"Like I said, it's not that I don't believe you, it's that I don't understand these so-called 'Vampires'.
You keep repeating the word 'Vampire', but it still doesn't make sense.
...I know that you're not human. That I'm confident of.
But even so, I can't bring myself to recognize that these vampires exist."
"I guess I see where you're coming from.
After all, the vampires that you imagine are completely different from the ones I'm talking about."
"...Yeah. That's exactly what I mean.
Rather than me questioning whether vampires really exist or not, it's more that I can't comprehend that this is their true nature.
Even the traditional type you talked about makes me feel hopeless. I don't even know the difference between you and them."
...That's right.
Without knowing how she's different, I shouldn't talk with her any more than I already have. I can't continue to blindly trust her.
I mean, there is a possibility that this person is even more dangerous than that Castle Lord vampire.
"I see... I guess that makes sense from a human's perspective.
They'd both look equally dangerous if you can't tell the difference."
"In that case, allow me to introduce you to yet another special lesson!
This time, we'll cover Vampires 101: Fundamentals!"
Arcueid is proudly holding her finger aloft.
"...I'm okay with that. But what the hell do you mean by 'Vampires 101'?"
"You're still a novice after all, so we'll have to start with the things even a kitten could understand, wouldn't you agree?
That's why it's called 'Vampire fundamentals'. Don't worry, as your senpai I'll be sure to teach you properly."
Who are you calling senpai? ...And besides, you already started explaining the fundamentals. This woman...
"...Hah. Fine. At the very least, try to keep it short, alright?"
"Leave it to me. I'll do my best."
I find it hard to believe an answer like that.
I already said something like this earlier, but it seems that Arcueid is not used to having conversations.
...Well, she does call herself a vampire, so maybe she's never had a chance to talk to a human before.
I look at my watch and see that it's just before midnight.
I'm surprised that it has already been that long but, fortunately, I have plenty of time.
"First, let's divide them into different types.
Although they're all generally referred to as vampires, they can broadly be categorized into two groups."
"Those that were vampires originally and those that were turned into vampires.
The former are known as True Ancestors and the latter are called Dead Apostles."
"The ones that you people call vampires would be Dead Apostles.
The explanation about the hierarchy earlier was also about the ecology of Dead Apostles. They suck the blood of humans, make servants of them, are weak to sunlight, and are defeated when confronted with a baptismal ritual.
Our enemy is also a vampire that would be classified as a Dead Apostle."
At some point, her phrasing changed from 'my enemy' to 'our enemy'. I wanted to point this out, but under the circumstances it's not wrong, so I'll let it slide.
"...Hmm. You said that Dead Apostles weren't vampires from the beginning, what did you mean by that?"
"Dead Apostles are originally things like humans, animals and anything else that weren't vampires from the start.
Some are immortalized by magecraft, while others have their blood sucked and become servants.
Well, in either case, the result is basically the same.
Those who become vampires gain an imperfect but immortal body and are removed from the human category."
"......"
So there are two types of vampires: the True Ancestors, who were vampires from the beginning,
and Dead Apostles, who were turned from humans to vampires.
...But something's off.
I feel like there is a discrepancy or a structural inconsistency in what she said.
"Hey, Shiki. How much do you know about the characteristics of vampires?"
"I only know the basics.
The common image of vampires is that they suck the blood of virgins, paralyze others with just a stare, turn themselves into mist, or transform into wolves... This is all just based on stuff that I've heard."
"Yes, everything you said is pretty much right.
The reason why they suck the blood of virgins is because their blood, which has not been exchanged with other humans yet, is suitable for replenishing their genes. The main difference is that it is more nutritious compared to regular blood."
"Dead Apostles―――those who turned into vampires―――are imperfectly immortal. It is true that as an immortal, they have transformed into a life form with dynamic cells that are difficult to kill.
However, just like a burning flame, they must constantly replenish their energy or else they will be extinguished."
"All living things need nourishment in order to function, right? It's the same thing. The only difference is that so long as they continue to consume blood, a vampire's lifespan has no limit."
"Dead Apostles, or those that have turned into vampires, suck blood because they need it to survive.
They were originally human, so it's impossible for them to have an immortal body."
"The longer they live, and the more power they gain, the less the genes that make up their own bodies are able to bear the build-up of atoms. If they don't continue to increase their strength, they will collapse, but if they increase their strength too much, they will not be able to maintain their own shape."//Sentence makes no sense in JP either, don't worry.
"So what do they do to make up for it?
It's simple. As their own genes become corrupted, they take in the normal ones from elsewhere to supplement the ones that are lost."
"The same way that humans prefer organic compounds in their diet.
Vampires gather both that normal genetic information and calories from blood. The soul's calorific value, if you will."
"In other words, they fix their own bodies by sucking human blood and taking in their genetic information.
For the Dead Apostles, sucking blood is not only a way to feed and pool their power, but it's also essential for their continued existence."
"......"
How complicated. Not to mention long.
Despite the fact that I am barely keeping up with these explanations, Arcueid continues to plow on without a care.