I put the dessert spoon back on the empty plate and put my hands on my round belly.

"Where's the kids?" Achille asked with a smile.

"Mine or yours?"

"Two."

"They're outside. Roger is taking care of them, don't worry. ”

"Good. I want you to meet someone. ”

"Really? At this time?"

"You already know him."

A young man walks into the restaurant. His outfit is certainly not suitable for this occasion! He looks like an apprentice, running errands for his mentor!

"That's what I did."

Well? Now that I've noticed, he looks a little pale, are those tear marks on his boyish face?

"What was I doing when you killed me. They grabbed me and dragged me to you. At that time you were a new monster and had not yet turned into the master murderer you are now. ”

"We could have had children, flesh-and-blood families, not those pathetic fantasies that you still cling to." The newcomer to my left said it. I know him. He was the son of Perry's father. My claws grabbed the edge of the table, and I moved forward a bit, and now I was very skinny.

"yes!"

"Listen, listen!"

The restaurant was full of noisy men. I remember when I was an enforcer, when I met Nami's manor, and when I was in High Terret.

"We could have done better!"

Achille grabbed my hand.

"You can never create life. You will never make the world more, you will only make the world less. Your existence is ......"

"Shut up."

I picked up a knife and stabbed him in the wrist. The flesh crumbled like porcelain, as if it were solid. I stared into those eyes as dark as night. The whole assembly stared at me like a pack of hounds staring at a wounded deer.

I'm not a wounded deer.

"I asked for your essence, do you still think your poor rabble can stop me?"

As night falls, the smell of barbecue is replaced by the smoke of damp earth and firewood. Something was rubbing against the walls of the dining room. Something huge, covered in spikes. The ceiling cracked, and wisps of harsh purple light shone on the white sheets and plush chairs.

"You're not a hunting party. You're just my prey. ”

"You can't stop all of us." Raven said.

I stood up, the wood creaking under my feet.

"I've already said it."

I woke up in familiar darkness. Good. Is that...... Different. I didn't expect a nightmare to lead to my death. It was also the first time that a potential event was mentioned, rather than a reinterpretation of my past.

However, now is not the time for introspection. I closed my eyes and focused on my hearing. This is a new precaution that I have come up with. We are in hostile areas, and there is no guarantee that the wagons will not fall into the hands of the enemy. I'll have to see if there's anyone around before I let anyone know I'm coming.

There, there's a heartbeat. It's right next to the sarcophagus. I felt my mind tugging and the rhythm became more exciting. I sighed and opened the sarcophagus.

I pushed the door open, impatient.

"I feel like I'm repeating my words in vain, but you really should leave."

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes, mistress, you are talking in vain."

I tapped my shelter edge with my paws. The jingle echoes the sound of rain outside. There was not a hint of mockery in Dalton's big eyes. He was just standing there and I didn't know what he was.

"We will arrive at the estate in two hours. Mr. Bingle said the heavy rain would help us disguise ourselves as ambushed travelers. Mr. Delaney suggests you wear that blue dress. ”

This blue skirt is very formal. Why should I wear formal attire? Why don't we take advantage of the cover of night and heavy rain and slaughter everything? We have established that these cults kidnap innocent people in large numbers.

Just like Lancaster.

It makes sense, I'm being hypocritical. Let's put it this way, as the resident vampire of this land, I have the right to kidnap innocent people on a large scale and sacrifice them to some dark entity, and in this matter, I am myself. Over there. Now they are a hostile organization, and all members are targets.

This adventure made me lose my patience. Dalton left, and I quickly washed myself, combed my hair, and finally opened the gap between the interior of the car and the driver.

"Gentlemen".

"Good evening, Miss Ariana, I hope you're all right?"

"I'm Mr. Bingle, thank you. However, I'm concerned about your plans to get ahead! Those villains have a habit of grabbing people. Why don't they lock us all up at every opportunity?"

"You want us to find Flora and run away, do you?"

In fact, I'm going to kill everyone and burn the rest.

"It seems more discreet."

"Yes, I can see that you have a good heart, Miss Ariane. It is true that you are too pure to the world, and what you say does make a lot of sense, but there are two important factors. First of all, we don't know how many prisoners they held, I bet quite a lot! We must also know their insidious purposes!"

I bet those prisoners weren't as many as he thought, at least alive.

"Secondly, I know what kind of people orchestrated this terrible conspiracy. They are vain creatures eager to show themselves and their extraordinary qualities......"

See who's talking.

"So they want to show how good they are, but also want to know how we found them. I said, we should let them know! We're going to let them know before it gets dark! They'll regret it......"

I ignored the rest of the rants. I'm thirsty right now. Yesterday I fed a little from a Choctaw traveler who left his tent to take care of a natural need. I waited two hours for him to come out. He was weakened by the low temperature, and I didn't have much energy. Tonight will be the feast I look forward to.

