"Here's your ID scum." The lady scoffed glancing at the boy with visible disdain.
Who wouldn't? Everyone knew Vesper. He was famous. Public enemy number 1. It was a surprise that he wasn't in jail… yet.
The masses praised the royal family's mercy for their decision of legality and while the popularity of Bloodvaine had taken a hit… their propaganda was already beginning to work.
The Bloodvaine's decision to kick Vesper was widely celebrated. One of the factors that granted brownie points to them.
After all without the support of the Bloodvaine… how was Vesper's trial really going to succeed in the Imperial Court?
Nobody would be willingly ready to support Vesper's argument against the Royal Family.
Who in their right mind would?? It was the Imperial Court, the Septécoursin. Literally owned by the Ducal Families… the Supreme Justice being the Emperor himself.
'Well… It's the Royal Family's sovereign power and the Bloodvaine's influence that at least lets me walk freely for now…'
Vesper sighed as he gazed across the hall, most of the people were either avoiding him or whispering to themselves while glaring at the boy.
'What happened to Audi Alteram Partem. I have been judged before the trial has even begun.'
Honestly, Vesper himself had no idea if he had done what he did or not. It was his word… a banished against a royal princess.
The young vampire was sure that there would be innumerable fanatics of the royal family who would attempt to assassinate him in the coming days.
'That along with public humiliation. It's definitely coming.'
"Thanks… uhh…" Vesper quickly read her nametag and added a wink… "Amanda.."
Amanda's face visibly contorted into disgust, hiding her chest and taking a scoot back.
"Ew! Scum get lost…"
Vesper shrugged, and he walked away from the academy's Infotech Sector 16 office.
He glanced at the ring in his hand. The First Year Identification Card. A beautiful piece of technology.
It was simple. Black in color… made of a special alloy called Rocky Water… harvested from the depths of the moon- Leenbrus… a celestial satellite from the Xi Ducal Family's solar system.
'The Xi Ducal Family… or should I say… what's left of them. I wonder what that girl Xi Evira possesses that Lysbelle desires so badly.'
"Heh…" Vesper released a soft chuckle. "I'll find out soon enough."
For the rest of the journey back to his dorm room, Vesper carried a small scarf wrapped around his head.
'It's easier this way.' Safer. Even if it was pretend.
While entering the dorm room, Vesper made sure to avoid any of his classmates who would be around hanging out.
Though the dorm seemed precariously empty.
'They must have all gone to the opening ceremony.' The boy mused while the door scanned his ID card.
With a small low-pitched sound, the door to the room flickered away, the young vamp took a small step inside and the lights flashed… brightening the dark room.
A feminine mechanical voice sounded, [Welcome Back Cadet- Vesper Bloodvaine.]
Vesper stretched his arms and legs. The sound of the artificial intelligence comforted his soul.
'Now that's the voice of someone who hasn't judged me.'
What an irony. In his previous life, Vesper fought against technology and today the same gave him solace.
'The room is large…' The silver-haired boy observed his dorm room. It was indeed quite grandiose.
Everything at Troy was. The most pristine and elite academy to exist didn't do things by halves.
Its graduates weren't like other folks…they were a special class called 'Heroes'. Standing at the top of the hierarchy… especially the military.
'Expected from Troy.'
Humanity was still at war. It was a Cold War.
The Second Pandemonium may have ended but it wouldn't be long before the third would begin.
Maybe in the next hundred years, a few decades, or maybe even tomorrow. There was no saying.
'I don't think it may be too long. Lysbelle did approach me. Directly in the core human territory. One of the most protected.'
Vesper wondered to himself while sitting on his bed and scrolling through Holo Feed.
[BLOODVAINE SCANDAL: Empire's Mercy or Justice Denied?]
The boy stared at the holographic headline that depicted a scene of him getting Will Smithed by his family members.
"Yeah…. Fuck this."
He quietly exited the feed and stared at his ring.
"Status."
In the corner of his eyes, an almost invisible transparent light flashed. It wasn't a technological status screen but rather a mix of the former and the ring's properties.
The screen floated like water in his vision while showing him his holographic supernatural index.
[Official Cadet Metrics: Vesper Bloodvaine.
Physical Prowess: B+
Cognitive Acuity: B
Hematological Profile: Stable (Minor Anemia Noted)
Neural Sync Coefficient: 0.89]
"It doesn't seem like the academy's updated my profile yet. No wonder the AI called me by Bloodvaine."
Now that he was an entirely different species, an enemy of humanity and a predator of its nature… everything should change.
'Well, it's a good thing. If the ring recognized that I am a Vamp… I'd be flagged immediately and executed.'
Fortunately, the infotech that the first years had access to was low-grade in nature. There weren't many stats it could show.
However, that was simply the technological innovation of humans upon the properties of Rocky Water.
It only showed what it mechanically could for the human eyes.
Vesper took a deep breath in… letting the air travel throughout his veins where once blood flowed.
Then he focused. Not with his eyes but the part of him that was now merged with the very nature of the dark.
The nature that could hear heartbeats miles away and distinguish between them.
He let his vampiric perception press against the surface of the invisible water.
Then he opened his eyes. Immediately he could see what he previously could not.
Underneath the blue texts, Vesper could see atoms that pulsated with energy… below the barriers of technology… into the very source of Rocky Water.
His eyes glowed crimson as a pang of pain suddenly began in his face.
"Ugh…"
He cried softly. The atoms materialised into a different language… one that he could decipher.
[Physical Prowess: A+ (Still growing in real time)
Cognitive Acuity: S (Still growing in real time)
Hematological Profile: Dead.
Neural Sync Coefficient: 1.2 (Still growing in real time)
Solar Photon Tolerance: High
Sire Bond Resonance: High
Primary Vector: Pureblood]