After his brief detour into the forest, Naru was relieved to find Choi Han had almost finished tending to the bodies as he didn't have any desire to help him. It was a lot of work to dig a hole and they didn't have any proper tools.
"A-Ah, there you are! I'm glad to see you're safe."
Naru was greeted by Abe Rowley, warmly but with some slight hesitance, as he entered the clearing to find what remained of Harris Village. Marjorie Rowley was lying on a cocoon of random fabrics Abe had gathered from the broken homes, sleeping peacefully.
The final buildings that hadn't collapsed were no longer burning, but it looked as if a stiff wind might blow them away. Death loomed heavily in the air, and there was a literal pile of corpses in black robes discarded carelessly at the treeline. The scent of blood was distinctly present, but it wasn't bothersome.
Just sort of there, in the background.
Naru spotted a length of cloth that had been tightly wrapped around Abe's leg, starting at his knee and stopping around mid-calf. The bandaging was lightly-colored, but he could not see much red seeping through it.
"It looks like the bleeding has stopped, Mister Abe?"
"Yes. My daughter has been sleeping for a while, so I was able to clear my head a bit and treat myself."
"That's good."
His eyes lingered on the flecks of dried blood on the man's exposed skin before looking away. Blood was important to the survival of Vampires, but it wasn't like they would go berserk the instant a hint of it reached their nose. It acted more like medicine or a super potent vitamin than it did a source of debilitating longing.
Duke Fredo had told him all about the importance of this precious source of life force for their species, and Naru was glad to learn that they weren't slave to their thirst like some other varieties of vampires he had read from other fantasy worlds.
After tailing the White Star, Naru had realized for the second time since waking up in this world that he experienced the uniquely vampiric desire to drink blood. He hadn't noticed his thirst at first, probably due to the adrenaline, but once he was far enough away from the village to reflect on what had happened, Naru definitely noticed that his small body felt weaker and he was craving the weirdly satisfying experience of drinking blood.
It could not be helped.
He had used four types of magic simultaneously and he hadn't had any blood since the day he practiced using mana with Duke Fredo. Because their hearts contained dead mana, Vampires lacked the ability to produce life force of their own. Potions were like poison to them, made by magic and divine powers, so the only meaningful way to restore their strength was by drinking blood.
He had downed one of the small apothecaries that Duke Fredo had packed in one of his satchels and immediately felt better.
Naru turned his gaze back to Abe, who was managing to smile despite looking terrible. He wasn't as disturbingly head-to-toe covered in the evidence of what happened here like Choi Han, but the man was sweating, breathing unsteadily, and his complexion did not look good.
"Can I ask your name, son?"
"I'm Naru."
There was a pause, presumably so that Naru could introduce himself fully, but Naru had no plans of doing so.
A bit awkwardly, the man laughed and kept talking. He thought the child was cute and maybe too shy to tell him his full name.
"Well, then, little Naru. I didn't get to thank you properly earlier, but–"
"No, there's no need."
Naru waved and gave a gentle smile.
"You survived an impossible situation and managed to keep your daughter safe in the process. That is no small feat, Mister Abe. I was simply here at the right moment, but I didn't live through what you did."
Abe Rowley heard these words with a sinking sadness in his heart, not because this child was wrong, but because he was right. Even while still struggling with the shock of losing everything, Abe could not help but feel grateful to be alive. It felt like an even greater miracle that his infant daughter had survived.
His heart was broken and his spirit had been trampled, but this little boy had kindly extended a hand so that he didn't lose sight of the fact that he was alive. Naru had not carried him, but had pulled him back up to his feet. He had used his own two legs to walk out of despair.
Even if it was difficult to say out loud, that was the real gratitude Abe Rowley felt. He would carry it in his heart until the day he died.
"You're here."
Choi Han approached the spot Abe Rowley had been seated on the ground, stopping a few paces shy of the child Vampire.
"I said I would come back."
"The forest is safe now?"
Naru nodded and started to walk away from Abe and his daughter. It was necessary to tell Choi Han some of the truth because he needed the swordmaster to trust him.
