10.3

“Hmmm~ Hmmmm~ Hmmm~”

Soft humming escaped Meli’s sealed lips as she watched the droplets of water from the watering can trickled down the tender fresh stem of the sprouting plant in front of her.

“Oh there you are Meli! Mother was wondering where you were.”

Her sister, Mera’s mature voice reached her ears, causing Meli to quickly stand from her crouching position. “B-big sis— I-I was just…” Meli lost her tiny voice, her face reddened as she looked to the ground shyly.

Mera popped a finger to her lips and titled her head in confusion, “What are you getting flustered over?”

“I-I...” Meli stuttered as she tried to find her words. “…please don’t tell brother John. I want to show him this myself,” she stood aside from the row of flower pots, revealing to Mera the plants that she had been watering.

“Oh, you mean the lady finger plants you’ve planted on your own to surprise him with?

“Meraaaaa!!!” Meli pouted and stomped her feet lightly on the ground, her face was getting redder the further her elder sister pried into her business.

“Ahahaha, don’t worry. I have not written about them a single bit in our letters, I can at least keep it a secret from John after he comes back.”

Mera’s words calmed little Meli’s words down.

“Y-yeah…” Meli replied softly.

A month had passed since John left for Moxnet Academy, with their brother Miril barely returning from his pharmacist apprenticeship to visit them, the two sisters felt lonely, even with both their parents’ spending most of their time with them—now that their mother was completely recovered—it was not quite as fun when John was with them.

Mera moved to Meli’s side and grabbed her hand.

“Just because he will be going back to the academy after a week, it doesn’t mean he will come to hate us, Meli.”

“Really?” the girl looked towards Mera with sparkling eyes, a new sense of hoped has been restored into her. “Do you really mean it? Is that what brother John said!?”

Mera shrugged her shoulders, “Try asking him that question when he comes back, now let us go help mother shall we? Miril and daddy still hasn’t come back from the farm, it is up to us to help with dinner.”

“Okay…”

“Phewwww!!! Ahahaha! I haven’t sweat like that in a long time!” Miril’s loud sigh echoed throughout the house the moment the door swung open.

“Welcome back, you two,” Itzella who was on the dinner table along with Mera and Meli greeted to the two men of of the Harvest household.

“What have you been doing in Registoria? Do they force you to stay inside and work all day that you don’t even have time to see the sun?” Miros said in a loud chuckle.

“Come on dad! You know Mr. Aron is nothing like that! I get my time off every weekend. Besides, we only go to Registoria to pick up important orders, where I work at is two towns to the south of Registoria, Bortensee.”

“Ahahaha, look at you son, I am proud that you have finally bested me, you’ve got a great future ahead of you with that pharmacist apprenticeship.”

“Yeah… But did you know dad? Mr. Aron is not only teaching me how to mix herbs and prepare them, practicing pharmacy with him is just one part of it. In his spare time, the old man teaches me alchemy, how to transmute things and all that, can you believe it?”

Miros nodded at his son’s words, “You are just as capable as your grandpa, I’ve always believed that. Alchemy huh? Maybe you might finally learn to use a magic spell or two... That will make you the first Harvest ever to become a mage!”

Miril blushed and scratched his head, “Dad…”

“Speaking of which... Itzella, is John back yet?”

Meli shot her hand up before her mother could answer. “Brother John, isn’t back yet!”

“He did mention it might take a while, but at the latest he would be back by midnight. I still wish he specified the time though…” Mera made a small frown, indicating that she was not pleased with John’s tradiness.

“Mera, Meli, you have your big brother Miros here! I too have returned after a long while, don’t bother with John who isn’t punctual.” Miril opened his arms in attempt to hug his sisters, “Unlike him, I will bring you around town and buy you two whatever you—”

“No thanks.”

“I want brother John to come back!”

