The next morning, Levin arrived at Vera's alchemy workshop, accompanied by an entirely healed Ellie.
The shop's sign read "Closed for Business." Levin and Vera had agreed that during her experiments to find a solution, Vera would keep the shop shut, focusing solely on Ellie and Levin, giving them her undivided attention—essentially, they had the place to themselves.
Levin and Ellie knocked on the door.
*Knock, knock.*
"Come in," Vera's lively voice chimed from inside.
"It's us," Levin said, as he and Ellie stepped through the door, offering a casual wave in greeting.
"Mmm, well, aside from you two, who else would be wandering into an alchemy shop this early in the day?" Vera remarked, locking the door behind them as they entered.
"So, what kind of experiment are you planning?" Levin couldn't help but ask, noting Vera's cryptic demeanor.
"First, settle my material and labor fees for today—ten Silver Wymars," Vera replied, coldly and without hesitation, ignoring Levin's question.
"...You really don't hold back when it comes to money, do you?" Levin muttered, already reaching into his pocket to pay.
"I'll cover it. Here, ten Silver Wymars. Thank you for your help, Miss Vera." Ellie carefully counted out ten silver coins from her own purse and handed them to Vera. Noticing Levin about to speak, Ellie preemptively interrupted, "Levin, you've already done so much for me. It's only right that I pay this."
*Cough, cough...* "Alright then. So, here's the plan for this experiment. First, I'll draw a vial of blood from Ellie... What's with those faces?" Vera began, only to be met with Levin and Ellie both giving her a look that said, "Are you just trying to pocket some for yourself?"
"Tasting a few drops to understand a werewolf's traits is completely normal! You think I'm being excessive? Fine, I'll just take a small amount... it's not like werewolf blood is even tasty..." Though she had done nothing wrong, Vera suddenly found herself feeling oddly guilty.
"It's fine. I trust in your professionalism as an alchemist," Ellie was the first to break the awkward silence, rolling up her sleeve to reveal her arm.
"Well, at least *you* understand, Captain Ellie—unlike *someone* here..." Vera shot a glare at Levin, retrieving a sealed, disposable needle. She connected it to the blood tube and gently inserted it into the artery in Ellie's elbow.
Ellie's expression remained completely unchanged. The slight pain of the needle was insignificant compared to the injuries she endured during training and missions.
The blood flowed in a steady stream, soon filling the vial. Vera removed the needle and pressed a cotton swab to the puncture site, gesturing for Ellie to hold it in place.
"Hmmm... looks no different from a regular person's blood," Vera commented, gazing at the crimson liquid in the tube.
"You've never seen werewolf blood before?" Levin asked curiously, "You've lived over a century, and this is the first time?"
"Do you think werewolves are that easy to come by? And didn't I say if you brought up my age again, I'd drain you dry?" Vera uncorked the vial and wafted the scent towards herself, her nose twitching slightly. "Other than those lunatics in the Vakiris Church, it's rare to encounter wild werewolves. You're the first one I've ever seen in person, Captain... and you do smell rather good."
Levin, keenly noticing the way Vera spoke about the Vakiris Church, pressed further, "Vera, how much do you know about the Vakiris Church?"
Vera frowned, as though recalling something unpleasant. "Not much, really. They worship a mad dog, and they act just like it—never bothering to communicate, and the moment there's conflict, their werewolves charge in, teeth bared. They're an absolute nuisance."
"Have you heard of any methods they might have to turn werewolves back into humans?" Levin asked hopefully.
"Nope. To them, becoming a werewolf is considered a gift from Vakiris. Creating a way to reverse it would probably be seen as blasphemy," Vera shrugged and stuck out her delicate tongue, licking the blood in the vial. "Mmm... your blood is quite unique."
"What's unique about it?" Ellie asked nervously, sensing a potential breakthrough.
"It's... delicious," Vera replied, completely serious.
"..." Silence fell upon the room.
"And a bit spicy, too."
Levin covered his face with his hand, while Ellie glanced at him, her eyes questioning whether Vera could be trusted at all.
"Spicy? Are you being serious?" Levin couldn't help but voice his skepticism.
"Don't think I'm just commenting on the taste," Vera's demeanor suddenly shifted, becoming unexpectedly grave.
