Naru Von Ejellan smiled brightly at the shopkeeper, an older Dark Elf woman, who looked completely smitten by the young master.
"Ah, I'll add in a few extra cookies. Our young master-nim needs to eat a lot in order to grow properly."
"No, Aunt. I can't just accept this! Please let me pay."
She pushed away the coin pouch that Naru began to open. Fondly exasperated, the shop owner sighed in a way that seemed to say there was nothing that could be done about their precious young master.
"Consider it a gift for the young master, for visiting this old woman."
"Aunt…" Naru frowned but put away his money. "You have such a good heart. I am the one who should be giving you a gift, but I don't have anything but money. I will gratefully accept these because I need to grow bigger so I can look after the Duchy someday. Then I will give you a proper gift."
The woman clutched her chest as if pained by the boy's cuteness. It could not be helped.
Ever since the young master's health had started to improve a few days ago, there were rumors floating around that he was exploring the Ejellen Duchy with wonder sparkling in his purple eyes. They were saying that the young master was visiting lots of businesses in-person so he could meet the citizens he hadn't been able to while a convalescent.
Of course, no one knew that Naru was just trying to learn everything he possibly could since hadn't existed prior to three days ago.
Duke Fredo had been helpful in gaining a basic understanding of the Endable Kingdom, but he was understandably busy as the Duke of a large kingdom. When he wasn't available Naru's 'father' had tasked Miss Solena with looking after him. She was the one who showed Naru around the estate, and starting yesterday, they began exploring the Duchy.
After stepping out of the bakery, Naru took a big bite of the cookie the Dark Elf woman had given him. He spoke to the woman who had been standing behind him as if acting as his shadow.
"What did you think, Miss Solena? Not bad, right?"
"...Most impressive, young master-nim."
In fact, Solena found this new Naru to be beyond impressive. He was almost frightening. Not only was Naru a fast learner and a talented actor, but he apparently lacked the conscience to feel bad about deceiving others. Switching between his 'usual self' (which Solena would categorize as somewhere between sly and solemn) and the benevolent young master Naru was a seamless task for this person, but that on its own wasn't very scary. His proficiency for deception just meant Naru could replicate Fredo the Second's role seamlessly.
No, what really gave Solena the chills while looking after the young master was his exceptional charisma. It would have been one thing for him to simply adopt the role given to him, but his sharp judgment combined with young master Naru's reputation and sweet, boyish charm…
He had the entire Duchy wrapped around his little finger, and he knew exactly what he was doing.
It was a welcome surprise to the residents when word got around that Naru's health had begun to improve enough for him to move back to the main estate, enough that some even teared up upon seeing him looking so lively and happy walking through the streets, but that was not the case for everyone.
For Solena, and more importantly, Duke Fredo, he was not easy to control, nor was he willing to be made to do certain things. His will was strong and he was more stubborn than any other Vampire Solena had met before.
Duke Fredo had told her this when passing off some of the responsibility for Naru onto her.
'He said his consciousness belonged to an adult before. It will be our mistake to treat him like a child.'
"Where else shall we go?" Naru asked after finishing his cookie, looking around at the many shops and stalls.
'But that is exactly the problem, Duke-nim!'
"Is there anything fun to do around this part of the city, Miss Solena?"
Even she was not immune to the young master's endearing nature, and she knew he was acting! Her lips twitched up involuntarily at the curious and happy sparkle in his gaze when he said her name. It truly felt unfair.
How were the citizens supposed to handle this lively Naru Von Ejellan, when Solena herself wasn't even sure how to avoid being dragged around by him? It felt like she was running around on top of his palm and was helpless to do anything about it.
Sighing, the woman shook her head and stepped up next to the young master. He was still her responsibility while the Duke was busy managing the affairs of their faction.
"Young master-nim, it is probably about time we return to the estate."
Naru frowned but did not disagree. Solena appreciated that the child at least listened when it came to affairs about his public behavior, trusting Duke Fredo and her knowledge on what was and wasn't appropriate.
As they turned back towards the carriage waiting at the end of the block, Solena leaned down and quietly whispered in Naru's ear.
"The Duke-nim wishes to teach you something new today."
The face looking back at her grew paler at her words, and she withdrew with a delicate smile.
"No need to be anxious, young master-nim. This Solena knows it can be nerve wracking, but this sort of thing is very normal for us."
There was no visible reaction in the child, Naru's face fixed in its usual calm and sophisticated expression, but the inside of his mind was chaotic. Her words 'for us' felt especially ominous, making his heart beat quicken as he thought about something exclusive about Vampires.
He recalled drinking blood for the first time. It was the evening of the first day.
'It wasn't bad.'
In fact, to speak of the results, he liked the way it tasted more than he thought he would and hoped very much that it was a byproduct of inheriting Naru's body, not some twisted reflection of his own personal tastes that he'd never known before.