Wordlessly, Choi Han followed until the two of them stopped in front of the destroyed home where Naru had found the Rowleys hours earlier.
"Three."
"...Excuse me?"
Naru turned to look at Choi Han, meeting his gaze and speaking very clearly.
"I will answer three questions. So ask me whatever you want, but make them count."
"Why only three?"
Naru wore an innocent smile.
"Is that one of your questions?"
Choi Han's lips twisted into a frown, and Naru sighed before shaking his head.
"It's fine, I'll answer that one without it costing you a question. I am not a good or benevolent person who helps others. In fact, you are quite right to be wary of me. However, you are in a very difficult situation right now, so I'm simply giving you the opportunity to change that situation. Telling you this much is not so difficult, but I don't make it a habit of giving out information freely."
Blinking, the swordsman seemed taken aback by Naru's declaration, but he regained his composure after a few seconds and just nodded. Choi Han took another moment to organize his thoughts before jumping right back into his previous line of questioning.
"Who were the people that attacked?"
That's one.
Turning towards the broken building, Naru stared at the busted support beams and scorched scraps of furniture that had been destroyed. He took in the image of what had been someone's home before deciding on how to answer.
"They are a secret organization of strong individuals. Their name is Arm. They are spread across the Western and Eastern continents and have significant military, financial, and political power. More than you could ever believe."
In his periphery, Naru could see Choi Han's fist clenching and unclenching repeatedly.
"And who… who are you?"
Two.
"My name is Naru Von Ejellan. I am a member of a noble family from the Eastern continent–I would tell you the name, but I'm certain you haven't heard of it. I'm also a Vampire."
Choi Han's hand reflexively went to his scabbard, which made Naru flinch and peek in his direction. Thankfully, the scary bastard didn't draw his sword this time, but he was staring at Naru with an uncomprehending expression.
"Here. I'll remove this."
Drawing back his hood, Naru moved a hand next to the side of his head. He had made a very small tweak to his physical appearance, so simple that it barely required any mana to maintain. Dispelling the minor disguise spell, Naru's ears returned to their original, slightly-pointed shape, rather than the rounded ones he'd chosen to better pass as a human.
"I'm guessing you haven't met a Vampire before."
A slight smirk worked its way into his voice as Naru examined Choi Han's trembling pupils.
"You have one question left."
He assumed Choi Han would ask something relating to how he knew about Arm, but was surprised by the rather harsh change in his voice.
"Why are you helping me? You said you're giving me an 'opportunity.' I don't understand why."
Naru looked at Choi Han's steely gaze, but he was glaring at the broken building at their feet and would not meet Naru's eye. The cold mask Choi Han had worn since their first meeting finally began to crack in several places, revealing genuine confusion, fatigue, and bitterness underneath.
He kept talking through his disbelief.
"You… you don't know who I am. You don't live on this continent. And you're not even human. Why would you help me?"
Naru thought about this for a short while before answering, his head tilting slightly from side to side like he was trying to unpuzzle something in his mind.
"That. You see."
Even in the diffused early afternoon light, the light purple hue of Naru's eyes sparkled as a true testament to his sincerity.
"My dream is to become a slacker."
"...What?"
Choi Han didn't find this to be a very funny joke.
Too bad Naru wasn't joking.
"I am doing this because I want to be a slacker. This may seem like 'helping' to you, but it's not like that. Our goals just happen to align."
"I… don't understand. Our goals?"
"I want, no, I will become a slacker who doesn't have to do anything. And you want to destroy the bastards that did this to your home, don't you?"
Naru pointed at the pile of rubble and debris that lay before them.
"It just so happens that the thing preventing me from living my dream and the people responsible for this tragedy are the same. That's why I thought we could perhaps work together, although I understand if you have some qualms about it. I won't ask you to sign a contract. I won't even ask you to believe me. However, there are some things that will happen soon that will cause a lot of people to die."
Choi Han's vision, which had become cloudy while Naru spoke, quickly regained its usual sharpness.
"And I."
Naru pointed to himself this time.
