Serum

All the honored guests were shown to their temporary residences. 

Cecilia and Ryker, Dirk, Alec and his father, Duke Kyre, and four other delegates. 10 people who represented the Horizon Empire. 

After being shown to their residences, it was everyone except Dirk, Cecilia, and Alec who left with General Salice. Since they were here, the envoys had no time to waste. Their discussions that would determine the outbreak of war took precedence over any kind of leisure activity or sightseeing. 

But that didn't concern the three who were left behind. After Cecilia had Alec join her and Dirk, the three left the spire and roamed the city. 

There were all kinds of preparations being made around the capital city. Decorations and lights were strung up across the buildings, and odd magical objects were scattered across the streets and rooftops. There were also children who held black dragon props that ran through the sidewalks, roaring with childish laughter. 

Vendors were hawking various wares, most of which were food for the hungry workers. There were also little trinkets, jewelry, and fireworks.

'Wait, fireworks?'

Dirk stopped in his tracks when he saw a certain booth. They sold boxes filled with flares and roman missiles. They were fireworks, and they looked too much like what Dirk remembered from Earth. Even the word firework was directly translated to this world's language. 

There was one other detail he noticed. It was a name that branded the fireworks. As he walked down the street, Dirk had also paid close attention to the machines. They all had a small brand on them. 

'Pandora.'

He mumbled the name. He wondered who that was. They seemed to be some kind of scientist. 

At some point in his staring, Alec came up to him. He only glanced at the fireworks before looking around at the surrounding city. 

"...My dad is a vampire."

He suddenly spoke, and Dirk turned his head. He was only a bit surprised as he remembered the sharp teeth Alec's father exposed while smiling. 

He even noticed Alec's teeth. They weren't as long, but those canines were definitely sharp. He hadn't seen that a couple of years ago when they were younger. 

"Are you a vampire then?"

"Not purely, but yes. My father says I'm around a quarter vampire. And since my mother is human, I'm majority human."

Dirk nodded. 

The Dark Kingdom. Unlike the Horizon Empire that was dominated by humans, this kingdom was dominated by vampires. Vampires were known for their strong affinity toward the dark element. Likewise, humans had a stronger affinity toward the fire element. Dwarves from the Dwarven Haven had a stronger affinity toward the earth, Elves from the World Tree had a stronger affinity toward Air, and Hybrids from the Unity Empire had a stronger affinity toward water.

The World Tree was actually located in the south and southwestern section of the world underneath the Dark Kingdom who was in the direct west. The World Tree was also detached from the hybrid empire Unity that occupied the east, separated by a significant distance. Thus it was the Dark Kingdom's vampires that frequently traded with the elves of the World Tree. The two were almost exclusive partners and had a deep commercial and diplomatic bond. 

It was also why many vampires walking the streets of the city had pointed ears. It was because elves and vampires frequently mated, producing a large mixed population. Though, pure vampires were still the majority in the Dark Kingdom, especially in the capital city. 

Dirk suddenly asked a question that came to mind. 

"So, since you've got vampire blood, what do you do about, well, blood?"

Vampires, as their name implied, enjoyed the delicacy that was blood. It was a big reason why the Horizon Empire and the Dark Kingdom didn't have a good relationship, though the main reason was still the wars they fought against each other. 

Alec answered plainly.

"There's usually blood in the food I eat. It's not essential though. Even pure vampires like my dad don't absolutely need to intake blood. But he frequently drinks it. There are plenty of strong monsters to obtain blood from, and he's got the money."

"Sure. But then why is blood important to you guys?"

"It's like a power booster."

Alec gave an interesting answer. 

"When a vampire drinks blood, their body is able to steal the blood's vitality. Blood is the medium by which everyone's vital energy is transported. Take the blood, and you take the vitality. Vampires then make it their own. For vampires who train anima, we preferably use powerful blood and bone marrow to enhance our bodies. Normally though, drinking blood can temporarily increase a vampire's power and energy, also giving them greater healing capabilities. It can also replace other forms of sustenance. Because of this, you'll find something called blood potions here. They're potions made with blood as the primary ingredient. They even work on humans, though with lesser effects."

"Interesting. How much is your power boosted when you drink blood?"

"Depends on the blood, but not by much. If the blood came from a high Tier monster, then it usually gives greater magical abilities. If it came from an anima monster, then it'll increase physical prowess. And, the stronger the blood, the better it tastes, and the better it makes our bodies feel. It simply fills our body with vitality, and everyone likes that."

