"Okay, okay, don't be angry, I just said it's a possibility, it doesn't mean it has been realized."
After spending nearly two years with Elquet, Shinji had long been accustomed to how to treat a disgruntled princess.
"Besides, your help is indispensable to realize it."
"Me?" The vampire girl, curious, immediately forgot her dissatisfaction.
"Yes, you."
"How can I help?"
"Provide a sample. Your blood."
"No!" Elquet shook his head without even thinking.
"Why? The blood of the True Ancestor is what gave rise to the Dead Apostles. Analyzing the source is the most efficient and most likely way to succeed."
"I don't want to give my blood to other people." It was indeed a very Elquet-style answer.
Shinji patiently advised: "My princess, now is not the time to be upset. If the research is successful, there will be another way to deal with the Dead Apostles in the future, which will also be good for you."
"It seems so." Elquet thought for a moment and nodded, "But my blood represents my power. Even a little bit can turn a human into a powerful vampire."
"Ms. Shion hasn't sucked blood in three years. I think she can be trusted."
Shinji looked at Shion gently, and the latter raised her hand and spoke with both emotion and solemnity.
"I can swear in any way, and I can sign any binding contract or deed."
"But I still don't want to..."
"Well, how about my guarantee?" Orange interrupted, "I will be responsible for managing your blood."
"You..." Elquet's pupils instantly turned golden, "You really don't need my blood... because you are already fixed."
The fixation here does not mean looking young. There are many magic tricks that delay aging, and immortality can even be said to be the source of progress in magic in a sense, but Orange has long transcended this field.
She is completely fixed.
"Okay, I agree, just one drop."
"That's enough. I'll go get the container."
Orange said as she was about to walk towards the laboratory next to her. Elquet was actually wrong. Orange just wouldn't take the blood of the True Ancestor, but that didn't mean she didn't need it. She was very interested in the existence of the True Ancestor. After thoroughly studying the blood of the True Ancestor, her puppet technology would be further improved. This was also the reason why she was willing to vouch for Shion.
"No need." Shinji waved his hand to stop him. "Ordinary containers cannot preserve the blood of the True Ancestor. Elquite, use the materials of the 'Earth Chain' to make one."
"Okay." Arquette said as he scratched his skin with his fingernail, and a drop of bright red liquid dripped out.
The moment the blood left the epidermis, Elquet's body recovered immediately. At the same time, the silver metal around the blood quickly took shape and gathered into a thumb-sized sealed container to wrap the blood.
"I'm going to sleep, don't bother me anymore, or I'll really get angry."
There was a flash of silver light, and the container containing the blood of the True Ancestor fell into Orange's hands. Then Elquet covered his head with the quilt and fell silent.
Shion was about to say something when she looked at the container in Touko's hand, but Shinji spoke first.
"Ms. Shion, this is actually the best ending. Ms. Orange's understanding of the human body is unmatched in the world. If she can't cure you, then you really can only rely on magic. Moreover, because Japan is located in the Far East, both the Magic Association and the Holy Church have very weak influence here. For you now, there is no place safer than here."
"I understand what I need to give."
It is the easiest thing to talk to a smart person like Shion. As long as you start talking, the other person will understand what you mean.
"You can talk to Sister Orange about this yourself. If you want the protection of the Tono family, talk to Miss Shiki and Miss Akiba."
"And you?"
"I don't need it. Originally, I was eyeing Atlas's research on spirit particles and the 'Aether Light Weave' of the Eltram family, but someone has already paid me, and the payment is too much. I don't like to owe favors to others, so I'm still on you."
"I have been paid. It's difficult. Could it be—"
"It was your ancestor Zepia who just died. He left you a legacy."
Hearing Shinji say this, Shion showed obvious confusion.
"Why—you don't want it? Haha, that saves me a lot of trouble. To be honest, I am a little worried about handing this inheritance to you. You and Zeppi are too similar, both are outstanding, and both have obtained Atlassia—"
"Stop talking!"
"—same stubbornness, same way of survival."
"I told you to stop talking." Shion, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly became excited. "I, don't compare me with him, at least I'm not—"
"Not what? Not a vampire? Is it really appropriate to drag a body like this?"
"I don't-"
"Nothing? No bloodsucking? I'm not talking about such a simple appearance, but the essence. Shion Eltram Atlassia, have you ever thought about why the Zepia Group wiped out the entire expedition group three years ago and only spared you?"
Shinji's question made Shion shudder, and she answered subconsciously.
"Because, I, I am Eltram."
"Is that so? Is that really the case? Even if everyone else says so, you, who have the ability to think quickly and draw conclusions from information, really can't come to any other conclusions? Or is it that your instincts are resisting this conclusion? Because once you come to this conclusion, the existence of Shion Eltram Atlasia will collapse."
"Enough, what do you want to say?" Shion became more and more excited, even a little hysterical.
"Zepia let you go, because you and he are actually the same, you are the same kind."
Shinji's words were like a thunderclap, which made Shion's brain go blank and her thinking almost stopped.
"I, are we the same? No, that's impossible, we are not-"
"Think about it, Miss Shion. How different is your way of existence from Zepia? Have you ever thought about how many people's brains you have invaded since your birth? Just because others can't see it doesn't mean I can't see it - the 'Aether Light Weave' that is connected to your hand and spreads throughout the city;."
"This, this is—"
"You haven't thought about it, right? Because you think it's natural. You've long been accustomed to stealing, stealing other people's information. They're both stealing, why is it okay to steal information but not blood? Isn't that contradictory? To put it bluntly, for an alchemist who pursues the truth, isn't it more convenient to become a Dead Apostle? You should also be able to feel the improvement of your abilities."
The contradiction that had been buried in her heart for three years was finally exposed. Shion's face turned pale, her legs went limp, and she collapsed to the ground.