"Fhaaa…" Smoke curled from his lips as the blond man stood near the campfire, its glow flickering against the trees. He was grilling what would have been food for the wild beasts.
The forest was quiet but tense; the scent of cooked meat had already drawn unseen eyes. Feral breaths lingered beyond the thicket, but none dared to approach.
Someone else did.
"My Lord—blegh!" The short man stumbled back, nearly gagging as the sight before him struck like a blow.
Over the flames, it wasn't venison or boar sizzling—it was human flesh. Seven of them, their charred bodies blackened and cracked, the stench so thick it could curdle blood.
The man's face drained of color. "W-What sin warranted such punishment, my Lord?"
Delimore Carter exhaled another puff of smoke and replied calmly, "Luther… those were criminals. They'd been kidnapping young girls and trading them across the border."
Luther's eyes widened. "Are they… members of the Black Cobra organization?"
The Count didn't answer.
