Chapter 148 A curse or A gift?

Now together with Serana, Alex and Astrid began guiding her toward a way out but first, they needed to escape Dimhollow Cave.

"So… do you know how to get out of this place, Serana?" Astrid asked, her tone curious yet cautious.

Serana let out a quiet sigh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as her eyes wandered around the unfamiliar cavern. "Like I said before… I don't know this place. I don't even recognize the current era. And I've been asleep for thousands of years… remember?"

They continued walking through the dim, echoing cave, their footsteps crunching softly against the cold stone floor. From a distance, their eyes caught sight of several stone figures statues resembling grotesque gargoyles, perched unnaturally still.

Alex suddenly halted.

"Ah… you two wait here for a moment."

Without another word, he raised his hand slightly. A nearby stone trembled before lifting into the air, suspended by his Telekinesis spell. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he hurled it forward at high speed toward one of the gargoyle statues.

CRACK!

The stone collided-

and in the next instant, the statue moved.

Its body twisted unnaturally as cracks spread across its surface, glowing faintly before it fully came to life.

"Just as I thought!" Alex called out, his eyes narrowing. "Get ready!"

Astrid, however, didn't move.

Instead of drawing her weapon or preparing to fight, she simply stood there with a calm expression, her gaze shifting lazily toward Alex behind her.

"Ah, my love… you don't need to hold back."

Alex glanced over his shoulder, clearly caught off guard. "nah I am not that strong so why aren't you getting ready to fight?"

Astrid only smiled, a confident, almost teasing curve on her lips.

"Oh, come on… you can handle enemies like this on your own, can't you?"

Alex scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

At that very moment, the gargoyle lunged forward, its claws aiming straight for him. But with effortless ease, Alex raised his hand and stopped it mid-attack using Telekinesis. The creature froze in the air, struggling against an invisible force yet Alex didn't even bother looking at it. His eyes remained fixed on Astrid.

"Ah, come on… if I do everything myself, it won't be any fun," he said casually. "And besides, my love, shouldn't you move your body a bit? Think of it as some post-pregnancy exercise, hmm?"

Astrid rolled her eyes, letting out a long sigh. "Haaah… come on, my love. I want to rest. We haven't had a break this whole time, you know? And I'm hungry. Remember, I'm eating for two now me and our child."

Without another word, Alex flicked his hand. The gargoyle was instantly hurled downward into the water below. It thrashed wildly for a moment before sinking, unable to swim.

He then turned his attention back to Astrid. "Alright… we'll take a break first."

After that, Alex glanced at Serana. "Ah, sorry. We haven't rested at all during the journey, so we'd like to take a short break. If you want to go on ahead, feel free."

Serana shook her head lightly. "Ah, no… it's fine. I'll wait."

And so, the three of them decided to rest for a while before continuing their journey.

Alex reached into his inventory system space and pulled out two rollbeds, laying them on the ground. Then he suddenly paused, blinking as realization hit him.

"Ah… right. We only have two rollbeds, my love."

Astrid, who was crouched nearby trying to light a campfire, hummed softly in response. "Hmm…"

Her eyes shifted toward Serana.

Serana immediately caught on, her shoulders tensing slightly. "Ah… I'm sorry…"

But before she could say more, Astrid cut in casually, "Ah, it's fine. My love, you can share with me, okay?"

Alex's face instantly lit up, a wide grin spreading across his lips. "Ah of course!"

Serana let out a small, awkward laugh at the exchange, unsure how to react.

Astrid then turned to her again "You can use my rollbed."

Serana blinked in surprise before giving a small nod. "Thank you."

Once the rollbeds were set, Alex began pulling out various ingredients from his system inventory, placing them neatly near the fire.

Serana watched closely, her eyes widening slightly as items seemed to appear out of thin air.

"…Is that magic?" she asked, her curiosity clearly piqued.

Alex chuckled lightly. "Ah, not really. It's just… my ability."

"Your ability?" Serana tilted her head, confusion evident in her expression. "What do you mean?"

Astrid spoke up while adjusting the firewood. "He's special. Even he doesn't fully understand how that power appeared he can just… do it."

Stolen story; please report.

Alex scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "What my wife said is true. It's an ability that lets me store items and carry them around without slowing me down."

Serana's interest deepened, her lips curling into a faint smile. "Hehe… that's incredibly practical."

Her gaze lingered on Alex a little longer than necessary.

Alex noticed.

And in that instant, Astrid's earlier warning about "not trying anything" flashed through his mind.

His face immediately paled.

"Ehem y-yeah, something like that, haha…" he stammered awkwardly, quickly turning his head away and pretending to focus on his system inventory instead.

Alex took out several food ingredients, arranging them near the fire as a thought crossed his mind.

"Umm… you can eat normal food, not just blood… right?"

