[Mana Changing Complete.]
As my mana reverted to its original hue, I found myself standing in what could only be described as a gothic chamber, adorned with an array of human skeletons - talk about a spooky décor choice. Casting a glance at the mirror, I couldn't help but notice the stark contrast of my mana's darkness against the gloomy surroundings. It was darker than I had anticipated, like a shade reserved for the brooding antihero of some epic saga.
Staring at my reflection, I couldn't tear my gaze away. The shadowy tendrils of mana seemed to coil around me possessively, like an overprotective cat claiming its territory. It was as if this darker mana had a mind of its own, eager to latch onto me like an overly clingy friend.
Comparing my mana to that of the enigmatic girl I had encountered was like comparing night and day - or in this case, shadow and shine. Her mana exuded a radiant glow, wrapping around her like a shield of light, while mine... well, let's just say it had a more possessive vibe, like a clingy ex who just can't let go.
Tsu Mariete and Luna Mariette, the formidable duo who had not so politely introduced themselves by delivering a blow to my stomach that left me questioning the resilience of my internal organs, now stood before me, their eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and dread. It was a sight to behold, like witnessing a pair of hardened warriors facing down an unexpected foe, only to find themselves woefully unprepared for what lay before them.
As an author, encountering a family like theirs was like stumbling upon a plot twist straight out of a fevered nightmare. I mean, seriously, a wolf and a vampire playing house together? And to top it all off, their precious offspring, Sangyue, was a walking contradiction, a half-vampire, half-wolf hybrid. It was the kind of family dynamic that had me questioning whether I had accidentally veered off course into some twisted parody of my own creation.
I couldn't help but wonder if I had ever concocted such a ludicrous scenario in my writing. If I had, surely there would have been some sort of drawback or curse attached to their unique lineage. After all, this wasn't supposed to be a tale of epic battles and supernatural showdowns; it was meant to be a simple slice-of-life series, filled with mundane misadventures and heartwarming moments.
But alas, it seemed I had inadvertently stumbled into the realm of fighting genres while wearing the guise of slice-of-life storytelling. With a resigned sigh, I turned my attention back to Tsu and Luna. With a deft motion, I activated the ring of people, causing my appearance to shift back to its original form. My horn emerged proudly from my head, and the once-pale red strands of my hair darkened to a rich crimson hue, a visual testament to the chaotic journey I found myself on.
As I deactivated the Ring of People and allowed my true appearance to shine through, I couldn't help but wonder yet again what in the world was up with this bizarre family dynamic. The white-haired woman, Tsu, had a penchant for dressing lightly, a trait apparently shared by her daughter Sangyue. But when it came to the guy, well, it seemed like he had bid farewell to modesty long ago and opted for a wardrobe that consisted solely of his birthday suit. Yes, you heard that right - the man was stark naked, as bare as the day he was born.
I couldn't decide whether to be impressed by his shamelessness or simply bewildered by the audacity of it all. I mean, sure, embracing one's true self and all that jazz is great and all, but there's a time and a place for everything, and I highly doubted that standing in the presence of a complete stranger was the appropriate moment for a nudist manifesto.
With a mental shrug, I resigned myself to the absurdity of the situation and focused on the task at hand. After all, there were more pressing matters to attend to than the wardrobe choices of my captors. But I made a mental note to include this peculiar encounter in my memoirs, assuming I ever made it out of this mess in one piece.
"Are you... the son of Demon King Alpha?" Tsu suddenly asked, breaking the tense silence with a question that caught me off guard.
I glanced over at him, momentarily surprised, but my skill "The Art of Calmness" kicked in, keeping my nerves steady and my expression neutral. The trick was to appear unfazed, even when your world was thrown for a loop.
Tsu, Luna, and Sangyue all fixed their gazes on me, but with vastly different expressions. Tsu's eyes were filled with suspicion, Luna's with a mix of curiosity and wariness. And then there was Sangyue. Her gaze was altogether different—she looked at me like I was the last slice of apple pie at a family dinner. Her eyes sparkled with shy admiration, and, rather alarmingly, she was drooling ever so slightly.
I wasn't sure whether to be flattered or concerned. Here I was, standing before this motley crew of supernatural beings, with one of them apparently ready to devour me in more ways than one. The situation had gone from strange to downright surreal, and maintaining my composure was becoming a bit of an art form in itself.
"I am the Demon King's son, Ω (Omega) Dia," I replied, my tone polite and neutral, unshaken by the bizarre circumstances.
They all flinched, recoiling as if they had just seen a ghost materialize before them.
