I am a mindless machine.

"...Yes." The setting sun nodded, its face somber, without refutation. Because it was an undeniable fact...

"—However, your choice is not wrong."

"Huh...!?"

Looking at the bewildered and astonished expression on the setting sun's face, Yun You calmly repeated her words: "Your choice is not wrong."

Although everyone in this world would consider the girl's thoughts to be incredibly foolish—she wouldn't.

—Because fundamentally, she doesn't belong to this world.

Yun You knew she wasn't a good person, a fact she'd known since her past life, and she wasn't afraid to use any means necessary to achieve her goals. However, she still possessed normal human values; she understood that the world's current rules were distorted and unhealthy. She couldn't accept those rules and consider them normal simply because she had entered this world.

The reason humans have hearts is because they crave freedom. Physical freedom, mental freedom, freedom of choice—it's all the same... If we allow the world to dictate everything about us, and give up resistance to drift along with the tide, then what difference is there between humans and obedient machines?

Whether the sunset was wrong or not... in this flawed world, what is it if not to be the right person?

"Let's go."

Yunyou didn't explain, but instead pulled up the sunset that was still standing there, staring blankly at her, and walked out of the house.

Her prolonged silence just now wasn't due to daydreaming. Rather, she was calculating in her mind—where the most promising possibility lay.

And now, the results are in.

Once back on the street, Xiyang finally realized what was happening and asked somewhat flusteredly, "Huh...!? Lord Yu? Where are you planning to go when you said let's go?"

"Of course, it's where you lost your things."

"Huh!?"

So, amidst the startled cries of the setting sun, the two headed toward the most representative place in this area—the castle that had just appeared in the illusion, located in the central area.

...

...

"Stop! Who are you people?!"

Outside the castle, a man dressed as a guard stopped them. However, unlike traditional guards, he did not carry any weapons; instead, hard claws extended from his fingernails. He was a man who had drunk the blood of orcs, which greatly enhanced his senses and limb abilities, and he could also automatically generate weapons in his hands.

Besides being the residence of the Nicholas family, this castle also houses the core of a large-scale illusionary magic barrier that maintains the area. This barrier is a device that gathers the wandering spirits within the vampires of this region to unleash magic. It is a forbidden area requiring strict guard.

He first stopped the two who had suddenly appeared at the gate with his claws before he had a chance to examine them closely. The silver-haired girl in the lead stared at him expressionlessly, seemingly unperturbed by their trespassing on the city lord's territory; while the black-haired girl she was pulling looked around cautiously, and upon noticing his gaze, she trembled as if caught stealing. If her small hand hadn't been held tightly, she probably would have already run away...

"Hmm...? Who are you...?"

After sensing that the black-haired girl was somewhat familiar, the guard frowned and muttered a few words. Soon, as a senior guard of the Nicholas family, he quickly searched his memory bank and found the girl he hadn't seen for many years.

Recalling the embarrassment she caused the family at the banquet and the recent news of Lord Catron's death, the guard quickly concluded that Sunset was probably trying to shamelessly return because she had lost her source of free food and drink.

"What are you doing back now? You're no longer a member of the Nicholas family."

Seeing the malicious looks from her former family members, Xi Yang became even more timid. No matter how much she asked Yun You along the way, Yun You refused to tell her what she was there for. To avoid causing trouble, Xi Yang quickly tried to explain, "Um... I didn't mean to..."

Preconceived notions led the guard to ignore the girl beside him, and he adopted a mocking expression, ready to send this former young master away to fend for herself: "Did you think this place would still be like it used to be, where you...?"

"I need to see Lord Godorn. Could you please stop with the nonsense?" Yun You interrupted the guard's cold words with a calm expression, looking at the guard with her blood-red eyes: "If the lord blames me later, I will tell him the truth."

"Huh? Who do you think you are? Lord Godorn isn't someone you can just see whenever you want!"

The guard finally snapped out of his daze and looked at the girl who had spoken so recklessly with disdain. In his mind, this girl was definitely not someone of high status. After all, all the nobles knew of the existence of Sunset, a disgrace to the nobility, and treated her like a stranger. So, this girl was probably some ignorant and arrogant commoner, wasn't she?

"While I'm still in a relatively good mood, I advise you to leave here as soon as possible. Otherwise, I don't know what might happen..."

However, despite his contempt for Xiyang, he dared not make a move because of her past status. He simply planned to get rid of them as soon as possible to avoid trouble.

"Yeah?"

Before she could finish speaking, Yun You spoke again. She quietly explained the safe entry method she had devised.

"So, does that mean you intend to refuse entry to the first vampire to successfully absorb the blood of a Machine Clan?"

Chapter Thirty: Godorn Nicholas

The two followed behind the guards, walking down a spacious, opulent corridor. From the plush red carpet on the floor to the brightly lit crystal chandeliers hanging along the sides, every gesture exuded aristocratic elegance. It wasn't deliberately shabby, nor did it come across as ostentatious.

What's even more striking is the sheer number of airborne elves. This castle is home to the vampire elves of the entire region, who use it to power large-scale illusion magic. Any race that can see elves will be able to spot the dense, almost liquid-like elves and magical runes in the air. In this environment, any magic used will be significantly more effective.

