I don't think you understand my point. Like I explained, Vlad III the Impaler is the historical Dracula, but not the vampire Dracula from the Bram Stoker's Dracula novel. Not once in the novel was the connection ever made. While it is believed the Vlad III may have inspired the vampire Dracula, I don't recall anything ever stating that, aside from the BSD film and the BSD sequel novel.
To clarify, when you originally stated the Vlad III has always been Dracula, did you mean the historical figure or the vampire? I mean, we are talking about Castlevania, so I thought I was making a safe assumption that you were referring to the vampire.
We are talking about a game in which the central location is Wallachia, the same place where Vlad III originated and Ruled.
Bram Stoker's Dracula takes place in the mountains on the border of Transylvania.
the book was published in 1897, Before Transylvania Joined Wallachia in the New Kingdom of Romania in 1918.
Geographically there is a link since Wallachia is Pretty Close to Transylvania
Bram Stoker Also knew close to little about Vlad III but His Dracula does refer to Vlad III in a Speech about his background,
Who was it but one of my own race who as Voivode crossed the Danube and beat the Turk on his own ground? This was a Dracula indeed! Woe was it that his own unworthy brother, when he had fallen, sold his people to the Turk and brought the shame of slavery on them! Was it not this Dracula, indeed, who inspired that other of his race who in a later age again and again brought his forces over the great river into Turkey-land; who, when he was beaten back, came again, and again, though he had to come alone from the bloody field where his troops were being slaughtered, since he knew that he alone could ultimately triumph! (Chapter 3, pp 19)
His Later Identity Was Confirmed by Van Helsing
He must, indeed, have been that Voivode Dracula who won his name against the Turk, over the great river on the very frontier of Turkey-land. (Chapter 18, pp 145)
So indeed, Bram Stoker's Dracula has a very high chance to be Vlad III since many of Dracula's Speeches he tends to speak of himself in a third person.
Since Vlad III already had Vampire Legends long before Bram Stoker's novel, I am very Certain that Bram himself knew of it, Its pretty much common sense now that Bram's Dracula and Vlad the Impaler are one the same.
that .01% chance of Bram's Dracula not being Vlad III was later resolved in an official sequel, but that's like assuring someone that gravity exists at this point.