"Cheers!"
Only the three of us were sitting in the quiet inn, Annie raised a glass of ale. When we three clinked our glasses, the cups filled with ale swayed like a wave.
“Gulp, gulp, gulp, Kyaa! Sweet!"
“What does a little lass like you knows about what real alcohol tastes like?”
As I said with a grin, Annie burst out.
“Of course I know, the taste should able to create an atmosphere! Atmosphere, you know. And you eat up that atmosphere!”
“Huh… so you know the basics?”
“Haha! Today, this messy life and this messy country, all over, guhahaha! It's all thanks to you, stubborn guy!"
“If you hug me, you die.”
“Kek. Goodness, stubborn guy is so cold. Doesn't even appreciate a hug from a pretty woman like me."
"Pretty? You? When, how?"
Annie frowned as I looked up with my eyes wide open in shock.
“Stubborn guy should have died in the final, huff.”
“Then you would have been a server here for your whole life and then poof, death of old age.”
“Um… I would be so sad if you died. Oh, more than that, oppa! I have a question… What did you get as a prize?”
Annie asked, her eyes twinkling. While pretending to be polite, the old geezer Stanley also pricked up his ears.
“Why are you curious about that?”
“Why, me, curious? You just won the Battleground Championship! You must have got something amazing, right, right?"
“It's not huge or anything like that. I just received 1 million gold and two other items.”
“Bollocks… One million..!”
Annie's mouth widened.
Wasn't the amount she earned from betting was 240,000 gold, excluding commissions?
She was amazed when an amount close to four times of her own popped out.
“Item… What items did you get?”
“Not really an item, I just got three ordinary rings.”
I got three rings for winning the battle.
Bleeding Ring.
Increases the chance of bleeding. During bleeding, the opponent takes damage equal to 2% of their maximum HP every 1 turn.
Perm's ring.
Negates the first low-level magical attack initiated at the start of the battle.
The green ring of an unknown knight.
Durability increases by 10%.
Although they are not bad rings, the reason I participated in the Battleground Championship is because of the green ring of an unknown knight.
The Ring of an Unknown Knight Series.
I've already collected 2 out of 4! Now, if I just collect two more and go to that dungeon to upgrade…
“What kind of rings are those, yup?”
My thoughts were broken by Annie's face that suddenly intervened in the middle of my thoughts.
Gosh, don't pull your ugly face like that. I just failed my concentration.
I pushed Annie's face away with my palm.
“How much curiosity do you have? When you are curious, rather make a plan for your life.”
“Keke, that’s all already set up. I will change to Prona Kingdom.”
“Prona Kingdom? Why there?”
“Among other kingdoms, the land there is the most fertile, isn’t it? I'm thinking of buying a suitable farm and some slaves to look after the farm. While the slaves works, this lady will play and eat!”
"Hoh… that's a great life plan, haha."
“I know, right? To be honest, I really wanted to go to the Empire, but the taxes there are too much…”
Annie's shoulders drooped down naturally. I patted her on the shoulder, and consoled.
“Still, it’s not bad if you want to switch to the Kingdom of Prona. It's peaceful and quite beautiful there. But how are you going to get to the Prona Kingdom?”
“I’m thinking of putting an escort quest in the Adventurers’ Guild. Wouldn’t it be okay to spend about 5000 gold to hire two or three strong people for my protection?”
"Oh. So, a woman with some heavy 240,000 gold is going to go that long way alone, accompanied by three adventurers? What, should I praise your courage, ha?”
Annie tilted her head for a moment. As soon as she realized what I was saying, her complexion turned blue.
“W, Well, then, how about travelling with a caravan? I think it will be crowded enough and safe too!”
“Why would they accept you when you and them don’t even know each other?”
“That’s… right… Can’t you then just give them… some money?”
“Would a rich businessman accept a lump of luggage for some pennies? You sure think differently from normal people.”
“Wu…”
I thought money would solve everything… Annie grabbed her head and muttered.
