Chapter 260
Olivia Copernicus.
Ophelia Brad.
There was a subtle similarity in their names.
The Blood Princess Olivia Brad had dark red long hair and delicate features.
The wanted criminal Olivia Copernicus, on the other hand, was described as a woman with wine-red long hair in the wanted poster.
Both having red hair could easily give one the impression that they were similar.
But if there was truly something identical between them?
Dark couldn’t quite say at the moment.
Olivia Copernicus suddenly appeared and was wanted by the Church of the Saints towards the end of the war. Prior to that, she had no records, like she had appeared out of nowhere.
The appearance of the Golden Generation was also around the same time, taking roughly ten years to completely end the war!
Ophelia Brad disappeared around that period.
In terms of timeline, their recorded experiences did not overlap, making it possible for them to be the same person.
Their hair colors and appearances differed, but upon closer inspection, there were more similarities than differences.
Dark placed the wanted poster photo he had cut from the newspaper next to the portrait in Three Hundred Heroes, making the resemblance strikingly clear.
Their facial similarities were like sisters!
In a world with magic, altering one’s appearance entirely was possible, let alone this level of disguise.
Finally…
Olivia Copernicus was a half-breed!
A mix between human and vampire!
The uniqueness of a vampire’s bloodline had been explained earlier.
Theoretically, such a thing as a vampire half-breed shouldn’t exist in this world.
Because a vampire’s bloodline was highly invasive, it would convert all other bloodlines within the body into vampire blood.
So, vampire bloodlines only had inferior or superior distinctions, not half-breed.
Yet, Olivia Copernicus was indeed a vampire half-breed.
Such an existence that transcended theoretical knowledge usually came with abilities that did the same.
For example—Blood Magic!
Previously, Dark had guessed that Olivia Copernicus might have special powers to resist the erosion of vampire blood.
Now, the emergence of Blood Magic filled in this guess perfectly.
It was as if two puzzle pieces fit together seamlessly.
…
Was this fate or coincidence?
…
“Dark Demon, get up and tell me where I left off.”
“The cause of the war, Professor.”
“So, what are the specific causes of the war?”
“The causes of the war include political, economic, social, cultural factors, and so on…”
Dark calmly handled Professor Ryan Hux’s sudden question.
He knew that his absent-minded look had been noticed by the professor.
But luckily, he still had one ear tuned in.
“Very impressive! I didn’t expect you to understand the war so deeply at your age. No wonder you are the son of a Valkyrie. Dark Demon, five points!”
Professor Ryan Hux’s words carried a sense of admiration.
And Dark, who unexpectedly gained five credits, sat back down and continued pondering the relationship between the Blood Princess and the half-breed vampire.
Generally, professors seldom called on the same student more than twice in one class.
So, he was basically safe now.
As for the other student who was called up due to distraction, they weren’t so lucky.
…
“Professor Ryan Hux wasn’t an active hero during the Golden Age, so you won’t learn much from him.”
“Professors Kazel and Lily are relatively new additions.”
“To learn about the Blood Princess’s life, you can only seek Principal Altair or Professor Shylph.”
“If only Claire were still around…”
Thinking about needing to find the elusive Principal and the Professor Shylph who once threw green plum wine at him, Dark felt a bit exhausted.
Of course, his relationship with Professor Shylph wasn’t that bad; they were still cooperating.
But thinking about it, Dark realized he didn’t have any reason to investigate the Blood Princess and the half-breed vampire relationship?
Hmm…
If there’s no reason, make one!
The Blood Princess, the half-breed vampire, and Vampire Vlad.
Aren’t they all about “blood”?
Anything related to Vampire Vlad is a reason!
If Robert saw the Blood Princess in the mist really is the same as that half-breed vampire, it must be taken seriously!
Or rather, it should be taken seriously even now.
Thinking of this,
Dark stopped his idle speculation and listened attentively to Professor Ryan Hux’s lecture.
Humans are truly fascinating creatures.
When Ryan Hux, with the help of Professor Kazel, got high-tech prosthetics and an artificial eye, and under Sister Carrian’s help, grew thick hair, he could no longer continue his disheveled appearance.
Day by day, his hairstyle and attire became increasingly refined.
Now, Professor Hux truly had the charm he boasted about, looking like a handsome uncle.