When thirst temporarily conquered me, I felt my fangs stick out and something tug in my mind. A pair of large, cold eyes reached into the slit.

"Are you alright, miss?"

The invitation in his eyes was obvious. He gave himself, his blood, to me. I should accept it, but there are some things that make me uncomfortable. He chose me, not the other way around. He chose me, not as a supplicant, but as something else. I can't control it. I should be in control. It's up to me to choose whose blood I want to suck. It's not normal for a person to be willing to serve someone as annoying as me. All humans should want to kill me because I prey on them. Is this unnatural? My thoughts?

Right?

Bingle interrupted many of his promises of revenge and justice to express his concerns.

"Miss Ariana, please don't panic. I know you hate violence, but this is not my first adventure, and I will protect you with my life!"

You fool, how can you promise such a thing? Can you predict the trajectory of a bullet? Can you stop the explosion before it produces deadly shrapnel? Can you stop Master... That's enough. That's enough.

"That's right, he's a niece; It would have been better to invite us in. They will let their guard down. In addition, the young Dalton would hide in the wagon and bring us weapons when we needed them. ”

As always, Loth had a point. I couldn't get into the building without an invitation. Good idea.

"Yes, Miss Ariana, young Dalton has proven his invaluable help to us since joining us. He has been doing his best to take care of you, and I'm glad he changed his mind. He proved that those who are lost in darkness can always find light if they look for courage in their hearts. I said, what a moving story!"

Yes, he has given them invaluable help since he appeared in their camp and told the absurd story of the cannibalism of his heroic companions. He offered to take the group to the cult's base, flooding Bingle with a story of confession. The red-haired hero never imagined that Dalton's change would happen very late in their criminal career.

If he's not evil, then at least there's something wrong with him. I don't want to ask. When we get back to civilization, he'll have to go. Yes. That's probably the best outcome.

All around us, pine forests give way to open fields and humble wooden houses. When we arrived on the outskirts of the cult base, I switched seats with Dalton, who was supposed to be hiding. I could smell the cow, the smell of the animals, and the smell of firewood. It didn't take long for us to reach a place where a stone was fenced in.

If I'm going to die, I'll pinch myself to see if I have a fever.

This wall marks the boundary between the semi-wilderness and the exotic version of the English lodge. Oops, I'm reading something from a book!

A beautiful manor house built of stone and glass, with a real glass, grey tiled vaulted roof perched atop a sloping hill. Even in the middle of winter, the trees are carefully pruned and the lawn is well cared for. There is a small pond in the distance, and a clean white gravel path leads from an iron gate to the foot of the grand entrance. A hundred yards behind the house, a steep cliff rises from the ground, adding an air of mystery and grandeur to the edifice.

What am I looking at?

"How strange! Bingle said.

What's special is the color theme. The walls are painted in flawless white and red.

"Where do the workers live?" With so many fields, at least thirty people had to take care of the fields and livestock. I don't think they live on the manor, right?" I added.

"Miss Ariana, you are so observant! We have to assume that there are many more buildings that we don't know yet, and we should keep an eye on them. Who knows how many people live here?"

I hope that when they rush at us with torches and pitchforks, we will not find out. This one... What a stupid plan! I want to go and find someone to have a drink. This farce can only lead to disaster! Ah, why am I so thirsty? I had enough of it less than a week ago! Am I really going to put up with it for another year?

Curse, curse, curse......

As I roared alone in my chaotic brain, two men in mud-colored clothes came out from behind the wall and opened the door to the house for us.

Maybe I can eat them?

"Alright, alright." Bingle said in a reassuring voice. He was about to tat me on the shoulder, but he hesitated and retracted his hand. That's right, my good friend, take your appendages out of the way, or I'll rip them off and stuff them into your ......

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Abernetsey estate. May I ask you what's going on here?"

We let Bingle flood this poor guard with clichés, stories of lost travelers, unusual itineraries and nonsense like that, until he regretted ever asking the question. Maybe I should cut his throat and end his pain and let the warm, red fountain of life ......

"Well, please come in, please come in, Mr. Abnassi will be glad to see you." He added with a sinister smile. If I were a normal girl, I would have tried my luck with the Grizzlies a long time ago. Does everyone lack common sense?

I gritted my teeth as I watched as the carriage climbed the hill and we came into sight of the owners of the manor, who had apparently warned us.