His two sisters rejected him without batting an eye, an invisible spear skewed its way into Miril’s heart, “Uegh… So cold…”

“My, my, what should I do with our girls, Miros?” Itzella placed a hand on her cheeks as she laughed at the comedic scene before her. Miros had been trying to gain his two sisters attention the moment he stepped foot in the house, but all of his attempts since his yesterday’s returned has failed. No doubt, Mera and Meli were still unhappy that he had not visited them since he left home.

“Now, now, they are just young girls who are going through—"

“Harvest!”

Knock knock knock!

“Harvest!!! Harvest!!!”

An familiar impatient voice boomed by the door entrance. It was from one of their neighbors who lived across the street.

“Martin? What is he doing this late?”

“Miros Harvest!!! I need you outside this moment!”

Miros’ squinted his face, the sun had just set, if there was anything his neighbor Martin needed from him, Martin would have asked for his favor earlier while he was at his house.

Ever since the imperial guards stopped their patrols in Parac Village, having any activities outside during nightfall was discouraged as it ran the risk of attracting monsters from Reperane Woods.

Such had become the customs of Parac Village in recent years, once the sun had set and the world was enveloped in the night, there would be no favors asked between neighbors unless there were life and death emergencies.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The banging on the door intensified.

“Harvest!!! Please! I beg you!”

It was unusual for the private Martin who stayed in his home all year round to come to their abode. Let alone hearing such a tone of voice from his neighbor, Miros never knew the senior gentleman had the strength to speak so loudly.

“Miros…” Itzella called to Miros with an uncertain look on her face.

“It’s alright, I’ll see to it. You and the kids can start eating without me,” Miros declared with a confident smile before he left for the entrance.

Miros’s tall figure moved steadily as his foot paced beneath him, the soft-natured expression he only wore around his family dissipated and was replaced with one that was filled with caution.

Even if someone in his family died… Barging into someone’s house in the middle of the night, Martin should know better than this. Screaming loudly, to add…

His gut churned harder the closer he got to the banging door where Martin was calling for him, the warm sensation to his feet was now replaced by a cold one, one that warned him of a certain danger.

Although he was human, the odds jobs that he had to do to support his family while Itzella was bed-ridden, had honed an intuition inside him, one that would warn him whether a job was too dangerous for him to handle.

And right now, this intuition screamed at him to grab his family and run while he still had the chance to.

It is just an emergency, old Martin is forgetful, that’s why he panicked and came here in a hurry. Perhaps his wife passed… That would be unfortunate…

He tried telling himself that, but his gut disagreed and churned, telling him to ignore Martin and continue on with his dinner with his family.

Finally, Miros reached the entrance, hand reached for the doorknob and twisted it.

Clack.

“He is here, he is here! Now, please let me— Ack…" before Martin could finish his sentence, a long finger moved along Martin’s neck and slit his arteries, spurting the elderly man’s blood before Miros.

Thump!

Old man Martin fell to the ground, the life in his eyes faded before as fresh crimson blood splattered themselves onto to Miros. He jumped backwards, fists balled, eyes firmly planted on the person who stood before him.

“Why greetings, cousin Miros!”

All the hairs on his body stood up at once.

Miros recognized who the person was.

“Palter? What happened to you…” he said in a heavy voice, his eyes shaky.

“Ahahahahaha!!! My dear Miros, of course I am here to pay your family a visit! What else could there be?” Palter stood pridefully before him, arms open as to welcome Miros’ embrace.

Miros body tensed upon hearing that shrill laughter from his long distance relative, his bones shook in his body upon laying his gaze on Palter.

“Black coat, pale skin, fangs…”

“Don’t be a stranger, cousin, after all, I took my precious time to visit your family. Could you at least bring your wife and kids to greet me?”

Miros’s breath shallowed, his eyes darted all over Palter’s body, looking for a way to explain the scene before him. Though it was just one of many legends that was common among the adventurer’s guild, Miros’ could not believe that this particular monster had come for him and his family.

A true vampire.

