The Helraig Duchy’s castle walls protect humans from the lawless of the Mist Labyrinth. A man bursts forth from a gaping hole in the crumbling walls, which seem to never heal no matter how many times they’re repaired.
Having escaped the city, the man flees toward the forest without hesitation.
The forest of elves, forbidden to humans. The massive enchanting barrier surrounding Albresia.
Humans of Pahera never set foot in the Mist Labyrinth. Thus, if someone were seen running toward the forest, it wouldn’t be difficult to suspect that he is not human based solely on that action.
After running for a while, the man passes through a huge hemispherical mist enveloping the forest. With a strange sensation akin to crossing a thin film, his vision clears, revealing the picturesque scenery of a beautiful forest.
As he steps into the safe barrier, the man’s pace slows. He seems to be struggling as his breath catches in his throat, yet he keeps moving forward, albeit slowly.
After a while, he completely stops when the sounds of clashing weapons, screams, and cheers that had been echoing from behind vanish, replaced only by the whispers of nature in the night forest.
The man slumps down beneath a nearby tree. He throws off the mask covering his face and gasps for air.
“I survived again.”
Even though no one is there to hear him, the man mutters. It seems more like a solitary affirmation of his existence than a message for someone else.
Naturally, there’s no reply to his soliloquy. Once he calms down a bit, the man wipes the blood from his lips with the back of his hand.
‘Is it okay to be happy?’
The man’s name was Lowell.
He was one of the wandering vampires that had given himself to the Mist Labyrinth, and he possessed combat abilities close to that of the weakest in their ranks. It was, indeed, a disgraceful title, but it held truth.
Despite being a vampire, hunting was a matter of life and death for Lowell, who couldn’t win even one-on-one against someone whose job was combat, even if that someone was human.
Fortunately, vampires don’t require to feed more than once every two weeks, so it was a blessing for him. If he needed any more food, he probably wouldn’t still be alive.
Today, however, Lowell returned full and without a single wound.
Only a few hours earlier, he had been suffering from hunger, and he should have been overjoyed at this tremendous achievement. Yet, for some reason, he found it difficult to express genuine joy.
‘What kind of person is she?’
Scarlet. A new wandering vampire who had just arrived at the Mist Labyrinth the night before.
As his weary body regained some stability, Lowell’s mind filled with thoughts of her.
It was inevitable. The food that solved Lowell’s hunger today was not something he hunted himself, but rather something he received from that vampire named Scarlet.
‘She doesn’t seem like someone who would be here at all.’
It’s said that the Mist Labyrinth is absolutely safe from humans, making it an appealing utopia, but the reality was far from that.
The Mist Labyrinth, Albresia, is a paradise exclusively for elves. Those who managed to step into its fringes were merely foreigners permitted to remain for a time.
They lived with the anxiety of always having to stake their lives on the elven whims that could strike at any moment, bound by various rules, enjoying a life far from comfort.
Because of that uncertainty, the only vampires who settled here were those who had nowhere else to go.
Exceptionally, one powerful vampire with a self-granted title from the Helraig Duchy ruled here, but without such extraordinary circumstances, stronger vampires usually lived within their respective vampire duchies, leading far better lives.
In that respect, Scarlet was an enigmatic vampire, one that Lowell couldn’t understand why she would want to settle in a place like this. Leaning against a tree, he recalled their first encounter from the previous night.
– “That’s my convenience meal. Touch it, and you’ll die.”
Looking back, her first impression was striking. Lowell thought two vampires had appeared, only to realize Scarlet was the only one, as she lightly threatened him in a casual tone.
In that moment, Lowell’s instincts told him that she was no ordinary vampire.
As a former merchant when he was human, Lowell prided himself on his ability to read people. His instincts warned him that he mustn’t become an enemy of her.
Rationally, it seemed impossible for a truly strong vampire to come to a place like this, yet he decided to trust his gut.
Lowell had survived as a weakling only capable of barely overcoming ordinary villagers because his instincts led him to make optimal decisions, including managing to meet the quotas for the Security Maintenance Force through labor.
