Hi! I'm REALLY sorry for this late update! I had many problems with my computer and couldn't write a word. (I actually began working on this chapter some days ago.) However, I will update quickly in the future since I have fixed my computer. Next chapter will be posted 5-6 days from now. (Perhaps less, but I don't want to disappoint anyone.) Enjoy!

It's no use. I can't sleep...

Laying on her bed, Shanoa was staring at the moon through the window. It had been many hours since she went to bed; she hadn't moved since then.

Is this what they call insomnia? It's quite weird I would suffer of it, since it would require me to have emotions. Was I more affected by what Alucard said than I thought?

What is this I am feeling..? Is it...Fear? Nonsense. I was prepared to die when I entered Dracula's Castle and even when I fought him.

I will have to ask someone about it tomorrow. For now, I should sleep...

However, as she glanced at Monica's grandfather clock, she surprisingly found it was already four.

Four? How many hours have I been on this bed? There's only 15 minutes before sunrise...Trying to sleep would be futile now. I should go take a walk around the field.

After having put on a dress that Monica gave her and a vest, Shanoa went downstairs, making sure not to make any noise and got out of the house.

Feeling the fresh morning breeze on her cheeks was one of the reasons Shanoa really liked walking in the early morning. She couldn't see the sun yet but there were no more stars in the dark blue sky.

Another reason why she liked the morning was the silence. If not for the wind, it would have seemed that time stopped. Shanoa wouldn't mind it; stopping time at this moment would mean no more nights; she hated the night, because of the darkness and the moon-loving creatures, namely vampires and werewolves and the horrible memories she had of them.

On her way to the field, she found the village cemetery. The hunteress had never entered it, even once; but for some reason, this time she felt attracted to it.

I have never visited it before. Every single member of the Belmont family is buried here...Why do I want to visit it now? Is it because I know I have a connection to this village?

Putting her thoughts aside, Shanoa decided to enter the cemetery.

Opening the rusty door to the cemetery, Shanoa stepped in the graveyard.

The graves were all marked with a headstone, some of which were bigger than the others.

It seems the members of the Belmont Clan who fought against Dracula have bigger headstones. Leon, Trevor, Christopher, Simon...Father Nikolai and Daniela told me about them..

There are also many others...Sypha Belnades, Grant Danasty, Hector LaForeze...

Some of the names were almost worn down by the years. However, there were no moss growing on the graves, even the oldest ones; someone must have been taking care of them.

All these people died to defend the country from the Dark Lord...They were all revered as heroes in their time...

She suddenly felt a water drop on her hand. What? Is this rain? She looked up at the sky but it was entirely clear.

Putting her hands to her face, she surprisingly found it dripping with water.

What is this? Tears? I..I don't even feel like I am crying...It's like the tears are coming down on their own..

Wiping her tears, Shanoa decided to head out of the cemetery as the sun was already shining, its color contrasting with the blue sky.

I should really ask someone. Some months ago I was incapable of feeling the slightest ounce of sadness, and now I cry without even knowing it.

Suddenly, a slight screeching noise entered her ears, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Someone has entered the cemetery...It must be Father Nikolai. I should go greet him.

On her way out, Shanoa noticed a headstone whose owner was named Wadim Kischne , but what really caught her attention was his job : Alchemist.

An Alchemist? What manner of job is that ?

Putting her thoughts aside, she took her eyes off the peculiar grave only to notice a white-haired man standing in front of her. However, he was beardless.

"Alucard? What are you doing here?" Shanoa said, surprised by the dhampire's appearance.

"I was passing by the village and felt your presence within the graveyard." Alucard said with his typical cold but soft voice. "I thought it was strange that you would come to the graveyard at this hour and decided to check it out."

"Thank you for your concern...But I'm fine. I couldn't sleep so I decided to go take a look at the graveyard. That is all. You don't have to worry about me." Shanoa said, locking eyes with him.

"Are you sure? Your eyes seem slightly swollen...You weren't crying, were you?" Alucard said with a sincere voice.

Shanoa tried her best to stay calm. "I-I don't have emotions. Of course, crying would be impossible for me; I got puffy eyes from sleeping." However, Alucard stopped listening after her first sentence.

"You do not have emotions?" Alucard said, genuinely surprised. "How is that possible? Only vampires lose their emotions, and even within those some still retain them."

