I run down the alleyway as quietly as possible, gliding through the shadows.
As soon as I reach a fork in the path, I turn right. Just as I was about to keep going straight, an open window catches my eye.
‘An empty house.’
I don’t know if it’s the home of a soldier or mercenary living alone, or just someone working a night shift, but there’s no human scent wafting from within.
It was quick to make a decision. After glancing back to ensure I didn’t leave footprints, I effortlessly leaped over the window.
“Find them! They went this way!!”
From a fairly far distance, I hear someone shouting. How many of them are there? At least dozens of footsteps outside seem to be trampling the ground.
‘This is crazy. Ridiculously crazy. They’re still after me.’
Aren’t you beastmen supposed to be busy? Was it really necessary to devote this much manpower just to catch a single vampire?
Ordinarily, if it’s a matter of twenty people, I’d thank them for the delivery service. But when a hundred armed troops come charging, you can’t help but think, “What the hell?”
‘What did I even do?’
I’ve only bled about fifty of them, tops. I haven’t even been on a leisurely stroll through the city for forty minutes since sending Lowell back.
Even an all-you-can-eat restaurant doesn’t blacklist patrons merely forty minutes in, no matter how hungry they are. Probably.
And even if I were to be banned, the chef wouldn’t be running out with a knife to kick me out. This much is certain.
But why are these guys so worked up over me? You’d think I devoured five hundred or something.
Right now, the smell of blood and the clamor of metal from afar make it clear that it’s not just a couple of patrols out there.
There must be a full-blown battle with the beastmen, yet here I am, hiding like it’s some kind of game.
Shouldn’t I have just gone back with Lowell when I sent him off earlier?
Nah, that’d be too wasteful. They said it’s not every day the beastmen come out for a fight.
So today, when the beastmen are drawing all the aggro, is definitely the peak hunting time for the next few days. I can’t just stroll into the city for only ten minutes and think it’s enough.
Thus, I told Lowell to just head back and thought I’d score one more feast.
But after killing a few and eating their fill, it feels like the numbers just keep increasing, and now I’m the Pied Piper, except it’s not rats following me, it’s a bunch of stubborn soldiers.
Still, I take a moment to breathe while finding a spot in the vacant house.
My thoughts are a jumbled mess; probably because I overindulged, my head keeps spinning.
Just inhaling brings the stench of blood up from my breath; truly, just breathing feels delightfully satisfying.
My head feels a bit hazy and light-headed; if I don’t intentionally hold it in, I’m going to start giggling like a madwoman.
Objectively speaking, I must look insane. I wouldn’t want to run into me on a night like this.
Good thing there are no mirrors here. If I saw my grinning face, I’d probably feel a bit of shame.
Seems like overeating is giving me a fair bit of pressure. In the duchy, I had large meals only after finishing up my work, so I didn’t mind resting afterward. But now, running around right after stuffing my face makes my head spin rather than my stomach.
I can’t afford to let my guard down. I’m too worked up right now. I need to calm down.
By the way, how does all that blood even fit in this body? Suddenly curious, I give my body a little shake and hear a strange squelch from my stomach.
Well, at least it’s not like it’s disappearing into another dimension. I can’t even explain why I still have a flat belly after all this.
……I’ve got my mind wandering again. Well, whatever. I need to stay put until all the soldiers move away.
I gently fold my dusty cloak to avoid it touching the wall and hold it close. Sitting against the wall, I finally start to feel a bit more comfortable.
It’s been ages since I’ve had such a lavish spread since robbing that slave trader, it seems like even if I’m distracted, the mental pressure is definitely less intense now.
Clearly, I needed this break.
I’ll survive; to do that, I need to keep devouring. I’ve just been stuck on that thought all along.
If I rush and die now, everything I’ve endured to survive will be for nothing. I need to stay alert, but also avoid panicking.
It’s true that I’ve had a hearty meal for the first time in a while, but honestly, this day’s turn of events needs some reflection.
I had promised myself to take it easy on the first day and just scout about, but having the prey right in front of me led to the reckless outcome I’m in now.
Watching the entrance in case the owner returns from their night shift, I give it about twenty minutes, and the outside quiets down a bit.
Of course, distant noises persist, but at least it seems there are no more dust-raising folks around here.
Yeah, that’s right. If I’m faced with both visible and invisible enemies, I should deal with the visible ones first. Time to go have some fun with the beastmen.
I shake off the spot and put my cloak back on, surveying my surroundings. The wall is blood-free, and the floor showing shoe prints… might be a bit conspicuous, but there’s nothing I can do about that.
