“Why are you out of bed? You should rest!”

Rein rebuked Julie as he saw her sitting in the balcony and enjoying the slightly chilling breeze.

By now, the two had become close enough for him to enter without being escorted by the butler. He would come here daily but he would have to leave soon as his task remains uncompleted.

Considering that Julie has a lot of responsibilities after her father’s death, and adding to that lack of genuine friends, Rein was expecting their farewell to be bitter and sad. Alas, much like her, he too had responsibilities and did not have the leisure to stay here for more time.

“I’m fine.”

The girl softly smiled and returned to looking at the book, which was upside down. It was plain clear that her mind was elsewhere.

Rein worriedly looked at her and let out a heavy sigh as he remembered yesterday night.

The two were chatting in this very same balcony when everything changed. Julie, who had been laughing, stood up in horror then shouted atop her lungs.

She even started hyperventilating as she fell on her knees and coughed blood. Were it not for his magic, which had calmed her, something worse would have possibly happened.

At first, she said that she saw a monster and that she felt excruciating pain in her chest. Later, however, she told him that it was a nightmare… a vision of her days in the basement.

Of course, Rein did not believe her and insisted on knowing the truth as he feared the worst.

Unfortunately, as is her wont, Julie kept her counsel and continued with her blatant lie, thus pushing the Holy Knight to give up and reluctantly drop the matter.

“Maybe I should stay for a few more days.” He said as he sat across the girl and looked at the clear sky.

“...”

Julie, still absent-minded, offered no reply or reaction. She was like a statue, motionless and unresponsive.

“Julie?”

“A-ah, yes?”

“Nothing. It’s almost noon, let’s go have lunch.”

Before the two had the chance to eat, the old butler came and informed them that they had a guest. When questioned about this guest’s identity, the elderly servant shook his head with the usual grim expression.

“You don’t have to meet them now, you know.”

As he chased after Julie, who, with rapid steps, was making her way to meet the guest, Rein tried to dissuade her due to her ‘health’ condition, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Soon, when the guest was welcomed in and came face to face with Julie, the girl was half-confused and half-disappointed as if she expected someone else.

The current young Baron, Julie Lernon, scrutinized this unexpected visitor and, in silence, wondered if they were related to Arthur.

“Greetings, Miss Lernon.”

“Y-yes, hello.”

After a brief exchange of greetings, Julie led the guest to a more appropriate place than the entrance corridor for a better conversation.

“Excuse my sudden visit, Miss Lernon.”

The guest was actually a girl no older than Julie: She wore a simple long black dress and short heels of the same color. Her long raven black hair was scraped back into a ponytail, an oval face, mesmerizing purple eyes, a pointy small nose, and rosy thin lips.

She had a composed and aloof demeanor, indicating that she was either a noble or something within those lines.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced, emm-- Miss…?”

“I am Amare Na Xivia, daughter of Marjory Na Xivia.”

“O-oh..”

Julie was by no means knowledgeable about the outside world, yet even she had heard of Marjory Na Xivia, one of the five Original and head of the Aeternus vampire family. Amongst the five originals, Marjory is the most active and it isn’t a secret that she has close ties with the Aristocratic Consortium.

While controlling her shock, Julie nodded and said,

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Amare. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Before responding, Amare glanced at the silent Holy Knight and scrutinized him for a couple of breaths.

“I wanted to inquire about a couple of things, if you don’t mind.”

“O-of course! Ask way, please!”

For the lordling of a small region in Archwood, Julie’s status was undeniably lower than Amare, who’s Marjory’s daughter. Even if it wasn’t the case, it would be best and safe to cooperate rather than go against Amare.

“Recently, I was informed that you had been in brief contact with Leonis Sanguis prior to his death. Is that correct?”

Yet again, Julie was startled, her body twitching and her eyes momentarily wavering. The girl controlled her emotions and voice as she answered.

“Yes. We met up a few times.”

“Good. Perchance, did he strike you as strange or… different?”

Amare studied Julie’s face as she patiently waited for responses. She was trying to read through the baron’s changing expression and seeing behind the forced smile she was exerting.

