After a taxing day spent pouring over documents in his study, Fredo Von Ejellan grabbed the final report on his list for the evening and decided to finish reviewing it as he prepared for bed. He made his way back through the imitation wall that concealed his private study and emerged in his bedroom, changing one-handedly while keeping his eyes mostly focused on the words in front of him.
Their so-called "liege" was beginning to move the pawns around the board, one by one, and Duke Fredo had no intention of allowing himself or any Vampire to be indoctrinated as one of them. He would bide his time until the right opportunity…
After changing into his sleepwear, Duke Fredo sank onto plush couch cushions rather than going straight to bed. He'd fall asleep immediately if he crawled under the covers and had already resolved to finish reviewing these documents before morning. In order to maintain a healthy degree of distance and while upholding a firm position as one of the White Star's loyal nobles, it was imperative that Duke Fredo be prepared for anything and everything. There were no corners worth cutting, no stone worth unturning, and with his vast information network, that meant there was an unrelenting stream of information constantly being brought to his attention.
It was a good problem to have, but a problem nonetheless.
While moving about his bedroom, Duke Fredo absentmindedly removed his accessories. A pair of gloves, the watch he kept in his breast pocket, and the precious family treasure in the shape of a bracelet that usually sat snugly on his upper arm. He rarely removed the heirloom completely, but he wasn't paying proper attention when he removed it before placing it on the cushion beside him. The Duke did not think much of it when he turned in for the night about fifteen minutes later.
That evening, when Fredo Von Ejellan fell asleep, he was alone. The same could not be said for waking up the next morning.
His eyes naturally moved to look at the room around him, listing past the furniture and features subconsciously, but stopped when he reached the couch. There, where the Von Ejellan family treasure had been set aside last night, was Fredo the Second, sleeping in its place. From an outside point-of-view, this would have been seen as an adorable sight, the young master of the Ejellan Duchy having fallen asleep on the couch in his father's bedroom.
For a select few people, however, this posed a serious problem, seeing as Fredo the Second did not actually exist.
Fredo the First, meanwhile, was trying to wrap his mind around the situation and began blinking his eyes while rubbing away the last vestiges of sleep in a last-ditch attempt to dispel the hallucination before him.
"Ho."
It was not a hallucination.
The image of Duke Fredo's childhood self, who was almost universally recognized as his son, Naru Von Ejellan, was currently curled up on the couch, sleeping soundly. He looked just like Naru, even wearing the same tailored little outfit the bracelet magically provided for Duke Fredo whenever he was pretending to be the young master.
'A dream, perhaps?'
The Duke's intuition, which, to have lived as long as he had, was quite sharp, told him that was not it. Rather, his focus was drawn to the filial bond that should definitely not exist, but he could still easily identify. It was strong as it was unfamiliar. Looking at Naru from his spot on the bed, Duke Fredo could feel a swell of emotions rise to greet him, feelings that were warm and affectionate but also did not feel like they belonged to him. Whenever Duke Fredo had caught sight of himself in the mirror while disguised as Naru, he never experienced such a thing.
'So why do I feel this way?'
That was what Duke Fredo wanted to ask, but he kept his mouth shut as his son, no, this child that looked like Naru, was still sleeping. He carefully got up and began to prepare for the day while trying to consider all possible explanations. Some quick peeking around confirmed his suspicions that the family treasure, the one responsible for storing this image of the young Fredo, was missing.
A few possible explanations had gathered by the time Duke Fredo stepped out of his bedroom, an action which thoroughly seemed to surprise Melundo, his butler and trusted subordinate. The man had a dignified, slightly older appearance compared to Fredo's own, appearing closer to a human aged around fifty years to Fredo's thirty-five, but his gentlemanly charm was absent in his shock.
"D-Duke-nim! I'm surprised that you're awake already. My apologies for not coming sooner, I was just on my way to wake you."
Duke Fredo waved off the concern, but he looked back at his bedroom door strangely. He shouldn't get anyone else involved until he verified a few things, so he did his best to smile with kindness despite his mind moving a mile a minute.