"Sigh..." Tsu and Luna exhaled heavily, their faces morphing into an expression of weary resignation as if silently asking, "What have we done?" However, Sangyue's gaze remained fixed on me, her admiration undiminished.
In an unexpected move, she stepped closer. Before I could react, she lunged forward and—
*Bite!*
"Fuck," I muttered as I felt her teeth sink into my neck. She was actually sucking my blood. Panic threatened to break through my composure, my skill "The Art of Calmness" straining under the sudden onslaught of nerves.
I could feel my calm facade slipping, the surreal nature of the situation becoming almost too much to bear.
"Oy..." Tsu called out, his voice filled with irritation as he reached over and yanked Sangyue away from my neck, lifting her as effortlessly as if she were a misbehaving cat.
Sangyue's grip loosened, and she was pulled back, leaving me to rub the fresh bite marks on my neck. She looked up at her father with a mixture of guilt and defiance, a thin line of my blood trickling down from the corner of her mouth.
"Sorry about that," Tsu said, his tone begrudgingly apologetic. "She doesn't always know how to control herself."
Always? I felt a shiver and instinctively took a step back.
"I see... So you're his son," Tsu exclaimed before he and Luna bowed deeply in front of me.
"We will do everything in our power to protect and help you, Young Prince," they said in unison.
"W-what?" At this point, my brain could hardly process what was happening. Seeing these two bowing down and addressing me as "Young Prince" was enough to make my head spin. A strange sense of connection with them began to form, almost as if something was being awakened within me.
[Ting! Omega's memory will be installed.]
The system flashed a message before my eyes.
[Warning, a sudden shock will happen.]
With that warning, a searing pain struck my head like a bolt of lightning, radiating through my entire body. The overwhelming sensation was too much to bear, and I felt myself losing consciousness once again, everything fading to black.
— Wah!! Wah!!
The sudden cries of the baby in the cradle filled the air, announcing the arrival of an energetic baby boy. Four people stood around the cradle, their attention fixed on the newborn. As I approached, my presence went unnoticed, as if I were a ghost drifting among them.
[This is the memory of the day of Omega's birth.]
The system flashed a message before me, alerting me to the significance of the scene unfolding.
I observed silently as I joined the four individuals watching the little prince Omega cry out from the cradle.
— Haha... What an energetic boy.
The person in light clothes chuckled warmly at the baby prince.
"That's... Tsu," I murmured, noting his jet-black hair and distinctive eyes.
"And this white-haired woman..." Luna, I confirmed silently, recognizing her fanged smile directed at Omega. Her swollen belly indicated she was pregnant with Sangyue.
"What in the world is this?" I wondered aloud, bewildered by the full materialization of these memories. I could even interact with objects, though they returned to their original positions when released. It was an extraordinary experience, like stepping into the past and being a part of history unfolding before my eyes.
— Demon King Alpha, I express my deepest gratitude for granting me the opportunity to be with my beloved, despite the nefarious schemes aimed at reducing her to a mere possession.
Tsu's voice was composed, laced with genuine appreciation and respect for the Demon King Alpha.
— You need not concern yourself with it.
To my surprise, the voice of the Demon King lacked the menacing tone typically associated with demons. Instead, it held a surprising warmth and gentleness. Was this because of my current state within a demon, or was it simply his true demeanor?
[This is a memory scene, unedited]
Once again, the system flashed before me.
I understand...
Tsu and Luna bowed their heads in gratitude at the Demon King's words.
— If you feel indebted to me, Tsu, why not consider taking my son under your wing when the time comes? Live out your days in the human realm, preserving all that you've built.
The warmth in the Demon King Alpha's gaze softened as he glanced at the sleeping Omega, then turned to Tsu and Luna.
Then, Maya, the Demon Queen, Beloved wife of Alpha and Mother of Omega, stepped forward.
— Luna, your nurturing nature as a vampire makes you the perfect choice to care for our child. Please, consider our request.
With a seamless transition, the Demon King and Demon Queen made their heartfelt plea to Tsu and Luna.
— So, you're saying...
— Yep. Look after my boy, treat him like family, maybe even like a son-in-law or something.
Both Luna and Tsu were caught off guard by the casual yet significant request from the Demon King and Queen.
The system's sudden appearance interrupted the memory scene, its countdown adding an air of anticipation.
[The memory scene will end in, 1... 2... 3... Ting! Memory scene end.]
As the system flashed before me, its brightness temporarily blinding me, I couldn't help but squint against the glare. Slowly, cautiously, I began to open my eyes, expecting to see the next chapter of the unfolding memory. But what I saw before me left me utterly speechless...
