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The pie was divine — that was all Victor and Burst could think as they devoured each slice like starving animals.
'This is too good! I could cry!'
'I'm taking like twenty of these to go. I'll store everything in my [Skillful King]!'
The voice in his head grew irritated. » This is a pointless use of my capacity. «
Victor ignored it and kept eating. But his peace ended when someone grabbed his shoulder, leaning on him as if about to collapse.
"You… you thought you could escape me?"
It was Zeth again. Standing firm, eyes burning with determination. Ready for another round.
"You again?"
"Of course. You, Metamorph. Don't think you can make a fool out of me."
"I didn't make anyone a fool. You made yourself a fool."
"You little—!"
Before he could finish, Victor shoved a piece of pie into his mouth.
"Shut up and eat. And stop bothering me."
They stared at each other in silence. Moments later, Zeth was already seated with them. He had a weakness: food. If Victor offered, that meant Victor was paying — an act of noble self-sacrifice, according to him.
"I see I judged you poorly…" the elf said, emotional, holding a slice of pie.
"With free food you'd compliment the devil himself, huh?"
Zeth cleared his throat, trying to maintain dignity.
"Allow me to introduce myself again. Zeth. Dark elf. Born with the ability to use holy and dark magic." He puffed his chest. "My grand dream is to find a certain vampire, to avenge my parents' deaths."
Victor raised an eyebrow. He was serious.
"Sorry to hear that. Who's this vampire?"
"Hazor Greven. The strongest vampire of his era."
Victor froze. His attention snapped.
"So Greven is a vampire?"
"The entire Greven family was. They were the old royal family of Aster, until they were discovered and fell into darkness. There was a rebellion. But they were only driven out when a legendary hunter arrived with his sacred armor."
"Elden, right?"
"That's correct. And I know he'll come back to finish the job. When that happens, I'll kill Hazor!"
Victor began sweating, looking away. Burst too.
"What? Are you mocking me?!"
"No, kiddo… relax." Victor scratched his cheek.
"Then what?!"
"Well… that sacred armor… I kinda broke it."
"…"
"…"
"…"
Pure silence. Only the wind cutting through the city.
Zeth stood, grabbed Victor by the collar and shook him violently.
"YOU IDIOT!!! Do you have any idea what you've done?!"
It was absurd that someone could destroy the sacred armor. But this was Victor — the Metamorph who knocked him out with a flick. Zeth didn't doubt it at all.
"The Eldoria guild asked! I didn't know!"
"It was obvious! And worse — if it awakened, it means the Grevens returned! I already suspected that strange fog covering the city at night…"
Victor calmly removed his hands.
"My bad. I literally don't even have a full year of life. How would I know?"
Zeth froze. "Y-you're saying you're…"
"A pup. That's right."
The elf paled. A baby Metamorph like that?
"You're kidding…"
"I'm not."
"But you're too strong for that to be true!"
"I'm not strong. Months ago another Metamorph beat me senseless without even trying."
'WHAT?! How powerful is this species?!'
Zeth trembled. Victor tried changing the subject.
"Anyway, relax, I'm not evil."
"Then… teach me!" the elf begged.
"No." Victor answered instantly.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Night arrived.
The hotel was downtown — Jane insisted on the coziest one available. Victor honestly couldn't believe Jane spent money like that without a hint of regret. Being rich really was different.
The rooms were split into two — Jane and Merlin in one, Victor and Burst in the other — but they didn't expect who their new neighbor was.
"Master! Looks like we'll be neighbors. I've lived here for three years!"
"Move."
Jane looked at Burst in confusion while Merlin watched the dark elf in awe.
"Who's he?"
"Uh… not sure exactly. He's some vampire hunter, I think? He picked a fight with Mr. Victor outside and got wrecked, now he wants to be his disciple."
"You two really can't stay out of trouble, can you?"
"I didn't do anything!" Burst protested.
"Hey Jane, the elf says a vampire family may have come back to life and that the armor I broke was supposed to stop them."
Zeth turned serious again and explained.
"Exactly. Two hundred years ago the Greven vampire family was put into eternal sleep by the owner of the armor. But he left a command — if they returned, the armor would rise again to stop them."
Jane grew thoughtful. "So that's why it awoke…"
"It was gathering mana, too," Merlin added.
"A few days ago, an abnormal fog began covering the city every night. And reports of missing civilians skyrocketed. I suspect the Greven are involved."
Jane nodded. "I see. Well, regardless, Victor will take responsibility for anything related to the broken armor. And so will I."
Victor sighed. Zeth leaned in and whispered, curious.
"Master, who is she? She's intimidating."
"She's Jane Ignaris, the strongest knight in Valoria. Also my master right now."
Zeth froze, stunned speechless. All he could do was stutter:
"T-the master of the master?!"
Sorry, Jane… Victor thought. He never called her "master" seriously — she didn't demand that sort of thing — but he needed Zeth to latch onto someone else for a change.
Jane noticed and sighed tiredly, quickly changing the subject.
"Everyone to your rooms. We'll talk more tomorrow." she said, entering her room before anyone could argue.
"Hey Mr. Victor, I'm gonna go raid the snack bar, wanna come?"
"Hm… tempting. But I'll pass this time."
"Your loss." Burst walked down the hall.
"Well, my master ordered me. So I'm going to my room." Victor said, opening his door.
Merlin followed Jane, and the elf, out of options, went to his room too.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Victor lay on his bed. He didn't sleep. He just thought.
Ever since his life flipped upside down, that quiet emptiness visited him more and more often. He didn't know much about his past — only what he told Merlin and a few scattered memories lingering like distant echoes.
He wondered if he was living the right way. If he was being who he was supposed to be. It was a strange logic, impossible to put into words — yet it haunted him anyway.
"Am I being who Victor is supposed to be?"
He let out a sigh, sat up, and pushed the thought aside. He went to the living room and dropped onto the couch. Turned the TV on low volume — his hearing was far too sharp for anything louder.
Then — knock knock.
Two soft taps on the window.
A shadow formed on the floor. Victor slowly turned his head.
And saw.
Outside, a girl with white hair and green eyes watched him, floating. No wings. Just suspended in the air, as if gravity decided she was exempt. A wide smile cut across her face — gentle? Strange? Hard to tell.
"May I come in?" she asked.
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