While he did not end up drinking the 'wine' served during the breakfast he shared with Duke Fredo, a little too overwhelmed to try dealing with such a thing while still adjusting to this new world, Naru did end up drinking it with their dinner that evening. This was a blessedly civilized world, so there was no need to bear their fangs everytime they needed blood. There were sufficient systems in place to supply them with this precious life force without hurting people, and they could drink the blood of virtually any creature as long as they did not have the light attribute.
These gentle reassurances had been provided by his pseudo-Father at the time, but the thought still made Naru's, no, Kim Rok Soo's, stomach churn when he raised the glass to his lips for the first time.
It wasn't the actual act of drinking blood that was so off-putting, but the desire to do so. Naru recognized it properly while sitting at the dining table that first evening. Maybe his shock in the morning had pushed the urge into the recedes of his mind, but after taking several hours to begin to get a handle on the situation, a proper thirst besieged him for the first time. His hands shook while staring at the glass of wine sitting on the table in front of him.
Served just slightly warmed, it coated the tongue in a semi-sweet, coppery flavor that was not unlike the sensation of drinking tea that had been thickened with milk.
Since he only read a handful of novels with Vampires, he hadn't been able to properly appreciate why their species relied on blood as a source of life until trying it himself. His mind cleared and heart calmed after drinking. All of his senses felt like they were resetting and improving simultaneously; anything that was impeding his body felt like it had melted away while everything around him felt heightened and enhanced.
Drinking blood was required for Vampires to survive, but the frequency and amount of blood depended on the size, age, and strength of the Vampire. Thankfully, this meant Naru did not have a particularly strong thirst and only needed a small amount of blood to sustain himself.
"Miss Solena, what is Father going to teach me? Is it about drinking blood again?"
"No, young master-nim. Today the Duke-nim wanted to work on something else."
Naru was relieved. He wouldn't say he enjoyed drinking blood, but it did leave an impression of refreshment and contentment in the end. It scratched an itch he hadn't known he had, but he wasn't feeling that thirst right now and didn't think it would be time for that again.
"Can't you tell me?"
The woman's lips twitched, but she did not smile while looking at the little boy.
"I was told not to, I believe the Duke-nim wanted to surprise you."
Naru could not help but flinch. What would the Duke's idea of a surprise be?
'That crazy old man is going to do something weird.'
Naru tried to glare, but with his 8-year old face, it looked more like a pout.
"We're going to work on your magic today."
He didn't want to 'work on' anything. Duke Fredo had told him he could play and roll around in bed all he wanted.
The Duke recognized this and began to laugh.
"You need to at least learn how to defend yourself, my son. It would break your Father's heart if something were to happen to you!"
His pout, no, glare, became even more pronounced.
What the hell was he talking about? Naru had no intention of being in a position where he would end up hurt in the first place. Who would try to injure a little kid?
"Listen, Naru."
Duke Fredo placed a hand on top of the boy's silver hair and patted the top of his head while he continued.
"I know I said I would take care of everything, but I can't always be there with you. Please let me teach you at least a few things. It would put my mind at ease."
'Aigoo, this dramatic old man.'
After releasing a slight sigh, Naru nodded.
"Fine. Please tell me what I need to do."
He had learned many things in the past three days. Vampires are magical creatures and, like a majority of residents of Endable Kingdom, possessed the darkness attribute. Any creatures of darkness had a natural aversion to creatures with the light attribute and vice versa. They possessed accelerated regeneration and could use some specific types of magic without the aid of casting, magic circles or magic stones. Their powers were drawn from the link between the life force provided by blood, mana, and their undead heart, which is why the heart was recognized as their species' weakness.
Naru found this to be somewhat funny.
'Wouldn't any species be gravely injured if their heart was damaged?'
"Ahem."
Duke Fredo's smile grew a tad bit sharper which made Naru start to pay attention again.
"There are a few things that make Vampires different from other species. I want to at least teach you those things because no one else can. I also want to teach you a bit of defensive magic just so you can protect yourself. If you want to learn more, ahem, you'll find your father is quite the capable teacher. I am one of the strongest people in the entire kingdom, ahem."
"Such modesty."
Naru fixed the cuffs of his small dress shirt like they were annoying, and Duke Fredo snickered in a way that sounded genuine.
"That is me being modest, child. You'll figure that out at some point, I have no doubt."
"Hmm. If you say so, Father."
He had no intention of figuring out if Duke Fredo was being honest about his own abilities, because once Naru learned enough magic to appease the older Vampire, he planned on ignoring all matters that would involve strength. If he could learn some kind of telekinesis where he could magically float cookies to his mouth without having to lift his own arm up, however… that he may consider.
"The first thing is protection magic. Let's try summoning a basic magic shield first. Raise your hands in front of you."
Nodding, Naru extended his arms straight out and looked at Duke Fredo.
"Okay, what next?"
For some odd reason, Duke Fredo's smile grew warmer at Naru's question.
"I'll teach you, my son."