“I don’t know. I’ve met him for the first time in Miss Lerandal’s birthday party. We had common interests so we met up a few times to chat.”

“Alright. Just to be sure, you did not meet him after the Blood Purge, yes?”

“Ehmm, I’m not sure I understand. Did he not die that night?”

“That is the case. The nature of my investigation does not allow me to disclose any sensitive information, my apologies.”

“I-it’s okay. Do you have any more questions?”

“A couple more…”

…

The ‘interrogation’ lasted for half an hour, after which Amare politely bowed then excused herself.

She swiftly left the manor and returned to the bustling commercial district of Wilsden. She stood in the middle of the road and dazedly looked to the front as she pondered about the whole matter involving Leonis Sanguis.

That very same day, at night, Amare snuck into the burnt manor of Leonis, or what was left of it, and searched every nook and cranny.

Eventually, after discarding the scorched rubble and half-broken furniture, she found the recently dug tunnel, which she already knew existed.

The girl crouched down, not minding the dirt on dress, and crawled through the tunnel, exploring all the accessible paths. One led to the graveyard, right next to Leonis’ grave, the second led to one of the local nobles’ manor, and the last ended in the basement of the Lernon Household.

“Strange. Too strange. If he was going to kill himself, why would he dig this?”

Amare spent an hour underground, crawling through the cramped tunnels and searching for clues.

When she was certain she missed nothing, she headed to the graveyard and looked at the fresh tomb.

Using her magic, she dug the grave only to find out that the body was missing.

“This grave has already been desecrated… Who would go after the body?”

The girl sighed and left thereafter…

***

“What the fuck is this?”

Sancha Sanguis looked at the charred corpse lying next to her feet. It was rotten and totally unrecognizable, which made Sancha question its presence in her house.

Lexander Biax, along with the elderly gardener were a few paces steps away.

“My lady, this is Sir Leonis’ Body. I thought that maybe you could use Magic to…”

“To what?!” Snapped back Sancha at the gardener. To control her frustration, she took deep breaths and motioned for the old man to leave, which he obediently did.

“Lexander.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“I told you to find me the heirloom, not bring me a corpse.”

“With all due respect, my lady, I thought it better to offer him a proper burial here.”

“...”

Sancha glared at the old knight but did not speak.

“I know that you detest him but he is still of your blood and deserves some dignity.”

“Fine! Have it your way!”

Lexander smiled and was about to take the body with him and begin the procedure, however, he was stopped.

“Wait.”

Sancha crouched near the corpse and carefully examined it, her fingers gingerly poking some of the relatively intact spots.

“Is something wrong, my lady?”

“He really burnt himself, the bloody bastard. I can’t help but think there’s more to it… are you even sure this is him?”

“It can only be him, my lady. He left a suicide note but, as I said before, I think he was murdered.”

“Hah!” Sancha snorted, clearly disagreeing with the old knight. “For me, it’s more believable than he killed himself than being murdered. Do not bury the body yet, I need more answers.”

“But my lady-”

“Don’t! Just don’t, Lexander! Those fucking bastards are on my neck like worms. I can’t with them and your sentimality both. You can wait a few days, can’t you?”

“...”

Lexander, stone-faced, bowed his head and left the room.

…

Just like she said, a couple days later, Sancha had called an expert in Blood Magic and paid him a hefty sum to examine the charred body.

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

With a sweet smile, Sancha bid farewell to the expert and, just as he exited the room, her face distorted in anger.

Lexander, who was present for the entirety of the procedure, dared not look at the livid Sancha.

“What the fuck!”

The head of the Sanguis Family was beyond enraged. She kicked the table as she cursed outloud.

With fingers shaking from fury, she pointed at the corpse and continued,

“Who the hell is this?! Answer me, Lexander!”

“My lady, I don’t know…”

“Then who’s supposed to know? Me?! I’m not the one who brought him here or asked for a proper burial!”

“My lady, please calm yoursel-”

“Calm? You’re out of your damn mind, Lexander! You want me to be calm when you bring me a corpse of fuck knows who! Leonis… find him!”

“...”

“What are you waiting for?! Go and find him! Even if you have to turn all of Wilsden upside down, find him!”