"Can you take your hand off me, Elisabeth?" asked annoyed Laudis.
"Ahh, how did you know it was me?" she replied, disappointed.
"Your hands are slightly rougher than a typical woman's. You should consider buying gloves or some cream."
"Hey, you shouldn't say mean things to a woman, you know?"
"By the way, why are you here? Are you lost?"
"No! I'm here to collect the books the king ordered. Also, you could at least say goodbye to me in person..."
"You are the only friend I have..." she whispered.
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
"Who is that young lady you are talking to, kid?" said Dantenium, carrying bags filled with food.
"Hm? You've bought something for yourself? Let me see..." the man continued.
"No, don't look. It's nothing important—" the youth replied, trying to take his bag away.
"Three liters, three liters of damn booze... And you wanted to drink it all by yourself?! I knew you were a bit off, but you're freaking crazy!"
"It's not for drinking, old man. I need to use it against the vampires."
"You want to drink alcohol with them? They don't tolerate it, you know? I don't understand, you've said you know basic things about them."
"I need to burn them! Not to drink with them! Can't you use your brain for once?"
The librarian looked at them with curiosity. She very rarely left the library, so that kind of scene was unusual for her.
"And you are?" wondered Elisabeth, looking at the crimson-haired male. He was holding two bottles of liquor and jumping around the youth.
"Oh yes, I apologize for my ignorance. Would you mind sharing your name?" he responded, kissing her right hand.
"Elisabeth..." the woman murmured, blushing slightly.
"Don't let his appearance fool you. He's rather a frequent client of brothels," the boy whispered to her.
"Ahh, so disappointing..."
"Don't listen to him; it doesn't matter what he said. We can still get to know each other—"
"Can ya leave her alone, you bastard?" the hooded man asked with a grumbling voice.
"That voice... Haven't I met you?" the kid wondered, looking at the masked figure.
"Laudis? It's me, Leon Becker!" he shook his hand vigorously, taking off his hood.
"Why do you wear it?"
"I hate the sun. I prefer quiet and dark spaces. Besides, ya are Dantenium, right? Do you remember me? I was the previous applicant, though I didn't complete the third trial. On the other hand, I heard he has actually done it, nice work."
"Leon Becker... Yes, you were pretty promising. Sadly, your confidence ate you up," the Crusader replied, remembering him.
"Who did he pick?" asked surprised Laudis.
"Udania, of course, she completely obliterated him. If only he picked someone else... After all, he was a heavyweight boxing Champion of Luxaria. He couldn't get close to her, and in no time, she completely exhausted him."
"Mhm..."
"What about ya? Who did you choose?" the cook wondered.
"The old hag besides me. He had resorted to a spell, so I wouldn't cut his head off."
The librarian and the boxer went silent. They thought he was joking. After all, his rough strength is admirable.
"He isn't lying... Nonetheless, we should get going. I've met with Gladius, and he instructed me to gather at twelve. It was nice seeing you, but we have to leave you. Bye," the man said, dragging the youth with him.
Both of them walked through the market during its peak hours. Of course, Dantenium didn't care for anyone, so he pushed everyone aside. Laudis was following him, giving him a clear path. The smell of freshly baked bread coming from the nearby stand caught their attention. Yet despite it, they didn't bother to slow down. After a short while, they arrived at the scene. Solisia and Udania were already dressed in the typical Carolan outfit. It consisted of a long, white robe and a head covering in the same colour.
"You've at least bought the right colour," said Laudis, looking at them.
"What do you mean by right colour?" asked disoriented Solisia.
"Actually, the salesman asked us if we were married. I thought he was trying to hit on us, but it makes sense. He gave us white clothes instead of light blue," replied Udania.