Duke Fredo explained the method of drawing out his strength and channeling it into a form, and then, a shape. At first, it didn't feel like he was doing it right because there was no reaction, but after imagining mana flowing like water from his center to his fingers, like the way blood circulates in the body, Naru gave a slight gasp. A purple, translucent light began to gather at the tips of his fingers and then, doing as Duke Fredo told him, Naru focused on that light taking shape.
A transparent shield that was as thick as Naru's tiny body had appeared between the two Vampires, carrying a slight shine like amethyst-tinted glass.
As Kim Rok Soo, his ability had taken so long to awaken, he could not help but wonder if he would demonstrate the same lack of prowess as Naru. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that magic came to him naturally. Of course, Duke Fredo was quite proud to boast that Naru's abilities were to be expected; the Von Ejellan's were considered nobility by other Vampires for a reason.
"Vampires are a very strong and proud race. We," he pointed towards Naru and then himself, "are considered the strongest amongst that race. Based on the size of your shield, I am guessing your mana is probably around the same strength as mine when I was 120 or 130. That is still significantly stronger than most adults of other species."
Nodding, Naru clenched and unclenched his fist after he dispelled his shield. The mana left a strange buzzing sensation in his fingertips.
"What about compared to humans?"
"Well, humans are an unusual species. In most cases, yes, your mana is currently far above the average human adult. But unlike us, Elves, or Beasts, humans have a capability for growth that is unlike most other creatures because of their plate."
Naru tilted his head.
"Their… plate?"
"Yes. We are all born with a plate–well, except for Dragons, but that is a lesson for another day. It is a thing that exists within our bodies that determines the potential strength of that person from the moment they are born. Vampires, by nature, have very large and sturdy plates, while most humans have weaker plates. That being said, it is impossible for our plates to grow. These are the limits that we cannot overcome because of our bodily make-up, but humans are not bound by that same principle. A human with a weak plate can grow their plate with time, skill, experience."
Naru was surprised to see Duke Fredo sneer for the first time since they met.
"That is why some humans are able to threaten us, despite their short lives and weak abilities. Ah, no offense."
Naru shrugged. "I'm not human right now, anyway."
"Yes." His expression was still twisted in a way that Naru thought did not suit the older Vampire. "You are a Vampire now. Which is why, it may seem counterintuitive for you, but you must not trust the humans you meet, Naru. At least not the ones in Endable Kingdom."
For now, Naru decided to sit down, gauging the Duke's serious tone as a shift in the nature of their lesson from practical demonstrations to a lecture.
"Can I ask why, Father?"
Duke Fredo leaned against the edge of his bed, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"There are already not many humans in Endable Kingdom to begin with."
'That does seem to be the case.'
Naru had noticed the lack of human presence he'd experienced when out with Solena. There were a few here or there, so it's not like there were no humans in this world, but they were definitely in the minority. At first, Naru thought that was just the norm of this world, but now he was beginning to think he had been mistaken.
"Can you guess why?"
Gazing straying to the window, Naru looked out across the estate and towards the city.
'If humans are still in the majority in this world, but not in this kingdom, why would that be? What makes humans different?'
Smiling slightly, Duke Fredo added another piece of information.
"... Not only are there few humans here, there are also virtually no Elves."
'What is he saying? I just got some cookies from a Dark Elf not too…'
A slight gasp slipped past his lips.
"Ah."
"Figured it out?"
Naru frowned, crossing his arms.
"The darkness attribute. You said most residents of the Endable Kingdom have the darkness attribute, but not all of them. Humans avoid this place because of that, is that right?"
"Ah, my son is so smart!" Duke Fredo laughed briefly, but the sound became bitter towards the end. "Not just humans, but most creatures avoid this place. The handful of humans who live here are exceptions, and they have very large plates. Since you were human before, I'm sure you have a good idea as to why Vampires have gathered together like this with races despite our pride."
Yes, Naru was pretty sure he could understand now what Duke Fredo was trying to say, though he didn't correct the assumption that it was because he was originally a human of this world.
Darkness was a misunderstood attribute in many fantasy settings, and it had been in [The Birth of a Hero, too. Choi Han's own attribute was related to darkness and he was sometimes haruanged for it despite being the titular hero. Dark Elves had been forced to live in hiding, and the last necromancer had been hunted down and killed sometime before Choi Han started his own adventure.
The common denominator that bound together the citizens of the Endable Kingdom was that shared, painful history of discrimination. Even if they came from different species, they were creatures associated with darkness. Naru felt like he could appreciate Fredo the First's position as Duke a little more.
"And the reason I am telling you all of this… It is because the leader of this kingdom. He is a human. Cale Barrow."
'What? Did he say Barrow?'
That was the last name of the author of [The Birth of a Hero]. Naru was certain. But why was that coming up now?
'No, it's just a coincidence. His first name was Nelan.'
