"Ugh… my head is killing me…"
Gaspar rubbed his aching skull, blinking away the haze as he slowly sat up.
Somehow, they'd made it out of the forest. Now, they were sprawled on a stretch of open grass, the sky vast and blue overhead. Tenra stood a few steps away, his back turned, staring into the distance.
"This is it… the outside world…"
Gaspar's voice trembled with disbelief. Then, the realization hit—hard and bright.
"Haha… hahaha! Lord Tenra, Valerie—we did it! We're free!"
Confusion gave way to pure joy. Gaspar spun in circles, arms flailing, laughter bubbling up from somewhere deep. After so long in the castle's shadows, the world outside felt impossibly wide, impossibly real. He was a bird uncaged, wings spread, heart soaring.
But as his excitement faded, a strange unease crept in. Tenra hadn't even looked at him. And Valerie—she was nowhere to be seen.
A cold knot formed in Gaspar's stomach.
"Lord Tenra… where's Valerie?"
He approached, hope flickering in his eyes.
Tenra finally turned. His face was blank, eyes dark and bottomless—so cold it made Gaspar shiver.
"Valerie… she was captured. Taken back."
Tenra's calm words hit like a thunderclap.
Captured. Taken back. Valerie was gone.
"H-ha… haha… Lord Tenra, you're just messing with me, right?"
"Valerie! Hey, Valerie, where are you? Come out!"
Gaspar called out, voice cracking, searching the empty field. He knew Tenra wasn't joking. But he couldn't accept it. Not yet.
Tenra's eyes flickered with something complicated. He sighed, then quietly explained everything—Valerie's injury, the vampire pursuers, their desperate escape from the forest.
When Gaspar heard that Valerie had given up her own freedom so Tenra could save him, the tears came hard and fast. He sobbed, shoulders shaking.
"Lord Tenra… I can't let Valerie stay there alone. I have to go back—I have to save her!"
Determination flared in his eyes. He turned, ready to sprint back into the forest—back into vampire territory.
But—
SMACK!
Tenra's palm cracked across Gaspar's cheek. The blow stung, but Tenra's voice was colder.
"What exactly do you think you'll accomplish? You'd just throw away Valerie's sacrifice. Foolish!"
Gaspar clutched his face, eyes wide with shock and hurt.
"Lord Tenra, I… I…"
He broke down, sobbing louder than ever. For the first time, he hated how weak he was. Useless. Helpless.
Tenra let him cry it out. After all, Gaspar was still just a kid.
Eventually, the storm passed. Gaspar wiped his tears, meeting Tenra's gaze. His crimson eyes burned with something new—resolve.
"Lord Tenra, I want to get stronger. I want to be as strong as you. I want to be a real man. I want to save Valerie!"
He spoke his vow, voice steady. Tenra smiled faintly, seeing the change.
"Good. Brace yourself. Training will hurt more than death. But I'll make you strong. And then—"
Tenra pressed his hand to Gaspar's forehead, about to say more, when his gaze sharpened, snapping toward the treeline.
"Who's there?!"
Rustling from the woods. Gaspar tensed, heart pounding. Tenra's eyes narrowed, ready to unleash his power.
They'd already escaped the vampires' territory—were those bloodsuckers still chasing them?
The rustling grew louder. Tenra braced himself, but before he could act, a figure burst from the trees, shouting:
"Don't attack! It's me—it's me!"
To their surprise, it wasn't a vampire pursuer. It was Herbert—the little fat vampire.
"Well, Herbert. You made it out too?"
Tenra relaxed, a teasing grin on his lips.
He hadn't expected anyone else to escape. Maybe the little fatso had more guts than he thought.
"Ha… ha… don't even mention it. Everyone else got caught—idiots, all of them."
Herbert waved his pudgy hand, panting. But then his eyes flashed with anger as he glared at Tenra.
"Damn human, you used us!"
He was still bitter. Tenra and Gaspar hadn't followed the others out, and Herbert knew he'd been played. If he weren't so wary of Tenra's strength, he'd have tried to bite his head off.
Tenra just snorted.
"So what? I told you it was mutual exploitation. Blame your own crew for being idiots."
He leaned in, voice low.
"Besides, Herbert—if I hadn't 'used' you, do you really think you'd have escaped?"
Herbert hesitated, cheeks flushing. He couldn't argue.
Then his gaze shifted to Gaspar, a new idea forming.
"Human, let's call it even. From now on, we go our separate ways."
Tenra shrugged, indifferent. Herbert wasn't a friend, but he wasn't an enemy either. As long as he kept his distance, Tenra didn't care.
But Herbert was nothing if not cunning. Sure enough—
"Gaspar, why not come with me? We're both vampires. No more castle, no more rules. You'd be better off with me than that human."
Gaspar shrank behind Tenra, shaking his head furiously. Tenra smirked—Herbert never missed a chance to recruit underlings, even now.
"Don't worry, Gaspar. If you come with me, I'll never bully you again."
Herbert tried for a friendly smile, but it looked forced. If any of his old gang had escaped, he wouldn't be so desperate for company.
"I'm not going! I'm staying with Lord Tenra!"
Gaspar's answer was firm. He might be timid, but he wasn't stupid.
"Tch. Suit yourself, idiot. When that human sells you out, don't come crying to me."
"Goodbye, human. Goodbye, Gaspar. No—goodbye forever!"
With Tenra standing by, Herbert didn't dare push further. He cursed, turned, and with a flap of his arms, transformed into a bat and vanished into the sky.
Gaspar watched him go, then looked up at Tenra.
"Lord Tenra… what now?"
"Those vampires might still be on our trail. We need to get moving."
"…Okay."
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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