Arkaim.
"Are we really just going to stroll around the city?" Murphy asked. "I've been pretty free lately. We could go farther away."
"No need. In my current condition, traveling far would only cause you trouble." Sophia wore a white dress, a small hat, sunglasses, and carried a parasol. "It happens to be cloudy today, so just take me for a walk around the streets. Even though I grew up here, I've never properly explored the city."
When she looked up, she found Murphy staring at her without blinking. "What is it? Is my outfit strange?"
"No. I just suddenly thought the laboratory should speed up its research into fixing vampires' weaknesses."
"Why?" the Empress asked, puzzled.
"You've practically wrapped yourself up like a dumpling." Murphy shook his head. "What a waste."
Sophia had already nearly completed her transformation into a vampire and had begun developing an allergy to sunlight. Strong ultraviolet rays would directly burn her skin, so even on a cloudy day, she had armed herself from head to toe, leaving almost no skin exposed.
The Empress felt slightly embarrassed. "Does it not look good?"
"It looks good," Murphy said. "Next time, let's go out at night. It's summer—I'm worried you'll get hot."
Sophia roughly understood what he meant, and her face reddened slightly. "Aren't you wrapped up just as tightly?"
As usual, Murphy wore a black robe from head to toe, but he did not care. "This outfit has a cooling charm on it. Feel it."
It really did. Sophia pressed her hand against Murphy's arm and actually felt a faint chill, like cold water.
But if he was afraid of the heat, couldn't he simply wear less?
"No way," Murphy said. "Have you ever seen a Dark Lord wearing shorts? That would be way too undignified!"