To avoid leaving new footprints, I briefly take off my shoes, step aside, and lightly stamp down on the remaining shoe prints with my heels.
Crack! With a crisp sound, a portion of the wooden floor breaks apart. I grab the heaviest object I can find nearby and shove it into the broken area.
Will they think it just fell? …Honestly, I don’t think so, but without any other evidence, what can I say?
Honestly, even if they notice the footprints, I wouldn’t care. I mean, it’s just a matter of downplaying it from “Someone broke in for sure” to “The floor broke for some mysterious reason,” which is good enough.
Holding my shoes in hand, I jump back over the window. After picking up my shoes from the deserted alley, I start running again.
The surroundings zip past, but everything looks the same.
I mean, alleys are all pretty identical. If I keep running here, I just might get lost.
A strong scent of blood wafts through the air, distinguishable from the typical human scent—it’s the intoxicating aroma of beastmen’s blood, guiding me back toward the woods. Without it, I’d totally be in trouble.
And the enhanced vampire sense is still working, helping me find a way to slip away from humans unnoticed.
Seems like there’s another vampire scent nearby, and the presence of human soldiers makes it clear that they’re drawing attention away from me.
Thanks, unknown vampires.
I’ll gladly use the time you bought me to escape.
Before long, I can see the end of the alley. If I step into that moonlit area, I’ll be right near the major road outside the castle wall. From there, I can cross straight through to reach the wall.
This time, even if soldiers chase me, I won’t be greedy. I’ve had enough food for today; I just want to make it back alive.
With that firm resolve, I burst out of the alley and pick up speed. The closest humans are only about three at most; the rest are pretty far off.
Great. Just ignore them and run straight ahead. Sure, one of the three might catch a glimpse of me, but who cares? I’m covered in a cloak and mask.
Finally, I step into the main road. I dash across, and I can just hear someone yelling at me—but by that time, I’ve already moved far away from their voice.
Just a little more. The castle wall is right in front of me.
I thought I’d have to climb and leap over if necessary, but then I spot a large hole a bit to the left of the wall—one I can fit through.
It’s not the exact spot I came in, but as long as it leads outside, I won’t complain.
I tweak my direction slightly to take the shortest route. 100 meters, 80 meters… just a few more seconds and I should be out of the city, but suddenly, a chilling sensation creeps up my spine, and I instinctively twist my body.
“Oof!”
This is dangerous. Danger-dangerdanger.
Just moments ago, where my heart was, something with tremendous kinetic energy pierces through my shoulder and throws my body right into the castle wall.
Crash!
“Gah!!”
After barely registering the immense spear piercing completely through my left shoulder, I realize that it’s a spear thicker than my forearm lodged into the wall.
It hurts. Where did that come from?
No movement. No scent. I had no idea.
Crap. Encountering such a powerful human here is way beyond my expectations.
I quickly shift my gaze to the direction the spear came from.
Someone is coming. If they were human, in this dim light, I couldn’t even confirm if they were a person or not, but I can see them.
The moment we make eye contact, my instincts kick in late.
‘That human is strong. I definitely can’t win right now.’
Though my body is in pain, oddly enough, my mind feels frozen in calm. And in that calm state, I quickly come to a conclusion.
I need to run. Before they catch me, right now.
I try to pull the spear out of my shoulder, but it’s not simple. That spear is essentially tethering my body to the air.
But I don’t have time to wrestle with a spear. Instead, I decide to tackle my own body first.
With a deep breath, I thrust my right hand into the hole created by the spear in my shoulder, tearing through flesh and bone.
As I lose the support of my body, my cloak bursts apart.
At the same time, my body and arm separate from the spear, dropping me to the ground. I immediately grab my left arm with my right hand, and without a second thought, I sprint out of the hole in the castle wall.
While running, I press my detached left arm to my severed shoulder, and in an instant, it reattaches as the hole seals up. My head is throbbing painfully, but I have to prioritize escaping.
Thankfully, the presence of the spear thrower isn’t closing in on me. They hesitate for a moment near the wall, probably planning to retrieve their spear and turn back.
I grind my teeth, but on the upside, it’s a relief. If they had followed, I would’ve barely made it to the woods.
But this unknown mighty being evaded detection from even a vampire’s keen senses. This one’s powerful to the point I can barely look up at them, possessing talents that transcend pure physical strength—all within Pahera.
Yeah, even if the battlefield stretches infinitely, this first line remains the front line. If I’m meeting such a human on the very first day…
Another spear? Damn, happens to be a weapon I’ve got a deep-rooted connection with.
But just wait. I’ll be the one to survive in the end.
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