"Melundo, please serve breakfast in the adjacent room."
"In… In young master Naru-nim's room?" The man blinked owlishly, and then blinked some more when Duke Fredo just nodded as if this was a normal request. Forget having breakfast in his own room rather than the dining room, the Duke wanted dinner in his son's room?
His son, who only Melundo, Solena, and the Duke knew to not be a real person?
"Make enough to serve two. Also, please summon the Deputy Chief Priest to the house as well. Tell her it is urgent. Send her with Solena to my room, but do not let them enter."
"Should… should I tell the Deputy Chief Priest-nim the purpose of this sudden summons, Duke-nim?"
"No."
Duke Fredo's curt response did not invite further questions, prompting the servant to give a quick bow before nervously shuffling off towards the kitchens to relay the Duke's request.
Producing a familiar old key from his pocket, Fredo frowned at the worn piece of metal before inserting into the hole for his bedroom door. It was a perfect fit, of course, and the lock produced a light 'click' noise before sealing off his room from outsiders, whether they were physical or magical. Only he would be able to leave or enter through that door until the lock was inserted into the keyhole again.
Without skipping a beat, the Duke swiftly marched over to Naru's room that usually went unoccupied. It was only a short distance down the luxurious and richly decorated hallway. Duke Fredo crossed the length of his own room and then some before reaching the threshold.
He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, approached the mirror that connected the secret room that joined his and Naru's bedrooms, and then re-entered his own room once again. A quick glance confirmed that Naru was, quite unbelievably, still on the couch, still sleeping.
The Duke wanted to confirm a few details before the Deputy Priest Chief arrived. Moving as if a ghost, not disturbing even a speck of dust, he walked around the sleeping child and observed him intently. He stopped next to the boy's side, crouched to look closely at his peacefully sleeping face, and even leaned his head in to check the rhythmic, slow beating of his undead heart. The Duke listened to the sound of Naru's breathing, quiet and low, that appropriately matched that of a sleeping vampire child.
Everything about this Naru Von Ejellan appeared to be real. Duke Fredo could come up with no explanation that would account for this phenomenon besides that Fredo the Second, the stored image of Fredo the First from his youth, had somehow become a living, breathing creature, separate from him.
A child of his own flesh and blood. Or, was it more accurate to say it was himself, only younger? If it shared his consciousness and memories, that might be the case, but it was too soon to tell.
For now, Duke Fredo had a few working theories. At least one of them should be able to be resolved before Naru wakes up.
Duke Fredo spent a long, silent moment simply staring at the boy's relaxed expression, unsure how to reconcile this new emotion in his chest. It was far too early to call this occurrence a miracle, for all he knew it could be a nightmare that would undo decades of calculated effort, but the Duke also knew his heart and mind well. There was no use denying the very real, very stubborn surge of interest that prickled beneath his many layers of confusion. He wouldn't call it hope, exactly, but it was something similar.
'It's not impossible.'
Many things that should be impossible had become possible in Duke Fredo's lifetime, after all. He would soon determine if Fredo the Second's existence would be added to that list.
Duke Fredo investigated the most plausible explanation first.
Deputy Chief Priest Cotton was certainly curious as to why Duke Fredo suddenly called her to the Ejellan Duchy, only to be further confused to be brought directly to the Duke's bedroom but told to wait in the hallway. One of his closest subordinates, Solena, stood beside her and politely announced their arrival with a knock.
Rather than enter, however, the pair stood there in silence until Duke Fredo allowed them to enter. There was a gentle 'click' at the sound of the door unlocking, which in itself struck Solena as odd–the Duke rarely ever locked the door–but it was even more unusual that he met them in the hallway rather than inviting them inside. Solena raised her brows at this strange behavior, but her liege was looking directly at Cotton with an unassuming expression.
"Thank you for coming so quickly, Deputy Chief Priest-nim. I apologize for calling you so suddenly."
