'Vampire! It's a bloody vampire! I'm trapped! W-Wait, did… did he say he wants to assassinate me?'
William, gripped by fear and dread, weakly took a step back.
"If you don't struggle I promise it won't be that painful, kekeke," the vampire said, laughing as he approached William.
"I-I am innocent. Why are you doing this?"
The vampire pondered, speaking slowly but menacingly, "Why… I wonder… Your father, the o-so-mighty Lord Maxton… has… offended a few people…"
'Because… I'm the viscount's son? But what does that have to do with anything?! Am I getting roped in some political mess?' William thought, stepping further back as the vampire approached him.
He stammered, "W-Was it money you were paid? T-Tell me how much! My father can pay you double!"
"Kek…"
The cackling vampire's expression, shrouded in the darkness, turned grim. His smile disappeared and the red glint in his eyes glowed fiercer.
Bam!
He was quick, William didn't even know when his neck was grabbed nor when he was aggressively pinned on the wall. All he could parse was the pain.
'D-Dammit! H-He's too fast!' William thought to himself as he writhed, struggling for release as the grip on his neck tightened.
The vampire moved his face closer to William's, grinning nastily as he spoke with chagrin, "It is… always annoying when you nobles think you can buy your way out of death!
"Lord Maxton will pay me double? Do you think I am foolish enough to not know how powerful your father is? Why do you think I am going after his son?"
'Dammit, how am I to get out of this predicament? Oh no, I'm going to die again, aren't I?' William's countenance sunk. He was powerless, like a cornered rat.
…But those are the ones that bite the hardest. He regained his composure, a new resolve nestling in his mind.
'No, I can't give up yet. Think. Think. What will a vampire want? No, right now I need to make him realize he can't kill me. Yes. Like in the books, they threaten the stronger opponent with something they are scared to lose. But what will an immoral vampire be scared to lose? His life!'
"Y-You cannot kill me!" William screamed.
The vampire raised his sharp claws and smiled. "Well, let us see about that."
"No-No-No! That is not what I mean!" William racked his head, trying to quickly figure out what to say next. He decided to trust the only boons he had in this world, which were his royal blood and his extensive isekai knowledge.
Mustering up some courage, he faked a smug look and continued, "You vampires are always sent to do the dirty work. Honestly, it is so sad that you guys are this dumb. No. Not dumb, just stupidly ignorant."
Hearing those words the vampire's rage swelled, his face, contorted in anger. "What?! It seems you still have the gall to talk in such a way. Let me fix that—"
"Think about it!" William struggled against the hand on his neck as he chimed in abruptly, "Can they not send a regular human to kill a child?! Do they need a vampire for a common child?!"
The vampire was slightly taken aback, evident in his grip on William's neck lessening. "What… What are you saying?"
William grinned sneerily, "Heh, so you do not know…"
Enraged even further by William's obscurity, the vampire slammed him on the wall again and screamed, "Know what?! Speak before I rip your head off!"
William groaned slightly before concealing the pain, looking at the vampire dead in the eyes as he declared, "I am the last son of Princess Marybeth, Duchess of Linfolm. Coursing through my veins is the blood of the imperial family of Maen Empire!"
Shock, surprise, astonishment, dumbfoundedness, realization. Those were the expressions the vampire's face oscillated due to the revelation.
His grip loosened. William's soles finally touched the hard ground of the alley back again.
Seeing this reaction, William felt respite and was reassured. He continued, "Is the person that sent you capable of protecting even themself from the wrath of the imperial family?!"
The vampire fell silent. He used his other hand which was free to scratch his chin.
"It… all makes sense now," he muttered.
'Yes! He's buying it, so what do I do after this to make sure he lets me go? Think! Think, you fool! You can't die here, you haven't even found a single clue about Allison's whereabouts…' William was still so desperate. The vampire still hadn't released his hand from William's neck.
The vile creature continued, "...Lord Maxton was Theodorici II's trusted dog and a Captain of the Royal Guards that protect the imperial family, a position requiring more skill than that of the Captain of the Imperial Army. It is not far-fetched to say he was well acquainted with Princess Marybeth. And according to one rumor, she was pregnant before her death. Then if you are of royal blood then…"
William chimed in, nodding his head repeatedly, "Yes! Yes! You are getting it right! You should not kill me. The emperor will certainly not let—"
"...that makes this more fun!"
The vampire's smile stretched from ear to ear, with pure madness and bloodlust that seemed to be fully ingrained in his entire being.
"W-What?" William stared, bewildered.
No amount of words could do justice to the amount of horror, fear, and trepidation contained in that one question.
"All the more reason why I should kill you. Akakakakakak…"
The vampire laughed, and laughed, and laughed so hard his mouth stood wide like that of a ferocious lion about to rip its prey apart from limb to limb.
He used a hand to cover his face and added, "Who cares if you are of royal blood? You underestimate us vampires. We already live harsh lives and are outcasts everywhere we go. We have become one with the shadows! Our lives could be forfeited at any moment, so tell me, who is scared of the mad emperor? Akakakaka…"
'He-He doesn't… care??? Think! Should I scream?' Without a second thought, William opened his mouth wide, screaming, "Someone! Someone! Help— mmmm!"
The vampire stuck his hand in Willaim's mouth, a grin etched on his face as he mocked, "You really do think I am stupid, do you not? The royal blood of the Empire of Maen is screaming in vain at the face of death at my hand…
"Ah, nothing could make my life more blissful…" he added ecstatically, slowly raising William back up the wall.
"Mmm! Mmmmmmm!"
William let out ear-screeching screams as tears rolled down his eyes.
"You see, we vampires dearly loooove seeing our prey scream and beg for their lives… so scream!" he said, tightening the grip on William's neck.
"Mmmmm! Mmmmm!"
"Yes! Scream! Scream! Beg for your measly, pathetic existence! Yes! Akakakakak…"
Tears rolled down William's reddened face, and all the while, he found it getting harder and harder to breathe properly.
'This is-This is how I will die, isn't it? It's hopeless to try to persuade him now. I haven't even found a single clue on where to find Allison! Oh, Allison… why can't I ever do something useful when you need me? I was here busy playing fantasy main character… What is wrong with me?!'
William stopped screaming and made guttural groans as he tried his best to grasp a bit of air as saliva rolled down the side of his mouth. His eyes gradually rolled up.
"If I knew you were of royal blood, I would have even done this for free. Kakakakakak…"
The vampire looked upon William like a wild beast looking down at its prey as it strangled it to death.
He had an ecstatic, nearly fanatical smile plastered on his face as he watched William cling to every last bit of life as his eyes flickered about, unfocused.
'I'm dying… again! I can't do anything for Allison when she needs me! Every single fucking time! I can never do anything for those that… that care about me…
'It is… always my fault they all eventually leave. Mum died, Allison disappeared, and Craig, oh Craig I'm so sorry. I'm such a failure. Even in this world, my mother died again. All I could do was scream for help. I'm so useless… I'm sorry, everyone.'