"Am going to do my best to prevent those things, because by doing so, I will ruin things for the bastards responsible. I'll tell you information about the things that will happen, but whether or not you choose to act will be entirely up to you. However, much like today, it is hard to do it on my own. I am just one person and I am very weak. If I had the strength or ability, I could have stopped what happened today."
"But… that. What sort of things are going to happen? And how do you know that they're… ah."
Choi Han couldn't finish because of the delightfully wicked smirk that had appeared on Naru's face. He realized it without the Vampire having to say anything.
Three questions.
He had already reached the limit.
"There will be more chances to ask questions later. For the time being, this is all I can tell you. I'd appreciate if you didn't share this information with anyone. I answered these questions for your benefit, but if the enemy discovers that I am here, it will put my family, no, it will put the entirety of the Vampire species in grave danger."
The words came out like a solemn vow, but Naru was not at all worried. He would not have told Choi Han any of this if he didn't already know how the righteous and just swordmaster would act.
'He would never condemn an entire species to die, especially when they haven't done anything to him. This much is easy.'
Naru reapplied his rudimentary disguise spell to conceal his ears and pulled back up his hood.
"If you're finished here, we should bring Mister Abe and his daughter to Rain City. His leg needs better treatment than a bandage and they both are probably suffering from smoke inhalation. There are several temples who will treat them for free."
"...Yes. I will attempt to meet with the Count as well. I need to report this incident to him… Even if what you said is true and it is Arm that is responsible, it still warrants an official investigation."
"Sure."
Naru adjusted the straps of his bag and began walking back towards the two lone survivors of this massacre.
He's definitely going to get stopped at the city gate again. Maybe they'll let us in if we have an injured person with us.'
"Oh, by the way."
Choi Han froze when Naru turned back to him. The Vampire's expression almost appeared bored.
"You didn't tell me your name."
"You don't know my name?"
Naru barely managed not to roll his eyes. He knew a lot more than just Choi Han's name, but these were the necessary steps to take in earning someone's trust.
"Mister Abe said it, but I think I should hear it from you."
"Ah." Choi Han seemed to consider that before he approached Naru, this time dropping to one knee so they were at eye level.
"I am Choi Han. And you're right. I am wary of you and I don't fully understand what you meant by wanting to become a slacker, but…"
His face showed no emotion, but Naru thought he could determine a slight warmth in his eyes at least. Like molten volcanic rock rather than a polished gemstone, it was a subtle change that he thought better suited the guy's youthful face. With the sword at his hip and Choi Han's earnest expression, it could have almost passed for a touching scene of a knight swearing fealty to their liege.
'Too bad Choi Han is covered in blood and dirt.'
"I'm grateful for the… opportunity. So thank you, Naru. Ah, you're a noble, so… Naru-nim?"
"That's fine. Also."
Naru had a thought that made him frown. He studied Choi Han's face and decided to reveal one more piece of information.
"I am 151 years old."
"Oh."
Choi Han did not seem very surprised by this fact. It made sense.
Naru knew that, despite looking like a teenager, Choi Han was probably closer to the age of Fredo the Second than he was to Kim Rok Soo. The novel never specified Choi Han's exact age, but…
"I may look like a child, but I am older than you. So don't expect me to call you hyung or something."
"No, you should speak comfortably."
"Good."
The first order of business was to have Choi Han use the well to gather some water and wash himself off. Forget about entering the city, the guards would point their weapons at them if they saw this scary guy running towards them looking like he'd just battled his way straight out of hell.
"Even if you run as fast as you can for as long as you can, it will take you a day to reach the city on your own, and that's not factoring in trying to carry us!"
Abe Rowley fretted over Choi Han, whose solution when asked how he was going to reach Rain City was, 'I'll just carry everyone and run.'
Choi Han didn't seem like he was listening, doing his best to dry out his clothes instead. Abe passed him one of the extra pieces of fabric he had managed to gather for Marjoie's makeshift bed. The baby was awake now, babbling and pulling at her father's clothes for fun.
"Really, Choi Han, maybe you should leave us and come back with… hm?"
The craftsman stopped speaking when he saw Naru smiling.
