Reincarnated as the Vampire Princess' Familiar
Chapter 28 - 27 - First steps toward Vis control

Chapter 28: 27 - First steps toward Vis control

With her characteristic commanding tone, Clotilde assigns the pairs—Gerard with me, Angelica with Dorje—placing us directly in front of each other. Meanwhile, Levreshka, Sasha, and Daphne are ’politely’ ordered to remain at the edge of the arena, ensuring their presence doesn’t become a distraction. Though, let’s be honest—she was mostly referring to Sasha. That scandalously short red dress of hers clings to every curve, a sight that’s borderline impossible to ignore... at least for me.

«Now, release your energy!» Clotilde commands, her voice sharp and absolute.

We obey, and instantly, the blue aura of Vis energy—and my violet one—wraps around our bodies, though in vastly different ways. As I’ve already noticed in my fight—or rather, my one-sided massacre—against Angelica, she wields that energy with incredible precision, as if it were a second skin, seamless and controlled, barely showing any disturbances on its surface. Dorje’s energy is similar, though not as refined as Angelica’s.

Gerard and I, on the other hand... let’s not even talk about it. The energy around us flares chaotically, like a wild, untamed fire. We exchange a glance—equal parts embarrassment and silent sympathy—while Clotilde watches us with a look of sheer disappointment.

Sasha finds our performance utterly amusing. Even from a distance, her laughter rings loud and clear in my ears—a mockery I don’t appreciate in the slightest. Clotilde, however, seems to appreciate it even less.

«Sasha...» Clotilde murmurs through clenched teeth—just before erupting in fury. «TRY INTERRUPTING MY TRAINING AGAIN IN ANY WAY, AND I SWEAR ON OUR FATHER I’LL SMASH THAT PRETTY FACE OF YOURS TO A PULP!!!»

Sasha freezes on the spot, not even daring to breathe—completely motionless, like someone playing dead in front of a raging bear.

«Back to us,» Clotilde says, regaining her composure yet keeping the same strict tone, her gaze locking onto Gerard and me. «I’ve watched your fights, and frankly, it’s no surprise that after just a few blows, you’re already gasping for air. You have no control over your energy—it leaks out wildly, draining at an absurd rate. Watch carefully how my familiar and Dorje handle theirs!»

We obey without question.

«Their energy dispersion is minimal, allowing them to fight far longer than you while simultaneously increasing their power and speed. This will be your first objective.» Then, she shifts her attention to her familiar. «Angelica, reabsorb.»

Angelica obeys. Instead of dispersing into the air like mine does when deactivated, her energy smoothly retracts back into her body—a technique I’ve seen her use before, during our fight.

«Your second goal is this: learning to reabsorb your own energy when it’s no longer needed. Vis energy takes much longer to fully replenish than the time between battles. In other words, you will never fight at your peak strength—so every drop of saved energy is invaluable,» Clotilde explains, motioning for Angelica to release it again.

«And finally, the third and last step: the manipulation of Vis energy. A skill that, as of now, only five familiars manage to master—and Angelica is not one of them.»

As she speaks, she shoots her familiar a stern, almost reproachful glance.

«Manipulating Vis energy means shaping and solidifying it at will, turning it into weapons or defensive tools—just like we vampires do with the BloodWordTelum. But for now, none of you have the required skill to achieve this, so there’s no point in dwelling on it.»

So that’s how Kajetan managed to create a blade from his own energy during the CrimsonRequiem ambush? That guy is seriously on another level—if even a prodigy like Angelica, ranked in the top 50, can’t pull it off. Knowing there are familiars that strong out there is... unsettling. Just thinking about how much time and effort it must have taken to reach that level makes me wonder—will I ever be able to stand among them?

Clotilde goes on for nearly half an hour, breaking down the theoretical aspects of Vis energy control—it feels like being back in school. Hopefully, there’s no surprise test waiting at the end.

In short, Vis energy is an essential part of our bodies, much like arms and legs—an incorporeal extension of ourselves. The best way to learn how to control it is by using external aids, just as a child learning to stand holds onto a chair for balance. According to Clotilde, the same principle applies here. But how exactly do we do that?

First, a short breathing exercise—something akin to meditation—a simple warm-up to be practiced every morning and night, before and after sleep.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling the next exercises won’t be this easy.

«And now, the real training begins!» Clotilde announces, extending her arm toward Gerard and me.

