The Reincarnated Vampire Just Wants to Enjoy Her New Life

Chapter 61: Into the Dungeon

<By the way...>

<Hmm?>

Before Claret could start on her next story, Alicia started something else first.

<Do you have any good stories yourself Scarlet?>

<Me? Ah, hmm...>

When I thought back, all I had done since Alicia had died was visit a few settlements, do a few jobs as an adventurer, play with some orphans...then there was the stuff with Philia as well as the city's lord, but those were both things I didn't want to tell Alicia yet.

Aside from that...

<Hmm...I've mostly just been exploring and earning some money since leaving home. I'm not sure if any of that would make decent stories. Before that, well, you were there the entire time Alicia. And if it's before even that, I basically holed myself up in the dungeon the entire time. I don't think I really have anything worth telling.>

As much as I enjoyed this life of mine, there really wasn't much that could be used as story material. At least nothing that I could share.

<What about before that? What was heaven like? The gods? Or even before that in your last life?>

I couldn't really imagine any of that being very interesting to Alicia. There was the risk that Claret would find anything I say enthralling, so she was completely excluded from any baseline estimate.

<I'm not sure if you'll find any of that too interesting. My last life especially. I had a pretty ordinary childhood, got a job like normal when I grew up. I suppose the most remarkable thing I did was gambled my future on a project that ended up failing, and cost me my life. After that...>

I thought back to and recounted what had happened. The white walls, all the people in the line, the guard, and all the doors at the end. Then the room I snuck into when the guard was busy with a trouble maker. There was the crystal ball on the office desk, then the stuff I played around with in the menus which lead me to being reborn in this world.

<Well, I don't know if it was actually heaven or not, or if it even exists, but it was pretty boring, wasn't it?>

<Nope! It was really interesting!>

My eyes met Claret's as she hugged my waist from the side. For some reason they were sparkling. There was no way such a story would've been that compelling. It made me wonder how much of it she even understood.

(Well, considering how well she remembered events from hundreds of years ago, she probably at least remembers what I said.)

<It's not really as great as they said it was. No gold paved roads, no banquets every day. You didn't even meet your ancestors.>

<Well, considering that you get put through the reincarnation cycle within a short time of reaching the place, there's no way you could meet any of your ancestors unless if any of them died within a few hours of you.>

<I guess...but what's that 'kompooter' that you used?>

(Ah, I guess it was dumb of me to have not explained it.)

<Well, a computer is a machine that calculates all sorts of things for you...>

(How is that even remotely useful?)

<Ah...that is, it's a machine that you put in all sorts of information and then it spits out the results from what you put in.>

<Umm...>

<That's, imagine a box where you can see all sorts of things written down, or rather a plate? No, a book, a slate! Yea, imagine a slate that has stuff written down on it. And you can write more things on the slate and...>

The lack of response I was getting from Alicia felt like she wasn't following at all. Claret was rhythmically nodding as I tried to explain, but it was clear that she was even worse off in understanding what I was trying to convey.

<You know what, maybe it'll be better if I show you.>

Out from my bag came the stained and wrinkled printout that I had gotten when I had reincarnated. It was a long time since I had even touched it, but as a memento of how I arrived in this world, there was no way I could easily let go of it.

<So this is something that was made when I was being reincarnated.>

Flattening out the long sheet the best I could, I held it up in a way to make it easy for Claret to see while I looked at the first bit.

<This was what was written on the computer I was using. And what the computer let me do was change a bunch of the things here, and when it was done, it made this sheet which I grabbed before I came to this world.>

I pointed out a few bits here and there and explained some of the bits in more detail.

<For example, this bit that says 'apparent age' is the age that I look like compared to a human. So I put in that I would look like a sixteen year old, which was what had happened.>

<So these were the things you were able to chose?>

<Yea, pretty much.>

<Not just my body, but there were also a few details I was able to chose. Well, the options were there, but I didn't change most of them.>

It was a bit embarrassing to show off my body's physical statistics like this so I tried to gloss over certain details. Instead, I moved on to the skills section.

<These were the skills you started off with? It's amazing how you got so many skills since then!>

<Yea, it's a perk with being a vampire. I can get new skills and level them up just by drinking blood.>

<So...you drank a lot of blood by now then?>

For some reason Alicia sounded hesitant when she said that. It took me a moment to realize why.

<Only monster blood! I haven't had blood of any people before! Aside from you that one time.>

<I see.>

The relief was palpable in her tone.