"It'll be fine. Choi Han will hold Mister Abe, and Mister Abe, you'll hold Marjorie. I'm going to climb on Choi Han's back."
"Isn't that too much?! Choi Han, I know you're strong, but you'll get tired… You can't run for a whole day carrying us!"
Choi Han already knelt down so Naru could climb on his back, but the child only used one hand to hold himself while using the other to make a gesture in the air.
"I've used haste magic on Choi Han. We just need to hold on."
"Oh–you're a mage! That…! Hah, little Naru, you are amazing!"
'I don't think this counts as being a mage, but whatever.'
"I would be fine without it, Naru-nim."
"You can run the rest of the way with your strength if I get tired, but this will be much faster. I want to get there before nightfall."
Choi Han scooped up the adult, who carefully cradled Marjorie and attempted to distract her from the shift in their position. Though there was a slight pause as the two who had lived here looked back at the remains of their village, the day was already wearing on.
Naru urged Choi Han forward.
"Let's go."
They managed to arrive in only three hours with Choi Han's ridiculous natural ability and the aid of haste.
Entering the Henituse territory was simpler than Naru had expected. Arriving before nightfall, making sure Choi Han was presentable, and carrying an injured adult and two children made the swordmaster seem extremely pathetic and nonthreatening, unlike when he arrived in the novel. Naru didn't even have to bribe the guards, which he was fully prepared to do if push came to shove.
In fact, he was even a little disappointed. Duke Fredo had given him a billion gallons and he was excited to spend it.
They were escorted to the nearest medical facility, where Marjorie and Abe Rowley were received by a group of priests for treatment. Naru urgently denied the doting attempts of the priests that tried to treat him as well.
'They mean well, but these people are a bigger threat to me than Choi Han.'
He did not know much about how dark mana interacted with divine powers.
He did not want to find out.
Not now, or ever, really. He wouldn't have any use for such knowledge once he properly resumes his slacker life.
'It'll come together properly in just a few weeks.'
Right now, Choi Han was a snowball rolling down a mountain. Naru would just push him a bit faster and guide him in the right direction so he became a proper avalanche, and then Choi Han will be perfectly capable of wiping out the White Star's forces before returning to his quiet life in the Endable Kingdom.
From there, a few guard knights escorted Choi Han and Naru to the Henituse estate.
They had agreed beforehand that Choi Han would meet with Count Deruth alone. What had happened in Harris Village really wasn't Naru's business.
Entering the opulent reception area of the Henituse estate, Naru found it oddly reminiscent of Duke Fredo's mansion. The Henituse family had only played a minor role in the novel, but they were regarded as extremely wealthy for having a relatively small amount of influence. He would be lying if he said the level of visible excess was not comparable to the Duke's tastes.
As Naru took in their surroundings, Choi Han stood behind him with an indecipherable expression. His focus was uselessly divided in too many directions, trying to keep track of the whirlwind that had become his thoughts. He was overwhelmed by everything–the scary things Naru had told him, the sensory overload of the Count's glittering estate, the vision of his dead loved ones cemented behind his eyes.
A man emerged as if a shadow from behind the luxurious central staircase to greet them. His movements were silent and smooth, both graceful and precise as he stopped in front of them with a peculiar smile.
A rather benign smile, in fact.
Naru immediately got chills.
Ron Molan.
'The novel never said he was this scary!'
He couldn't help but take a step back at the clear murderous intent that appeared before him. Naru knew it was somewhat unavoidable to meet this guy when he and his son Beacrox ended up allying with Choi Han, but that did not mean Naru had been looking forward to it.
'He's looking at me like I'm a rabbit he's going to skin alive.'
"Good evening, gentlemen. We received word from one of our guard knights that something urgent has occurred? How can we help you?"
All of the sudden, Naru found himself missing the eternally anxious Melundo. He was truly 'benign' as a servant, but this guy's 'benign' and Melundo's 'benign' were very different…
Ignoring the impulse to run away, Naru cleared his throat and used his most proper noble voice.
"Thank you for receiving us despite our unexpected arrival. It is as you say, we wish to see the Count of this territory. There has been an attack outside the city wall."