"Not at all, Duke-nim. But what can I do for you? Is there something… wrong?"
The last word held a different weight than the others, and Solena winced. It was clear she was asking about the White Star and Gersey.
"It is not like that. At least, I don't believe so. You see… I believe Naru may be sick."
Solena's face stiffened. What did he mean by that?
"Oh, no, that's terrible. Is there anything I can do?"
"I just needed to confirm the state of his illness. He fell asleep on the couch in my bedroom last night because he wasn't feeling well and I didn't have the heart to move him. Would you be willing to check the room for any illusions? I want to make sure he hasn't been targeted by anyone. I hope I am mistaken, but I wanted to exhaust every possibility."
The Deputy Chief Priest seemed to understand why she had been called to this place, her eyes shaking with genuine sorrow. She was aware of how much Naru was cherished by the Endable Kingdom and it made her heart heavy to imagine someone casting an illusion on the young master.
"Of course, of course. Is he still sleeping inside?"
Solena watched this exchange with an odd frown but did not interrupt.
"Yes. Is it possible to check his body without waking him?"
"That shouldn't be a problem at all. If an illusion was cast on or around the young master, I will be able to tell."
With that, Duke Fredo put on his most grateful smile and opened the door to his room for the two women to enter. Their reactions were almost comically different–the Deputy Chief Priest was austerely focused as she approached the child while Solena's visibly questioning gaze evaporated as if a wisp of smoke in a windstorm.
'How–what–no, who…?'
When she spotted the sleeping Naru Von Ejellan on the sofa, Solena could not help but swallow all her curiosities in favor of disbelief. Duke Fredo did not seem to share in her shock, his characteristic composure not at all shaken when their eyes met. Seeing this helped Solena to calm her mind and fix her face into that of an appropriately worried servant. She trusted that Duke Fredo would explain the situation to her later, and could guess his reason for inviting her was so she was aware of what was happening.
'It might be chaotic. I will need to help the Master-nim manage things if things get out of control.'
He was telling her without words to be on stand-by, to act in his stead or manage the affairs of the estate depending on what the Deputy Chief Priest said.
The room was silent for almost a solid three minutes while the Deputy Chief Priest knelt next to the couch, beside Naru who was still fast asleep. When she finally rose, her robes billowed as she moved beside him and whispered while shaking her head.
"Duke-nim, I am certain there are no illusions here. Whatever is wrong with the young master-nim is not that."
When it came to illusionary magic, Deputy Chief Priest Cotton was unequivocally superior to all others. The Molden Princess who had been born a few decades ago with a decent amount of talent could not compare to his cooperator's abilities and many centuries of experience. Even if the Naru Von Ejellan before their eyes was an incredibly powerful illusion, there would be some sort of trace left behind, something that another illusionist would certainly be able to notice. Unless the caster had ascended all aspects of magic by casting an utterly untraceable illusion–which, Duke Fredo conceded was at least theoretically possible–there was no way Cotton would be fooled.
'If she can't detect anything, then it's highly unlikely.'
For now, Duke Fredo struck the theory that Naru was an illusion from the list of possibilities. All that really left was speculation, which was much harder to test because it required waking the sleeping child and there was no telling what would happen when he was conscious.
Fredo sent the Deputy Chief Priest and Solena away after that, but not before he handed Solena the bedroom key with a firm nod.
"I understand, Duke-nim. I will be outside, if you need anything."
Solena managed a strained smile before locking the door behind her.
It was just Fredo the First and Second now.
Vampires age extremely slowly. The body and mind developed at a different rate than most creatures, and their lifetimes were amongst the longest in the world. It may not compare to a Dragon's lifespan, but it wasn't anything to turn your nose up at.
There were no exact figures on the subject, but a fairly accurate estimate for the growth of vampires would be 1 year of development for a Vampire equated to about 11 or 12 years of human development. That was why, outwardly, Naru Von Ejellan who was 'born' 151 years ago was supposed to look similar to a 12 or 13 year old human child.
