Kumu squinted at Yinling, studying her carefully. After a long moment, he whispered, "Yinling?"
Then, suddenly, he turned to Adam. His eyes went wide. Shock painted his face. His tongue tangled in his mouth.
"Th-…Th-…you are…"
No wonder he hadn't recognized them immediately. Adam and Yinling's appearances had shifted slightly, thanks to Yu Jia.
"Who… are you?" Adam's tone sharpened, a silent hint. His eyes flickered red ever so slightly. He already had a guess.
Nine-generation vampire. Six hundred and twenty-five years old. Kumu. Attributes: Body 6, Soul 18, Spirit 12—Soul-specialized vampire.
Back when Kumu first appeared, Adam had been surrounded. There was no way to notice a distant figure.
But now… Yinling called him "uncle." That meant he wasn't an enemy. After all, Yinling's father—the cautious Baron of Smoke—would never let a dangerous person near his half-mortal daughter, not at five hundred years old.
Adam's words seemed to calm Kumu. His eyes scanned the group. Then he straightened, cleared his throat, and said, "Hello. I am Yinling's uncle. She's mentioned you before… I didn't expect to meet you here."
His expression had completely changed.
Yu Jia and Rat, standing behind, were unknowns to him. If Adam's identity were revealed carelessly, it would be a grave mistake.
Yinling, understanding immediately, stepped forward. She and Kumu spoke like a niece and uncle reunited after a long time, casually revealing her current residence in passing.
Kumu spoke of times long past with the Baron of Smoke—tales Adam could barely understand. He recounted how he had once planned to travel, only for Smoke to intercept him at the docks.
Adam didn't care. He trusted Yinling wouldn't betray him. He wandered the shop with Yu Jia and Rat, pretending to browse.
Half an hour later, claiming failure to find the desired books, Adam bid Kumu farewell and left with Yinling and the others.
On the carriage, neither Adam nor Yinling spoke much, both staring out the window, deep in thought.
Yu Jia wanted to ask something a few times, but Rat's presence kept him silent.
Yinling was a vampire. Was her uncle one too? Even the dumbest person could guess. Yet, she wasn't a full-blooded vampire.
Watching Adam and Yinling, Yu Jia knew there was no point asking.
The three sat in silence. Rat, meanwhile, fidgeted nervously in the carriage.
Two hours later, they returned to their residence. Adam handed Rat two gold coins, asked how to contact him in future, and let him go.
No sooner had Rat gone than Adam turned to think of a way to speak with Yinling about Kumu's identity—only to see her deliver a hand strike that knocked Yu Jia unconscious in one blow.
Adam jumped in surprise.
"Uncle Kumu said he would arrive soon," Yinling said.
"How do you know?"
"My father told me. After visiting the Sub-Zeus, Kumu would leave, and my father always caught up afterward. They called it a post-meeting follow-up. He planned to say: 'Go ahead. I'll catch up soon. We'll talk then.'"
As expected, Kumu soon appeared, taking human form before Adam and dropping to one knee.
"Your Highness Adam, Kumu pays respects," he said, head bowed, respect in every gesture.
The suddenness startled Adam. He shot Yinling a questioning glance.
"Uncle Kumu is my father's friend. He once served the Sub-Zeus. He was there when you visited the estate," Yinling explained.
"Rise." Adam helped Kumu up. He hadn't noticed him before. Even more surprising, the reverence suggested loyalty.
Earlier, Baron Smoke's allegiance was understandable—facing a vampire progenitor, many would risk it. But Kumu had seen Adam's situation firsthand, yet still pledged himself. That was rare.
Perhaps he had long reached an understanding with Smoke? Unlikely. Smoke's personality never allowed him to reveal such things without consent.
Adam lifted the unconscious Yu Jia. "Let's go. We have a safe place. We'll talk there."
Soon, they returned to the basement. Yu Jia was placed in a sarcophagus. Adam seated himself and asked, "You're Kumu, right? Can you tell me your story?"
Kumu stood respectfully. "Your Highness, my name is Kumu. Before becoming a vampire, I was a bookseller in Greece…"
According to him, he had always been a bookseller, before and after his transformation.
Over six hundred years ago, he became a contracted servant to a Greek vampire marquis. Alongside a vampire count, he helped search the world for vampire secret arts.
To control him, the marquis didn't make him a direct blood descendant immediately. Instead, from his fifteenth generation, he was gradually elevated. Each time Kumu found a rare book, he received a reward.
Kumu also secretly copied each book for himself. Through this, he accumulated many vampire secret arts and insider knowledge.
This continued for over a century, until he became an eleventh-generation vampire. Internal struggles killed the marquis. As a branch of that family, Kumu wasn't immediately expelled, but his position was precarious.
He left Athens to wander the world. Later, he met Smoke in North Africa, who introduced him to the Sub-Zeus. That's how Kumu settled there.
Though settled, he still returned to Athens annually for months, continuing his book trade, mainly serving vampires.
Because of this, Athens vampires overlooked his humble origins.
Why operate at night? Blood vampires rarely shopped during the day. A single lamp was enough to attract attention. Vampires spread news quickly. Kumu's trade thrived.
Adam paused. "You know my true identity?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Nothing to say?"
Kumu hesitated, then crossed his hands over his chest, bowing deeply. "Kumu is ready to follow your orders at any time."
The stance was clear.
Over centuries, Kumu had lived a precarious life—on the fringe of vampire society, limited in power despite his books. To survive, he had bribed higher-ranking vampires with some of his knowledge, keeping the real treasures secret.
In Athens, most clients were ninth to fifteenth-generation vampires. Few exceeded the seventh.
In a world strict with ethics and factions, Kumu's only chance at survival—and advancement—was to serve Adam, still in his low phase. Only Adam truly needed him.
The allegiance of old friend Smoke further cemented this path.
Adam nodded. "Then… can you provide me with vampire secret arts books?"