With his image changed, his teaching style and content also evolved.
He didn’t just tell stories anymore; he also discussed the significance of war, the inevitability of war, and other philosophical issues.
Occasionally, he would intersperse tactical explanations.
That was probably the essence of his entire lecture!
…
Ding-dong.
With the end of the History of Magic class, the day’s lessons finally came to a close.
Despite having plenty of homework, Dark said goodbye to Diana and Rose and headed straight to Professor Shylph’s office.
Just like how Robert didn’t want Wit to worry,
Dark also didn’t want Diana and Rose to get involved.
Knocking on the office door, he found Professor Shylph grading assignments inside.
For professors, grading assignments was indeed a tedious task.
If someone could invent something like an “assignment-grading machine,” it would probably sell well, right?
The thought flashed through Dark’s mind.
“What is it, Demon?”
Professor Shylph looked up at the future duke, who was still elegant today, and asked.
Dark locked the door behind him and brought over a chair, sitting in front of the desk.
Then he turned to Professor Shylph and said, “Professor, I want to ask you about some stories related to Ophelia Brad.”
Shaking his head, he said, “The name of Vampire Vlad has spread far and wide, but we haven’t mentioned any intelligence about it.”
Professor Shylph muttered, “The seal on the secret path hasn’t stirred either; it hasn’t made its move yet. It’s unknown whether it’s uninterested in Vlad or being overly cautious.”
Dark turned back to the topic, “Professor, let’s talk about the Blood Princess then.”
“The Blood Princess? Such a straightforward title.”
Professor Shylph sighed slightly, a hint of regret showing on her face.
“Ophelia Brad is a very gentle and kind child. Unfortunately, fate does not favor good people with special treatment. In her first year of enrollment, she encountered misfortune. Her entire tribe was wiped out by vampires. If we don’t count the hidden tribesmen in exile, she should be the last princess of the Blood Tribe. Calling her the Blood Princess is not incorrect.”
Dark asked, “So why did she disappear during the battle?”
Shylph shook her head, “I wasn’t at the frontlines.”
Dark couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
But Professor Shylph immediately added, “Even so, after news of her disappearance came out, us professors also conducted investigations. Wait for a moment.”
With that, Professor Shylph stood up from her seat and turned to the bookshelf filled with books and documents, searching meticulously.
It seemed she had placed decades’ worth of items in this bookshelf, which was packed full.
Dark took note.
Professor Shylph’s hair color was similar to Rose’s, both having a pale golden hue with an ethereal quality, giving off a distant, almost airy appearance, as if she might suddenly vanish.
Her ears were long and pointed, more akin to those of elves than typical half-elves, whose ears were usually shorter and rounder at the tips.
Yet, Professor Shylph’s elven bloodline appeared to be very strong.
The obvious difference between her and pure-blood elves likely lay in their physiques.
Pure-blood elves were known for their delicacy and slimness, though there were some who were more robust, albeit rarely.
Professor Shylph’s figure, however, was so graceful that even her conservative robes couldn’t fully conceal it.
Dark had once entered Professor Shylph’s dormitory during Christmas. At that time, she was wearing casual clothes that accentuated her figure.
In terms of beauty and charm, she wouldn’t fall short of Principal Altair.
As he pondered, Professor Shylph straightened up and pulled out a rolled-up file from among the many documents stacked below the bookshelf, carefully undoing the binding to confirm.
“It’s this one.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, flattening the file, shaking off the dust, and placing it on the table for Dark to see.
Dark reached out to take it.
The file contained mostly text but was bulging with numerous photos and other items.
“You can look through it first,” Professor Shylph said.
After spreading it out again, Dark began to read carefully.
This document detailed the Blood Princess’s journey from enlisting to her disappearance.
The Blood Princess graduated alongside the Hero, Valkyrie, and the Sage of Beasts, and chose to enlist right after graduation.
The Alliance Army naturally welcomed such powerful forces from the Mana Academy.
Soon, everyone was assigned to various positions where they were needed.
Since she was the last of the Blood Tribe, the Blood Princess was initially not sent to the frontlines.
She was essentially a protected figure.
The Alliance Army hoped her assistance would aid in strategic planning against vampires and in treating victims afflicted by blood magic.
Originally, the Blood Princess enlisted for revenge, making this position ideal for her.