After Yun You revealed her true identity, the guard who had been so arrogant just moments before immediately cowered. Although there was a possibility that the girl was deceiving him, when she swept her across him with her unwavering crimson eyes, he felt as if all his thoughts and even his very soul had been completely seen through by her, and he instinctively felt immense terror.

After receiving the leader's reply through the communication device, he acted like a little dog with its tail tucked in, not even daring to show any displeasure to Yun You, and led the two of them into the castle.

Walking down the corridor, Sunset's face held a mixture of nostalgia for her surroundings and overwhelming fear. She wasn't cowardly; she'd even dared to infiltrate the goblin factory alone when her energy was depleted. But the problem was, this was the core area of ​​Yelenochini, with thousands of vampires living outside. The level of danger was on a completely different level!

Fear stems from the unknown.

The setting sun couldn't comprehend what Yun You was thinking, using such a high-profile reason to enter. Yes, being the first vampire to drink the blood of a Machine Clan member was undoubtedly incredibly prestigious. Her information and combat power were highly anticipated, and she would certainly be treated as a VIP, possibly even receiving a significant promotion... but that's assuming her identity was genuine!

Xi Yang was certain that if Yun You's identity as a mecha was exposed, she would be arrested within a minute. This was not because she underestimated Yun You, but because she knew the town of Yelenochini too well.

This entire city (world) was constructed under the influence of illusionary magic. Just like how Sun Wukong, no matter how much he flipped and ran, was still trapped in the palm of the Buddha's hand and could never escape—Yun You was already under its spell the moment she entered this city.

Trying to break free from an illusion while trapped within it isn't just courting death, it's living in a dream—a dream from which you'll never wake up.

Just as Xiyang was racking his brains for an escape plan, even considering threatening suicide if things didn't work—though it probably wouldn't be effective—they finally arrived at their destination. Before them stood a massive door crafted from an unknown metal, adorned with intricate and ornate carvings, seemingly gathering surrounding magic to launch a defense the instant an attack was launched.

The guard, his face filled with reverence, knelt on one knee and shouted towards the iron gate, "Lord Godorn, I have brought the person!"

More than ten seconds passed after the words were spoken, but there was no response. Instead, the tightly closed door slowly opened inward, the dark door like a cold trap, swallowing the three people's vision, as if welcoming the guests.

"Let's go! Lord Godorn is inside!" The timid guard was clearly frightened by the strange situation, but in order not to lose his composure in front of his master, he still forced himself to say this to the two girls.

"........."

They went inside, the darkness seeming like a weightless veil, and once passed through, the view opened up dramatically. The first thing Yun You saw was a hall decorated even more imposingly than the outside, but before she could continue scanning...

The whole world began to collapse!

The entire castle shook violently, and the once exquisitely decorated ceiling cracked with spiderweb-like fissures before collapsing at a visible speed! The once abundant light flickered, the floor shattered, and the entire environment seemed to simultaneously let out a mournful wail for this unexpected disaster—it was a scene of apocalypse!

"W-What's going on?!" The first to cry out was Xiyang, who had been on edge all along. Seeing the massive boulder collapsing towards her from above, she, already on edge, immediately began to compose a defensive spell. But what filled her with despair was the restlessness of the spirits around her, agitated by the commotion. While she could still cast a spell, it was impossible to stop the first wave of the collapsing ceiling!

She wasn't worried about her own injury; she was afraid Yun You would intervene to protect her! If Yun You intervened, it would all be over! Her identity would be exposed instantly, leading to severe consequences. Being hit herself wasn't a big deal; she'd endured this level of injury many times this year. But she absolutely couldn't accept Yun You putting her in danger!

In a moment of desperation, Xiyang immediately turned her head towards the girl, intending to warn her not to attack. But she froze when she turned around. Compared to her situation, where she only had to face one boulder, Yunyou's side was completely blocked by four or more boulders, cutting off all her escape routes.

If you get hit in that situation...!

The setting sun felt its heart stop beating for a moment.

However, Yun You's unchanging, clear and cold voice suddenly rang out amidst the earth-shattering chaos.

"I say, Lord Godorn—isn't this kind of test a bit too much?"

It was this sentence that made Xiyang's anxious heart settle down again.

—And so, in an instant, the whole world was reshaped.

The ceiling, which had collapsed halfway, and the shattered, protruding floorboards, like actors finishing their performance, quickly returned to their original positions. The crystal chandelier, broken by the tremor, was also reassembled from countless fragments, its bright yet soft light once again illuminating the entire vast hall. The previously chaotic spirits also returned to calm—because they had been used up.

If one held absolute control in this central hub of the world, even a cataclysmic event could be accomplished in an instant. And within this castle, there was only one person who possessed both that power and the highest level of strength.

"Nice to meet you... Lord Godorn Nicholas. My name is Yunyou Ai Dievne."

Ignoring the guards who had fainted from the hallucination not far ahead, Yun You spoke in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, and at the same time, to show respect, she gave her full name.

"Are you called Yun You? Your reaction is quite good."