This was not actually the case.
Fredo kept 'Naru' from growing for the past 20 years to prop up the myth that the Duke's son was a weak-bodied child with a kind heart, stunting his growth to make him appear a few years younger.
In other words, Naru, who had existed for 151 years, should have looked to be approximately 12 years old, but actually appeared closer to an 8 year old human child.
Duke Fredo knelt next to the couch and reached a hand towards that very same, small child. Gently, he grasped Naru's shoulder and gave him a light shake to rouse him.
"It's time to wake up now."
"Mm?"
The following action was slow, clearly muddled by sleep, but it was definitive–it was then that Naru Von Ejellan opened his eyes for the first time.
"Who… who are you?"
Startled by the sound of his own voice, the boy reached for his throat. It did not sound like him at all.
However, he couldn't even get that far before freezing, the sight of his hand in front of him causing all time to stop moving.
His hand was… small. Very small. Smaller than it had been in his early twenties, when he had been a prodigal twig of a human being.
'What is going on?'
The next thing to register in his mind was the fact that he was being carefully watched. His eyes moved from looking at his tiny hands to the face of a handsome man with sharp features and a pale complexion. His hair was well past his shoulders, a trail of fluid silver that was slightly mesmerizing to behold, which contrasted quite strikingly with the intent purple eyes that looked straight at him. No, it was doing more than that–this man was outright studying him, tracking each and every one of his movements like a person who had just been shown something unbelievable.
Then, a slight smile appeared on the man's face.
"You don't know me?"
It was difficult to pay attention to the question when he was still distracted by his surroundings, trying to catalog all of this new information at once. The room appeared to be a bedroom that was as elegant as it was massive. It was probably twice as large as the biggest apartment he had ever lived in, and there were visible signs of high-quality craftsmanship to be found in all the finer details. Carvings in the wooden wardrobes, polished marble accents, dark tones that made the space feel especially sophisticated; spotless glass windows, perfectly-kept rugs, and other such high-quality efforts underpinned an obvious air of extravagance.
There was nothing he could see that even gave a hint as to where he was, however, besides that it was obviously not Korea.
After a minute of silently taking in his surroundings, he looked back at the person kneeling beside him. In order to figure out what was going on, he was definitely going to need more information. It would be best to start by being respectful to this senior.
"Excuse me, but no. Am I supposed to know you, sir?"
There was a pause, and then, the older man chuckled.
"I'm not sure."
Even his laugh sounded expensive, suiting the overall taste of the room. The boy imagined his voice had been plated in gold before coming out of his mouth.
Once he stopped laughing, the older man reached out like he was going to pat the boy's head, but stopped when he saw the child flinch. Instead, he moved both hands to his bent knees and used them to push up from his spot on the ground.
"Since you do not know me, I suppose you must have a lot of questions."
"Yes, sir."
"Ho. I have some for you as well."
The boy showed that he was listening by sitting still and waiting for the man to start explaining what was going on, which is why his next words were all the more surprising.
"Are you hungry? There is food in the next room. We can talk while we eat."
It hadn't been an issue before he thought about it, but now that it was brought to his attention, the child decided that he was rather hungry. There was no use starving himself and, at least so far, this person had shown him no ill-will.
Nodding, he agreed while jumping down from the couch.
'Aigoo, my legs are so short?'
He wasn't by any means a giant normally, but this body was considerably shorter than the one he was used to. It wouldn't be a stretch to guess his current height was the length of one of his legs normally.
After wobbling while adjusting to this foreign sensation, the boy figured out how to walk properly with his short legs and was actually quite pleased to discover that his balance felt better than it normally did, like the world was more solid beneath his feet. There were virtually no sounds to be heard other than his and the older man's footsteps as they went into a passage that led to another bedroom.
It struck him as odd to see a small dining table prepared in such a luxurious bedroom, but he did not comment while climbing into the chair the other man gestured.