"Interesting."

[Your blood should taste fantastic in that case.]

Spyte chuckled a bit, causing Dirk to smirk. Dirk had gone through blood destruction and his mana hearts pumped mana into his bloodstream. There was also that enhancement with Master Sheng's experimental potion, replacing Dirk's human blood with something else similar to a dragon's. 

His blood had been strengthened several times over. Thinking that, Dirk made sure never to let a vampire taste his blood. They might want all of it. 

"So do you only get blood from monsters or do you prefer human blood?"

"That's... a dangerous question."

"Why?"

"It's a taboo subject. I've never actually had human blood before, and my father has made me promise never to drink any, not that I want to. To many humans, vampires are parasites, so he always tried to make sure that we weren't seen that way. Though, that's also the reason he's a Marquess."

"Should he be a higher noble?"

"He's a Rank 8, so he should be a Duke."

"Wow."

Dirk couldn't help his surprise. He didn't realize that Alec's father was so strong. Could he go toe to toe with Asura?

Alec sighed. 

"But because it's a human empire, there are many who don't like him, and he can't become a Duke."

"I thought power was supposed to surpass the words of the weak."

"It does, but being a Duke in the Horizon Empire means more than just being a high noble. It's a major position of power that makes you a pillar of the Empire, one of its greatest protectors. It's unfortunate, but one's race can't be ignored when making someone a pillar. Still, my father and the Emperor have a great standing with each other. It's just unsuitable for my father to become a Duke, and he's never pushed for the position on purpose. Instead, the two cooperate commercially. My father controls a major portion of the Empire's industry. He also does things like this."

"Being an envoy?"

"Yes."

Alec nodded with a faint smile, proud of his father's strength and achievements. 

Dirk was confused though. 

"Why does your father do it though? He could come here and be a pillar of the Dark Kingdom."

"I'm not exactly sure why. I've asked him the same thing. He tells me that his allegiance lies with the Horizon Empire, or more specifically, Emperor Horizon. The two cooperate a lot, so I guess they're friends."

"Wow. Even though you're not the son of a Duke, you're still a serious crystal spoon noble."

"Indeed. It's a very lavish lifestyle. I enjoy it whenever I can."

"Heh."

Dirk chuckled as Alec shamelessly agreed. 

Still, Dirk found Alec's father's position interesting. A vampire who was friends with the Emperor and swore allegiance to a human empire. Now, he was here negotiating with vampires on behalf of the humans. It was odd.

"By the way. I've heard some interesting things about the royalty here."

"Like?"

Dirk listened in when Alec changed topics. 

He pointed to the logo on the fireworks.

"That name, Pandora. Apparently she's a princess, the third child and daughter of the Vampire Queen. She's become famous in recent years, but I guess she's always been a bit peculiar. My father says that she's one of the reasons for the recent big shift in the Dark Kingdom's standing. She's also supposed to be our age."

"Someone our age is shifting an entire empire's political and military stance. She sounds dangerous."

"And impressive."

"That too. Why can't you do that?"

"How would I? I can't even think of something I could do to cause such change. And I don't have the ability to do anything revolutionary."

Alec shrugged his shoulders as the two walked. Dirk smiled a bit, the two bouncing between topics as they wandered the city. 

All they could do is wander though. Since the Horizon Empire and the Dark Kingdom might be going to war soon, the Horizon currency was worthless in this place. They couldn't buy food or items for the upcoming festival. But they didn't need to either. After Cecilia met back up with them, they all returned to the spire. There, they got some room service and were able to be served food. 

After that, they spent the rest of the day hanging around. Dirk found himself looking out his window and at the surrounding city. He worked on sharpening his long distance black and white vision. It got better by the day. 

Come night though, Dirk was greeted by a maid. She requested that they do a clothing selection for the next day. He didn't mind and a whole group of people came in with racks of clothes. 

All the clothes were luxurious, and it didn't seem like the Dark Kingdom intended to embarrass their guests with a bad selection. The four women all looked at Dirk and took in his shape and stature before grabbing vests, blazers, pants, shoes, shirts, and even hats to try on. 

Dirk quickly became a dress up doll as they sought to make him look perfect. Handsome, sharp, and elusive. This was how they described his look, and they giggled whenever they made adjustments and took in his entire form. 

Dirk just smiled as they had their fun. He followed along and changed into whatever they wanted. He also chuckled when they went to remove his blindfold only to see the cursed cracks and put it back in apology.

