, the gods couldn't care less, and the Hua Family thought that their family should be together first
"Oh, Camille, you're coming too"
Philip pointed at Camille, to which her eyes widened in utter surprise. She was about to spew the drink she was drinking, but she managed to hold herself back
"Alright..."
Camille didn't ask why or made an excuse to not to come. Rather, she just smirked internally as her heart wavered and she became extremely nervous, concerned, and worried for the first time since she was revived back in the crypt in another past, unbefitting of the Witch of Second Coming, the apprentice of the Witch of Beginning in the future
After all, she knows why Philip wants her to come and she doesn't know what to do once she encountered it
"Two days? Why not tomorrow?"
Katara joined in and asked
"I have plans for tomorrow and I'll give everyone a rest especially after today"
"Hm..."
「 ... 」
『 ... 』
"Alright, is that understood, Alucard?"
"Yes..."
Alucard then turned back around and went back to his seat. Philip also sat back down as he looked at the wooden sword more
'A replica of his sword, huh?'
Philip closed his eyes and tried to resonate with the sword. He felt as if his consciousness fell forwards, like it was being pulled or he's basically fallling
"...!"
Ken was shocked and his focus on cultivating his sword was broken after a potent Sword Energy exploded from Philip. No one else felt this except for him because he is the Sword God
He was surprised because a constant wave and stream of Sword Energy and Sword Aura is coursing from Philip and across the mansion
'I can't believe that someone has this level of innate energy, aura, and intent that it just leaks out!!! As expected of the Sword Concept!!!'
Meanwhile, Philip went deeper and deeper into his consciousness as he resonated with the replica sword. Eventually, he arrived in an invisible wall
An outline of the replica sword appeared before him, like a holographic image. The color of the outline is glowing light blue and swirls of red lingering inside the outline
'A replica is just a replica, just like how a copy is just copy...'
Philip reached his hand forward towards the hilt of the replica sword
'But a replica has its origin and source... That is the original one, the very source of the concept'
He held the hilt of the replica sword and an aura pulsated that released a wave of dense energy
'Ah... A sleeping sword... What's your secret? What's hidden in you?'
The swirling red energy suddenly pulsated also and the swirls became chaotic. The flows and swirls expanded and slightly dyed the surrounding area around him with red
Philip then saw several lit up points around the sword and across the red swirl. This is the indication of flaws that Jude's Personal Technique of Sword Limit Treatment that he copied from watching Jude
'Sword Awakening!'
The red swirl glowed brighter, like the air just ignited and plasma was generated. The holographic sword also vibrated violently, like it was about to break apart
His eyes then widened after he saw the silhouette of the Book of Perfect Blood passing by his field of vision
"...!"
He then felt his consciousness being pulled backwards and he opened his eyes back in the real world, like he was startled as he flinched
He looked around and looks like no one noticed him flinching as everyone's speaking with each other, waiting for the next person to give the gift to Philip, but with one exception
Ken has his eyes widened while glaring at Philip. His pupils were trembling like he just saw a monster
Philip felt Ken's gaze because he has an innate ability that can sense the trajectory of an eyesight. He could also pinpoint the source of the eyesight, angle, and distance
This is like one of his awakened innate skills or traits that he had, paired with [Supreme Sense of Measurement] back then
Even then, he ignored Ken's glare as he figured that he has this reaction because of Sword Resonance and probably the replica sword's Sword Awakening
"Alright... I'm ready for the next gift"
"I-It's my turn!"
Mathilda slammed the table and stood up with nervousness
"Calm down a little bit, Mathilda"
Jude spoke with a wry smile, trying to calm down Mathilda, who has a slight childlike mentality because of her split personality with the soul of a Peacemaker
"Uuu~"
Mathilda's began to swirl from nervousness. She began to walk to Philip with stiff movements, like a robot, unbefitting of the head maid
"Ah"
She just then remembered her identity and she immediately fixed herself. From a stiff inexperienced maid to a confident professional head maid
In this moment, two maids came inside th3 Dining Hall from the entrance, carrying a life-size stuffed teddy bear
"...!"
Philip's eyes widened and gave a little smirk and giggle under his breath
"..."
Mathilda arrived in front of Philip and the maids droped the giant teddy bear next to Philip as the teddy bear is sitting down and resting its back on his left
"Uhm... I don't what to give you as a birthday present... I never got to know you better after all haha"
"Yep"
"So, just like what I have learned in the internet... People usually gift stuffed toys in their birthdays, but you're already an adult, so I got you a life-size teddy bear! Happy birthday!!"
"Haha..."
Philip gave a wry smile and a little laughter. It is because he knows that Mathilda probably saw examples of parents gifting their kids stuffed toys or couples exchanging stuffed toys also. In Mathilda's logic, since Philip is already an adult, she has to gift a bigger stuffed toy because babies and toddlers get the small one
"W-what do you think?"
"You know... Honestly, I never got a present like this, even though I wanted one for a long time when I was a kid... So, I greatly appreciate this gift!!"
"R-really?"
"Yeah! Thank you very much!"
"I'm glad!!"
Mathilda gave the brightest of smile that she could give before turning back around
Philip wasn't really mesmerized from the smile, rather he was just amazed considering Mathilda's attitude towards him six months ago
Mathilda looks like she has completely accepted Philip into the family
Mathilda went back to her seat and Jude approached her. They exchanged hugs for some reason and this made Philip narrow his eyes and smirk a little bit
Jude approached Philip with a butler behind him, holding a long object wrapped in cloth around his arms
Seeing this object, Philip smiled widely as his eyes sparkled