A powerful, middle-aged voice suddenly rang out.

Then, a scene appeared in what had seemed like an empty space. As if the frosted glass covering it had been removed, a middle-aged man with dark hair, a deep-set face, and an air of authority appeared on a throne. On the golden armrest sat a goblet filled with red liquid. Godorn picked up the goblet, took a few sips, and said with an admiring expression, "To be able to recover from such a world-level illusion, you possess extraordinary talent."

"You flatter me. I am not as talented as you say."

Yun You nodded, but her words were not flattery; they were the honest truth. It was because, as Godorn had claimed, she had not seen through the illusion.

Yun You had also been misled by the illusion, and hadn't immediately realized it was a trick. Even though she was constantly scanning her surroundings with the observational abilities of the Machine-Type Observer, she couldn't find any flaws; it was practically flawless. So, she had just used an unconventional method to break the test.

In an instant, the machine-like mind listed countless hypotheses and proofs that this place (the core area of ​​the vampires) could not have been attacked. Only after understanding this did she deduce from the answer who would have been capable of creating such a scene, and thus draw her conclusion.

"Heh, no need to be so modest. I'm always magnanimous towards rare talents. Just relax and talk to me normally, don't worry about my status." Godorn chuckled, his high regard for Yun You unchanged. Regardless of the method used, as long as the result is achieved, it's a success.

"Alright, let's get straight to the point. You brought that guy to my castle... what do you want?"

Chapter Thirty-One: A "Well-thought-out" Request

"Alright, let's get straight to the point. You brought that guy to my castle... what do you want?"

Godorn wasn't unaware of the vampire girl who was trying her best to shrink herself away and minimize her presence with a fearful expression. He simply didn't care. Just as the man himself said, he showed great tolerance towards rare talents.

As the patriarch of the Nicholas family, a vampire noble selected from among thousands, and one of the key decision-makers responsible for the survival of the entire race, he was well aware of how precious talent was in such a great war—extremely outstanding individuals could even directly change the entire race, just like the first patriarch of the Nicholas family—Dracula Nicholas.

The entire concept, principles, and actual construction of Yelenochini (the City of No Sun) were conceived, based on, and built by the patriarch alone, who united all the scattered vampires and constructed it in a semi-forceful manner. This feat directly changed the situation at the time, where vampires had to flee from sunlight all over the world. Moreover, he created a series of spells that could adapt to various environmental conditions and compiled a codex of illusion magic, which is still the best introductory textbook for vampires today—he is a supreme genius in the history of vampires, so dazzling that it is difficult for anyone to even think of catching up.

And that girl... her own daughter, displayed qualities remarkably similar to that prodigy even at a young age. Her unique understanding of illusion magic, her creativity in crafting new spells in mere seconds, and her ability to break through the illusions of high-ranking vampires despite her young age—all were strikingly similar to that legendary ancestor.

However... this girl with such qualities also has such an incorrigible personality.

What could be more infuriating than a talented person refusing to put in the effort? Especially since I've given her chances time and again. Yet she continues to wallow in self-pity. She even showed signs of panic during the recent trial... With her talent, even if all the world's spirits were disturbed, she should have quickly grasped her situation after a moment's hesitation, given her seemingly unreasonable talent. It seems her strength has actually declined over the years.

Conversely, he felt a deep loathing for Xiyang, his daughter who had utterly disappointed him. So much so that he didn't even want to mention her name, preferring to refer to her only by terms like "that girl."

Looking at Godorn, who was leaning back on the throne with an air of ease, Yunyou silently and quickly calculated in her mind what she should do to guide things to the result she wanted most.

This man... is very difficult to deal with. He wasn't able to hold this position by simply relying on his ancestors' prestige; he has genuine ability.

Yun You reached this conclusion almost instantly. From the moment he entered, under the guise of a trial, Yun You had been trying to dampen his arrogance after achieving a great feat. Or now, Yun You's questioning technique of feigning retreat—seemingly giving him enough attention and encouraging him to make his own demands, but actually subtly telling him that he was the one who was giving. If Yun You simply went along with his words, then the initiative and pace of the entire conversation would fall completely into his hands.

However, even if I understood this, combined with the power he had just displayed, it was undoubtedly a warning against being too arrogant... so I could only go along with what he said. This was an unavoidable, overt scheme.

Even so, Yun You still didn't choose to get straight to the point. Instead, she said in a calm tone, "You should know the reason I came in, right?" It was important to strike the right balance here.

"Oh? You mean the first vampire to have absorbed the blood of a Machine Clan?"

Leaning back on his throne, Gordon smiled with interest. He was aware of the matter, of course, but now he was more interested in Yun You's talent. However, this matter couldn't be taken lightly, as it was the first time such an event had occurred. It was important data.

He squinted as he scanned Yun You, a complex pattern flashing in his purplish-red eyes, which resembled the setting sun.

Yun You felt an uncomfortable sensation, as if all her privacy had been laid bare. She understood that this was the result of Godorn using the elves in the hall to conduct a full-body examination on her. In this environment where the elves were so densely packed that they seemed to fill water, Godorn, with his authority, could easily deceive even the Winged Ones.