Returning to my castle, I immediately went to the altar. Using the altar, I tracked down people with Dracula's blood in their veins to increase the purity of my own blood and become stronger both physically and magically. After devouring Dracula himself, I don't know how strong I am. I have no idea at all. The legends I found in human churches said: «Humans couldn't defeat Dracula, so God himself came down from heaven to give them hope.»
I don't understand how I was able to kill him. Or rather, I don't understand why he let himself be killed. I doubt I could have defeated him in a fair fight. If the lines in those scriptures are true, I'm not arrogant enough to claim that victory as my own.
But I digressed. Reaching the altar, I pulled out a vial of black blood and dripped a small amount onto the altar. The altar flared up with blood-red runes as usual, and a bloody mist began to move from it.
«So my path lies to the north». — I said thoughtfully, leaving my castle following the bloody mist.
Nodding to myself, I returned to the castle to prepare for the journey. I gathered a couple of vials of blood and resources to build the red portal in my castle. I also took resources to create a small room four by four. After collecting the necessary resources, I thoughtfully looked at my armor.
«I need to fix it and wash off the dried blood», — with these words, I headed to the forge. I only came out after ten hours, pleased with myself, and the repaired armor shone in the rays of the sunset.
And I set off. I crossed these seemingly endless jungles, constantly encountering creatures unknown to me or quite similar ones. And then, after just 34 hours on foot, I came across… came across…
«What are you? Are you slime? Do you have intelligence? Are you my enemy?» — I spoke curiously to a lump… uh, mineral slime?
«Rimuru, is that you?» — this question was too much for the mineral slime, and a spike rushed towards my head. I calmly moved my head out of the attack's trajectory.
«Got it, not Rimuru. And you have character, don't you? Want to come with me?» — I continued to speak curiously. I doubted that the slime would understand me, but you never know?
To my surprise, the slime stopped attacking me. I put it back on the ground and moved ten meters away from it, observing it curiously. To my amazement, the slime followed me. After circling around me, it stopped and waited.
«Alright. You are my first comrade in arms in this world! And I bestow upon you the name — Serdolica. This name comes from a red-brown stone similar to cornelian berries. It symbolizes energy and vital force. Remember it!» — to which I saw Serdolica jumping around.
«Probably that's how you agree, huh?» — I said thoughtfully, then picked her up and placed her on my shoulder. Thanks to the shoulder pad of my armor, she wouldn't fall off.
«Alright, my first comrade! Let's go!»
And so we set off together! It was quite an interesting experience, as it was the first time I was traveling with someone. Even though Serdolica couldn't engage in dialogue with me, she was an excellent listener! She only tried to pierce my head with her spike a couple of times when I talked too much!
During our journey, we encountered all sorts of animals, even Serdolica's brethren. While ordinary animals practically ran away from me immediately, sensing with their instincts that a predator was approaching, the animals with crystal growths completely ignored me. I could approach them very closely, and they wouldn't even pay attention to me, unless, of course, I started poking them with a sword or trying to pick them up. Then some deer might kick me in the face again.
«Don't laugh, Serdolica! I can feel that you're laughing!» — I shouted at her, rubbing my forehead.
It wasn't that I was in pain, rather it was unpleasant. In fact, I didn't feel anything except disappointment that I hadn't been able to ride the deer.
But I still didn't understand why the animals with crystals on their bodies didn't consider me an enemy, while their "pure-blooded" counterparts ran away headlong, sometimes even jumping into ravines just to avoid seeing me. I checked.
To be fair, not all animals with crystals on their bodies were friendly towards me. Tigers immediately attacked me, as did crocodiles and panthers. I would have added a huge gorilla to the list, but it attacked me because of its pack.
And while killing them, I noticed an unexpected development. Serdolica didn't mind feasting on meat. Meat with these strange crystals. She ignored ordinary animals, but devoured her own kind with particular zeal. At this, I dryly laughed.
«Apparently, our meeting wasn't accidental, was it?» — a vampire who devoured his own kind, and a slime that devoured its own. What irony.
I fell silent, watching as Serdolica desperately devoured her kin.
«No, you're more like a reflection of my past. When I had no choice. When they wanted to decide my fate for me». — I fell silent again, then walked up to Serdolica and lifted her into the air. She resisted, releasing her spikes in an attempt to pierce me, but I continued to look at her. Then I hugged her.
«Don't. I understand that you probably won't understand me, but don't go down that path. Don't feed the pride of the creatures who created you. Don't follow the path they wrote. Don't flatter the pride of the bastard who calls himself God». — I stood like that for a couple of hours until Serdolica stopped trying to pierce me with her spikes. She alternately shrank and swelled up, as if with anger, at which I smirked and placed her on my shoulder.
«Don't be upset, my friend. The first steps on the path of contradiction are always difficult». — at which she shrank and swelled again, expressing her displeasure, at which I quietly laughed and continued on my way.