Chapter 7: Blood Tower (6)

After Tepes left, silence lingered in the Council chamber.

“What… what happened, Lord Vlad…?”

“Dmitri, sir…”

The silence was broken by the head elder, Dmitri.

Vlad, hearing his name, turned to him with a dazed expression.

“L-Lord Vlad… your face…?!”

“No, no, that’s not the issue! My hair! My hair!”

The other elders, trembling, pointed at Vlad’s head with shaking fingers.

His scalp, once a barren desert, was now… different.

His entire life, Vlad had drained and refilled his blood, neglected exercise, and devoted himself solely to magical research. He often skipped meals, and when he ate, it was greasy, unhealthy food.

They say the worse it is for you, the better it tastes.

As a blood mage under constant stress, eating was his only way to cope.

A poorly maintained body, crushed by overwhelming stress and overwork, constantly draining and refilling his own blood to study magic—how could he be healthy?

Baldness was only natural.

But…!

“My hair… my hair’s back!!”

His hair had undeniably grown back.

Hair he thought he’d never see again had boldly sprouted, reappearing in the world.

“Oh, ohh… ohhh…!!”

Vlad repeated a dazed, mechanical sound.

“What… what have I done…?”

Not only did she restore his dying body to health, but she also gave him practical advice to speak respectfully from now on.

And above all…

“Lord Tepes… she’s a god…!”

She brought back hair he thought was dead for good.

It was a miracle, like breathing life into a barren wasteland.

“Lord Tepes is a god, and I am invincible. The god within me is now Lord Tepes. She will soon save our tower…!!”

Forgetting his position, Vlad dropped to his knees, offering prayers.

Does he even realize?

The Tepes he’s praying to is a being who defies reason, transcending death itself.

“Ahem… cough…”

“Should I… speak rudely to her too…?”

The other elders, pretending otherwise, cast envious glances at Vlad.

“Hm.”

I did it in a fit of anger, but now that I think about it, pulling that stunt might’ve made becoming Tower Master a gamble.

‘Ugh…’

It wasn’t thoughtless.

They were clearly disrespecting me, and if I’d become Tower Master, they might’ve treated me as a mere mascot, a figurehead.

So I asserted dominance.

Plus, I deliberately used flashy, stylish blood manipulation to make myself seem like an indispensable talent.

Anyone would be suspicious in this situation.

The only ones who’ve seen my power are those two blood mages, so how could they offer me the Tower Master position so confidently, like they know my abilities?

‘It doesn’t add up.’

Elders of a tower should be cunning as snakes, so how could they trust something so obviously fishy?

If it was a losing deal for me, I could just wreck the place and leave, but even with my strength, I don’t want to walk into an obvious trap screaming “danger.”

It’s like walking down the street and seeing a pit full of sewage—would you step in it just because you can wash it off?

No.

You avoid shit because it’s gross, not because it’s scary.

No need to dive in.

‘They’ll probably make the offer again… so I should wait for now.’

It’s not certain, but seeing how these proud elders came begging, the Crimson Tower must desperately need a Tower Master.

Come to think of it, those blood mages who woke me said their reputation’s already hit rock bottom.

I’ve already thrown out the bait.

I manipulate blood like it’s second nature, but for blood mages who’ve built an entire academic discipline around it, I must look like a god.

No doubt they see me as someone they absolutely need.

“Ah… you’re here, Tower Master!”

The moment I stepped off the elevator, the man who’d been my guide called me that.

I haven’t even become Tower Master yet, so I considered correcting him but decided it wasn’t worth the hassle.

“I’ll show you to your room.”

I was planning to stay at the Crimson Tower to gather info anyway, so it’s nice they prepared a place without me asking.

“Lead the way.”

Might as well rest and sort out my thoughts.

“Then… rest well.”

The guide said that and closed the door.

Lazark, was it?

If I’m staying here and end up as Tower Master, I should probably memorize the names of the tower’s people.

Muttering Lazark’s name to myself, I looked around the room.

‘Whoa…’

The room was stunning.

‘Pretty fancy…’

Not the gaudy, jewel-encrusted kind of fancy, but a sleek, futuristic kind of elegance.

They said this was the best room in the tower…

‘Guess they took my warning seriously.’

I wasn’t too worried they’d kick me out, but if they did, I’d just head to the Green Tower.

If the tower’s mages tried to stop me, failing to break through would mean I don’t deserve to be called a Transcendent.

‘Now I’m curious about the other towers.’

If this is the best room the poorest tower can offer, I wonder what the top rooms in the wealthier towers are like.

Having lived in the mansion the Empire gave me, I thought I wouldn’t be impressed by much, but this was beyond my imagination.

“A TV…? Or something…?”

There was a device that looked like a TV, a plush-looking bed, and mysterious gadgets on the desk.

And…

“Whoa…”

A window with a clear view of the tower’s exterior.

I looked around, intrigued, and spotted a door leading elsewhere.

Looks like a shower room.

‘A shower…’

I’m not dirty—my body doesn’t even get dirty—so I didn’t need to wash.

But…

‘Might as well check it out…’

With this level of technology, maybe they’ve got something cool.

Like hot water the moment you turn the tap.

Just a thousand years ago—well, “just” sounds ridiculous now—you had to light a fire to heat water for a bath.

Humming with excitement, I stepped into the shower room.

“Whoa…”

I never thought I’d get to enjoy a shower this nice again.

Alright, I believe it—the Empire’s a backwater.

Sure, there’s the minor hiccup of being in a girl’s body now, but I’m not some foolish human lusting after my own form.

‘Though I don’t know why I’m wearing this gothic lolita outfit…’

I’m pretty sure I was in a suit and cape back then.

What happened in that thousand years of sleep to change not just my appearance but my clothes too?

Still, there’s no denying this body is stunningly beautiful and cute.

It’s not fully mature, still a bit baby-faced, but its charm is unreal.

“Ridiculous…”

Never mind why I’m in a girl’s body instead of a grown woman’s—thankfully, I’ve been keeping my parasol up to hide my face for the sake of maintaining my vibe.

Lying on the bed, I let out a deep sigh and muttered.

“So… what now?”

This is bad.

I’ve got nothing to do.

The greatest crisis of a True Ancestor’s life.

Looking around for something, my eyes landed on a device on the table.

“Huh?”

My eyes widened.

And for good reason—

“…A tablet?”

Even after all this time, it was an object so familiar it stood out.