The thoughts of the other three were largely similar, with only Sid showing a conflicted expression as he recalled the Blessed mentioning the Sequence 9 potion name "Corpse Collector"
Though he very much wanted to become a Beyonder—to inherit his family's glory, restore its standing, and gain the power to protect those he cared about—the name of this Sequence 9 potion was admittedly hard to accept. This was especially true after hearing that Feren's Sequence 9 potion option was "Sailor," making the contrast even more frustrating.
"Corpse Collector" as the name implied, involved handling corpses. For some Death believers in the southern continent, this wasn't particularly objectionable.
But Sid hailed from Caesar Port, located in the northern part of West Balam, south of the Pas Valley—one of the earliest regions colonized by Intis. After nearly a century of suppression, the Death faith had almost no remaining foothold there. Thus, despite being a local noble, Sid did not worship Death at all, which was precisely why he hesitated over the Spirit Church's recruitment offer.
Unfortunately, Aaron couldn't read his mind, or he might have kindly informed him that the name of this pathway's Sequence 8 potion was "Gravedigger"—a very literal name.
Chek, unable to contain his excitement, spoke up: "Respected Blessed Sir, may I ask how long it takes to digest a potion using the Acting Method?"
"When can one stop acting? Are there any criteria to judge this?"
Aaron glanced at the four seated on the stone chairs below, noting their eager and curious expressions, and nodded slightly.
"At low sequences, as long as you strictly adhere to the acting, the potion can be digested in no more than half a year. The fastest could take just a month."
"As for the criteria, it's very simple. Once fully digested, every Beyonder will immediately sense it for themselves—it's a clear yes or no. Once you truly become a Beyonder, you'll understand that feeling."
"A month!" Chek's face lit up with excitement as he quickly expressed his gratitude.
'Hey hey, young man, I said at least a month. Why are you all so confident?' Aaron inwardly sighed.
Seeing no further questions, Louise spoke up eagerly:
"Respected Blessed Sir, do you know how a vampire can increase their strength without relying on gifts from their elders?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt multiple gazes turn toward her.
A vampire? The legendary bloodsuckers? Sid scrutinized the lady beside him with suspicion. Coming from the relatively chaotic southern continent, he had heard many rumors about vampires—mostly horrifying and bloody. Yet the lady beside him didn't give off that impression, making him question the reliability of those tales once again.
As a mixed-blood struggling to survive in the pirate-infested Berserk Sea, Feren had never encountered a vampire before and undoubtedly harbored all sorts of fantastical or bizarre imaginations about them. He studied the lady with curiosity.
'A vampire?' Chek froze for a moment before relaxing his brow. As a former Intis noble, though he had never met a vampire, he knew some insider information about them being a supernatural race. 'Hmm... This could be valuable for alliances. What a secretive gathering—even vampires are here.'
Under their collective gaze, Louise grew somewhat flustered. After all, she was just a newly adult vampire with limited experience and insight. She vaguely sensed that she might have asked something inappropriate.
'Why are you all looking at me? Can't I have a vampire friend? Should I explain...?'
'No, what's wrong with being a vampire? I am one, and there's nothing to hide! We vampires have a long history, extended lifespans, and vast accumulated knowledge. We are a noble race!'
Louise grumbled inwardly before coughing lightly, signaling that such blatant staring was impolite toward a lady.
The three gentlemen, slightly embarrassed, quickly averted their eyes.
Ignoring the exchanged glances below, Aaron nodded slightly and answered:
"Vampires can also advance by consuming potions—but only the corresponding, correct ones."
"Or, to be more precise, as long as you possess the corresponding Beyonder characteristics and ensure you've fully digested them, you can apply for advancement within the vampire society without waiting in line, since you obtained them yourself."
'Beyonder characteristics?' The others, apart from Louise, looked puzzled.
"Vampire Beyonder characteristics are extremely rare, with the vast majority collected by the vampires themselves as materials for advancement or nurturing newborns."
"If you don't wish to wait in line for advancement within the vampire society, you have two options."
"First, travel the world to search for them. Many major cities and the seas host secret Beyonder gatherings—some organized by official Beyonders, others by secret organizations or pirates."
"At these gatherings, you might come across vampire Beyonder characteristics left behind in the outside world. If you plan to attend, safety and secrecy are paramount, as not everyone is as friendly as I am."
"Of course, if you're in a city with a significant vampire population, there's no need to waste effort searching. Any vampire characteristics would have already been bought up. The best chances are still at sea."
Aaron added as an afterthought, 'Come to think of it, there's a certain pirate who possesses the Beyonder characteristics of a deceased vampire baron.'
He continued, "Coincidentally, I happen to have a lead on the Beyonder characteristics of a deceased vampire baron—precisely the main ingredient you'd need for your Sequence 6 potion."
"Hmm... If you're interested, I can have someone track it down. However, this will take some time, as my subordinates will need to verify the target based on the clues."
Louise, who had initially been somewhat disheartened, immediately brightened and eagerly replied, "Yes, Blessed Sir. I'm very interested."
'The Blessed Sir is truly a generous and noble person...' she thought gleefully.
Aaron smiled and continued:
"The second method is participating in hunting competitions—though these are extremely dangerous, especially for young vampires who've just reached adulthood and haven't mastered advanced combat skills."
Louise puffed out her cheeks, feeling that the Blessed Sir was referring to her and underestimating her.
Then she recalled that she usually preferred socializing with her kin and studying various potions. It seemed, perhaps, that she had never actually engaged in combat. She lowered her head slightly in embarrassment.
Unconcerned with the young vampire's shifting expressions, Aaron went on:
"The essence of these competitions is to hunt the artificial vampires among the Rose School of Thought who worship the Primordial Moon. This serves to suppress the Primordial Moon's influence while also honing the combat skills of younger generations and reclaiming vampire characteristics."