That aside, Claret was being strangely quiet. She was staring at the sheet, but it made me wonder if she even understood what she was looking at, or at very least what the details meant.

<Scarlet? How come the first bit looks ripped anyways?>

<Oh this?>

I shifted the sheet back up to look at the ripped portion at the beginning.

<I grabbed the sheet while I was in the middle of being reincarnated, so I didn't have time to take it from the printer properly. It's just a bit of an accident.>

<But because of that some of it looks missing?>

It was pretty obvious even to a casual observer when some of the words were cut off at the blatant tear line.

<Yea, it's unfortunate, but I can't do anything about that. I doubt I can get it at this point though, so there's no use worrying about it.>

<I suppose. It's just a shame.>

<Yea, I guess it is.>

<Well, that aside, it was thanks to this that I was able to get the ability to make and alter skills.>

Moving back to the bottom, I showed the [User Privilege Level] label, and the tag [Administrator] beside it. Thinking about it, it was really just a whim that I had taken it, but I was really glad I had. Not only had I been able to create skills that made my life easier, but it was thanks to it that I was able to talk to Alicia again.

As I was thinking about the good luck I had when it came to my reincarnation, a bright light entered the corner of my eye.

Looking up, I saw that in the sky, red was being pushed back by blue and the shadows on the walls above were being beaten down by a bright glare.

<It's already morning.>

While I was a bit melancholic since I was enjoying this conversation, it also meant that we would be able to enter the dungeon soon, if not already.

A few minutes later, we were back at the dungeon entrance. There were quite a few people with weapons and armour of varying quality lined up. Most of them looked like your typical adventurer, from large people in heavy looking armour with a sword or axe at their hips to frail-looking people in robes carrying staves longer than they are tall. There were also people in lighter armour with daggers on their belts or a bow on their back.

But beyond them, there were also people wearing large backpacks, some of which looked too big for their bodies. They looked like they were following specific groups, but most of them weren't wearing any armour and had little in the way of decent weapons.

<Claret, do you know what those people with the big bags are?>

I turned to look at the dark spirit that was hanging off of my back again like usual.

<Maybe they're porters? You hired some yourself to help carry your loot on occasion. Well, that was until you learned [Dimensional Magic]. There wasn't much point after that.>

<[Dimension Magic]?>

<Yea, don't you remember? It's magic to manipulate space itself.>

<...You say that like you expect me to remember anything from a previous life beyond my last.>

<Sorry Master. It was my fault.>

Claret let go of me and sunk to the ground. She looked way too much like an abandoned puppy with the way she hung her head and shoulders.

<Ah, no, sorry. I was being too harsh. It's not something for you to blame yourself over.>

<But still...>

<Scarlet said not to worry about it. Everyone makes mistakes, so you shouldn't be so down about it.>

<Thank you Master, Alicia.>

While we were talking, while the line advanced and people entered the dungeon, even more people entered the line. To avoid having to wait longer than I had to, I quickly slipped into the back of the line, whereupon a group came to a stop right behind me.

<Hmmm...[Dimension Magic] huh?>

Once we were safely lined up, I asked about the thing that I was most interested in.

<Is something the matter regarding it Master?>

<Ah, you said it manipulates space, but what did you mean by that?>

It made me think of black holes and warp drives.

<Well, the main ways people use it is to bend space so that you can create a pocket space to carry things inside of, and to bore a hole through space to move to a distance place in an instant.>

(So like the inside of my magic bag and a portal?)

<Are there any other ways people use it?>

<Ah, apparently some people bend space itself, but I never really understood it very well, so I mostly only used it to carry some things for you. Oh yea! I still have them as well!>

At that, the dark spirit opened a black portal-like space in front of me, and pulled some objects out. They looked like some sort of expensive jewellery, but aside from that I didn't really have any interest in them. For all I cared, they belonged to Claret.

<You can keep them. If Scarlet gave them to you, then they belong to you.>

<They don't though. You had me hold on to them for emergencies but that was it. They still belong to you.>

<I don't care if that's how you interpret it, they belonged to you ever since she died. Period. Alright?>

<...alright.>

Once again I got heated. Just because those things belonged to the previous Scarlet and just because according to Claret I had the same soul as her, I was a different person. And as a different person, the things that belonged to her didn't belong to me.

While there was the concept of inheritance, I still couldn't see myself as actually connected to the other Scarlet.

To be honest, I really wished that Claret would chose to be with me for who I was, not because I seemed to have the same soul as her old master. Every time she talked about her, I kept feeling like I was nothing but some pale imitation of some amazing person from long before.

