The Extra Wants Control

Chapter 116: Talk 3

Valeriana sank back into her ice chair, the weight of the newly revealed memories pressing down on her. "This… this changes everything," she finally managed, her voice trembling slightly. "The situation just got a whole lot more complicated."

Verona, ever the pragmatist, remained stoic. "Complicated, yes," she conceded, "but not impossible. We just need to adjust the strategy."

Valeriana's gaze flicked towards Neveah, who stood silently observing the exchange. "Did you see it too?" she asked, a hint of desperation creeping into her voice. "He's… human, and at the same time, he's a vampire. Not some hybrid or abomination, but… both are complete bloodlines and somehow, existing within him."

Verona's crimson eyes narrowed in thought. "Yeah," she murmured, a flicker of amusement as well as worry sparking within her depths. "This is truly rare... even for me..."

A heavy silence descended upon the room, broken only by the soft crackle of the fireplace. The implications of Neveah's unique nature hung heavy in the air, a tangled web of possibilities and uncertainties.

Finally, Verona rose to her full height, her gaze resolute. "One thing is clear," she announced, her voice ringing with authority. "We need to teach him how to control these energies. That chaotic mess he wields… it needs to be tamed. And we somehow need him to balance both sides completely."

She turned to Valeriana, "Seems like we have to have a new division of labor," she said. "I'll handle the volatile chaotic energy. You, on the other hand," her voice took on a teasing lilt, "get to play teacher with the other half of the energy."

" I still don't know what it is... I need time to find it, study amd understand it again before I help him with that." Said Valeriana as Verona nodded in agreement.

Then Valeriana's cheeks flushed of VERY faint pink, a flicker of excitement battling with her regal composure. Spending time with Neveah, unraveling the mysteries of this energy… the prospect was enticing.

She cleared her throat, attempting to regain her composure. "O-okay," she said.

Verona's sharp gaze narrowed her eyes as if saying, "Empress, contain yourself,"

Valeriana straightened in her seat, regaining her regal persona. "Of course," she thought. "I wouldn't want to give the wrong impression, would I?"

Despite her stern words, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She then shook her head. Her actions very were confusing to Neveah.

Valeriana leaned forward, her crimson eyes gleaming with fascination as they scanned Neveah. "I still can't wrap my head around it. It's truly remarkable," she admitted, her voice laced with a hint of awe. "To possess two complete bloodlines within you… a paradox, yet somehow a perfect harmony."

Neveah tilted his head curiosity sparking in his eyes. "Drawbacks, though?" he inquired. "Are there any downsides to this… anomaly?"

Verona chuckled. "Ah, ," she teased. "Always seeking the potential pitfalls."

Valeriana tapped her fingers on her ice chair's armrest, her gaze flickering between Neveah and Verona, "Well, I don't know..." she began, her voice turning thoughtful, "it's certainly uncharted territory. There could be unforeseen consequences, maybe a resistancebetween the two heritages. But…" she trailed off, a glint of excitement replacing her earlier contemplation.

"But," she continued, leaning forward with renewed vigor, "it could also be a magnificent advantage! Think about it, Neveah. You possess the adaptive nature of your human bloodline, the ability to rise through the ranks with astonishing speed. And this could help you counter the disadvantage of being a vampire due to the longevity factor," she added, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Neveah's brow furrowed slightly. "Longevity factor?" he questioned, the term unfamiliar.

Verona said. "Ah," she paused, "it appears there are a few things I forgot to teach you." She cleared her throat, attempting to regain her composure.

"The longevity factor," she explained, her voice regaining its authoritative tone, "is the natural lifespan of a race. It influences how quickly one ascends the power ladder. Humans, with their shorter lifespans, experience a rapid rise in power in their youth. This," she gestured towards herself, " a notable example being Valeriana, barely a century old, is almost pushing to 11 Stars.

Meanwhile, I have Counts who've been stuck at 10 Stars for centuries."

A flicker of understanding dawned on Neveah's face. This explained the disparity he'd observed between different races. Valeriana continued, her voice filled with a newfound enthusiasm.

"This," she declared, gesturing dramatically at Neveah, "is the brilliance of your anomaly. Since you have two bloodlines. You possess the human ability for rapid advancement, canceling out the limitations of the vampire side. This has been a way for humans to compete with the more established races."

She leaned back, a satisfied smile gracing her lips. "Of course," she added, a touch of slyness returning to her voice, "there's a reason humans don't dominate."

A wry smile played on Valeriana's lips. "There's a catch, of course," she admitted. "The universe has a way of balancing things out. Humans, with their explosive birthrates that makes them one of the most populated races in the world. Most humans max out at a respectable 4 or 5 Stars, cause their talents are limited, a very few percentage pass 7 star and even fewer growing to 9 star and above beings."

"That's why your case is so fascinating, Neveah" said Valeriana.

Neveah absorbed this information, his brow furrowed in thought.

Valeriana continued, her voice taking on a more analytical tone. "Look at it this way. Races like Dragons and Elves, with their long lifespans and lower birthrates, tend to produce a higher concentration of strong bloodlines. That's why you'll find them clustered around the 6 or 7 Star range."

Valeriana swept her gaze across Nev. "It's a delicate 'fair' balance," she mused.

Neveah digested the implications of these words.

Neveah furrowed his brow, a knot of confusion tightening in his gut. "Hold on," he interjected, a thread of challenge lacing his voice. "What about Vampires who can turn others into their kind, they shouldn't be limited by a population factor, right??"