The calendar year on Mizgarz was called the Mizgarz Calendar, or MC for short. It did not actually count all the years Mizgarz had existed, but instead only started when humanity came together and started an era where they lived in joint harmony. Because of that, the Mizgarz Calendar was actually somewhat of a misnomer, and some brought up the desire to abolish it, all the more so because there were a small number of beings who had, in fact, existed for tens of thousands of years. Even setting aside the entire history of Mizgarz, the history of humanity was much longer than the existence of the Mizgarz Calendar, but it was a clear fact that the calendar was useful when discussing such things.
This even held true for Benetnasch, who would also have had great trouble remembering her birth year without it. Six hundred years ago, during the year 2400 MC, a calamitous child was born in the vampire kingdom Blikjandaböl, located on Éljúðnir, one of the four great continents of Mizgarz. She was royalty, counting the true ancestor and originator of all vampires, Vlad, as one of her direct forebears. Benetnasch was born between the head of the family and one of his many concubines. However, among her many half-siblings, her standing was far from the best. Still, she was undoubtedly royalty at least and was in the line for succession. Unfortunately, her mother was not that favored by her father, and so it would be faster to reach where she was in line by counting from the bottom rather than the top.
While she wasn’t abused, she also wasn’t loved. The environment she was born into was all too common for nobility and royalty, though still unfortunate. Still, Benetnasch was not disappointed. Rather, she did not care one bit about her parents or her siblings. After all, she never even saw them as the same species as herself.
“Too thin.”
That was what Benetnasch had felt ever since she was developed enough to understand what was happening around her. To her, everybody but her had one thing in common, regardless of race. Their magic is so thin, as is their existence. It’s as if they’re not there at all, at least in terms of strength.
Not even Benetnasch’s parents were exceptions. Am I really their child? Wasn’t I born to someone else? Everyone told her that she was actually their child, but Benetnasch couldn’t bring herself to believe them. For example, pretend there are two monkeys in front of you. Would you accept them as your parents? No, you wouldn’t. After all, they are of a completely different species. Benetnasch, at least, couldn’t help but feel like every other vampire was the same, a completely different species. Am I just being conceited? Is this feeling that I am somehow special just born from some sort of childish sense of self-worth? How nice it would be if that were true...
Members of vampire royalty were taught how to fight once they reached a certain age. Vampires were apex predators and hunters. That was why their rulers could not be weak; a certain amount of strength was needed for the position. Because of that, Benetnasch was going to be made to gain battle experience with monsters while learning how to hunt. That being the case, Benetnasch experienced her first joint hunt with her siblings at the age of ten.
The vampires’ country, like others, was situated in a place where monsters abounded once you left the city protected by walls and soldiers. While looking across the vast wildland that stretched off into the horizon, Benetnasch thought of something completely incongruous to the current mood.
“Hey, old-timer...” Benetnasch called out to her elder, who had served her family since ancient times.
“Yes? What is it, young miss?”
Her other siblings were all either filled with nerves, enthusiasm, or hesitation at their first hunt. Either way, they were a ways away from their normal states. Among them, only Benetnasch was calm, as if she were simply out taking a walk.
“If I remember correctly, you told me a story about my father before, didn’t you? About how he once killed a hundred monsters in a single hunting trip, wasn’t it?”
“I did. He truly looked like a king at that time. Your father was young then, and he stood on the bodies of a hundred monsters, dominating them as one of the strong.”
“I see.”
Benetnasch sunk into thought. Since this was to be her first hunt, she didn’t know the difference in strength between her and monsters, so she didn’t know exactly how great of an achievement that was. But for now, let’s try shooting for that number, she thought. Still, at least I know now. This strange feeling, the one that tells me that I am different from everybody else... It’s not just me being conceited.
Benetnasch leapt into action just as the signal to start sounded, and she headed in a vague direction where she felt there were monsterlike presences. Normally, she would be accompanied by a knight, so as to prevent fatalities among the royalty, but the knight that was assigned to Benetnasch was not fast enough to keep up with her. That’s disappointing... So they’re already unable to keep up after just a little bit of running? This was the first time Benetnasch had run with anything resembling her full speed, and she was utterly disappointed by the fact that she was able to so easily leave an adult behind. Hmm... As I thought. Maybe I really am different. Am I the strange one?
Benetnasch forced those doubts deep down, as she had already encountered her first monster. It was a wyvern that was covered in scales, and it was easily five times Benetnasch’s size. It had sharp fangs, vicious claws, and a large enough body that she nearly had to look straight up at it. All of those were oppressively intimidating, and anyone would be fearful at first glance.
However, Benetnasch was not afraid. She felt that the monster was no threat to her, surprising even herself. Maybe I’m just missing a sense of danger and fear... Benetnasch considered this silently. If that’s the case, then everything would just be me thinking too much into it.
As the wyvern roared, it swung down its claws.
See, it’s coming for me. Its arm alone is longer than I am tall, and it’s being swung towards me as it roars. I should be scared, shouldn’t I? This is a scary situation. But still... Why?
Benetnasch paused, thinking. Why does it just look like the noble but useless last struggle of a small animal?
Again, Benetnasch fell silent before musing, “So taking care of a hundred of something like this is considered amazing, huh...?”
Right at the moment, it seemed as if the wyvern’s claws would hit Benetnasch in the head. She used her small hand to grab the wyvern’s arm before then anchoring her other hand on the wyvern’s belly and proceeding to easily rip its arm off. Benetnasch ignored the screaming wyvern as she focused on its wound, where she saw the faint light of mana.
I see. So this is it. If I absorb this along with its blood, I can take in its strength. Having understood this, Benetnasch bit into the arm she’d ripped off, sucking in its blood along with its mana. It was the first time she’d sucked a monster’s blood, but surprisingly, she found herself not averse to it.
Just this isn’t enough for me to understand. I guess I’ll hunt a little more... After relieving the poor wyvern of its head, Benetnasch started looking for her next prey as she drank her first victim’s blood dry. All the while, she held onto the faint hope that somewhere along the way, she would hit a wall.