In an instant, a red, opaque bubble traps my body. I can’t see beyond it, but I can still hear everything happening outside. The space is terrifyingly small, squeezing me tighter than I ever thought possible—so much that I can almost hear my bones creaking under the pressure.

And now? What the hell are we supposed to do?!

Clotilde doesn’t keep us waiting. «Break free!» she commands, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Oh, great. That was super helpful...

Meanwhile, she assigns the other pair—Dorje and Angelica—their task: to fight each other without making physical contact, using only their energy.

I have no idea how that’s even supposed to work, but I’ve got bigger problems right now. How the hell do I get out of here?!

Beside me—undoubtedly trapped in the same bubble—Gerard lets out strained, almost inhuman screams. He must be trying to brute-force his way out with sheer muscle strength, but I seriously doubt that’s the solution. Otherwise, what would be the point of this exercise? We have to use Vis energy—but how?

I can visualize my energy flow perfectly when using BloodWords, but Sanguis and Vis are completely different. I need to treat Vis as an extension of my body, not just something stored inside it. Easier said than done...

«You idiot! You don’t break free with brute strength—use your Vis energy!» Clotilde shouts, undoubtedly addressing Gerard, whose desperate cries echo through the arena. «The only way out is to focus all your energy and push at one single point!»

In short, we need to puncture the bubble from within—like a needle popping a balloon.

At that moment, I feel the bubble squeezing me even tighter—like it’s shrinking around me. It’s not just in my head; Gerard’s agonized cries confirm it. Given his large, muscular frame, he must feel even more crushed than I do, since I’ve managed to curl up more to ease the pressure.

«Since you’re too dumb to work it out on your own, I’ll give you one last suggestion!»

I listen intently, hanging on Clotilde’s words like a parched traveler desperate for water in the desert.

«Do you honestly believe I gave you that specific breathing exercise just to waste your time?!»

She couldn’t have made it more obvious. The answer is in the breathing exercises she taught us.

The first exercise is simple: to inhale slowly through the nose, then to exhale deeply and steadily through the mouth. The second is similar, but with a brief pause—to inhale through the nose, hold it for a moment, then to slowly release it through the mouth.

I close my eyes and focus on relaxing every muscle. Inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale...

Then I feel something entirely new: a faint vibration across my skin, as if every cell is resonating in perfect harmony. It almost feels like I can control them one by one. All that’s left is to focus them on a single point and... POP!

The bubble bursts in silence, disappearing instantly.

The first thing I do is glance at Gerard, hoping he’s already broken free—but his bubble is still intact. My eyes instinctively flick to Levreshka, who’s trembling and gritting her teeth in frustration. Daphne claps gracefully beside her, while Sasha shoots me a cryptic look and a sly smile—she even licks her upper lip when she catches me looking. I don’t even want to think about what’s going through that lunatic’s mind.

Exhausted, I collapse onto the ground, arms and legs sprawled like a starfish. My muscles and bones ache as though I’d just pulled off a superhuman feat—for my low standards, it is.

«Well done, boy,» Clotilde says—for the first time—paying me a compliment, though her tone remains as harsh as ever. A rare occurrence, definitely worth marking on the calendar.

After what seems like an eternity, Gerard’s bubble finally bursts. His worn-out body collapses next to mine, but a satisfied grin lights up his face. I’m genuinely happy he made it!

«I’d say that’s enough for today,» Clotilde declares, her gaze moving between me, Gerard, and Dorje—who looks to be in slightly better shape than the two of us.

«Already finished?» Sasha interjects. «I’m certain my familiar can keep going. Isn’t that right, old mutt?!»

«My mistress is right. We can continue the training,» Dorje replies with effort, pushing himself to his feet despite the obvious strain.

«My familiar can keep going too!» Levreshka exclaims, bouncing on the spot like a capricious child.

«Don’t be stupid!» Clotilde snaps, clearly annoyed. «It’s a miracle he’s still in one piece. Just make sure he practices the exercises I gave him!»

Daphne comes over, offering me her hand. «You know, it’s not every day Clotilde hands out a compliment. In your state, nothing beats a good soak in the private Valakys family baths to refresh yourself. Think of it as a reward for today’s progress,» she says with a slight smile.

«That sounds like a great idea,» I admit, feeling genuinely excited at the prospect of unwinding—though my tired voice probably doesn’t reflect it. «But... how do I let you know when to come get me?»

«How do I let you know when to come get you...?» Daphne repeats, raising an eyebrow in mild confusion. Then, flashing a teasing smile, she says, «Oh, silly boy... we’re going together.»