"You've heard in the lectures from the Council of Sages, haven't you? Spiciness is actually a form of pain," Vera explained as she took a drop of blood and placed it on the back of her hand. "Which means this blood can even cause pain for vampires like me." The blood drop began to boil slightly, emitting small tendrils of smoke.
Vera licked the drop off her hand, savoring it thoughtfully before clicking her tongue. "No wonder I've never heard of vampires draining werewolves—it makes sense now. Werewolf blood is like 'poison' to us. A little taste is fine, but too much would definitely be harmful."
*Vampires are really quite health-conscious, aren't they? I've truly underestimated them...* Levin thought to himself.
"Levin, why don't you try a sip? I want to see if this pain is specific to us vampires," Vera handed Levin a small cup filled with the werewolf blood, having carefully measured it out.
Levin accepted the cup, which contained just a single mouthful. He tipped his head back and drank it down. A sharp spiciness bloomed across his tongue, mingling with the metallic taste of blood.
"You're right. It's different from regular blood—there's definitely a kick to it," Levin admitted, now convinced Vera's assessment was genuine, not just a vampire's eccentric take on flavor.
"Captain, you should try it yourself," Vera offered Ellie a fresh cup, prepared in the same way.
"Do I really have to drink my own blood? That's... kind of weird..." Ellie hesitated for a moment but then downed the blood in one gulp. "Hmm, I taste it too... a bit spicy. This is such a strange sensation—I never imagined my own blood would taste like this."
"Oh? Even you can feel the spiciness? What kind of life are you living?" Vera gazed at Ellie with a look of pity. "You've been enduring this blood that makes your entire body ache, flowing relentlessly through your veins, day and night, with no respite from the pain. How have you managed?"
"...Don't talk about it." Ellie lowered her head, her fists clenching in silent torment before slowly relaxing again. "I've been living with it for so long now that I've gotten used to it. Isn't it the same for you? As a vampire, you don't even have blood flowing through your body anymore."
Vera nodded. "That's true. At first, it was unbearable, but after a while, you grow numb to it, and then... you get used to it."
"So, what does it feel like when you transform into a werewolf?" Vera inquired.
"After I transform... most of my consciousness fades. My body changes, my wounds heal, and my strength increases significantly. Then, I just... kill and destroy, until my energy is completely depleted," Ellie recalled with effort.
"That much commotion? How have you managed to keep it a secret all these years?" Vera asked in astonishment.
"I have a safe house outside the city. There's an iron cage in the basement, and every time I transform, I lock myself inside..." Ellie responded, clearly feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Is this the segment called 'How Terrifying a Disciplined Werewolf Can Be'?" Vera quipped. "How long does it usually take for the transformation to end?"
"On a normal night, it lasts until dawn, but if there's combat or if I'm injured, it ends much quicker," Ellie explained, as though detailing symptoms to a doctor.
"Hmm... So it's related to how much energy you use," Vera murmured thoughtfully. "What if you completely exhausted your strength before transforming? What would happen then?"
"I... I've never thought about it from that angle," Ellie was taken aback.
"Well, that's the perspective of a professional alchemist, not one of you muscle-bound types," Vera said with a smug smile.
"Of course, Lady Vera has extensive experience and a wealth of knowledge..." Levin nodded in agreement. Thinking about suppressing the transformation by depleting energy was indeed a novel approach.
"Levin, are you implying that I'm old?" Vera shot him a sharp look.
"You're clearly being overly sensitive..." Levin wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow, quickly trying to defend himself.
"In any case, shall we test it tonight?" Ellie suggested, trying to ease the tension.
"Oh, a woman of action! I like that. But how do you plan to test it? My shop can't withstand a werewolf's rampage—everything here is fragile," Vera raised her hand, indicating the delicate nature of her workshop.
"Don't worry, I can take you both to my safe house," Ellie said calmly.
"Huh? Are you sure? Isn't that something you shouldn't let others know about?" For once, Vera seemed slightly uneasy.
"It's fine. After all, you both already know my greatest secret and have my life in your hands," Ellie smiled confidently.
"Well then, I won't be shy! Tonight, we shall grace your humble abode..." Vera, seeing that Ellie didn't mind, dropped her reservations.
"Hey, 'grace your humble abode' is something you say to welcome people to your own home," Levin corrected.
"It's been so long since I socialized, cut me some slack," Vera stuck out her tongue playfully.
"Alright, let's just head over now and start preparing for the experiment," Ellie intervened, putting an end to their banter.