"Carolans are known to emphisise their traditions. A shadow of the past. Precisely a shadow of their greatness and religion. Today, there isn't any major congregation, only small gatherings of foreigners. Immigrants from Luxaris recently opened a temple of the Believers of Olimpus. Nothing big, just a small chapel in the capital between houses. But before the revolution, which changed the political system from monarchy to democracy, it actually had one. It was a nameless sect coming from Mount Olimpus. It didn't have any religious leader. This faith was brought up with migration around the second century V.E. They believed in Ares' supremacy, causing their imperialistic aspirations. In their prime, they covered around forty percent of Mundusia. Still, the faith slowly faded away alongside the monarchical rule. The last king was the main reason why it happened. Famines spread all across the kingdom. People had had enough; the final monarch, Monchedius, was executed in 473 V.E.. Nowadays, a few holidays and customs are still practised, but in a different, secular form," the youth explained. Despite his steady voice and neutral expression, you could tell that he was somewhat passionate about it.
"How the hell do you know such stuff?!" the girl responded, shocked.
"I read books. Most people throw them away when they are a gift. One librarian taught me how to do it, then I started consuming every text that I laid my hands on. I hate reading, but I have to read. There isn't anyone reliable, but the writings are at least the least subjective."
"Okay. Nonetheless, you actually don't look awful in it, Solisia. Don't you agree, Laudis?" stated Dantenium, looking at them.
"I guess you look okay," the boy agreed.
"Is that all you can say? Don't you see my beauty?" the girl replied, standing up. She circled him, supposedly mocking him but not entirely. A part of her wanted to be complimented.
"You look quite cute."
"What?" she murmured, shocked. Her face was blushing.
"Is that what you wanted to hear? Then, I'm going to order dinner. Don't mind me," the youth left them, his mind was filled with disgust and regret.
"Ha! He got you here! I'm starting to enjoy his company, maybe he won't be a pain in the ass," the crimson-haired man responded, laughing.
"Why didn't you say anything to me, hm!" whispered Udania, disappointed.
"What did he buy?" the woman continued.
"Three liters of alcohol, cigarettes, leather, needle, and threads. Pretty basic stuff," he said with a smirk.
"Yeah, basic stuff...'"
The boy sat alone with his meal. The Crusaders looked at him, surprised.
"Hm? Why did he sit in a different place? There is one chair left—"
"It's occupied as you can see," the mysterious man replied. He was wearing a black hat, a white shirt, grey trousers, and a leather belt. His face was hidden beneath the head covering. He was smoking a cigar; the smell caught everyone's attention.
'Oh, shit! I didn't notice his presence; his magic skills aren't those of an amateur. I couldn't even sense when he entered the place. He can mask his mana emissions almost perfectly. Just now, he had released a part of it, and I felt the tingling inside my body. I might be able to defeat him— No! Forget, I need to play it safe. The civilians are there,' thought Dantenium, looking at him.
When you took a better look at him, you could actually see his released mana. The dark red aura around him was like a mist, a physical embodiment of spiritual power.
"Who are you?!" the girl asked, reaching for her flail.
"Stop it," the Crusader whispered, taking her hand.
"Calm down, or I will slaughter the whole place down. My name is Lucius Pyronium. Better known as the West Dragon. I'm here just for a favour. Can I have a chat with the newbie? If you deny my offer, you shall face the consequences. So how's this?"
"What is the purpose of the dialogue?" asked Gladius, laying a hand on his left shoulder.
"Confidential. The only thing I can do is that I didn't come here for myself. I'm the representation of my anonymous client."
"You have five minutes, then you have to leave the town. If you come again, I will chop your head off," the captain responded with a deep voice.
The rest of the Crusaders looked at him, marvelled. The calm and patient captain became irritated and pissed. Almost like he took off his mask or perhaps put another one on. They knew something was off between those two.
"As you say, my g—"
"One more word and I will take my words back!" he said, pulling his sword from its sheath. The blade was millimeters from his neck.
"Understood."
The threat sat next to the youth. The boy ignored his overwhelming presence. He had been exposed to magic for less than two weeks. Even so, he could tell the man was far beyond his reach. He wanted to say something, but his body was filled with distress. His right hand was twitching, and his breathing wasn't regular. The kid glanced at him after some time. A sinister smile and a moustache welcomed him. Now, he was holding the cigar in his right hand, almost like he respected him.
"Do you need something?" asked Laudis, avoiding unnecessary eye contact.
