"...That's what I would have said," Akane muttered, "if I hadn't found out that you had the Cape of Dracula!" She pointed at the hoodie Masaru had bought at the vintage shop.
Masaru was dumbfounded. The thought that something he had purchased so cheaply would turn out to be a powerful artifact was beyond belief. Not to mention, it wasn't just a hoodie—it was the Cape of Dracula.
"Excuse me, but I'm pretty sure this is just an ordinary hoodie!" Masaru protested, staring at the worn fabric with a few loose threads.
Akane scoffed, crossing her arms. "What do you expect from one of the greatest artifacts in the world? It's a shapeshifting item. You're lucky it bonded with you." Her tone carried a hint of jealousy.
Masaru glanced at the hoodie lying on the bed. "So what exactly is this Cape of Dracula?"
"If you must know, it's a powerful relic soaked with the blood of thousands of vampires. It's one of the greatest artifacts to ever exist," she explained. "It kills whoever wears it—unless it deems them worthy. Since it bonded with you, its powers are now yours. It protects you from sunlight, can shapeshift, has defensive spell runes, and—most importantly—it still kills anyone else who tries to wear it. Given your current power level, that's probably all you can do with it for now."
Masaru's jaw dropped. Did I just hear that right? Supernatural beings were one thing, but now magic was involved too? Spell runes? That sounded like something straight out of a fairy tale.
This world was turning out to be far stranger than he had ever imagined. If he had the opportunity to learn more, he had to take it.
"What kinds of undead exist?" he asked.
Akane turned her head away with a slight hiss, clearly annoyed. "I'll only tell you about vampires. You can figure the rest out yourself," she said. "For vampires, the lowest rank is a Vampire Ghoul, followed by Vampire Servant, Low Vampire, High Vampire, True Vampire, Noble Vampire, and finally Royal Vampire.
"Only Dracula and those of his caliber are Royal Vampires. I'm a Noble Vampire." She shot him a smug look. "And you? You're a Ghoul Vampire—barely even a vampire at all!"
Masaru clenched his fists.
"As for how to grow stronger, we'll take it step by step," Akane continued. "Right now, your heart is neither fully human nor fully vampire. We need to fix that. Once we do, you'll naturally ascend to a Vampire Servant."
"That'll take about a week," she added. "So you'll be staying in this room for a while. By the time you're done, I'll probably be leagues ahead of you academically." A smirk played on her lips at the last moment.
"What do you mean? I can't just stay here for a week! I'd get suspended from school if I don't submit a leave permit!" Masaru protested, remembering the school's strict attendance policy. Breaking it wasn't something people could do lightly.
"Relax. I'll sort things out," Akane said dismissively. "For now, focus on eating plenty of food. Tonight, we'll begin the ritual. In the meantime, here—" A book materialized in her hand out of thin air, and she tossed it to him. "Read this. It'll give you a basic understanding of the supernatural world."
Masaru caught the book, still stunned from the casual display of magic. His perspective on everything had already shifted dramatically, but now? Now, he was desperate to get stronger.
Once Akane left, he spent the rest of his time stuffing his face with food brought in by the servants and reading about the supernatural world.
By the time he finished, the sky outside had darkened. Evening had arrived, and he knew Akane would come for him soon.
From the book, he learned that vampires weren't the only supernatural beings in existence. Werewolves, zombies, witches, sirens, and many other mythical creatures roamed the world. Magic was far more complex than it seemed—vampires used blood energy, werewolves drew power from moon energy, and witches harnessed the forces of nature itself.
There were countless other energy sources, each linked to different creatures.
Right now, his blood energy was practically nonexistent, meaning he couldn't use magic at all. However, if he advanced to a Vampire Servant, he might be able to use low-level spells.
For now, his only goal was to get stronger.
Stronger so he wouldn't have to live in fear.
Stronger so he wouldn't just survive in this supernatural world—but thrive.
As expected, Akane entered the room soon after. "Come with me," she said.
Masaru wasted no time following her.
They arrived in a dimly lit chamber, illuminated only by the pale moonlight filtering through a narrow window. In the center of the room sat a coffin filled with a dark red liquid.
Masaru's stomach twisted.
"Am I supposed to bathe in that?" he asked hesitantly. The coffin resembled a giant, blood-filled bathtub.
Akane rolled her eyes. "No, dummy. You're going to drink it all!"
"What?!"
She sighed in exasperation. "You'll be sleeping in it for a week. This mixture contains the necessary ingredients to reshape your heart, body, and mind. When you emerge, you might just feel reborn."
Her voice was unexpectedly soft—calm, even.
Masaru raised an eyebrow. This isn't like her at all…
The idea of lying in blood for an entire week was unsettling, but it was better than drinking it. Still, a few concerns nagged at him.
What if he woke up in just a few hours?
What if he drowned?
There was no way he could breathe in there. Wouldn't he suffocate in the first two minutes?
Despite his doubts, something inside him told him to trust her. Maybe it was because he knew he was a valuable asset to her—all thanks to the hoodie.
He sighed, looking down at the worn fabric.
"I love you, Hoodie-chan," he muttered before climbing into the coffin.
And with that, he closed his eyes—ready for a very long nap.