Unlike the common vampires that were often faced by the adventurers, a true vampire was one that had enough strength to kill someone with just a snap of their fingers. They may have been birthed as other races that had zero vampiric lineage, but should a purebred vampire noble decided to turn them into their own, a full conversion was all that needed to turn someone into a true vampire.

Cold shills bit into Miro’s very spine as he realized his only relative had become a monster that struck fear in the hearts of many adventurers.

He’s come for my family… No…

Seeing the horrified look on Miros, Palter took a step closer to his cousin, “What’s wrong? Are you perhaps too surprised—”

Before the vampire could boast, Miros threw himself against Palter and used all the strength he had to push Palter against the ground, delivering fist after fist hoping to subdue the vampire.

Wasting no time, he shouted to his family. “Itzella! Bring the kids and run now! NOW!!! There is monster here—” Miros was cut off when Palter resisted him and shoved a hand against his face.

“AHAHAHAHAHHA!!!! THAT’S THE SPIRIT!!! COME AT ME WITH ALL YOU HAVE PATHETIC HUMAN!!!”

“Miros! What is happening!?” Itzella who heard the commotion came running to him. Her voice became small when she saw Miros who was struggling against Palter that had a bloodthirsty expression “T-that’s…”

“Itzella, go now! Leave me! Run, run, as far as you can!”

“You useless— Stop struggling, I won’t kill you that soon, I still need you alive until—”

The moment Palter lifted his head, the world paused for Palter Termezt. His eyes grew wide in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing, he had intended to leave Miros alive to have him watch as he merciless slaughtered his family, it was why he so graciously allowed Miros to struggle against their competition of strength.

But when Palter saw Itzella who still retained her healthy body, his body surged with fearsome rage.

“Y-you!” Palter spat his words. In his rage, Palter used all of his vampiric strength and shove Miros into a wall, then disappeared from where he stood and reappeared before Itzella with a hand choking her neck.

“How are you still walking!!!?? The Seeds of Blood curse that I planted should have paralyzed you by now! You are supposed to be in your death bed!”

“Ack… Miros…”

Palter gritted his teeth.

“No, no, no, this is all wrong… The curse itself is immune to holy magic, how could this be!?” Palter’s hand on Itzella’s started to shake, “H-have I f-failed Lord Termezt? No, no, no…. NO!!!!”

The horrible realization settled in him.

Palter had messed up the task that Lord Termezt had assigned to him. Although it was just one of the Seeds of Blood, but Palter would never forgive himself for allowing such a mistake in his servitude to his master.

“N-no… this is impossible…” his eyes trembled in their sockets and started to glow red in rage.

“What have you done… How have you dispelled the curse that Lord Termezt developed!!!?” he brought Itzella’s face close to him, raising his free arm in preparation to mutilate her for failing to nurture the curse for him.

But before Palter could, a metal cane the size of bat came colliding against his skull.

Wham!

Palter’s grip loosened on Itzella as he collapsed to the ground becoming unconscious from Miros’ blow.

“H-hands off her!” Miros who barely stood on his two feet declared, his head was dripping with blood, his broken bones punctured his organs as he struggled to keep himself standing, “Itzella, the kids… Arghh…” Miros dropped to his knees before he could finish.

“Miril took them and ran. Miros, what were you thinking, telling me to run and leave you here!? Didn’t you tell me you would always be by my side?”

“Ahaha— Arggh…” Miros tried to laugh her off but ended up coughing blood from Palter’s shove earlier. “Now is not the time for silly things like that, your safety is much more important to me… But that doesn’t matter now…” his voice became small. Weakly, Miros raised his hands to Itzella’s cheeks, “Forgive me…for not loving you enough…” as the words parted his lips, Miros’ eyes rolled backwards his body became limp.

“No, no, Miros. No don’t go…” Itzella called him but Miros no longer responded to her. Leaving her to cradle his body in his arms. “I love you…”

…

…

…

…

…

Two dark figures appeared by the entrance.

