Episode 146 Recruiting Talent (3)
Auterica was a typical fantasy world where many races lived together.
But there was a difference from the general perception on Earth: it wasn't a setting where Westerners were the majority.
It was a diverse world where various races and hybrids, as diverse as the races themselves, lived together, with only the ratio of the majority varying by region.
And that meant that East Asians from Earth weren't that special in this world.
Like the woman currently standing before Harley.
'Even though East Asians look younger than other races… this woman is too young, even considering that.'
He tilted his head and looked down at the small girl who didn't even reach his chest.
She was petite, a little over 150 centimeters tall, and was wearing a blue robe that resembled a dress.
Her black hair, which reached her chest, was tied with a ribbon and draped over one shoulder, and her black eyes, shining like obsidian, calmly looked up at him without any emotional fluctuation.
…But her white skin and delicate features were too young for an East Asian, no matter how he looked at her.
'Honestly, she looks like a high school student at most, even a middle school student would be believable. Ah, don't tell me she's a hybrid of another race?'
That was definitely a possibility.
If she had even a little bit of a long-lived race's blood, like Elves, it would be understandable.
Or maybe…
As Harley was scratching the back of his head… no, the monster hide on the back of his head, with his thick, muscular arm,
"Excuse me for asking, but are you a hybrid of another race?"
The question came from her first.
As if she had been thinking the same thing as him.
He didn't know what made her think he was a hybrid, considering he looked like a healthy human, but it was truly insightful, as expected of an Archmage.
"Hmm—? Ah! I'm a Dragonborn, so I guess you could say I'm a dragon hybrid. I don't know how many generations back the blood was mixed! Hahaha!"
"Dragonborn… I see. I apologize. I'm Isea Pristine from the Azeria Empire."
She calmly introduced herself and extended her small, delicate hand for a handshake.
Harley looked at it for a moment and then gently shook it up and down, folding his ring and pinky fingers.
It was a very careful gesture, as he might crush her hand bones if he used even a little bit of force.
"Hahaha! Just call me Harley. I'm currently staying in the Tulk Kingdom, but my heart is always that of a southern warrior!"
"…Yes? Ah, yes."
Isea responded with an awkward smile, seemingly overwhelmed by his hearty self-introduction.
"But are you a hybrid too, miss?"
"Ah, I…"
And so, in a hallway of the cathedral,
A small girl, a little over 150 centimeters tall, and a giant man, almost 2.3 meters tall, had a chance encounter.
____________________
"Whew—"
Isea lay down on the bed, running her hand over her face, after parting ways with Harley and returning to her lodging.
Needless to say, the reason she ended up at the Roselia Cathedral was because of the Church's invitation.
The Anti-Immortal King Special Mobile Strike Force.
Simply called the 'expedition' or 'hero party', it was a position that came with both danger and glory.
Those who participated would be honored as heroes in their home countries, and their lives would be recorded in history books and passed down through generations as bards' songs.
'But none of those who survived until the end lived long, so no one enjoyed that glory for long.'
But since their mission was to directly confront the Immortal King, who was practically untouchable by ordinary means, the minimum requirement for those who could participate was to be at the peak of their abilities, such as master-level warriors and Archmages.
Naturally, the hero party would naturally become an elite combat group consisting of the continent's strongest individuals… but…
Things weren't that simple.
'First of all, the standard for the continent's strongest is very ambiguous.'
This world wasn't a game, so there was no way individual abilities would have exact numerical values.
To compare them, they had no choice but to use their level, public evaluation, and past achievements as the basis for judgment…
And in the first place, even among those who had reached a similar level, the outcome of a real battle could change depending on compatibility and experience.
There was no competition to select the continent's strongest, and it was impossible to accurately rank their individual abilities.
And Auterica hadn't had a war between humans for a long time because of the previous Immortal King incidents and the monsters scattered throughout the continent.
Unless there was someone with exceptional abilities that everyone could acknowledge, like Heinrich, who became the hero, unfortunately, there was no such person among the currently known strong individuals.
That being the reality, they had no choice but to first receive applications from those who were qualified and then select suitable individuals through interviews and verification…
But there was another problem.
There were too few applicants.
It was partly because of the danger that history had shown, but there was a more realistic reason why they couldn't easily step forward.
'If I join the expedition, I'll have to be away from Riley's side for a long time, and I can't do that in this situation.'
And among those who were trying to decline the offer to join the unit because of that reason,
Archmage Isea Pristine of the Azeria Empire was also included.
Strong individuals often held high positions, and those in such positions inevitably had more to protect.
But in a situation where they didn't even know what would happen to their families, cities, and countries, how many would follow if they were asked to put all that aside for the greater good?
And if they lost something precious while they were away, who would take responsibility?
And there was no guarantee that the 'enemy' wouldn't take advantage of their absence.
Whether it was the immortal army… or their political rivals.
'Things are troublesome because of Simon. I can't just refuse the Church's invitation. But it should be fine to be away for a short time…'
That's why there were hardly any volunteers for the expedition—.
Everyone knew it was necessary, but no one wanted to personally participate… that was the current reality.