Serana let out a soft, naughty laugh. "Hehe… what do you think?" she replied, slowly licking her lips in a teasing manner.

Astrid immediately cut in, her tone sharp. "If you can't, then fine the portions are just for me and Alex. You're free to go hunt the rats crawling around here if you want. And if you're thinking about drinking our blood… well, I'd like to see you try."

Serana's expression stiffened slightly, a hint of annoyance flashing in her eyes. "No, no I was just joking. But really, it's quite rude to assume I drink rat blood."

Alex, however, seemed genuinely curious. "Wait, I want to ask something. Do animal blood and human blood taste the same?"

Astrid groaned in frustration. "Come on, Alex… why are you asking something that has nothing to do with you?"

Alex raised his hands slightly, defending himself. "Hey, come on, Astrid this is for research purposes."

Serana gave a small amused smile. "Well… animal blood does taste different depending on the creature. And of course, every living being's blood has its own distinct flavor."

Then she stepped a little closer to Alex, her voice lowering into a teasing tone.

"But… as for human blood, it's been a very long time since I last tasted it. Perhaps…" she leaned in slightly, her eyes glinting with mischief, "you might let me have a little taste of yours?"

For a brief moment, Alex looked almost tempted

but suddenly-

CLANG!

A sword slammed into the ground between them.

Both Alex and Serana instinctively stepped back.

Serana glanced at the blade, then let out a soft chuckle. "Wow… looks like someone's a little jealous, haha."

Alex let out a long sigh, then pointed a finger toward Serana.

"Okay, lady… no more messing around, alright?"

Serana's lips curved into a faint, controlled smile, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes. She tilted her head slightly, a soft, amused breath slipping past her lips.

"Hehe… alright," she said lightly, raising one hand in a small, dismissive gesture. "I'm done joking."

She then folded her arms loosely across her chest, her posture relaxed but composed, as if reclaiming a bit of dignity after her earlier teasing.

"I can eat normal food just fine," she continued, her tone more even now. Her crimson eyes flicked briefly toward the ingredients near the fire. "And besides…" She paused, her chin lifting just a fraction. "…I'm not an ordinary vampire."

Astrid's eyebrow arched immediately, interest flashing across her face. She shifted her weight slightly, turning her body more toward Serana, her gaze sharp and inquisitive.

"Oh?" Astrid said, a hint of challenge in her voice. "Then what kind of vampire are you?"

Serana's eyes moved between the two of them. For a brief moment, the confidence in her expression faltered. Her fingers tightened slightly against her arm as she hesitated.

"I can't exactly say "

"Obviously," Alex cut in.

Both women turned toward him.

Alex didn't even look particularly serious he simply leaned back slightly, resting one arm casually on his knee, as if stating something obvious.

"She's one of the original vampires," he said calmly. "Or more precisely… a pure-blood. Someone closely tied to the gift of Molag Bal."

Serana froze.

Her eyes widened, the faint smile on her lips disappearing instantly. For a split second, she looked genuinely shaken caught completely off guard.

"…Wait," she said slowly, her voice tightening. "How do you know that?"

Inside his mind, Alex smirked. (Well… of course I know. Your lore practically gives it away In the game)

But outwardly, he only gave a small shrug, as if it were nothing.

"It's pretty simple," he replied casually. He lifted a hand slightly, gesturing toward her. "The way we freed you… that sealed structure, the mechanism it wasn't meant for just anyone."

His gaze briefly dropped to her back.

"And that Elder Scroll you're carrying," he added. "You're either an unusually powerful vampire… or someone whose blood is closest to the original line."

He glanced back up at her, expression calm.

"So yeah… it wasn't that hard to figure out."

Silence followed.

Serana stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes searching his face as if trying to find something hidden beneath his calm demeanor. Then, slowly, her shoulders lowered.

"…You're right," she admitted quietly.

Her gaze drifted downward, her fingers loosening slightly as if letting go of something she had been holding tightly.

"I'm one of the earliest vampires… one of the first, you could say."

Her voice softened, losing its earlier edge.

"This… gift," she continued, her eyes flickering briefly with something unreadable, "is a blessing from Molag Bal."

She paused.

The firelight flickered across her face, and for just a moment, a faint bitterness surfaced in her expression subtle, but undeniable.

"In exchange… you gain eternal life…"

Her lips pressed together slightly before she finished, her voice quieter now.

"…but the price is weakness under the light of the sun. small price to pay"

Alex sat near the campfire, one knee drawn up while the other leg stretched lazily across the ground. With a small stick in hand, he idly stirred the burning wood, nudging glowing embers aside as sparks drifted upward into the dim cavern air. The orange light flickered across his face, casting shifting shadows along his calm yet thoughtful expression.

