Chapter 89 - A Competition By The Waterfall

Bathing is a very rare matter people talk about and take seriously, but it is a daily essential for our lives. 

Especially when you have to take turns when bathing.

You have to consider which person will go first, and whether it was according to how fast they are in bathing or how slow they are. Some prefer to let the slowest do it first, especially when they are in a hurry. While some prefer to have the fastest come first, so there would be less hassle of waiting.

Whichever one it will be, bathing is always more complicated than one may think.

But the problem of who's fastest and slowest disappear when you're all bathing together. It's more efficient, it saves time and it's more fun.

At least, Vladstin thinks so.

"Come on, Min Libitino. Ask Leron over there! We Crescentians are used to bathing together, especially when we travel to waterfalls!"

Vladstin took off his shoes filled with holes and stepped into the cold running water. "Brr! These refreshing frigid waters are better to enjoy when you're not alone! Come on, I can even wash your back for you!"

"No thank you." Sangfroid rejected him without hesitation.

"Are you shy?" Vladstin chuckled, slowly taking off his shirt. "Don't be! We're all mem here, there's no body part of yours that I'm not familiar with. Just ask Leron. We used to bathe together all the time when we were kids. It's more fun to wash each other and play together, right?"

Leron's face reddened, unsure how to answer since it's an awkward topic. "Y-Yes.... I suppose."

Sangfroid took a hit from the image of young Leron and young Vladstin bathing together, wearing nothing but their underwear and splashing water playfully, and he shook his head.

"Those may be how it was back in your kingdom, Prince Vladstin, but it's not the same in Ilvedia. Bathing with other people is indecent behavior."

Sangfroid turned away, fist clenched. "If you two want to do so, then I'll let you be. I'll just watch over the tent."

Vladstin tilted his head to the side, and Leron became even more flustered as Sangfroid left. Now that the two of them are alone.....

It could not get even more awkward than this.

Ever since they start their journey towards the Libitinous Mountains, they had never been alone with each other.

Vladstin shrugged his shoulders. "His lost then. I thought he wouldn't pass by the opportunity...."

"What opportunity?" Leron asked. He carefully took off his shoes and sat by the rocks near the waterfall, not ready to go in yet.

"Nothing!" Vladstin grinned and suddenly disappeared with a flash!

"Vladstin!" Leron quickly sat up to look at the water. He looked everywhere....

Then saw bubbles in the water.

Splash! Vladstin came back again, only his head poking through the water. "Look, I'm a fish! I can breathe underwater and I don't die! I'm Sangfroid's favorite food!"

Leron placed a hand on his heart. "You scared me..... Don't just disappear like that....."

Vladstin frowned. "Why would you be scared? I never die. Thanks to you."

Leron's heart suddenly fell. "How.... How did you know it was me....."

"I just know." Vladstin grinned. "You're the one who always ruins the fun. After gaining my memories and my emotions, I could have rest in peace.... But no! I've become immortal who must continue to feel pain!"

The black-haired prince he used to compare to a bunny bowed his head. "I'm so sorry..... But I couldn't let you die....."

Vladstin thought for a second, his face becoming a bit more serious. He then asked. "How did you do it?"

Leron blinked. "Huh?"

"How did you make me immortal?"

The memory made Leron a bit ashamed, since it was very pathetic after all, crying in the rain and wishing on a dandelion archway.

"You.... You don't have to know, fo you?" Leron looked away. "I just.... Didn't want you to die and it came true."

Vladstin frowned. Then, he smirked, and said in a sing-songy voice: "I have all your memories since the last time I bit you. Therefore, I know all your secrets. And so, it's very easy for me to know the truth, don't you think?~

He got out of the water and pounced on Leron, pinning him to the ground!

"I just have to drink from you again, right?~" Vladstin bared his fangs. "I don't really need blood as sustenance anymore but that doesn't mean I'm not hungry. Ever since losing my apathy, I'm susceptible to all kinds of human sufferings after all, despite being immortal. Do you know hard it was like?"

Leron's eyes widened. "All this time.... You actually crave blood. Then why didn't you tell us....? You could have drunk from an animal too...."

"Yes, yes, I already killed so many innocents, what's one more pure-eyed doe or a kind-hearted rabbit?" Vladstin laughed creepily. "Is that what you're saying? You'd like me to kill again?"

"That's not what I.... I mean, I know you love animals, but when you're left with no choice—"

"When left with no choice, I'd rather tear my stomach out to no longer feel hunger than to feed on another life that doesn't deserve it."

His words were sincere, this was not just some crazed declaration. Vladstin was completely sane when he said that.

The blue-eyed prince could only feel more ashamed of himself.

