Ascendant Path of a Lustful Vampire

Chapter 429: To save a life

-Hours Later-

Alchemy can be a very lengthy process, and that’s especially true with Blood Alchemy, which has a higher failure rate. Arlette had had to restart the process more times than she cared to remember because to keep count is to possibly start feeling demoralized.

One thing she had learned for certain throughout the uncertainty of her potential for succeeding with the experiment, was that Alexia was not a layman.

So many times, the Von Helsing woman had offered little pieces of advice here and there, and as ’helpful’ as they may have been, Arlette had only been annoyed. It was like every attempt to help was only hammering in how bad she was at this.

It was funny because she hadn’t even wanted to do this and had needed to be persuaded and yet, now that she was at it, she found her pride getting tied with the process. Even though she had only promised to try her best.

*PSSSSSSSSHHHHHH*

With a sound of hissing and the release of a strange putrid stench that had some hint of the sweet scent of blueberry, Arlette’s latest attempt, the one where she had gone the furthest with, dissipated into nothing.

"Hmm, another fail," Alexia said in a consoling tone while her hand gently stroked her pretty jaw,

"Perhaps, you could try..."

"SHUT IT!" Arlette snapped.

So far, despite how much ’help’ Alexia had offered, Arlette had kept her annoyance within herself and now it had bubbled up to the surface and exploded.

Alexia didn’t flinch. She didn’t react particularly differently. She wasn’t smiling but, really, she hadn’t been smiling from the start of the process. Just looking studious.

"I apologize..." she said slowly.

"No, no, no," Arlette snarled, "That won’t cut it. I QUIT!"

This time, Alexia’s expression did change.

"What?" She looked stunned.

Arlette rounded on her.

"You clearly know what to do here. You’ve been yammering on and on about it. Come on and give it a try because, by Anyxyl, I sure as hell won’t!"

Now that she was speaking, Arlette kept telling herself in her head to stop talking, to stop letting her emotions take control of her to this extent, and not let this stranger get a peek into the insecurities she keeps so deep. And yet, it was like she had opened a gate and let the flood pour with nothing she could do about it.

"Wha— It’s just that’s I’ve seen it made enough times to know what not to do and offer a few tips..." Alexia started in a defensive tone.

"BULL- SHIT! You clearly know more than just a bystander. You’re an Alchemist. You packed those ingredients to make use of them yourself!" Arlette cut in to say.

’Oh, I like this,’ Arlette said in her head, ’Turn the conversation to her and away from me.’

It was so strange. Arlette felt a bit dissociated from herself, giving her very little to do about the words falling from her lips, but as long as it was staying away from what was really troubling her (even more than Alexia’s meddling), she was good.

Alexia eyed her for a while and then let out a sigh.

"Alright, fine. I’m an Alchemist. Really, many Von Helsings are, to be honest. If you’re hunting monsters whose strength could very well surpass yours, knowing how to manipulate the elements of the world to create concoctions can be very helpful."

"So... asking for my help was

a test," Arlette said. It wasn’t a question. She already had suspicions she had put aside earlier and this seemed to all but confirm them all.

"In a sense, yes," Alexia admitted.

"So this is a Witch hunt, after all," Arlette said and clenched her fist. Dark mist began to pour from her hand as the smallest traces of a spell circle started to take shape.

Instantly, Alexia raised her hands in placation.

"Arlette, easy," she urged.

"If you’re going to hunt me, I should defend myself, should I not?" Arlette asked with a little sneer.

’What is this? What am I doing?’ She asked in her head trying to rein her anger in.

"It’s not a witch hunt. I told you already, there’s nothing wrong in being a Blood Alchemist," Alexia said and then let out a breath as she dropped her hands,

"Though, I will admit, it’s a peculiar skill to acquire."

"Not that peculiar. As you said, it has many applications," Arlette reasoned.

Her inner mind was glad she was at least making more rational moves and not being erratic enough to complete the spell that was still yet to fully take shape around her fist.

Alexia narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, Blood Alchemy has many applications but because of its difficulty, there have been workarounds for a lot of those applications. The ones with no workaround usually involve creatures whose power, whose very basis of existence lies in their blood. Creatures like Vampires.

Now, with so much difficulty and the lack of any real structured path of studying Blood Alchemy, anyone who dabbles in it usually has a precise reason.

The ones we have on retainer at the Von Helsing Duchy, as well as members of the family who dared dabble such as me, have decided to use it for good. To use it to combat the creatures who most crave the works of Blood Alchemy.

And so..."

"... Anyone not dedicated to that cause, must be working against it. i.e., working with the enemy, with Vampires." Arlette said, even more calm with her expression now incredulous.

’I have to regain control of myself. Right now!’

Anger clouds the mind and in a conversation that was straying so dangerously close to exposing a grave secret, Arlette’s mind was working hard and fast to find ways out of a possible conundrum.

"Yes," Alexia responded to Arlette’s analysis with her eyes studying her.

Arlette dissipated the dark mist and the incomplete spell circle fizzled into nothing.

"But that’s absurd," she said, "There are various reasons why one would learn a skill."

"Perhaps," Alexia mused, and then her eyes bored deep into Arlette’s grey eyes,

"What prompted you to learn Blood Alchemy?"

Arlette felt she had a couple of options on how to respond to that. She could give a vague response that it was simply something she picked up somewhere but she felt Alexia would see through that and see it as avoidance. Arlette felt she was a good liar—good enough anyway—but this was one she might not pull off. Not with those eyes on her.

She could simply avoid the question. She was well within her rights to do so. Even if that could make her seem suspicious, Arlette didn’t think Alexia would try to attack her here and even if she did, from all she had learned of the Von Helsing Lady from Caius, it was a fight she wasn’t guaranteed to lose.

Not to stoke her own ego, but Arlette believed she was a capable combatant and while Von Helsings have tricks, they are tailored to monster hunting. And if it all goes to Hell, in the worst-case scenario, Arlette was confident of at least escaping.

Still, a fight wasn’t ideal. Especially not when there was a better option.

And so, with a sigh, Arlette walked over to a sofa and threw herself onto it, an arm across her forehead in exasperation.

"Why does anyone do or learn anything?" She asked and as Alexia became attentive, she supplied the answer to her own question,

"To save a life."