"An attack, you say?"
Ron's gentle expression did not change at all. He tipped his head to one side and looked down at Naru like he was a child spinning a web of lies.
"Very well. I shall take you to see the Count-nim."
Huh?
Naru really did not think Ron was going to comply so easily, not with the way he was picking Naru apart with his eyes, but the butler's response was perfectly pleasant.
Before he could take a single step forward, however, Choi Han placed a hand on Naru's small shoulder and maneuvered the boy behind him. His eyes were burning with something hard to describe that Naru found truly disturbing. It didn't help that Ron was staring at Choi Han with the same expression.
'These two are going to cause the White Star so many headaches. Thank god I'm not involved with them.'
They were both probably sizing the other up at this moment, determining each other's strengths. Naru supposed he should be relieved that Choi Han moved to protect him first, but he also had no desire to witness these two scary people start a fight.
"Naru…nim." His switch to polite speech seemed like an afterthought, like he wasn't sure how much to reveal in front of Ron. "I don't think we should…"
"It's fine, Choi Han." He grabbed the swordsman's cloak and gave it a slight tug. "Let's go see the Count like we talked about."
Ron's smile was thicker than ever, dagger-sharp and enough to make Naru hesitate, but he had to push Choi Han along if the latter was going to be this way.
The butler began to walk down a corridor into the estate, and Naru lamented the fact he couldn't use flight magic to move around or have Choi Han carry him again. Walking was such an effort.
He was thinking about his comfy, plush bed waiting for him back at the Duke's house when Ron stopped walking and opened the door to a room and gestured for them to enter.
"The Duke has just returned from his attending duties, so I will inform him of your visit. There may be a short wait, so please make yourselves comfortable.
"Thank you."
Naru entered first with Choi Han right behind him. They barely crossed the threshold before the door was closed with a sharp snap. An alarming, metallic sound shattered the peaceful silence of the sitting room immediately.
Shiing!
"What the…"
Rather than go and seek out the Count, Ron had entered the room with them. He was wielding a dagger and had it positioned right next to Choi Han's throat.
Choi Han, however, also had his sword out and it was sitting at the base of the butler's collar.
It had happened so quickly, all Naru had heard was the noise before turning around and finding these two in a stalemate.
"Haa… what do you think you're doing?"
"Naru-nim, this man is dangerous. He looks normal, but–"
"I know, Choi Han. But you can't just draw your sword because someone might become a threat."
"...His dagger pointed at me first."
The old man, who was certainly no longer benign, was smiling viciously at Choi Han's hostility.
"Who do you punks think you are, coming here?"
Their weapons met with another sharp clang, and Choi Han leapt back to position himself in front of Naru while the old man's posture changed to reflect a hunter preparing to stalk its prey.
"If you tell me who sent you right now, I can promise you will die painlessly. It is the least this humble servant can offer."
A physical fight right now was only going to cause more problems in the future, so Naru wore his most charming smile before walking out from behind Choi Han.
"I can tell you many things, Molan patriarch. But are you even prepared to listen if you're acting so rashly? I thought assassins always kept a level head."
The man's blade caught in the light of the drawing room, flashing dangerously. "Ho, so you really are them! I thought I smelled a rat."
"Mm. Is that what you think? Wouldn't it be a shame if you killed us without learning a single thing?"
Ron showed no hesitation in attacking Naru despite his childlike appearance. Choi Han blocked the dagger with his sword, responding with a burst of dark aura that nearly slit the old man's throat.
"As expected."
Naru sighed.
The head of a notoriously ruthless assassin family would not flinch when killing anyone or anything, even if their target looked like a child. It had been fifteen years since their downfall, but time had not dulled Ron Molan's killing intent at all.
'I was really surprised to learn it was Arm who did that, too. The White Star really messed with everyone.'
Naru couldn't help but smirk as he watched the two exchange blows.
'How mad would he be if I told him his old house is now one of the enemy's secret bases?'
Naru had to admit it was a little tempting just to see his reaction, but he also knew that he would probably end up with his tongue cut out if he said a word about it.
A shout came from the hallway.
"Hey, you! Where is Ron?"