"Please come in, please come in, gentlemen, ladies!" I, Rufus Abernathy, formally welcome you to my humble home. ”

The man who spoke to us was in his fifties, with carefully combed silver hair and an aristocratic face. Except for a mustache and dark eyes, his face is cleanly shaved. His demeanor and charisma are impressive, and a glamorous tweed suit reinforces that. I felt more and more interested in his existence, even though I had no idea who he was. He introduced his wife, Maria, a fat woman with amazingly good skin. Her black hair is combed into a serious bun, but her smile is warm and kind.

Those people are good. They look a lot like hospitable hosts. However, they smell a little wrong, especially for women. She had a sour smell on her that was completely unpleasant. Not rot, not a disease I can think of. Odd number.

"You're so nice, sir, and we're sorry to be uninvited. We were hit by a terrible storm and I'm afraid we'll have to spend the night outside, if you can imagine!"

We followed the host through a grand entrance and up a flight of stairs to a corridor painted white. The furniture is a bit rough but the floor is spotless. We didn't meet anyone on the way, and I suspect it's not because it's late. I've heard that there are basically no people here. It's a fa

ade。

Abernasi led us into a large smoking room. Several leather sofas surround a coffee table, and the walls are covered with books and maps. The smell of cold cigars and alcohol is common, which makes me suspect that this is being used as some kind of meeting room. The number of seats implies five or six people, and I speculate that the cult's leadership may include people we haven't met yet.

After a brief polite exchange, Bingle told our cover story, and I thought her performance was okay, while I tried my best to ignore Ms. Abernethy's scrutiny of my appearance. I pretended not to notice, playing the tired and reserved niece until her attention shifted to Loth. Unsupervised, I check our surroundings. There is nothing unpleasant here. There was no blood and the smell of corpses, no suspicious sounds. If it weren't for the strange stench emanating from the woman next to me, I might have closed my eyes and imagined myself back in New Orleans.

With these details, our hosts finally started to stride, much to my frustration.

"America was supposed to be a land of opportunity, and it was true for a short period of time, but humanity needs to rule and be ruled, and now countries and governments are all over the place to bring order to what they perceive to be chaos, but in the end this is what Rousseau called the state of nature"

However, Rousseau believed that the heart of man is good...... Loth replied.

"Ah, a fellow philosopher?" You don't agree ......"

And so they continued.

I suspect that Bingle did not care at all about enlightened philosophers, preferring to treat every Frenchman like a devil, pouting silently. Not being the center of attention seemed like an uncomfortable and unfamiliar feeling to us, the brave gentleman. However, I pray that they end their pointless conversation with a commendable speed, otherwise ......

To my chagrin, Abnassi has been using a tried-and-true method to steer the conversation, which is to ask a question, pretend to be listening, and then say what you want to say at first. Now he "skillfully" took us where he wanted to go and began his main point with a shy maid serving tea.

"Those of us who have come here across the ocean carry chains. The shackles I speak of are the shackles of the heart. We still worship what we should study and pray for what we should strive to understand. Other people's judgments will sway our direction......"

Yadda Yadda Yadda: I consider myself a scientist and ethical concerns drag me down. I understand. Abernethy leaned forward now, his eyes shining with madness, his thin body activated by the manic energy of the fanatics.

"You don't seem to agree, Miss Delaney."

I should have adjusted my expression. This pretentious dandy waltzes on my already tense nerves. Should I play that stupid blonde? Should I throw Aristotle into his fragile theoretical structure? Should I start killing? Enough games.

"Mr. Abernasi, the road is long and tiring......"

"Yes, dear," his wife said, standing there like a scarecrow, adding, "we women have little interest in those magnificent causes, let me take care of this young lady, you men to rebuild the world." ”

"Makes sense, I don't want to...... Overtax. ”

Bastard.

I stood stiffly and bowed. Yes, all I need now is some fresh air and a drink.

"Take care, niece, we'll see you later."

Yes, don't worry, old man, I'll take good care of myself and even indulge it.

The mistress of the house grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the hallway, into the depths of the mansion, and I could bear it without cutting it off her arm one by one, one by one, section by section, because I was patient and completely in control of myself. After a while, we walked into a small tea room, and it was not surprising that the red and white decorations were blazing with a fire. A woman in a maid's uniform is stirring logs with a cast-iron fire stick.

"Oh my God, your hands are frozen. How about some tea?"

"I'd like some hot drink, Mrs. Albert-Nessey."

"Great. Rose, please give her a glass of my house mix. ”

The maid nodded silently. When the water boiled, I noticed that the smell on her body was as bad as her employer's, and she was almost paralyzed from anxiety.

"You must forgive my husband. Ah, those people, always sitting in comfortable seats reshaping the universe, while we strive to make the world around us a better place through action. I must admit that all this talk about morality is beyond my comprehension!"

"Really?"

I can advise her to read the classics, starting with Socrates. I remember the fight with Achilles, who said that we should act according to virtue, and not in the most convenient way at that time. I remember him telling me that women don't understand such things. I remember telling him that it was taken directly from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and I remember him muttering something. I remember annoying him about it for a whole week.

