FVN Chapter 13 Elder Ravenkin
Chapter 13 Elder Ravenkin
[... Life essence extracted. You have broken through to level 9 of the Greater Vampire Count Realm!]
[One ability extracted. Ink Generation. The ability to generate and squirt or spray ink to blind opponents on land or obscure your exit underwater. Would you like to assimilate Ink Generation?]
'Yes, please.'
[So polite. Ink Generation assimilated. Would you like to view your list of abilities?]
'Not right now. Later, definitely.'
[Understood]
Huh. Maybe I just needed to be nicer to the system and it would be nicer to me. Amazing how kindness brings kindness.
Victoria came over to me and kneeled down next to me. "Hey. What's going on?"
"I'm tired," I said.
"I can see that," she said.
"I may be going about this whole assassin thing the wrong way. Maybe if I just talk to the families of the bullies, we can sort this out," I said.
"It's possible. It's also possible pigs could fly and a solid gold egg could come out of my ass," she said with a sarcastic smile.
"Right. Well, taking the fight to them, figuratively or literally, is better than nothing. What would you suggest?" I said.
"I think you should ask Elder Ravenkin yourself for help. He might be more willing to get directly involved if he meets you," Victoria said.
"That's not a bad idea. Can you introduce me to him?" I said.
"Yes, but you need to get cleaned up first," she said.
I looked at my squid gut covered self. "I do. Join me?"
"That's terrible news. What would you like me to do about it?" He said.
"Can you talk to the families and get them to back off? I would do it myself, but I'd probably end up having to kill some of them, and then I would be even worse off than I was before," I said.
"We apply a sink or swim method here at Sanguis Vampire Academy. I could intervene further, but there would have to be an equivalent exchange. Giving things out for free breeds entitlement and weakness," Aldous said, steepling his fingers.
"Ok. What can I do for you that you would consider equivalent?" I said.
"First, you must become my direct disciple. How long have you been a vampire? A week, and you're already a vampire marquis? I want to nurture that talent. I think you could do great things here with the right guidance," he said.
"Second, I want to send you on a diplomatic mission to another sect as my direct disciple to try to engender better relations with them. And retrieve some things they stole from me a long time ago."
"That sounds like it will take a long time. A lot longer than I have to get these assassins handled," I said, concerned.
"Oh, don't worry, I'll go to the families right away. I just need you to promise me you'll do these things for me. Also, your train leaves in an hour," he said, smiling.
"Ok, I'll be your disciple, and I'll go on the trip," I said. "Oh and it hasn't been a week. It's been about twenty-four hours that I've been a vampire."
"Twenty-four hours? That's inconceivable!" Aldous said. "I've never heard of such rapid progress. You must be blessed by the goddess."
"Oh, I am," I said. "The goddess Shikasa literally blessed with a system to guide me on my path."
"What?" Aldous said.
"What?" Victoria said.
"What?" The raven on Aldous's shoulder said.
"Yes. I don't know if the system gave me these powers or if it's simply guiding me on how to use them, but it helps provide me with information when I need it to progress. And it says the goddess gave me the system," I said.
"Huh." Aldous said.
"Huh." Victoria said.
"Huh." The raven said.