After Alucard made sure he looked dapper enough, he stepped out of his room to figure out where the dining room was.
It didn't take him long to realize that he wasn't in Gunlaug's castle anymore. Instead, he appeared to be inside a massive mansion hidden somewhere deep within the Dark City, far away from prying eyes.
Alucard could guess why.
He was a very valuable asset—something worth protecting at all costs.
As much as it irritated Alucard to think that he needed protection, especially in his weakest moment, it also brought him a strange sense of comfort.
It meant they valued him.
A raspy laugh echoed inside his mind.
"Awwww, did my little Allie-wallie grow a heart? Did he realize his friends actually care about him? How about we celebrate this beautiful realization by destroying my entire goddamn body again and forcing Gluttony to fix it like I'm some kind of—"
Alucard immediately muted Gluttony's crazed rambling before it could give him a full migraine, though not before a headache had already begun forming.
"Ah, damn it... oh well. It doesn't matter anyway. Food will solve this issue."
Alucard nodded to himself, clearly satisfied with that flawless logic. The thought of food quickly replaced the pain in his head as he walked over to one of the handmaidens and spoke in the most polite voice he could manage.
"Excuse me, madam, could you please lead me to the dining room? You see, I haven't eaten in days, and the parasite in my body is threatening to chew on my intestines if I don't feed him. Actually..."
He grabbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I think he already started eating my pancreas."
The poor handmaiden stared at him in complete shock, her mouth hanging open. However, she quickly recomposed herself, straightened her posture, and silently began leading him toward the dining room.
Meanwhile, Alucard followed behind her without a care in the world. Eventually, they arrived at the large doorway leading into the dining hall.
Alucard noticed that Seishan was the only one seated at the table, though several handmaidens stood around her. She gestured for him to sit directly across from her.
Taking the offer, Alucard pulled out his chair and sat down. His eyes immediately locked onto a bottle of alcohol sitting on the table. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and began drinking straight from the bottle.
"Damn... this is some weak alcohol. I'd need at least thirty bottles to get drunk."
Seishan fought a losing battle against a grin at his antics before eventually clearing her throat and asking him a question.
"I never thought of you as the drunkard type. What changed?"
Alucard shrugged before taking another swig straight from the bottle.
"I'm not exactly a drunkard. I just enjoy a good drink every once in a while, that's all."
Though amused by his behavior, Seishan had more important matters to discuss and couldn't allow herself to be distracted for too long.
"So, Al... I was wondering, what do you plan on doing once we return to the real world?"
Alucard thought for a moment before taking another long drink. When he answered, his voice sounded unusually dry.
"Eh... I'm not really sure. I'd probably visit my family and travel the Dream Realm for a while. I've always wanted to go sightseeing."
Seishan nodded, her expression calm and composed.
"Do you have any particular clan you wish to join?"
Alucard shrugged before taking another large chug from the bottle and tossing it aside.
"Not really. I'm not loyal to any clan, and I don't particularly care where I end up."
Seishan nodded before a small smirk formed on her face.
"Is that so? Then why don't you join Clan Song?"
Alucard returned her smirk.
"Ah, so that's where this was going. Sure, I could join Song... but what exactly will your clan offer me?"
Seishan's smirk faltered slightly after being immediately challenged, though she quickly recovered.
"Is joining a Great Clan not enough? That alone comes with many benefits."
Alucard casually waved her argument away.
"Sure... but what's stopping me from joining Valor? Or House of Night? I'd get all of those same benefits and potentially more. You're asking me to accept your offer without hearing anyone else's. That requires a little more persuasion."
Alucard gave her his signature devilish grin and waited for her reaction. Just as he expected, she hesitated for a brief moment.
"And what makes you think the Great Clans would fight over you?"
Alucard simply tilted his head.
"Well... isn't your Great Clan already fighting over me? Besides, I'm a very valuable asset. You of all people should understand why, Seishan."
Seishan's posture weakened for only a moment before she straightened herself once more. No matter what happened, Alucard was a once-in-a-generation talent. If cultivated properly, he would become an invaluable asset. He simply wasn't worth losing.
"So what do you want? Money? Fame? Power? Or are you one of those men who dreams of having a harem of beautiful women?"
Alucard pretended to think deeply about it before answering.
"As tempting as a harem sounds, it seems like way too much work. Definitely not for me. But I could take you up on your other offers tho."
Strangely, Seishan seemed pleased that he had rejected the idea of a harem. Was it because she knew he'd be executed for making such a request to a princess of Song? Or was it something else entirely?
Alucard wasn't sure.
What he did know however was that Seishan was doing exactly what he wanted her to.
"And just how would you like me to fulfill those offers?" she asked.
Alucard shrugged casually.
"I'm a simple man. Just a few hundred thousand credits every now and then, a nice home in Ravenheart to call my own, and maybe a few favors you could grant me in the future."
Seishan rested her head against her hand before giving him a devilish smirk of her own.
"How humble of you. Trying to rob my clan blind."
Her smile widened.
"But I'll make you a deal. If you manage to kill every other faction leader in the Forgotten Shore besides Nephis before dinner... I might consider your offer."
Alucard simply nodded before extending his hand toward her.
"Deal. Now how about we eat breakfast? I'm starving."