Old Vampire and a Holy Girl

The Vampire and the Dragon are Good Friends

“Hmm… a scion of dragons who furthermore proclaims to be a vampire mage huh…”

In a dimly lit room, a dragon murmured pensively. There was no mistaking that this was a dragon; it was no jest or hallucination. The creature moved on all fours, possessed wings on its back, and adorned its head with horns, all concealed by scales.

Without a doubt, it was not a dog.

The man gazed at the dragon, watching it flap its wings before him and concluded that it could never be mistaken as a canine. Dogs don’t fly, nor do they talk.

“In the first place, what does the term ‘dragon descendant’ even signify? Such a concept bears no semblance to reality.” The dragon tilted its long neck.

The man found himself pondering over the same question, while waiting for the dragon and the familiar to return. As he lay in bed, deep in thought, he contemplated the situation at hand.

He thought, “Considering the fact that the creature is the saint’s friend, it’s highly unlikely that she’s of malevolent nature. It could, in fact, be regarded as a sacred being.”

He realized that the best course of action would be to devise a plan, but this task seemed impossible without knowledge of the person’s true identity. Despite his attempts to deduce clues from the information he had gathered, his mind drew a blank.

After all…

“So, are there truly no descendants among dragons?” The man asked.

“Hmm. We, the dragons, have existed since the dawn of time and have persevered through shedding our skin. So long as we avoid external factors such as wars or carelessness in our molting process, we shall never falter nor perish. And foremost, it must be understood that we do not bear offspring.”

“What about your ‘harem’ then?”

“The harem of the dragon serves a different purpose than that of humans, as it is not intended for procreation. Rather, it is akin to a magnificent jewelry box, where we showcase stunning treasures and indulge in the occasional polishing of our scales.”

“There are no dragons that can bear offspring with humans?”

“Such a feat would be deemed impossible. A dragon that could sire offspring with humans would no longer hold the true designation of a dragon. It would constitute a distinct creature that only bears similarity to a dragon.”

“So, it’s safe to say that there are no dragon descendants?”

“There are no such instances… Ah, but wait. Nevertheless, I have come across tales of humans who were inducted into a dragon’s harem, and upon the dragon’s demise or flight, they nurtured the offspring they bore as a child of the dragon.”

“In other words, they just called their child a dragon’s child without actual relation to dragons?”

“Indeed. In the event that an individual is misled by such a fallacy and proceeds to pass it down to their progeny, making claims such as being a descendant of dragons, it is plausible that there exist people in this world who genuinely believe themselves to be of dragon lineage.”

“I see…”

Two men with deep voices were facing each other on a bed, groaning. The atmosphere was tense, as they were wary of an unknown entity—a vampire mage who was said to be a descendant of dragons. There was no trace of complacency in their demeanor, and one could even say that they were deeply afraid.

It was extremely rare for the vampire, known as the ‘King of Eternal Darkness’, and the dragon, known as the ‘One Who Came From Beyond the Thunder’, to contemplate an enemy to this extent.

“The idea of being a descendant of dragons can be rationalized, as you mentioned. If an individual believes themselves to be a descendant of dragons, they may become a vampire’s familiar or servant. However, the notion of a ‘vampire mage’ doesn’t seem to make sense to me.”

“Vampires possess the ability to wield magic, is it not?” Asked the dragon.

“Yes, that’s why it’s strange. As a vampire’s ability to manipulate magic is inherent. I fail to see why she calls herself a vampire mage.”

“Could it be that this person possesses an exceptional aptitude for magic, thereby warranting the addition of ‘mage’ to their title?”

“Hmm?”

“Allow me to explain. Vampires possess the ability to wield magic. Through a mere gaze, they can bewitch individuals with low resistance to mystical energies, transform those they bite into their kind, subject others by drinking their blood, and even augment the abilities of their underlings. They are capable of sprouting wings, transmuting into mist, and recovering from grievous harm without fail. Therefore…”

“It implies that this so-called vampire mage…”

“Is likely to possess capabilities surpassing those I just described.” The dragon finished the man’s sentence.

“I see… She’s a frightening opponent.” The man’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat.