The voice somehow sounded ungainly and elegant at the same time. Some quieter words could be heard in answer as a conversation began right outside the door.
"I'm not sure, young master-nim. Is there anything I can do?"
"I need more of this alcohol he bought yesterday but I don't know where he got it. I'm almost through it. I want this one specifically."
Choi Han still had his sword drawn and was quietly observing the elderly man, neither attacking nor dropping his guard, while Naru listened to the conversation. A deep furrow had appeared in the old man's brow.
"Hm, that…"
The novel provided a bit of backstory on the Molans, and Duke Fredo had filled in the missing gaps when he explained the steady rise of Arm and the White Star's power.
Ron had infiltrated this noble house many years ago and built a life here with his son, Beacrox. It wasn't impossible for the old man to start over a third time, but he also had an attachment to the Henituse family that had given him and his child a home and a second chance.
That was why he had gone to great lengths to hide his bloody history from them.
Cale Henituse, who he served directly, didn't have a clue.
He also happened to be standing right outside the door.
Naru raised a finger up to his lips in a silent gesture, smiling calmly as he met eyes with the assassin.
"Don't worry."
He was whispering.
"We won't say a thing, so why don't you get rid of that dangerous thing? I assure you, we're not here to cause you or the Henituse family any harm. We just need to report the incident and we'll be on our way."
With a severe scowl, Ron looked between Choi Han, Naru, and the direction of the voices a few times before reluctantly sheathing his blade.
"You put that away too."
His earlier gentle smile had returned, though his tone towards Choi Han remained rough.
Naru nodded approvingly and moved towards the door. The sound of Cale Henituse's and the servant's voices began moving further away.
"Now, if you're both done, why don't we go meet Count Deruth properly?"
The old man looked at Naru like he definitely wanted to kill him.
Choi Han met with Count Deruth alone. Well, without Naru. Ron did not let Choi Han out of his sight and entered the Count's office with him, but Naru stayed away. His goal was to help Choi Han, but he couldn't reveal himself to the nobles here. It would just invite awkward questions he wasn't really in a position to answer.
As a result, they did not go straight to Count Deruth's office. Ron did not trust them, and Naru did not blame him. He would eventually learn that Choi Han was a good person and that he was not associated with Arm, but that trust would take some time to build. It made sense why the butler escorted them halfway across the estate before steering Choi Han separately towards the Count's office.
Kitchen #2.
That was where Naru was waiting. He had grumbled about being treated like a child when a servant had to drag over a bar-height stool for him to sit on because he was not tall enough to look over the side of the counter otherwise. That servant also happened to be named Beacrox.
Though the father and son had not spoken directly about Naru or Choi Han since they were both standing right there, it was clear the two had communicated somehow that Naru needed to be watched and was not to be taken lightly.
Naru wasn't complaining. He just had to sit and wait for Choi Han to handle things.
Plus, he was hungry.
"As a guest, it is expected that I should be served if I wish to eat, right?"
"...That is the case for guests."
Grinning, Naru met Beacrox's gaze with a twinkle in his eye. The way he said 'for guests' seemed to imply that this was not a label that applied to Naru, but he also hadn't refused.
"Then may I please request some food? That meat you are preparing looks very good."
There was a war going on in Beacrox's mind as he simply stared at the child.
'Father didn't tell me anything, but his eyes were warning me to be careful. Then again, this is just a child. There is no strength coming from him.'
The swordsman had been the one with the violent strength and murderous aura. This child looked about as threatening as a daisy.
After struggling in silence for a few moments longer, Beacrox released a quiet sigh before putting a plate of beef tenderloin in front of Naru.
"Wow, this is delicious."
Naru was not one to say something he did not mean. This dish was no joke. There was some kind of sauce with the meat that made it buttery-soft and each bite melted in his mouth. Beacrox said nothing, but Naru thought his scowl looked a little less severe than before. He then proceeded to start sharpening his knives on the counter.
It was hard not to find that act a little disturbing, knowing about Beacrox's special talents from [The Birth of a Hero].
'Torture expert.'
