Deshalin Town is strategically located at a vital junction between the fiefdom of Duke Kurze and that of Duke Christophon. It is quite common for the subjects of Duke Kurze's domain to lodge at the inns and take a respite in Deshalin Town as they pass through.
At this moment, Kenley is at home, immersed in the practice of equivalent exchange in alchemy. Since the incident at the Abbey of Rest, over the past two months, Kenley and Tia have made another expedition to the high-level monster zone to gain experience levels. They have just reached the fiftieth level.
Thanks to the convenient function of world teleportation, Kenley has successfully opened up two high-level monster regions: the desolate plain on the rear side of the Shakki Republic and the Bilak Swamp in the Kingdom of Babel.
There, they not only encountered powerful orcs but also came across sub-humans, along with swamp monitors and petrified lizards. The solitary figures of Kenley and Tia as they went about farming monsters and leveling up have given rise to one eerie legend after another among the local populace.
"It seems that there are no more monsters near the village lately. I recall that it was a knight and a woman of breathtaking beauty who eradicated all those monsters," remarked one person.
"Shut your mouth! Those are the legendary Headless Horseman and the Undead Princess! Can't you see that the woman is a vampire? Be cautious lest she bite your neck and drain you dry while you're asleep!" retorted another.
"Is what you're saying truly the case? I must go and procure more garlic to hang on the wall!" exclaimed the first speaker.
Essentially, the local people have elevated Kenley and Tia to the status of mythical figures...
"More or less, that's the situation..." Kenley is engaged in conversation with Normani while taking bites of an apple.
"That's rather amusing, Master. Do you suppose they'll also bestow upon me a moniker like some sort of dragon?" Normani inquired with a look of curiosity on her face.
Kenley wiped his hands and said, "It's quite likely. For instance, the Mischievous Dragon."
"Why the Mischievous Dragon?" Normani puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, wearing an expression of discontent.
"Normani, if you were more well-behaved, no one would label you as mischievous." Just then, Tia pushed open the door and entered the room.
Kenley let out a soft chuckle and beckoned to Tia, saying, "Tia, come over here."
Tia promptly threw herself into Kenley's embrace and encircled his neck affectionately, much like a devoted young wife.
As he caressed Tia's lustrous hair, Kenley's thoughts turned to the matter of Tia's other, darker side.
"Tia, could the 'Dark Shroud' skill be the very cause of your manifestation of this dark side?" Kenley furrowed his brow.
"Tia is uncertain." Tia shook her head, appearing equally bewildered.
"Then, during the time when you transform into the other persona, have you noticed any irregularities? Such as a sudden interruption in your memory, perhaps?" Kenley probed.
"There indeed is something of the sort. It feels as though my memory is akin to a piece of fabric that has been abruptly severed and then hastily stitched back together. There remains a seam in the middle, as if a portion has been lost," Tia said, contemplating intently.
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"However, Tia is not certain whether it is precisely this 'Dark Shroud' ability that is responsible. It seems as though this ability has simply materialized out of nowhere within my memory."
"Can you wield it voluntarily?"
"No, I cannot."
Kenley nodded. It appears highly probable that this ability is the prime suspect behind Tia's transformation into the other persona. Regrettably, during this period, Kenley has not witnessed Tia's transformation into the other self again, leaving him with no means to proactively question the other Tia about the truth of the matter.
Although Tia in her dark form conducts herself in a somewhat peculiar manner, on the whole, she remains loyal to him. She harbors no animosity towards him and, in fact, is even inclined to protect him.
Nevertheless, this is by no means a reason for Kenley to let down his guard. Suddenly, Kenley's mind harked back to Tia's kingdom and the count who had transformed Tia into a vampire. Could it be that Tia's current state is intricately linked to the series of events that transpired in between?
"Tia, how did you manage to survive during the period when you were transformed into a vampire?" This was a matter that Kenley had refrained from inquiring about previously, as he was concerned about touching upon Tia's painful memories. After all, both her father and mother had passed away, and he feared that it would cause her to feel sorrowful upon recollecting the past.
However, at present, it is of utmost importance for Kenley to gain a clear understanding of Tia's current state. Since Tia's emotions and mood are relatively stable at the moment, it would be opportune to conduct a thorough investigation while the opportunity presents itself.
"Master..." Tia was visibly taken aback. She lowered her head, obscuring her expression from view.
After a brief moment, Tia raised her head and said, "After I was transformed into a vampire by the vampire count, I was confined within a coffin in a state of hibernation until I was discovered by a slave caravan."
"Were you confined within it throughout that entire period?" Kenley recalled that when he first met Tia, she was merely at level 3. Even then, he had been puzzled as to why, after a hundred years had elapsed, she had not advanced in level. There must have been something amiss.
Tia shook her head. "Not entirely. Tia was actually locked within the Spire Library. When I had nothing else to occupy myself with, I could only while away the time by reading books."
"Then, how did you sustain yourself? As a vampire, surely you require the consumption of blood?" Kenley posed a crucial question.
Upon hearing this, Tia was suddenly jolted. "Master, now that you mention it, I have not partaken of blood for several decades. At the time, I assumed that since I had become a vampire, an undead being, I would not experience hunger, and I gave it no further thought. But upon reflection, it is indeed rather peculiar."
"What of the vampire count? Did he not come to seek you out?"
Tia furrowed her brow. "No. Ever since he transformed me into a vampire, he locked me within the Spire Library, and I have not laid eyes on him since."
It is truly a perplexing situation. Tia had not consumed blood, yet she had managed to survive within the Spire Library for over sixty years. As a vampire, the consumption of blood is a fundamental means of their survival. How on earth had she endured all those years?
By the conclusion of the third expansion pack, it was already the middle of the Fourth Age. At that time, the human race was in a state of reconstruction, with many countries preoccupied with their own affairs. Consequently, no one paid any heed to the long-fallen Gaifei Kingdom.
In other words, Tia was in a state of isolation, with no one having any knowledge of the events that had transpired within the Spire Library.
Tia's own memories may not all be veridical. Coupled with the existence of the dark Tia, it is quite possible that during her time in the Spire Library, the other Tia must have done something that enabled Tia to survive there.
Kenley had never encountered the vampire count himself, but most of the dark nobles had been vanquished and even driven back to the Dark Continent. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that the vampire count, who had not returned, might already be deceased.
"To put it bluntly, Tia, there ought to be another entity residing within you at present." Kenley had entertained the suspicion of dual personality, but in this fantastical world, dual personality may not necessarily be the truth. It is quite likely that there is another soul inhabiting Tia's body.
However, Tia showed no sign of surprise upon hearing Kenley's words. "Master, Tia has, in fact, always harbored such a feeling as well."