While slowly gathering information from the Vampires and his chats with the Duchy citizens, Naru had collected a mountain of evidence against the possibility that this world was the same one that whisked away Choi Han, most glaring of which the fact that Endable Kingdom was a huge underground territory that appeared as an incalculably large sinkhole on the surface. There was no way such a place existed in [The Birth of a Hero] and it somehow went unmentioned.
Standing up from his relaxed posture leaning against the mattress, Duke Fredo slowly approached Naru and he looked more serious than ever before.
A hand came down on each of the boy's shoulders, forcing him to look at the adult-version of his own face.
"Listen closely, Naru. I am only telling you this because you need to know, but his name is not one that should ever be said aloud. Virtually everyone refers to him as his title: the White Star. Your relationship with him is a bit special. Despite that man being very unusual, even he seems to care about you. He dotes on you and makes an effort to treat you well, which I believe is virtually exclusive to your relationship with him. You will refer to him as 'Uncle' in most settings, or 'your highness' in formal situations that call for titles."
Sensing the gravity behind the usually-playful Duke's severe expression, Naru nodded wordlessly. It was a lot of information to take in at once.
'The kingdom of darkness is led by a human, but he has a soft spot for a Vampire child? He must have a large plate as well.'
Naru had an ominous feeling the longer he thought about this White Star person. There was one reason for it.
'He sounds like a villain.'
Naru had read enough novels to recognize such a thing, but now he was going to have to call this person Uncle? Then again, maybe this person was a hidden hero, a human who banded together the creatures of darkness that were mistreated by those who lived under the sun? It seemed like a plausible truism, but why would a human go to that effort? Why not someone like Duke Fredo, who was born as a creature of darkness?
During his time spent playing under Solena's guidance, Naru had heard a bit about the Endable Kingdom. It was an unusually structured city with tiered topography and three primary 'floors' that each functioned differently. The massive opening in the ceiling poured light through each layer, but it only shone down directly on one place: the center of the bottom level, Section 1, the capitol. The only place qualified to receive sunlight in the kingdom, a pure white castle with towering bastions and an air of regality. It was like a radiant beacon, both the bane and the hope of their kingdom of darkness.
The kingdom was not really dark, enchanted with magic from different power sources, but there was no denying the sense of importance and eminence that came from the glowing castle.
'No, who builds a kingdom where only the king can bask beneath the sun?'
Naru decided to save his opinions on the situation for later when he could examine them more properly, blinking away his errant thoughts until he could only focus on what was in front of him. Duke Fredo had risen again, this time looking a bit sheepish.
"Ahem, apologies, my son. I got carried away thinking about some serious things and lost sight of our lesson. Shall we continue with figuring out your magic?"
That felt like a good idea. Something to distract from this White Star person and the complicated feelings he brought.
"Yes, please."
They spent the remainder of the day working on magic, and despite Naru trying to take a break between every spell, the father-son pair made good progress. It didn't occur to him until after they finished, but once Naru took a step back and examined the types of magic they covered, the things that were considered natural for their species, it became abundantly clear exactly what it meant to be a Vampire.
Everything about his powers had been clearly designed to suit the needs of a stealthy predator. The major things they covered for the day were flight, stealth, disguise, speed, and even minor invisibility. Of course, he also had incredible strength and had healing abilities, but those were more akin to physical traits than they were magical. They also returned to the shield basics and mana detection.
Flight, in particular, Naru enjoyed. It was easier than walking to just float around, and he could sit or lay down without needing a chair. He found that he was grateful for Duke Fredo for pushing for the magic lesson in the end.
After washing up, Naru asked Solena to prepare something for him while Melundo summoned the Von Ejellans to the dining room for their evening meal.
Duke Fredo did not have any wine, but he instructed Melundo to pour a glass for Naru.
"Drink up."
His uncharacteristically stern voice took the boy by surprised, and he eyed the glass before picking it up. He didn't drink from it right away.
"Um, that is a bit… You aren't having any?"
"I don't need any right now, but you will. If you expend a large amount of power, you'll start to wear through your life force and will need more blood. Today was not a lot of power for me, but it is your first time using magic, so drink and you'll feel better."
'But I don't feel all that bad?'
Compared to the past two days, he was maybe a little more tired, but his body felt fine. His heart wasn't hammering or hurting and the tingly feeling of mana in his fingertips had faded but not disappeared. The itch in his throat he remembered from the first night was also not present.
Despite this, he could see from the steady weight of the Duke's gaze that said he was not about to simply let this go, so Naru reluctantly drank down the warmed wine in his glass before returning the cup to the table.
It was saccharine, but not cloyingly so as if a candy or pastry. He was reminded of the subtle sweetness of a tender piece of meat, but concentrated into a one-of-a-kind sensation that was like drinking tea but not.
It was weird to see the Duke grinning at him as he finished the glass, the smile on the old Vampire's face borderline cheeky. He began to help himself to his dinner and Naru quickly joined him now that the blood drinking part was over, which wasn't even that unpleasant.