“Palter, are you fine? We heard a commotion down—" Sozak stopped himself when he saw Palter’s collapsed body on the wodden floors, without hesitation, he warpped to where his fallen friend was. “Palter! Palter! Can you hear me!?”

“…”

“Shit, he is out cold,” Sozak bit his own tongue, then shouted in a loud voice. “Kelgrim! Emergency! We need to—”

“…Shut your trap will you?” Palter who returned to his conscience retorted. “I was careless…but that mistake, won’t happen twice!” he said as he got to his feet, dusting himself as he watched Itzella hugged Miros’ dead body before him. “Sozak!”

“Yes, Palter!”

“Bring Kelgrim and hunt down their children. Kill them in the most brutal way possible! Leave these two to me, I’ll make sure I make sure to torture them with whatever life they have left.”

When he was done, Kelgrim had appeared beside Palter with a solemn bow, indicating that Palter’s orders were heard clearly.

“Now go!”

The two vampires disappeared in a black cloud and went to the back of the house where three hurried footsteps could be heard clearly with their superhuman hearing.

Palter got to his feet and walked slowly towards the tear-filled Itzella who was carrying Miros in her arms.

“What a handful family you have here, Itzella. First your husband who refuses to stay put, then your bratty children who are just the same as their father, and you! You, who still stayed by your wretched husband’s side even when his heart barely beats!”

Palter flicked his wrists, summoning sharp long nails into existence as he walked towards her.

“Idiotic! Simply idiotic! How could people like you do the most ridiculous things when it inconveniences me!!!”

Palters hands trembled as he curled his hands to form a fist, not caring whether the nails that he summoned bit into his skin, all that he had on his mind was just the agony his human self had once bore, a pain that he long forgotten.

“If only mother was like you… If only people were truly as simple as you imebciles are…”

Palter stopped in front of her. His crimson eyes had trickles of blood running down them as he stared at Itzella who had her hands clutching to Miros’ body.

Even when Miros had collapsed from the damage he took from Palter’s shove earlier, she had yet to leave him for a second. Instead, Itzella silently cradled Miros’ cold body in her arms as she wept for his passing.

If only mother was like her… Maybe none of this would…

Palter’s dead heart soften that moment, he watched as Itzella ignored him and continued to do the same for the dead Miros.

After today, none of it will matter… Father’s death, mother’s infidelity… They will no longer affect me.

His resolve hardened, Palter’s eyes became sharp.

“Tell me who dispelled your curse and I shall send you to where your husband is!” Palter who was still seething with rage, shouted at Itzella but she pretended to not hear him.

“…”

He stood in silence as the housewife continue to nuzzle her face onto her dead husband as her tears overflowed.

“Miros… My d-dear Miros… Soon we will be together… I am grateful for the time we shared.”

Palter who had enough of her daftness brought one of his hands to her neck and squeezed.

“Speak! I demand you to—”

What he saw on her face almost broke his heart.

It was the most benevolent smile he had seen in his life. One that was filled with content and happiness. Itzella shook her head as tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.

Then she bit her own tongue, ending her life that instant.

…

…

…

…

Palter’s vison turned red, the strength of his grip on her neck became so tight that he squeezed out blood from Itzella without noticing it.

“Y-you worthless bitch… You and your family has insulted me for the last time!”

Palter threw her body onto the ground violently, following that he raised his claws and struck at the bodies of the deceased couple.

The red tears from his sockets flowed like a river as he repeated his strikes against the Harvest’s bodies, with each strike to rip theor body into shreds, he was reminded of the time that he ended his whore of a mother’s life.

“If only… If only…”

If only they were his family, perhaps Palter would never had to bare this pain in his heart all this time. If only his father were more selfish and refused Miros’ father, his perfect life would have continued.

But it no longer mattered.

Palter stopped.

After mutilating the Harvest couple’s corpse, after tearing their bodies apart limb by limb, after he had severed their heads from their necks, after he had beaten their bodies into bloody pulps.

Palter finally stopped.

