When I was reincarnated in another world, I retained my original form. Naturally, it was questionable whether I'd call it reincarnation or a metempsychosis: the only certainty was that I was summoned.
From an unknown twist of system, I died from throwing myself under the warm morning sun.
Even if it's true that I was summoned to be a hero, the idiosyncrasies leading to the events feel out of connection.
More or less, the care for it doesn't equate a magnanimous sum. I received what I wished for, and the call for adventure alone was enough to revitalize my dead sense of life.
You can call me a madman─and I don't mind being ostracized.
The king and the princess has no shred of thought about my origins that should they learn, they won't be calling me their hero.
However, there's nothing better than being privileged with militaristic protection: killing for the sake of the motherland. I'm from another world and country though so it doesn't make sense.
I looked intently at Her Highness, exerting subtle rudeness for ignoring His Highness and his cheerful demeanor.
"I don't mind about saving your kingdom or the world, as long as it merits me an adventure," I declared, delivered in a tone lackadaisical for the given position. "I'm only wondering on one particular trait you kingdom has."
Princess Echidna posed a solemn smile, inherently kind for her position.
"What is it that our hero wants to know?"
I felt no catharsis but albeit a suspicion, they may have had it ingrained in the minds.
Simply, I smiled─and showed them the two pointed fangs, features instantly divulging my race away from the weak humankind.
"Are you kind towards vampires?"
My name is Seikishi Murasakibara, a young vampire living in Ikebukuro: I haven't met the one who left the holes in my neck and as far as I know, I'm alone. You might want a tragic past but the truth lies as a disappointment. I was an in-house butler in a themed cafe: regularly working as a dignified pretty boy to make my ends meet. My compensation: split between money and blood─and my shift begins from noon to the closing shift.
Frigid winter weather bashing through the bones, the mattress and duvet I was given along with the room didn't stave the shattering cold. I woke up in the middle of the night, helpless in my exploit for sleep.
I was given a fabulous room─the bed was spacious, and it had a canopy. The ambience overall trickled of luxuriousness. If there was no ambivalence in the atmosphere, sleeping may actually be more comfortable than my previous room.
Large rooms do have disadvantages when it comes to heat and wind circulation.
The feeling of uneasiness from the heart brewed up to my throat.
It's my most hated season of the year: winter.
From modern to medieval, the system could have chosen to summon me by spring if that's the case.
They do say beggars can't be choosers.
Her Highness didn't give a definite answer when she knew I was a vampire.
Then, His Highness was equally shocked.
After a murmured discussion between them, I was assisted by the princess to my chamber and said we'd discuss all the important matters tomorrow morning at the break of dawn.
As I thought, there was prejudice.
In case of the instinct's failure, there only exists a low margin of error. However, I'd not expect the nonexistent percentage. If they want my heroism, there's no way, then I'd lend an option like a night-crawling assassin as long as it merits me a life not drenched in boredom.
Vampires have stronger eyesight than humans. Pitch in other senses too, but my nose has been hurting for a while now so I can't boast about it. I'd sum that they inhabitants of the palace would light their lamps. I've one over the bedside cabinet, but there was no merit in its usage.
I walked straight through the door: meaning to stroll and observe the Halcyon Palace─because there wasn't anything to do.
It was this gigantic castles I've only seen in fantasy stories, built in the middle of a lake with all these towering structures.
For my chamber alone, the door was nothing to be sneezed at.
The size was gargantuan that one would mistake it the room of a giant, although it was still crafted with wood so I needed only a minuscule force… it should have been.
I pushed the door, but opened to no avail: then I pushed again to the point I wondered if it abode for different mechanics. "Huh?" For the grace of the world's deities, the dilemma threw my mind into the sewers.
I swear I saw from earlier how it was opened… why should a wooden door be so heavy: I stopped for a minute, and forced a surprise open! "Gwa─!" Clunks of metal hit the ground, like that of coins but evidently heavier, alongside a pained groaned reminiscent of a nightmare attack.
There was someone behind the door?
Smelling blood is the expertise of a vampire but because of the unloving weather, the ability was denied. Talk about natural hindrance. Rather than swinging it open, I imagined the door can hilariously bash the person… I mean, I'd do that for self-defense, like it could have been an assassin. But despite a vampire─I'm as compassionate as a kindergarten teacher or maybe, I'm confident about my capability to surprise them out of their wits.