Good times.

Never mind. We are on opposite sides of the conflict. I don't feel the need to give advice to someone I might want to kill. I don't have the patience for that.

We exchanged a few clichés until the maid came to bring me tea. I brought the cup to my lips and took a deep breath.

Opium tincture essence. Very potent anesthetic. Just take a sip and I'll fall asleep for the next few hours. I raised my eyes to look at Mrs. Abernathy. I wouldn't consider it a breach of oath because we are already hostile. It's more of a ruse or ....

Well?

What?!

I watched, and was amazed to see Rose swinging her fire stick with all her might, smashing it into the temple of the mistress of the house. I heard a damp crunch and the woman fell down like a puppet with a broken string.

Well.

Wow.

She's dead.

The maid killed her employer in front of me. Finally, something interesting.

“Ssssh !“ Please don't scream," she whispered, "I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Miss, wouldn't it be better if you didn't wield that red plucking stick? Common sense?

Forget it, let me nod.

"Please don't drink this tea, because it's poisonous." I apologize for that, but we must speak at all costs. Your companions and you are in danger! This place is not what it seems. This is the worst nest of sin and iniquity! I beg you to leave this place and take me away!"

I turned to the corpse of my deceitful master. The blood dripping from her temples and nose smelled terrible. It's not a disease, it's not a spell, it's a dirty thing. I felt as if someone had taken a painter's masterpiece and covered it with feces. I was very disgusted. I never, never will.

I looked at the maid. She was a tall, athletic girl whose loose uniform barely concealed her plump figure. There is a sincere beauty to her face. I think she's smart but honest. This sudden murder was quite unexpected.

Worryingly, she smells the same foul as her former employer. I knew it. I should have eaten Dalton's blood. Why should I wait? Hi. So thirsty...

"She was involved in the conspiracy. Please, I know you must be scared, it's hard to accept, but you have to trust me! The people here, Abnacy, everyone! They kidnap settlers and then... They...... S

if。 God testifies that you are my only hope. We must save your friends and then escape!"

I'm going to find them, I'm going to find Dalton.

"We expected that. We are looking for a person who has been kidnapped. ”

And so on. Do you know? You're still here?! The three of you?!"

"We, ah, underestimate the size of this group."

"There are nearly a hundred people in the yard!" Fighting is stupid!"

"It's too late. Let's join up with the others and at least get our gear back. When the time comes, we can negotiate a plan. ”

"Okay, hurry up before she wakes up." She said.

Well...... If she wakes up, she can start her own religion. It's okay, I shouldn't have mentioned it now. There's no reason to risk her being hysterical. That's the last thing I need.

The first thing I need is blood, and fast.

"Take me back to the living room. If they're lucky, they're still listening to Abernathy's staccato rants so that my uncle and his friends can overpower him. ”

I grabbed my deceased mistress by the shoulders and pulled her behind the couch and covered her with a sheet while trying to ignore the smell of feces.

When I returned to Rose, she was staring at me warily. yes, I was supposed to be that brainless blonde.

"Ah, you're more resourceful than I thought."

"I came prepared, though not ready. You blew my mind. ”

"I ...... I think. I'll lead the way! Stay behind me and everything will be fine. Yes. ”

We walked back through an empty hallway. Yes, I remember. Now let's go to the right......

Rose was about to turn around when I grabbed her and pulled her towards me. She looked at me in confusion until I put a finger to my lips and pointed to our destination. We peeked around the corner. A large group of very burly men was dragging two struggling figures towards an unknown place. That's the team. I knew from the beginning that this was a stupid idea! I would absolutely, never agree. Poor hunter. A sucker. All right. Hold your horses. Enough is enough. Loth may have decided to cooperate, he's counting on me to drink, I mean save him later. All right. I can't just go in and flood this place with filthy blood, how dare they. Cockroach. Mutt dogs. Yes. Well, well, I'll just wait. I'm going to save them the old way, by stupid luck and ridiculous plans that can't work.

"No, we're late!" What should we do?!" My unfortunate companion whispered.

"Calm down. Do you know where they were taken?"

"Yes. Yes, I know, all the prisoners were kept in cells inside the mountains. ”

Inside the mountains?! What is it?! Shakespeare's Tempest? Will I be able to meet Queen Mab and Parker? Hi. It's all Bing's fault! Him and his stupid magic of fate!

"Can you take me there?"

"Yes, I was locked up there and ...... Before I joined them. ”

She shuddered.

"There will be guards and others on the road."

"We need weapons, we need camouflage. Weapons. Do you know where they took the wagon?"

"Yes, near the stables and fences. Follow me!"