*Alucard stood before the cursed machine, jaw clenched as it let out another mocking beep. He had followed every instruction. Inserted the payment. Chosen the drink. And yet—

“Transaction declined.”

A slow breath escaped him. His fingers twitched at his sides, resisting the urge to destroy the device with his bare hands. This had become a matter of pride.

“I have endured centuries of war, ruin, and human foolishness,”he muttered, glaring at the touchscreen. “And yet I find myself defeated by… this.” His golden eyes scanned the blinking words on the screen. [Tap your card.] Tap. Not insert. Tap. What nonsense. Had the world always been this needlessly complicated? Or was it simply out to torment him?

“Is this punishment?” he murmured. “A penance for my father’s sins? A curse laid upon me by the Belmonts?” That thought made his eye twitch. No, they weren’t that creative. If a Belmont had built this machine, it would have exploded the moment it saw him—just out of spite. He tried again.

The machine beeped louder this time, almost offended. A nearby barista cast him a sympathetic glance before hurrying off to another customer. Alucard inhaled deeply, eyes closing. He would not lose to a metal box. And yet, as his patience wore thin, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this modern, absurd world had declared war on him personally.

Everything had changed. The nights no longer carried the same weight. The shadows had thinned, the silence was no longer sacred. People walked around with silver crosses around their necks, oblivious to their former meaning. No one whispered about the undead anymore—now they whispered about influencers. And worst of all, coffee no longer tasted the same. Once, it had been strong. Bitter. A noble drink for the weary. Now? Caramel lattes. Pumpkin spice. “Oat milk.”

What in God’s name was “oat milk?”

The beeping intensified, yanking him from his thoughts. He ground his teeth, the headache worsening. He was far too old for this.

When a stranger finally stepped in and solved the problem in seconds, Alucard felt something he hadn’t experienced in centuries: shame. His pride stung like holy water on skin. He looked at the now-working machine, then at the stranger, then back at the machine. He wasn’t sure whether to thank them—or retreat to a monastery in disgrace.

Instead, he took his coffee with what little dignity remained.

“I loathe this era,”he muttered, sniffing the drink like it might betray him. And yet, when he took that first sip, his expression softened.

Warm. Slightly bitter. Not as good as before—but acceptable. His gaze drifted to Mylin, the enigmatic savior.

“You have saved me from an unwinnable battle,” he said solemnly. “I am in your debt.”