"Subject's name: Laudis. Last name unknown. Born on 02/07/576 V.E.. Since the age of seven, the subject had been living on the streets of Luxaris, precisely, the village near the capital: Tempshire. Current occupation: Crusader of Vampires. Parents are unknown, just as events up to the age of seven. Possible memory loss, or a fraud with unexplainable motives. Now, my client has a specific request for you. In your first campaign, you have to decapitate one member of your band. Of course, I meant you have to chop their head off; any other way of killing won't be accepted. If you neglect the request, you will be held accountable and thus executed," replied Lucius, reading from a document. He was calm, yet persistent. His presence was too much for the kid; he had to take a deep breath to respond.
"I can't share this information with anyone, right?" the boy's voice was steady, but inside, he was trembling in fear.
"Indeed. You don't have to answer me. I'm just a messenger, a reminder. I am the West Dragon, Lucius Pyronium. You will do as you wish. Farewell, Laudis..."
The West Dragon left the tavern; only the Crusaders were observing him. The rest of the customers didn't even notice him. Laudis was left in shock, his mind troubled with too many thoughts to comprehend. The boy covered his face with his hands to focus more on the problem. Both choices were tragic: kill or be killed. There wasn't any good option to pick. For the first time, Laudis felt fear to the extent of vomiting. The table was covered in an unpleasant substance. People were wondering what he had eaten, but they were very mistaken. He cleared the table with a wet cloth. After he was done, the rest joined him.
"What did he say to you?" asked Gladius, looking at the frightened youth.
"Nothing important," he replied, trying to sip water. His hands were still shaking, causing him to spill a part of it.
"You can't answer, can you? I understand, after all, I expected as much. Listen, whatever he says, ignore it. I know it sounds crazy. He probably said some crazy shit to scare you off. I've known him for a very long time; he is dangerous, but careful. He wouldn't try to do anything he said to you. If you still don't believe me, I can train you, so you'll face him. You can wonder, how can you defeat him if he is so strong? Good question. I can't guarantee you anything, but if you try, you can actually beat him with a bit of luck. He might be looking strong, but he is as powerful as Gluttony at best. So you know, you will have to fight stronger opponents. Just for your knowledge."
"Okay. I think I calmed down. As long as I train with you, I won't finalise the request. Nonetheless, do we have everything for our journey?"
"Yes, now all you have to do is wait."
"I understand, I will rest in my room for the rest of the day. When are we departing?"
"Six a.m."
"All right. I'd better get going, bye for now."
Laudis left them. He spent the rest of the day packing up and wondering about the interaction. He was lying on the bed, yet his body was far from resting. The stress didn't go away; it just stopped manifesting.
'I knew that there were monsters beyond my imagination, yet he was unexpected. Hispresencegave me the ick, and his sinister voice was unnatural. Also, Gladius said he can be as strong as Gluttony... at best... If that's the strength of the third weakest Upper Hand, then the King of Vampires must be a true beast. Damn, I've never felt so bad. I need to sleep it over. I have to talk to Will...' thought Laudis, trying to fall asleep. After twenty minutes, he fell asleep, but to his surprise, he didn't meet the entity.
It was half past five when he woke up. The boy picked up his stuff and returned the key to the innkeeper. The morning breeze caused him to wear the black jacket. The sun was still hidden behind the clouds. Everyone was ready, standing outside the tavern. They were wearing jackets and coats, and five horses awaited them.
"Are you ready, Laudis?" asked Gladius, attaching his luggage to the animal.
"I guess so. We are riding there on horses?" the kid wondered, looking at the calm creatures. He petted his horse; they were really nice. Despite loving meat, he also loved animals. Unlike humans, they couldn't lie.
"We are leaving them on the border, then we are changing to camels. They handle higher temperatures better, though they are slower. Nonetheless, we have an advantage."
"What do you mean by it?"
"Divine Blessing: Endless Stamina," the captain marked the transport with oil. A flash of white light came from the mark; their eyes widened.
"Oh, I see..."
The town was full of vendors, yet without any real empathy. It had the highest theft rates in Luxaris for a reason. Dantenium took out the compass, and he directed them North. It was better to travel mostly on Luxaris' land, after all, they were a part of their special forces. The Crusaders left the Tempshire, alone, without parting with anyone.