The fact that her voice was unexpectedly beautiful, along with the fact that her companion was a dragonkin—a rare sight—was of little importance.
What truly mattered was the mere possibility that she could stand against the tyranny of the Security Maintenance Force. Beyond that criterion, there was no need for further judgment.
Defining Scarlet as a strong one, Lowell approached her with the friendliness of a merchant. After all, being a merchant made it all the easier.
He also cleverly provided information that insinuated doubts on the organization known as the Security Maintenance Force, which ruled over her village, while leaving a loophole to deny any implication.
Though Ludrik might not view it kindly if he found out, fortunately, judging by the cleverness Scarlet displayed in grasping the gist from such indirect speech, it seemed unlikely that news of their conversation would leak.
And a day passed. Lowell, who had been in danger of missing a meal, believed that tonight would be his last hunting opportunity during the Beastmen’s expedition and was waiting when he encountered Scarlet again.
– “What are you doing here?”
He hadn’t expected her to take part in hunting from day one, yet she appeared, breaking the mold, remaining entirely in her own world.
From a distance, she seemed tense, acting cautiously, yet once he exchanged words with her, the straightforward and cold attitude that emerged further proved her strength.
– “Is it Ludrik? I got a tip from you, so I aimed for the gut from the start, and he didn’t say a word.”
Although Lowell had never seen her fight, at that moment, he was certain that his instincts were on point.
The leader of the Security Maintenance Force would not pass up an opportunity to collect taxes when a new hopeful resident appeared, right? Such a thing simply wouldn’t happen!
If something unbelievable had occurred, the only possibility would be if Ludrik judged her to be superior to himself.
Moreover, judging by Scarlet’s attitude, it didn’t seem she would have been courteous in front of Ludrik, and yet she could freely walk around, making this hypothesis very likely.
And there it was, an opportunity for Lowell. As he was explaining how the hunting here worked, she proposed the transfer of her catch.
Lowell contemplated for a moment. In the eyes of the Security Maintenance Force, this could be seen not just as a mere payment for information but as an intention to join a new faction.
He needed more assurance. Therefore, he asked her if she intended to oppose the Security Maintenance Force.
– “No. As long as they don’t pick a fight with me, it’s none of my business whether they play king or collect taxes.”
In other words, it meant she would respond should they provoke her.
She wasn’t particularly interested in power but wouldn’t tolerate pressure placed upon her; Lowell could infer this about Scarlet’s resolute will and nature.
Lowell made a decision. Considering Ludrik’s personality, the Security Maintenance Force would likely not continue to leave Scarlet alone.
Living beneath the tyranny of the Security Maintenance Force was tedious.
Among the vampires in this place, the most powerful ones who never risked their lives in battle were those who, under the pretext of maintaining the forest’s order, lounged around the woods while robbing the weaker ones of food that they had risked their lives to gather and killing anyone who dared to oppose them.
While rolling in dog dung might be better than death, there’s a limit to endure, because if one rolls around in nothing but dog dung, they’ll end up dying from the toxic waste!
This wasn’t just a matter of endurance. Lowell could easily foresee his future—starving to death or facing some ‘unfortunate accident’ for failing to meet his food quota due to his abilities.
‘Grabbing opportunities when they arise is a merchant’s skill.’
Instead of stubbornly clinging to a rotten rope and falling, swapping it out for something else if there’s a chance is wise. Lowell judged it was better to make an impression on Scarlet before it became too late.
If she was the type to offer to pay for information with her hunting spoils first, it either meant she had a solid personality or that she was strong enough to feel that giving up one or two catches was nothing significant.
Whichever way it went, she was superior to the Security Maintenance Force, which preferred to exploit the weak rather than eat their fill by fighting directly. No, he better hope for that.
And so, Lowell willingly took on the role of a guide. He led Scarlet to the location that met her requirements, entering the castle walls with half anticipation and half unease.
As the first vampires to enter drew attention, Lowell and Scarlet changed positions. And then, Lowell witnessed an unbelievable scene.
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