I felt the cold feeling of steel shackling my ankles and wrists. I looked down, the guards making sure the chains were secure.


    What''s stopping me from escaping right now? I could kill everyone here, so what''s stopping me?


    The stunning lady in front of me had a calm smile. I could tell her gaze was studying me. She then turned to the guard, shooing him off.


    "My, my. Don''t you look stunning." She said, lifting up the cloak that was put over my body.


    I don''t know why, but I felt a faint blush creep on my face. I''ve never had such contact with a woman before, but I couldn''t help but feel strangely violated.


    "The body is in good condition." She said, looking into my eyes. "Your eyes are mesmerizing too."


    She giggled and turned around, waving for me to follow her, which I did so obediently.


    "What about—" Before I could finish my sentence, she cut me off.


    "Don''t worry," she said, taking out a pink sun umbrella from seemingly thin air and opening it.


    We stepped outside, a man sitting on a horse-drawn carriage waiting for us.


    The lady opened the door for me, which was odd. I was a slave now, wasn''t I? Why am I not being treated like such?


    I stepped on the small wooden platform before taking a seat. The seat itself was cushioned and pretty comfortable as well.


    The inside of the carriage was dark, specifically made so; as if she was expecting to buy a creature that couldn''t handle sunlight.


    I watched her step in, taking a seat in front of me. I noticed something immediately about her. Her eyes had shifted from blue to a golden, yet subtle glow.


    "Who are you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.


    She smiled, closing the umbrella as the carriage began to make its move.


    "Coincidentally enough, my last name is your first. My name is Alice Star." She said, gently placing the sun umbrella on her lap.


    "Where are we going?" I asked, looking around the carriage. The windows were closed, and I didn''t want to know what would happen if I opened them.


    "To my manor." She said gently as she leaned back. Her left hand was gently placed over the right.


    "Are you left-handed?" I asked, Alice giggling in response.


    "You ask quite a few questions, don''t you?" She said, tilting her head.


    "Sorry." I scratched the back of my head. I wanted to get on her good side, so my new life as a servant or whatever wouldn''t suck.


    She giggled once more, taking a deep breath before pointing at me. "You''re fine." She said, waving her hand.


    "Besides, as a fellow Sin, why would I hold ill will against you?"


    Those words then struck something in me. Sin? How did she know?


    "...Who are you?" I asked once again, Alice sighing in response.


    "Alice Star, the Sin of Pride." She said, the words sinking in.


    Now that she said that, the air felt oppressive. The Sin of Pride? So there are others?


    "I know you''re going to ask, How did you find me? How do you know? Well, sins have an inherent connection." She said, leaning forward.


    She rested her elbow on her knees and her chin on her palm.


    "For instance, I can feel that jealousy radiating from you." She said, looking me up and down.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Now that I thought about it, she did have a certain way of carrying herself. The air around her felt... confident.


    "Sins have something called Variants. There can be more than one of the same Sin, hence the reason for them." She said, shifting her position to a more comfortable one.


    She lay across her seat, making herself comfortable.


    "Original Sins usually just have ''The'' in their title to indicate them being the original. My variant, which is the original, is Ego." She said, yawning.


    "You should rest; the ride is a long one, about a week''s trip." She said, shutting her eyes.


    "You''re a vampire; hibernation in the dark for you should be a piece of cake."


    I sat there, confused about everything I just heard. There were others? Other sins?


    In a world like this, I''m surprised no other sins of Envy existed before I did.


    I closed my eyes, starting to feel the weight of today set in. I just hope that kid is alright; he was the only one that made me look forward to a new day.


    When I awoke, I was lying on a comfy bed. I looked around, being in a dark room. The walls were a deep velvet, while the carpet on the ground remained a subtle white. The ceiling was gray, and there were a few lights hanging overhead.


    There were dressers, and different kinds of furniture, and even a mirror.


    I got up, checking the mirror. Seems like this world''s vampires function differently, as I could still see my reflection.


    My eyes were now a kind of pink instead of red, and my hair remained black. It was getting too long; I needed to cut it. I brushed a few stray locks to the side, walking out of the room.


    My eyes widened as I stared outside. There, a large moon hung overhead. It was bright blue in color. What caught my attention was the snow that slowly fell from the sky.


    The clouds were there, but they were thin. Not thick enough to cover this gargantuan moon that hung in the sky.


    Snow. I haven''t seen these for a while back on earth, due to the climate and all that jazz.


    "Enjoying the view?" Alice asked, raising a brow as she gracefully walked toward me.


    I jumped, not expecting her to just seemingly appear out of thin air. I went back to staring outside of the large, ornate window and staring at the moon.


    "I''ll take that as a yes." She said, giggling. "Welcome to my manor. Here is where you''ll be living. I know I bought you as a slave, but seeing as how we''re both Sins, I''ll null the contract."


    I turned to her, raising a brow. "What? You''re letting me go?"


    "Of course! I only brought you because I just wanted to discuss business, but since you''re a new Sin, I know you wouldn''t just accept me right off the bat." She said, signaling me to follow her.


    I followed behind her, still a little confused. "Wait, just how long have I been asleep?"


    "Oof, judging by how many times the moon has passed... Probably about a month and a half." She said, my eyes widening.


    "A month and a half?!" I yelled.


    Alice turned around and shushed me. Now that I looked at it, I wasn''t in my usual clothes. Instead, I was in a plain wool sweater and some silky pants, probably a form of PJs.


    "Vampires require much more rest than others, at the benefit of being able to stay up for months on end." She said, leading me through the large corridor.


    The moonlight peered through the windows, creating an almost luxurious feeling. It felt nostalgic, reminding me of my childhood and everything I wanted to do in life.


    Without noticing, I felt a teardrop from my face. Earth. My home. Since I have reincarnated, it has been a shit hole, but yet, despite the life that I dreaded on Earth, I still missed it.


    I missed the joy, the simplicity, the comfort.


    Would I truly be able to live this life as I pleased? It''s seeming like an impossibility.


    No, I can''t think like that.


    I wiped my face, entering a small room with Alice ahead of me.


    To the right of the room sat a large queen-sized bed with a small nightstand next to it. The walls were a bright pink, and the rug remained a nice brown. The ceiling above, being white. I must say, this world has a thing with strange color palettes.


    To the left of the door sat a desk with a cushioned chair and some books neatly placed on the edge of the desk. Of course, there were drawers and a wardrobe.


    "Okay, let''s talk business." She said, signaling me to sit at that same desk.


    I wanted to protest, but I already felt a strange need to submit to her will. I took a seat, watching her sit on her bed.


    "First of all, congrats on becoming a Sin, an Original Son at that." She said with a small giggle.


    "First, your vampiric nature. I can see and smell it on you. You''re only a Bloodcaller. The first four stages of being a vampire are easy to progress through, but stages five, six, and seven are a whole different ball game." She said, lying on her bed.


    "To become a Nightbound Vampire, you just have to go through some real introspective journey and accept who you are. Should be simple enough, right?" She asked, my gaze shifting off.


    She blinked before sighing, facepalming as well. "We''ve got a long road for you, friend."