Or maybe I was just trying to justify something that I couldn't understand about myself.

Either way, I didn't like it. I was my own person, with my own dreams and aspirations. Once I figured such things for myself at least. But at most basic level, I didn't want to be presumed to walk someone else's footsteps for some arbitrary reason like having the same soul. I was going to find my own way and live my own life.

<*sigh* Anyways going back, so [Dimensional Magic] sounds pretty useful. Do you know how to learn it?>

After a minute, I tried going back to the previous topic. Claret was clearly down from how I yelled at her. It really was my fault as the way I said it was too harsh, but I couldn't bring myself to apologize about it.

<Well, you taught me to anchor my aura to space itself and try to forcibly alter its shape.>

<Anchor it?>

<Uh huh. Imagine gripping an area of space like you grip a rock.>

<Hmm...>

I tried doing as she said, spreading some of my aura then try to grab some of the space in front of me. Grabbing went fine, but when I tried to move my aura, it felt like it was moving incredibly easily, and I was doing something completely wrong.>

<No Master. You need to make sure you're taking hold of space itself. Right now you're just holding air.>

<Huh, it's pretty hard.>

I tried doing it again, but the results ended up being the same.

<Oh! I know! If you eat a part of me, you can learn the skill immediately!>

As if on instinct, I turned my head and glared at the dark spirit. Her eyes opened wide in surprise, but before she could react beyond that, my hand snapped at her forehead and took hold of her in a claw grip, squeezing that skull of hers hard enough that I could swear I could hear it creaking.

<Owowowowowow!!!>

"Don't. Ever. Suggest. That. Again. Got it?"

<Owowowow!!! Okay I got it! Owowowow!!! I promise!>

With those words, I finally let go of her head. The people around us looked at me wondering what was going on, but I ignored them.

<That was horrible Master. What did I do wrong?>

<Hmph!>

I was still riling with anger and couldn't answer her for fear that I would say something I'd regret. Instead I just crossed my arms and looked away from the dark spirit.

<Master?>

Despite her teary voice, I continued to avoid looking at her.

<You were in the wrong there Claret. Scarlet's angry because she hates seeing the people she cares about get hurt, yet you asked her to do just that to you. Did you know, Scarlet was crying when drank my blood? Even though she needed to do it to save me? It hardly even hurt, but she cried so much over it, it was cute.>

<Wha?! How was that cute?!>

I protested about it. I did cry, and while I didn't think about it at the time, it was probably a part of the reason why I cried. It was a pretty difficult time for me emotionally, so I didn't have much leeway to think about why I was feeling certain ways about certain things.

(But still, did she have to say it in such an embarrassing way?)

<It was cute. I couldn't help but smile.>

<Wait, was that the reason why you were smiling back then?!>

<I dunno, I forget.>

<...>

(I'm being played by a seven year old. How did this happen?)

<Anyways, it just means that Scarlet cares that much about you Claret. So don't go and suggest she eat a part of you, alright?>

<Master cares that much about me? I, I, I'm so sorry! And so happy~! Master~!>

Claret tightened her grip on me as she started to cry while rubbing her cheek against my own. As for myself, I was too embarrassed to look her in the eye, or even say anything regarding this, so I simply turned away while scratching my cheek.

By the time Claret gathered herself and stopped crying, I had arrived at the head of the line, finished showing my guild ID and paying the entry fee to the guard, and had finished walking through the gate and into a small open space with a large tree with an arched, wooden framed entryway built into its side.

The sight was incredibly surreal, especially how the inside of the entry was a wooden tunnel and I couldn't see inside after an initial sharp turn to the right.

<So this is what other dungeons look like huh?>

<Is it different from home?>

<Yea. Ours was just a cave built into the side of a mountain. In fact, its not very obvious that there even is a cave from a distance.>

<I see.>

<Every dungeon entrance is a little different, depending on the type, Master. This one looks like its a forest type.>

<You can tell what its type is from the entrance? Or rather, there's types?>

<There is. Forests, caves, ruins, there's quite a few. Usually you can tell from just looking at the entrance, though it's not perfect.>

<Is that so?>

I could understand it not being perfect. My home looked like an ordinary cave from the outside, yet the first floor was an open plains, and the second was a cave. It cycled through quite a variety for no obvious reason. It might've been quite an unusual type if that was the case.

<Well, then, let's have a look rather than just stand around outside.>

<Alright Master!>

The three of us enter the dungeon, following the initial curved tunnel. The walls seamlessly transitioned from wooden to stone after a bit. At the end, the tunnel opened up to a large room with an arched ceiling. There were several groups in the room doing various preparations, and at one side I saw something incredibly familiar.