No combat ability, no problem.
I'm a vampire.
This time, the door was light, I slowly pushed it and peeked to the bizarre occurrence in the form of a knight groveling into the ground: they held their head, and looked down the floor recollecting their thoughts. "Hello, what are you doing in front of my room?" I thought I'd help for their awakeness, having been headstarted by my terrible processor they've stood guard and fell asleep while on the job.
On the floor laid a halberd.
"Y-Y-Yes, I'm sorry!" Immediately, the knight stood albeit slow and flustered from the weight of the armor.
The voice, now that I heard it for the second time, was feminine… overly, for a fact, the nuance suddenly veering to that of a fool in disguise. Even then, she immediately collected herself to face me: I bared myself to the dark hallway only illuminated by the knight's lamp placed distances apart from the door.
It's nice to know she has caution.
Who stood before me was a cumbrous lady knight, clad in armor but from her fall earlier, her helm was left lying on the ground and she hasn't noticed. Average height for a soldier, and her face tattered with freckles. The evident lack of sleep can be determined from her blackened eyes, and her red velvet hair cut short doesn't seem like to have received proper bath for the last week. She has a scar on her nose: all in all, the frontage of someone whose had it rough with life.
And then, she'd act contrary to expectations.
"I'm so sorry! Please forgive my insolence!" An apology was delivered so halfheartedly as she scratched her head and innocently beamed. "I may have fallen asleep, dweh heh heh!"
That pattern of chuckle… cute, I know, but I'm more inclined to like serious woman rather than a clumsy one. Well, if it's interaction, I can manage. It's not like I choose who I'd acquaint myself with─certainly not looking for aliens, time travelers, ghosts, demons, psychics, or evil organizations and heroes out of anime or manga who fight them.
"Not 'may have', you certainly fell asleep," I told her. "So, who are you?"
"Oh, allow me to introduce myself!" She remembered her courtesy from a fluster: such a hopeless the lady knight she was. Even her salute was sloppy. "My name is Allison. Attendant to the second princess of Grandisé Kingdom! I was assigned to guarantee your safety throughout the night, sir!"
Loud… though I suppose it's in her nature.
"Allison?" I sized her out of habit. "Don't you have a surname─! Let me guess, you're an orphan."
Her eyes told what her mind contained, how I was a wunderkind. Heroes summoned from another world are amazing people: they can read minds. Superstition, I'd say so, because I'm involved in customer service with a broad knowledge for stereotypes.
Allison spoke her mind out, "How did you know?! Do I reek of a commoner?!"
Now that's worth a smirk: hiding my latent knowledge was the best option. Of course, trust should be minimal to anyone and everyone. You can only entrust your back to yourself, even more intensely in an age where humanity is more cruel.
"Yes, you reek of a commoner." Maybe I said it, but I only parroted the assessment for herself. Saddened, she looked down. "What are you here for, Allison?"
"Y-Yes! I was sent here to guard you!"
Apparently, she is a habitual flusterer: although I can see not only the jitters of meeting someone for the first time, there were also shivers from fear. Before I knew it, my hand reached onto her shoulder─not minding the accumulated coldness on the armor's surface.
"You're afraid I would attack you and drink your blood, aren't you?!" I looked at her straight in the eyes meaning to intimidate and bind her to her fear.
Blood pressure rose from Allison and her scent wafted stronger even my clogged nose was tickled. Slowly, I showed her my fang and drive for animosity… but she'd destroy it in a singular, farcical comment.
"You drink blood?!"
The jolt of fear should have had her stay away, but I seemed to flip off her curious switch that she pressed onto my face: her eyes had stars in them.
"What does that mean?!"
I tilted my head, so confused I could disintegrate without the sun's influence.
Early in that journey, my worries were interchanged with a stronger negative stimulus: realizing by the split-second the reactions from His Highness and the princess who was responsible for bringing me into their world.
"You don't know about vampires?" I asked her.
"What's a vampire?" she asked, as expected.
I don't if it's too good for me and too bad for Grandise Kingdom, or the other way around: all I know is that they've summoned another enemy for mankind. Hilarious, for a fact.