Embracing her, Bruno felt something new blossoming within him: a genuine will to live.
"Flávia… can you tell me about this world?" he asked timidly, still holding her in his lap.
She settled more comfortably, surprised by the question, and looked him over curiously from head to toe.
"What would you like to know?"
"About vampires, to start with," Bruno replied sincerely.
Flávia smiled, thinking for a moment before speaking:
"Well, let's see… Vampires are a technically immortal race, similar to how they appear in movies. However, unlike what is often imagined, we are not weak to sunlight. The sun's energy affects the human world, but it doesn't harm us directly. We are creatures of the night and feed on blood. That said, we can consume foods marinated in blood, which mainly serve vampires of the apprentice level, providing nutrition and satiety."
"And where do vampires live?" Bruno asked.
"We live in Tenebris, a dimension of the night," Flávia explained. "But we have been at war with demonic beasts for millennia. We are only one of the hundred superior races."
"Hundred superior races?" Bruno raised an eyebrow, curious.
"Yes," she said. "The superior races possess the best innate abilities and a certain level of strength."
"So they are the strongest, then?" he asked.
Flávia responded seriously:
"No. Only the dragon race stands alone at the top. Beyond them, the so-called supreme powers include pantheons, legions of the underworld, angelic units, and other ancient entities. In addition, there are pseudo-supreme powers, formed by alliances of similar races, very strong and ancient."
She paused, watching Bruno absorb the information.
"Vampires, for example, are part of a pseudo-supreme alliance called the Night Alliance. These are night-dwelling races that united to resist and survive against the supreme powers."
Bruno was impressed. For the first time, he felt that he could, in a way, accept this world.
"No…," he corrected himself mentally. "I accept Flávia, and I try to accept her world."
Flávia remained in his lap, nestled like a little panda, while he continued asking questions.
"What are the power levels?"
"We follow a simple scale," she replied:
1. Apprentice
2. Warrior
3. Baron
4. Count
5. King
6. Elder
7. Primordial
"And the rules? Are they very restrictive?"
"No," Flávia said. "They vary depending on the region. The stronger and more influential someone is, the less the rules apply. It's similar to human politics."
"And you?" Bruno asked. "What is your level?"
"A baroness, median but stable."
"And me?" He hesitated. "Would I be an apprentice, then?"
"No," she answered. "You are a newly born neophyte. Only after going through the transformation do you gain a rank, and then you become a neophyte (apprentice)."
He nodded, still confused but with a basic understanding.
"Flávia," Bruno said seriously, "I only have two more questions."
She noticed his seriousness and responded calmly:
"Go ahead."
"First… I'm at the lowest rank possible. Doesn't it bother you that I'm holding you in my lap while you're a baroness?"
Flávia answered firmly:
"No. I'm strong, so I have this right. No one will judge me, don't worry."
"Okay… and the second?"
"What are we? You and me."
Her seriousness vanished, replaced by a light blush across her pale cheeks.
She whispered: "You are whatever you want to be. I love you, so if you accept me…" Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Bruno.
He furrowed his brow slightly, confused by her words, but before he could ask anything, she continued:
"I know it's strange, Bruno, but I really like you. I can understand your difficulty in accepting me. However, I will support you. I'll be here for you. As long as it doesn't involve baronial matters, I will be a model wife," her eyes shining as she spoke.
Bruno laughed, amused:
"You're a strange woman." He brought his hand to her face and whispered in her ear: "And of course I accept you. Thrown into this world, I hope to see you more and more."
Hearing his response, Flávia's smile deepened, and she hugged him even tighter:
"Don't worry, Bruno. One day we will marry," she said cheerfully.
Bruno's curiosity about the world and its powers grew even more. Keeping Flávia in his lap, he leaned slightly and sealed her lips with a kiss.
"Teach me about this world and its powers, Flávia."
"Of course," she replied with a calm and confident smile.