In fact, Naru was feeling quite happy. That fuzzy, satisfying feeling had returned after drinking even though he hadn't been thirsty, he was sitting in a comfortable chair, he was eating some delicious meat with a side of potatoes that were coated in fresh herbs. The entire meal was both delightful and over all too quickly. He couldn't decide if he wanted seconds or dessert.
"Hm, there is something…"
Duke Fredo was mumbling to himself, which Naru found annoying as he was trying to choose between more succulent pork or tasty cookies.
"What is it?"
"Hm. Well, it is a bit… I don't know how to put it. I guess I was pleasantly surprised that you were able to use mana at all."
'Hm? Did I hear that right?'
"That… wasn't it your idea to try it?"
The Duke called over Melundo and asked him to take away their dishes, but to bring some dessert for Naru.
"That's right, but you are very odd, my son. There was one other power the bracelet held that I did not tell you about, but it seems you have inherited it as well."
This new information made Naru's posture stiffen up, his eyes focusing on the Duke's pitying smile.
"You could say it is a blessing and a curse for a Vampire, but you see, the family treasure's most important power was not the image it stored within, but the information it sealed away."
"...Sealed away?"
"Yes. Do you know why I was able to fool everyone so well for 150 years, to convince so many powerful people that Naru was both real and weak at the same time? It is because of that power. It is the power of concealment."
'Concealment?'
Naru's face remained stoic, showing Duke Fredo that he was waiting for him to continue.
"A Vampire's best weapon is their ability to disguise and deceive. That is probably why you are such a natural." Duke Fredo winked at him, an act Naru found somewhat disturbing. "But it requires an extreme amount of skill and focus to be able to conceal one's abilities. Whether it is an attribute, special power, aura, or something else, most people choose to wear a magical device or artifact if they wish to hide their abilities because it requires such constant and diligent effort to conceal one's strength otherwise. Even then, such devices are rare and expensive, so it is not common. You do not seem to have that problem at all."
"But I haven't tried to show any strength?"
"Well, maybe not, but even just using the small amount of magic you did earlier would have revealed some kind of fluctuation in mana. No need to overthink it. All I am saying is, before this afternoon, I somewhat doubted you would be able to use mana at all because I am not able to detect much from you beyond a slight amount of life force. It is enough to tell that you are a living being, but not much else. It's a little easier to tell now after you've had some blood, but even that difference is faint. I thought, maybe you had used too much life force earlier, and were suppressing your thirst… It was very worrying."
Duke Fredo closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head, as if trying to rid himself of an unpleasant mental image. Naru thought about the solemn expression the older Vampire had worn when he'd sat down at the table and made sure he drank blood before eating.
'What the? Did that mean this guy was actually worried about me?'
He didn't know how to process that quite yet. Naru chose to ignore it for now and listen to what Duke Fredo had to say.
"But I can see now that is not the case. You are simply an opaque individual. I could never 'sense' Naru because I was occupying that role myself, but Solena confirmed that she had not been able to sense much from me, and it is the same for you."
"So, if I understand correctly… I have mana, but no one will be able to tell?"
"More or less. Most will think that you are still too weak to be able to use magic or do much based on Naru's history."
"Oh, that's wonderful."
"Ah, like I said, it can be… hm? No, it's not wonderful. Because you truly inherited the power of the artifact, not just my form when I was young, it is both good and bad. It means others cannot evaluate your strength, but you also can't use your strength as a deterrent. Some might think you're an easy target."
"Oh, Father. I have no need for deterrents?"
Naru was smiling the same way a seraphic angel might before it cuts the head off a demon.
"If everyone thinks I am a weakling, they will leave me alone. The less threatening people find me, the better. I don't want to fight anyone, so this way I can give up before they even give it a thought."
Duke Fredo threw his head back and laughed, the abrupt bark of noise thoroughly frightening poor Melundo when he returned with the cookies. He nearly dropped the basket on the table in front of the young master, who calmly thanked the butler and began to help himself.
"My goodness! I thought I had seen everything after all the crazy stunts that bastard the White Star has pulled, but you are truly surprising."
From the doorway, Melundo began fidgeting as he debated leaving or staying. He still had a message to deliver to the Duke but wanted to give the pair the ability to eat in peace without interruption. However, their proper meal was over now and the subject had come up on its own while he was still present.
"Ah, um. Duke-nim?"
Two pairs of purple eyes turned their piercing gazes on him. Perhaps it was just because he was used to the Lord's mannerisms, but Melundo found the young master's stare to be much more unsettling for some reason.
"What is it?"
"We received word today that the White Star is planning to visit. The rumors of the young master-nim's health have reached the castle and the message said he wants to see his nephew."
"Ah."
This did not seem to surprise Duke Fredo. In fact, he almost seemed to expect it. After nodding at the butler's words, he turned to Naru, who was on his third cookie already.
