CHAPTER THREE: ANCESTRY (3)

"How did you survive until now?" Dosdite is wiping her tears as she keeps watching a child getting hurt. He grew up colder and untrusting to everyone. She reaches out for his hands as she falls to her knees. Most Evenar's reincarnation is not a good one. The curse of Odis that looms over him is cruel.

"I'm not sure. Maybe I want to live." Dennis just smiles while comforting the woman. This is the first time. Looking at the scenario in front of him, it should be on his fourteenth birthday.

A boy walks barefoot when his brother and his friends play hide-and-seek with him. Its winter. His feet step on the icy snow as he tries to find his way back. The boy didn't cry. He didn't scream. He walks with an empty eye until he reaches a hut that belongs to a hunter. The only thing that keeps him walking is the small voice telling him to be alive. Happiness will come to him soon.

When he returned to the orphanage, they starved him for two days for making a mess. Dennis has almost forgotten why he didn't trust anyone."This is horrible. This place is not for you."

Dosdite tells him about the place named Valentine Academy. That hunter is from the academy too. He should be able to find more information about the man. Valentine is a school of supernatural creatures. What if, as a vampire, he is still useless? Will they treat him better in Canelis? "Valentine. If I go there, can I gain happiness?"

"You can. After you wake up, you will be a full vampire. No one dares to touch a pureblood like you." Dosdite tells him with eyes full of excitement. She twirls around and jumps. The sad scenery turns into a beautiful garden. Camelias. Dennis is wearing a grey vest and white shirt. Red, pink, and white camellias grow in the colorful garden.

The land is covered with snow. Not far from where he stands, Dennise stares at his reflection in the icy lake. Long silvery black hair with red crimson eyes. He stares again to look at his surrounding. A tall tree stands in front of him. Instead of green leaves, he sees white leaves and black flowers. Under the tree, camellias bloom brightly.

Dosdite disappeared a moment ago, but he didn't realize it. He is walking on the snow with a heavy heart. He longs for this place. A silhouette of a woman with short blonde hair stands next to the trees. Before he reaches the tree, his heart tugged at the woman. He lets go of his longing and chases the warmth.

Without him knowing, a man appears behind the tree and plucks the camellia. He put camellia on the tree branches. He smiles sadly and turns into the particles of lights."I hope you can be happy. My dearest brother, Evenar."

"You passed the last door! Sorry, I can't help you. But damn, you look hot. I knew that Mirthea had high favoritism toward vampires. I think she carved you properly. Even as the Goddess of beauty, she is too partial to a certain race." Dosdite holds both of his cheeks. She stares into that crimson eyes.

"Thank you." Goddess. Dennis didn't believe them. If they exist, why did none of them appear before him? He is a vampire. So what now?

"Even if you got hurt, your body will heal completely before the next day. You don't have much fear. Deep within your heart, you can't feel anything. Am I correct?" As if she hears his thought, Dosdite smiles.

Something crosses his mind as he realizes Dosdite's words. Since when did he stop trembling when he saw an adult? Since when did he defend himself instead of running away? Since when? What changes?

He remembers. He woke up one day, realizing that his scars were gone. Since he knows no one can hurt him, he starts retaliating his way. His defiance is his ability to accept everything. But now, can he fight back? He knew its wrong, but deep inside his heart, imagining those people suffering, he felt happy. Revenge is an evil act, but he wants to do it.

"How do you feel?" Dosdite held his hand with sad eyes as she looked at the pitiful animal on the streets. He had to admit it. It's weird seeing that expression on her face. She should be happy. If Dosdite supports him, doesn't it means his revenge is good? Why did she ask how he felt instead?

"Of what?" Of how he has been treated for the past years? Or is it because he wants revenge?

"You kill someone, a person. Have you forgotten?" Remembering the wrinkled vampire from before, Dennis trembled. He realizes how heartless he became when he awakens. The gleaming eyes of the vampires followed his will without hesitation with a smile.

"..." Dennis felt he was going to puke, but he was wrong. He only feels it is troublesome because that man is blocking his path. He chooses to kill him. It was him, the cowardly Dennis, who killed that man.

"Dennis?" Dosdite held his hand tighter. She is finally aware of what is lurking behind the cold eyes. This bad. Did he regain his nature as an angel too? That indifference on his face as he keeps looking at creatures around him. The judgemental sight as he can only discern good or evil. Uvlios is the angel of winter, and Evenar is the angel of snow.

Unlike Uvlios, who has a nature of healing coldness, Evenar's innate nature is freezing ice. Just like she expected, this man. No, he's still a boy. "It feels weird. I feel nothing."

"I see. Remember, feelings and emotions are no longer relevant to you. It's not a gift but a curse." Dennis was stunned for a moment. Isn't it good that he can't feel anything? The more he thinks about his, the more complicated his mind is. Feelings and human emotions are a liability. He saw parents grieve for their dead son. He saw a mother sacrifice herself to protect her daughter.

"It's the opposite of what you are thinking now." Dosdite tries to convince Dennis. She clenches her dress and remembers the sight of Dion, who slowly drove himself to insanity after Marianna's death.

