CH 5

The next day.

Although it did not matter greatly whether he slept or not, Eugene rested for a couple of hours just in case, before waking up early in the morning and packing up. As a vampire, Eugene did not need to eat and sleep like humans. As such, he only packed some clothes, weapons collected from the dead mercenaries, leather from hunted game, and a simple tent. However, once he gathered everything, it was quite a considerable bit of luggage. Perhaps he would look like a peddler from a distance. 

‘Will I ever have a chance to come back?’

Eugene became lost in thought as he looked at the cabin. He once thought he would spend the rest of his life in this small shack. He worked hard for half a year to erect the cabin, now that he was about to leave it behind, it felt a little strange.

“This place isn’t half bad, but a vampire should live in a decent castle. Have a few brides and slaves at your beck and call. Moreover, if you ever get your true name back, you can even summon familiars! They’ll do your dirty work for you and beat up anyone who tries to come for you. Vampire Lord Eugene! The Count of Blood Eugene! That’s what they’ll start calling you once you get ahead.”

Mirian immediately transformed the gloomy atmosphere with her endless chatter. Eugene turned his cold gaze towards her.

“You know quite a lot despite having lived only in the wetlands. Where did you learn all that?”

“I told you already. All spirits live in the Spirit World before they get their own territory. Though it’s just a simple place where we get together and have fun. Anyways, that’s beside the point. Sometimes, seniors return to the Spirit World from the material world, you know? They tell us a lot of things. Good advice that will be of immense benefit in the world.”

“But you forgot most of it?”                                                   

“I only remember things that I’m interested in.”

“Not because you’re an idiot?”

“Nope!”

Mirian took on a grumpy expression before heading into a leather pocket.

“You don’t even know anything. Ptui! Ptuiptuiptuiptuiptuiptui! Kyaaaaahk~ Ptooey!”

It was uncertain whether Mirian was creating water or throwing a tantrum. After closing the cap of the leather pouch, Eugene took one last glance at the cabin before departing.

*** 

“My name is Felid. Please look after me, Sir Eugene.”

A boy who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen bowed to Eugene.

“I’m Jan Eugene. I look forward to it.”

Felid had his brown hair tied back in a nonchalant manner, and he looked as the stories had it. Although he was still young, he would certainly grow to become a handsome young man. But Eugene only thought of Felid’s appearance as balanced. And such a ‘balanced’ appearance, by Eugene’s standards, was good.

‘He looks a bit similar to the knight named Bertel Tywin.’

Felid looked softer overall, but his stubborn lips bore a striking resemblance to the young knight of the Tywin family. It seemed to be a characteristic of the Tywin family.

“Here you are.”

The chief bowed after handing over a letter written to Lord Tywin.

“Then farewell, Sir Eugene.”

Eugene answered with a nod. The chief seemed convinced that Eugene would leave for good.

“Take care as well.”

“Yes. Please take care of this brat, or rather, young master Felid.”

“I will let you know when I get there, chief.”

“Oh my! Please speak comfortably. And I hope you can… put in a good word to the lord.”

“Yes. This is my hometown after all. I will let him know for sure.”

“Yes, yes. Thank you.”

The chief bowed repeatedly. He was immensely relieved that he chose to accept Felid and his mother into the town eight years ago.

“Brother Felid! Goodbye!”

“Send a mail! Don’t forget your promise! You have to make me your aide once you become a knight!”

Eugene left Broadwin alongside Felid while leaving behind the shouts of the village boys. It would be different this time around. He was no longer being chased. He took the first step towards the world with his own will.

*** 

After nearly half a day of walking, Eugene finally came across a proper village. The village beyond the ridge was incomparably vast compared to Broadwin.

“I think we are almost there.”

“Yes.”

Felid followed Eugene diligently without ever falling behind or complaining, perhaps because he had become disciplined after farming. To be exact, he followed behind Eugene without speaking a single word unless he was spoken to.

“Wow, you are weird, but that guy’s personality is really strange as well.”

Eugene ignored Mirian’s words and continued to walk silently since Felid was right behind him.

“How could he ever be so silent? I thought he lived in that town all these years? It must have been years since he’s ever left, right? Isn’t he excited?”

“Shut up and go make some water before I throw you away in a random pond somewhere.”

“Yes.”

“Did you just say something, Sir Eugene?”

He had tried his best to speak quietly, but it appeared Felid had overheard as well

“No, it’s nothing. I was only speaking to myself. That is the town of Brahms, right?”

“Yes. I saw the sign earlier. That is indeed Brahms.”

“What? Can you read?”

“Yes. My late mother taught me.”

This was rather surprising. Even the majority of knights were illiterate, so how could a boy know how to read and write when he stumbled into Broadwin and lived there ever since he was young?

“Was your mother a noble?”

“No. I… heard that someone she loved taught her when she was young. So she taught me and…”

Felid spoke with awkwardness. Eugene noticed that the one ‘she loved’ was referring to Lord Tywin.