"Wow…" he murmured, his voice low and almost absentminded. "Eternal life sounds more like a curse to me than a blessing."

Serana, who had been quietly watching the flames from across the fire, frowned slightly. Her brows drew together as she tilted her head, her crimson eyes narrowing just a little as she studied him.

"…What do you mean?" she asked, her tone carrying a mix of curiosity and faint skepticism.

Alex didn't look at her right away. Instead, he let out a slow breath, his gaze remaining fixed on the dancing flames as if searching for the right words within them. The firelight reflected in his eyes, giving them a distant, almost melancholic glint.

"What I mean is…" he began, his voice softer now, more deliberate, "if you live forever… you'll end up watching everyone around you anyone who isn't immortal fade away."

His hand paused mid-motion, the stick hovering just above the embers.

"One by one…" he continued quietly. "Until eventually… you're the only one left."

A brief silence followed, broken only by the faint crackling of the fire.

Serana's expression changed instantly. The earlier curiosity vanished, replaced by a swirl of confusion, unease, and growing irritation. Her lips parted slightly as if caught off guard, but then her brows furrowed deeper, and her eyes sharpened.

"Hah…?" she scoffed, sitting up straighter. "That's what you think?"

Her voice rose, edged with defiance as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"Of course I surround myself with vampires," she continued, her tone firm, almost defensive. "My family are vampires too. There's no way I'd lose them."

She lifted her chin slightly, as if reinforcing her own words.

"And even my partner would be a vampire."

For a moment, Alex was silent.

Then

"Hahaha!"

His laughter suddenly broke through the tense air, loud and unrestrained. He leaned back slightly, one hand resting on his knee as he shook his head, clearly amused.

"I'd like to see if you can still hold onto those words," he said, a faint grin lingering on his lips.

Serana's eyes narrowed sharply, irritation flashing across her face. Her jaw tightened, and for a brief second, it looked like she might argue further.

But instead

"...Tch."

She clicked her tongue softly, turning away from him.

Without another word, she stood up, her movements slightly sharper than before. She grabbed the remaining bedroll with a bit more force than necessary and dragged it across the stone floor, the rough sound echoing faintly through the cave as she placed it a short distance away from the warmth of the fire.

With her back now facing them, she laid down stiffly, pulling the edge of the bedroll over herself. Her shoulders remained tense, her posture rigid clearly choosing silence over continuing the conversation.

The flickering firelight danced across her figure… but she didn't look back.

Astrid looked at Alex, her brows knitting together as she folded her arms lightly across her chest. The firelight flickered across her face, highlighting the faint concern in her eyes.

"Don't you think you were a bit too harsh, Alex?" she asked, her tone softer than her expression suggested.

Alex slowly turned his head toward her. His face remained calm, but there was a firmness in his gaze that didn't waver. For a moment, he said nothing then he exhaled quietly through his nose.

"No," he replied, his voice steady. "I'm just stating the truth."

He shifted slightly, resting his forearms on his knees as he looked back into the fire, the orange glow reflecting in his eyes.

"The longer she delays realizing it… the more painful it'll be when she finally faces reality," he continued, his tone lowering, more thoughtful now. "At the very least, she should come to terms with it before it's too late… right?"

He paused briefly, his fingers loosely clasping together as if weighing his next words.

"And if she's lived for thousands of years and still hasn't realized that…" he added quietly, "then that just means she's been living in a kind of silent loneliness all this time."

His gaze softened just a fraction.

"I just hope… she actually thinks about it. You know?"

Astrid's expression eased. The tension in her shoulders melted slightly as she let out a soft breath. After a moment, she leaned her head gently against his shoulder, her body relaxing against him.

"But… you're right," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "If I had to watch you die first…"

Her fingers curled lightly against his sleeve.

"I think I'd lose a part of myself."

Alex immediately turned his hand over, gently taking hers in his. His grip was warm and reassuring, his thumb brushing softly against the back of her hand.

"I'll always be by your side, my love," he said gently.

A comfortable silence settled between them, filled only by the soft crackling of the fire.

Then suddenly, Alex blinked, as if remembering something.

"Ah right… is she not going to eat?"

Astrid lifted her head slightly, her gaze shifting toward Serana's figure lying farther away in the dim light. She watched her for a moment before answering.

"I'll try to persuade her to eat later," she said. "But if she's already asleep… just leave some jerky for her."

She glanced back at Alex.

"You still have some, don't you?"

Alex briefly focused inward, checking his system inventory. After a second, he gave a small nod.

"Yeah… I still have some."

Astrid let out a quiet sigh, her eyes softening as she looked back toward Serana again.

"From being annoyed with her…" she murmured, "…now I kind of feel sorry for her."

She leaned slightly closer to Alex again, her voice gentle.

"Maybe… I'll try being a little more gentle with her."

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