"I am...a special case. If you want to hear about what happened to me and how I defeated your father, please ask Daniela or Father Nikolai..." Shanoa said, her eyes somewhere else. "I..I can't tell you myself."

"I do not mean to offend you, but people often don't want to tell some things because they don't want to remember those things, because it hurts them just from hearing them. You claim you don't have emotions, and that means you should be able to say anything without even being hurt in the slightest." Alucard said, raising an eyebrow.

Suddenly, Shanoa did something Alucard didn't expect; she broke up crying.

She buried her head in her hands and rocked back and forth, sobbing as she did so, the tears streaming down her face.

"Cry all your tears: you will feel much better later." Alucard said, smiling warmly.

"I-I don't know what's wrong with me-" Shanoa said in between sobs. "I-I normally don't have any emotions-but I can't stop crying!-"

After her outburst ended, Alucard pointed to a bench near the graveyard's entrance where they both sat down.

"How do you feel now?"

"I-...I feel better.." Shanoa admitted, still sobbing a bit. "I-I just don't know anymore...Before yesterday, I don't remember having ever felt fear or worry.

And yet...I felt it earlier...I feared death...and sorry to have lied to you, but I shed some tears some minutes after I came here for no reason at all."

Alucard stayed silent for some seconds then spoke up, "You are scared of Death? As a vampire, I can't say I understand this feeling much, but..as a human,

it is entirely normal."

"But why now?" Shanoa almost shouted. "I went against the worst monsters in this world, and feared nothing..." She stopped, as realization dawned on

her. "...Because I had nothing to lose."

"...Exactly, you had nothing to lose. But now, you have something to lose, don't you?" Alucard said, smiling. "Banshees only sing for their family members..

Which means you are actually part of a family. You belong to that village. It is not of death that you are afraid; you are scared of going away from them, you don't want to...as they don't want you to go away . And that is also why you shed some tears earlier; you felt sad for your ancestors' noble deaths."

Suddenly, Shanoa felt relieved. She didn't know neither why nor how, all she knew at that moment was that she had a home to return to, a family that she loved...Before she received the ugly truth from her memory like an arrow striking through her heart. However, Shanoa kept her composure this time.

"My death...How can I prevent it?" Shanoa said, turning round so fast her neck made a slight cracking noise.

"If we could somehow find the vampire who will cause your death-

He didn't have the time to finish his phrase when suddenly the sky became as dark as the night and the sun vanished, as if it was swallowed by the darkness.

"What is this?" Shanoa said, looking in every direction.

"This power...This darkness...Could it be? The Ebony Stone?" Alucard said, clutching his fist.

"The Ebony Stone? But it was in the possession of the vampire I killed at Mystery Manor? How is this possible?" Shanoa said, terrified.

"What? Joachim Armster is here?" Alucard said, then he felt some kind of weapon flying at him from behind. One of Joachim's swords..!

However, it wasn't a sword that was after him; it was a knife. Evading it, he turned to see his opponent and gasped in surprise.

"What is this? Richter, is that you?" Alucard said, ready to unsheath his sword.

It was Richter Belmont. He had his usual long brown hair and was wearing his blue coat, but his eyes were different; instead of the usual sea blue color, they were blood red.

"Richter? So that is the name of that fool?" Joachim said, licking his lips. "He has a great body condition, that I must admit."

How did Joachim take possession of Richter's body? Did Richter try to touch the Ebony Stone? No, even if that was the case, he is a Belmont. That stone can't control him...But that doesn't matter for now... Alucard thought for a moment then said, "Joachim, what do you want? Walter is already dead! He was killed by Leon Belmont 700 years ago!"

"Dead...?" Joachim said, his expression changing along with his voice. "Both you and your father are stupid! Walter is still alive inside the Crimson Stone,

waiting for the day he will finally be able to escape...As am I waiting to CRUSH HIM!" Afterwards, he begun charging towards both of them, with the Vampire Killer in his hand and a sword in the other.

"It looks like the cause of your death is no longer a mystery, Shanoa. Let us take care of this cursed being."

Here comes Richter! But I think this chapter doesn't fit well the mystery genre...Please tell me your thoughts on this one. Thanks a lot and please review!

P.S: I know Hector's last name is unknown, and that's why I gave him Isaac and Julia's ^^