“Miss!”

The old butler managing the Lernon household hastily approached his master and supported her.

Julie Lernon, the current ruler of Wilsden Town and its neighboring region and the successor of the previous Baron, wiped the blood off her lips and was seated down on the bed.

Her face was dangerously pale and her eyes were glowing with an ominously red light, bearing a striking resemblance to vampires.

The old butler had come to learn about her recent ‘transformation’, but as a loyal confidant, he didn’t leak the truth and supported his late master’s daughter.

Although young, Julie was a responsible and capable person, meticulously working to ensure the stability and safety of the town.

The Blood Purge notwithstanding, she managed to calm down the masses and even win their approval by lowering annual taxes and offering appropriate compensation for all affected by the brutal massacre.

“I’m alright.”

Seeing her gasp for breath, the butler sighed and suggested,

“Miss, Physician Albert is in town. I will call him here with haste.”

Julie was about to object, but when she saw the old man’s worried expression, she reluctantly nodded.

Even though she didn’t openly admit it, she wanted to know what was happening to her. The transformation caused by Arthur’s blood left her permanently altered, and though she had gained powerful magical abilities, there were also nasty repercussions.

One such consequence was random yet vivid images in her mind. They were visions from someone’s else perspective, though Julie didn’t know whose.

Yesterday, especially, the visions were coupled with a strong headache and extreme dizziness. Julie woke up from sleep drenched in a cold sweat and experiencing intense pain in her chest, leaving her unable to breathe properly.

After the butler left, Julie walked to the balcony and looked at the clear blue sky, her mind lost in thought.

‘Is Arthur in danger? Or were the visions mere hallucinations? I saw a forest, but that’s not enough to know where that was. What about that monster? I… I must do something.’

…

The Full Moon Night.

“Very good. Very good, indeed…”

The gargoyle, basking under the moonlight, glared at the injured vampire girl leaning against the tree while pressing her hand against her bleeding abdomen.

Although she was heavily injured, the gargoyle had two of its arms cut off and was in a disheveled state. It had severely underestimated Amare, which made it not only lose the children but also forced them to fight for several hours.

Amare’s magical bird had bore the children into a safe harbor while she jumped off to buy some time.

Her attempt was successful, but she had expanded too much Mana and wasn’t able to defend herself any longer.

“I wasn’t planning on killing you, but I changed my mind now.”

As it was approaching her, an ear-piercing screech echoed, followed by a tiny white shadow covered in blood leapt at the gargoyle’s rear.

Thanks to its remarkable speed, the enemy couldn’t react as it sunk its sharp teeth into its bulging neck.

Even with its neck bitten, the gargoyle merely snorted and used one of the bones protruding from its back to pierce the rabbit, impaling its body.

With blood gushing out of its body, Furball continued screeching as it flailed around, trying to free itself.

“What an annoying pes-”

Before it could finish talking, the first ray of sunlight tore through the canopy. The gargoyle, against its will, was enveloped by a surging mass of darkness, vanishing a second later.

Furball thudded to the ground, convulsing as it was bleeding to death.

With unsteady steps, Amare approached it and put her hand on the grievous wound on its chest.

Drops of her blood fused with the rabbit, slowly healing the fatal wound. When the bleeding stopped and it regained a bit of its energy, the white rabbit, now docile, looked at the pale-faced girl in complete silence.

“Thank you for helping me.”

Much to her surprise, Furball started experiencing a change in appearance shortly after fusing with her special blood.

The mutation process was swift, doubling the rabbit’s size as well as turning half of its hair purple.

Instead of screeching, it let out a weird and soft noise as it examined its body before storming away, leaving a confused and bewildered Amare behind.

The vampire sat there for a long time, her body’s regenerative capabilities kicking in.

When she had recovered her energy and her body healed, Amare returned to the spot in which she saved Arthur and used Memoria.

She had lost him again and couldn’t risk wasting more time in an aimless search. Therefore, the fastest way was to use her unique power, taxing as it was.

Thanks to being able to catch a glimpse at the past, the girl saw Veronica’s appearance and was able to deduce where the parasite had run off to.

With a destination in mind, Amare Na Xivia made a small detour and made sure the children were spotted by the Viscount’s patrols before heading towards Green’s End.

…

Two days after the incident

Addy was restlessly pacing in front of the disgruntled Lexander.

“I’m telling you, he’s here! Why are we doing nothing?! This is the perfect chance.”

“And I told you this isn’t wise. The Viscount prohibited any violence within his fort.”

“So what? Aren’t you working for Sancha Sanguis?”

“I am.” Responded with the knight with a straight face. “However, that doesn’t give me the liberty of rampaging in a noble’s territory, much less one of the Ten Seats. Try as he might, Viscount Sparrow won’t be able to keep the parasite for a prolonged period of time. When he’s released, we’ll seize him.”

“Are you listening to yourself? He could smuggle him out of the fort without our notice. The longer we remain idle, the more time he has to prepare.”

Having had enough of his incessant complaints, Lexander glared at him and snorted,

“I suggest you calm down and do nothing. I will not be implicated in half-assed attempts blinded by your thirst for vengeance.”

“...”

In the end, as they reached a disagreement, Addy stomped the ground and angrily stormed out of the room.

He headed to the settlement around the towering fort, visiting one after the other.

Before he had even left Blackcrest, Addy relied on subterfuge to spread misinformation about the parasite.

He labeled his target as a run-away demon without a lucrative bounty on his head. He had also informed the Holy Church but he received no responses, positive or negative.

Greedy mercenaries and adventurers will start following the trail and gathering, which was Addy’s goal.

Contrary to what he had said to convince Lexander, a brief period of quietness would greatly benefit Addy. It would allow him to use the local guilds and entice those eager to receive the fake bounty.

Thus did Addy began planning ahead, spending huge sums of gold to hire professionals for what was to come.

…

“Master, you do know that it’s hard to trust a man so infatuated with secrecy, yes?”

Evelyn stood in front of him and gave him a solemn gaze that contained a hint of annoyance and dissatisfaction.

Ever since his long conversation with the Viscount, the parasite would possess the Little Bunting and fly away without briefing her about his plans.

Moreover, Kirn would sometimes visit and have private conversations with the parasite, either offering him alternatives to escape the predicament or warning him that time was growing short.

Seeing the maid in a bad mood, Arthur chuckled and was about to playfully pull her cheeks only for her to back away.

“I am serious, Master. What are you not telling me? As your friend and maid both, why are you keeping me in the dark? I thought we were long past that.”

“Is that so?”

Arthur erased the smile off his face and tapped the hidden tattoo under her shoulder,

“I could be saying the same to you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your strange conditions. It’s becoming more frequent and has been straining you physically. For how long will you be able to fight it?”

“...”

“Look, my dear Evelyn. We each got a job to do. I don’t know what is it you’re going through, but what I do know is that it’s related to your oh-so-hidden past. If I had to guess, I’d say you’re being called back to resume your duty, which you were not that fond of, apparently.”

The parasite paused for a couple of seconds, a sigh of exasperation escaping his lips,

“Be that as it may, you are facing a conflict of interests. On one hand, you want to travel with me willy-nilly, and on the other, you refuse to let go of your past and move on, which makes me think you have things left undone. We’re not so different, you and I, both chained by our past.”

“I’m Master’s maid and I wish for nothing but to stay at your side. The past is of no consequence to me. My condition…. will return to normal ‘ere long.”

“So you say, but I disagree. Anyway, you can do whatever you want. As for my plans, they will be revealed soon enough, don’t worry.”