It has been done. The decades of anger and sorrow that Palter Harvest had in his heart, all of it became undone the moment he the Harvest couple’s life ended before his very eyes. Their bloody corpse, their torn flesh…

The life of the only child of the man who caused his father’s death was reaped by him.

“Kuhuhuhu! Gahahahaha!” a manical laughter surged throughout his body. Though his crimson tears did not stop, the fact that he finally got to see this day through brought him more joy than he could have ever imagined.

Finally, Palter Harvest is no more.

He is now Palter Termezt, a true vampire, the vampire son of Ex’car Termezt.

Growl…

His stomach made a loud noise for the first time today, the iron smell of blood that invaded nostrils finally registered in his mind, his oral cavity was already drooling when his hunger hit him.

Blood! I need blood!!!

His shook violently as he crawled towards the pool of blood before him, finally he reached his absolute limit. His face became rabid, fangs grew longer as he could feel himself slowly succumbing to the madness that all blood deprived vampires would eventually experience.

His higher mind, his pride, his sense of self…

“ARGHHHH!!!” Palter brought his claws to his head, using the piercing nails and shocked his body with pain, stopping his animal self from moving any closer to the pool of blood before it was too late.

N-no… I must not feed in this state of mind.

He desperately called his body to stop, but it did not obey, and instead continued to move forward despite his resistance. My lord, give me strength, I beg you, I do not wish to fail this trial of mine…

As he called out to his master, a conversation he had with Lord Termezt from a long time ago appeared, as to answer him.

“Remember Palter, the moment you end your fast with the Harvest’s flesh, all your ties to your human self shall end.

“If by then, you have not settled your vengeance against the Harvest bloodline, I suggest you to rip your own heart out and eat it, for if you aren’t satisfied with their death, that greed of yours will stop you from ever completing your transformation to a full vampire. When the time comes, you have to stop yourself.”

As though his master were beside him, the shaky hand that extended from Palter towards the Harvests’ tattered bodies stopped in the air.

N-no! I have failed to collect the last Seed of Blood, i-if I were to fail myself n-now…

Palter was yet to know if the Harvest couple’s deaths were sufficient to justify his decades of internalized agony, the suffering he bore, the pain that was inflicted to his very self. Until he was certain that this grudge of his against that relative of his that caused his father’s death had disappeared, only then he could break his blood fast.

No matter how hungry he was, Palter had to endure it until he made up his mind.

Whilst assaulted by the bestial thoughts from his ten-day fast that would have driven any average vampire insane, Palter was told to conclude whether he was satisfied with the vengeance that he long desired the moment he reaped the Harvests’ lives with his very own hands.

This was the final trial that Lord Termezt had for him to complete his transformation into a true vampire, in blood and in soul.

All he had to do was let go… Let go of his old life in place of his new one.

“How do you determine if you are satisfied with their deaths? That is for you to decide, Palter. When the future me has finally allowed you to take your revenge, I believe that you would already have a proper goal in your mind.”

“Use that. Use that goal that you have in your mind and weigh it against your own desire. Only you can know which is more important to you. Your thirst for the suffering of someone you’ve never met but are related by blood? Or would it be a greater purpose that…”

Palter’s face returned to normal, the animalistic look he had on his face had perished, a sense of calm returned to him along with his greater reasoning.

A smile flashed across his face, a confident one, from the remains of Harvest couple, a newfound clarity became born in him.

“Thank you, Lord Termezt.”

Palter got down to his knees and placed his palms together and prayed to his one and only master, to the great vampire who gave him this new life, to the man who became his guiding light in this chaotic world that he lived in.

“I eternally thank you for showing me the way to be a better person, and for granting me the opportunity to realize how insignificant this vengeance of mine is.”

Palter prostrated himself to the ground, expressing his gratitude to his master.

He raised his body after a long while.

“Master, I shall now feast on the blood that you have gifted me, And when this blood fast of mine comes to an end, Palter Harvest would cease to exist, And I, Palter Termezt shall continue in his place to serve you with all of me until the end of time.”