"What do you think? I do not wish to pressure you too much yet. The White Star will definitely meet you at some point. It would not be unreasonable to say you are recovering but would like to focus on getting better before receiving guests, this can push meeting him back for some time. It will give you a better chance to learn about the way this kingdom works."
The Duke did not continue, although he could have. It was because Naru's grin had become twisted.
"No. I will meet him right away."
A curious gleam appeared in the Duke's eye. He had somewhat expected it, but he also thought Naru, who seemed to love to do nothing, would be resigned rather than happy about such an obligation.
"May I ask your reason?"
If Duke Fredo had to guess, it was because right now, Naru had plausible deniability. It would be wise to use that excuse while they were still within an appropriate time frame. Any behavioral mistakes or slip-ups could be judiciously ascribed to his poor constitution and changing health. Such a decision was tactical and sensible, which is why Fredo expected Naru to agree, but that still didn't mean it was going to be pleasant.
So why was his son smiling like that?
"I need to make my assessments of my enemies and allies on my own. I don't know the White Star, and I don't trust him any more than I trust you right now. For all I know, you may be the evil bastard in all of this and are trying to use me to mess with the White Star. I need to figure out some things myself."
Duke Fredo's mouth hung open for a few empty-headed seconds of silence before it was broken once again by the Vampire's spirited laughter.
"Hahah. I really am learning so much about my astute child. Like that he can be quite sneaky."
"Of course, Father. Aren't we Vampires supposed to be masters of camouflage and disguise?"
Duke Fredo did not understand the god's intentions in sending him this child, but he was finding it harder to be bothered by it everyday. This individual was the perfect person to occupy Naru's position.
'A clever, sharp bastard with a talent for lying.'
No wonder he came to inherit Duke Fredo's younger body.
'This adorable punk and I are quite similar.'
Despite his words, Naru actually trusted Duke Fredo quite a bit. He needed to keep some distance between them until he learned more, but so far everything the Vampire had told him had proven to be true. What's more, the Duke also did not bend over backwards to appease him, which Naru actually liked. He was a bit intense and his personality made it difficult to tell when he was being serious or joking, but Duke Fredo was beginning to treat him as an equal, or at least, something similar given their filial relationship.
'But I'll end up being dragged around this entire damned kingdom if I do whatever he wants.'
Managing a Duchy seemed like it required a lot of work, and Naru had no interest in learning anything about it.
'I need Duke Fredo to stay alive for a long time while I appoint someone suitable to take over the territory for me.'
There was at least another three-hundred years until Duke Fredo's health would begin to decline, and even that would be a slow process. As long as the older Vampire didn't get involved in anything dangerous, Naru could carefully select the right person to become the eventual inheiritor to take over.
'I'll just pretend my health is bad again.'
Who could ask poor Naru Von Ejellan, who had struggled with his health as a child and was bedridden again later in life, to take over the difficult task of managing a Duchy? Then he could retire somewhere and eat and play all he wanted. The slacker life he'd been robbed of in his old life felt like it was just outside of his tiny grasp.
"Here are the documents, young master-nim."
While in the middle of preparing for bed, Solena knocked on the door and brought him what he had requested earlier.
"Thank you, Miss Solena."
Smirking, Naru accepted the bundle of papers. He didn't care if she told Duke Fredo, in fact, he would be more surprised if she didn't.
'They don't trust me either.'
Miss Solena was an interesting person. The Duke relied upon her enough that she was involved in his inner circle and seemed to genuinely care about the well-being of the kingdom. Not just of Vampires, but of all the citizens who gathered under that hole they called the sky. Naru did not take this to mean the Duke necessarily shared in her feelings, however it showed that the man did recognize and reward loyalty. It was still too early to tell exactly what game Duke Fredo was playing and how Naru supposedly factored into it.
His eyes began to scan the top page before quickly reading through the rest of the documents. The contents were probably unremarkable to someone like Miss Solena, which is why there was no problem granting his request. It contained records and reports about the different factions in the kingdom, the churches and spiritual practices of the second level, and useful notes about the first floor's topography, economy, demographics, etc.
"They cannot leave the estate, young master-nim."
"Hm?"
This sudden statement struck him as odd. Naru blinked at Miss Solena while his head cleared of the words from the page.
"The documents must stay here. Please return them to me once you are finished."
"But why? There isn't anything very useful here?"
It wasn't like Naru asked for a list of the strongest people and their weaknesses or something absurd. It was really just standard civil information that would be helpful to him in choosing an eventual inheitor to the Duchy.
Miss Solena gave a rare smile.
"That depends on who is using it, young master-nim. The lord said you were human before?"
"Ah, yes."
"Whether you are from the Eastern continent or the Western continent, you will have never heard of Endable Kingdom, young master-nim. No one from above the surface should learn about what you have in your hands, as it would be very dangerous for everyone in this kingdom."
This caused Naru's gaze to become cloudy. The terms she had just used were quite familiar.
'Eastern continent or the Western continent.'