I smiled at the slight and turned my gaze at the old geezer sipping his ale beside us.
“Can't you just ask for help from the old man here? It's not like you don't know him, right?"
"Eh? Why is old man coming here all of a sudden?”
“In the outside world, old man is a pretty great businessman. It’s those who sit on the big top.”
“No, wha, big top?!”
“Hmm.”
As Annie opened her eyes wide and looked up, the old man coughed in embarrassment.
“Gee, is it for real? Sta, Senior Stanley! Help meeee!”
Annie fell on her knees abruptly and started hanging from the old man's legs. Old mam Stanley tried to pry her apart in embarrassment, but she wouldn't let go of his legs as if she had met her last pillar of hope.
“Stop, stop, I meant to help from the beginning. So let go.”
“Really? Come then and say nothing more! In other words, alcohol with peanuts!”
That was when the inn was getting noisy.
Rattle.
The inn door opened and a man entered.
* * *
The hierarchical social order is fixed among vampires.
Who is born with a nobler blood and who is not? Their birth permanently determine the status of a vampire.
A lower rank vampire cannot oppose a vampire nobler than them.
Especially if it is the family master who shared their own blood with them.
The same is true for Krappa.
He fell into Haley's sight 200 years ago and became a vampire. He didn't know it until he became a vampire, but after becoming a member of her family line, he realized it.
How noble and great his master is!
‘I will never let master down.’
“Hey there~ Handsome brother~”
The drunk Annie tapped on Krappa's shoulders.
How dare such a inferior thing dare touch my noble body!
Should I just pull out that filthy arm? No, I have to endure, it's my first priority to carry out master's orders!
“What?”
“Is that real? You came to see this oppa all the way from the finals?”
Well, she speaks in a timely manner.
So be it, I'll mercifully put off the idea of pulling out your arm.
“Yes, that’s right. It was such a mind blowing scene. To be honest, I still can't forget it. That’s why I wanted to meet my idol in person, so I followed after.”
Krappa looked back at Cloud with a friendly smile. It's because the person in question was wearing an indifferent expression since he came.
After a moment of awkward silence, Cloud opened his mouth.
“What about the others?”
"Yes?"
“There must be other people who should have followed me besides you.”
Other guys?
Oh, is he talking about those trashes?
“Haha, I did notice a few people like those. But they can't stop me from meeting my idol."
“What did you say your name was?”
“It’s Howl.”
Of course, he wouldn't tell the lower human the true name he was bestowed with. So Krappa took the pseudonym of Howl.
“Yes, Howl. I won't turn round and round to spew meaningless talks. And, I really don't like anyone lying to me.”
"Yes?"
“Don’t lie.”
Cloud's eyes looking on Krappa fell coldly.
‘…did he noticed?'
How?
No, that's not important now.
If he has noticed it, there's no point in acting now.
"…since when?"
“From the very beginning. The bastards in this city won't stand a winner who has beaten their sponsored warrior like that in the finals. At least, I was thinking, they would sneak up while I was sleeping or something. So what did you do with those rubbishes?”
“…killed them all.”
At Krappa's words, the air in the inn froze. Annie and old man Stanley looked at Krappa with hardened expressions, the alcohol's intoxication had completely gone away.
Meanwhile, Cloud's eyes were still cold.
"Why?"
“It was unavoidable. They were plotting to kill you, Cloud-sama…"
“No that, why did you kill them? Even if it wasn't for you, they would have died in my hands anyways. All I'm asking is, what have you got to do with looping around me and killing them?"
What to say now?
Yes, just spew sh!t.
“Because I admire your skills! So, it was hard for me control myself, to let those guys attempt to do things like that. Cloud-sama, please let's go together! Give me a chance to learn in the wider world!”
Krappa bowed his head and shouted out enthusiastically.
For him, the honorable henchman of a top rank vampire family, bowing his head to a human is a great shame.
However, in order to fulfill his master's orders, this level of shame can be drunk down his throat!
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