The meal before him consisted of relatively familiar, though largely Western, dishes. Steak, eggs, fruit, and, strangely, wine, which had already been poured in a glass for each of them. The man smiled with a look of polite interest, nodding at the plate when the little boy seemed hesitant to eat.
After debating for a few seconds, he decided to forgo the possibility that it was poisoned or something, because who knows when he might get to have steak again? The cost-benefit seemed worth it. Even if this turned out to be some strange dream, he could at least savor the flavor in his memory.
"I suppose I should start by introducing myself?" the older man spoke after silently watching him eat for a while, not touching his own food at all.
"If you don't mind, sir, that would be helpful. I'm not sure where I am or how I got here."
The older gentleman seemed to consider that for a moment. "But you do know who you are?"
"That." Blinking, he looked down at his body as best he could and thought carefully about his answer. "No, I don't know that either."
"Hmm. But you seem to have language skills and an appetite, so you are certainly a real being."
'A real being? What the hell does he mean by that?'
Before he could ask, the man continued.
"Let me explain a bit. My name is Fredo Von Ejellan. I am a Vampire. As a part of our family's lineage, we have passed on a certain magical item that enables anyone who wears it to take on a 'stored image' inside of that item. It is the appearance of the current patriarch, when they were a child. So, in other words, it contained an image of me from when I was young."
The boy stopped eating the moment he heard the man say the word "vampire," his eyes clouding over.
'He's a what? And what kind of item?'
There were too many questions and too little time, but this information was of critical importance if he was going to gather clues into figuring out what was going on. He forced himself to pay close attention to everything.
"Last night, I took off the family treasure–a bracelet that goes on the arm–and set it on the couch before I fell asleep. I rarely take it off, but I wasn't thinking at the time. This morning, when I woke up, I was unable to find the bracelet, but the image of the child that was stored in that item was sleeping on my couch. You."
'This child's body was inside the magic item? And that item is gone?'
As a young adult, during the life that existed before he woke up in this child's body, he had spent much of his free time reading fantasy novels. That hobby was proving to be very useful right now as his imagination quickly supplied a few explanations for what might be going on. That was why he was able to overcome the shocking nature of the information and focus on the important details. At least, conceptually, he had a working base of knowledge as to how these worlds worked. Vampires were common in the fantasy genre, although they didn't appear in many of the books he used to read.
The last thing he remembered before Fredo Von Ejellan's hand woke him was reading a novel called [The Birth of a Hero]. In that story, the protagonist had been forcibly ripped from his home on Earth and shoved into a new world without any pretense or exact cause. It turned out to be a cruel world where he was forced to endure unthinkable difficulties as he faced neverending hardships.
Taking all of this into consideration with what Fredo had told him, Kim Rok Soo calmly reviewed what he knew so far.
One, he had come to a different world. Some kind of fantasy setting in which being a Vampire or having an item that can magically alter your appearance were not shocking enough to warrant further explanation.
Two, he was not facing the exact circumstances as Choi Han, the novel's protagonist, because his original body did not travel with him. He still had all of his memories, though.
Three, it was unlikely that this was the same world in which [The Birth of a Hero] took place. Choi Han had never encountered Vampires during the first five volumes of the novel. There had been a mention of them once, in passing, but there were virtually no details.
And lastly, if he really was in a younger version of Fredo Von Ejellan's body, that meant the form he'd inherited was not human.
As if amused by the entire situation, Fredo smirked while looking at the emotions on the boy's face.
"Are you shocked? I was quite surprised as well."
"Yes, sir." Preventing the frown that threatened to spread on his lips, the boy needed clarity on the last and most urgent piece of information. "Is it correct to assume that because of that missing family treasure, you believe I am a younger version of you, sir? Is this body a Vampire?"
The man appeared thoughtful while picking up his utensils for the first time and beginning to eat.
"That…" Almost apologetically, Fredo smiled at him. "Yes, that is the body of a Vampire. But it's not entirely accurate to say it is only a younger version of me. Things are a bit complicated, you see…"
He wanted to wring his hands.
'More complicated than this?!'