The latter was the primary setting for [The Birth of a Hero, and the former had been mentioned a number of times as well. And the primary reason Naru had been confident that this world and Choi Han's world were not the same was because…
"How large is the hole, Miss Solena?"
"...Excuse me?"
"The center of the Endable Kingdom. It extends up through the sinkhole into the outside world. How big is it?"
She looked at the young master with a puzzled expression but slowly provided an answer.
"The entire circumference of the hole is probably the size of a moderate-to-large city. However, as you know young master-nim, the interior of the Endable Kingdom is quite a bit wider than just the Gate to the Demon World."
The woman gave a slight gasp when she saw Naru's eyes begin to shake.
"Gate to the Demon World?"
"Ah, no, no, young master-nim, it isn't like that! It is just the colloquial name the people on the surface use to refer to what you called the 'sinkhole'. Of course it is not actually a gate to the demonic world. You must have been from the Western continent if you haven't heard of it. Is that right?"
Naru was having difficulty keeping up. His mouth opened but no words came out, and Solena almost looked apologetic.
"Don't worry, you don't have to tell me young master-nim. We are located within one of the Eastern continent's Three Forbidden Areas, the Gate to the Demon World. You must know of the Five Forbidden Regions on the Western continent at least? These are similar places that…"
Though he felt bad about it, Naru was unable to listen to the woman's dutiful explanation. He was simply too shocked to pay attention.
For the past several days, Naru had tried to stealthily learn more about this world through the conversations he'd had with the Duke, Solena, Melundo and the citizens he'd encountered while exploring the Duchy, but this is the first time he'd received such direct details. It had been difficult enough to learn how to navigate as a different species with a fake identity in a noble family, but to quietly gather reconnaissance on the entire world beyond that had been incredibly challenging. That was why he intended to begin learning a bit about the domestic affairs of Endable Kingdom before eventually broadening his understanding, but now all of that was thrown into a chaotic mess inside of Naru's mind.
Western and Eastern continents.
Humans, Dark Elves, Elves, Beast people.
Attributes to describe different elemental powers.
Cale 'Barrow' and Nelan 'Barrow'.
And most importantly, the Five Forbidden Regions.
There were too many similarities now to call it a mere coincidence.
"Fuck."
Miss Solena flinched, and Naru quickly apologized because she was still speaking at the same time, but his heart wasn't really in it.
'I am definitely inside [The Birth of a Hero, aren't I?'
But how could that be? Was this all happening after volume 5? The book almost exclusively gave inexact dates that referred to the season, so he had no idea how to know which year it was currently or when the events of the novel took place. Vampires had never been mentioned before in the story, and the only races that had the darkness attribute exclusively were Dark Elves and mermaids. Some humans could wield that attribute, and Choi Han and his party eventually encountered dead mana once they began to unveil the secret organization's plots, but they constituted the minority. There were also necromancers who could control the darkness at one time as well, but by the time Choi Han starts to make waves across the Western continent, they had all already died.
The entire length of Naru's back felt cold, and he flinched when Solena rested a feather-light hand on his shoulder.
"Young master-nim? What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
"That. I."
Groaning, Naru placed his head in his hands.
"No, I feel fine, Miss Solena. I just realized… something. I won't be able to tell you, so please do not ask."
"...I understand, young master-nim. I will not ask. Do you still want to hold onto these documents for now?"
Naru lifted his head while silently wishing he'd never even asked her to bring them. With a sigh, he pushed them back towards her instead.
"No, that's alright. I don't need them anymore." He had already memorized everything within them anyway. "But if you could please bring me a map of the Eastern and Western continents, I would be very grateful."
"Of course, young master-nim. I will return at once."
"Thank you."
Naru wanted to curse someone, but he didn't even know who to curse. God? Fredo? Maybe even Choi Han?
'Does Choi Han even exist in this world right now? He never made it to the Eastern continent during the novel.'
The boy's mind was a mess as he fell back onto the bed and stared at the black granite accents on the ceiling.
'Let's just ignore it.'
He just needed to keep sight of his goal to become a proper slacker and the rest would work out fine. What did it matter if Choi Han was out there? Choi Han was a scary bastard that got himself into all sorts of dangerous situations. Just because they both happened to be Korean and end up here didn't have to hold any significance. Duke Fredo was supposed to figure out how he ended up here, so Naru just had to leave it to him and behave like the good little young master. His priorities were to keep his Father alive and to find a suitable substitute for the Duke position.
Considering the events of [The Birth of a Hero, the only way Naru could foresee the plot impacting his quiet life in the Endable Kingdom was by way of the secret organization that kept showing up and causing trouble. It wasn't particularly likely, but that organization did have some connection to the mermaids and the Eastern continent. Since the Endable Kingdom was a giant underground area that was entirely hidden from the rest of the world, it was improbable they would ever cross paths.