And the basic requirements were already very high, so there weren't many qualified individuals in the first place. In the end, the Church had no choice but to start by contacting those who were recommended and talking to them.
Isea, who was the first to be recommended by the Crown Prince, was naturally included.
'Even if my life isn't in danger because they have a last resort, being away from Riley's side for a long time is putting the cart before the horse. Why am I still here?!'
She had personally come to the Roselia Cathedral to show her sincerity to the Church, even though she had no intention of changing her mind.
After all, the Saint had even sacrificed himself and stepped forward in this continental crisis, wouldn't it be rude to just send a message declining the offer?
'No matter how moderate the Church is, you never know with people. I have to avoid antagonizing the Church for the sake of the throne. …Because of that bastard, Simon.'
Isea quietly gritted her teeth as she thought of Crown Prince Simon's shameless face.
Her composure, which she prided herself on, was broken, and irritation surged within her.
Of course, if she successfully subjugated the Immortal King, survived, and became a hero, the situation would be reversed, but that wouldn't happen in a short time.
And by then… Fifth Princess Riley would not only be losing the power struggle but would also be at high risk of suffering an 'accident'.
'Simon is capable of that. …Anyway, that guy from earlier, Harley, was it?'
Isea tried to change her thoughts and recalled the giant man she had encountered in the hallway.
"At first, I thought a monster had infiltrated the cathedral."
It wasn't just because he was large.
She specialized in elemental magic, but she had a wide range of knowledge in other areas thanks to the full support of the Fifth Princess.
And Harley's appearance, as seen through her eyes, which combined that knowledge and her special talent—.
'That left eye, and that energy… it's definitely not something a natural creature could have. …Unless it's a chimera or a predator-type monster.'
It felt like a giant monster had been compressed into a human form, with an enormous amount of life force dwelling in every cell of his body.
It must be 'life force', the transformed mana that was the source of monsters' power.
And above all, there was a strange dissonance in him, something that couldn't be seen in ordinary creatures.
It was as if he was a machine assembled from various parts, with inconsistent energy woven together by an unknown force.
And the most decisive factors were the 'madness' dormant in Harley's body and the faint traces of sinister dark magic that remained.
It was a matter that couldn't be easily overlooked, just in case.
'He might be a pawn sent by Immortal King Hans.'
So she had spoken to him first, just in case.
To obtain more information through conversation.
"But if he's a Dragonborn… I'm not sure. It's such a rare race that there aren't many records left."
She couldn't say anything if the dissonance she felt was a characteristic of the Dragonborn race.
And the reaction of the mana surrounding him, which she felt while shaking his hand, also added credibility to the fact that he had dragon blood.
'But you never know. I have a meeting with the Saint later, so I should subtly mention it then.'
She eventually came to that conclusion and decided to leave the judgment to the Church.
Thinking that she might even get some brownie points for it.
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Bright ducal family's mansion in the Talia Kingdom, basement.
Heinz quietly looked at the woman who was yawning nonchalantly in front of him.
"So, you have no regrets about your decision?"
"Yawn— Of course not. Even though I've lived a long time, living is better than dying, isn't it…?"
Her words, as she looked at him with a languid expression, had two meanings.
That she didn't have much time left to live because her lifespan was nearing its end…
'Her senses are sharp.'
And that she would rather be consumed by him before dying naturally.
She had seen Heinz devour Visque Ufersh and become a Sacred Blood right next to him, so it wasn't a strange judgment.
…Actually, he had been thinking about doing that.
"Hehehe— Actually, more than anything else, I can't resist the allure of blood evolution itself. To think I can personally experience that change, which I couldn't understand even after seeing it so many times, what could be more fascinating?!"
Briki's voice, which had started quietly, gradually became louder, as if she was excited.
Her half-closed eyes also started to widen, and by the time she finished speaking, they were sparkling.
"Of course, I'm also curious about the future of vampires that you'll create, Heinz. It'll be fun to watch. It's even more amazing than what I imagined."
"Yes, it would be helpful to have another Sacred Blood vampire for future plans. So stop thinking about just watching and work hard for that future."
Heinz answered curtly and slowly approached her.
How dare she just sit back and watch?
That was his privilege as the highest-ranking one!
'Well, it's not like she's really just playing around. But I can't tolerate my subordinate slacking off while I'm working hard.'
And she didn't resist and just waited as he went behind her and sank his fangs into her nape.
For "Refined Blood Essence" to evolve the bloodsucking factor in her blood.
For the new change that would come to her!
"Hooo— Ah! So this is it!"
Finally, the real transformation began.
Boiling blood, pores emitting heat, twisting bones and muscles.
Every cell in her body surpassed its limits, and her life force, which had been slowly fading, started to rise again.
'Brokoslack', one of the roots of the 'Original Bloodlines' passed down since ancient times, the archetype of Auterica's vampires—.
Was disappearing from the continent's long history, evolving into a more advanced form after being tainted… no, improved by Heinz the Second, the hybrid from another world.
Of course, at the same time,
It was also the moment when 'Hybrid', the Auterica Vampire Clan Alliance, gained another complete Sacred Blood.