Thus, she settled down in the “Anti-Vampire Strategy Department” of that military region.
At first, everything went smoothly.
Her research on blood allowed her to gain deep insights into the human body, leading to significant medical achievements.
The terrifying blood magic became divine healing under her hands.
Vampires, being reclusive high-level demons, were not numerous, so her work in the strategy department was not overly busy.
To better assist the army, she frequently visited the medical department.
Due to her gentle nature and exceptional healing skills, she earned the respect and love of the soldiers.
The title “Princess” gradually spread.
In the battlefield, heroes weren’t just those who fought at the frontlines.
Those who strategized and saved lives were also heroes!
The Blood Princess was a genuine hero.
Many lives were saved because of her, and some even returned to the battlefield.
If this continued, she might have become something like a “Battlefield Madonna.”
But the greater her fame, the greater the danger!
Vampires, who viewed the Blood Tribe as thorns in their side, wouldn’t allow her to rise unchecked.
One night…
A sudden swarm of bats silently penetrated the barrier.
Using bizarre magic to evade all detection, the vampires recklessly descended upon the rear of the military base.
They captured and hunted her!
…
“Bret Gold was there too?” Dark exclaimed when he saw this.
Professor Shylph’s expression remained calm. She said, “At the time, there was a temporary plan to implement, so the Hero Bret Gold came from another military region to assist. Although it was coincidental, it was undoubtedly fortunate.”
High-ranking vampires were far beyond the reach of ordinary soldiers at the time.
Bret Gold’s presence greatly supported the rear forces’ reorganization and counterattack.
The light attribute Holy Sword had a significant effect on dark attribute vampires.
Bret Gold summoned numerous Holy Swords and single-handedly matched ten or more vampires.
That was one of his famous battles during his rapid growth.
The title of “Hero” wasn’t given at birth.
Before rising, Bret Gold was merely a “Brave Candidate,” and there were many others with similar talents.
But eventually, he became the only Hero!
…
However, at that battle, Bret was still immature.
Though his personal combat abilities were forming, he lacked experience in command and tactics.
During the heat of battle, Bret even forgot the person he was supposed to protect!
This became the fatal mistake of the entire battle!
Although Ophelia Brad was no weakling, vampires were targeting her while she targeted them. Under the combined attack of several vampires, her strength was severely suppressed.
In the end,
Bret Gold was held back.
Ophelia Brad was gravely injured and captured.
The vampires didn’t kill her on the spot but carried her away quickly, turning into countless bats and vanishing into the sky.
Bret Gold only abruptly woke up then, disregarding warnings, and rushed alone to save the Blood Princess.
But half a month later
When Brett Gold appeared again in the camp, there was no sign of Ophelia Brad by his side.
Professor Shylph had once written to the former professors asking about Brett Gold, but he did not give them the answers they sought.
He neither said she was dead nor alive; he simply said he couldn’t find her!
Not finding her meant there was nothing they could do.
But the professors all knew that during his student days, Brett Gold was quite mischievous and troublesome. Back then, he wasn’t as upright as he was now reputed to be, but rather a noble boy who was good at lying.
However, the letters he replied with were full of errors and didn’t match his usual self.
The professors thus reached a general consensus.
Ophelia Brad was probably still alive, just unable to appear in public for some reason.
Brett was protecting her!
…
In such circumstances,
the professors naturally wouldn’t be foolish enough to expose this information. They immediately decided not to pursue it further.
With the passage of time, the secrets of the past lost their significance, so Professor Shylph took out this document.
…
After seeing Dak finish reading the document, Professor Shylph put down her teacup and sighed, “Our general understanding at the time was the same as what you think now. It’s very likely that after Ophelia was captured, she was given the first embrace by a vampire, turning her into a low-ranking blood slave.”
“After humans are turned into blood slaves, their rationality temporarily collapses, making them extremely bloodthirsty.”
“Moreover, they have many weaknesses.”
“Garlic, crosses, holy water, silver ornaments… even sunlight can burn their skin.”
“The transformation of humans into vampires is irreversible.”
“In the situation back then, if Ophelia becoming a blood slave was exposed, she would surely be executed on the spot.”
“Years have passed since then. Because Brett sacrificed himself in the final Demon King battle, we lost the clues to find Ophelia.”
“I wonder if she is still alive…”
“If she is, in what form is she living?”