Fredo was right. It really did become complicated.
Despite the headache forming between his temples, he kept his face calm while listening to everything Fredo had to tell him. That was how he learned that his name was supposed to be Naru Von Ejellan, but that Naru was, at the same time, not actually a real person. He was a fabricated identity that Fredo had conceived of secretly to gather information.
Naru, no, Kim Rok Soo, asked if he could be excused from the table briefly so he could look at himself in the mirror. It turned out that Naru was quite the adorable little boy, his silver hair shorter than Fredo's but with a similar silkiness that painted a very endearing picture. Their eyes were the same and their complexions were similar, although Naru's seemed to be a tad bit paler than Fredo. He had softer features that suited a young adolescent and was dressed in smartly tailored, expensive clothes.
"You are physically supposed to resemble a 12 or 13 year old human child."
"What? Did you say 12?"
He spun away from the mirror, eyes wide. He was sure he misheard Fredo just now.
That was not the case.
"Yes, 12 or 13."
"Sir, I look like I am barely 8 years old!"
For an 8 year old, he was probably a bit smaller than average, but for a 12 year old? Naru was positively tiny.
"That… You see." The way Fredo smiled gently towards Naru made his face stiffen. Fredo seemed to notice and looked even more benign on purpose, which only made Naru's face stiffen further.
"Naru is adored and cherished by all of the citizens. If the item that stored your image was a treasure of the Von Ejellan family, then Naru was the treasure of the entire Vampire species."
There was not much he could do besides listen quietly as Fredo described Naru's reputation.
Everyone believed Naru's small size was a consequence of his poor constitution, making the child's compassionate and innocent nature all the more precious, but that endearing quality of Naru's was no coincidence.
Fredo had intentionally curbed Naru Von Ejellan's delicate appearance to charm others. The stored image in the magic item actually reflected the body of Fredo from when he was closer to 8 years old. Additionally, there were only two other people who knew the truth about Naru Von Ejellan.
'A butler and a trusted subordinate?'
Unable to help himself, Naru smiled as he climbed back into his chair at the table. It was a wicked expression that did not at all suit a child.
"Like I was saying, Naru is regarded as a very sweet boy that people love to dote on. I think that's the first time he's ever made such a terrible face." The man snickered, pointing to Naru's curved lips. "What could you be thinking to look like that?"
"Well, I was just wondering. If your trusted confidants are a butler and a subordinate, you must be quite rich, sir?"
"Ho!" Fredo laughed at the boy's shameless question. "Well, I am the Duke of this kingdom, so you could say that I am a bit wealthy. Ah, right, we are residents of Endable Kingdom. There are four noble factions beneath the leader, and we are amongst the highest ranked."
Naru's jaw dropped. Fredo was a Duke?! He felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck for the first time since waking up. While he was glad he decided not to use informal speech, just referring to a Duke as "sir" was definitely not up to snuff. This was not just some kindly gentleman, but a high-ranking noble.
'Aigoo, does that mean I am the son of a Duke now?'
Duke Fredo Von Ejellan of Endable Kingdom.
It was not a place he had ever read before. If he had, he would have remembered it.
'It definitely wasn't mentioned in [The Birth of a Hero] either.'
"I think that is enough for now."
Duke Fredo's soft smile that had graced his elegant expression all morning slowly vanished as he met Naru's identical purple eyes. The expression that took its place was not outright hostile, but there was no warmth drawn into the lines of his features.
"I would very much like to hear about you now. How is it that you, my son, have suddenly appeared before me?"
Duke Fredo could see Naru's eyes lose focus for a few moments before he pierced a piece of steak with his fork.
"I."
Naru stopped to chew, weighing his options. If he was going to live here, at least long enough to figure out what happened to bring him here in the first place, he had to be very careful. There was no knowing how Duke Fredo would feel about the history of the person now occupying his younger self's body.
