“OUR species is on the verge of extinction,” Subaru slowly explained, sitting back into his chair.
“Vampires are?” Azusa asked.
“Yes. Although, it’s not like it’s going to happen in the next year or two. But our numbers are gradually decreasing. I guess you could say the main cause is crossbreeding with humans too much. The bloodline has grown too thin.”
“What happens when it grows thin? Will you eventually become normal humans or something like that?”
Subaru quietly shook his head. “Even if our vampiric blood weakens, our bodies are still that of a vampire. We won’t become human. We were never human to start with. Those from a weak bloodline turn into nothing more than bloodsucking monsters who lose all sense of reason and act only on instinct. We call those monsters Fs and make our rounds to dispose of them. As such, our numbers are decreasing with every year.”
Subaru looked down sorrowfully, giving the impression he witnessed more than one Fs’ disposal. “…So then we started to think: is there anything we can do to become human?”
“Become human? Can you do that?”
“We have yet to discover any means to turn a vampire into a human. Despite the fact we don’t differ much from humans on a genetic level, we can’t pass the barrier into humanity. And while we were waiting to see where that research would take us, the Blues went ahead and started researching the complete opposite thing.”
“Blues?” Azusa cocked her head in puzzlement. She could have sworn she heard him mention them earlier too.
“Oh, I forgot to explain,” he quickly switched topics, “We actually aren’t a united front or species either. There are three races among vampires, which correspond to our red, blue, and yellow eye color. The Red Coven is a moderate faction that wants to have friendly relations with humans. The Blue Coven is an aggressive faction that is antagonistic toward humans. And the Yellow Coven is neutral. It doesn’t really matter to normal vampires, but the nobles and leaders are in a three-way struggle. On another note, I think you should have noticed already, but we’re the Red Coven. The moderate, human-friendly faction.”
“So the people from the Blue Coven conducted a different research in secret from the Red Coven?”
“Yup. They conducted research to revive the Ancient without permission. The Ancient is the strongest vampire the rest of us are descended from… And you are the successful result of their experiments, Azusa.”
“What?” Azusa’s mind drew a blank.
What the heck did Subaru just say? The successful result of their experiments? I am? That’s what he said? He said that, didn’t he? But I’m just a normal high school girl! I believe I am a 100% pure human born between a human father and human mother! In the first place, I don’t even want blood! I have never wanted to drink blood!
“…I believe you have the wrong person,” she hoarsely squeezed out after a pause.
Subaru answered with a sympathetic smile. “Hm, we also wish that were true, but… Can you explain the rest for yourself, dad? Or should I say, Mister Shinji Saito?”
Subaru turned the conversation over to Azusa’s father. She heard her father gasp beside her when their eyes met.
“Azusa…I created you. At the Blue’s research laboratory the vampires borrowed Yayoi’s power to recreate the Ancient’s blood, because recreating the body wasn’t possible.”
“By Yayoi you mean...Mom? You’re talking about Mom, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I am. Yayoi was one of the women kidnapped by the Blue Coven.”
“…!” Azusa was speechless. Her heart was pounding in her ears. Her father continued speaking before her mind could catch up.
“I actually didn’t know about the research until it was in the final stages. I wasn’t of a particularly high position within the laboratory at the time—I was just a man who loved genetics. I had overheard one of the teams was involved in an experiment to revive the Ancient one, but I wrote it off as having nothing to do with me. I also predicted their methods wouldn’t succeed.” His clenched fists trembled as he spoke. She could only watch him in silence.
“And then the experiment failed as I thought it would. That’s when one of the men helping with my research asked if I wanted to take part in the next experiment. I used all my knowledge to tell him how I would have done things differently. I detailed how I would have prevented their failure and what the best methods would be. It was just a simple chat to me at the time. But six months later the man brought Yayoi to me—she was pregnant with the child who was to become the Ancient.”
“……”
“I escaped from the laboratory with Yayoi after that. I had no idea when the Blues would come to take Yayoi and the child she carried away, so we moved from place to place. You were born several months later, Azusa.”
Azusa couldn’t see her father’s expression with the way he hung his head. But his trembling shoulders spoke of what he endured. His reaction revealed his words weren’t a lie.
“…But…but I’m not a vampire! I don’t want blood!”
She wanted him to deny it. She wanted him to say that she was his daughter born between him and her mother, and not some artificial life created in a test-tube experiment. She grabbed her father’s arm. He placed his hand on top of hers. The gentle, large hand that had always been there to support her frightened her.
“Your body is human. I only reproduced the blood. As such, you won’t desire blood nor require it to survive.”
That’s not what I want to hear you say. What I want you to say is—
“Was I…was I…ever a daughter to you, Dad?”
“…!”
Azusa heard her father’s shocked gasp. That was enough for her. He didn’t immediately affirm what she said. In other words, the man she believed was her father until this day apparently never thought of her as a daughter.
“…I understand,” Azusa said in a resigned tone.
“Azusa!” Her father, Shinji, grabbed her shoulders in a panic.
“I take it that was good enough proof for you?” Subaru interjected, softly removing Shinji’s hands from her. “I believe I explained enough for you to understand that your kidnapping was instigated by the Blue Coven. And they will come for you again. We can’t have you fall into the Blue’s hands and risk strengthening their forces. So why don’t you stay at this mansion for a while? I promise we will provide you with everything you need.”
“…What happens if I say no?”
“We were given orders to stop you from leaving with force. I don’t want to do that, so I sure hope you won’t say no.”
It was his roundabout way of saying this was not a request. Azusa could only nod once she understood.