Sometimes Dirk looked in the mirror and was impressed as he got glimpses of his own look with his sharpening black and white vision. Dirk didn't dress up at all, so this was a nice change in pace. 

But the women were good at their job, and as women themselves, they knew what they liked. They made adjustments and Dirk was surprised as his look became more refined. Tight clothes that showed off his muscles, but also made him seem a bit loose and free. 

After two hours of playing dress up, they made a decision. 

Black pants, black shirt, and a dark red vest that had intricate black designs on it. After leaving some of his chest exposed with the shirt, they trimmed his hair a bit and combed it back. As for Dirk's skin, it was perfect from skin destruction, so there was no makeup or blemish hiding they needed to do. 

Slipping on a pair of black shoes and rolling up the sleeves, the women took a step back. There wasn't a lot on Dirk, just his clothes, but he looked sharper than ever. As they said, less is more. They even swapped the blindfold for something nicer than a torn piece of cloth.

The four were satisfied, and after stripping off the clothes, they promised to be back tomorrow afternoon before the ball started. 

Dirk was a bit surprised as they walked out. And as they left, Cecilia walked in. She watched the four women exit before looking at Dirk's combed-back hair. 

"Your hair looks good!"

"Thanks."

"Did you like how they dressed you? I was dressed up rather nicely considering the tensions between our empires."

"I liked it. I've never looked so proper before."

Dirk smiled while taking a seat.

"Hm, I wish I saw it before they left. Oh well, it'll be a nice surprise. Anyway, we have something we need to do. I've never actually taught you this, and it's last minute, but I'm sure you'll do fine."

Cecilia walked over as she said that, standing in front of Dirk. 

"You heard about the ball?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what people do at a ball?"

"No."

Dirk answered honestly. Not in his past life or this one had he ever participated in a ball. He had no idea what people did there. 

"Everyone who will be at this ball are the highest echelons of the Dark Kingdom. Royalty, politicians, Dukes, generals, merchants, artisans, and the most powerful individuals this empire can muster. Disregarding why we're here, there's usually three things everyone does when in the presence of such powerful people. They network, they drink, and they dance. You won't be doing the first thing, so you'll need to learn how to do the other two."

"I need to learn how to drink?"

"People criticize everything, Dirk. From your walk, to your voice, to the way you sit. For royalty, everything must be refined, even the way they hold cups in their hands and how much they sip at a time with each tilt of the glass. I'll teach you how to carry yourself with manners in such a setting. But first, you need to learn to dance."

"Okay. But who would I be dancing with? I know nobody here."

"Oh, you innocent child. I'm glad you're not so self aware of your devilish looks."

Cecilia ruffled his hair with a smile. Dirk tilted his head. Innocent? He was the farthest thing from naive and innocent. From his perspective of course. 

"Dirk, you're at a ball where all the teenagers your age are looking to enjoy their night. Girls are going to find the cutest or hottest man, so any girl that wants to dance with you is going to do so because she's interested in you. Now, a romantic interest doesn't mean they hope to marry you. They just want to take you to bed for the night. And because of that, I want you to reject all the girls you dance with. Nothing goes beyond the dance floor. Understood?"

"Alright..."

Dirk nodded oddly. Cecilia smiled as she tapped his nose.

"Anyway, I still need to teach you how to dance, since you will be dancing."

"Will I?"

"It's basically guaranteed. Anyway, sharpen up, pretty boy. Keep up and I'll teach you the steps as we go. The manners can come later."

Saying that, Cecilia grabbed Dirk's hands and started leading. Dirk fumbled around for a bit before catching her rhythm. After that, he stepped as he was told, learning the moves of the dance. 

This dancing lesson lasted well into the night. Cecilia had fun as Dirk caught on quick, the two moving faster and faster as she challenged his footwork. 

It was only when Ryker arrived that the two eventually stopped. He smiled as he saw his son learning to dance and having fun, but unfortunately he wasn't in a position to just sit back and enjoy a show. 

"Cecilia, we need to talk."

"Mm. I'll teach you manners tomorrow then, Dirk."

"Teach Dirk manners? I personally feel a bit of rugged etiquette has its own charm. It's not good to be so uptight and stiff all the time."

"You just get shakey when you're nervous, honey."

"...I spilled my drink once, dear."

"And I thought it was cute."

Cecilia chuckled as she pat Ryker's cheek, the two leaving Dirk's room. Dirk had a weird smile before getting ready for bed.