…
The voices gradually faded.
Dak listened carefully and gained some understanding of what happened back then.
Then he took out the wanted poster and placed it on the table, turning his head.
“What is this?” Professor Shylph couldn’t help but look down.
Dak said, “Take a look. This is one of the escapees from Bustedia Prison who was recognized and appeared in the newspapers after Christmas.”
Professor Shylph didn’t seem to subscribe to The Wise One Daily.
Of course, that made sense.
Elves were tranquil and enjoyed peace.
Professor Shylph, being an elf blessed by the wind elemental, probably preferred walking in the forest to bustling city life.
Her disdain for the mundane made her indifferent to the outside world’s ups and downs.
Perhaps living a peaceful and meaningful life within her own domain was all she desired.
At Saint Maryann Academy, as the vice principal, Professor Shylph managed internal affairs while external matters were mostly handled by Principal Altair.
Of course, she definitely had her own channels for information and wasn’t truly isolated.
Seeing the wanted poster, she exclaimed in surprise, “I know someone escaped, but does she have any special traits? Wait, is she a vampire?”
Dak said, “I looked into it. The documents describe her as a half-breed vampire, a very unique term.”
“A half-breed vampire?”
Professor Shylph picked up the trimmed wanted poster and examined it closely.
She then frowned and asked, “The half-breed vampire who escaped from Bustedia Prison, Olivia Copernicus… does she have any relation to Ophelia Brad?”
Dak took out his notebook, opened it, and handed it over: “This is the material I collected to complete my assignment on the History of Magic.”
Professor Shylph couldn’t help but take the notebook and flip through it carefully.
Just halfway through, her expression changed.
By the time she finished, Dak could even see anger on her face!
This might be the first time he saw her emotions so clearly!
“Bang!”
Professor Shylph slammed the table in anger!
Dak watched the notebook pressed under the table with concern, his eyes twitching.
Professor Shylph glanced at him, then slowly exhaled and sat back down.
“How did you gather so much information?”
Dak thought for a moment and said, “Library.”
Professor Shylph leaned back in her chair, “Library? It’s impressive that you connected these two people.”
Dak asked, “So, Professor, what is the relationship between them?”
Professor Shylph said calmly, “I can’t be sure. But since you’ve put them together, I suppose you don’t need me to elaborate, right?”
“Indeed,” Dak murmured.
Then he looked up and said, “If we equate these two people, then the person Robert saw in the fog must be her! Is there something behind this?”
“Divination.”
Professor Shylph slowly said, “That’s the only thing I can think of.”
Dak: “But Professor Metia said it wasn’t divination.”
Professor Shylph looked into his eyes and said, “How much do you trust her words?”
Dak was silent for a moment.
The credibility of Professor Metia…
To be honest, it was quite low.
Prophets were skilled actors.
The more renowned the prophet, the better their acting skills.
A prophet like Professor Metia was likely at the level where they could perform effortlessly.
Last night, at the top of the Spiral Bell Tower, Dak couldn’t judge how much truth there was in Professor Metia’s words.
…
Seeing his reaction, Professor Shylph continued, “As you say, Robert indeed has the talent for divination, so it’s very normal for him to trigger his first divination because of this.”
“We can start our calculations based on this premise. Robert may encounter Ophelia in the future. Where is he most likely to encounter her?”
Dak solemnly said, “Right here.”
Professor Shylph: “Ophelia might already be in the academy!”
Dak: “That invisible person?”
Professor Shylph: “Possible.”
But she then relaxed and said, “Of course, this is just speculation, without any evidence. Even if Ophelia wants to infiltrate the academy, she couldn’t do it silently.”
Dak pondered carefully, “There is indeed a possibility. But we cannot treat assumptions as certainties. If Professor Metia isn’t lying and Robert isn’t using divination, then the reason he sees the Blood Princess in the fog is very suspicious.”
“Professor, according to the book, the resurrection of a vampire’s body can only happen through parasitizing a bat. Is this a 100% certainty?”
Professor Shylph’s gaze gradually cooled: “No.”
…
[Completed the four-in-one chapter totaling 8000 words]
[I suddenly received my father’s WeChat message last night at ten, only then remembering that today was actually my lunar birthday.]
[Sigh, wash up and go to bed, waking up will make me feel less lonely.]
