The day Lucas had been waiting for had finally arrived.
A knight sent to escort him had arrived with a horse-drawn carriage, accompanied by several guards. Lucas took a deep breath. It had been a year since he left home to attend the Magia Academy.
Standing at the academy gates, Lucas glanced back one last time. Nostalgia tugged at him as he took in the familiar sights and sounds of the place. Despite the bullying he'd endured, there were still a few good memories—ones he couldn't quite forget.
Like the time he killed Simon.
"Let's go, Prince. We need to depart immediately," said a tall man clad in light armor, his tone flat. He was the knight tasked with escorting Lucas. Lucas recognized him—James Lortbrok, a well-known captain from the Kingdom of Sinclair.
Lucas looked at James for a few seconds, then gave a silent nod. Without a word, he stepped into the carriage. The wheels began to turn, slowly pulling away from the academy, which soon disappeared from view.
"Home, huh…" he muttered quietly, gazing out the window. "I wonder how Father and Mother are doing. Hopefully Ranyra's calmed down a bit and isn't causing trouble anymore."
---
A week had passed since then. They were now traveling down a narrow forest road—one known for its dangers. It was a shortcut James had suggested to save time.
Lucas had agreed. He knew that if it weren't for him, James would've been back home by now—no need to handle a carriage, or babysit guards who were more of a burden than help. With his skills, James could've sprinted through the forest or ridden a flying mount, cutting the journey to just four or five days.
The carriage suddenly jolted hard as one of the wheels struck a large rock. Lucas was tossed slightly, his head bumping against the window.
"Damn it… Times like this make me really miss cars and planes," he grumbled, rubbing his sore head.
With nothing else to do during the long and tedious ride, Lucas often found himself staring at his status window—just to pass the time. His gaze was dull, and his sighs heavy, as if trying to chase away the boredom.
---
Name: Lucas Sinclair
Title: Heir of the Slaughterer
Blood Core: 1/7
Blood Essence: 0 / 2,456
Inheritance Progress: 6%
Class: Blood Master
Skills: [Blood Extraction] [Burning Blood] [Blood World]
---
His Blood Essence was now completely depleted, and Lucas felt like he'd returned to his old self—weak and easily fatigued.
At first, he'd been worried about what might happen if his Blood Essence hit zero. But after learning that the only side effect was physical weakness, he'd felt a bit more at ease. After all, he was used to having a frail body. It was just a matter of time before his Blood Essence replenished itself—he knew that much.
The problem was, he hadn't found any monsters or wild beasts to hunt and drain.
Each time the group made camp, Lucas looked for excuses to sneak off and search for prey. But so far, he'd had no luck. That was part of why he agreed to take the more dangerous route—deep within these wild, seldom-touched woods, the chance of encountering beasts was much higher. Once the caravan stopped for the night, he planned to head out again.
The carriage finally came to a halt as the sun dipped below the horizon. Suddenly, a knock came at the door. Lucas glanced out the window and saw James standing just outside. He rolled the window down and spoke before the knight could say anything.
"Are we camping here tonight?"
"Yes," James replied curtly, then added,
"We'll start preparing dinner soon. If you're tired of sitting around, you're free to step outside. But don't wander far. These woods are dangerous, especially at night. I know you like to be alone, but for tonight… just don't."
With that warning, James turned and began giving orders to set up camp.
Inside the carriage, Lucas picked up his rapier, still wrapped in black cloth, and stepped outside. Everyone around him was busy—some setting up tents, others cooking, and a few keeping watch. His gaze landed on a man lounging casually under a tree.
It was clear he'd been assigned to keep an eye on Lucas.
Since his awakening, not only had Lucas's vision changed—his perception had sharpened as well.
Wasting no time, Lucas approached the man.
"I don't like being watched when I take a piss. So I hope you don't mind looking the other way for a bit," Lucas said bluntly, handing him a gold coin.
The man looked surprised at first to see Prince Sinclair walking up to him. But the moment he saw the coin, a wide grin spread across his face.
"Fair enough. Every man deserves some privacy. I wouldn't want anyone watching me when I'm having sex either. Alright, I'll look the other way. Just don't take too long, yeah?"
Lucas smiled.
'What a bribeable guy.'
Under the canopy of trees and the blanket of night, Lucas slipped away, careful not to alert anyone. Once he was far enough from James and the others, he stopped to catch his breath.
He was exhausted.
'Damn it. I need to extract some blood soon or I'll be stuck like this.'
Wandering alone through a dangerous forest at night was a foolish thing to do—unless you had the power to survive. Lucas knew that. But he didn't have a choice. Even if it put his life on the line, he had to do this. If he wanted to grow stronger—if he didn't want to be a burden to his family anymore—he had to take the risk.
Not long after, he sensed a pair of eyes watching him from the west.
Feigning calm, Lucas kept walking slowly, his rapier now drawn.
In an instant, he spun around and thrust his blade upward with all his strength. He didn't have the energy to dodge. Something large slammed into him, sending him crashing to the ground, unable to resist.
[You Have Killed a Black-Fanged Cat. Do You Want to Extract Its Blood?]