Naru felt his entire back turn cold
Choi Han, and Ron and Beacrox Molan. The Henituse territory had all sorts of scary individuals living in it.
Two tenderloins later, Naru was feeling ready for a nap at the same time Choi Han returned from speaking with the Count.
"Ah, welcome back. How did it go?"
Choi Han's gaze seemed complicated. He examined Beacrox doubtfully, who in turn did the same to Choi Han, before he turned his attention back to Naru.
"The Count was very… understanding. He is going to conduct an official investigation and offered to pay to provide a proper burial. Some of the priests will be dispatched alongside some soldiers tomorrow to begin both fronts."
Nodding, Naru was glad to hear Choi Han managed to use his words instead of his sword for once.
"He also said he will personally speak to Abe Rowley about what happened and try to offer help however he can in settling him and his daughter in Rain City."
If Choi Han's delivery had been a bit stiff in the beginning, this portion of the news came a bit more naturally. He seemed genuinely relieved that some tangible good came of their efforts, and Naru studied his exhausted face, drawn with lines not fitting his youthful appearance, for a bit before speaking.
"Beacrox, could you please serve some food to Choi Han as well?"
The chef seemed much more reluctant to grant Naru's request this time. Choi Han also looked ready to vehemently shoot down the idea.
"It's important to eat well, Choi Han. You need to take care of yourself, and this meat Beacrox has prepared is very delicious. You should eat. It's alright since we are both guests, right, Beacrox?"
It was hard to tell who was more reluctant, Beacrox in his slow preparation of the plate for Choi Han, or Choi Han in accepting the food from Beacrox. Both looked pretty unhappy about the entire thing, but Choi Han eventually placed the plate on the counter beside Naru's dishes and sat down.
'This really is great.'
Whatever discussion Choi Han had with the Count must have been effective, because he not only was able to get some closure for Harris Village, but Ron seemed noticeably less hostile. Perhaps he felt sympathy for Choi Han after having been in such a similar position before.
"...Thank you."
Ron stepped forward and turned his cold gaze on Naru now instead of Choi Han.
"I played along. Now, who exactly are you? You are different than him."
Ron nodded to Choi Han, who stopped eating for a moment to look at Naru.
"You are from the Eastern continent."
It was not a question. Beacrox was watching their reactions carefully.
Choi Han swallowed the food in his mouth before frowning at Naru. He almost appeared to be pouting, or at the very least, indignant.
"I didn't tell him anything."
Naru had to stop from laughing.
"No, I'm sure you didn't. They can probably tell because they're from the Eastern continent, too. The family they come from has quite the reputation in the underworld. Or, should I say, they did, but don't anymore?"
Beacrox, who still didn't have a full picture of what was going on, looked quite shocked by Naru's words.
Ron, on the other hand, did not seem at all pleased to be reminded of their family's downfall. He turned his sadistic smile to Naru before polishing a dagger that appeared as if from thin air.
"I wonder, did you really not come here to die?"
'This vicious old man.'
Naru leaned far back in his seat, putting as much distance between himself and Ron as possible.
"I already told you why we came. Once Choi Han is finished eating, we will leave."
Of course, Naru was not planning on leaving without sowing two sets of seeds first. The Molans had a steep debt of their own to settle with the White Star, after all.
Naru turned to Beacrox and adorned his most angelic smile.
"Thank you again for the food. It was delicious. As my thanks, I will tell you something interesting I learned today."
The room became very still, all eyes on the young Vampire.
"The group responsible for the downfall of all five of the great assassin households–they are the same as those that killed all the people in this person's village. There were fifteen of them, and they were all well-trained assassins."
Naru pointed at Choi Han.
"But even working as a group, they could not land a single hit on this guy."
The first seed.
Beacrox ended up following Choi Han in the novel because he admired his ability with the sword. Avoiding a fight was a priority for Naru, but he still needed to impress upon the chef that Choi Han was talented enough to follow.
"But you know what I found strange?"
And the second seed.
Naru's gaze grew serious as his eyes trailed towards Ron.