“I see. That’s great anyway. You would have had to learn to read and write in the future anyway. Ah.”

Eugene turned his head towards Felid and spoke after suddenly thinking of something.

“Can you teach me how to read and write?”

“What? Me? Teach Sir Eugene?”

“That’s right. I ran away when I was much younger than you after my family fell. So I never had a chance to learn, though I learned how to fight.”

Eugene was weaving lies without much effort now. But the innocent Felid believed his words and took on a sad expression.

“Ah, I see. But I heard that you can get ahead as a knight even if you don’t know how to read and write.”

“So are you willing to teach me or not?”

“I-I will teach you. If you don’t mind me teaching you, of course.”

“Good. You can teach me after we set up camp later.”

“Yes.”

Felid nodded vigorously. He felt as if he had grown a little bit closer to the quiet, blunt knight.

‘This feels strange.’

Felid tilted his head curiously while staring at Eugene’s back. Although it wasn’t hot, it was still a warm day. But the knight was dressed in pitch-black clothes and even wore a mask.

The ‘red-eyed monster’ of the mountainside cabin was famous among the children of Braodwin. 

The adults always warned the children to never approach the cabin. 

The monster always caught and brought game to the village once every two months or so.

Everything surrounding the ‘red-eyed monster’, or rather, Knight Jan Eugene, was strange and mysterious. But now, Felid was on his way to Lord Tywin’s castle by the knight’s side.

Felid could not believe it – that he could be the son of Lord Tywin and that he was traveling alongside Eugene.

‘Should I make some small talk? No, they told me not to relax because all knights are bad-tempered.’

Felid shook his head inwardly as he recalled the words the chief spoke to him before Eugene arrived in the morning. It wasn’t only the chief either. His late mother, who passed away last year, and the traveling merchant said similar things.

- Knights are almost always like predators. Never go against them and if you can, avoid making any eye contact with them.

‘But wouldn’t he let it slide and be more lenient because I might be Lord Tywin’s son? And somehow, Sir Eugene seems very different from the knights I’ve heard about.’

Felid held his breath while quietly observing the knight. The tall knight was striding forward without rest even while carrying a large bag overlayed with several layers of thick leather.

‘There is no way a knight like that would be a normal person. Let’s not say unnecessary things and try to get close to him whenever I get the chance.’

“Hey, he’s looking at you weirdly.”

“…..”

“Where did I see that expression before? Ah, that’s right! Those naked people who were busily sucking and biting each other in the pond had a similar expression! I don’t know about others, but I was so grateful that they were killed by that crocodile bastard…”

Tap.

“I’m sorry!”

When Eugene suddenly stopped, Mirian scurried away into the leather pouch. But when nothing happened, Mirian stuck out her head and quietly stole glances at Eugene.

Eugene’s eyes shone with a light from inside the mask. But his gaze was headed towards the front rather than Mirian.

“What is it? What is it?”

“Felid, stay back.”

“Ye-yes, Sir Eugene.”

Eugene took a step forward while placing his hand on the handle of a sword located inside his robe. It was the short sword that belonged to one of the dead mercenaries. It had been in the best condition out of all the armaments. 

“What is your business?”

A group of people suddenly stood up from behind a large boulder.

“What else could it possibly be in a place like this?”

“If you give me everything you have, I’ll let you keep your life.”

The five robbers grinned and threateningly swung their bloodstained clubs and maces.

“Hey, what are you doing? Quick, so that we can…”

Shuack!

Indeed, Eugene moved quickly. However, unfortunately for the robbers, he had moved much more quickly than what the robbers demanded.

Eugene narrowed the distance at once and drew his short sword.

Shhk.

The leading robber’s head was decapitated in an instant, and blood gushed from the stump. The body slowly fell backward, still holding a wooden club in the air.

“Then.”

“Uah!”

Shuack!

Two others were beheaded in an instant. One of them had been about to say something but died before he could finish his words. Three people were dead in the blink of an eye.

The silence was short.

“Huaaah!”

“Save me!”

The remaining two robbers panicked and began to run away in a frenzy. But Eugene was armed with Black Scales and dressed in thick, black clothes. Without the sanctions of sunlight, a vampire’s physical abilities exceeded a normal human’s by several times.

“Keugh!”

The sword slashed two times, and the robbers collapsed with holes in their heads and chests. Eugene looked over the dead bodies after shaking the blood off the short sword. Then, he examined the blade.

‘This was in the best condition out of all of them, but it’s still quite pitiful.’

He knew it was too much to aim for a long sword like the one used by Jung Dircht, but he needed to find a better weapon. Eugene sheathed his sword and spoke.

“What’s wrong?”

Eugene became puzzled and spoke to Felid, who was trembling with a pale blue face. But Felid did not respond.

Or rather, he could not respond.

After asking a single question, the knight just slaughtered five people in broad daylight. Felid’s gaze contained both fear and relief. He was scared that knight Eugene was in fact a being greater than a predator but relieved from the fact that the incredible knight was currently his guardian.