This kind of tension was something he hadn’t experienced in a while. In fact, he had not felt it even when facing The Dragon King in the past, who possessed absolute combat abilities. Now, he was confronted by a foe whose power level was comparable.

He muttered, “A vampire mage, descendant of dragons, who is also described as bright and nice.”

“The individual in question bears the traits characteristic of one hailing from the darkness and even deems herself as such. And yet, she maintains an amicable relationship with the saint? Truly, that child embodies the epitome of strength, possessing the remarkable duality of embodying both light and darkness simultaneously!” The dragon exclaimed.

“No, but wait a moment… The saint doesn’t believe in vampires or dragons. She didn’t even hesitate to call you a dog.”

“Indeed.”

“In other words, when the saint mentioned bringing someone, there is a high probability that she was referring to an individual who identifies herself as a descendant of dragons, and claims to be a vampire mage. However, this person may be nothing more than an ordinary human!”

“Vampire, I implore you to ponder upon the matter more deeply. Your assumption is somewhat misguided.”

“Hmm… Then, how would the Dragon King, who is famous as the tyrant with wisdom, interpret the saint’s words?”

“Very well then, allow me to inquire—are you, by any chance, a counterfeit vampire?”

“Are you stupid?! You should know very well that I’m a real vampire!”

“Hence, it can be surmised that the child in question is indeed the genuine article.”

“Why? There is no way—”

“Consider the facts at hand. The child identifies herself as a vampire mage and claims to be of dragon descent—a claim that seems to be genuine. However, in the eyes of the saint…”

“The saint doesn’t believe her… much like in my own case…” The man muttered.

“Exactly! The evidence speaks for itself. Nevertheless, let us eagerly anticipate the outcome when we finally meet the child in person.”

“What will you do?”

“I have no intention of taking action. Nay, I need not do anything for I am wholly invincible. Through my daily walks, I have observed the mannerisms of various animals and learnt their behavioural patterns. As such, I can even captivate you without resorting to magic.”

“Because I know you’re doing it all calculatedly, it just seems stupid…”

“Shall I do the motion of requesting to be lifted, by standing on my hind legs and extending my forelimbs in unison?”

The dragon rolled his eyes.

It appeared that the dragon was extremely confident in its ability to perform the aforementioned motion, which made it sound like a warning to the man—as if the dragon was indicating that the motion was a foolproof tactic.

“…You seem to have acquired a different kind of power than before.”

“Hmph, quite so. Do not underestimate my capacity for acquiring new abilities… I have learned the art of squeezing myself into narrow spaces to rest and chasing my own tail and spinning in circles. Furthermore, with the assistance of others, I am now capable of performing the motion of being lifted up by the upper abdomen and extending both my forelimbs and hind legs, as if soaring through the skies!”

“Dragon, while I may not understand, your level of confidence is truly remarkable.”

“Rest assured that I will also safeguard you, should the need arise. In the event that our foes exhibit any hostility, merely point your finger at them and utter the word ‘burn’.”

“And what will happen then?”

“I shall descend.”

The dragon’s voice carried an air of oppressiveness that was unmatched. Though the man didn’t comprehend the meaning behind the dragon’s statement, he could feel the overwhelming power that emanated from the creature—it seemed capable of destroying the world.

“…In any case, it seems that our plan won’t change.”

“You as well?”

“Yes! It will be enjoyable to spend time playing with my familiar alone.”

“Umm… Does that statement not strike you as peculiar?”

“Is there something strange about it?”

“Well, it might just be a particular quirk of vampire sensibilities.”

“What do you mean?”

“No, it’s difficult to articulate.”

“At any rate, it’s good to know that nothing will change no matter what happens. Actually, I was a little anxious. After all, it’s an unknown existence.” The man said.

“Indeed. To be honest, I also have some anxiety… But it’s clear that both of us possess an unwavering conviction.”

“Yeah, let’s prepare for the so-called vampire mage to come!”

“That creature is not something to be feared!”

The dragon and the man bumped their fists.

In the corner of the room, the familiar thought to herself, “It seems like those two get along well…”