Even after humanity's victory, not long after, another war broke up. The crazy Dion destroys the capital of Xandra. If only Dion controlled his impulse and resisted staining his soul with the vampire's innate nature, he would meet Ariel's reincarnation at that time.

"What do you mean by that?" Dennis tilted his head as he asked Dosdite. Opposite? Is it a bad thing?

"Dennis, when you can't feel any emotion, you cant understand others. You didn't see how much your actions hurt others. You didn't care about their life, their loved ones. That person might be innocent. Because you didn't understand them, you will regret your actions later." Dennis starts thinking to himself. If somehow he ends up hurting innocent people, he will blame himself.

"I see." Hearing Dennis's answers, Dosdite hears the misunderstanding. It's not just about other people. Just like him, Dosdite wants Ariel and Evenar to be happy. She and Uvlios are partners. She is the angel of springs. When Uvlios lifted the winter, she would greet him with the scent of springs.

The blooming camellia is Ariel, while the snow is Evenar. She accompanies the cold snow until it disappears and withers in the spring. She needs to give them a chance to meet each other. Odis might perish, but her remnant curse still exists. "The most important thing is, for your sake. To find happiness, you need emotions. One day you will understand it."

Nodding his head, Dennis remembers something. He is now a vampire. He needs to eat. "Do I need to consume blood? I'm a vampire. Do you have a way? So I don't hurt people?"

"You should register with the association first. You can ask that dimwit to do that." Knowing that she changes the conversation, Dennis follows her lead. Letting the association knows of his existence is a big decision. There left two ending for him. Either they will respect him or turn him into a lab rat. He killed the vampire in front of Claude's eyes too. Remembering Dosdite words, he looks back at her.

"Dimwit?" Thinking about the man that stands before him, he laughs while hearing Dosdite antics. She is still angry when that man doesn't acknowledge his existence. Claude looks strong.

"That stupid hunter. He is a dhampir. He lived long enough for a human, but he will reach the end of his age soon." Claude has a position in the association, and if possible, he hopes to get more information about Valentine Academy. Then, he remembers. Vampires. Did he want to live as a vampire? Based on the information that Dosdite gives to him, his position and bloodline are considered precious in vampire society.

"Okay. Are you leaving?" Dosdite is jumping around with a swarm of butterflies around her. Spring has arrived. He might not be able to see her for the time being. If not because of her, this year's birthday might be horrible. A sister. Dosdite is like an elder sister with the energy of a child. She will look after you, but you need to understand her antics.

"Yeah. When you wake up, you will find a crimson earing next to you. Wear it. It can suppress your aura as a pureblood vampire." Looking back at Dennis, Dosdite hugs him tightly. She doesn't want to let him go but knows it's better for them. Dennis will be able to become the strongest,t but Uvlios's blessing will make him the happiest.

"Alright. Thank you, Dosdite." Dennis hugs her back and laughs happily. Maybe becoming a vampire is not that bad. For example, today is the best day he has ever lived. There is no reason for him to blame himself anymore. It's not his fault that his parents hate him. It's not because he can't do anything. He is just different. This is not his fault anymore.

"You're welcome. Now, wake up." The scenery around him turns into particles of dust. Dennis laughs happily and closes his eyes. Sensing his thought, Dosdite prays silently. Please, let their story end happily ever after.

*****

Waking up silently, our protagonist washes his face and looks into the mirror. His eyes were crimson red. The difference will be his hair. His shoulder-length hair now turns to waist-long hair. Instead of a plain black shade, his hair is now obsidian with silvery strands. This bad. His skinny body looks healthy and fit. The blessing of moonlight might somehow assist his growth. No one will believe him.

Vampires were sensitive to the sun, but not in his case. The only fatal thing is something that they call 'the vampire's innate nature. Dosdite didn't tell him much about it.

Dennis dries his hair as he looks at the crimson earrings on the table. It's designed with a drop chain with crimson gems in the shape of an elongated diamond at the bottom of it. He wore it on his right ear. Dennis looks at himself in the mirror. His pale complexion is in contrast to his eyes. Even with the earing seal, his eyes were still crimson.

At least, the aura on his body has decreased. His brother should have awakened too. This time he is not running away or acting like a fool and letting his brother torture him anymore. Reaching out for the new pair of clothes in his cupboard, Dennis wears it. Suddenly, two bank cards fall from the pocket of his shirt. Who gives him this? A note falls next to the cards.

Greetings, Dennis.

From now onwards, I'm going to raise you. Each month I will give you ten million Novas to the blue card. For the black card, I'm not sure if it's enough but the black card is a VVIP? They told me that much. It has a few billion Novas in there.

The blue card is your pocket money, and the black card is your necessities money. You can buy a house if you want to, or build a new castle! Don't worry and live your life happily!'

Sincerely,

Angel of spring, Dosdite.

Dennis's jaws dropped. Ten million? Billions? The average household income is five thousand Novas in the central city. It is for one month. What he's going to do with this amount of money? Who in the world is Dosdite? An angel?