<There's a fountain here too.>

<There's one on every floor in every dungeon.>

<Do they connect to fountains in other dungeons?>

Out of nowhere, the strange theory floated up into my mind.

<Huh? Why would they?>

It seemed like they didn't.

(But still, it's nice to see something familiar.)

I gazed at the fountain one group was using to fill some flasks with for a bit before moving on through the far cave to the first floor.

Before long, the tunnel ended and I was greeted with a lush, green forest. There was packed a dirt path that cut through. On either side were tight rows of trees and hedges that prevented anyone from passing through easily. The path bent to the left after a short distance.

Following it, the path quickly branched into three, of which I arbitrarily took the left one.

Ahead of me was a pair of adventurers. A boy in his mid teens with a large two handed axe and another boy about the same age with a bow. They were facing a single goblin that had a crude spear in its hand.

It was a pretty nostalgic scene. Images of hunting the things down in the first floor of my home floated up. Quite a lot of it was accompanied by the feeling of my fangs buried deep in their necks. Goblins were pretty scrawny and sinewy, had pretty terrible B.O. and worst of all didn't have much blood nor was it that tasty. There was no reason for me to bother fighting such creatures at this point.

<Hey, we're going to continue on to the next floor, alright?>

<<Okay!>>

I backed off from the fighting group, then looked around to confirm what [Sense Presence] had told me, that nobody was close enough to see me.

With that, I activated [Spirit Form] and [Alter Silhouette] to fly while invisible, then quickly made my way past the previous pair and goblin overhead. The adventurers had managed to subdue the monster as I approached. The archer shot an arrow into its knee and while the goblin was distracted, the axe wielder cut a large gash across its chest, taking it down in an instant.

Without noticing me, I continued on.

There were quite a few goblins as I passed through, along with more adventurers in varying sized groups, from solo hunters to groups as large as six. Many of them had porters going along with them, but some, like the first group, didn't have any at all and carried their own loot by hand.

In terms of monsters, there were also loam wolves and rush rabbits as well.

Despite the different environment, the monsters were the same. It was a bit of a disappointment, but it was only the first floor, so I couldn't complain.

After wandering around while flying below the leaves, I eventually found the boss room.

The flanking tree walls converged and there was a wooden large gate standing there with its frame glowing ominously. Beside the gate, inside an adjacent clearing was a group of four adventurers sitting at the side resting.

I turned around the previous corner and undid my transformation before poking out. The moment I showed myself, the entire group turned their heads towards me, but turned back after confirming my presence. Though despite that, they all kept an eye on me.

"Hey, if you're not going in, mind if I go first?"

"There's someone inside, then we're next."

It seemed like my guess was wrong.

"I see."

Just to test it, I went over and tried pushing and pulling the door lightly, but it didn't budge. I haven't ever seen this before, but then again, there weren't any other groups in the dungeon back home.

Instead, I went over and sat down on the opposite side of the group.

"So how do you know when you can go in?"

"When the door stops glowing."

"Ah."

Thinking about it, I never saw a boss gate glow like that before. Not like there was an opportunity for that after all.

With nothing to do while we waited, Claret started up another one of her stories.

=================

"Ugh..."

One again the strange woman woke up with lethally terrible bed hair.

As she massaged her aching neck after sleeping the night in a bed she considered nearly unbearably hard, she suddenly jumped up, only to fall back onto the bed at the pain that suddenly flared up in her neck.

"..the signal! It's finally here!"

After a moment, the woman checked one of the skills she had received.

"Finally, it took so long, but I got a signal again! And it's nearby too! How lucky!"

Sitting up now, she checked the direction and distance her skill pointed at and determined the rough location of her target.

"She's not far! If I hurry, I can get her now! Wait, no, no, argh!"

Suddenly, the signal disappeared and she lost track of her target.

"Why?! They said it should work perfectly, yet it almost never works! What the hell's with this damn thing?!"

After a few minutes of moping, the woman stood up and opened the window to her room in the cheap inn. As the room faced north, the sun wouldn't stream inside her room and thus the interior was still as gloomy as her heart.

But even still, she looked out and stared absentmindedly at the sky as the light blue slowly asserted its dominance for the day.

"...but if she's this close, then it's only a matter of time. I'll find her, and get my reward! Just you wait you damn beast!"

Suddenly motivated again, the woman prepared to do some manual searching for once.