Chapter 5

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Generally speaking, if a human discovered their identity…

The only way was to kill the other party.

But Harlen had set an ironclad rule for himself, which was not killing children.

After all, the child was innocent. They had not seen the beauty of the world, thus they should not die so meaninglessly.

“What did you see?”

Harlen sat cross-legged on the ground.

Then, he handed the other blanket to the little girl and said,

“If you sit on the grass in a thin dress, you’ll feel a lot of prickles. Sit on this instead.”

The little girl did feel the prickle on her leg, too. She watched Harlen as she carefully climbed onto the rug.

After the little girl sat down, Harlen cast a spell to get rid of the insects around her.

Then, he lay on the ground with his legs crossed and his hands resting on his head as he looked at the scarlet night sky.

Harlen didn’t want to press a child. There was no need.

He would wait until she was full.

Seeing that Harlen did not say a single word, much less look at her, the girl was left speechless.

But the hunger made the little girl unable to care so much.

The little girl only focused on eating her bread and drinking milk.

Soon, a few large packs of bread and a few large packets of milk were swept clean by her.

Burp ~

The little girl finally burped to signal the end of her meal.

Then, she leaned against the tree and looked at Harlen, who was lying on the ground.

A few minutes later.

“Well… Lord Vampire…”

“I’m listening. What’s wrong? Are you not full? I still have more.”

Harlen turned to the little girl.

“No, no. I’m full. Thank you for the gift, Lord Vampire.”

As she spoke, the little girl kowtowed to Harlen.

“Don’t be so restrained. It’s just a small matter. Don’t worry about it.”

Harlen turned to the sky.

“Also, don’t keep calling me Lord Vampire. It’s weird.”

“Call me… Big Brother Harlen.”

“Okay, Lord Vamp… Big Brother Harlen.”

The little girl had obviously never addressed anyone like that before. She sounded stiff.

“Well… never mind… you can call me what you want to. Whatever is convenient for you.”

Harlen consoled her.

“My name is Mary… Mary Anne.”

“This year… should be… four… five… six…”

“Seven years old.”

Mary counted on her fingers, ticking off as she recited.

“I… I think I’m from… St. Calloran..”

“As for why I’m here…”

“I can’t remember either.”

“I only remember that I’ve lived in this forest for four years.”

…

“Alone?”

Harlen asked.

“Alone.”

Hearing this, Harlen’s heart ached.

To think that in the huge Saint Calloran city, there was actually not a single paladin that has found out a girl had been missing from the city for four years.

Harlen couldn’t imagine how such a young girl could have lived alone in this secluded forest for four years.

How did she survive the past four years?

What did she eat? What did she drink?

Where did she sleep at night?

What would happen if she encountered ferocious beasts?

Harlen didn’t dare think further.

The more he thought about it, the more scared he became.

That a seven-year-old girl had survived alone in the forest for four years.

Harlen sat up and asked Mary,

“Do you want to leave this forest and return to the human world?”

“Human?”

The little girl tilted her head and asked.

“You don’t know about humans?”

Harlen asked doubtfully.

“I know about humans.”

“I met humans when I was three.”

“I think so… and… and vampires.”

Mary said as she tried to remember.

“The Vampires were so fierce.”

“But every time they get fierce, my dad just hits them with a rope.”

“He would beat them until they quiet down.”

Harlen was surprised.

The seven-year-old girl in front of him had not only seen vampires, but also witnessed others beating them up.

The rope she was talking about should be a whip or something.

Some vampire was probably imprisoned.

There must be some secret hidden on this little girl.

Her background must not be simple.

After some thought, Harlen asked Mary again,

“Do you want to leave this forest and return to the human world to live?”

“I want to, but my mother told me the world out there is dangerous. There are knives, guns, fighting and killing everywhere.”

“And there are also scary vampires who are hurting people. They especially like to suck the blood of young girls.”

“Mom told me to wait in the forest. She said it was safe.”

“When mom destroys all the vampires, then she’ll come back and take me home.”

The more Mary talked, the happier she became. She kept expecting her mother to come and get her home.

“When did your mother tell you that?”

“Eh… I think it was when I was three.”

Harlen’s eyes gradually dimmed.

It was likely that her mother was probably no longer alive, while the innocent little girl was still waiting in this forest for her mother to bring her home.

“Your mother might have gone somewhere far away. She might not be able to return anytime soon.”

“What do you eat, drink, and sleep in this forest alone?”

“What happens if you encounter ferocious beasts at night?”

“Why don’t you come with me instead?”

“Let’s go see the world outside.”

“Look at you now. If your mother comes back and sees you looking so sloppy and skinny, her heart will ache.”

“Can you bear to make Mommy sad?”

Harlen crouched down and asked Mary.

“I couldn’t bear to. Mary wouldn’t let Mama be sad.”

“Mary will go with Brother Harlen.”

“Then aren’t you afraid Brother Harlen is a bad vampire?”

“Brother Harlen is a good vampire. He has a loving heart. He will give me food. He will not beat me like my father. I believe Brother Harlen.”

With that, Mary pulled the blanket off her and rushed over to hug Harlen.

Harlen was knocked to the ground by this sudden embrace.

He laughed as he stroked Mary’s hair.

“You made the right choice.”

“You can come with me from now on.”

“Let’s go to Saint Calloran together. I’ll get you something nice to eat and some nice clothes.”

Harlen rose with Mary in one arm.

He turned and headed in the direction of Saint Calloran.

On the way, Harlen did not speed up. Instead, he walked slowly.

He carried Mary and chatted as they proceeded on the road.

They talked about food, clothes, and beautiful houses.

He carried Mary as he walked.

They also gazed at the wildflower gardens, the lotuses in the calm lake akin to mirrors, the moon, and the vast sky.

Sometimes Harlen would respond to Mary’s request to fly around the low latitude of the sky with her.

They chatted and laughed along the way, and it was extremely enjoyable.

“Oh Mary, Brother Harlen wants you to promise me something.”

“Is it to help you keep the vampire secret?”

“Oh, my little Mary is so smart. She can read the hearts of vampires.”

“That’s right. Can you agree?”

Little Mary put on an act and said, “Only heaven and earth, you and I both will know about this matter.”

Harlen laughed at that and kept rubbing Mary’s head.

“Brother Harlen, stop rubbing. My hair is going to drop off.”

Mary pouted as she touched her head..