Sai frowned as he recalled the incident, suspicion creeping into his mind. He began to question the guild receptionist or the vampires, but he couldn't shake off his doubts. However, he quickly dismissed the possibility of the two dukes being involved—there was nothing for them to gain from the death of a mere guildmaster who held no value to them.

  Meanwhile, the stalker trailing Tom, alias Sai, was deep in thought. Where had he gone? She had followed him out of curiosity, wondering why the bartender gave a slip. She had carefully tailed the man, yet somehow, he had either discovered her presence or something else had happened.

  The next day, she visited the guild, quietly observing those inside. When her eyes landed on the man she had followed, she found him looking completely ordinary—except for his striking red eyes, which gave off an unsettling vibe. As their gazes met, he acknowledged her with a slight nod before resuming his conversation with the other adventurers.

  While talking to the other adventurers, Sai suddenly felt a gaze on him. Turning his head, his eyes met those of a stunning woman who was observing him. He didn’t immediately connect her to the stalker from the previous night and simply gave a brief nod before returning to his conversation.

  The group soon accepted a quest to hunt down a wolf-type monster terrorizing a village. The reward was generous, so they decided to take it. However, as they prepared to set off, Sai couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.

  No matter where he went, he could sense the woman’s eyes on him. It was as if she was watching his every move. Each time he tried to catch her staring, she would quickly avert her gaze. The persistent observation made him restless.

  Finally, making an excuse to step away from the group, Sai approached the woman when no one else was around. Fixing his gaze on her, he asked in a calm but firm voice, "Why are you stalking me?"

  The woman panicked, quickly looking around to see if anyone else was nearby. Seeing no one, she hastily denied, "No! I'm not stalking you!"

  Sai, carefully observing her, sensed no hostility—only confusion and fear. She was just flustered, nothing more.

  Narrowing his eyes, he spoke in a cold tone, "If you keep following me, I'll report you for stalking with bad intentions."

  Her face went pale. Panic settled in as she realized how serious he was. She wasn’t strong—just an average adventurer at the lowest rank. If he really reported her, it could cause trouble for her.

  Sai, still not sensing any danger from her, hesitated for a moment. Was she really just curious? Or was there something more to this?

  Letting out a small sigh, he decided to calm her down. "I won’t report you. But tell me—why are you following me?"

  She hesitated, glancing away before finally speaking. "Yesterday, at the bar… I saw the bartender slip you something. It caught my attention, so I decided to follow you. But then… you disappeared."

  Hearing this, Sai's expression remained neutral, but his mind was racing. So she was the one watching me that night.

  The woman crossed her arms, studying him cautiously. "I thought you were dangerous… but after seeing you now, I’m starting to think."

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  Sai was speechless. No one in the bar seemed to notice anything strange, yet she did? He found it surprising. Is this some kind of talent?

  Sai kept his expression neutral and responded calmly, "You have sharp instincts. Not many would have noticed what you did. It’s a good talent."

  The woman blinked in surprise at the unexpected praise.

  "But," Sai continued, his tone firm, "curiosity can be dangerous. Don’t get involved in things that might bring you trouble."

  She hesitated for a moment before nodding. Sai gave her one last glance before turning away. "Use your talent wisely," he added over his shoulder before walking back to his group.

  The woman remained in place, watching him leave. Though she still felt there was something unusual about him, she chose not to push any further—for now.

  Sai walked back to the group, his mind already shifting focus. The mission wasn’t just about hunting a wolf—something bigger was at play. He had a feeling this was merely a facade, and the real issue was connected to the vampires.

  That made this quest important.

  As for the adventurers, they had invited him to join them, and since it aligned with his own goals, he accepted. With that, the group set off, unaware of the deeper mysteries that lay ahead.

  The group traveled for two days before finally reaching the village. As they arrived, the village head greeted them with a weary but relieved expression.

  "Thank the heavens you've come," he said, his voice carrying the weight of worry. "The wolf attacks have been relentless, but… that's not the worst of it."

  His expression darkened as he lowered his voice. "Some villagers weren’t just killed—they were found completely drained of blood."

  Sai’s eyes narrowed slightly. As I suspected… this isn’t just about wolves.

  The group exchanged uneasy glances as the village head spoke, his voice heavy with concern. "The wolf attacks have been relentless, but that’s not the worst of it. Some villagers weren’t just killed—they were found completely drained of blood." Sai’s eyes narrowed slightly. As I suspected… this isn’t just about wolves. One of the adventurers muttered, "Wolves don’t drain blood." The village head nodded grimly. "Exactly. That’s why I fear something far worse is at play." Sai remained composed, but his mind was already working through the possibilities. A wolf attack as a cover, villagers drained of blood… vampires are definitely involved.

  "When did these attacks start?" he asked. The village head hesitated before answering. "Roughly two weeks ago. It started with missing livestock, then escalated to people disappearing. Those we found…" He took a deep breath. "Their bodies were cold, pale… completely lifeless." The adventurers shifted uncomfortably, but Sai remained unfazed. "Where were the bodies found?" he questioned. The village head pointed toward the dense forest beyond the village. "Near the old ruins deep in the woods. We don’t go there anymore—it’s cursed." Sai’s fingers twitched slightly. A cursed ruin? This just keeps getting more interesting. One of the adventurers tried to sound confident. "We’ll investigate." Sai simply nodded, already making his own plans. If vampires are involved, I need to be ready for anything.

  Sai and the rest of the adventurers gathered to discuss their next move. Some objected, wanting to leave, while others taunted them as cowards. Sai, deep in thought, remained silent.

  His transformation had changed him in ways he couldn't fully grasp. Though his bloodline remained human, his race was no longer the same—he had confirmed that much. Now, standing before this cursed ruin, he would finally uncover what the vampires were after… and how his new body might play a role in it.