The secret organization in the novel weaponized dead mana and gave it to the mermaids–what the hell could they hope to do against Vampires, Dark Elves, or Black Knights? Dead mana was useless against them. That organization would have to be fronted by a crazy bastard if they tried to get anywhere close to an entire kingdom filled with creatures possessing the darkness attribute.
That thought finally put Naru's worries to rest. He may not have complete trust in Duke Fredo just yet, but he at least felt like the older Vampire was reliable. If the secret organization did somehow become a threat, Duke Fredo would protect the Duchy and his people.
There was a knock at the door.
"Young master-nim, I brought the map."
"Come in."
Naru sat up in bed and thanked Solena, who politely bowed before heading for the door.
"And. Miss Solena?"
"Yes?"
"Mm. I'm sorry for my reaction earlier. The way I spoke and acted wasn't very respectful towards you. I appreciate your patience and help while I… adjust."
The woman turned around partially, her expression difficult to read. She bowed once and spoke in a serious but considerate tone.
"This is a learning experience for all of us, so it is inevitable that some mistakes will be made. I am not perfect, but I live to help the Duke-nim or the young master-nim and it makes me happy that you are able to rely on me. Whether it is fate, gods, or something else that brought you to us, the fact remains that you are our young master-nim. So please continue to rely on us in the future as well."
Naru felt her use of the word 'us' weighed more than the rest, as if she was speaking beyond her person and on behalf of Vampires. Like she was recognizing him as Fredo the Second rather than just Naru Von Ejellan.
'No, it is even bigger than that.'
Solena's calm voice was telling him something more.
'You can rely on the Duchy. You can rely on all of us.'
Not just other Vampires, but the other residents of Endable Kingdom.
Naru had been wrong. They were not citizens who shared only the pain of their common discrimination. That had been a rallying point, but it would not be enough to sow seeds of a true society. They were all just people.
Duke Fredo, Melundo, Solena.
The Dark Elf baker, the Vampire carriage driver, all of the people who greeted him in with joy when they passed him on the street.
This was not just a place that was kept hidden for their protection. It was precious to these people.
'That sneaky old man.'
Now that he was thinking about it, Naru had found it suspicious that Duke Fredo had been so willing to let him go out and explore the Duchy so soon after waking up. Now he realized the man allowed him to do it on purpose.
The more he thought, the more upset Naru felt by it. Endable Kingdom was a sanctuary for these creatures who had the darkness attribute, but at the same time, wasn't it a cage? What chance did they have to ever be accepted on the surface if they lived underground? Their lives were important, but what about their freedom?
'He was trying to show this to me, but he wanted me to realize it on my own.'
"...I was tricked. What a sly bastard."
Solena must have understood what he was thinking, because her response came with a smile hidden in her voice.
"He is indeed, young master-nim. But try not to be too mad at him. Although it has only been a few days, I have never seen the Duke-nim like this before and I have known him almost my whole life. He really does seem to care about you."
Naru gave a slight scoff but didn't say anything else as Solena bid him good night. He unfurled the map she had brought and, while he was obviously curious about the Endable Kingdom and the Gate to the Demon World, his eyes could not stop from straying to the west.
The Forest of Darkness.
Was Choi Han there at this very moment? Had the secret organization already killed the people who had come to love him in Harris Village? What kind of timeline did Naru end up falling into?
'Aigoo, my poor life.'
On the Western continent.
The body of a young man wearing scruffy leather armor fell into the dirt. His head was just blown to pieces.
"Kekeke!"
Redika was not a mage. He was an artist. Magic was his brush and blood was his favorite paint. The way it dyed the world in shimmering scarlet before gradually darkening like the night sky… It was violent and beautiful, and it felt like no one else could see it for what it really was, no one else understood what it meant to bathe yourself in someone else's life.
The mages who relied on dark mana were idiots. There was an endless supply of power to be found just beneath the surface of all creatures big and small. He could gut a dove or a child and their blood would still look the same.
Blood really was beautiful.
He licked it off his hands after casting the fireball that blew the young man's head off. This sight had been shown to his subordinates, who were cowering in the forest nearby as they watched the crazy artist in his element. They had been sent to intercept this messenger and couldn't even do that much without his help.
The message they were supposed to retrieve fell out of the dead teenager's carrier bag and Redika grabbed it with his stained hands. He sneered at the seal of King Zed Crossman of the Roan Kingdoms that was proudly emblazoned across the back flap of the envelope.
It was an invitation for the King's fiftieth birthday celebration, to be held in the main central plaza of the Roan Kingdom's capital exactly four weeks from now. He'd been given the order to cause some trouble amongst the nobles of the Roan Kingdom while the other forces moved around. Redika's crazed grin grew even larger, showing off a row of teeth that were stained red.
What could be more troublesome than killing them all in one fell swoop? Could there be a sight more beautiful than painting this ugly land of boulders red?
The Roan Central Plaza. He would give them a show in four weeks, one that would burn the color red into the very surface of their souls.