"Then....." He looked up to Vladstin's familiar golden eyes, that was now so reflective that it could even serve as a mirror. It made him loathe himself more. "Then.... Hurry up and drink my blood, for I deserve it."

Vladstin's face immediately became neutral and unreadable. He spoke in the same cold tone he once has when he was still a heartless, immoral vampire.

"You already lost so much blood and you're transforming soon, yet you're offering yourself to me?"

Leron was much more determined this time with his fierce nod.

Vladstin was quiet, merely observing him like a wolf sniffing his prey. But the prey did not show any fear or attempt to escape his grasp.

He tilted Leron's chin up, and buried his head on his neck.....

"Stop!"

An arrow immediately shot Vladstin behind the ear.

He groaned, but this was nothing compared to the torture he suffered from the Ilvedians. He simply took the arrow off and laughed as blood trickled.

"You're back, Sangfroid!" He grinned. "Changed your mind about the back scrub? I can scrub it real good!"

"I've been watching from the shard." Sangfroid still has another arrow drawn. "Get away from Prince Leron."

Leron shook his head. "Don't shoot! There must have been a misunderstanding, I was willing—"

"I know you were willing. I can hear you both as well. That's why I'm asking Vladstin to get away." Sangfroid said.

"Vampires have tantalizing eyes. When you look at them, it makes you want to succumb to them. And besides, Your Highness, you have been bitten more than once and you're time is running out...."

"I can't..... I can't let you turn into one of them." Sangfroid's purple eye showed so much hidden anguish. "If Vladstin is truly hungry..... Then I will feed my blood to him, not yours."

Vladstin stayed quiet all this time, focusing on the beautiful sound of blood gushing from his own long-dead flesh. But at this, he managed to cackle.

"Oh, yes! Sangfroid loves you dearly, so he can't afford to have you turned into one of us. Us monsters." Vladstin clapped. "Then how about this then? Let's resolve this with a competition!"

"A competition?" The two humans repeated confusedly at the same time.

"A wrestling competition! But with a twist!" Vladstin shook the dripping water droplets from his hair just like how a dog would. "We do it by the waterfall so the difficulty would be twice as hard! The winner decides which person I will drink blood from!"

"Prince Leron is in no position to wrestle. He must now exert himself too much and rest so the transformation may be slowed down." Sangfroid said.

"I never offered to wrestle with Leron, he has a 0 winning streak against me, anyway." Vladstin grinned and licked his own blood. "I'm challenging you, Min Libitino. Sangfroid, former leader of the Chief Huntsmen and now King of Ilvedia!"

Sangfroid really doesn't like when people proclaim his titles. It now happened twice, and both times, it was a non-human entity. A fairy and a vampire, both very annoying, and always putting him into deals and tests.

"This way, we can take a bath afterwards too! It'll be good exercise, and I've always wanted to know who's the stronger between us!" Vladstin clapped his hand like a little kid. "And I just really, really miss wrestling!"

Sangfroid considered this, then shook his head. "You're forgetting something."

The vampire tilted his head. "Hm? What is it?"

"You're a vampire lord, so of course you're more powerful. It's a fruitless competition. You'll already win." Sangfroid said. "And I can't risk Prince Leron with those chances."

"Hah, what are you so worried about losing for? You could just double-cross me."

"I don't double-cross anyone." Sangfroid frowned. "I always keep my word."

"We Crescentians too, but I won't bear a grudge against Min Libitino if it happens." Vladstin jumped to the water again, splashing around. "Well then, if you don't want to wrestle, I'll just wait for the time when you lose your guard and I can drink from Leron secretly..."

He said in that sing-songy voice, obviously taunting him.

Sangfroid clenched his fist. "You really sure you wouldn't go back on your word? No cheating like you did before, when you first challenged me?"

"You mean when I called forth Leron's blood so he would come to me?" Vladstin chuckled. "That's not really cheating, that's just using all the cards at my disposal."

Sangfroid growled, so he added: "But alright, no clever tricks like that. If you want, I can even add a disadvantage to myself!"

He tore a strip of cloth from his own shirt with his sharp canines.

"I'm gonna fight you blindfolded, no peeking, I can even pinky-swear you for it!" Vladstin showed the cloth proudly. "Sounds good?"

Sangfroid was still unconvinced. Even when blindfolded, vampires have superior senses. And even he wasn't a vampire, Leron told him how good of a wrestler Vladstin is back when they were first sharing a room in the Palace of Ilvedia.

But what choice does he have but to fulfill this immortal's wishes?

He took the cloth, and wrapped it over Vladstin's eyes. "Alright.. I accept your challenge."