The Red Count dared not look back, instinctively raising his hands, his feet already soaked.
Cold sweat.
Yes, it was cold sweat.
A familiar voice, a voice he would never forget in his life.
"The master isn't home. He didn't tell you to leave, so stay home."
The Red Count mechanically turned his head, looking at the four miniature monsters in front of him, and said very cautiously, "Respected strong one, I was just passing by this place and meant no harm."
Slap.
Another wing-shaped slap mark appeared on the Red Count's face.
Pika floated in the air and said grumpily, "There wasn't yesterday, but there is today. I saw you trying to bite Master. Kuro, why don't we just eat it?"
Gin was silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement, "Alright."
The Red Count's face changed drastically. He immediately transformed into his vampire form, preparing to escape, but found that no matter how he struggled, he couldn't fly out of the courtyard.
"I, I, I'll go back. I'll go back right now."
He knew that the monsters had no intention of killing him.
From yesterday's battle, the Red Count knew that the gap between himself and these monsters was not large, perhaps only a few heavens and earths apart.
Thinking of this, the Red Count's resentful mood surged again.
Sigh, just accept your fate.
...
As dusk approached, Finn walked down from the small mountain, carrying a few unknown fruit trees and a shovel.
This time he didn't go very far, but he had climbed to the highest point of this small island.
Looking out, apart from where he lived, the rest of the island was undeveloped mountain forest.
Strangely, he didn't see any animals this time, but there were many edible fruits.
For future supplies, Finn dug up a few to bring back.
In the courtyard, the four little cuties each found a spot to sleep soundly. Kuro in front of the hut seemed to hear Finn's movement and was the first to run over, intimately rubbing against Finn's feet.
The Red Count saw Finn return and tremblingly walked out.
"Respected strong one, welcome back."
Respected strong one? Was this how this world referred to saviors?
Finn was stunned for a moment, then nodded, and turned to walk towards the patch of red fruit trees behind him.
Seeing this, the Red Count quickly followed.
"Respected strong one, please let me do it."
"You? Can you plant trees?"
Looking at the Red Count's tattered but very exquisite clothes, Finn greatly doubted whether this guy could plant trees.
If he killed the fruit trees he had painstakingly found, it would be a loss.
The Red Count quickly nodded, took the shovel, and dug a deep hole in the ground, putting the tree roots in deeper. He then went to the nearby small river, brought a bucket of water, and slowly poured it in.
Seeing this, Finn was very satisfied. He pointed to the remaining fruit trees beside him and said, "Then the rest are up to you."
Anyway, he had saved this strange guy in front of him, so it was fine for him to be a laborer.
Finn, feeling at ease, turned and left. From behind, the Red Count's trembling voice came, "Respected strong one, can I eat one of the fruits here?"
"As you wish."
It's just fruit. Let him eat it. Anyway, this world is wonderfully strange, and the soil is fertile beyond Finn's imagination.
As long as it's a crop on this land, it can grow very well with almost no restrictions.
This was also the basis for Finn's 'lying flat' attitude; as long as he had food and drink, he'd live first.
Watching Finn's departing back, the Red Count's originally pale face turned excitedly rosy.
He reached out to pick a fruit but saw Pika standing on the branch.
The Red Count's hand paused in mid-air. Before he knew it, the little bird swallowed the red fruit in front of it in one bite, pointed its wing at the red fruit that had fallen to the ground, and said disdainfully, "You, eat this one."
If someone had dared to show such a disdainful expression in front of the Red Count in the past, that person would certainly not have seen the sun the next day.
But the Red Count, being in this place, not only had no dissatisfaction at all at this moment but even looked at Pika in front of him with some fawning.
"Thank you, bird. No, thank you, Pika-daren."
Pika's ruthlessness flashed, but she was very satisfied that the Red Count remembered her name and instructed:
"I know you need the energy from this red fruit. Since Master said you can eat it, we certainly won't interfere.
But seeing as you're also a variant bird, I still need to remind you that from now on, you can only eat those that fall to the ground.
And you can only eat two per month; otherwise, with your body, you'll definitely explode."
The Red Count's eyes widened, and the hand holding the red fruit trembled slightly. If it weren't for Pika's reminder, he would have surely died if he ate too much.
After a cold sweat, the Red Count respectfully bowed to Pika in gratitude: "Thank you, Pika-daren."
"Alright, Master is low-key; you need to cooperate well with Master. You must complete the master's instructions well, and don't think about escaping, otherwise we will come find you. This world is too small, and I remember your scent."
Pika disappeared in an instant as she flapped her wings. Even the Red Count, who had recovered his strength, had no perception of her, only the warning remaining in his ears.
...
As dusk approached, the sun set, and a bonfire had already been lit in front of the hut.
The stone table was already covered with fish, shrimp, and another plucked rabbit.
The aroma began to spread, and Gin was the first to run to the Red Count's side.
The Red Count immediately got up, prepared the roasted meat, and handed it to Gin with both hands. He only sat down again after watching Gin walk away with the meat in his mouth.
Finn looked at the Red Count, who was constantly busy in front of the bonfire, and had a slight change of opinion about this guy.
So rich people can be this capable too. It seems this guy is very polite.
Perhaps the outside world is wonderful?
To be safe, he'd ask him later.
"Alright, you little guys have eaten quite a bit. Oh, Ann, I've noticed that your fish body isn't big, but your appetite isn't small, hahaha."
Finn was in a great mood and motioned for the Red Count to sit down.
The Red Count hesitated for a moment, then finally just sat on half a stone, sitting upright, watching Finn eat and drink.
This vampire, who was fierce and terrifying on the high seas, now looked like a well-behaved elementary school student.
If the marine and pirates on the high seas saw him like that, they would definitely think they had seen a ghost.
"What's your name?"
"To the respected strong one, my name is Patrick Redfield. Some also call me the Red Count."
Finn understood with an "Oh" and thought to himself, "As expected, he's a foreigner? I wonder if there are any yellow-skinned, black-eyed people here."
"My name is Finn. Don't keep calling me 'strong one' from now on. Is that your custom? It sounds quite strange."
"As you command, Finn-daren."
"Daren? Forget it, suit yourself."
After all, it was another world, so he still had to adapt to local customs.
"Redfield, what is the outside world like? Do you know where this is?"
The Red Count was stunned, perhaps because the other party called him by his last name, or perhaps because Finn's unfamiliarity with this world made him momentarily confused.
"Daren, this is the Calm Belt."
*****
You can read 30 advanced chapters on my Patreon.
Thank you for your support, and have a great day!
patreon.com/Izanami_no_Mikoto