That being said, he could not withhold all information either. He was no longer human. As Naru Von Ejellan, or a young Duke Fredo, he had a Vampire's physiology. He also had no idea what that entailed besides the general stereotypes. Did he have to avoid sunlight? Would he have to drink blood?
Suddenly, the wine being served with their breakfast seemed much more sinister.
"I am a human. I am also an adult. I don't know how, but my mind seems to have entered the stored image of this child from your family treasure. I definitely have never experienced something like this before."
Duke Fredo took a slow drink from his wine glass, looking quite relaxed despite the strange circumstances in which they found themselves.
"Is there anything else you can tell me? Where are you from originally? Your name? Do you have a family?"
"I'm not sure if I can tell you anything else, sir. I don't really trust you."
Rather than offend him, this proclamation seemed to pique Duke Fredo's interest. "Ho, my goodness. To think my own son would say such cold words! I've told you so much, I think a reciprocal information exchange would be appropriate?"
Swinging his short legs in the padded-cushioned chair, Naru shook his head from side to side.
"An equivalent exchange of information would be appropriate, Duke-nim, but only if there was anything remotely equitable about this situation. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything else yet. I am at a severe disadvantage already."
It could not be helped. Things might have been simpler if he just came out and explained everything about himself, Kim Rok Soo, but then that would have left him with nothing. Duke Fredo had all of the knowledge of this world, enough that he was entitled to keep such a monumental secret regarding Naru's identity within it. He had money, seniority, and influence, while Naru was a child who didn't even technically exist.
No matter how he looked at this situation, Naru was entirely dependent on him, so the only thing Kim Rok Soo could keep for himself was the information he had. In that respect, he had made one significant gain in this conversation.
'All of the work he's put into crafting Naru's image now belongs to me.'
Duke Fredo stared at him for a long while after that, but the boy did not mind and continued to eat his breakfast. Naru's mouth felt a bit dry with the seasoning of the food, but he did not sip the wine.
"I see. I'm a bit disappointed, but relieved at the same time. It seems my son is quite shrewd. You're not going to let others look down upon you so easily."
Naru smiled more sweetly than before, something more fitting for his boyish face. "No, sir."
'I'm relieved as well.'
It would have put even more strain on their strange, tenuous relationship if Duke Fredo became hostile. Thankfully, this Vampire seemed reasonable and could understand the difficulty of his current predicament. Withholding information was the only way he had any chance of being able to treat Duke Fredo as an equal.
Rather suddenly, the Duke mumbled something while looking somewhere far past their present conversation.
"It could be the will of gods."
"Did you say gods?"
"Mm, it's possible. There are very few beings who have the strength to interfere with the lives of living creatures to such a drastic degree other than gods. I'm not sure, but it's what my intuition is telling me."
Naru nodded, not because he really understood but because he had no other response.
Duke Fredo's gaze had become cloudy.
"I will investigate it. The eyes of gods should not reach this place, so it doesn't make complete sense… But let us worry about that later. For the time being, I will continue to share some information with you, my son. In exchange, while you are in Naru's body, it would be convenient for me if you maintain Naru's reputation since I can no longer change into him."
Duke Fredo's expression became iffy when he saw the look on Naru's face. Again with that wicked grin.
"Well, if you are my Father in this arrangement, then you'll take care of everything?"
"...Yes, more or less. I cannot expect a human from outside the Endable Kingdom to know much about navigating this place. All you would have to do is act kindly to the people you meet and speak respectfully to your elders. While I try to determine what happened, we will act as father and son. There might be times I need you to act independently, but I can teach you what to say and how to speak depending on who is involved."
"So, all I have to do is behave and play around?"
Duke Fredo's stiff expression grew even more suspicious.
"Yes? Isn't that what children are supposed to do?"
"Heh."
Naru laughed. Yes, he could see a picture forming in his mind. A lovely, lazy picture. One in which Naru Von Ejellan's once-fake existence would become the perfect starting point to live a proper slacker life.
"Hehehe. Very well, Father. Let's give it our best. I'll be the new treasure of the Vampire Duke's family."