"Dick!?" I exclaimed, my voice a mixture of shock and disbelief. There, standing before me, was what appeared to be Tsu's... well, you know. I quickly shook my head, blinking rapidly to clear my vision. "Wait, no, that's Tsu!" I corrected myself, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment at the initial misunderstanding.
"What the hell..." I muttered to myself, a nervous chuckle escaping my lips as I tried to process the absurdity of the situation. "I need to get my eyes checked or something."
With my head still spinning from the shocking sight of Tsu's... Dick surprise appearance, I hoisted myself up from the floor. Seriously, how long had I been wandering around in that memory maze? And did I just get electrocuted by a lightning bolt? Classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, I guess.
[You've been out for about a day.]
The system replied.
"You're out for about a day, that's some serious beauty sleep, Young Prince," Luna quipped, her voice dripping with amusement.
I glanced over at Luna, who was now holding a tray stacked with goodies, while Tsu had transformed the room into a picture-perfect tea party setup, complete with fancy tableware and all.
"Please, take a seat, Young Prince," Tsu said with a flourish, his exaggerated politeness bordering on comedic like he some sort of butler.
With a mental shrug and a sigh of resignation, I flopped into the nearest chair, feeling like a character in some surreal comedy sketch. Luna and Tsu flanked me, their stances so formal it was almost comical like they were about to break into a synchronized dance routine or something. Meanwhile, Sangyue sat opposite me, her eyes twinkling with mischief as if she was enjoying the show far too much. Ah, the joys of being the unwitting star of the weirdest tea party ever.
"We apologize for hurting you, Young Prince!" Luna and Tsu exclaimed in unison, their voices laced with genuine remorse.
They were apologizing for their little punching session, which had left me feeling like I'd gone a few rounds with a heavyweight boxer. Sure, it was partly my fault for having a mana color resembling a human, but did they have to go full Rocky Balboa on me?
"It's okay... I'm fine anyway," I replied with a strained smile, though internally, I was still reeling from the impact. I didn't want to spoil the already awkward atmosphere any further by dwelling on my bruises.
As the tension eased, my mind drifted back to the memory scene that had unfolded earlier. The sudden revelation of a fiancé had hit me like a ton of bricks, throwing my already topsy-turvy world into even greater chaos. It was like a plot twist straight out of a melodramatic soap opera, and I had no idea how to navigate this newfound relationship status.
With resolve burning in my veins, I knew I had to become stronger than ever before. That was my primary objective now.
I needed to overcome any obstacles in my path, including the sudden revelation about Sangyue. She was one of the most important characters in my novel, a companion to the protagonist. But I had never written anything about her having a fiancé before. To complicate matters further, she was supposed to be in love with the protagonist.
The plot had indeed taken an unexpected turn, all because of my survival through the castle assault and the onslaught from Tsu and Luna. Now, everything was in disarray.
In the original storyline, Sangyue and the protagonist were meant to meet two years prior when they were both sixteen years old and attending the academy. The protagonist's mission was to save Sangyue from her curse, known as "Blood no Satisfaction." This curse rendered her insatiable, unable to find contentment in drinking the blood of humans, demons, or animals. However, when she accidentally bit the protagonist, whose blood type A and shining mana seem to be the key, she finds her satisfaction and develops a romantic obsession with him.
But in my case, there was a twist. Vampires afflicted with a similar curse to Sangyue's could only find satisfaction in the blood of High-Ranking Archdemons. Not only did it satisfy their cravings, but it also served as a cure for their blood obsession. In essence, High-Ranking Archdemons were the antidote to the curse of "Blood no Satisfaction."
Adding to the complexity, Sangyue's character was now set to evolve into a Yandere type of girl due to her initial satisfaction with my blood. In a twist of fate, instead of Sangyue being obsessed with the protagonist as originally intended, she would now fixate on me, knowing that her insatiable cravings found fulfillment in my blood.
This newfound obsession would drive Sangyue to increasingly possessive and volatile behavior, characteristic of the Yandere archetype. Her emotions would fluctuate between intense affection and overwhelming jealousy, leading to potentially dangerous situations for anyone who dared to come between us.
With a heavy sigh, I found myself grappling with the weight of the situation, asking myself, "What do I do now?"
As the echoes of my question lingered in the air, I knew that the journey ahead would be fraught with challenges and difficult decisions. But one thing was certain: this was far from over yet this was the beginning of my troublesome life in my novel.
To be continued...