"I recently discovered that all but one of the assassin households actually 'fell'. Apparently, there was one patriarch-nim who cowed to their attackers and their group was absorbed rather than destroyed by them. I just thought it was interesting."
Ron's expression held none of its earlier grace or pretense, completely hardened to reveal his true face. A man in his 60s who had already lost everything once, but had escaped with his life, his son, and a lifetime's worth of unresolved revenge. His emotions were visibly conflicting, the tired and comfortable life he had established, tied to a sense of responsibility, while his desires burned through those same restraints.
Ron had never heard such a thing before. He didn't much care for the young punk with the sword for his arrogance and hostility, but he disliked this child even more. The old assassin's intuition as a man who took the lives of many powerful people told him that this little boy was not normal.
While he certainly did not take what he was hearing at face value, there were many things this child had said so far that were irrefutable. That was the scary part. His grasp on information was truly terrifying. So much so that Ron was inclined to believe him, even if he lacked evidence to support any of his claims.
Just the mere thought of one of the five family heads siding with that group was enough to make his usual icy composure sway with uncertainty. Hellfire boiled in his blood. Thinking that unlike him, someone who had to leave his home, his pride, his life, after watching his family be killed in front of him, there was another former patriarch out there who had sold all of that for a cozy spot as the enemy's lapdog…
It made him sick. He wanted to slit something's throat just for the comfort of regaining some sense of control.
"We are leaving now."
Naru spoke in a business-like tone as he jumped down from the stool, stretching his arms before fixing his cloak. Choi Han quietly thanked Beacrox for the meal and stood up.
Neither Molan moved to escort them, Beacrox staring at Choi Han's scabbard while Ron was staring at Naru. They were both deep in thought.
Naru couldn't help smiling as he opened the door to the hallway and began to walk back the way they came.
Before they could even reach the end of the corridor, Choi Han whispered to him.
"I don't think we should trust them, Naru-nim. Why would you…?"
"Tell them where I am from? Or reveal that I know about them?"
Naru shook his head. That wouldn't do.
Choi Han would need to learn to accept the help of other powerful people so he could do his job properly. This was just laying down the groundwork for that future cooperation.
"You should try to get along with them. They have suffered similarly."
"But…"
'Aigoo, was he always this suspicious? Maybe it's because of how much I told him?'
There was probably a lot going on in his head right now given all that happened. Naru tried to be patient.
"Choi Han. I knew who they were before coming here. I knew there was a possibility they would try to kill me, too. This much is normal for someone like me."
When Naru received no response, he assumed his meaning had reached Choi Han properly, but that was only because Choi Han's thoughts grew even more complicated.
He looked at the back of the boy's head who was much shorter than him, barely reaching his waist in height. Even if he was not as young as his appearance, Choi Han couldn't help but feel like he should be taking the lead as this person walking confidently ahead of him was so much smaller.
Naru Von Ejellan.
'Even I pointed my sword at him before speaking to him.'
After being threatened and having a weapon pointed at him several times in a single day, Naru did not seem phased. More than that, he was suggesting Choi Han get along with that old man and the chef, both of whom had been practically radiating murdering intent? As if it was nothing?
'This much is normal for someone like me.'
That was what Naru said.
Was it because he was a Vampire? Or because he was somehow connected to Arm and knew better than Choi Han exactly how much power they had?
He hid his presence from the moment Choi Han saw him. Even after revealing to Choi Han that he could use magic, Naru hid his mana too. It felt like he was following behind someone who was separated by a veil.
Choi Han didn't know the exact reason for Naru's attitude, but it made his own despair feel a little less lonely. He decided to hurry up so he would not fall behind.
Before they exited the estate, Naru and Choi Han ran into a slight problem.
"Y-Young master-nim! Wait!"
Another butler, this one younger than Ron, had shouted from the hallway adjoining the reception area just as they were about to exit.
"Hm? Who's this?"
"Ho?"
Naru tried not to smirk. It was the same voice that came from the otherside of the door earlier. The butler's calling would have made it obvious even if Naru hadn't recognized his voice.
"Excuse us, we were just leaving after making a report to the Count-nim."
Naru turned around and politely greeted Cale Henituse.